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Breast Cancer
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's current policies in regard to the treatment of breast cancer.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Our objective is to reduce morbidity and mortality from all forms of cancer. The aim of the national breast screening programme is to detect cancer at an early stage when treatment offers the best prospect of success. The treatment of each individual is a matter for discussion between her and her doctor. Developments in treatment are kept under review by the Department's expert advisers on cancer ; and the Government are supporting the "Europe Against Cancer" programme, which pools experience across the Community in the fight against this disease.
Mortality Rates
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing the (a) perinatal, (b) infant and (c) overall mortality rates by social class in London regional health authorities in 1970, 1980 and for the latest date available.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 13 January 1992] : The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is shown in the tables.
Perinatal and infant mortality by social class of father (as defined
by occupation) 1980 (births within marriage only). Perinatal deaths
per 1,000 total births. Infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Social Class |Perinatal |Infant
|deaths |deaths
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
North West Thames regional health
authority
All |10.4 |10.4
I-V |10.4 |10.2
I |8.7 |7.0
II |9.1 |9.5
III |11.3 |10.6
IV |10.7 |11.8
V |12.8 |15.5
North East Thames regional health
authority
All |13.1 |11.1
I-V |13.0 |10.7
I |10.5 |8.3
II |13.4 |10.7
III |12.2 |9.2
IV |14.3 |13.4
V |19.2 |21.4
South East Thames regional health
authority
All |12.0 |11.5
I-V |11.9 |11.2
I |4.6 |5.4
II |10.9 |10.0
III |12.2 |9.2
IV |15.7 |15.6
V |14.8 |15.4
South West Thames regional health
authority
All |10.5 |10.4
I-V |10.1 |10.0
I |7.1 |7.3
II |9.5 |9.8
III |10.5 |9.4
IV |14.3 |15.4
V |9.7 |14.6
Perinatal and Infant deaths by social class of
father (as defined by
occupation) 1989 (births within marriage only).
Perinatal deaths per 1,000 total births.
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Social class |Perinatal |Infant
|deaths rate |deaths rate
|per 1,000 |per 1,000
|total births|live births
----------------------------------------------------
North West Thames regional
health authority
All |7.9 |7.2
I-V |7.6 |6.9
I |6.3 |6.3
II |6.3 |5.8
IIIN |8.1 |7.5
IIIM |7.9 |6.5
IV |10.7 |8.8
V |<1>15.4 |<1>19.1
North East Thames regional
health authority
All |7.8 |7.4
I-V |7.8 |7.4
I |<1>4.1 |5.8
II |7.2 |5.7
IIIN |8.3 |8.8
IIIM |7.9 |8.1
IV |10.8 |8.4
V |<1>7.1 |<1>10.0
South East Thames regional
health authority
All |8.2 |7.6
I-V |8.1 |7.5
I |<1>6.3 |<1>5.4
II |7.7 |6.7
IIIN |7.4 |7.6
IIIM |8.7 |7.7
IV |8.8 |8.8
V |<1>9.2 |<1>12.6
South West Thames regional
health authority
All |6.8 |6.6
I-V |6.8 |6.6
I |5.1 |7.2
II |5.8 |6.1
IIIN |8.0 |<1>4.9
IIIM |7.7 |6.7
IV |8.7 |10.5
V |<1>11.5 |<1>5.8
<1> Indicates rates calculated from less than 20
deaths to warn the
user that their reliability as a measure may be
affected by the number
of events.
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(tm)
Deaths by social class (as defined by occupation) 1971
Rates per 1000 population for males aged 15-64
Social class
Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Area |Total |I |II |IIIN |IIIM |IV |V
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North West |5.3 |3.9 |4.8 |5.4 |5.7 |7.4 |9.1
North East |5.5 |3.6 |4.9 |5.2 |5.6 |7.1 |8.5
South East |4.8 |3.2 |4.2 |4.5 |5.1 |6.4 |8.2
South West |4.2 |3.0 |3.8 |4.4 |4.7 |6.0 |7.1
Deaths by social class (as defined by occupation) 1981
Rates per 1000 population for males aged 16-64
Social class
Regional Health Authority |Total |I |II |IIIN |IIIM |IV |V
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North West Thames |4.5 |3.0 |3.7 |4.2 |5.1 |6.1 |8.3
North East Thames |4.7 |2.9 |3.7 |4.3 |5.3 |6.5 |8.7
South East Thames |4.8 |3.2 |4.2 |4.5 |5.1 |6.4 |8.2
South West Thames |4.2 |3.0 |3.8 |4.4 |4.7 |6.0 |7.1
Notes:
1. The figures in these tables are based on deaths in the years around the 1971 and 1981 censuses. The top table covers the years 1970-72,
the bottom table covers 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1983.
There was a strike among registrars in 1981 and so no data are available for that year.
2. Figures in these tables are crude death rates and have not been standardised for age differences between men in different social classes in
different regions.
PRIME MINISTER
Bingham Inquiry
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister if he has given evidence to the Bingham inquiry.
Espionage
Mr. Butler : To ask the Prime Minister what information he has recently received with regard to eastern bloc espionage within the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The protection of national security against threats from espionage is a statutory function of the Security Service. It remains my normal practice not to comment in detail on security and intelligence matters.
Public Records Act 1958
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what reforms he intends to make to the Public Records Act 1958 ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The Government have no plans to reform the Public Records Act or to make changes to the provision whereby public records which are selected for permanent preservation are normally made available to the public after 30 years. The only amendment to the Act which is in prospect, when a suitable legislative opportunity arises, is the removal of the statutory requirement for the Master of the Rolls to be chairman of the Advisory Council on Public Records.
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UN Environment and Development Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the steps taken by each Department of Her Majesty's Government, respectively, to prepare for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June.
The Prime Minister : The Department of the Environment is responsible for co-ordinating the Government's approach to UNCED. Within this overall framework other departments have set up their own arrangements for contributing on appropriate matters to preparations for the conference. I am taking a close personal interest as I expect to lead the United Kingdom delegation in Rio de Janeiro.
Amritsar Massacre
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister if he will authorise the release of official papers relating to the Amritsar massacre of 13 April 1919.
The Prime Minister : All official papers relating to the Amritsar massacre on 13 April 1919 have been available to the public since 1968, and are currently held at the Oriental and India Office collection of the British Library.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 January.
The Prime Minister : This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Secret Service
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his practice to give information in reply to parliamentary questions concerning secret intelligence services.
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The Prime Minister [holding answer 15 January 1992] : It remains my normal practice not to comment on security and intelligence matters.HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if privately run prisons will take category A prisoners ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : There are no present plans for contracting out the management of prisons intended to hold category A prisoners : neither Wolds remand prison nor Blakenhurst prison will hold such prisoners.
Special Secure Units
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average prisoners spend in the special secure units ; what is the longest period a prisoner has spent in a special secure unit ; and what was the offence for which he was sentenced.
Mrs. Rumbold : A figure for the average time spent by prisoners in special secure units is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The longest period a prisoner has spent in special security units is 18 years, following conviction on charges of murder and possession of firearms with intent.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons prisoners are confined in special secure units ; and for what offences they have been sentenced.
Mrs. Rumbold : The aim of the special security units is to provide a national resource to accommodate the prisoners assessed as category A-- exceptional risk--that is, as posing the greatest risks both to the public and of escape, and therefore requiring the very highest conditions of security. Offences for which prisoners currently held in these units have been convicted include armed robbery, murder, drug importation and offences associated with terrorism.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being held in special secure units in England and Wales on 31 December 1991.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the effect, in terms of their prison career, of persons being confined in a special secure unit.
Mrs. Rumbold : Prisoners in special security units do not have access to prison workshops, but in other respects the regime available to them is comparable to that of other convicted category A prisoners, and includes education, hobbies, exercise, recreation, and association with other prisoners in the unit throughout most of the day.
Categorisation is kept constantly under review, and any prisoner no longer assessed as category A--exceptional risk--is transferred to some other appropriate part of the prison estate.
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Electoral Registration
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the improvements in (a) electoral registration and (b) postal vote availability made since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of registered electors in England and Wales has risen from 36,695,180 in 1979 to 38,509,382 in 1991. We provide a variety of publicity material in support of electoral registration officers, and conduct an annual national advertising campaign to encourage people to register. We also carry out annual research into the working methods of electoral registration officers, and produce guidance and advice to assist them in compiling an accurate register.
We have made it easier to obtain a temporary postal vote for a particular election, by replacing the separate and specific categories listed in the Representation of the People Act 1983 with a single provision entitling an elector to a postal vote if his or her circumstances on the date of the election are such that he or she could not reasonably be expected to vote in person at the allotted polling station. This means that those who are away from home unexpectedly on business, on holiday or visiting sick relatives may now have a postal vote in the United Kingdom. The provisions for postal voting have also been extended to elections for parish and community councils.
Life Sentences
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment are currently in prison ; and how many of them are held in low -security prisons.
Mrs. Rumbold : According to the records held centrally about 3,000 persons in prison service establishments in England and Wales were serving life sentences on 30 November 1991. Of these, about 920 were held in low- security establishments, which for adult males are category C or D establishments.
Birmingham Pub Bombings
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he decided to answer no further questions on the Birmingham pub bombings investigations ; and if he will give the reasons.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The chief constable of the West Midlands Police is responsible for the conduct of these investigations. It would be improper for my right hon. Friend to comment on them while they are continuing, because this might prejudice their outcome.
Football Spectators Order
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons and organisations with whom ministers and officials in his Department have held meetings, and the dates, concerning the extension of the measures outlined in the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990 to cover offences committed in Sweden ; and what further measure he intends to take to extend these measures to Sweden.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Government are seeking a bilateral agreement with the Swedish Government on
Column 633
corresponding offences under the Football Spectators Act 1989. Details of meetings between Home Office Ministers and officials and their Swedish counterparts are contained in the table.Column 633
L
Date |Home Office |Swedish representatives
|representatives
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 October 1991 |Officials |Mr. Jarbourg, Consul General at the Swedish Embassy and Mr. Wibling of the Arlanda
|Police Service
28 October 1991 |Officials |Mr. Sandstrom, Head of the Swedish Police Planning Unit for the 1992 European
|Championship Finals and Mr. Wibling
15 November 1991 |Officials |Mr. Wibling
2 December 1991 |Minister of State and |Mrs. Hellsvik, Swedish Justice Minister
|officials
Additionally, diplomats in the Stockholm embassy have met Swedish officials.
Home Office officials will be having further discussions with the Swedish police and with Swedish Ministry of Justice officials next month.
Rugby
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the views of the Association of Chief Police Officers on the extension of mandatory all-seated accommodation to rugby league and rugby union grounds ; and when he expects to make a statement on the extension of mandatory all-seated accommodation to these sports.
Mr. John Patten : The views of the Association of Chief Police Officers on the extension of mandatory all-seated accommodation to rugby league and rugby union grounds was received in June 1991. We have now completed our consultation procedures. While we still require Football League clubs to move towards all seater grounds as recommended by Lord Justice Taylor, for other sports we see no reason to depart from a voluntary approach. We do not therefore intend to introduce primary legislation. However, we shall continue to keep this matter under review.
EMPLOYMENT
Hairdressers
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has relating to the average pay for 16, 17 and 18-year-old trainee hairdressers.
Mr. Forth : No information is available.
Emergency Equipment
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, when implementing the workplace directive, he will require the independent certification of all emergency lighting and fire alarms to the appropriate European standard before installation ; and if he will make a statement on emergency equipment.
Mr. Forth : Independent certification of equipment is not a requirement of the workplace directive and the Health and Safety Commission has made no such proposal in its consultative document containing proposals to implement the directive which was published on 15 January. A copy is in the Library.
Column 634
Labour Statistics
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people registered as unemployed in the Greater London area on 13 January.
Mr. Jackson : The latest available data for unemployed claimants relate to 12 December. On this date there were on a seasonally adjusted basis, 385,200 unemployed claimants in the Greater London region. Figures for January will be released on 13 February.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to issue contracts to training and enterprise councils for more than one year to enable TECs to sign contracts with core providers of training for more than one year and to bridge the academic year differential year with the financial year.
Mr. Jackson : The process for parliamentary provision of the large sums of public money spent through training and enterprise councils means that it is not possible to agree with them detailed funding for three years ahead. The Department is nevertheless developing a closer understanding with TECs of their longer term activities based on their three-year corporate plans. It is for individual TECs to decide on the duration of contracts with individual training providers.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to ensure that officers dealing with disability living allowance claims during the period February 1992 to April 1993 do not tag computer records with a view to automatically creating subsequent reviews.
Mr. Scott : Awards of disability living allowance will be made either for life or for a fixed period. There will be no automatic reviews during the course of an award. As now, clients with fixed period awards will be invited to re-apply towards the end of the period. These arrangements will apply to cases determined during the period of transition and will continue to operate thereafter.
Heating Costs
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the notional amount for heating costs included in income support.
Column 635
Miss Widdecombe : Benefit rates are not composed of set amounts for specific expenditure items. In April 1992 income support will rise by 7 per cent., nearly 3 per cent. more than the retail prices index for the corresponding period. Those over 80, and younger disabled pensioners, will receive further additions over and above this rise.Invalid Care Allowance
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in receipt of retirement pensions are caring for dependent members of their family and ineligible for invalid care allowance.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is not readily available. Invalid care allowance is intended for people who forgo work opportunities to provide regular and substantial care, and is not normally available to those over pensionable age. However, where entitlement to invalid care allowance has been established before pensionable age it continues to be payable subject to the overlapping benefit rules.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to adjust the cold weather payment system to take account of climatic variations in different parts of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Scott : The system already fully reflects climatic variation around the United Kingdom, through the links to 63 weather stations. This system of linkages is kept under review, and further refinements were introduced as part of our recent package of improvements to the scheme, introduced in November 1991.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to meet representatives from the Campaign for Cold Weather Credits.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans for such a meeting.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the administrative costs or savings in replacing the current system of cold weather payments by a system of cold weather credits, as recommended by the Campaign for Cold Weather Credits.
Mr. Scott : The recommendations of the Campaign for Cold Weather Credits do not contain sufficient details for a proper estimate to be made. They would be likely to be more expensive than the current cold weather payments scheme.
Retirement Pensioners
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the percentage of retirement pensioners whose total incomes are below (a) £60 per week, (b) £70 per week, (c) £80 per week, (d) £90 per week and (e) £100 per week ; and for each of these groups what percentage of their gross income is paid in rent and rates/poll tax.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is given in the tables :
Column 636
Table 1: Percentage of pensioner units with net incomes below the level shown Net income |Married |Single |All pensioner level less than |pensioner units|pensioner units| units £ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 |- |35 |22 70 |- |60 |38 80 |9 |74 |49 90 |22 |79 |58 100 |36 |83 |65 Table 2: Gross rent and rates as a percentage of gross income Net income |Married |Single |All pensioner level less than |pensioner units|pensioner units|units £ 60 |- |19 |20 70 |- |24 |24 80 |18 |25 |25 90 |16 |25 |24 100 |18 |25 |23 Notes: (i) Net income is defined as gross income less National Insurance and income tax. (ii) Pensioner units are defined as single people who are at state pension age or over or married couples where the husband is at state pension age or over. (iii) Data source is the 1988 Family Expenditure Survey. (iv) Fewer than 20 units in the sample.
Income Support
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, in the light of Commissioner's decision No. CIS/371/1990, he will amend the Social Security (Hospital In-Patients) Regulations so that nursing home residents are not regarded as being maintained free of charge for the purposes of entitlement to income support.
Miss Widdecombe : We have no plans to do so.
Occupational Pensions
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the protocol of the Maastricht agreement which reverses much of the right to equal treatment in occupational pensions that was established by the Barber decision.
Miss Widdecombe : The protocol on article 119 of the treaty of Rome clarifies the retrospective effect of the Barber judgment. The implications of the protocol are still being discussed.
Benefit Payments (Christmas)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what modifications of benefit payment arrangements are made during the Christmas period ; and what evidence he has of the extent to which the modified arrangements meet the wishes of claimants.
Miss Widdecombe : Arrangements for benefit payments are a matter for 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.
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress the Social Security Benefits Agency has made towards meeting the targets set out in the published business plan for 1991-92 ; and whether there have been any changes to the targets.
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Mr. Newton : I am informed by the chief executive of the Social Security Benefits Agency that if current performance is maintained the agency should meet 19 out of the 21 key targets specified in the published business plan with performance improving in the remaining two areas--war pensions disablement claims, where the number of claims has been much higher than expected, and short-term benefits accuracy. This will represent a substantial achievement in the first year of the agency.I have decided to revise four of the Benefits Agency's published key targets for technical reasons. Changes to two of the published social fund targets are necessary following the increase in provision for social fund grants and loans in 1991-92 which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State announced on 6 November. The revised targets are :
i. to live within a gross budget of £268 million for loans and grants ;
ii. to recover £139 million in loan repayments.
The agency's efficiency savings target for the current financial year has been revised to take account of lower than forecast average salaries and a small transfer of savings to the Contributions Agency. The revised target is :
iii. to achieve cumulative running costs efficiency savings of £182.4 million, reflected in the net Budget figure.
I have decided to replace the ARMS Phase 2 milestone target. The ARMS-- administrative resource management system--project has been subsumed within the FAMIS--financial and management information systems--project which is an overall strategy to integrate and upgrade the Department's finance and management information systems. The new milestone is :
iv. to complete the FAMIS resource management user requirement by 31 March 1982.
The new target represents the higher cash level of loan repayments which the Benefits Agency is expected to achieve as a result of the increased gross allocations for loans. We do not propose to increase the rate of recovery from individual customers or change their repayment arrangements.
Housing Costs
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what provision exists to enable individuals who leave home to take up places on training schemes to claim housing costs during the period of the scheme ;
(2) what plans he has to make adequate housing costs available through the benefit system to make it possible for trainees to leave home to take up places on schemes in areas of high housing costs ;
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(3) what research his Department has conducted to establish the level of need to provide adequate housing costs through the benefit system to enable trainees to leave home to take up places on schemes in areas of high housing costs.Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 13 January 1992] : Housing benefit is normally payable in respect of reasonable rents incurred by people for their home. This includes trainees on employment training and youth training programmes. Although housing benefit is not normally paid for a second home, couples who need to maintain two homes because one member is absent on a training course are able to claim housing benefit for both their main home and temporary accommodation occupied during the period of the scheme. Single people are also able to claim housing benefit for rented accommodation occupied while on a training course if no other liability to pay rent or mortgage exists. Housing benefit is generally available to meet reasonable market rents throughout the country. It is for local authorities to decide whether the rent payable is reasonable in individual cases.
In addition, payment of accommodation costs for people who leave home to take up a training opportunity on a Government training scheme can be made at the discretion of the training and enterprise councils in England and Wales and the local enterprise companies in Scotland. In the case of the Government's priority groups for youth training or employment training, where the trainee can only join in or continue in a suitable training place by incurring certain costs, including housing costs, he is entitled to have these costs met or reimbursed by the training and enterprise council or relevant local enterprise company up to a level which is considered reasonable. In view of these provisions, there are no plans to conduct any research into the need to provide further housing costs for trainees through the benefit system.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Tuberculosis
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many badgers were culled by his Department for each of the months of August, September, October and November in each county in England and Wales under the tuberculosis eradication scheme.
Mr. Maclean : The number of badgers killed as part of official badger control operations in the months August to November 1991 was as follows :
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County |August |September|October |November |Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cornwall |19 |33 |29 |21 |102
Devon |35 |14 |0 |0 |49
Gloucester |6 |0 |10 |6 |22
Wiltshire |11 |0 |17 |3 |31
Avon |9 |9 |8 |10 |36
Dorset |9 |15 |16 |9 |49
Sussex |33 |0 |0 |0 |33
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |122 |71 |80 |49 |322
There were no operations in any other county.
It is estimated that some 20,000 badgers are killed in road accidents each year.
Column 639
Beef Special Premium
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average cost per head of cattle for the facilities provided through the intervention board for the beef special premium scheme in markets where there is a throughput of 20 cattle or fewer.
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