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Regional Health Authorities
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the amounts allocated by each regional health authority in 1991-92 for the (a) training of
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managers in the national health service, (b) postgraduate medical education and (c) continuing medical education ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Waldegrave : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 June at column 684.
Occupational Therapy Service
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has issued guidance to health and local authorities on their responsibilities in providing an occupational therapy service in the community.
Mr. Dorrell : Guidance to health and local authorities on occupational therapy services was issued in 1985. There was further guidance in a 1988 health notice (HN(88)26), a copy of which is available in the Library, on the development of services for people with physical or sensory disabilities. A report by the social services inspectorate on local authority occupational therapy services is to be published shortly.
Chronic Sick and Disabled Units
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to health authorities for the relocation of people being moved from young chronic sick and disabled units.
Mr. Dorrell : Health circular HC(89)5, a copy of which is available in the Library, on the discharge of patients from hospital was issued in February 1989 together with an explanatory booklet about procedures to be followed.
Dentures
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on his policy regarding the direct provision to the public of dentures by denturists.
Mr. Dorrell : The General Dental Council may make regulations to establish classes of dental auxiliaries who may undertake dental work. These may not, however, permit auxiliaries to fit, insert or fix dentures or artificial teeth. It is considered that only registered dental or medical practitioners are competent to recognise pathological conditions which may be caused or exacerbated by dentures.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the planned reductions and planned increases in staff by each national health service trust from which he obtained the net figure of 200 which he gave in the debate on 14 May, Official Report, column 174, specifying the planning period in each case.
Mr. Waldegrave : No ; as I said in the debate, many trusts are expanding and some are contracting. The prime responsibility of NHS trusts is to provide services and they will make their manpower plans in response to demand from health authorities and other purchasers. Therefore, the plans are likely to change over time.
Neonatal Intensive Care
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each region and for England as a whole the number of neonatal intensive care cots.
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Mr. Dorrell : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 15 October 1990 at columns 667-74. We expect figures for 1990-91 to be completed by the end of September.Ativan
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of prescriptions of Ativan in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 3 July 1991] : The information requested is as follows :
Great Britain Number of prescriptions (thousands) Drug name |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tab Lorazepam 2pt5mg |332.9 |429.1 |382.0 |255.7 |212.9 Tab Lorazepam 1mg |2,148.5 |2,719.1 |2,519.6 |1,867.0 |1,529.3 Ativan Tab 2pt5mg |92.7 |0.2 |- |- |- Ativan Tab 1mg |543.1 |0.5 |0.1 |- |- Note: 1. Ativan was included in a list of drugs not prescribable at NHS expense from April 1985. However, its generic form, Lorazepam, remains prescribable. 2. These figures are based on a sample of dispensed prescriptions of approximately 1 in 200 in England and Wales and 1 in 100 in Scotland.
District Health Authorities
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans or proposals he has for merging or re-organising the district health authorities in Greater London.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 3 July 1991] : We have no plans to reorganise health authorities. Any proposal to merge district health authorities in London or elsewhere is a matter for the regional health authority concerned. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made it clear to regional health authorities that consultation on any such proposals has to be wide and that Ministers need to be convinced that they are in the interests of local people and of the national health service generally.
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WALES
Blue Ear Pig Disease
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is undertaking to prevent the spread of blue ear pig disease into Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The Blue Ear Pig Disease Order 1991 was introduced in June. This order makes suspicion of the disease notifiable, allows for the declaration of infected places and infected areas by special orders and allows movement restrictions to be placed on premises exposed to infection pending a veterinary investigation.
Fallen Animals
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the average knacker charge for the collection of (a) bovine casualties and (b) ruminant casualties in each year from 1979 onwards on the basis of 1989-90 prices in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The charging by knackers for the removal of carcases is a comparatively recent development resulting from changes in the market for animal by-products. Details of these charges are not available in the form requested, but is understood that the current average ranges of charges in Wales are as follows :
|£
-------------------------
Adult cattle |10-30
Calves |2-5
Sheep |4-8
Birth Statistics
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for 1990 for the residents of (a) Wales and (b) each NHS district within Wales (i) the number of live births (ii) the percentage of live births with unstated birth weight (iii) the number of live births with stated birth weight and (iv) the percentages of these, which were under 1000g, 1000g to 1499g, 1500g to 1999g, 2000g to 2499g, 2500g to 2999g, 3000g to 3499g, 3500g to 3999g and 4000g and above.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information requested is given in the table and is derived from all registered births to residents of Wales :
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All live births Live births (with birthweight stated) by birthweight
District health |Number |Percentage |Total |<1000g |1000-1499g |1500-1999g |2000-2499g |2500-2999g |3000-3499g |3500-3999g |4000g
authority |with |(birthweight |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |and over
|birthweight |stated)
|not stated
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |5,352 |2.2 |5,237 |0.3 |0.6 |1.6 |4.1 |16.1 |35.1 |30.1 |12.2
East Dyfed |2,723 |4.1 |2,616 |0.3 |0.5 |1.0 |3.5 |15.1 |37.5 |30.8 |11.3
Pembrokeshire |1,435 |0.4 |1,429 |0.2 |0.6 |1.0 |4.0 |15.5 |37.6 |29.4 |11.8
Gwent |6,404 |6.7 |6,004 |0.2 |0.5 |1.3 |4.9 |18.1 |36.2 |29.3 |9.5
Gwynedd |3,027 |5.0 |2,883 |0.2 |0.4 |1.2 |4.2 |14.5 |37.4 |28.7 |13.3
Mid Glamorgan |7,812 |1.1 |7,730 |0.4 |0.6 |1.2 |4.0 |17.7 |36.2 |29.2 |10.7
Powys |1,472 |6.9 |1,377 |0.1 |0.7 |0.9 |3.8 |14.6 |38.1 |31.2 |10.7
South Glamorgan |5,868 |0.7 |5,830 |0.4 |0.6 |1.1 |3.9 |17.0 |38.6 |27.9 |10.4
West Glamorgan |4,773 |7.6 |4,434 |0.2 |0.7 |1.1 |4.1 |14.6 |36.7 |30.4 |12.3
Wales |38,866 |3.5 |37,540 |0.3 |0.6 |1.2 |4.1 |16.4 |36.8 |29.4 |11.1
Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.
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A44
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the trunk road A44 between Rhydlydan and Llwynhowel, Ponterwyd Sir Aberteifi within the next three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We have no plans to carry out improvement to the A44 in that area to that time scale.
Employment Training
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many adults with learning difficulties were undertaking employment training in Wales in each of the last five years ; and how many are in training in the current year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : This information is not available.
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Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of employment training placements for the last available financial year were in workplaces with employers ; and what percentage were in project-based schemes.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The estimated percentages of ET participants on placements with employers and with projects as at 31 March 1991 were 27 and 28 per cent. respectively. Financial year information is not available.
Earnings
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the distribution of gross weekly earnings of full-time persons in (a) Wales, (b) the counties of Gwynedd, Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed, (c) the administrative district of Snowdonia national park and (d) the district of Meirionnydd as at April 1991.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The latest available information, for April 1990, relating to the distribution of gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence, is given in the table :
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Male and Female Average Distribution of weekly earnings
|gross weekly |percentage earning under:
|earnings
|£180 |£250 |£320
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wales |232.1 |38.0 |64.3 |83.6
Gwynedd, Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed<1> |227.7 |40.1 |65.6 |84.6
Gwynedd<2> |225.5 |44.6 |64.9 |83.8
Meirionnydd district |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
n/a=Not available.
Source: New Earnings Survey.
<1>Excluding Llanelli district.
<2>Separate figures for the national park area are not available.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average gross weekly earnings as at April 1991 of male and female full-time employees by industry (sic 1980 class) in (a) Wales, (b) Gwynedd, Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed, (c) the administrative district of Snowdonia national park and (d) the district of Meirionnydd.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The latest available information by industry-- standard industrial classification classes--is published in part E of the new earnings survey 1990--tables 118-121--a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Because figures for Wales are derived from a sample of full-time employees, details for some industry classes are not sufficiently reliable for publication.
There are no reliable figures by industry class for the other areas of Wales requested but the average earnings of all make and all female full- time employees in April 1990 are, where available, given in the table :
Average gross weekly earnings:
Full-time employees on adult rates-pay unaffected by
absence
|Male |Female
--------------------------------------------------------
Wales |258.6 |180.3
Gwynedd, Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed<1> |253.9 |178.1
Gwynedd<2> |248.4 |175.7
Meirionnydd district |n.a. |n.a.
<1>Excluding Llanelli district.
<2>Separate figures for the national park area are not
available.
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Trawsfynydd Lake
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will identify the means and routes by which radioactivity has entered Trawsfynydd lake, giving comparable information for other bodies of water that are not directly connected with discharges from the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, and account for the presence of natural radioactivity, past fall-out from Chernobyl and other nuclear-related incidents that have resulted in airborne radioactive matter entering Trawsfynydd lake ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he will provide the results of any analysis undertaken by or reported to his office on the increased radiation dose, whole body and internal organs, received by the most exposed members of the public as a result of the water level of Trawsfynydd lake being lowered for investigation repairs to the dam serving to contain the waters of the lake ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will provide the level of radioactivity currently in situ in the sediments of lake Trawsfynydd, and the proportions of the overall radioactive inventory contri-buted by each principal radionuclide specie, stating how each radionuclide specie is distributed across the lake bottom and through the sediment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 28 June 1991] : The directorate of fisheries research of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food monitors regularly the levels of any radioactivity found in environmental materials taken from Lake Trawsfynydd. Measurements
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are also made in other lakes. The results are published in the annual reports of monitoring of radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles. Copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.The regular monitoring reports include analysis of the measurements in terms of both internal and external radiation doses. There is no evidence of any increase of dose to members of the public which is attributable to the lowering of the water level in the lake. Radioactive nuclides are regularly monitored in Lake Trawsfynydd sediments and the results published in the annual reports. More detailed investigations into the radionuclide content of sediment profiles are currently being undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the results will be published.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration his Department has given to the radiological consequenced to individual members of the public of allowing the Trawsfynydd lake to be completely drained and/or abandons when the present nuclear power station located on its shores ceases to function ; what conclusions he has reached in terms of the most exposed individual of the public ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 28 June 1991] : When Trawsfynydd power station is to be decommissioned, full account will be taken of potential radiation exposure to members of the public from such operations. However, the presence of the recently refurbished Maentwrog hydroelectric power station will ensure the need to maintain the lake for many years to come.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the period for which the level of the lake was lowered in order to facilitate investigation and repairs to the dam containing the waters of Trawsfynydd lake, and state by how much, on average, the level of the lake was lowered and by what extent in area lake bottom sediments were exposed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 28 June 1991] : I understand from Nuclear Electric that Trawsfynydd lake level was lowered in December 1986 from a nominal
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maximum of 650 ft above mean sea level--AMSL --to a nominal maximum of 642 ft AMSL to aid investigative work on the main dam structure. The level rose during early 1987 but was again reduced to 644 ft AMSL nominal maximum in May 1987 to relieve pressure on the dam structure until the new dam is completed, which is expected to be later this year.When the lake's maximum level is lowered, areas of the lake shore which are normally covered by water, except during the summer months, are uncovered for longer periods. The size of these exposed areas varies from one part of the lake to another, depending on the slope of the shore at any point.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which organisation is to be responsible for maintaining Trawsfynydd lake at the desired levels and in good repair in future years ; for how long the lake will have to be maintained full and in good repair if any undesirable radiation exposure to any member of the public is to be avoided ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 28 June 1991] : Nuclear Electric owns the lake and is responsible for maintaining it at the required level. I understand that the primary purpose of the lake is to provide water for the Maentwrog hydro-electric scheme. If at any time the draining of the lake is proposed, a full assessment of any potential radiological consequences will be made beforehand so that all necessary measures can be taken, including those required to ensure public safety.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if water run off from Trawsfynydd lake enters any source of potable water supplies.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 28 June 1991] : There are no licensed potable water abstractions from Trawsfynydd lake or the Afon Prysor into which it discharges. However, records are not kept of single abstractions of less than 5 cu m or of abstractions by adjoining land owners which are permitted without licence.
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SCOTLAND
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many reported cases of BSE there have been in each of the last six months ; how many cattle have been killed ; and from what number of farms in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information for Scotland for each of the last six available months is as follows :
|Number |Number |Number of
|reported |slaughtered|farms
--------------------------------------------------------------
December 1990 |43 |40 |39
January 1991 |76 |72 |65
February 1991 |67 |58 |53
March 1991 |73 |59 |59
April 1991 |59 |53 |50
May 1991 |48 |30 |28
The number of farms relates to animals slaughtered. Animals reported as suspected of being affected with the disease are normally held for a time for surveillance before slaughter. Final confirmation cannot be obtained until histopathological examination of brain tissues has been completed after death.
Health Expenditure
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing expenditure on (a) hospital and community health services, (b) family health services and (c) total health service spending, identifying current and capital expenditure separately and adjusted for changes in input unit costs in each year from 1978-79 to the most recent available date.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 28 June 1991] : Details of gross expenditure for Scotland broken down by service from 1978-79 to 1989-90, in cash terms, and adjusted by the gross domestic product deflator, are given in the tables.
(a) Hospital and Community Health Services
|£ million |Adjusted by
|cash |the GDP
|deflator to
|1990-91
|prices
------------------------------------------------
Current Expenditure
1978-79 |627 |1,582
1979-80 |749 |1,619
1980-81 |964 |1,761
1981-82 |1,083 |1,805
1982-83 |1,156 |1,798
1983-84 |1,227 |1,825
1984-85 |1,306 |1,848
1985-86 |1,381 |1,854
1986-87 |1,465 |1,900
1987-88 |1,598 |1,968
1988-89 |1,776 |2,036
1989-90 |1,906 |2,054
Capital Expenditure
1978-79 |51 |129
1979-80 |58 |125
1980-81 |59 |108
1981-82 |84 |140
1982-83 |92 |143
1983-84 |99 |147
1984-85 |107 |151
1985-86 |120 |161
1986-87 |115 |149
1987-88 |117 |144
1988-89 |128 |147
1989-90 |170 |183
(b) Family Health Services (Current)
|£ million cash|Adjusted by
|the DPG
|deflator to
|1990-91
|prices
------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 |167 |421
1979-80 |197 |426
1980-81 |246 |449
1981-82 |281 |468
1982-83 |322 |501
1983-84 |349 |519
1984-85 |382 |541
1985-86 |402 |540
1986-87 |440 |571
1987-88 |485 |597
1988-89 |545 |625
1989-90 |583 |628
(c) Total National Health Expenditure
|£ million cash|Adjusted by
|the GDP
|deflator to
|1990-91
|prices
------------------------------------------------------------
Current
1978-79 |837 |2,112
1979-80 |999 |2,159
1980-81 |1,276 |2,331
1981-82 |1,436 |2,392
1982-83 |1,556 |2,421
1983-84 |1,665 |2,475
1984-85 |1,782 |2,521
1985-86 |1,882 |2,525
1986-87 |2,017 |2,616
1987-88 |2,199 |2,708
1988-89 |2,449 |2,807
1989-90 |2,633 |2,837
Capital
1978-79 |56 |141
1979-80 |65 |141
1980-81 |67 |123
1981-82 |95 |159
1982-83 |104 |162
1983-84 |108 |161
1984-85 |119 |169
1985-86 |132 |178
1986-87 |126 |164
1987-88 |129 |159
1988-89 |142 |163
1989-90 |187 |202
SOCIAL SECURITY
Family Credit
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is taking to investigate (a) the uptake of family credit by the self-employed,
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(b) the administration of the family credit scheme so far as self-employed claimants are involved and (c) the use of cash flow on the method of determining earnings.Mr. Jack : There are around 47,000 families on family credit where the main earner is self-employed. Nearly 45 per cent. of them receive family credit of £50 or more a week. To improve further the service to self-employed customers, and to respond to the representations made by them and on their behalf, the Department has commissioned a research study into family credit for the self-employed from the social policy research unit at the university of York. The study is looking not only at the administration of the scheme and the method of determining earnings, but at a wide range of other matters including the nature of low income self-employment ; incentives to work and job creation ; eligibility and factors affecting take-up of family credit ; and standards of living. The full report of the study is not due until 1993, but we hope to receive information on the assessment and administration elements before the end of this year.
Johnstone Benefits Office
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent in the Johnstone office of the Benefits Agency on (a) floor coverings, (b) furnishings and (c) fabric improvements in each year since 1985 ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Expenditure incurred by this Department since 1985 has been as follows :
|Floor cover- |Furnishings |Fabric im-
|ings |provements
|(internal re-
|decoration)
|£ |£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |Nil |Nil |Nil
1986-87 |Nil |Nil |Nil
1987-88 |Nil |Nil |Nil
1988-89 |Nil |Nil |9,200
1989-90 |21,500 |26,451 |1,000
1990-91 |Nil |12,021 |Nil
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent on extending or improving the Johnstone office of the Benefits Agency in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Miss Widdecombe : Information for the years prior to 1985-86 is not readily available.
The amounts spent by this Department on extending or improving the Johnstone office of the Benefits Agency in each of the financial years since 1985-86 are :
|£
----------------------
1985-86 |1,821
1986-87 |734
1987-88 |3,501
1988-89 |1,084
1989-90 |48,998
1990-91 |17,048
Notes:
1. Figures prior to
April 1988 do not
include any works
projects over £2,500,
which were the
responsibility of the
Department of the
Environment.
2. These figures do
not include the
amounts spent on
floor coverings,
furnishings and
fabric improvements.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total population eligible to use the Johnstone office of the Benefits Agency in each year since 1985 ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how many claimants were dealt with from the Johnstone office of the Benefits Agency in each year since 1985 ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) what is the effect of the Benefits Agency review on the operation of its office in Johnstone ; what amendments to its operations have been made ; what future proposals are intended for implementation ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Statistics were obtained from the Strathclyde regional council to aid service planning and give the projected population of the Renfrew district, considered to be the most relevant.
In 1986 the actual figure was 203,220 with a projected change to 201,258, 200,805, 200,391, 200,008 and 199,644 in the years 1987 to 1991. The figures for 1985 are not available.
It is impossible to say how many customers are dealt with by any office of the Benefits Agency in any year. Contact can be made by post, by telephone or by visit and detailed figures are not held. The table, covering the main benefits, gives an indication of the numbers in contact with the Johnstone office over the period. Figures prior to 1987 are not available.
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T
Income support
|Income |Social |Income |Income
|support |fund |support |support/
|claims |application |load |Social fund
|callers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1987-88 |7,680 |18,534 |7,996 |Not available
April 1988-89 |6,632 |17,812 |7,265 |4,355
April 1989-90 |6,749 |17,489 |7,166 |5,332
April 1990-91 |5,527 |23,519 |7,010 |5,732
Contributory benefits
|Short-term |Retirement |Short-term |Contributory
|benefit/ |pension/ |benefits |benefit
|Maternity |Widow's |load |callers
|benefit |pension |(average)
|claims |claims
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1987-88 |2,071 |971 |3,915 |15,569
April 1988-89 |1,938 |900 |3,944 |14,962
April 1989-90 |2,045 |1,001 |4,303 |14,725
April 1990-91 |2,156 |862 |4,837 |15,997
With the formation of the Benefits Agency, Paisley ILO and Johnstone ILO-- previously separately managed independent units--were combined to form the Renfrew district. Currently at Johnstone are income support, liable relatives, direct payment, overpayments, social fund crisis loans and part of finance sections.
Future proposals are the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Benefits (Wales)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals were in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) income support and income support premiums, (c) family credit, (d) national insurance retirement pensions, (e) supplementary benefit, (f) child benefit and (g) one parent benefit ; and what were the average payments made in (i) Wales, (ii) the administrative districts of Gwynedd, Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed, (iii) the administrative district of Snowdonia national park and (iv) the district of Meirionnydd during the past 12 months.
Miss Widdecombe : The complete answer to this question is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs. This is because such statistics are collected at DSS and unemployment benefit office level and areas covered by these offices do not correspond to the administrative districts specified. Furthermore, the information that is routinely collected does not reflect the number of individuals in receipt during particular periods, it merely provides a "snapshot" of a given point in time.
Such information as is available and relates to Wales follows : (
(a) Unemployment Benefit ; in May 1991, there were 28,610 individuals in receipt.
(b) Income Support and Income Support Premiums ; in May 1989, there were 246,000 customers in receipt of whom 169,000 were in receipt of one or more premiums. The average payment was £34.83
(c) Family Credit ; in November 1990, there were 21,300 persons in receipt. The average payment was £31.02.
(d) Retirement Pension ; in April 1990 there were 518,000 in receipt.
(e) Supplementary Benefits ; no customers in receipt of a weekly allowance
(f) Child Benefit ; in 1989, there were 348,000 persons in receipt. The average weekly payment was £13.94.
(g) One Parent Benefit ; in December 1989, there were 34,000 persons in receipt. The average weekly payment was £5.60.
Disability Benefit Regulations
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether any disability benefit regulations will be laid before the summer adjournment.
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Mr. Scott : As the first step in a further consultation process on the new disability benefits I have today laid before the House draft regulations to provide for the new Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board. This new body will provide expert advice to staff working on disability living allowance and attendance allowance, which will remain for people disabled over age 65. The membership of the board will comprise people with disabilities and others with experience in the needs of disabled people and we will be inviting organisations of and for disabled people to make suggestions for its membership.Over the next few weeks we shall also be issuing for comments the draft claim forms for disability living allowance and disability working allowance and the regulations which set out how the new benefits will operate in detail. We shall also be issuing the draft disability handbook which will assist the staff working on disability living allowance, and the draft regulations for the two benefits. As part of this strategy of consulting disabled people about the administration of benefits we have conducted a survey of consumer views of the attendance allowance medical examination. The report of this survey, which shows a high level of satisfaction with the service provided by examining doctors will be published next week. We have also laid before the House today a set of regulations to enable members of Her Majesty's forces to satisfy the residence test for severe disablement allowance.
Finally, we plan to lay regulations before the end of the parliamentary Session to introduce some beneficial changes to the industrial injuries provisions. We shall be extending the prescription for occupational asthma and adding two new diseases, orf and hydatidosis, to the schedule of prescribed diseases.
EMPLOYMENT
Racial Discrimination
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on racial discrimination in employment.
Mr. Jackson : The Government are resolutely opposed to racial discrimination and sees fair treatment between citizens regardless of race as fundamental to a healthy and balanced society. Racial discrimination is morally wrong. Moreover, in employment it makes bad business sense by potentially excluding the best person for the job. Progress has been made in eliminating racial discrimination. In that period from 1984 the unemployment rates for ethnic minorities came down faster than those for white people. There is also evidence that ethnic minority people have moved into higher level occupations over the past 20 years, and there has been a steady increase
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in the number of ethnic minority people taking up the challenge and opportunities of self-employment. However, more remains to be done to achieve equal opportunities in employment for these groups. The Race Relations Act 1976, which applies to Great Britain, provides the legislative framework for the elimination of racial discrimination. The Commission for Racial Equality works to this end and has published a code of practice in employment.The Department--through the employment service and training and enterprise councils--seeks to ensure equality of opportunity, irrespective of race, in all its programmes and services. In addition, the Department's race relations employment advisory service provides advice and guidance to employers on the introduction and implementation of policies and practices aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in employment.
Independent Unions Training Council
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will classify the Independent Unions Training Council as an appropriate body to approve training under paragraph 17 of the ACAS code of practice--time off for trade union duties and activities ; and whether he has any plans to include the Independent Unions Training Council in paragraph 17 of subsequent editions of the code.
Mr. Forth : Paragraph 17 of the ACAS code of practice "Time Off for Trade Union Duties and Activities" consists of a restatement of statutory provisions contained in section 27 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for ACAS to amend its code of practice in the manner suggested. The Government have no present plans to amend the relevant legislation.
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