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Mr. Norman Lamont : I have received a large number of representations from the many people affected.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he was told that the restructuring plans for BCCI would not go ahead ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Norman Lamont : Treasury Ministers were informed of the content of the press statement issued by the majority shareholders on 3 October, shortly before it was released.Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to call for an interim report from Lord Justice Bingham.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I have no plans to do so.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to give evidence to the Bingham inquiry.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I will give evidence to the Bingham inquiry if I am asked to do so.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Bingham report to be published.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I expect Lord Justice Bingham to report as soon as is possible, consistent with his duty to be thorough and probing.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met Lord Justice Bingham.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I last met Lord Justice Bingham on 22 July.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England concerning BCCI in the last (a) 12 months and (b) 24 months.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I meet the Governor of the Bank of England from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.
Inflation and Interest Rates
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the average inflation and interest rate levels between 1974 and 1979 and since May 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples : Between March 1974 and April 1979 retail prices index inflation averaged 15.5 per cent. and base rates averaged 10.5 per cent. Since May 1979, the corresponding figures have been 7.6 per cent. for inflation and 12.2 per cent. for interest rates.
National Heritage Land
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if for each year since 1980, he will give the details of each agreement reached which is an exemption from inheritance tax for national heritage land of outstanding scenic, historic or scientific interest, and in each case if he will give the following : (a) the name of the estate, (b) the county in which it is located, (c) the amount of tax exemption, (d) the type of designated area in which the land is located, (e) the hectarage of land involved and (f) the extent of new access arrangements affecting that land ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : The detailed information requested about individual cases is covered by the normal rules of tax confidentiality. Where conditional exemption from inheritance tax is granted, land-owners are required to publicise arrangements made for public access.
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Dispatches" Programme
Mr. Randall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps were taken to ensure Steven Watson would have immunity from prosecution in the event of his arrest by police while carrying out his anti-crime work at Heathrow airport as described in the "Dispatches" programme on Channel 4 ;
(2) at what rank in the Customs and Excise office the initiative reported in the Channel 4 "Dispatches" programme to break the rip-off gangs at Heathrow airport was approved.
(3) if he approved the change of policy of the Customs and Excise Office in combating crime at Heathrow airport by employing the techniques used by Steven Watson as described in the "Dispatches" programme.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Her Majesty's Customs and Excise use all available resources and techniques to combat drug smuggling, including from time to time undercover operations. Customs staff engaged on undercover work are not authorised to undertake criminal activities, and the issue of immunity from prosecution does not therefore arise. The operation to which the hon. Member refers was authorised by the chairman of the Board of Customs and Excise.
Financial Services
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax changes are proposed for the new market formed from the merger of the London International Financial Futures Exchange and the London traded options market.
Mr. Maude : The rules for certain tax reliefs which are available at present to market makers in traded options assume that the London traded options market is part of the stock exchange. When the proposed merger of the London trade options market with the London International Financial Futures Exchange takes place, this will no longer be so. New regulations will be made to adapt the present reliefs accordingly, and to widen them in some respects to take account of the structure of the new market, once the arrangements for the merger have been finalised.
The new regulations will provide stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax reliefs for members of the new merged market acting as principal traders in equity options. The reliefs will apply, within certain prescribed limits, to transactions in equities which are necessary to hedge positions in options to buy or sell securities which members enter into on their own account and not on behalf of clients. Stock lending reliefs, and exemption in certain circumstances from the anti-bondwashing legislation, will also apply to such transactions and to transactions where stock is borrowed or purchased to meet a delivery obligation arising from the exercise or assignment of an option, again within certain prescribed limits.
For members of the merged market acting as principal traders in option contracts regulations will be made to place them on a comparable basis to Stock Exchange market-makers when required to manufacture a dividend.
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HEALTH
HIV and AIDS
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects on which his Department has worked with the British Medical Association to educate the public about HIV and AIDS.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The British Medical Association's main educational remit is towards the medical profession. The BMA carries this work forward through its Board of Education and Science and its Foundation for AIDS. However the association has collaborated both with the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority (HEA) on projects for wider audiences as follows :
the BMA and the HEA jointly produced a booklet AIDS and You'. This was designed primarily for junior doctors but is now being more widely distributed ;
in March this year the BMA and the HEA jointly hosted an international workshop on the promotion of sexual health. This attracted delegates from a range of organisations from both the United Kingdom and abroad to consider educational initiatives for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV prevention ; the Department and the BMA collaborated on the production of an educational picture game for use with the general public and in schools, colleges and other institutions ;
The Department and the BMA collaborated on the production of videos for GP's and hospital doctors aimed at raising awareness, and helping them to cope with the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS.
London Teaching Hospitals
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the national function currently filled by each of the London teaching hospitals ; and if he will list for each the number of beds not in commission in each on 1 October last.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Teaching hospitals, in London and elsewhere, generally perform a number of different functions. As well as providing services to the local population, through contracts with purchasing authorities, they offer a range of specialist services to a wider population on a regional and sometimes supra-regional basis. In addition, teaching hospitals fulfil a national function, in collaboration with the medical schools, as centres of undergraduate teaching and postgraduate training.
Figures on the number of beds not in commission are not routinely collected centrally as they are not a reliable indicator of service levels. If the hon. Member wishes to contact the hospitals concerned, they may be able to supply him with this information.
NHS Dental Checks
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the charge for a NHS dental examination ; and what was the charge in 1979.
Mr. Dorrell : The patient charges for NHS dental examinations are £3.75, £5.25 and £12.00, depending on the complexity of the examination. There was no charge for any dental examination in 1979. In 1979-80, 18,185,000
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courses of dental treatment were provided for adults in England and Wales. The equivalent figure for 1990-91 is 23,738,000, and an increase of over 30 per cent.Eye Tests
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) 1989, (b) 1990 and so far this year received an eye examination under the NHS ; and if he will show the percentage change since the introduction of charges for an examination.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Eye examinations are carried out in the community by optometrists who refer any cases of suspect eye disease, via the patient's general medical practitioner, to a consultant ophthalmologist in the hospital eye service. The total out-patient attendances at NHS hospital eye clinics for NHS ophthalmological treatment are :
|England
|(millions)
---------------------------------
1988-89 |2.839
1989-90 |2.888
1990-91 |2.931
Attendances increased by 3.2 per cent. between 1988-89 and 1990-91. Community-based optometrists carried out 12.493 million NHS sight tests in 1988-89. Changes were introduced in April 1989 whereby those who could afford to, paid for their own private sight test. Some 40 per cent. of the population including children and adults who either cannot afford it or who have special medical needs continue to be entitled to free NHS tests. There was a surge in the number of sight tests carried out in 1988 as people rushed to "beat the charges" and a corresponding drop immediately after April 1989. The last vestiges of this surge continue to show in the figures for 1989 which include 1.7 million sight tests done but not paid for under the "old system". The figures for NHS tests for 1989-90 and 1990-91 are-- 5.572 million and 4.425 million respectively. Figures from surveys published by the optical profession show that after an initial drop, levels for total sight test figures have returned to 1987 levels--the last "normal" year before the changes were made.
Dentistry
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in 1979 gave treatment under the NHS ; and what is the number now.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is shown in the table.
Number of dentists in England<1>
|General |Hospital |Community
|dental |dental |dental
|services |services |services<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------
30 September 1979 |12,146 |1,152 |1,995
30 September 1990 |15,480 |1,244 |1,577
30 June 1991 |15,448 |n/a |n/a
<1> The figures shown are the latest available; those for
hospital and community dentists represent numbers of staff and
not necessarily those giving treatment.
<2> In 1989, the role of the Community Dental Services was
reviewed. As a result, it is now the practice for the General
Dental Services, rather than the Community Dental Services, to
provide routine treatment for healthy school children.
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Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for the six forms of dental treatment most often given as well as dental examinations (a) the charges for such treatment in 1979, (b) the level of the charges if they had been increased in line with inflation since then and (c) the current charges.
Mr. Dorrell : These comparisons are not possible because of changes to the structure of the charging system. In 1979 patients paid the full cost up to £5 for routine treatments, with higher costs for others.
The current charges for dental examinations as at 1 July 1991 are £3.75, £5.25 and £12, depending on the complexity of the examination.
The six most common adult treatments, excluding examinations, are given in the table with the current patient charge as at 1 July 1991 :
|£
----------------------------------------------------------
Normal scaling and polishing |6.00
One mesio-occlusal or disto-occlusal filling |7.95
Composite/Synthetic Resin one filling |7.65
Amalgam one surface |4.05
Two films radiographic examination and report |2.55
One mesio-occlusal-distal filling |10.50
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those areas in England where there is a shortage of dentists giving NHS treatment.
Mr. Dorrell : In January 1991, a survey of family health services authorities provided no evidence of areas in England where there is a shortage of dentists giving NHS treatment. We are currently analysing the results of a more recent sample survey of dentists providing NHS treatment.
Prescription Charges
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the price would now be for a prescription if the charge had been increased in line with inflation since 1979 ; and what is the current charge.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : 46p ; and £3.40. In 1979 two items in every five carried a prescription charge. This compares with only one item in five in 1990.
NHS Hospital Trusts
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health who owns the NHS hospital trusts.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Each NHS trust has vested in it the assets it requires to carry out its functions. These bodies are set up by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and are accountable to him as an integral part of the NHS.
Carers
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the people who act as carers for relatives or friends of elderly or disabled people at home.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We recognise the splendid, loving and often arduous work of carers. They are the main providers of community care.
Our community care policy set out in the White Paper "Caring for People" commands wide support.
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Statutory authorities are to give high priority to ensuring that carers receive the practical support they need.When fully implemented, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 will provide a better framework.
We recognise the important role of the voluntary sector in implementing community care policies. The Government aid several voluntary organisations which work to support carers. We keep in close touch with their activities.
I welcome the initiative announced today by the Princess Royal. Leading businessmen under the chairmanship of Iain Vallance, have formed a new organisation, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. It will work with statutory and voluntary organisations to enhance the lives of carers.
NHS Chief Executive
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he authorised or had prior knowledge of the interview with the chief executive of the national health service management executive published in the Daily Mail on 7 October.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he had prior knowledge of the contents of the interview with the chief executive of the national health service management executive published in the Daily Mail on 7 October.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what disciplinary action he intends to take against the chief executive of the national health service management executive over his interview in the Daily Mail on 7 October.
Operating Theatres
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his reply of 14 October, he will estimate the cost of answering the question put to him by the hon. Member for Newham, South concerning days lost in operating theatres in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dorrell : In order to obtain the information a special exercise would have to be mounted. Without making detailed inquiries of health authorities, which itself would involve considerable expenditure, it is impossible to provide a precise figure, but it would definitely be well in excess of £1,000.
NHS Services
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS services were free of charge to users in 1979 ; and which are now subject to charges for treatment.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No charges for treatment have been introduced since 1979, except for dental examinations.
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DEFENCE
RAF Northolt
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions his Department has held with the Department of Transport about achieving more effective utilisation of the facilities at RAF Northolt ;
(2) what discussions his Department has held with business aircraft operators about the use of private sector investment to modernise and maintain the facilities at RAF Northolt ;
(3) what proposals he has received for the establishment of a civil aviation enclave at RAF Northolt ;
(4) what studies his Department has made into what savings in the running costs of RAF Northolt could be achieved by increased co-operation with business aircraft operators.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : RAF Northolt is already very effectively utilised for military aviation, and further military use is likely to be made of it as a result of our plans for defence in the nineties. Officials from my Department and the Department of Transport have recently concluded a study into the scope for future civil aviation use of RAF Northolt. Civil aircraft are already allowed to use the airfield, when military requirements permit, and make a contribution towards the cost of the runway and air traffic control facilities through payment of landing and navigation fees. The possibility of establishing a civil enclave, about which a number of representations have been received, was included in the study and the findings are currently under consideration. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member when these deliberations are complete.
Missiles
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have been held with the United States authorities about the potential of the AGM/MGM-137 tri-service stand-off attack missile to meet British military requirements.
Mr. Alan Clark : We have regular discussions with our United States partners on a wide range of equipment-related issues.
Anti-armour Weapons
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to a reinstatement of staff requirement 1238 ; and what changes have been made to the requirement in the past year.
Mr. Alan Clark : We are continuing to assess the need for an air- launched anti-armour weapon in the light of changing circumstances.
Portland Naval Base
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on future plans for Portland naval base and the provision of naval operational sea training.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We see a continuing need for a naval presence at Portland. We are continuing to look at
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how best to match support to the smaller fleet in the 1990s. I cannot therefore be specific about the level of activity at Portland or any other base in the longer term.There is a continuing requirement for the Royal Navy to conduct operational sea training.
AWACs
Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the orders and industrial benefits which have flowed to the United Kingdom by virtue of the offset agreement in relation to the Ministry of Defence's purchase of AWACs aircraft from the Boeing Aircraft Corporation of the United States of America.
Mr. Alan Clark : Contracts with United Kingdom firms amounting in total value to $1.197 billion have so far been agreed to count under this agreement. Details of individual orders are commercially confidential.
Low Flying
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the technical definition of low flying as used by (a) the RAF and (b) his Department ; and if he will indicate how stringently the use of the term is controlled and what other definitions are also used by either or both.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Fast jet aircraft are classified as low flying when below 2,000 feet minimum separation distance (MSD). Minimum separation distance is the minimum separation in all directions between the aircraft and the ground, or water or any object other than aircraft in the same formation. This definition is used both within the Ministry of Defence and by the RAF. No other definitions are used.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what limitations on low flying are in operation (a) over Cardiff, (b) over Penarth and (c) over other built-up areas in south Wales ; and what speed limitations are in operation in each case where any flights are allowed.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : For the limitations on low flying over Cardiff, Penarth and other built-up areas in south Wales, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 July at column 703. As regards speed limitations, the normal maximum cruising speed for military aircraft in the United Kingdom low-flying system is 450 knots, except for F111s which, for aircraft handling reasons, are allowed to fly at speeds of up to 480 knots.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights by RAF aircraft have passed (a) over Cardiff, (b) over Penarth and (c) close to either town in the last 12 months ; and in each case if he will give the number below 300 ft and within each 100 m band above 300 ft.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Central records are not held in a form that would enable the information requested to be provided.
Tornado Ditching
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the constituencies and built-up areas over which the RAF Tornado GR1 flew between the onset of difficulties and its descent into the Bristol channel on 12 September ;
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(2) if he will release all available information about the events leading up to the descent of a Tornado GR1 in the Bristol channel on 12 September, excepting only such information as it is necessary to keep secret in the national interest on the most strict interpretation of those words ;(3) at what height, to the nearest 100 ft, the RAF Tornado GR1 was flying on 12 September when its pilot experienced difficulties which led to the aircraft coming down in the Bristol channel.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have nothing to add to my letter of 30 September to the hon. Member. I have arranged for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library.
Disarmament Verification
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department's atomic weapons establishment has undertaken any research into the verification of nuclear arms control and disarmament agreements ; and if the AWE makes available any of its scientific experts to international bodies in support of verification requirements of the United Nations.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The necessary research is conducted to enable the MOD and Government to be suitably informed on verification and arms control matters. MOD expertise appropriate to the situation has been provided to international bodies such as the United Nations Special Commission and the ad hoc group of scientific experts (AHGSE), a working group of the United Nations Committee on Disarmament that meets in Geneva.
Army Training (Germany)
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what future arrangements he anticipates for Army training in Germany.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has now agreed with the German Minister of Defence new arrangements to maintain effective training for the British Army of the Rhine. These will allow the Army to dispense with exercising in the Soltau-Luneburg area. Dr. Stoltenberg is providing alternative exercising opportunities in existing training areas of the Bundeswehr.
The withdrawal from Soltau-Luneburg as a military exercise area is planned in the following phases :
1992 Withdrawal from a major area south west of Luneburg and substantial extension of the summer break period.
1993 Withdrawal from east of Bundesautobahn 7 and maintaining the extended summer break period.
1994 Ending of all military training in Soltau-Luneburg by mid 1994.
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