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Mr. Waldegrave : The following is the text of my letter : Sir David Phillips KBE FRS
Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils PROVISION FOR SCIENCE 1993-94 to 1995-96
I am writing to let you know the outcome of this years' Public Expenditure survey, and to seek the Board's help in allocating the funds now available for the science budget for 1993-94 and later years.
As you know, this has been an exceptionally difficult survey. All existing plans for public expenditure have been reviewed to ensure that we meet our over-riding economic objectives. The resulting provision for the science budget will be £1,164.6m in 1993-94, £1, 231.5m in 1994-95 and £1,264.7m in 1995-96.
These figures are lower than the previous planning figures announced last November. They take account of the reduction since then in the expected level of inflation, as measured by the reduction in the GDP deflator. After allowing for the dual support transfer, the revised figures provide for at least level funding in real terms throughout the planning period. In the circumstances, I believe that they represent a good settlement for science.
I nevertheless recognise that the lower level of provision now available will require a reassessment of priorities as compared with previous plans. There have also been changes since the Board's advice was submitted last May which affect the position of individual funded bodies.
Before deciding on the distribution of the funds available for 1993-94 and later years, I would find it most helpful to have the Board's assessment of the impact of such changes on individual funded bodies, and its judgment of what our priorities should now be. I am asking the Chief Scientific Adviser, as my representative on the Board, and my officials in the Office of Public Service and Science to work with you to this end.
Since the Science Budget is a matter of considerable Parliamentary and public interest, I propose to follow precedent by publishing the text of this letter in the form of a Parliamentary Answer.
Office of Public Service and Science
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what expenditure will be incurred by the Office of Public Service and Science in the period 1993-94 to 1995-96.
Mr. Waldegrave : Spending on the areas covered by the new Office of Public Service and Science (OPSS) will rise
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in real terms next year. The programme totals will be £1,255 million in 1993-94, £1,321 million in 1994- 95 and £1,349 million in 1995-96.Planned expenditure on public service functions is£85 million in 1993- 94, £84 million in 1994-95 and£78 million in 1995-96. Provision for science, including expenditure financed by EC receipts, is £1,170 million in 1993-94, £1,237 million in 1994-95 and £1,271 million in 1995-96.
These figures include sums transferred from higher education funding of £125 million, £154 million and£157 million respectively, to cover the additional responsibilities of the research councils for the projects which they support in higher education institutions. Within these totals, the sums available for distribution on the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils will be £1,165 million, £1,231 million and£1,265 million. Total science provision for each year will be 3.7 per cent., 7.5 per cent. and 10.5 per cent. higher in cash terms than the estimated outturn in 1992-93, excluding the sums transferred.
I am inviting the Advisory Board for the Research Councils to work with the chief scientific adviser and my officials to consider how these sums should be distributed so as to achieve the best value from the resources available.
Mr. Paice : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to change the 1992-93 cash limit or running costs limit for the Office of Public Service and Science.
Mr. Waldegrave : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of Public Service and Science (class XIX, vote 1) will be increased by £3,293, 000 from £38,459,000 to £41,752,000. The Department's running costs limit will be increased by £15,046,000 from £49,098,000 to £64,144, 000.
A total of £2,774,000 of the increase in cash limit is required to take forward the work of the citizens charter and £519,000 is required to meet certain costs arising from the creation of the new Department. The additional running costs reflect the transfer of certain functions from HM Treasury (class XVIII, vote 1) to the Office of Public Service and Science and, also, covers additional provision for the transfer of functions which resulted from the machinery of government changes announced after the general election. All the changes are within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Cash Limits
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he intends to make to his Department's cash limits for 1992-93.
Mr. Gummer : The cash limit for class III vote 4 (agricultural, food and fishing services) will be reduced by £18,200,000 from £368, 256,000 to £350,056,000. Within this limit expenditure will be reduced by £16,871,000 on agricultural schemes and by £600,000 on sea fishery support. These reductions reflect a predicted decrease in demand and delay in implementation in further areas of these schemes. Expenditure on civil defence will be reduced by £529,000 reflecting a further reduction in the size of the
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emergency food stockpile. The remaining reduction (£200,000) reflects two transfers of funds to other Government Departments, to ODA £150,000 as part of the United Kingdom Aid to the St. Petersburg seed potato project and to the Cabinet Office £50,000 as part of the United Kingdom support for science in the CIS.Pesticides
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cases of birds, by species, whose cause of death was from ingesting grain which had been treated with pesticides in each year since 1985.
Mr. Gummer : The information requested, based on confirmed incidents in England and Wales reported through the wildlife incident investigation scheme is as follows :
|Cases
---------------------------------
Feral pigeon
1985 |3
1986 |4
1987 |2
1988 |4
1989 |3
1990 |4
1991 |5
Wood pigeon
1986 |2
1987 |3
1988 |1
1990 |1
1991 |1
Collared Dove
1986 |1
Pheasant
1986 |3
1987 |1
1988 |1
1989 |2
1990 |2
1991 |2
Red-legged Partridge
1986 |1
Mallard
1986 |1
1987 |1
1989 |3
1990 |1
Greylag Goose
1986 |1
Bewick's Swan
1985 |1
Moorhen
1989 |1
Magpie
1985 |1
1987 |1
Jay
1986 |1
1991 |1
Jackdaw
1985 |1
1986 |1
1990 |1
Rook
1986 |1
1990 |4
Blackbird
1986 |2
1987 |1
1989 |1
Robin
1986 |1
1987 |1
Blue Tit
1988 |1
House Sparrow
1986 |3
1987 |1
1989 |1
Greenfinch
1987 |1
Chaffinch
1988 |1
Corn Bunting
1986 |1
Yellowhammer
1986 |1
1988 |1
Domestic Fowl
1986 |1
1988 |1
HEALTH
Dewsbury Health Authority
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many executive directors and non-executive directors will be paid, and at what remuneration, as members of the Dewsbury health authority for the year 1993 -94 ; and if she will specify their precise responsibilities.
Dr. Mawhinney : All district health authorities comprise a chairman and up to five non-executive members and five executive members. The non- executive members currently receive annual remuneration of £5, 000. Details of the remuneration of executive members and the precise responsibilities of both executive and non-executive members are matters for the health authority itself.
Staff Relocation
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what costs will be incurred by her Department from the relocation of staff working for the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Sheffield, to Victory house, London, including (a) the additional salary costs and (b) additional business rate payments ;
(2) what plans she has to move national health service staff from regional locations to Victory house, Tottenham Court road, London ; and if she will make a statement.
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Mr. Sackville : No costs would be incurred by the Department. The proposals are being considered by the English national board as part of a cost savings programme and would involve only employees of the ENB.
Dentists, Coventry
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in the Coventry family health services authority have withdrawn from NHS services for adults and for children.
Dr. Mawhinney : No dentists in the Coventry family health services authority's (FHSA's) area have asked for their name to be removed from the FHSA's dental list.
Hospital Waiting Lists, York
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long on average a patient in the York health authority area has to wait from the date of referral to the date of being seen by a hospital specialist in each specialty at (a) the latest date for which figures are available and (b) 12 months earlier.
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 29 October 1992 at column 848.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients in the York health authority area had been waiting for an ordinary admission in each specialty for 0 to 11 months, for one to two years, and for more than two years at (a) the latest date for which figures are available and (b) 12 months earlier ; (2) how many patients in the York health authority area had been waiting for day surgery in each specialty for 0 to 11 months, for one to two years, and for more than two years at (a) the latest date for which figures are available and (b) 12 months earlier.
Mr. Sackville : Waiting time information by district health authority is published in "Hospital Waiting List, In-patients and Day Cases", copies of which are available in the Library. Day case figures were first published in September 1991.
Homeless People (Psychiatric Treatment)
Ms. Jowell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many homeless people, including street homeless in London, have received psychiatric treatment within each of the last five years ; and what proportion this represented in each year of the total population of homeless people in London.
Mr. Yeo : The information requested is not available centrally.
Child Psychotherapy
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many child psychotherapists are in practice in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : At 30 September 1991, 198.06 whole-time equivalent child psychotherapists were employed within the national health service in England.
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Information about the number of child psychotherapists in practice outside the national health service is not collected centrally. Information relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.NHS Waiting Lists
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on national health service waiting lists in March 1990 ; and what is the current figure.
Mr. Sackville : Provisional figures for September 1992 show that there was a total of 939,846 people on national health service waiting lists compared with 958,976 in March 1990, a reduction of 2 per cent. More significantly, the number of patients waiting 12 months or more fell by more than 80,000 to 7.5 per cent. over the same period.
Departmental Spending
Mr. Streeter : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes will be made to the cash limits and running cost limit of her Department in 1992-93.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The cash limit for class XIII vote 1 (hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England) will be reduced by £54,991,000 (from £18, 564,499,000 to £18,509,508,000). This decrease allows for transfers to class XIII, vote 4 (family health services (part) and national health service trusts external financing etc., England) of £37,399, 000 reflecting an increase in the NHS trusts' aggregate external financing limit and £18,492,000 for the unallocated element of the original estimate of GP fundholders' drug budget requirements. These reductions are partly offset by a transfer from class XIII, vote 2 (family health (part) and other services, England) of £900,000 for the safe disposal of drugs. The cash limit for class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £958,000 (from £822,481,000 to £821,523,000). This reduction allows for a transfer of £735,000 to class XI, vote 2 (Department for Education higher and further education) and £223,000 to class XI, vote 3 (Department of Education student awards, loans and compensation payments) for the conversion of social work training courses.
Pay Review Body
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will be presenting evidence to the pay review body for nurses, midwives and health visitors.
Mr. Sackville : Written evidence was submitted on 18 September.
West Midlands Health Authority
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November, Official Report, column 185, on meetings with the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority, which other members of her ministerial team met Sir James Ackers on 28 October ; and what matters were discussed.
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Dr. Mawhinney : A meeting of the NHS policy board was held on 28 October, at which a wide range of matters concerning the NHS were discussed. The meeting was attended by, amongst others, the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for Health my hon. Friends the Members for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo) and for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville).
London Ambulance Service
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions have been made in the funding of voluntary overtime offered by the crews of the London ambulance service (a) from January to October and (b) since 1 November last.
Mr. Sackville : The London ambulance service (LAS) must provide its services within the resources agreed with the South West Thames regional health authority. In common with all ambulance services the LAS manages staff expenditure including overtime within their annual budget. The LAS have therefore established a unit to co-ordinate overtime against expected demand on a pan-London basis.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she has to instruct the South West Thames regional health authority to cease budget capping of emergency ambulance crews of the London ambulance service ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : The London ambulance service (LAS) must provide its services within the resources agreed with the South West Thames regional health authority. In common with all ambulance services the LAS manages staff expenditure including overtime within their annual budget. The emergency service which is provided by the LAS must be managed from within the total budget available to the service. My relationship to the management of the LAS is no different than with any other directly managed unit within the NHS. We have asked the chairman of the South West Thames regional health authority, the accountable management authority, to take immediate action on a number of matters to improve the performance of the LAS.
GP Fund Holders
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidelines on the parity of access to hospital treatment for waiting list surgery between fund holding and non-fund holding general practices ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : In June last year, the national health service management executive and the joint consultants committee of the British Medical Association issued guidance on GP fundholding in EL(91)84, a copy of which is available in the Library. This sets out the criteria for acceptable contracts to be agreed between GP fundholders and all NHS hospitals. It clearly states that hospitals should not offer contracts to fundholders which would disadvantage patients of other purchasers.
Victory House, London
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much office space for which her Department is responsible was empty in Victory house, Tottenham Court road, London on 31 October.
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Mr. Sackville : None. Victory house is occupied solely by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting--a non- departmental public body.
Audit Commission Reports
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what powers she holds to require a regional health authority to publish the reports it has commissioned into a district health authority ; (2) what powers she holds to require a regional health authority to publish reports it has commissioned from the Audit Commission.
Dr. Mawhinney : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has power to give directions to regional health authorities concerning the functions that they discharge on her behalf. This would include the power to direct the publication of a report commissioned by an authority into its exercise of those functions.
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 5 November, Official Report, column 348, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield, if she will list the major reports commissioned from the Audit Commission or outside consultants in respect of the West Midlands health authority or its constituent districts which have (a) been completed and (b) been received in draft.
Dr. Mawhinney : West Midlands regional health authority referred the matter of its regional supplies organisation to its independent statutory auditor who reported in July 1992 under section 15 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982. The findings were published on 10 September 1992. The statutory auditor has also decided to carry out audits of West Midlands RHA on Healthtrac and the maangement buy-out of the Management Information Services Division by Qa Business Services. The timetable for completion of this work is a matter for the Audit Commission. Details of reports carried out by outside consultants on behalf of West Midlands RHA or its constituent districts are a matter for the RHA and the hon. Member may wish to contact Sir James Ackers, the chairman of West Midlands RHA, For details.
ENVIRONMENT
Endangered Species
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make it his policy to seek the amendment of article 3 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species' regulations so that species are included in annex B in instances when trade is deemed incompatible with species survival ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to seek the amendment of article 4 of the CITES regulations to allow imports only when benefits to conservation have been proven.
Mr. Maclean : Good progress is being made under the United Kingdom presidency in discussion of the proposed EC CITES regulation. One of our key objectives is to strengthen protection for species in which any trade would be incompatible with their survival. Our policy is that such species should be listed in annex A so that they can be given the highest level of protection. Annex B, which
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affords less protection, should, however, include species whose survival would be threatened only in certain places or by trade at particular levels.Imports of annex A specimens should be allowed only in exceptional circumstances, generally when they would be of conservation benefit. Such strict restrictions would not be appropriate for species listed on other annexes in which trade is not incompatible with their survival.
The general approach of the Government to this proposal was set out by my noble friend the Lord Strathclyde in his letter of 14 September to the Lord Moran. The letter is available in the Library of the House together with copies of representations received by the Department in response to a consultation exercise carried out earlier this year.
Right-to-Buy Scheme
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on how many of those homes repossessed because of mortgage arrears in the last three years were bought under the right-to-buy scheme.
Mr. Baldry : The Department does not collect this information.
Housing Waiting Lists
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people in England and Wales are at present on council waiting lists for housing.
Mr. Baldry : Local authorities in England report the number of households on their council housing waiting lists in their annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns.
The figures, as at 1 April 1992, are in column B5 of the "1992 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.
For information about Wales, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Housing Associations
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the research report commissioned by the Housing Corporation into the level of rehabilitation activity by housing associations.
Mr. Baldry : The research in question was commissioned by the Department of the Environment. The report is due to be published next month, and copies will be placed in the Library at that time.
Local Government Pensions
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to reply to the hon. Member for Swansea, West's request for a meeting about pensions for retired local government officers.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. and learned Friend will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Competing for Quality in Housing"
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses have been received by his Department to the consultation paper "Competing for
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Quality in Housing"; and how many were (a) against and (b) in favour of proposals to amend section 105 of the Housing Act 1985.Mr. Baldry : A total of 431 responses have now been received to the consultation paper "Competing for Quality in Housing". The majority of those which referred to the proposal to amend section 105 of the Housing Act 1985 were not in favour. However, that was before respondents had the opportunity to consider the detailed provisions now included in the Housing and Urban Development Bill, which give tenants enhanced powers to influence practically and constructively the ways in which their houses are managed.
Council House Sales
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning the number of former council properties that have been re-sold following purchase under the right-to-buy legislation.
Mr. Baldry : An estimated 200,000 households owned different accommodation in 1991 having previously bought a dwelling from a local authority as sitting tenants, whether through voluntary sales by the local authority or under the right-to-buy legislation. Purchasers from a local authority who were no longer owner occupiers are not covered by this estimate.
This figure is the most recently available and is from the 1991 Labour Force Survey housing trailer. The LFS is a sample survey and so the estimate is subject to sampling error.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) houses and (b) flats have been sold by councils under the right-to-buy legislation in each London borough, in each year since 1980.
Mr. Baldry : Tables showing the available information on total right -to-buy sales for each English local authority for every financial year since 1980 and a cumulative total to June 1992 were recently placed in the Library. In addition, the tables give data on total sales and on the number of flats sold.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the level of finance available for those seeking to purchase their council properties ;
(2) what meetings officials from his Department have had with representatives of lenders and lending institutions concerning lending practices with regard to former council property ; (3) what information he has concerning the availability of mortgage finance for the purchase of former council property in London ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Council tenants exercising their right to buy have at present the right to a mortgage from the landlord. Most tenants, however, prefer to take out a private loan. Currently only 4 per cent. of sales by value are financed through a mortgage from the landlord.
When a right-to-buy property is resold, subsequent buyers do not have the right to a mortgage from the landlord but must obtain private finance. Following reports that some prospective purchasers of ex-council
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flats were having difficulty obtaining mortgages, I met representatives of the Council of Mortgage Lenders and some of the major building societies. They assure me that it is their policy to consider every mortgage application, including those for former council properties, on its merits.Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of former council properties awaiting sale.
Mr. Baldry : No information is held by the Department on the number of former council properties awaiting sale.
Stockton-on-Tees
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet considered Stockton-on-Tees borough council's response to the notice served on the authority on 12 August under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. and learned Friend has given careful consideration to the response which Stockton-on-Tees borough council has made to the notice served on the authority on 12 August 1992, and has today given a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 in respect of refuse collection work. The direction requires the council to retender the contract and to seek the Secretary of State's consent before awarding the work to its direct service organisation.
Housing Revenue Account
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his proposals for housing revenue account subsidy entitlement for 1993-94.
Sir George Young : My Department is tomorrow consulting local authorities about my proposal for the management and maintenance allowances and rent guidelines to be used in calculating authorities' entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy next year. I will place the consultation papers in the Library with a list of proposed guidelines and allowances for each authority.
I propose an average increase in guideline rents of £2.12 a week within a range of £1.50 to £3.00, giving a new average guideline rent of £29.40 a week ; at 5 per cent. above inflation, this is a smaller increase in cash terms than for 1992-93.
On management and maintenance, I propose an overall increase of 1 per cent. above inflation, enabling further progress to be made towards targeting allowances according to relative need. For 1994-95 and 1995-96, I am proposing further increases in guideline rents of 5 per cent. above the underlying rate of inflation in each year, and in the overall national management and maintenance allowance of 1 per cent. above the underlying rate of inflation in each year. I will review these guidelines and allowances each year after taking into account the relevant matters known to me at the time.
2 Marsham Street
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to vacate 2 Marsham street ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : On 2 June I announced that the Government proposed to relocate some 2,000 staff of the
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