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As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report . I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.Column 719
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Column 721
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Column 723
Table C
Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information
30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992
Region |Jobclub entrants |Jobclub leavers |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into jobs |Leavers into other|Leavers into
|positive outcomes |positive outcomes
|Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |6,826 |7,182 |3,018 |42 |828 |54
Yorkshire and Humberside |9,251 |9,152 |4,383 |48 |1,359 |63
East Midlands |9,468 |9,934 |4,827 |49 |1,590 |65
London and South East |33,163 |31,906 |13,273 |42 |4,708 |56
South West |7,683 |7,893 |3,889 |49 |1,155 |64
Wales |6,324 |6,108 |3,296 |54 |842 |68
West Midlands |10,877 |10,945 |4,756 |43 |1,790 |60
North West |15,718 |16,086 |7,269 |45 |1,897 |57
Scotland |10,683 |10,731 |5,288 |49 |1,479 |63
Nationally |109,993 |109,937 |49,999 |45 |15,648 |60
Actively-seeking-work Test
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether claimants or their representatives are entitled to a copy of the UB672 form completed by Employment Service officials when there are doubts about an unemployed person's availability for work or whether they are actively seeking work ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from A. G. Johnson to Ms. Clare Short, dated 28 October 1992 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer parliamentary questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Employment about whether claimants or their representatives are entitled to a copy of the UB672 form completed by ES officials when there are doubts about an unemployed person's availability for work or whether they are actively seeking work.
Form UB672 is an internal document used by the Employment Service when acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, to refer a claim for benefit to the independent adjudication authorities for a decision on entitlement. As a matter of policy the form is not supplied to a claimant at that stage. If however the claim is disallowed and the claimant appeals against the adjudication officer's decision, a copy of the form would be included in the appeal papers copied to the claimant by the Appeals Tribunal.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Employment Service
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the employment service has made in meeting the targets outlined in the 1992-93 agency agreement ; and if she will show for the latest possible date the (a) total unemployed job placings and variance from target, (b) long-term unemployed job placings and variance from target, (c) people with disabilities job placings and variance from target, (d) inner-city job placings and variance from target, (e) number of claims not pursued following initial contact and variance from profiled annual reference level, (f) number of claimants moved from unemployment benefit to another benefit and variance from annual reference level and (g) number of
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people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators and variance from annual reference level.Mr. McLoughlin : I am informed by the chief executive of the Employment Service that in the period April to June 1992, the Employment Service placed a total of 350,000 unemployed people into jobs, against an annual target of 1.425 million. 24.6 per cent. of these placings were long- term claimants, 2.8 per cent. were people with disabilities and 33 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities against annual targets of 19 per cent., 2.5 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively. Over the same period new claims not pursued following initial contact were at the annual target level of 10 per cent. The number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators was 17,100 against an annual target of 58,000. The number of claimants helped to move from unemployment benefits to a more appropriate benefit is not a reference level under the annual performance agreement for 1992-93.
Unemployment
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action she is taking to reduce long-term unemployment.
Mr. McLoughlin : We have in place a wider than ever range of measures to help unemployed people find jobs as quickly as possible. We are firmly committed to helping long-term unemployed people in particular get back to work, and offer special help for them, including help with finding a job through job clubs and the job interview guarantee, training, and opportunities to undertake temporary work of benefit to the local community.
State Redundancy Fund
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide total spending figures from the state redundancy fund for 1990 -91 and 1991-92.
Mr. McLoughlin : The redundancy fund was merged with the national insurance fund in February 1991. Total spending under the redundancy and insolvency provisions of the employment protection legislation amounted to £144 million in 1990-91 and £283 million in 1991-92.
Column 725
HEALTH
Health Service Mergers
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding proposals to merge (a) Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority and Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley health authority and (b) Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale community health council and Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley community health council ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : I have received no such representations. Any merger proposals would be the subject of public consultation.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are laid down by her Department regarding the necessary consultation procedures involved in (a) mergers of community health councils and (b) mergers of health authorities ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : My hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell) wrote to regional chairmen last year stating that where district health authorities are being merged regions should not consider merging community health councils (CHCs) without first consulting them and other local community interests. Regions should consider whether maintaining the existing CHCs will help promote better accountability, local sensitivity and local responsiveness and so outweigh any advantages to be gained from merging. Although the region's decision will be final, it is expected to take the CHC's views fully into account.
Where the merger of district health authorities is envisaged, there is agreement that regional health authorities consult, first informally, then if the Secretary of State agrees, formally with all relevant parties. Formal consultation normally runs for about three months, and should provide opportunities for public debate.
Disabled People
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend community care proposals to allow local authorities to make direct payments to disabled people.
Mr. Yeo : There are no plans to do so.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from local authorities seeking power to make direct payments to disabled people.
Mr. Yeo : No such representations have recently been received.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring procedures have been established by her Department to check on the application of section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, by local authority social services departments.
Mr. Yeo : Prime responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Act rests with local authorities themselves, to ensure that their policies are compatible with their legal obligations. The Department receives regular returns on certain services provided by local
Column 726
authorities under the Act, as well as information from other sources including the social services inspectorate. We follow up specific cases, referred to the Department, where it is alleged that a local authority is in breach of its statutory duties.Tobacco Advertising
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now publish her Department's report on the effect of advertising on tobacco consumption ; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The report by the Department of Health's economics and operational research division is being published today as a discussion document. Copies are available in the Vote Office. The report raises a good many questions which interested parties will want to consider. I am therefore inviting comments on the methodology, analysis and content of the report over the next three months. We shall take all comments into account as we work towards the tough targets for reducing smoking set out in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation".
Information Technology
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the actual and budgeted annual expenditure, by region, on the training of NHS staff in the use of information technology systems in each year since 1989.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not available centrally.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many skilled computer staff are employed in each national health service region and in total by the NHS.
Mr. Sackville : Detailed information as requested is not held centrally. Based on sample information of staff receiving automatic data processing allowances, we estimate that there was a total of 3, 800 skilled computer staff directly employed in the NHS in Great Britain at June 1992.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the number of NHS staff receiving information technology training each year.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which pilot projects for hospital information support systems have now been evaluated ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : All hospital information support systems (HISS) projects include a project evaluation framework as part of the standard project management processes. Evaluations are conducted at appropriate project stages. These regular evaluations include a general review of timeliness and budgetary compliance, as well as relevant detailed assessment of, for example, quality and completeness of data capture, adequacy of procedures and training, and system outputs.
No end of project evaluation has as yet been possible, since all sites are still, as planned, in the implementation
Column 727
phase. Mid-stage assessments have been conducted, and have in some instances resulted in changes in scope, phasing or resourcing of the project. The end of implementation evaluations will include assessment of timescales, total costs, benefits already realised, further potential benefits, organisational impact, technical adequacy and lessons learned.The economics and operational research (EOR) division of the Department of Health is considering some of the work already conducted on evaluation by the three original HISS projects at Darlington memorial hospital, Greenwich district hospital and Nottingham city hospital NHS Trust, with a view to developing national guidance material on project evaluation.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the expenditure on computer hardware and software and related management salaries and consultancy fees for trust hospitals.
Mr. Sackville : The National Health Service Management Executive does not intend to monitor expenditure on computer hardware and software or associated consultancy fees separately from the general arrangements for accounting for capital expenditure in trusts. Trusts determine their own capital investment strategies but have to make business cases to support them which are reviewed by the NHS Management Executive to ensure they are appropriate and affordable by purchasers. Trusts account for actual capital expenditure in their annual accounts which are subject to audit and published. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide a suitable framework for ensuring that all capital investment by trusts is properly controlled.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on consultancy fees in connection with the purchase of information technology systems by each regional health authority in each year since 1987-88.
Mr. Sackville : The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether the purchasing procedures and audit mechanisms operating in the NHS are adequate to ensure the efficient and effective use of NHS funds for the purpose of purchasing and developing information technology systems ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : All national health service bodies have standing orders and standing financial orders to follow to ensure that they comply with best practice in public procurement policies. To ensure better use of national health service resources for purchasing and developing information technology systems, the existing advice on procurement has been reviewed and updated by NHS Supplies. This thorough assessment has resulted in the development and introduction of new guidelines, procurement of information systems effectively (POISE). These will be issued to those responsible within the NHS for IT procurement and will help hospitals, trusts, units and health authorities match systems accurately to their individual needs in a cost-effective manner. These
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guidelines, in addition to others encompassing information management and technology, will be launched later this year and will improve further the NHS's utilisation of information technology.Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software, and consultancy fees for the CARE information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software and consultancy fees for the GIANT information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the contracts for the supply of information technology systems to the NHS of a value of more than £2 million in each year since 1987-88 by region, title of the project and supplier.
Mr. Sackville : The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made towards the implementation of the targets for the development of information systems in the NHS established in the document, "Framework for Information Systems : The Next Steps".
Mr. Sackville : Good progress has been made in taking forward the wide ranging objectives set out in "Framework for Information Systems : The Next Steps".
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the anticipated expenditure on computer hardware and software in each NHS region, in each of the years from 1992-93 to 1994-95.
Mr. Sackville : Health authorities are required to produce annual accounts which are submitted to the Department. These accounts do not incorporate details of anticipated expenditure.
The monitoring of health authorities' anticipated expenditure is restricted to broad measures, in which computer expenditure is not separately identified.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health information support systems projects have been initiated ; and what is the cost of each project to date.
Mr. Sackville : A large number of hospital sites have been implementing computer systems that provide integrated facilities. It is estimated that some 40 sites have either procured, or are in the process of procuring health information support systems (HISS) solutions. In addition, there are perhaps another 60 or so sites who have already achieved a degree of integration amongst their operational systems. Often, this reflects regional initiatives, and the situation is therefore localised rather than evenly spread.
Column 729
Information as to the cost of HISS within the national health service at large is not held centrally. Under EC legislation, however, there is a requirement for all purchases made under competitive tendering rules to be published in the Official Journal of the European Community within 48 days of contract award.Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since 1985 the purchase of information technology systems by regional and district health authorities and hospital trusts has been the subject of audit inquiries by the district audit service, the National Audit Office or other auditors appointed by Her Majesty's Government or regional or district health authorities for that specific purpose ; and whether she will list (a) those published and (b) those yet to be published.
Mr. Sackville : Auditors selectively review expenditure, including that on information technology, as part of their annual certification process. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on the number of inquiries carried out. Where inquiries by statutory auditors have led to formal reports, these have been recorded centrally. Reports in which procurement of information technology was identified as a main criticism were issued in respect of the following health authorities :
North Western RHA
Tunbridge Wells HA
Wessex RHA
South Western RHA
The former Leeds Eastern HA
The list refers to statutory audit reports issued in respect of financial years 1985-86 to 1991-92. In some cases, the auditor issued more than one report on the same authority. Reports by internal auditors are excluded.
The National Audit Office published a report entitled "Managing Computer Projects in the National Health Services" in November 1990. This included a review of procurement arrangements in a sample of health authorities.
We do not have comprehensive information on matters under examination by statutory auditors.
Wessex Regional Health Authority
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will make a statement on the report of the district audit service on the purchase of the regional information systems plan by the Wessex regional health authority.
Mr. Sackville : The district audit service undertook an investigation of the regional information systems plan at the request of Wessex regional health authority. Its report acknowledged that the regional health authority has taken both comprehensive steps to deal with the consequences of past decisions and remedial actions to improve its budgetary, financial and management arrangements.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the regional health authorities and hospital trusts which have transferred operational responsibility for, information technology systems to private or arm's-length companies.
Mr. Sackville : Five regional health authorities have wholly transferred the operational responsibility for their information technology systems to private or arm's-length companies. They are Northern, Yorkshire, Trent, East
Column 730
Anglian and Wessex. Six regions--North East Thames, South East Thames, South West Thames, South Western, Oxford and North Western have set up separate NHS trading arms to operate their information technology systems. North West Thames, West Midlands and Mersey regions have transferred only part of their operational responsibility to private companies. We do not hold information centrally for NHS hospital trusts.Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff in each year have been trained in the use of information technology systems since the launch of the NHS training authority strategy in 1989.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has taken to remedy the low level of existing information technology skills and knowledge, especially among senior managers in the NHS, which was identified by the National Audit Office in 1990 ; and if she will make a statement on the level of such skills and knowledge amongst NHS staff.
Mr. Sackville : There are a number of measures currently being taken to address the IT training and awareness needs of national health service senior managers. One example is the information management and technology for managers programme. This has been developed and is now being delivered by the Institute of Health Service Management, the NHS training directorate and the information management group of the management executive, working closely with NHS staff at all levels. The programme is successfully reaching chief executives, general managers and chairs through briefing events, focused learning sets and training courses.
Another example is the development and dissemination of NHS specific computer-assisted learning (CAL) packages designed to equip managerial and clinical staff with knowledge and skills in information management and systems.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the information strategy for the NHS ; how much it will cost to implement ; and what additional funds will be made available to the NHS to cover the cost of implementation.
Mr. Sackville : The information management and technology strategy for the national health service will be published very soon and follows an extensive period of consultation both within the NHS and with suppliers. The implementation of the strategy will be a local responsibility. A major thrust of the strategy will be to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from existing levels of local investment in information management and technology. The availability of any additional funds to support priority areas is dependent upon the outcome of PES negotiations with Treasury.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will list those contracts associated with the Wessex regional health authority/regional information systems plan project which have been identified by the district auditor as having been associated with overcharging, having exploited weaknesses in the management of the Wessex regional health authority, or having undertaken work under contracts which were possibly unlawful or not validly authorised ;
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(2) how much was the annual expenditure on the Wessex regional health authority/regional information systems plan project in each of the years from 1985-86 to 1991-92.Mr. Sackville : The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Robin Buchanan, the Wessex regional health authority chairman for details.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she is satisfied that Wessex regional health authority has taken all necessary steps to recover funds from all companies which undertook work on the regional information systems plan project and have been identified by the district auditor as having been associated with overcharging, having exploited weaknesses in the management of the Wessex regional health authority, or having undertaken work under contracts which were possibly unlawful and not validly authorised ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : I understand that Wessex regional health authority has already concluded an agreement with AT&T (Istel) following legal action and subsequent negotiations. Legal action is under way in respect of the WIS contracts. The authority's legal advisers are examining all relevant material to decide whether further steps should be taken.
Islington and Camden Health Authority
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she proposes to announce the new health authority for Islington and Camden ; and who will be the new members of it.
Mr. Sackville : The proposed merger of Bloomsbury and Islington health authority and Hampstead health authority is the subject of a public consultation exercise which ends on 30 November. The Secretary of State will consider the results of this exercise before taking any decision on the proposal. The appointment of a chairman of any new authority is a matter for the Secretary of State ; non-executive members of a district health authority are appointed by the appropriate regional health authority.
Unregistered Children's Establishments
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of (a) the current number of unregistered children's establishments and (b) the number of children placed in such establishments.
Mr. Yeo : Information on the number of children's homes still to be registered has been collected as part of the Children Act monitoring survey, the results of which are due to be the subject of a report to Parliament in the new year. Some information on the numbers of children placed by local authorities in homes which fall to be registered has now been collected and will be available in time for inclusion in the report to Parliament. Information on the number of children in unregistered establishments is not collected centrally.
Tomlinson Inquiry
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total cost of the Tomlinson inquiry into London's health needs ; and what fee has been paid to Sir Bernard Tomlinson and other members of the inquiry.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The direct cost of the inquiry by Sir Bernard Tomlinson into London's health services, medical education and research will amount to about £250,000. Within that sum, fees totalling £23,660 will have been paid to Sir Bernard
Tomlinson--equivalent to the remuneration of a regional health authority chairman--and fees totalling £8,750 to the team of advisers who have assisted him.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health who she plans to consult over the Tomlinson report's proposal to close St. Bartholomew's hospital.
Dr. Mawhinney : There will be wide consultation on any proposal for the closure of a hospital site arising from Sir Bernard Tomlinson's report.
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