| Previous Section | Home Page |
Column 235
Pension Allowances
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current guidance issued to the non-departmental public bodies in Wales concerning the criteria and prior departmental authorisation required for the payment of ex-gratia, severance, redundancy or early retirement pension allowances or bonuses for departing middle and senior management ; when it was issued ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. David Hunt : The founding legislation for a non-departmental public body requires its terms and conditions, which include superannuation and early retirement compensation schemes, to be approved by the Secretary of State for Wales and the Minister for the Civil Service. Approval is arranged individually for each body.
Hospital Trusts
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of submissions for trust status from within Clwyd and the dates by which he expects to determine them.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Following the submission of expressions of interest last year, the three health units in Clwyd health authority are among the 14 invited to prepare applications for NHS trust status in April 1993. Decisions on whether to proceed are entirely a matter for the individual units in the light of local circumstance. In the event that applications are received, statutory public consultation will be undertaken before any decisions are reached. I would expect an announcement on the outcome of the application process to be made this autumn.
Column 236
GP Fund Holders
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner fund-holding practices there are in each of the health authorities in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : There are 26 general practitioner fund-holding practices in Wales, including 10 in Clwyd ; four each in Gwent, Mid Glamorgan and West Glamorgan ; two in Dyfed ; and one each in Powys and South Glamorgan.
Family Doctor Service
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of cash given to the family doctor service for each of the last three years.
Mr. David Hunt : Cash expended on the general medical services in Wales for the financial year 1989-90 and 1990-91 was as follows : 1989-90 : £95.3 million
1990-91 : £114.6 million
Figures for 1991-92 are not yet available.
Source : Appropriation accounts
School Meals
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the local education authorities in Wales which provide a cooked lunchtime meal for pupils ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he will make a statement concerning his policy as to the quality and nutrition of school meals ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not held centrally. Local education authorities are responsible for determining the content and presentation of school meals.
Column 237
Improving the diets of schoolchildren is a very important part of the Government's overall commitment to raising nutritional standards.The catering staff of each local education authority are aware of developments in dietary and nutritional research and have access to a range of expert advice. A number of authorities have introduced healthy eating options on school meals menus.
Buses
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policy towards subsidy for bus routes in rural Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Local authorities determine levels of subsidy for socially necessary services in rural areas. Assistance towards certain items of capital expenditure is also available from the Department to bus operators under the rural transport innovation grant scheme.
Further Education Funding Council
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce the names of the members of the Further Education Funding Council for Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The following have accepted my invitation to become members of the Further Education Council for Wales : Mrs. Penelope Ryan : Principal, Gorseinon College, West Glamorgan.
Jeff Cocks : Principal, Pontypridd Technical College, Mid Glamorgan.
Dr. Ken Thomas : recently retired from HM Inspectorate of Schools in South West England.
Dr. John Walters : Open University, Cardiff.
Mrs. Susan Stansford : Chair of Governors, Yale Sixth Form College, Clwyd.
Grant Walshe : South Wales Regional Director, Barclays Bank plc. Huw Jones : Chief Executive, Barcud and Sain Cyf, Gwynedd. David Margetts : Chairman, Elkay Electrical Manufacturing Ltd., Chief Executive, Powys TEC.
Richard Webster : Managing Director, Midcast Engineering (Wales) Ltd., Maesteg ; Member of Mid Glamorgan TEC.
Stephen Dunster : Treasurer, West Glamorgan CC ; Financial Adviser, Assembly of Welsh Counties.
Health Authority Funding
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to give extra money to under-funded health authorities in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : Spending on the NHS in Wales has risen from £481 million in 1979-80 to 1,946 million in 1992-93, representing an increase of 67 per cent. above inflation. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 4 February at columns 125-28 for detailed information about allocations to individual district health authorities.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Income Support
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by region and for Great Britain as a whole, separately for males and females, how many 16 and
Column 238
17-year-olds for each month since September 1991 have made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship ; how many have been granted or refused ; if he will give the information he has about the grounds on which applications were turned down ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Burt : No information is held as to the sex of applicants for income support under the severe hardship provision. Applications for income support from young people who are not at risk of severe hardship are unsuccessful. Such information as is available is in the tables :
Scotland
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |1,189 |927 |262
October |1,349 |1,106 |243
November |1,153 |940 |213
December |927 |791 |136
1992
January |1,656 |1,386 |270
February |1,593 |1,337 |256
March |1,676 |1,363 |313
North Eastern
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |932 |738 |194
October |1,044 |812 |232
November |936 |757 |179
December |709 |584 |125
1992
January |1,434 |1,204 |230
February |1,283 |985 |298
March |1,231 |1,008 |223
North Western
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |671 |517 |154
October |710 |555 |155
November |640 |515 |125
December |497 |406 |91
1992
January |1,100 |918 |182
February |956 |790 |166
March |1,125 |934 |191
Midlands
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |695 |547 |148
October |697 |550 |147
November |700 |558 |142
December |512 |446 |66
1992
January |1,158 |980 |178
February |1,030 |879 |151
March |1,094 |876 |218
Wales and South Western
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London North
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
199
September |579 |475 |104
October |617 |509 |108
November |542 |451 |91
December |420 |365 |55
1992
January |823 |725 |98
February |797 |675 |122
March |875 |736 |139
London South
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |657 |539 |118
October |677 |532 |145
November |608 |505 |103
December |449 |382 |67
1992
January |958 |812 |146
February |882 |741 |141
March |964 |818 |146
Great Britain
|Total |Successful|Refused
-------------------------------------------------------
1991
September |5,408 |4,301 |1,107
October |5,781 |4,613 |1,168
November |5,289 |4,317 |972
December |4,093 |3,442 |651
1992
January |8,136 |6,908 |1,228
February |7,468 |6,187 |1,281
March |7,935 |6,551 |1,380
Source: Severe Hardship Claims Unit Database.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each region and for Great Britain as a whole for each quarter since September 1991 how many income support and unemployment benefit claimants have (i) successfully and (ii) unsuccessfully claimed income support under the hardship rules, showing those whose claim was in doubt due to (a) not actively seeking work, (b) refusing suitable employment, and (c) availability for work.
Mr. Burt : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the rules on income support whereby money due, but not yet paid to a claimant, is taken into account in assessing that benefit.
Miss Widdecombe : We have today introduced regulations to ensure that where an occupational pension scheme has suspended or reduced payments because it has insufficient funds, the amount of the then unpaid entitlement will not be taken into account as a resource.
Column 240
This removes a technical obstacle which might have prevented pensioners, payment of whose pension was interrupted, from claiming income support under the normal rules.Pensions
Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many weekly pensions paid by post constitute a lesser sum than the stamp used to despatch them.
Mr. Burt : I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It would, however, be very exceptional for payment to be made in this way.
If the payable rate of retirement pension is £2 per week or less, payment is made once a year in arrears and usually paid by automated credit transfer. The annual payment is made shortly before Christmas by the Benefits Agency in Newcastle and includes payment of the Christmas bonus.
Vibration White Finger
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to extend the industries and occupations to which claims for disablement benefit arising from vibration white finger can be made ; and whether he will make a statement.
(2) when he expects the review by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council into the current terms of prescription for hand/arm vibration syndromes to be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : I am advised on occupational diseases by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The council is expected to report on hand/arm vibration syndrome, which includes vibration white finger, towards the end of this year. We have no plans at present to extend current provisions for this condition.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage disability was awarded for each person granted disablement benefit as a consequence of vibration white finger during the last 12-month period for which statistics are available.
Miss Widdecombe : Information about awards of disablement benefit are a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Maxwell Pension Funds
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 12 May, Official Report, column 95, what advice he has given to the National Westminster bank in connection with the pensioners of Mirror Group Newspapers and other Maxwell Group pensioners in response to the second report of the Social Security Committee, Session 1991-92, on pension funds.
Miss Widdecombe : We have given the National Westminster bank no advice in connection with pensioners of Maxwell pension schemes.
Column 241
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Mrs. Angela Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he will make to the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council regarding industrial disablement benefit for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Mr. Scott : We have received the report from the council and we are studying the recommendations.
Mrs. Pauline Bettinson
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will institute an inquiry into the handling of the mobility allowance application from Mrs. Pauline Bettinson, Lynton gardens, Lowestoft by the Benefits Agency, including delays by the agency in answering letters from the hon. Member for Waveney, the procedures for handling the claim and the request for compensation for the inconvenience caused by delays in processing of the claim.
Miss Widdecombe : Following Mrs. Bettinson's successful appeal to the medical appeals tribunal, full arrears of mobility allowance were sent to her on 23 April 1992. I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that he wrote to my hon. Friend on 15 May 1992. He has arranged for the full circumstances of Mrs. Bettinson's claim to be investigated and will write further to my hon. Friend as soon as this has been completed.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Political Settlement
13. Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about progress towards a political settlement in Northern Ireland.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : The current political talks recommenced on 29 April. I welcome their continuance.
Cross-Border Security
14. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border security.
Mr. Mates : Cross-border security is regularly considered at meetings of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference. At the meeting on 27 April both Governments re-affirmed their determination to enhance and strengthen security co-operation.
Residents Parking
15. Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given to introducing a residents parking scheme for Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : No legal power currently exists in Northern Ireland to permit the introduction of a residents' parking scheme, but consideration is being given to the inclusion of such powers in future legislation.
Column 242
Political Talks
16. Mr. Ancram : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to conclude the talks he is holding with Northern Ireland political party leaders ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : The talks, which resumed on 29 April, have a three-month period available to them.
26. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in the talks involving the political parties in Northern Ireland.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain).
Constitutional Reform
17. Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he proposes to recommend any change in the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls).
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he proposes to recommend any changes in the constitutional position of Northern Ireland.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain).
Terrorist Groups
18. Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence has emerged over the last 12 months of new supplies of weapons, ammunition, or finance being provided to the Provisional IRA and other terrorist groups from foreign nations or agencies controlled by such nations ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I am aware of no evidence of such supplies in the past 12 months, but a number of the atrocities committed in that period have undoubtedly involved arms and explosives supplied by the Libyans before the seizure of the Eksund in 1987.
Education (Selection)
19. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy towards selection at 11-plus ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : While I will always be willing to consider carefully any scheme for reorganisation which emerges through the statutory development proposal procedures, I have no plans to require school authorities to change their current arrangements.
Electricity Privatisation
20. Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the privatisation of electricity in Northern Ireland.
Column 243
Mr. Atkins : Contracts for the sale of the four power stations formerly owned by Northern Ireland Electricity were signed on 6 March. Transfer of ownership of two of them is subject to the completion of financing arrangements which is expected shortly. The flotation of Northern Ireland Electricity plc is planned for late autumn.DHSS Tenderers
21. Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the names of firms removed from the list of selected tenders by the DHSS and subsequently restored.
Mr. Hanley : One firm was temporarily removed from the health and personal social services select list of tenderers for the market testing of support services. This firm was reinstated within the past two months and my noble Friend does not think it would be proper to disclose details of the firm concerned.
Tourism
22. Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on tourism within Northern Ireland.
Mr. Atkins : Last year, 1991, was the third record year in a row for the industry, with an 18 per cent. increase in pure holiday visitors. Extra resources have been given to the Northern Ireland tourist board to promote the area as a holiday destination and improve its tourist product, and the board's corporate plan for the next three years will be published shortly. I am confident that the tourist industry can make an increasing contribution to economic development in Northern Ireland.
Urban Centres (Bombings)
23. Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider taking additional measures to restore the fabric and commercial life of urban centres hit by major terrorist bombs.
Mr. Mates : The Government continue to keep under review the very extensive measures designed to restore the fabric and commercial life of urban centres hit by major terrorist bombs, but there are no plans to initiate any additional measures at this time.
Road Schemes
24. Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which major road schemes are planned in the next three years for the constituency of Strangford.
Mr. Atkins : Stage 1 of the improvement of the Purdysburn road, Belfast is programmed to start in 1994-95.
Terrorism (Financing)
25. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the past six months in tackling the financing of terrorism.
Mr. Mates : The Government attach a very high priority to cutting off sources of terrorist finance and are pressing
Column 244
on to implement the hard-hitting confiscation scheme contained in the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991. The other financial provisions of that Act have already been brought into use.Housing Executive
28. Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he intends to take to ensure that funding levels are increased for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to a level equal to housing need.
Mr. Atkins : The total resources available to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in 1992-93 will be about £486 million. I am confident that this will be sufficient to enable the executive to continue the progress that it has made in recent years both in reducing the urgent waiting list and in improving housing conditions in Northern Ireland.
Disabled Facilities Grant
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when his Department plans to announce the outcome of the recent review of the disabled facilities grant system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Under the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, grants for disabled facilities are available within the provision of the renovation grants scheme. While there has been no recent review relating specifically to the disabled facilities grant in Northern Ireland, a draft housing order will shortly be laid before Parliament which will, among other things, seek to introduce a revised renovation grants scheme for private sector dwellings. The revised scheme will, in the main, mirror the scheme that has operated in England and Wales since July 1990 under the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and will contain a specific disabled facilities grant.
Expenditure and European Community Transfers
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was (a) the total public expenditure and (b) the estimated European Community transfers in Northern Ireland in each of the latest five years for which figures are available.
Mr. Mates : The total expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for the past five complete financial years was as follows :
- Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1987-88 |4,828 1988-89 |5,436 1989-90 |5,724 1990-91 |5,870 1991-92 |6,449 Note: Figures for 1991-92 are, in both cases, provisional.
Northern Ireland's largest single source of European Community funding is the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund. The bulk of such receipts are disbursed centrally by the Intervention Board Executive Agency--IBEA--and details on a regional basis are not available. The following amounts, however, have been identified as receipts from the three structural funds :
Column 245
- Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1987-88 |111 1988-89 |96 1989-90 |95 1990-91 |110 1991-92 |156 Note: Figures for 1991-92 are, in both cases, provisional.
Milk Marketing Board
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will respond to the proposals by the Northern Ireland milk marketing board to reform the board ; when he will table the new legislation ; and if he will make a statement about the future of the Northern Ireland milk marketing board.
Mr. Hanley : In common with its Great Britain counterparts, the milk marketing board for Northern Ireland has submitted its proposals for reform to the Government. These proposals are currently being considered.
Column 246
The Government intend to introduce legislation this Session to facilitate the transformation of the milk marketing boards into non-statutory organisations to bring benefits to both producers and consumers.EMPLOYMENT
Expenditure
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will show for Great Britain how much expenditure, excluding administration costs, at cash and constant prices, has been spent in each year since 1987- 88 on (a) employment training and the earlier programmes it replaced, (b) youth training and the earlier YTS, (c) enterprise allowance scheme, (d) job clubs and (e) restart courses ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The following table shows expenditure for Great Britain at cash and constant 1991-92 prices, excluding administration costs. on each year since 1987-88, on (a) employment training, (b) youth training, (c) enterprise allowance scheme, (d) job clubs and (e) restart.
Column 245
Persons in employment by sex and ethnic origin; average, spring 1989-91 Great Britain
Persons of working age (16-59/64)2 Per cent
Ethnic minority groups
|All origins<2> |White |All |West Indian/Guyanese |Indian |Pakistani/Bangladeshi
origins<3>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men in employment
(thousands=100 percent.) |14.399 |13.710 |592 |112 |207 |102 |171
Full-time employees |78 |78 |72 |81 |69 |67 |73
Part-time employees |3 |3 |5 |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |7
Self-employed |17 |17 |20 |11 |26 |24 |18
Women in employment
(thousands=100 percent.)10.750 |10.279 |399 |108 |134 |31
Full-time employees |53 |52 |62 |69 |62 |48 |59
Part-time employees |39 |39 |26 |25 |25 |<1>- |27
Self-employed |7 |7 |9 |<1>- |11 |<1>- |11
Source: Labour Force Surveys
<1> Less than 10,000 in cell: estimate not shown.
<2> The upper age limit is 64 for men and 59 for women.
<3> Includes those who did not state origin.
<4> Including those of mixed origin.
<5> Including those on Government employment or training programmes and employees not stating whether full-time/part-time. The full-time classification is based on respondents self-assessment.
Training, Darlington
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what number of employment training and youth training places were available in Darlington for each financial year from 1988-89 ; and what number will be available during 1992-93.
| Next Section
| Home Page |