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Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the relevant appointing body for the members of the board of each housing action trust, and the rate of remuneration received by each member of such bodies.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 13 November 1992] : Members of the boards of housing action trusts are
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appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment on the basis set out in schedule 7 to the Housing Act 1988 and are entitled to receive remuneration of £4,890 per year, based on an assumed time input of half a day a week.Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent estimate of the total level of capital investment required to meet the EC Municipal Waste Water Treatment directive.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 16 November 1992] : Following discussions with the Department, the National Rivers Authority, and the water industry, the Director General of Water Services made certain assumptions in order to make an estimate of the possible capital costs for England and Wales in his consultation paper, "The Cost of Quality", published in August. Work continues, however, to identify the obligations arising from the directive and associated costs with greater precision.
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the public can find out where they have rights of access to private land as a result of tax concessions being granted to the owners in return for greater public access.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 11 November 1992] : I have been asked to reply.
The owner of land that has been conditionally exempted from inheritance tax is required to publicise the agreed public access arrangements. The extent of the publicity depends on the facts of each case. The owner will generally be required to take specific steps to publicise public access, for example by advertising the access arrangements in a local tourist office or town hall. The appropriate heritage advisory agency, for example the Countryside Commission for scenic land in England, is able to supply information about public access to heritage land including conditionally exempt land, although land will not be identified as conditionally exempt. In addition, in England and Wales, a member of the public who wants information about public access in a specific area can contact the footpaths officer of the appropriate county council or national park authority. Details of footpaths and public access also often appear on maps and in commercial publications, particularly for major tourist areas.
Mr. Olner : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to adopt a more flexible application of the three times rule in relation to a company's participation in trade fairs in a particular national market (a) in general and (b) for the apparel and textile industry.
Mr. Needham : The general policy of the three times rule does incorporate a certain level of flexibility in that flag ship events--that is major prestigious shows focusing on important sectors--are supported on five occasions. This additional level of support is also available for events in
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Japan, North America and Germany, except that the latter two are restricted to three events within regions of those markets. A review of the trade fairs support scheme is planned to take place during 1993. The results of that exercise will form the basis of a total review of the present policy.Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the (i) current account and (ii) manufacturing trade balance was for the calendar year 1989 in (a) United Kingdom and (b) Germany.
Mr. Needham : The information is in the table.
Balances on current account and in manufacturing in 1989 £ billion |Current account|Manufacturing |balance |balance ---------------------------------------------------------------- United Kingdom |-21.7 |-17.3 Germany |35.1 |68.7 Notes: 1. All figures are on a balance of payments basis except the German figure for trade in manufactured trade goods, which is a crude balance. 2. Germany excludes eastern Germany. Source: CSO, OECD, German national source.
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of uranium and plutonium would be produced by reprocessing spent fuel from United Kingdom nuclear power stations under existing contracts with the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.
Mr. Eggar : [pursuant to his reply, 4 November 1992,c. 308] : The figure for the amount of plutonium arising from the reprocessing of spent fuels should have read eight tonnes.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of EC regional development funding received by the United Kingdom has been spent within the United Kingdom assisted areas (a) in each year since 1984 and (b) in total since 1984.
Mr. Sainsbury : From 1984 to 1989 the European regional development fund--ERDF--grants were payable only in Northern Ireland, the assisted areas of Great Britain, and the remainder of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Development Board of Rural Wales areas. Figures for the latter areas are not readily available, but would have comprised only a very small proportion of the United Kingdom's total allocation.
From 1989, eligibility for the ERDF has, with minor exceptions, been determined according to eligibility for objectives 1, 2 and 5b of the reformed structural funds. The great majority of the ERDF allocations resulting from these objectives go to Northern Ireland and the assisted areas, but figures on the exact proportion could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 9 November, Official Report, column 606, if he will list those areas in the United
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Kingdom that are (a) part of the United Kingdom's assisted areas map but do not qualify for EC regional development funding and (b) not part of the United Kingdom's assisted areas maps but which qualify for EC regional development funding.Mr. Sainsbury : The areas in the United Kingdom that are assisted areas but do not qualify for EC regional development funding include : the whole travel-to-work-areas--TTWAs--of Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye, Corby, Kidderminster, and Whitby ; and part of the TTWAs of Birmingham, Coventry and Hinckley, and Dudley and Sandwell. The areas in the United Kingdom that are not assisted areas but qualify for EC regional development funding include : Northern Ireland ; the whole TTWAs of Aberystwyth, Alnwick and Amble, Brecon, Burnley, Castleford and Pontefract, Camarthen, Chesterfield, Dolgellau and Barmouth, Inverness, Islay Mid Argyll, Keith, Llandeilo, Llandrindod Wells, Machynlleth, Mansfield, Newtown, Oban, Orkney Islands, Pendle, Retford, Shetland Islands, Thurso, Wakefield and Dewsbury, Welshpool, Whitehaven, Worksop ; and part of the TTWAs of Alfreton and Ashfield, Edinburgh, Elgin, Goole and Selby, Manchester, Nottingham, and Stirling.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much EC regional development funding has been spent in the Darlington travel-to- work area (a) in each year since 1984 and (b) in total.
Mr. Sainsbury : European regional development fund allocations to the Darlington travel-to-work area since 1984 have been as follows :
|£ Thousands ------------------------------------ 1984 |3,816 1985 |580 1986 |348 1987 |508 1988 |225 1989 |557 1990 |617 1991 |939 |----- Total 1984 to 1991 7,590
The figures include allocations to projects which part fall outside the Darlington TTWA.
Mr. Denham : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each piece of legislation within the responsibility of his Department which bestows economic development powers or economic development assistance on local authority areas and which are based, in whole or in part, on statistics related to the relevant travel-to-work area.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 16 November 1992] : Section 13 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 empowers my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to make grants in the assisted areas for the improvement of a basic service for which he is responsible. Local authorities would be eligible for such assistance. My
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right hon. Friend has no other powers bestowing such powers or assistance to local authorities in the manner described.Mr. Straw : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether prefabricated boxes made from steel mesh manufactured in Italy but in part assembled in the United Kingdom, and for the purpose of erosion protection for river banks and road embankments, are eligible for export credit guarantee finance, in respect of exports to African countries.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 16 November 1992] : Export credit guarantee finance is provided to facilitate the supply abroad of goods and services by United Kingdom businesses. Depending on the details of individual cases, within strict limits foreign goods and services may also be financed.
If the hon. Gentleman has a particular transaction in mind he may like to write to me about it.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within his Department.
Mr. Key : My Department has only one agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. David Beeton, to reply to the hon. Member and I shall place a copy of his reply in the Library.
Letter from David Beeton to Mr. John McAllion, dated 12 November 1992 :
I have been requested by the Minister to reply to your Written Parliamentary Question on this subject.
The Historic Royal Palaces Agency currently follows the health and safety policy of its previous parent Department--the Department of the Environment --of which it was a part until it was transferred into the new Department of National Heritage in April this year. A copy of the DOE's policy statement is attached.
The Agency is now developing its own health and safety policy in consultation with the Department of National Heritage with the aim of finalising it in the new year.
I understand that the Minister is arranging for a copy of this reply to be placed in the Library of the House.
The policy statement has been placed in the Library.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.
Mr. Key : The Department of National Heritage has only one executive agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, HRPA. This was considered for privatisation and contractorisation in the normal way when it was set up. Its framework document is currently being reviewed in accordance with the usual procedures under which agency framework documents are considered every three years. The HRPA will continue to contract out a proportion of its services in line with Government policy.
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Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what have been the financial allocations to the BBC Scottish symphony orchestra in each of the past seven years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : This is a matter for the BBC, within the terms of the present royal charter and licence and agreement.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what use his Department has made of private detectives since its inception ; at what cost ; and if he will list the firms involved.
Mr. Key : My Department has not used the services of a private detective.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dental checks were carried out in Scotland (a) in each of the three years preceding the withdrawal of free dental checks in the NHS and (b) in each year since then.
Mr. Stewart : Charges for dental examination were introduced on 1 January 1989. The figures available on the number of dental examinations carried out in Scotland in each of the years in question are contained in the table. The figures from 1 October 1990 are for adults only, as under the new dental contract introduced from that date children are now treated under capitation arrangements to provide continuing care, and information is not recorded separately on individual treatment items such as examinations for children. The number of children registered with a dentist under these arrangements for the periods since October 1990 is shown separately in the table.
Million Year |Number of |Number of children |examinations |registered October |1990 onwards ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1986 |2.66 |n/a 1987 |2.64 |n/a 1988 |2.67 |n/a 1989 |2.69 |n/a 1990 January to September |1.96 |n/a 1990-91 October to March<1> |0.95 |0.47 1991-92 April to March<2> |1.90 |0.63 <1> New contract for general dental services introduced on1 October 1990. <2> With effect from 1 April 1991 the method of collecting statistical information was changed to reflect financial years.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now reverse the decision to withdraw free dental checks in the NHS.
Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has no plans to reintroduce free NHS dental examinations.
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Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will withdraw the draft regulations aimed at clarifying the existing statutory framework for compulsory competitive tendering issued on 16 June to local authorities, and amend them accordingly, following the Government's acceptance of the EC's acquired rights directive ; (2) whether the EC acquired rights directive will be applied retrospectively to all contracts awarded externally by Scottish local authorities under compulsory competitive tendering legislation ; and what is his estimate of the number of workers involved in such contracts to date ;
(3) what provision is made under the EC acquired rights directive for reinstatement of former pay and conditions to former local authority employees who have been transferred to the private sector under compulsory competitive tendering legislation, and who have suffered a reduction in pay or conditions as a result ;
(4) what advice he will provide to Scottish local authorities and other public bodies to enable them to inform interested parties fully in the compulsory competitive tendering process of the implication of the Government's acceptance of the EC's acquired rights directive.
Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has no plans to withdraw the consultation paper issued on 16 June 1992 which contained detailed proposals for the content of regulations and guidance to clarify the framework for compulsory competitive tendering. The consultation paper reflected our view that it would be most unusual for the provisions of the directive to apply to a normal contract let under the compulsory competitive tendering legislation. Responses to the consultation paper, including those relating to this particular point, will be carefully considered before the regulations and guidance are finalised. The interpretation of the law in its application to the individual case is, however, a matter for the courts.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of former public sector employees in Scotland transferred to the private sector under compulsory competitive tendering legislation ; and what proportion of these workers come under the EC's acquired rights directive.
Mr. Stewart : Information about the number of former public sector employees in Scotland who are now employed in the private sector following the award of contracts under compulsory competitive tendering legislation is not held centrally.
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Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to extend the jurisdiction of the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland to those local authority services and statutory responsibilities which are transferred to private companies or other bodies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : Although the Commissioner has no jurisdiction over the activities of private companies or other bodies undertaking local authorities' statutory duties or other services, the ultimate responsibility for the provision of such services remains with local authorities. Where a local authority has a statutory duty to provide a service, it cannot divest itself of that duty. It is therefore not necessary to extend the jurisdiction of the Commissioner to cover these circumstances. The Government will continue to review the Commissioner's powers in the light of any new factors which arise.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing and midwifery students obtained posts in each health board area in each year since 1987 ; and if he will make a statement regarding the estimated level of such employment, assuming both volume and percentage changes.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 10 November 1992] : The exact information requested is not available centrally. The table, however, gives a broad indication of the underlying trends, assuming that qualification rates stay constant, of the number of final year pre-registration nursing students finding direct employment in the NHS in Scotland within the year of qualifying. Final year students in post at a census date are shown classified by their status one year later. It should be noted that the methods by which this information is collected do not permit account to be taken of certain students, for example those who have been unable to complete their training within the normal three year period ; those who, having qualified, may have chosen to have a break in service before seeking employment ; those who have found employment as a nurse outwith the NHS ; and those who may have qualified, joined the NHS and left within a census period. Those who qualify and work occasionally in the NHS,--for example, bank or agency nurses--also cannot be identified and have therefore been counted with the "not employed" category.
Comparable information on post-registration midwifery students is not available.
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Final year basic student nurses-one year later<1>; by health board year beginning 30 September ---------------------------------------------------------- 1987 Scotland |2,198|1,608|76 |514 |76.6 Argyll and Clyde |134 |103 |3 |28 |79.1 Ayrshire and Arran |98 |89 |2 |7 |92.9 Borders |17 |14 |0 |3 |82.4 Dumfries and Galloway |71 |44 |3 |24 |66.2 Fife |104 |70 |3 |31 |70.2 Forth Valley |90 |70 |4 |16 |82.2 Grampian |143 |108 |4 |31 |78.3 Greater Glasgow |712 |522 |28 |162 |77.2 Highland |79 |41 |10 |28 |64.6 Lanarkshire |138 |101 |5 |32 |76.8 Lothian |418 |300 |8 |110 |73.7 Orkney |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Shetland |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Tayside |194 |146 |6 |42 |78.4 Western Isles |0 |0 |0 |0 |- 1988 Scotland |2,028|1,460|52 |516 |74.6 Argyll and Clyde |105 |82 |2 |21 |80.0 Ayrshire and Arran |66 |58 |0 |8 |87.9 Borders |26 |26 |0 |0 |100.0 Dumfries and Galloway |57 |37 |1 |19 |66.7 Fife |112 |71 |1 |40 |64.3 Forth Valley |98 |71 |2 |75 |74.5 Grampian |135 |112 |2 |21 |84.4 Greater Glasgow |709 |502 |16 |191 |73.1 Highland |92 |61 |6 |25 |72.8 Lanarkshire |161 |130 |5 |26 |83.9 Lothian |343 |216 |10 |117 |65.9 Orkney |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Shetland |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Tayside |124 |94 |7 |23 |81.5 Western Isles |0 |0 |0 |0 |- 1989 Scotland |2,174|1,411|54 |709 |67.4 Argyll and Clyde |107 |72 |1 |34 |68.2 Ayrshire and Arran |88 |79 |2 |7 |92.0 Borders |23 |17 |0 |6 |73.9 Dumfries and Galloway |58 |40 |3 |15 |74.1 Fife |113 |64 |1 |48 |57.5 Forth Valley |88 |64 |3 |21 |76.1 Grampian |183 |132 |4 |47 |74.3 Greater Glasgow |652 |401 |7 |244 |62.6 Highland |99 |45 |12 |42 |57.6 Lanarkshire |144 |93 |2 |49 |66.0 Lothian |381 |229 |13 |139 |63.5 Orkney |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Shetland |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Tayside |238 |175 |6 |57 |76.1 Western Isles |0 |0 |0 |0 |- 1990 Scotland |2,232|1,412|36 |784 |64.9 Argyll and Clyde |106 |80 |1 |25 |76.4 Ayrshire and Arran |86 |77 |0 |9 |89.5 Borders |26 |22 |0 |4 |84.6 Dumfries and Galloway |68 |53 |1 |14 |79.4 Fife |108 |56 |1 |51 |52.8 Forth Valley |131 |88 |6 |37 |71.8 Grampian |188 |145 |5 |38 |79.8 Greater Glasgow |669 |345 |9 |315 |52.9 Highland |88 |56 |3 |29 |67.0 Lanarkshire |160 |107 |1 |52 |67.5 Lothian |384 |220 |6 |158 |58.9 Orkney |0 |0 |0 |0 |- Shetland |1 |0 |0 |1 |0.0 Tayside |217 |163 |3 |51 |76.5 Western Isles |0 |0 |0 |0 |- <1> This table excludes those who were still final year students one year later. <2> Includes staff employed in another health board. <3> May include agency or bank nurses and those who fail to qualify. <4> Proportion working in NHS in Scotland or continuing with further training.
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Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been created and how many jobs have been lost in Cumbernauld new town in each of the last five years.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 16 November 1992] : The figures shown in Cumbernauld development corporation's annual report for each of the last five years are as follows :
Year ended |Jobs created|Jobs Lost ----------------------------------------------------- 31 March 1988 |2,114 |1,170 31 March 1989 |2,307 |1,293 31 March 1990 |2,474 |1,578 31 March 1991 |2,740 |2,057 31 March 1992 |2,676 |2,231
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to modify section 1 of the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 in relation to (a) sea loch closures and (b) seasonal closures ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 13 November 1992] : A review of the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 is presently taking place. A consultation paper was recently issued proposing some changes to the conservation re gime including the provisions on sea loch and seasonal closures. The responses are at present being assessed and it is hoped to make an announcement on any changes before the end of the year.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library details of the regional and sub-regional genetic screening service in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place in the Library of the House details of the genetic screening services offered by the regional medical genetics centre at the University hospital of Wales. Details of district and sub-regional services are not held centrally.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of Cadw's health and safety policy.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to Cadw : Welsh Historic Monuments under its chief executive, Mr. John Carr. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. A. J. Carr to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 November 1992 :
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked if he would place a copy of Cadw's Health and Safety Policy in the Library of the House. The framework document for the Agency delegates to me responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of its staff and
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the public who are affected by its work. We have not, however, adopted a policy separate from that of the Welsh Office's written statement setting out its approach to health and safety.I enclose a copy of that statement.
Mr. Donald Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his estimate of the total amount of poll tax arrears in Wales ; and if he will give the breakdown for each district authority at the latest convenient date.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 5 November 1992, at column 377.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to undertake improvements to the landscape and highway hardware on and around the A55 approaches to the new Conwy tunnel.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Landscaping and other works at the Conwy tunnel approaches have been carried out in accordance with the planned proposals ; no further works are currently anticipated other than regular maintenance.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the number of child psychotherapists employed within the NHS in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : As at 30 September 1992 there were three--whole- time equivalent of 1.5--child psychotherapists employed within the NHS in Wales.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to reform teacher training colleges.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We have already announced the changes to be made to the initial teacher training of teachers for secondary schools. The main thrust of these reforms is that schools should play a much larger part in initial teacher training as full partners of higher education institutions.
The target date for the reform of initial teacher training for primary teachers is 1 September 1994. Our aim is to make primary phase teacher training more school-based and more closely related to the needs of schools.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the educational psychology service.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Educational psychology services are the responsibility of local education authorities. This will remain the case under the Education Bill. The Welsh Office makes grant available to LEAs for the initial training of educational psychologists. Expenditure of almost £200,000 is being supported in 1992-93.
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Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on discretionary awards.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The responsibility for discretionary awards for students rests with individual local education authorities. Each LEA will determine its own policies and expenditure on discretionary awards in the light of local needs and priorities.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in Wales have applied for grant-maintained status.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Three and six respectively.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will extend nursery education in Wales in the next financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : There is no statutory requirement to provide children under the age of five with schooling. The provision of education in school for children under five years old is at the discretion of local education authorities.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to improve the quality of life of pensioners in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend's proposals for the improvement of the quality of life of pensioners in Wales are set out in chapter 11 of the White Paper "Caring for People--Community Care in the next Decade and Beyond", Cm 849, and in guidance issued subsequently to assist authorities in preparing for its full implementation. The social care plans for the implementation of community care for the elderly, drawn up by social services authorities in Wales, jointly with health and housing authorities and others, have the following key aims and objectives :
1. To do all that is practicable to enable elderly people to live in the home environment of their own choice.
2. To maintain and foster maximum independence, taking into account personal and coping skills.
3. To recognise the needs of family and other carers, and to provide them with necessary support.
4. To encourage participation in community life, by facilitating access to social, educational and leisure opportunities.
5. To provide information to enable individuals to make informed and realistic choices about services.
6. To promote opportunities for elderly people, and the carers of elderly people, to contribute to the design of services and to ensure that they are able to contribute to local policy and operational planning.
7. To respond to individuals' choice of service, while ensuring that good standards of care are maintained.
8. To stimulate the development of a wide and flexible range of services from a variety of providers, and to ensure cooperation and effective working by all concerned.
9. To increase public awareness of the needs and rights of elderly people.
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