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Higher Education Funding Council
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will announce the membership of the Higher Education Funding Council for England ; and what initial guidance he intends to give to the council.
Mr. Patten : I have announced today that the membership of the Higher Education Funding Council for England will be as follows : Sir Ron Dearing (Chairman)
Chairman, Universities Funding Council/Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council
Professor Colin Campell
Vice-Chancellor, University of Nottingham
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Professor Graeme Davies (Chief Executive)Chief Executive, Universities Funding Council/Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council
Professor Brian K. Follett
Professor of Zoology, University of Bristol and Biological Secretary, The Royal Society
Mr. Robert Gunn
Chairman-designate of the Further Education Funding Council for England
Professor Kay-Tee Khaw
Professor of Clinical Gerontology, University of Cambridge Sir Idris Pearce
Chairman of Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
Sir Robert Scholey
Chairman, British Steel
Professor Jack Shaw
Deputy Governor, Bank of Scotland and Chairman designate of Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
Miss Janet Trotter
Director, Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education Professor David J. Watson
Director, Brighton Polytechnic
Sir David Phillips
Chairman, Advisory Board for the Research Councils
Dr. Rab Telfer
Executive Chairman, BSI Standards
Secretary of State's representative
Mr. J. M. M. Vereker
Deputy Secretary, Department for Education
Alternate : Mr. C. A. Clark
I have today sent a letter of guidance to the chairman of the council, and am placing a copy in the Library.
HEALTH
NHS Spending
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in each of the past five years, how much of the total spend on hospital and community health services has gone on (a) services to patients and (b) paying pensions and other payments to people no longer working for the national health service ;
(2) in each of the past five years, how many people who no longer work for the national health service have been in receipt of payments from funds allocated to the provision of hospital and community health services.
Mr. Sackville : Retirement pensions are funded by contributory self- financing schemes which fall outside the hospital and community health services budget. The information requested on other payments to former NHS employees is not collected centrally.
NHS Security
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further steps she is taking to reduce the cost of crime on national health service budgets.
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Mr. Sackville : Security arrangements at health service premises, are the responsibility of local managers.
The National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts has recently published (with financial assistance from the Department) the new edition of the "NHS Security Manual". The Department has provided copies for general managers and commended it to them as an excellent source of advice. A copy is also available in the Library. Earlier this year the Department commissioned a study by management consultants of security issues at an NHS hospital. The report of the study is expected within the next few weeks.
Rural Access
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve access to health services in rural areas.
Mr. Sackville : It is the responsibility of each district health authority and family health services authority to meet the health needs of its resident population. If the hon. Member has a particular problem in mind, perhaps he will write to me.
Low Income Scheme
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the results of his Department's review of the health benefits low income scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Disabled Employees
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the total work force in his Department are registered as disabled ; what steps she is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within her Department ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : At January 1992--the latest figures available--1.9 per cent. of the total workforce was registered disabled. In addition, a number of staff have a disability but are not registered. The Department is an equal opportunity employer and observes the code of practice for the employment of people with a disability issued by the Cabinet Office. At present the majority of recruitment is being undertaken by the NHS management executive which is to relocate from London to Leeds, where the new building has been designed specifically to allow easy access for people with disabilities. A recently published brochure outlining job opportunities within the management executive encourages applications from people with disabilities. In addition all job advertisements carry the recognised disability symbol which signifies that applications are welcomed from people with a disability who are suitably qualified.
Dental Services Payments
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the report of the discussion groups on the level of general dental services payments.
Dr. Mawhinney : No. The purpose of this report was to assist the joint inquiry of the health departments and the General Dental Services Committee in examining the reasons for the level of payments to dentists in 1991-92.
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Low Income Scheme
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend the national health service low income scheme to provide that if a claim is made within three months of a charge being incurred for the cost of spectacles, a refund will be paid, on the same terms as for prescription charges, dental charges and eye tests ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : From 1 June 1992 the time limit for claiming a refund under the NHS low income scheme was extended to three months in respect of charges for prescriptions, dental treatment, wigs and fabric supports, spectacles prescribed by the hospital eye service, and fares to hospital for NHS treatment. The arrangements for other optical refunds are being considered as part of the review of administration of the NHS low income scheme.
Disability
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received in the past 12 months about the implementation of the remaining sections of the Disabled Persons (Representation, Consultation and Services) Act 1986 ; what plans she has to implement these sections ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : We have received 73 letters concerning our decision not to implement sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Disabled Persons Act, seven of which also referred to section 7. The Act was also the subject of five parliamentary questions during this period.
The requirements of these sections are now, to a very large extent, reflected in our new and wide-ranging reforms of community care. The need to implement these sections of the Disabled Persons Act will be reviewed in the light of several years' experience of the community care arrangements.
Women's Health, Liverpool
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking in Liverpool to improve women's health care, particularly in relation to the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer ; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the new Liverpool women's hospital will have adequate access via public transport.
Mr. Sackville : The provision of health services in Liverpool is the responsibility of Liverpool health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. M. F. Emberton, the authority chairman, for details.
Cystic Fibrosis
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to exempt cystic fibrosis sufferers from prescription charges.
Dr. Mawhinney : There are no plans to extend the range of conditions which currently attract free prescriptions on medical grounds. Extensive exemption and charge remission arrangements, coupled with the prescription prepayment certificate scheme, protect those who might otherwise have difficulty in paying prescription charges.
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Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities are currently charging cystic fibrosis sufferers for nebulisers ; and what is her Department's policy on making vital medical equipment available to the chronically ill.
Mr. Sackville : Health authorites cannot make charges for nebulisers, or other items of medical equipment supplied as part of NHS treatment, unless there is specific statutory provision for charges to be made.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cystic fibrosis sufferers there are in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) each family health services authority area and (c) each district health authority area.
Mr. Sackville : The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated annual cost of prescriptions is (a) to each cystic fibrosis sufferer and (b) to all cystic fibrosis sufferers across the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not available.
Surgeons (HIV Infection)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the guidelines concerning HIV infection following the infection of a surgeon at the Liverpool royal teaching hospital ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : The United Kingdom health departments issued occupational guidance for health care workers in 1988. Revised guidelines "AIDS-HIV Infected Health Care Workers" containing recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS were issued in December 1991. A copy is available in the Library. An advisory panel, chaired by Dame Mary Donaldson has been set up to provide advice in individual cases.
The guidance states that health care workers who know or suspect that they have been exposed to HIV infection must seek occupational advice and an HIV test if appropriate, and that those with HIV infection should not perform invasive surgical procedures. The guidance also states that in certain circumstances health authorities and NHS trusts may consider it appropriate to notify patients who have undergone invasive procedures by a health care worker subsequently found to be infected with HIV.
In the recent case in Liverpool, the guidelines were followed. The surgeon concerned ceased work when HIV infection was suspected, and the health authority and hospital considered it appropriate to contact patients to offer reassurance, and HIV antibody tests if required. The guidelines are kept under review to reflect developing knowledge of HIV infection.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 20 May, Official Report, columns 172-73, why copies of the consultation document on the application by Greenwich health services for trust status were not available to members of the Greenwich community health council at its meeting on the evening of 14 May.
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Dr. Mawhinney : In April Greenwich community health council was consulted by the regional health authority about arrangements for the public consultation exercises. Had it indicated that it required copies of the application for its meeting on 14 May, these would have been made available.Hospital Information Systems
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the list and costs involved in providing the various hospital information systems.
Mr. Sackville : Hospital information systems are intended to support the operational needs of the units and local managers are responsible for deciding which systems to implement. Information about the cost of the various hospital information systems is not held centrally.
General Practitioners
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners in the area covered by the Redbridge and Waltham Forest family health services authority have become fundholders.
Dr. Mawhinney : I am informed by the chairman of the North East Thames regional health authority that there is one GP fundholder and one GP in the preparatory year for fundholding in the area covered by the Redbridge and Waltham Forest family health services authority.
Mentally Disordered Offenders
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the joint Department of Health and Home Office review of services for mentally disordered offenders.
Mr. Yeo : The review continues to make good progress and is on schedule to complete its work in July.
In his reply on 13 November 1991 at columns 583-84 to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South East (Mr. Paice), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, announced that we were publishing four initial reports for consultation. We have received some 200 responses. They have overwhelmingly supported the direction of development proposed in the reports. They also contained many detailed comments, for which we are most grateful.
We are today publishing for consultation five further reports submitted by the steering committee chaired by Dr. John Reed. Copies are available in the Library. These cover finance, staffing and training, research, academic development and services for mentally disordered offenders with special needs. The reports are being issued, as before, to a wide range of interested bodies inviting their comments.
Further work in the review is being directed particularly to issues of race and culture, the needs of learning disabled and homeless people, and the role of, and support for, families. These will be reflected in the steering committee's final report.
The Government will be considering the recommendations arising from this review as a whole in the light of the final report and the responses to consultation on the present and earlier proposals. We have already announced
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increased capital funding for medium secure psychiatric provision of £18 million in the current year, against £3 million in 1991-92. My right hon. and learned and hon. Friends and I remain committed to close co-operation between our Departments in this field. We are again most grateful to Dr. Reed and his colleagues for the work they have done.Census Data
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that the release of detailed data for the 1991 census occurs as speedily as possible.
Mr. Sackville : In my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 8 May at col 9 , I stated that release of the first computer-processed census results was under way, in the form of publication of the first county monitor. County monitors contain summary statistics for all local authority districts on all the census topics which were fully processed and will be published county by county, as the data processing is completed.
In a reply to the then Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo) on 5 March at columns 272-73 , my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State described a major problem which had arisen in processing the answers to the question on the 1991 census form on the term-time address of students. He explained that this had caused some delay to the publication of census results, and gave an outline provisional timetable for publication of the first tranche of results.
Every effort is being made to publish all county monitors by the end of September 1992, and to produce and publish the rest of the first tranche of census outputs to the timetable given in issue 19 of the "Census Newsletter", a copy of which is available in the Library. Further details of the census output timetable will be published in future editions of the "Census Newsletter" as soon as they are sufficiently firm.
Priority is being given to providing those census figures, including statistics required for re-basing the Registrar General's annual mid-year estimates, needed for use in the calculations of 1993-94 resource allocations to local and health authorities.
Debt Payment
Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy guidelines are currently in place within her Department and the purchasing organisations for which she has responsibility in respect of the prompt payment of commercial debt, particularly as it relates to small business suppliers.
Mr. Sackville : Government Departments, including their executive agencies, are required to pay their bills promptly. The timing of payments is stipulated in our standard terms and conditions which form part of all our contracts or purchase orders. These state that unless otherwise agreed in writing by the purchaser, the supplier shall render a separate invoice in respect of each consignment delivered under the order. Payment shall be due 30 days after receipt of the goods or the correct invoice therefore, whichever is the later.
To help encourage prompt payment of bills by Government contractors to their subcontractors, all new
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Government contracts contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay its subcontractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract or other special circumstances, the commitment shall be to pay the subcontractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what distribution has taken place within her Department and the purchasing organisations for which she has responsibility of the Department of Employment's publication "Making the Cash Flow--a Guide to the Payment of Commercial Debt for Buyers and Small Business Suppliers".
Mr. Sackville : "Making the Cash Flow" was prepared as guidance for the private sector and there was therefore no formal distribution to other Government Departments. Guidelines on purchasing by Government Departments already exists and are enhanced by the Department's own internal purchasing and supply manual.
The Department of Employment has been undertaking a survey of prompt payment record of Government Departments during the financial year 1991-92 and the results of this exercise will be published in the near future by the Department of Trade and Industry, which now has responsibility for small firms' issues, including late payment. After studying these results the Department will consider what further measures, if any, may be necessary to encourage prompt payment by the public sector.
Earth Summit
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contribution her Department has made to Her Majesty's Government's proposals to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Brazil in June.
Mr. Sackville : The Department has contributed to aspects of the conference which have implications for
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health, in particular, the environmentally sound management of toxic chemicals was selected by the preparatory committee as one of the areas for which programmes of action should be agreed. In December last year the Chief Medical Officer chaired a meeting of experts from over 70 countries to discuss proposals for an intergovernmental mechanism for chemical risk assessment and management. A report has been put forward for consideration by the conference.Revenue Allocations
Ms. Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are her proposals for monitoring the formula adjustments for revenue allocations to district health authorities made by regional health authorities in order to ensure consistency and stability in financial support.
Mr. Sackville : The NHS management executive is in regular contact with each of the regional health authorities (RHAs) about their formulae for making revenue allocations to district health authorities. The aim is to provide RHAs with advice and assistance in the development of their formulae and to ensure that the formulae meet common technical standards set out in FDL(91)102, issued in August 1991, a copy of which is available in the Library.
London Constituencies
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total number of electors registered in each parliamentary constituency in Greater London (a) on the current electoral register and (b) on the registers in force for each of the years from 1978-79 to 1991- 92.
Mr. Sackville : The number of electors on registers between 1983 and 1992 are shown in the tables. There was a general reorganisation of parliamentary constituencies in 1983, and comparable figures for earlier years are not readily available.
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Parliamentary electors registered in each constituency in Greater London, 1983-1987
Note: BC=borough constituency
Parliamentary constituency |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking |BC |52,888 |52,686 |52,414 |52,317 |52,137
Battersea |BC |66,518 |66,802 |67,172 |67,064 |67,462
Beckenham |BC |59,384 |59,910 |60,075 |60,736 |60,718
Bethnal Green and Stepney |BC |55,649 |54,721 |54,520 |54,982 |55,984
Bexleyheath |BC |60,039 |60,319 |60,303 |60,053 |60,206
Bow and Poplar |BC |58,209 |57,534 |57,515 |58,219 |59,503
Brent East |BC |61,987 |61,917 |61,505 |61,396 |61,378
Brent North |BC |63,377 |63,642 |63,691 |62,905 |63,652
Brent South |BC |63,468 |63,352 |62,714 |63,020 |63,229
Brentford and Isleworth |BC |69,824 |68,855 |68,185 |70,496 |72,371
Carshalton and Wallington |BC |69,542 |69,746 |69,798 |69,973 |69,906
Chelsea |BC |54,080 |52,496 |52,127 |49,080 |49,745
Chingford |BC |56,903 |57,125 |57,260 |57,430 |57,417
Chipping Barnet |BC |59,071 |59,220 |59,693 |60,377 |61,419
Chislehurst |BC |55,261 |55,479 |55,679 |55,976 |56,142
City of London and Westminster South, The |BC |68,007 |65,921 |64,233 |61,747 |57,619
Croydon Central |BC |57,138 |57,368 |57,029 |57,120 |55,962
Croydon North East |BC |63,433 |63,762 |63,726 |64,386 |63,627
Croydon North West |BC |58,807 |58,674 |58,395 |58,946 |57,807
Croydon South |BC |65,279 |65,777 |66,150 |66,440 |65,754
Dagenham |BC |63,715 |63,396 |63,086 |62,910 |62,349
Dulwich |BC |57,070 |57,041 |56,612 |56,618 |56,764
Ealing, Acton |BC |62,639 |63,173 |64,179 |66,072 |67,615
Ealing North |BC |69,303 |69,456 |70,570 |71,736 |72,321
Ealing, Southall |BC |72,252 |72,107 |73,535 |74,937 |75,660
Edmonton |BC |65,558 |65,832 |66,198 |66,451 |66,719
Eltham |BC |55,817 |55,633 |55,035 |54,702 |54,702
Enfield North |BC |68,829 |69,173 |69,280 |69,653 |70,190
Enfield, Southgate |BC |66,174 |66,643 |66,893 |67,062 |67,257
Erith and Crayford |BC |56,837 |57,790 |58,648 |59,452 |60,015
Feltham and Heston |BC |79,385 |78,450 |77,217 |80,108 |81,999
Finchley |BC |56,176 |56,085 |56,292 |57,118 |58,143
Fulham |BC |52,224 |51,529 |51,265 |52,786 |54,843
Greenwich |BC |52,091 |51,554 |51,493 |51,246 |51,289
Hackney North and Stoke Newington |BC |67,039 |68,220 |67,310 |65,807 |67,023
Hackney South and Shoreditch |BC |71,649 |73,041 |71,950 |70,226 |71,167
Hammersmith |BC |46,507 |47,250 |46,739 |48,264 |48,621
Hampstead and Highgate |BC |66,981 |66,484 |64,151 |62,779 |63,592
Harrow East |BC |80,837 |81,453 |82,131 |81,863 |81,842
Harrow West |BC |74,017 |74,172 |74,310 |74,585 |74,771
Hayes and Harlington |BC |58,309 |58,481 |58,462 |58,612 |58,931
Hendon North |BC |55,173 |54,542 |54,466 |54,714 |55,534
Hendon South |BC |54,403 |53,913 |53,804 |53,937 |54,959
Holborn and St. Pancras |BC |71,964 |70,735 |69,285 |69,777 |70,901
Hornchurch |BC |62,559 |62,730 |62,781 |62,935 |63,129
Hornsey and Wood Green |BC |74,459 |75,170 |79,322 |81,443 |81,122
Ilford North |BC |60,802 |60,856 |60,569 |60,824 |60,970
Ilford South |BC |58,725 |58,675 |58,645 |58,956 |59,057
Islington North |BC |60,379 |60,999 |60,058 |60,175 |59,241
Islington South and Finsbury |BC |60,120 |59,268 |59,947 |59,269 |58,255
Kensington |BC |50,123 |48,882 |49,135 |47,974 |48,456
Kingston upon Thames |BC |57,460 |57,632 |55,930 |55,615 |55,411
Lewisham Deptford |BC |59,150 |58,672 |57,809 |57,998 |58,656
Lewisham East |BC |61,800 |61,387 |60,887 |60,625 |60,150
Lewisham West |BC |63,663 |63,447 |62,736 |63,370 |63,473
Leyton |BC |58,376 |58,168 |58,031 |58,163 |58,263
Mitcham and Morden |BC |64,255 |63,775 |63,090 |63,585 |63,696
Newham North East |BC |63,118 |62,840 |62,152 |61,861 |61,366
Newham North West |BC |50,295 |49,670 |48,771 |49,180 |48,029
Newham South |BC |50,862 |50,528 |51,323 |51,138 |50,711
Norwood |BC |56,038 |54,334 |54,229 |56,423 |56,876
Old Bexley and Sidcup |BC |50,942 |51,011 |50,995 |51,073 |51,433
Orpington |BC |59,588 |60,042 |60,274 |60,422 |60,373
Peckham |BC |59,621 |59,915 |59,929 |59,623 |59,636
Putney |BC |64,455 |64,089 |64,196 |63,761 |63,586
Ravensbourne |BC |59,611 |60,127 |59,854 |59,941 |60,060
Richmond and Barnes |BC |56,394 |57,135 |56,159 |56,157 |55,196
Romford |BC |56,412 |56,556 |56,393 |56,221 |56,351
Ruislip-Northwood |BC |57,027 |57,466 |56,951 |56,632 |56,957
Southwark and Bermondsey |BC |56,235 |56,427 |55,226 |55,278 |55,786
Streatham |BC |60,397 |59,286 |57,947 |60,036 |60,799
Surbiton |BC |47,425 |47,682 |46,384 |46,443 |45,842
Sutton and Cheam |BC |63,834 |64,138 |64,202 |64,289 |64,459
Tooting |BC |68,732 |69,272 |69,519 |69,156 |68,670
Tottenham |BC |68,601 |69,144 |74,744 |76,272 |76,713
Twickenham |BC |64,833 |65,309 |64,919 |65,552 |65,281
Upminster |BC |67,392 |67,530 |67,516 |67,787 |67,446
Uxbridge |BC |62,360 |63,272 |63,055 |63,876 |63,856
Vauxhall |BC |65,252 |64,237 |63,474 |65,478 |66,789
Walthamstow |BC |48,842 |48,871 |48,972 |49,037 |49,222
Wanstead and Woodford |BC |58,284 |58,347 |58,393 |58,432 |58,374
Westminster North |BC |69,281 |69,970 |67,594 |65,506 |59,538
Wimbledon |BC |64,772 |64,397 |63,827 |63,626 |63,880
Woolwich |BC |56,961 |57,138 |57,801 |58,512 |58,666
|--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |5,143,248 |5,139,853 |5,128,834 |5,146,722 |5,155,019
Source: Population Estimates Unit, OPCS.
The figures in this table are those supplied by Electoral Registration Officers at the times when the registers come in to use each year.
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