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Departmental Staff
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading of staff, and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.
Mr. Lang : In accordance with Government policy, my Department keeps pay and grading structures under review. Internal review teams check on grading as part of annual reviews across my Department, but over the last 12 months no reviews of pay have been carried out in my Department, including in executive agencies, by either internal or external review teams.
Market Testing Programme
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each private sector consultancy firm which has been retained by each agency within his Department, and for his Department as a whole, for the purposes of advising on the market testing programme ; and whether the appointment in each case was the result of competitive tendering.
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Mr. Lang : Following competitive tendering, Coopers and Lybrand, Deloitte has been retained to advise the Scottish Office and its executive agencies on the market testing programme.Building Security
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance is available to groups of owner-occupiers who, acting together, are seeking to improve security of their homes.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There is no specific assistance for this purpose. However, local authorities may at their discretion give improvement grant for some security measures, generally as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation of houses.
Roads Report
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the roads report ; and if he will make a statement about progress on trunk road schemes during 1991-92 and those it is proposed to start in the next three years.
Mr. Lang : I am today publishing the report, "Roads, Traffic and Safety 1992", copies of which have been placed in the Library together with an associated summary.
In the last fortnight, there have been three major Scottish publications dealing with road accidents, roads in the countryside, and the operational management of the road network. A consultation document will also be published tomorrow on the options for improving travel links around the Forth estuary. The report I am publishing today puts all these initiatives in the context of our overall strategic plans for the 1990s which have been developed following the completion of a major review of Scotland's key roads. The report details our medium-term strategy for the further improvement and better management of the network. It considers what further developments might be expected in the longer term. It sets out our road safety achievements and future objectives, and considers the special needs of local roads in urban areas.
I am also listing those major schemes planned to start in the three years ahead following the increase in resources I announced at the end of last year under public expenditure plans for road construction. The range and importance of the schemes selected demonstrates our commitment to the strategic goals which are set out in the report for the improvement of the trunk road network. Schemes with an estimated cost of over £3 million started since 1 April 1991 or for which contracts are expected to be placed before 31 March 1992 :
M8 St James Interchange
M74 Maryville-West Fullarton Road
A74(M) Nether Abington-Elvanfoot
A96 Bucksburn Diversion
A9 Greenloaning-Blackford
A929 Tarbrax-Forfar
These schemes have a total value in excess of £100 million. Schemes with an estimated cost of over £3 million expected to start between 1 April 1992 and 31 March 1995 ;
1992-93
A94 Brechin Bypass (dualling)
A74(M) Lockerbie Bypass (Muirhouse-Water of Milk)
A74(M) Water of Milk-Ecclefechan
A74(M) Eaglesfield-Kirkpatrick Fleming
(or alternative A74(M) scheme)
A830 Morar Bypass (Lochan Doilead-Kinsadel)
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A87 Skye Bridge Approach RoadsM8 Newbridge to Edinburgh City Bypass
1993-94 and 1994-95
A77 Ayr Road Route
A74(M) Paddy's Rickle-Greenhillstairs
A96 Kintore Bypass
A96 Keith Bypass
A77 Glasgow to Ayr dualling (Fenwick--B764)
A1 Tranent-Haddington
A8/M8 North Lanarkshire access improvements
These schemes have a total value in excess of £330 million. Our plans are, of course, subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the necessary preparatory work.
The work in progress and planned will fulfil our commitment to dual the A9 between Stirling and Perth. Our commitment to dual the Perth to Aberdeen route will also be fulfilled. The Perth-Aberdeen route will be renumbered the A90, thus creating the arterial M90/A90 route from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
The schemes being announced for the A74 upgrading mean that over 60 per cent. of the new motorway to replace the A74 in Scotland is already either open, under construction or firmly programmed to start.
The Glasgow-Ayr motorway/near motorway route will be taken forward with the construction of the new trunk road section outwith Glasgow, to meet Strathclyde regional council's new M77 road, together with the first of the two new dualling schemes on the remainder of the route.
The plans include provision of the two remaining sections of the A8 upgrading. The M8 Newbridge-Edinburgh scheme is subject to the results of the public local inquiry recently completed ; the M8 north Lanarkshire scheme timetable is ambitious, but, with the continued co-operation of all concerned, I am sure it can be achieved. Following our announcement on the A1, financial provision has been made to commence the dualling of the route.
In addition to the major schemes starts, funding for other schemes, road safety schemes and route action plans is being substantially increased. We will continue the very good progress which has already been made on the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness ; A7 Edinburgh-M6 ; and A1 Edinburgh-Newcastle action plans. The A90 Perth-Dundee road will be upgraded to near motorway standard. New route action plans will be developed for the A76 between Dumfries and Kilmarnock and the A830 west of Lochailort. Further improvements to the A9 north of Perth will be carried out, including the provision of improved overtaking opportunities, also as part of a route action plan.
Secondary Schools Report
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the report of the committee established under the chairmanship of Professor John Howie to review curriculum and examinations in the fifth and sixth years of Scottish secondary schools.
Mr. Lang : I am glad to announce the publication today of the report of the committee which we appointed to review the curriculum and examinations in the fifth and sixth years of secondary education. As education Minister I initiated this study in 1990 and I am most grateful to Professor Howie and to his colleagues for a thorough and
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comprehensive review of this important area of school education and for their thoughtful and challenging recommendations.There is no doubt that we must aim to have in Scotland a system of secondary education which draws the best from our traditions, and which compares well with the best that is available in Europe and beyond. We must ensure that there are appropriate qualifications in place to match the needs of the increasing number of pupils who are staying on after the fourth year--already 70 per cent.--to find a rewarding and relevant education.
At the same time, changes of the dimension now recommended by the Howie committee need careful deliberation and wide consultation within the education system before they are introduced.
I have decided therefore to publish this major report now and to invite all interested parties to comment on it in the period running to the end of this year. To assist this process we are arranging for the report summary to be printed separately and to be made available free of charge from the Scottish Office Education Department. Professor Howie and his committee have produced a report of quality and authority. It deserves to be considered with care and without undue haste. I hope no one will rush to judgment, but rather that we will all study his proposals thoroughly and reflect on the way forward.
Careers Service
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now completed his consideration of the publication of careers service inspection reports in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The careers service has a key role to play in helping young people make the transition from school to employment and training. The Government wish to see a greater role for employers in the management of the service and have encouraged the formation of partnerships towards this end. It is also important and in accordance with the Government's citizens charter that the service should be accountable for its performance to parents, employers and the public. It is right therefore that the reports of the careers service inspectorate in Scotland should be published and, accordingly, publication will apply to reports of inspections begun on and after 1 April this year.
Illegitimate Births
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of illegitimate births to teenage girls in each year since 1980 in each registry area giving the age in years of the teenage mothers.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 27 February 1992] : Since the tabulated information will be lengthy, I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Tayside Health Board
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the business plan of the central pharmaceutical unit of Tayside health board ;
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(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract with Tayside health board for the provision of the manufacture of "specialties", as outlined in SOHHD/DGM (1991) 29.Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 4 March 1992] : I do not intend placing a copy in the Library of the contract with Tayside health board for the manufacture of "special" medicines or the business plan of the central pharmaceutical unit of Tayside health board. These documents are "commercially confidential".
EC Drinking Water Directive
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) of 21 January, Official Report, columns 164-74, what is his estimate of the total population of the supply zones listed, where water quality does not fully comply with the requirements of the EC drinking water directive.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My answer of 21 January 1992 to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey listed those zones currently subject to improvement undertakings given by water authorities because one or more of the standards set in the water quality regulations has been infringed at some time. The total population of the zones listed is about 2.5 million. Well over half that population receives water which has breached only one of the 57 standards and in many cases breaches were minor or occasional. Water authorities' annual reports for July to December 1990 showed that in that period many of the zones listed had no failures of the standards concerned. The population of zones listed as not meeting the standard for iron is almost 0.5 million. In most of these cases the water put into supply fully meets the standard but old iron water mains may cause occasional failures at consumers' taps. Zones for which the undertaking relates only to the standard for trihalomethanes, a United Kingdom standard not set in the EC directive, account for a population of about another 0.5 million.
WALES
Recession
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effects of the recession upon the Welsh economy.
Mr. David Hunt : Wales cannot be isolated from the recession affecting the United Kingdom economy and that of many other industrialised countries. Although the business community is going through a difficult period and unemployment is rising, the effect on Wales has been less severe than elsewhere. Since unemployment began to rise in March 1990, the difference between the Welsh and United Kingdom seasonally adjusted work force rates has reduced from 0.9 percentage points to 0.3 percentage points.
Unemployment
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he is taking to tackle (a) short-term and (b) long-term unemployment in Wales.
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Mr. David Hunt : The Government now offer a more comprehensive range of programmes than ever to help all unemployed people back to work. In July last year we announced a substantial package of measures to complement the existing programmes provided by the Employment Service and the training and enterprise councils. It includes expert advice and help in looking for a job, and for the long-term unemployed extra training provision and the new work experience programme, employment action.In addition my Department, the Welsh Development Agency and other Government agencies also operate a wide range of other measures aimed at stimulating economic development in Wales. The Welsh Office and all the other relevant bodies will continue to look for, and respond swiftly to, development opportunities that arise which have the potential to reduce unemployment.
Apprenticeships
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The Government are already providing considerable support for employer-based apprenticeships through the youth training programme. However, it is primarily a matter for employers to determine how best to manage their training requirements in line with business needs.
Fishing Industry
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for the future structure of the fishing industry in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : My continuing aims are to provide conditions for a viable fishing industry in Wales, including the sea fisheries sector, aquaculture and freshwater fisheries, and to promote the conservation and sound management of fish stocks. These policies will continue to be implemented through a range of statutory and administrative measures, including schemes of financial assistance.
Cash Limits
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposes to make to his Department's cash limits for 1991-92.
Mr. David Hunt : The cash limit for Welsh Office/local authorities capital--LACAP--will be reduced by £16,323,000 from £397,362,000 to £381,039,000 and the cash limit for Welsh Office/Housing for Wales will be increased by £17,323,000 from £111,224,000 to £128,547,000. These changes largely reflect a transfer of resources-- £17,323, 000--from local authorities to Housing for Wales which will enable housing associations to provide additional housing units. The reduction in WO/LACAP in respect of this transfer has been partly offset by an increase of £1 million as a result of a transfer of provision from the Lord Chancellor's Department. A corresponding reduction is being made in the cash limit for class X, vote 1. This transfer will facilitate the provision of courtroom facilities at Swansea.
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Local Government
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of the responses he has received to his consultation papers on the structure and internal management of local government in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of the responses to each consultation paper from the Welsh local authority associations, individual authorities and from representative bodies. Responses from members of the public are available for consultation in the Welsh Office library, Cathays Park, Cardiff.
Youth Training
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the range of unit price training week costs in Wales for youth training indicating what are the higher and lower cost levels.
Mr. David Hunt : This information is confidential.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the operating surplus of each TEC in Wales for the current financial year ; and of each surplus, how much has been committed to date.
Mr. David Hunt : Information on the operating surpluses made in the current financial year will be published in due course by each TEC in its end of year accounts. Discussions with TECs on their plans for 1992-93 are in progress, and include consideration of how TECs will use their operating surpluses.
Departmental Staff
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading staff and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Select Committees
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the total annual cost of the staff of Select Committees.
Mr. Beith : The current annual remuneration of permanent staff of the Committee Office of the Clerk's Department amounts to £2,327,980. Some staff in other offices of the Department provide services to Select Committes in addition to their other duties, but it is not possible separately to quantify this element of their work in staff cost terms.
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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Departmental Properties
Mr. Soley : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many residential properties owned by the Duchy are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.
Mr. Chris Patten : The Duchy of Lancaster owns a number of residential properties which are used solely for agricultural purposes-- such as farmhouses or farm workers' cottages--or for housing staff, or which are held on long ground leases. These properties are excluded from the figures given :
Of the balance of 240 residential properties,
(a) nine are empty, or 3.75 per cent. of the total owned, all of which are in the course of being re-let--some after modernisation works have been completed ;
(b) one property, or 0.8 per cent. of the total, is vacant awaiting sale ;
(c) one, or 0.8 per cent. of the total, is intended for sale on the open market ; and
(d) none is for sale to housing associations.
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HEALTH
Occupational Health Staff
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current number of occupational health staff in each health authority in England ; and if he will publish a breakdown showing (a) the number of nurses with OHNC qualifications, (b) nurses undertaking OHNC qualifications, (c) nurses without OHNC qualifications, (d) full-time occupational health consultants, (e) full-time occupational health physicians and (f) GP sessions within occupational health departments.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The numbers--whole-time equivalents--of hospital occupational health staff, including consultants, employed by regional, district and special health authorities in England at 30 September 1990, the latest date for which information is available, are given in the table :
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Authority AdministratioHospital Medical Nursing Total
|and Clerical|Consultants |Others
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |8.2 |1.0 |1.7 |31.3 |42.2
Yorkshire |11.9 |1.0 |3.0 |46.7 |62.6
Trent |32.2 |4.0 |3.3 |52.8 |92.3
East Anglian |11.2 |0.0 |1.7 |20.6 |33.5
North West Thames |11.8 |1.0 |2.3 |49.3 |64.3
North East Thames |21.8 |4.0 |3.2 |55.6 |84.5
South East Thames |16.7 |4.0 |5.8 |45.9 |72.4
South West Thames |13.5 |2.0 |0.3 |44.4 |60.1
Wessex |12.0 |1.0 |2.0 |35.0 |50.0
Oxford |14.5 |0.0 |0.5 |29.2 |44.2
South Western |14.2 |1.0 |2.5 |37.0 |54.7
West Midlands |22.4 |0.0 |5.9 |64.6 |92.9
Mersey |12.3 |1.0 |2.7 |35.5 |51.5
North Western |15.3 |3.0 |4.5 |66.8 |89.6
SHAs |0.5 |0.0 |0.4 |5.5 |6.4
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |218.4 |23.0 |39.8 |620.1 |901.2
Data are not available on "occupational health physicians".
Data relating to OHNC qualifications, GPs and community health service staff in occupational
health are not available centrally.
Radiation
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to evaluate the work of the Medical Research Council radiation biology unit on establishing links between low dose radiation and cell abnormality ; and what additional guidance he proposes to give to hospitals engaging in radiotherapy treatment and to the National Radiological Protection Board.
Mr. Dorrell : The study by Kadim et al published in Nature on 20 February 1992, a copy of which is available in the Library, is one of numerous studies being conducted in this area. I am advised that whilst the reported findings of this relatively limited study pose interesting questions, relating to the response of cells to alpha particle irradiation, they should not be judged in isolation. The authors themselves have stated that this is only a "first and unexpected" step in a chain of research. The National Radiological Protection Board is aware of this study and is conducting related research. The results of the study have been drawn to the attention of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment which is
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being kept fully informed of all research in this area. No additional guidance to radiotherapy units is currently needed.Hip Replacements
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he has issued about the use of plastic in hip joint replacement operations ; and how many operations are still carried out using metal in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dorrell : The Department has not issued any guidelines on the use of plastic in hip joint replacement operations.
All hip joint operations carried out in the United Kingdom use one or more metal components as part of the joint replacement device. Metal components may be used in combination with other metals, plastics and ceramics, depending upon the design of the particular hip system selected by the clinician.
The number of hip replacement operations in England for 1990-91 was 44,477. Information relating to Wales,
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Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.Dentists
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet the Staffordshire local dental committee to discuss their concerns about dentists henceforth offering private treatment only to patients.
Mr. Dorrell : I have asked officials to discuss dental provision with the Staffordshire local dental committee.
HIV
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of (a) men and (b) women who have been diagnosed as having the HIV virus in the Greater London area as of 18 February.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Data on residence are not available on the HIV-1 infection reports received at the Public Health Laboratory Service AIDS centre of the communicable disease surveillance centre (CDSC). The region where the test took place may not be a good indicator of the region of residence of the individual tested. Within the four Thames regions 10,282 reports of HIV-1 infected people have been received at CDSC--9,277 men, 949 women and 56 where the sex was not stated on the report form. These data are cumulative from when testing began in late 1984 to the end of December 1991, and is for adults only.
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