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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Priority is being given to improving facilities at the University hospital of Wales,
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enabling it to meet its target of 800 open heart operations per annum. Options for further expanding capacity to meet the target for south Wales recommended by the cardiology committee of the Royal College of Physicians, will be addressed as this programme of investment is concluded.Juvenile Macular Degeneration
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the latest available figures showing the total number of recorded cases of juvenile macular degeneration in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The number of cases of juvenile macular degeneration is not recorded centrally. However, information available indicates that there were only seven admissions of persons under the age of 16, to hospitals in Wales during the 10 year period 1981-1990, where this diagnosis was recorded.
South Glamorgan Health Authority
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the totals of (a) in-patients, (b) out-patients, (c) day patients and (d) accident and emergency patients treated by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information is as follows :
|1979 |1990-91
----------------------------------------------------------------
In-patients |67,526 |84,392
Out-patients |102,545|113,610
Day cases |10,704 |19,155
New accident and emergency out-patients |78,684 |85,213
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many administrative and clerical staff were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date ;
(2) how many nurses and midwives were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date ; (3) how many doctors and dentists were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date ; (4) how many professional and technical staff were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information, which relates to staff in post (whole-time equivalents) as at 30 September, is as follows :
4
|1979 |1991
----------------------------------------------------
Administrative and clerical staff |1,410|1,731
Nursing and midwifery staff<1> |4,211|4,875
Professional and technical staff |1,123|1,510
|1979 |1990
Medical and dental staff |604 |718
<1> 1979 figures included Blood Transfusion staff,
1991 excludes them.
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Inward Investment
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what steps he is taking following the Trades Union Congress statement on inward investment from Japan in his efforts to attract more such investment for Wales ;
(2) what is his estimate of the impact on inward investment to Wales, both already made and potentially to be made, following the Trades Union Congress statement on such investment from Japan.
Mr. David Hunt : I deplore the TUC motion. Japanese companies make a very substantial contribution to our outstanding record of attracting overseas investment to Wales. They are widely welcomed ; and many of them have undertaken expansions which illustrate how successful they are. I have every confidence that Wales will continue to be an extremely attractive location for future Japanese investment.
EC Funding
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make representations to the EC to continue funding projects in the county of South Glamorgan under objective II of the European regional development fund in view of the current levels of unemployment ;
(2) if he will make representations to the European Commission to take account of the increased level of unemployment in Cardiff as well as in the valleys and other areas of Wales by the continued funding of projects in all such areas of Wales under objective II of the European regional development fund.
Mr. David Hunt : The objective 2 area of industrial south Wales will continue to be eligible for structural fund assistance under the appropriate Community support framework for 1992-93.
Mental Illness
Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it remains Government policy that social service departments will continue to have statutory responsibility to ensure the provision of social care for the mentally ill discharged to the community.
Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if social service departments in Wales will have overall responsibility for drawing up community social care plans for the mentally ill after consultation with health and other agencies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Under the Welsh Office mental illness strategy social service departments are required to work with other statutory and voluntary agencies, and user and carer interests in each county, to produce joint plans to meet the requirements for care and support of people with mental illnesses, including social care.
Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if it remains the intention of Her Majesty's Government that responsibility for funding the social care costs of the mentally ill in the community assessed to be in need of residential care should be transferred to social service departments.
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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Securing social care for people with mental illnesses is already the responsibility of social services authorities. Under the Welsh Office mental illness strategy all agencies are required to work together and deploy available resources to achieve more accessible services. These resources include those provided by social services authorities, as well as those provided by the Welsh Office as direct grants under the strategy. In addition health authorities can transfer resources for social care to social services authorities. From April 1993, further resources will be progressively transferred to the social services authorities from the social security programme as part of our more general "Caring for People" White Paper reforms.
Disability
Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider implementing section 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The need to implement section 7 will be reconsidered in the light of experience in implementing the Government's comprehensive programme of action to secure effective care after hospital treatment which, in Wales, is being taken forward under the all-Wales mental illness strategy.
Languages
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a D grade in A-level French, German, Spanish and Italian, respectively ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information, provided by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows :
|French |German |Spanish|Italian
------------------------------------------------
1987 |555 |172 |51 |9
1988 |532 |194 |55 |12
1989 |702 |159 |62 |7
1990 |857 |265 |79 |8
1991 |1,091 |326 |83 |3
Students in Wales can sit examinations with boards other than the WJEC. In recent years the proportion of candidates sitting examinations in Wales with the WJEC has been approximately 95 per cent. of all candidates.
GCSE
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a C grade in GCSE Latin and classical Greek, respectively ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a C grade in GCSE French, German, Spanish and Italian, respectively ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information, provided by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows :
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|<1>1987|1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
--------------------------------------------------------
French |3,125 |4,774 |5,841 |5,708 |6,283
German |711 |1,127 |1,341 |1,414 |1,530
Spanish |142 |192 |223 |322 |316
Italian |56 |38 |34 |64 |41
Latin |242 |127 |98 |83 |62
Greek |7 |9 |3 |2 |1
<1> GCE O' level.
Students in Wales can sit examinations with boards other than the WJEC. In recent years the proportion of candidates sitting examinations in Wales with the WJEC has been approximately 95 per cent. of all candidates.
Private Security Firms
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984-85.
Mr. David Hunt : Two private firms are regularly employed to provide security services under contracts valued as follows :
|£000s
--------------------
1984-85 |73
1985-86 |85
1986-87 |88
1987-88 |89
1988-89 |92
1989-90 |99
1990-91 |105
Commencing in 1991-92 occasional use has also been made of private security firms for special events where costs and numbers of employees vary according to individual circumstances. Services provided under these arrangements are estimated to cost £9,000 in 1991-92.
Ty Manor, Castell Caereinion
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will provide special project funding to Cadw for the conservation and restoration of Ty Manor medieval hall, Castelle Caereinion ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Ty Mawr, Castell Caereinion is in the care of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
The Landmark trust, which has expressed an interest in the building, and Cadw--Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency--have worked together, drawing on advice from the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, and a restoration feasibility and cost appraisal study has been carried out. This was fully funded by the Department. We are continuing to review with our statutory advisors how best to see this important structure for the future.
Disability
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to introduce orange badge disabled facilities for those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.
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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : There are no plans to extend the orange badge scheme to sufferers of inflammatory bowel disease. The scheme is principally designed to assist people with permanent and severe mobility problems.
Health Service
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the establishment of district nurses, midwives and health visitors in the Aberystwyth area ; and how many of the posts are filled at the present time.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information requested is not available centrally.
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has offered any help, financial or otherwise, towards public relations to any health unit in Wales that was considering opting out of the district health structure and forming a trust.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To date only Pembrokeshire health authority has received a financial contribution towards the costs incurred through preparing an application for NHS trust status.
Acid Rain
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received during the past three months on the issue of acid rain in Wales ; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy with regard to overcoming the environmental threats posed by acid rain in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : We have received a number of representations in recent months. The Government's policy on acid rain is set out in the 1990 Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" and the first year report on the White Paper published last month. The Government have responded decisively to the threat of acid rain. In 1984, the Government adopted the aim of reducing annual sulphur dioxide emissions from all existing sources by 30 per cent. on 1980 levels by the year 2000, and we are on target to meet that objective. Emissions of sulphur dioxide in Britain have declined significantly in recent years--by about 24 per cent. from 1980 levels and by almost 40 per cent. from 1970 levels. The Government have a substantial programme of action in hand to ensure that this trend continues.
Coastal Flooding
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Towyn and Kimnel Bay branch of Pensioners Voice concerning the Towyn floods ; what steps he has taken to assure himself of the adequacy of the new sea defence system to prevent any recurrences of the disaster ; whether any future steps are to be taken to rejuvenate the environment in the area affected by the floods ; what investigations have been undertaken by his Department into the extent to which builders have exploited the flood victims ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : The Secretary of the Towyn and Kimnel Bay branch of Pensioners Voice has written to me on several occasions. Sea defences at Towyn are now being permanently strengthened by British Rail. The scheme has been
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designed by a leading firm of consulting engineers and the design itself has been model tested at a leading hydraulics laboratory. Efforts to rejuvenate the environment continue. The Welsh Development Agency has already provided £500,000 of grant aid for environmental improvements and on completion of the planned programme will have spent some £1.2 million. In addition, the Wales tourist board has recently launched "Quest" (Quality Upgrading and Environmental Scheme Towyn) and several caravan sites have already shown an interest in taking advantage of £200,000 which has been targeted by the board at Towyn.Significant numbers of garden grants have also been made available from the charity fund and the fund is still open for inquiries. I understand that the Welsh Consumers Council is currently looking into the activities of private builders in the area.
Welsh Teaching
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much extra funding for Welsh teaching has been given to Gwent county council, as a result of changes in the national curriculum ; (2) how much extra funding he intends to make available for the teaching of Welsh, as a consequence of changes in the national curriculum.
Sir Wyn Roberts : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
ReChem International
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to visit the ReChem International plant at Pontypool.
Mr. David Hunt : I have no present plans to do so.
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he now intends to hold a public inquiry into ReChem International, Pontypool, following the latest findings by the university of East Anglia.
Mr. David Hunt : The University of East Anglia's interim report, based on existing data, is an interim stage in the comprehensive independent survey of PCBs and their degradation products which I announced in August 1990 in acceptance of the recommendation of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs. The survey will take another 18 months to complete. On its conclusion, a comprehensive report of its findings will be made publicly available.
Nursery Education
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those Welsh counties which provide nursery education in Wales ; and how many full and part-time places in those counties are offered.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The number of pupils aged under five receiving education at January 1990 is given in the tables 2.03 and 2.04 of "Statistics of Education in Wales : Schools No. 4 1990", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Information about the number of places available is not held centrally.
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Further Education
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in Wales regarding the transfer of post-16 year education in colleges from the local authorities to the Welsh Office ; and how many were (a) in favour and (b) against.
Sir Wyn Roberts : There have been 472 responses to the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century". The proposal in the White Paper is to transfer responsibility for further education and sixth form colleges from the local education authorities to a new further education funding council for Wales. Of the total number of responses received, 11 opposed the transfer. The great majority of responses did not comment on this aspect.
Council House Waiting Lists
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently on council house waiting lists in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This information is not held centrally. Valid comparison between different local authorities' lists is hindered by divergence in local authority practice.
Warden Schemes
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authority OAP warden schemes were constructed in Wales last year.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This information is not collected centrally. However, the number of local authority dwellings completed with wardens for the elderly in 1990 was 164.
Council Housing
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authority houses were constructed in Wales last year.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : A total of 551 local authority dwellings were completed during 1990.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce his decision on local government reorganisation in Wales, following the latest consultation exercise.
Mr. David Hunt : In due course. The consultation period ends on 31 October 1991.
Council Tax
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to introduce a council tax in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : On 1 April 1993.
School Buildings
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much extra capital funding for the repair and replacement of old school buildings in Wales he intends to provide in the current and forthcoming financial years.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : Our plans for 1991-92 were announced last December. Assumed gross provision for education, at £220.8 million represented a 24 per cent. increase over the previous financial year. I expect the decision regarding the level and distribution of capital resources to local authorities for 1992-93 to be made known towards the end of November 1991.Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools have applied to optout of local authority control ; and what proportion of schools in Wales this number constitutes.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Four secondary schools and one infant school have applied for grant-maintained status. This represents 0.23 per cent. of the total number of schools in Wales.
Llantarnam Bypass
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Llantarnam bypass to be (a) started and (b) completed.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The A4042 Llantarnam bypass scheme is planned to start before April 1994 subject to satisfactory completion of engineering design and statutory procedures and the availability of finance. It will take about two years to complete.
Heads of the Valley Road
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to upgrade the heads of the valley road to a dual carriageway.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Plans to dual the heads of the valley road were announced in May. The start of construction depends on completion of engineering design and statutory procedures and the availability of finance. A start is unlikely before 1997. Engineering design consultants are to be commissioned shortly.
M4
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to widen the M4 in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend announced on 14 May my intention to widen the M4 between Castleton and Coryton to a three-lane dual carriageway and to provide a relief motorway around Newport in the longer term.
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects construction work on the Baglan stretch of the M4 to be completed.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The Baglan-Lonlas section of the M4 is expected to be completed around the end of 1994.
Second Severn Crossing
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to increase funding to the Gwent county council as a consequence of the building, maintenance and policing of the second Severn crossing.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The cost of building and maintenance
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will be the responsibility of the concessionaire for the period of concession. Policing is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. I understand that the chief constableMr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects construction work to commence on the second Severn crossing.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The construction period is planned to commence shortly after Royal Assent of the Severn Bridges Bill.
Direct Service Organisations
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any responses to the statutory notices he issued to local authorities in Wales in respect of financial losses made by their direct service organisations.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Responses have been received from all the authorities, and I shall give careful consideration to them. Councils must be given every opportunity to provide their services in a way that gives best value to the chargepayer, and I believe that to achieve this it is essential to ensure that the private sector is given every opportunity of competing effectively. I believe that there is scope for improving the current competition arrangements, and for widening the range of activities open to tendering from private companies, and we shall be considering how these objectives can be attained.
Hospitals
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the grants or other financial help being given by his Department direct to each hospital in Wales in the present financial year (a) to improve patient care and (b) for any purposes other than for preparing an application for trust status ;
(2) if he will list the grant figure being given by his Department to each hospital in Wales which is choosing to remain as a unit managed directly by the local health authority.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 17 October 1991] : My right hon. Friend has no powers to make allocations direct to particular hospitals.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the figure given or offered by his Department to each hospital in Wales towards the costs of drawing up an application for trust status.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [pursuant to his reply, 17 October 1991, c. 208] : Self-governing trusts are the way forward for the provision of services in the NHS in Wales. Decisions to apply for trust status are for units to take in the light of their local circumstances but health authorities have an important enabling role to play. I shall be looking for confirmation that their boards and managements are co-operating fully in their units' aspirations and assisting the application process.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensioners' Incomes
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households have been dependent on state pensions and benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income in each of the last 10 years.
Miss Widdecombe : I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as this information is available.
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