| Previous Section | Home Page |
Care Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received a copy of the Counsel and Care report on the use of restraint in care homes ; and what response he has made.
Column 462
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A copy of the Counsel and Care's discussion document was received in the Department on 15 January.
Children's Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he estimates that all officials in charge of children's homes will be qualified.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The target date for all officers in charge of local authority maintained and controlled residential homes for children to be qualified to CQSW/CSS/DipSW standard is 1995-96. The special training initiative being introduced from 1992-93 as part of the Department's training support programme will provide significant help to local authorities in achieving this aim. It will also be necessary for local authorities to have regard to appropriate management and personnel policies, paying particular attention to recruitment and retention issues.
Hospitals (Disclosure of Information)
Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons employees of the Special Hospital Service are asked to sign a form on disclosure of information, promising they will not divulge any information about the business of the hospital.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This is a matter for the Special Hospitals Service Authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Dr. David Edmond, the chairman of the authority, for details.
Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what written undertakings concerning the Official Secrets Act 1989 are required from employees of the Special Hospital Service.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : None.
Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which hospitals, other than those in the Special Hospital Service, nurses are required to sign a form headed "disclosure of information".
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Any such requirement would be a matter for the appropriate health authority.
Senile Dementia
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the degree to which the City and Hackney health authority's practices for discharging patients suffering from senile dementia to private care homes is consistent with his Department's guidelines on such procedures.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have asked the NHS management executive to investigate this matter urgently. In the light of its inquiries an assessment will be made of the extent to which current arrangements are satisfactory. We have asked the chief executive to ensure that, any necessary, and appropriate remedial action is taken.
Child Health
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district health authority and for each of the last five years, the number of health visitors per 1,000 children.
Column 463
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 20 January 1992] : The table gives the information requested for 1986 and 1990 only. Figures for all the years requested could be provided only atdisproportionate cost.
District health authorities have regard to skill mix, recruitment and training when planning their manpower levels. This is kept under review.
Health visitors per 1,000 children under 16
|1986 |1990
------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Regional Health Authority
District Health Authority
Hartlepool |1.1 |1.7
North Tees |0.8 |1.0
South Tees |0.9 |1.3
East Cumbria |1.0 |1.0
South Cumbria |1.1 |1.1
West Cumbria |1.1 |1.0
Darlington |1.0 |1.1
Durham |0.9 |0.6
North West Durham |1.2 |1.3
South West Durham |1.1 |1.1
Northumberland |1.2 |1.2
Gateshead |1.3 |1.1
Newcastle |1.5 |1.2
North Tyneside |1.2 |1.2
South Tyneside |1.0 |1.1
Sunderland |1.1 |1.2
|-------|-------
Total |1.1 |1.1
Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
Hull |0.7 |0.7
East Yorkshire |1.1 |1.1
Grimsby |0.8 |1.0
Scunthorpe |0.9 |1.0
Northallerton |1.2 |0.9
York |1.0 |1.0
Scarborough |1.2 |1.3
Harrogate |0.9 |1.1
Bradford |1.0 |1.1
Airedale |1.0 |1.1
Calderdale |1.2 |1.3
Huddersfield |1.1 |1.2
Dewsbury |0.9 |1.2
Leeds Western |1.0 |1.2
Leeds Eastern |1.0 |1.2
Wakefield |0.9 |1.3
Pontefract |1.0 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.0 |1.1
Trent Regional Health Authority
North Derbyshire |1.1 |1.1
South Derbyshire |0.8 |1.0
Leicestershire |1.0 |1.1
North Lincolnshire |1.0 |0.9
South Lincolnshire |1.0 |0.9
Bassetlaw |0.9 |1.0
Central Nottinghamshire |1.1 |1.1
Nottingham |1.1 |1.2
Barnsley |1.0 |1.2
Doncaster |1.0 |1.0
Rotherham |1.0 |1.3
Sheffield |1.1 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.0 |1.1
East Anglian Regional Health Authority
Cambridge |1.1 |0.8
Peterborough |0.9 |0.8
West Suffolk |0.9 |0.9
East Suffolk |0.9 |0.9
Norwich |0.9 |0.9
Great Yarmouth and Waveney |0.9 |0.9
West Norfolk and Wisbech |0.9 |0.9
Huntingdon |0.8 |0.7
|-------|-------
Total |0.9 |0.9
North West Thames Regional Health Authority
North Bedfordshire |1.0 |1.1
South Bedfordshire |1.0 |1.1
North Hertfordshire |1.0 |1.1
East Hertfordshire |0.9 |1.2
North West Hertfordshire |0.9 |0.9
South West Hertfordshire |1.0 |0.9
Barnet |1.2 |1.0
Harrow |1.2 |1.2
Hillingdon |1.1 |0.7
Hounslow and Spelthorne |1.2 |1.3
Ealing |1.4 |1.4
Brent |1.1 |-
Paddington and North Kensington |2.3 |-
Riverside |1.9 |1.7
Parkside |- |1.0
|-------|-------
Total |1.2 |1.1
North East Thames Regional Health Authority
Basildon and Thurrock |0.7 |0.8
Mid Essex |0.8 |0.8
North East Essex |1.0 |1.0
West Essex |0.9 |0.8
Southend |0.8 |0.9
Barking, Havering and Brentwood |0.7 |0.7
Hampstead |2.0 |1.5
Bloomsbury |2.0 |2.7
Islington |1.3 |1.2
City and Hackney |1.3 |1.2
Newham |0.8 |1.2
Tower Hamlets |1.8 |1.7
Enfield |0.8 |0.6
Haringey |1.1 |1.1
Redbridge |0.9 |0.8
Waltham Forest |0.8 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.0 |1.0
South East Thames Regional Health Authority
Brighton |1.4 |0.7
Eastbourne |1.4 |1.5
Hastings |1.2 |0.9
South East Kent |1.2 |1.0
Canterbury and Thanet |0.9 |0.9
Dartford and Gravesham |1.2 |1.2
Maidstone |0.9 |1.0
Medway |0.9 |0.7
Tunbridge Wells |0.9 |1.1
Bexley |1.1 |1.3
Greenwich |1.1 |1.1
Bromley |1.2 |1.1
West Lambeth |1.7 |1.4
Camberwell |1.3 |0.8
Lewisham and North Southwark |1.6 |1.4
|-------|-------
Total |1.2 |1.0
South West Thames Regional Health Authority
North West Surrey |1.1 |1.2
West Surrey and North East Hants |1.1 |1.2
South West Surrey |1.0 |1.1
Mid Surrey |1.3 |1.2
East Surrey |1.2 |1.1
Chichester |1.1 |1.1
Mid Downs |1.1 |1.1
Worthing |1.1 |1.1
Croydon |0.9 |1.1
Kingston and Esher |1.3 |1.0
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton |1.5 |1.3
Wandsworth |1.1 |1.6
Merton and Sutton |1.1 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.1 |1.2
Wessex Regional Health Authority
East Dorset |1.0 |1.2
West Dorset |1.1 |1.1
Portsmouth and South East Hants 1.0 1.1
South West Hampshire and South |1.0 |1.2
Winchester |1.3 |0.9
Basingstoke |1.1 |1.1
Salisbury |1.5 |1.4
Swindon |1.0 |1.0
Bath |1.1 |1.1
Isle of Wight |1.3 |1.2
|-------|-------
Total |1.1 |1.1
Oxford Regional Health Authority
East Berkshire |1.1 |0.9
West Berkshire |1.0 |1.1
Aylesbury |1.2 |1.1
Wycombe |1.2 |1.1
Milton Keynes |1.0 |1.2
Kettering |1.0 |1.0
Northampton |1.0 |0.9
Oxfordshire |1.0 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.1 |1.0
South Western Regional Health Authority
Bristol and Weston |1.2 |1.6
Frenchay |1.1 |1.1
Southmead |1.1 |1.2
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |1.1 |1.1
Exeter |1.1 |0.9
North Devon |1.0 |0.9
Plymouth |1.1 |1.1
Torbay |1.1 |0.9
Cheltenham and District |1.1 |1.1
Gloucester |1.1 |1.1
Somerset |1.2 |1.0
|-------|-------
Total |1.1 |1.1
West Midlands Regional Health Authority
Bromsgrove and Redditch |0.9 |1.0
Herefordshire |1.0 |1.1
Kidderminster and District |1.5 |1.4
Worcester and District |1.1 |1.0
Shropshire |1.2 |1.2
Mid Staffordshire |0.9 |0.9
North Staffordshire |1.1 |1.0
South East Staffordshire |0.9 |0.9
Rugby |1.1 |1.2
North Warwickshire |1.1 |1.1
South Warwickshire |1.0 |1.1
Central Birmingham |1.0 |1.3
East Birmingham |0.8 |0.8
North Birmingham |1.1 |1.1
South Birmingham |1.0 |1.0
West Birmingham |1.0 |0.9
Coventry |0.9 |0.8
Dudley |1.0 |1.2
Sandwell |1.0 |1.1
Solihull |0.9 |0.9
Walsall |1.2 |0.9
Wolverhampton |1.1 |1.1
|-------|-------
Total |1.0 |1.0
Mersey Regional Health Authority
Chester |1.0 |1.2
Crewe |0.7 |0.8
Halton |0.9 |0.9
Macclesfield |1.0 |0.9
Warrington |0.9 |1.0
Liverpool |1.1 |1.0
St. Helens and Knowsley |0.9 |1.1
Southport and Formby |1.2 |1.2
South Sefton |1.2 |1.2
Wirral |1.0 |1.0
|-------|-------
Total |1.0 |1.0
North Western Regional Health Authority
Lancaster |1.5 |1.4
Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde |1.6 |1.6
Preston |1.6 |1.5
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble |1.4 |1.4
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale |1.4 |1.3
West Lancashire |1.5 |1.6
Chorley and South Ribble |1.3 |1.3
Bolton |1.5 |1.3
Bury |1.2 |1.2
North Manchester |1.8 |1.4
Central Manchester |1.5 |1.7
South Manchester |1.4 |1.2
Oldham |1.4 |1.2
Rochdale |1.2 |1.2
Salford |1.2 |1.4
Stockport |1.4 |1.3
Tameside and Glossop |1.1 |1.1
Trafford |1.5 |1.4
Wigan |1.4 |1.5
|-------|-------
Total |1.4 |1.4
England Total |1.1 |1.1
Notes:
1. Ratios calculated using:
(a) Midyear population estimates
(b) Health Visitor statistics at 30 September each year
2. Source of figures:
(a) Population figures from SM14D (obtained from OPCS)
(b) Health Visitors from annual non-medical manpower census
(SM13B)
3. Health Visitors figures relate to whole-time equivalents
4. Certain Districts within N W Thames have been
reorganised and figures for these Districts are not
available on a comparable basis
5. Health Visitors are defined by Occupation Code, not by
Payscale, and the former is known to be less accurate than
the latter. Apparent changes in the ratio can be due to
changes in coding accuracy by Health Authorities rather
than actual changes in numbers of Health Visitors. This
factor is believed to explain apparent changes within South
East Thames.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities have appointed consultant community paediatricians ; and if he will list those that have and those which have not.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 20 January 1992] : This information is not collected centrally. The British Paediatric Association undertook a census of medical staff in child health in 1990 which showed that, among the districts which responded, 100 had by then appointed one or more consultant paediatricians community child health (CPCCH).
Paediatrics
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to require those district health authorities which have not appointed consultant community paediatricians to do so.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 20 January 1992] : There has been steady growth in the number of consultant paediatricians community child health (CPCCHs) since the establishment of these posts was recommended in the Court report in 1976. The census undertaken by the British Paediatric Association in 1990 showed there were 139 CPCCHs in post in England.
Individual consultant appointments are a matter for health authorities and NHS trusts to decide in the light of local needs consistent with policies agreed between health departments and the profession for the general development of the medical staff career structure.
Column 467
A joint working party comprising representatives of the British Medical Association, the Conference of Royal Colleges and health departments is considering the unification of the career structures for medical staff in hospital and community child health. In an interim report about to be published, the joint working party will be defining the medical staffing needs of an integrated child health service and endorsing the key role that the CPCCH has in the leadership of the community element of this service.SOCIAL SECURITY
Tax and National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons in Wales and what proportion of the population would be affected, and to
Column 468
what extent, if the combined burden of tax and national insurance contributions were to be increased by 19 per cent. ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Jack : I regret the information requested is not available separately for Wales.
Sick and Disabled People
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been spent on benefits for sick and disabled people for the last three years (a) in total and (b) by benefit ; and what is the intended expenditure for the next two years (i) in total and (ii) by benefit.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is in the table.
Column 467
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|outturn |outturn |estimated|plans |plans
|outturn
|£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sickness Benefit |192 |204 |218 |240 |253
Statutory sick pay |898 |949 |928 |728 |758
Invalidity Benefit<1> |3,371 |3,852 |4,474 |5,327 |5,861
Industrial Disablement Benefit |451 |470 |510 |547 |551
Other industrial injuries benefits |4 |4 |4 |4 |4
War Pension |421 |442 |482 |525 |537
Attendance Allowance |1,003 |1,159 |1,406 |1,708 |1,204
Invalid Care Allowance |173 |184 |213 |248 |282
Severe Disablement Allowance |316 |346 |433 |578 |612
Mobility Allowance |675 |769 |897 |1,060 |<2>103
Disability Living Allowance<3> |- |- |- |- |1,857
Disability Working Allowance |- |- |- |- |82
Income Support |792 |921 |1,076 |1,247 |1,439
Social Fund |23 |20 |25 |25 |26
Housing/Community Charge Benefit<4> |278 |451 |638 |702 |817
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |8,597 |9,771 |11,304 |12,939 |14,386
<1> Includes Christmas bonus.
<2> Figure relates to outstanding payments of Mobility Allowance, due prior to April 1992.
<3> From April 1992 Disability Living Allowance will replace Mobility Allowance, and for those
disabled before 65, Attendance Allowance.
<4> Includes rates rebates for 1988-89 and 1989-90, community charge rebate for 1989-90 and
community charge benefit for the years 1990-91 onwards.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the figures (a) by region and (b) nationally for each year from 1987 onwards of the number of people applying for (i) mobility allowances and (ii) attendance allowances ; and the actual numbers granted in each case.
Mr. Scott : Regional figures are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Available national figures are given in the table :
AA initial and subMobA initial and
claims<1> (roundedsubsequent claims<1>
sands) (rounded thousands)
Year |Number |Awards |Number |Awards
|received |received
------------------------------------------------------
1987 |320 |209 |182 |92
1988 |362 |208 |200 |92
1989 |365 |229 |200 |93
1990 |409 |274 |198 |130
1991 |408 |348 |231 |109
<1> Claims received in any year are not necessarily
processed in that same year. Figures for renewals are
not included.
Social Fund
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State forSocial Security how many applications to the social fund from applicants in London SE1 and London SE16 were (a) made and (b) successful between 1 July 1991 and 31 December 1991.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is 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.
Pensions
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider the rules governing the distribution of pension surpluses in order to protect the rights of employees ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 469
Miss Widdecombe : Measures to protect the members of occupational pension schemes were included in the Social Security Act 1990. One of these came into effect from 17 August 1990 and prevents payments being made from a pension scheme to the employer unless members are guaranteed annual increases in their pensions in line with prices, up to 5 per cent. A further measure will, when implemented, require final salary pension schemes to pay indexed pension increases up to a maximum of 5 per cent. a year. This limited price indexation provision will apply to all such schemes in respect of future service, and in respect of past service to schemes with a surplus.Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the total amount of pension surpluses held by companies with pension funds.
Miss Widdecombe : It is not possible to assess the total amount of surpluses on a common basis at any given date as schemes produce valuations at different times and on different methods and assumptions.
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent on statutory sick pay in each of the last three years ; and how much is forecast to be spent for the current year, and for 1992-93, in real terms.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is
<1>£ million at 1991-92 prices
Year |<2>Statutory
|Sick Pay
---------------------------------------
1988-89 |1,110
1989-90 |1,102
1990-91 |993
1991-92 |728
1992-93 |725
<1>Revalued by the GDP deflator.
<2>Figures represent reimbursements to
employers, which reduced from 100 per
cent. to 80 per cent. from April 1991.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the policy of the Child Support Agency on demanding maintenance payments from former husbands regardless of whether a former wife has asked for such payments or whether a court has imposed a maintenance order, in cases where the former wife is claiming income support.
Mr. Jack : From April 1993 the Child Support Agency will take over from the courts the main responsibility for obtaining maintenance for children. It will provide a service for use by all families for whom child maintenance is an issue whether they are on benefit or not. Where the parent with care of a child claims income support, family credit or disability living allowance, provisions in the Child Support Act 1991 mean that she will be expected to authorise the Child Support Agency to take maintenance action for her child. The agency will not act without such
Column 470
authorisation. Experience shows that most parents wish to co-operate in arranging financial support for the benefit of their children. It is very much in the child's interest that both parents should do what they can to support their child.Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in respect of cold weather payments (a) on how many occasions payments have been made in advance of predicted cold weather, (b) how much has been paid, (c) in which areas payments have been made and (d) what information he has received on the likely rate of error in predictions of cold weather sufficient to trigger payments.
Mr. Scott : Cold weather periods have been forecast at 23 weather stations so far this winter. To date, a total of £8,548,026 has been paid out on cold weather payments, for all types of trigger, and further payments will be sent out this week. For details of stations which triggered up to 14 December I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 20 December at columns 373-4. The use of forecasts is one of several improvements made in 1991 to the cold weather payments scheme. Forecasting can never be 100 per cent. accurate, but the retrospective trigger mechanism remains in place to pick up any cold spells which actually occur but were not forecast. The new elements of the scheme are being kept under review in order to ensure the best possible advice is provided by the Meteorological Office. The weather stations and postcode districts affected by the forecast triggers which have occurred since 14 December are :
Eskdalemuir
Coningsby
Finningley
Waddington
Bedford
Cwmbargoed
Easthampstead
Honington
Lyneham
Trawsfynydd
Wyton
Gatwick
Herstmonceux
Wattisham
Birmingham
Brize Norton
Water Rates
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what element of the income support calculation relates to water rates ; and how this is determined.
Miss Widdecombe : There is no separate element for water rates in income support payments. Water is one of many items of expenditure which vary. The general movement of prices is reflected in the uprating index applied to income support, and the other income-related benefits.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced that the uprating index used for the income-related benefits has been modified to include water
Column 471
rates, certain miscellaneous housing costs and, 1992-93 benefit only, 20 per cent. of the community charge to which claimants will be liable, until the end of March 1993.Column 472
|
| Home Page |