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Nurses
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bank nurses are currently employed, by regional health authority area, in the national health service ; and what this number represents as a percentage of the total number of qualified nurses employed in the national health service in each regional health authority area.
Mr. Sackville : The information requested is shown in the table.
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NHS qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) and
bank staff, by RHA at September 1991
|Qualified nursing|Bank nurses<2> |Percentage
|and midwifery
|staff<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |16,880 |410 |2.4
Yorkshire |18,480 |270 |1.4
Trent |23,290 |490 |2.1
East Anglia |9,810 |490 |5.0
North West Thames |16,280 |590 |3.6
North East Thames |20,050 |950 |4.7
South East Thames |16,620 |720 |4.3
South West Thames |14,120 |1,050 |7.4
Wessex |14,130 |560 |3.9
Oxford |11,320 |730 |6.5
South Western |16,130 |780 |4.9
West Midlands |25,210 |500 |2.0
Mersey |12,620 |480 |3.8
North Western |23,230 |470 |2.0
Special Health Authorities 5,050 50 0.9
|----- |----- |-----
England<1> |243,250 |8,540 |3.5
Source: Non Medical Manpower Census, HAP(STATS)B, NHSME.
<1>England total includes figures for family health service authorities and other
statutory authorities.
<2>Figures are whole time equivalents and rounded to the nearest ten.
NHS Monitoring
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor standards and service delivery in the national health service ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Patients charter and general standards of service are monitored at local level by district health authorities, general practitioner fund holders and family health service authorities. Regional health authorities take an overview of services in their regions and are accountable to the national health service management executive.
All regional health authorities have established programmes of medical audit--covering both primary and secondary care--and are now extending this into wider areas including nursing audit. In addition, the clinical standards advisory group has been set up under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to advise United Kingdom Health Ministers on specific issues.
Consultants
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the firms of consultants used by her Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : The Department has used a number of consultants to assist in preparing the market testing programme, to support in-house bids, to advise market test managers and prepare specification. Between November 1991 and the end of March 1993 the Department has spent or is committed to spend about £375,000. The following consultants have been used :
Coopers and Lybrand
CSL
Doctus Consulting Europe
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Ernst and YoungKermon Ltd
KPMG
PE International Plc
Procord Ltd
Shreeveport Ltd
Symonds Facilities Management Plc
Touche Ross
Column 754
Community Care
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the representations she has received in respect of the Government's proposals for community care ; and how many of those opposed, and how many were in favour of, the Government's proposals.
Mr. Yeo : The aims of the Government's community care policy enjoy wide cross-party support. The details of its implementation have been the subject of wide consultation and we have received many representations.
Column 755
Children (Secure Accommodation)
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the weekly charges to local authorities for the use of secure accommodation for children in the last three years and the number of children placed in such accommodation by each local social services authority in the last three years.
Mr. Yeo : Information about charges in the form requested is not collected centrally. Information about the number of admissions to secure units in England for the last three years is published in "Children Accommodated in Secure Units During the Year Ending 31 March 1991 England". A copy is available in the Library.
Oral Contraceptives
Mr. Whittingdale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to limit the prescription of oral contraceptives.
Mr. Sackville : I have asked the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs to review the range of contraceptives available on national health service prescription. They will ensure that all clinical need continues to be met.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will publish a list showing the prescribed brands of oral contraceptive, their dose of hormones, and the price of a month's supply.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 8 February 1993] : The information requested is as follows.
Brand and Active |Price per month
Constituents
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combined oral contraceptives
Binovum
7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 14 tablets of
norethisterone 1mg and ethinyloestradiol 35
micrograms |74.7p
Brevinor
norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol
35 micrograms |57.3p
Cilest
norgestimate 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 35
micrograms |£1.90
Conova 30
ethynodiol diacetate 2mg, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |80p
Eugynon 30
levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |69p
Femodene
gestodene 75 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |£1.90
Femodene ED
(as for Femodene but with 7 additional placebo
tablets) |£1.90
Loestrin 20
norethisterone acetate 1mg, ethinyloestradiol 20
micrograms |86p
Loestrin 30
norethisterone acetate 1.5mg, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |£1.26
Logynon
6 tablets of levonorgestrel 50 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of
levonorgestrel 75 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of
levonorgestrel 125 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms |95p
Logynon ED
(as for Logynon but with 7 additional placebo
tablets) |-
Marvelon
desogestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |£1.48
Mercilon
desogestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 20
micrograms |£2.40
Microgynon 30
levonorgestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |60p
Minulet
gestodene 75 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |£1.90
Neocon 1/35
norethisterone 1 mg, ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms
Norimin norethisterone 1 mg, ethnyloestradiol 35
micrograms |65p
Norinyl-1
norethisterone 1 mg, mestranol 50
micrograme |63p
Ortho-Novin 1/50
norethisterone 1 mg, mestranol 50
micrograms |78p
Ovran
levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 50
micrograms |37p
Ovran 30
levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |57p
Ovranette
levonorgestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30
micrograms |62p
Ovysmen
norethisterone 500 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 35
micrograms |57p
Synphase
7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 9 tablets of
norethisterone 1 milligram and ethinyloestradiol
35 micrograms; 5 tablets of norethisterone 500
micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms |£1.11
Triadene
6 tablets of gestodene 50 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of
gestodene 70 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40
micrograms; 10 tablets of gestodene 100
micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms |£2.65
Tri-Minulet
6 tablets of gestodene 50 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of
gestodene 70 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40
micrograms; 10 tablets of gestodene 100
micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms |£2.65
Trinordiol
6 tablets of levonorgestrel 50 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of
levonorgestrel 75 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of
levonorgestrel 125 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms |£1.09
TriNovum
7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 7 tablets of
norethisterone 750 micrograms and
ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 7 tablets of
norethisterone 1 milligram and ethinyloestradiol
35 micrograms |94p
TriNovum ED
(as for TriNovum but with 7 additional placebo
tablets) |98p
Emergency contraception
Schering PC4
levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 50
micrograms |<1>£1.40
Preogesterone-only contraceptives
Femulen
ethynodiol diacetate 500 micrograms |94p
Micronor
norethisterone 350 micrograms |63p
Microval
levonorgestrel 30 micrograms |£1.00
Neogest
norgestrel 75 micrograms |78p
Norgeston
levonorgestrel 30 micrograms |78p
Noriday
norethisterone 350 micrograms |60p
<1>(for 4 tablets, ie one course)
Source: British National Formulary no. 24 (1992)
Funding
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent her Department takes account of (a) activity levels and (b) information on outcomes in assessing its funding requirements.
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account she takes in determining the total expenditure on health care of international comparisons of health care spending as a proportion of gross domestic product ; and what guidance she gives on the appropriate percentage that should be spent on medical and nursing salaries, administration salaries and costs, building maintenance and pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Sackville : A number of factors are taken into account in setting the overall level of funding available to the national health service, including the health benefits of
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increased activity, other developments and affordability. We will continue to achieve the best possible value from the record sums of money now spent in the NHS ; spending in other countries with different health care systems is not relevant to decisions on funding the NHS.It is the responsibility of health care providers within the NHS to determine how best to deploy the resources which they earn from NHS contracts, to meet the requirements of purchasers and to achieve the maximum benefit for patients.
Dentistry
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the women's organisations that were consulted by her Department or Sir Kenneth Bloomfield in respect of the Bloomfield report proposals to remove pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of one year from the exempt category for NHS dental charges.
Dr. Mawhinney : Sir Kenneth conducted his review independently.
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of salaried dentists, orthodontists, dental nurses and dental hygenists for each district health authority, family health service authority and trust in England for each of the last five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : The number of salaried dentists employed by family health services authorities in England during the last five years is shown in the table. The information is not recorded for district health authorities or trusts.
Total number of
salaried dentists
as at 30 September
|1988|1989|1990|1991|1992
--------------------------------------------------
Northumberland |1 |1 |1 |1 |0
Derbyshire |1 |1 |1 |1 |1
Kensington, Chelsea
and Westminster |2 |3 |3 |3 |5
Essex |3 |2 |1 |2 |2
Camden and
Islington |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
City and East
London |7 |7 |6 |6 |7
Kent |3 |2 |1 |0 |3
Greenwich and
Bexley |8 |8 |7 |7 |7
Lambeth, Southwark
and Lewisham |2 |2 |2 |2 |29
West Sussex |1 |1 |1 |1 |1
Merton, Sutton and
Wandsworth |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Hampshire |1 |1 |0 |0 |0
Buckinghamshire |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Cornwall and Isles
of Scilly |1 |1 |1 |1 |1
Somerset |0 |0 |0 |0 |4
Sandwell |5 |5 |5 |1 |0
Liverpool |2 |2 |4 |2 |2
Salford |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Total |38 |36 |33 |27 |65
No separate record is maintained of dentists who specialise in orthodontics. It is estimated that there are some 28,000 dental nurses.
The number of salaried dental hygienists for each of the last five years is set out in the table. Figures are not yet
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available for the year ended December 1992. This information is not collected centrally for district health authorities, family health services authorities or trusts.
Year ended 31
December
|Number
---------------------
1987 |2,330
1988 |2,450
1989 |2,648
1990 |2,808
1991 |2,953
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family health services authorities have used their capital reserves to maintain dental services since July 1992 ; and if she will publish the amounts in each case.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 9 February at column 619.
Family Planning Clinics
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was (a) the number of first contacts with people using family planning clinics and (b) the percentage of the female population seen at family planning clinics for each year since 1988-89.
Mr. Sackville : Information for 1991-92 is not yet available. For other years the information for England is as follows :
First contacts at Female contacts
family planning seen<1> as
clinics percentage of
population aged 15
to 49
(thousands)
|Total |Male |Female<1>
------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |1,147.6 |32.4 |1,115.2 |9.5
1989-90 |1,148.2 |32.7 |1,115.5 |9.5
1990-91 |1,091.6 |31.9 |1,059.8 |9.0
<1> Whilst the great majority of first contacts will fall
within the ages 15 to 49, there may be some above or below
those ages.
NHS Administration Costs
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what management studies by outside consultants are planned by her Department to make recommendations
Column 760
on how administration costs can be saved and redirected to more effective provision of patient care within the national health service.Dr. Mawhinney : None. It is the responsibility of health authorities and national health service trusts to ensure that administrative costs are kept to the minimum consistent with good management.
Computer Services
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will remove Sir Robin Buchanan from the posts of chairman of Wessex regional health authority and chairman of the NHS Supplies Authority during investigations into the privatisation of computer services.
Mr. Sackville : No. I have every confidence in Sir Robin Buchanan as chairman of the Wessex regional health authority and of the National Health Service Supplies Authority. He has fully encouraged and supported the extensive action taken by management of the Wessex RHA to rectify the organisational problems associated with RISP. The district auditor commended the actions of the RHA in his report on the RISP project.
Sir Robin was selected as the most appropriate chairman for the NHS Supplies Authority because of his wide knowledge and experience of supplies issues. Under his chairmanship, NHS Supplies is already demonstrating the savings that it can make in purchasing goods and services for the NHS, which leaves the NHS with more money for direct patient care.
Acute Beds
Ms. Jowell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bed days were available on wards classified as acute, in each of the districts in the four Thames regions and special health authorities (a) during the financial year which ended 31 March 1992 and (b) during the first six months of the financial year 1992-93.
Mr. Sackville : Information for 1991-92 is given in the table. Information for 1992-93 is not yet centrally available.
Column 759
Available bed days on acute wards in the four Thames regions and special health authorities, 1991-92
Wards open night Wards open day Total
and day (ie 24 only
hours)
District Health Bed days Daily average Bed days Daily average Bed days Daily average
Authority
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North West Thames Regional Health Authority 2,542,148 6,946 87,091 238 2,629,239 7,184
E01 |North Bedfordshire |117,914 |322 |1,620 |4 |119,534 |327
E02 |South Bedfordshire |144,378 |394 |6,520 |18 |160,898 |412
E04 |East Hertfordshire |110,050 |301 |4,364 |12 |114,414 |313
E05 |North West Hertfordshire |135,842 |371 |0 |0 |135,842 |371
E06 |South West Hertfordshire |108,095 |295 |6,155 |14 |113,250 |309
E07 |Barnet |233,596 |638 |7,434 |20 |241,030 |659
E08 |Harrow |162,205 |443 |11,500 |31 |173,705 |475
E09 |Hillingdon |48,390 |132 |0 |0 |48,390 |132
E10 |Hounslow and Spelthorne |229,613 |627 |7,502 |20 |237,115 |648
E11 |Ealing |114,447 |313 |4,680 |13 |119,127 |325
E14 |Riverside |394,248 |1,077 |9,330 |25 |403,578 |1,103
E17 |Parkside |242,654 |663 |13,407 |37 |256,061 |700
RAQ |North Hertfordshire NHS Trust |151,481 |414 |4,160 |11 |155,641 |425
RAR |Mount Vernon Hospital NHS Trust |132,106 |361 |0 |0 |132,106 |361
RAS |The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust |107,826 |295 |4,465 |12 |112,291 |307
RAU |Central Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust |109,303 |299 |6,954 |19 |116,257 |318
North East Thames Regional Health Authority 3,388,769 9,259 125,125 342 3,513,894 9,601
F01 |Basildon and Thurrock |213,055 |582 |4,800 |13 |217,855 |595
F02 |Mid Essex |210,011 |574 |8,580 |23 |218,591 |597
F03 |North East Essex |171,928 |470 |8,317 |23 |180,245 |492
F04 |West Essex |190,390 |520 |3,528 |10 |183,916 |530
F05 |Southend |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
F06 |Barking, Havering and Brentwood |385,787 |1,054 |13,265 |36 |399,052 |1,090
F07 |Hampstead |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
F10 |City and Hackney |293,166 |801 |16,470 |45 |309,636 |846
F11 |Newham |133,816 |366 |4,750 |13 |138,566 |376
F13 |Enfield |137,525 |376 |3,978 |11 |141,503 |387
F14 |Haringey |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
F15 |Redbridge |113,577 |310 |4,771 |13 |118,348 |323
F16 |Waltham Forest |198,369 |544 |0 |0 |198,969 |544
F22 |Bloomsbury and Islington |447,997 |1,224 |14,298 |39 |462,296 |1,263
RAJ |Southend Health Care NHS Trust |190,991 |522 |14,740 |40 |205,731 |562
|Royal London Hospital and Ass.
RAK |Community Services NHS Trust |239,794 |655 |7,784 |21 |247,578 |676
RAL |Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust |232,601 |636 |12,538 |34 |245,139 |670
|Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital
RAM |NHS Trust |16,892 |46 |0 |0 |16,892 |46
|Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
RAN |NHS Trust |75,948 |208 |1,116 |3 |77,062 |211
RAP |North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust |136,324 |372 |6,192 |17 |142,516 |389
South East Thames Regional Health Authority 3,112,041 8,503 93,842 256 3,206,883 8,759
G01 |Brighton |262,706 |718 |12,681 |35 |275,387 |752
G02 |Eastbourne |163,953 |448 |0 |0 |163,953 |448
G03 |Hastings |124,262 |340 |3,177 |9 |127,439 |348
G04 |South East Kent |197,856 |541 |6,390 |17 |204,346 |558
G05 |Canterbury and Thanet |273,734 |748 |6,144 |17 |279,878 |765
G06 |Dartford and Gravesham |168,504 |455 |6,682 |18 |173,186 |473
G07 |Maidstone |113,996 |311 |3,715 |10 |117,711 |322
G08 |Medway |196,547 |537 |2,072 |6 |198,619 |543
G09 |Tunbridge Wells |258,167 |705 |7,338 |20 |265,505 |725
G10 |Bexley |89,232 |244 |1,976 |5 |91,208 |249
G11 |Greenwich |274,000 |748 |7,531 |21 |281,731 |770
G12 |Bromley |182,110 |498 |8,180 |22 |190,290 |520
G13 |West Lambeth |276,298 |618 |0 |0 |226,298 |618
G14 |Camberwell |230,567 |630 |11,670 |32 |242,237 |662
G15 |Lewisham and North Southwark |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
RAV |Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust |351,809 |961 |16,286 |44 |368,095 |1,006
South West Thames Regional Health Authority 2,237,531 6,113 44,743 122 2,282,274 6,236
H01 |North West Surrey |141,279 |386 |0 |0 |141,279 |386
H02 |West Surrey and North East Hampshire |177,883 |486 |325 |1 |178,208 |487
H03 |South West Surrey |29,811 |81 |0 |0 |29,811 |81
H04 |Mid Surrey |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
H05 |East Surrey |142,428 |389 |4,398 |12 |146,826 |401
H06 |Chichester |142,960 |391 |1 |0 |142,961 |381
H07 |Mid Downs |190,516 |521 |806 |2 |191,322 |523
H08 |Worthing |177,465 |485 |2,797 |8 |180,262 |493
H09 |Croydon |205,756 |562 |906 |2 |206,662 |565
H10 |Kingston and Esher |840 |2 |0 |0 |840 |2
H11 |Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton |115,440 |315 |10,212 |28 |125,652 |343
H12 |Wandsworth |311,543 |851 |2,078 |6 |313,622 |857
H13 |Merton and Sutton |28,057 |77 |552 |2 |28,609 |78
RA1 |Epsom Health Care NHS Trust |131,640 |360 |1,783 |5 |133,433 |365
|Royal Surrey County & St. Lukes Hospital NHS
RA2 |Trust |145,001 |396 |6,120 |17 |151,121 |413
RAW |Lifecare NHS Trust |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
RAX |Kingston Hospital NHS Trust |136,518 |373 |5.,856 |16 |142,374 |389
RAY |Homewood NHS Trust |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
RAZ |St. Helier NHS Trust |160,394 |438 |8,898 |24 |169,292 |463
Special Health Authorities
T01 |The Hospital for Sick Children |129,109 |353 |4,570 |12 |133,679 |365
|The National Hospital for Neurology &
T02 |Neurosurgery |92,857 |254 |0 |0 |92,857 |254
T03 |Moorfields Eye Hospital |38,742 |106 |2,940 |8 |41,682 |114
|The Bethlem Royal Hospital & Maudsley
T04 |Hospital |17,666 |48 |0 |0 |17,665 |48
|Royal Brompton National Heart & Lung
T05 |Hospital |113,693 |311 |5,856 |16 |119,549 |327
T06 |The Royal Marsden Hospital |111,979 |306 |0 |0 |111,979 |306
T07 |Hammersmith & Queen Charlotte Hospital |161,575 |441 |10,138 |28 |171,713 |469
T09 |The Eastman Dental Hospital |0 |0 |2,560 |7 |2,560 |7
Source: KH03
Regional Health Authorities
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what directions she has given to regional health authorities, in respect of the release of information already collected by them in relation to the operation of the health service ; and if she will make a statement ;
(2) what guidance she has given on which tier of management should take responsibility for decisions on the release of information to hon. Members within regional and district health authorities ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : We have issued no directions or formal guidance to health authorities on the release of information to hon. Members. The patients charter however has set out important new commitments to publishing information. Beyond that, national health service authorities are responsible for deciding whether any further information should be made public.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her statement in respect of access to information by hon. Members of 26 January, Official Report, column 903, what directions she has given to the Yorkshire regional health authority to provide information already collected by that region in respect of statistical data relating to the normal operation of the health service within the Yorkshire region ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : None. Provisional waiting time information is collected for management purposes and is published on a quarterly basis. Provisional waiting list figures for 31 December 1992 were published on 9 February in press release H93/547 a copy of which is available in the Library.
St. Thomas's Hospital
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the claim for central funding of the soft tissue tumour unit based at St. Thomas's hospital, London.
Mr. Sackville : The charitable moneys which currently are used to fund this service are to be withdrawn on 31 March 1993. From 1 April 1993 the unit will be brought into the national health service internal market. St. Thomas's hospital is working with the staff of the unit to help cost its work and charge referring hospitals for its services. The position of the unit will be kept under review as part of the national review of specialist services which is being carried out by the NHS management executive.
GDP (Health Care)
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of gross domestic product was spent on health in each year since 1984 in each European
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Community member state ; and if she will give the percentage change in each case since (a) 1963, (b) 1970 and (c) 1980.Mr. Sackville [holding answer 1 February 1993] : Total national health service expenditure in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1984 is given in the table, together with the percentage real terms changes in total NHS expenditure compared with 1979-80. Figures for earlier years are not available on a similar basis, but show an increase in Government spending on health from 3.5 per cent. of GDP in 1963 to 3.7 per cent. in 1970.
Figures for other EC countries are not available on a comparable basis.
United Kingdom NHS expenditure as a percentage of GDP
Year |Gross expenditure as|United Kingdom NHS
|a percentage of GDP |expenditure
|percentage real
|terms change since
|1979-80
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |5.3 |16.1
1984-85 |5.4 |18.7
1985-86 |5.2 |19.1
1986-87 |5.2 |24.0
1987-88 |5.1 |29.1
1988-89 |5.1 |33.7
1989-90 |5.1 |35.4
1990-91 |5.3 |39.9
1991-92 |5.7 |48.0
1992-93<1> |6.0 |55.4
<1>Estimate.
Expenditure
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish figures showing health expenditure as a proportion of gross domestic product for each year since 1979.
Mr. Sackville [pursuant to his reply, 29 January column 889] : I regret that there was an error in my previous reply.
The estimated gross expenditure as a percentage of GDP for 1992-93 should read 6.0. The corrected table is as follows :
United Kingdom national health service expenditure
as a percentage of GDP
|Gross expenditure as
|a percentage of GDP
---------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |5.3
1984-85 |5.4
1985-86 |5.2
1986-87 |5.2
1987-88 |5.1
1988-89 |5.1
1989-90 |5.1
1990-91 |5.3
1991-92 |5.7
1992-93<1> |6.0
<1>Estimate.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Drugs
6. Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to provide to tackle drug problems in England and Wales.
Mr. Jack : In addition to developing the drugs prevention initiatives, whose lives were recently extended until 1995, we are implementing the EC directive on precursor chemical control, and putting through the House the Criminal Justice Act. Finally, at a national level, we are committed to bringing forward proposals to ensure that the control of drug misuse is co-ordinated more effectively.
26. Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Blyth Valley.
Mr. Jack : I wrote to the hon. Member on 30 November 1992 about some of the projects in the north-east in which the drugs prevention team based in Newcastle has been involved and offered my assistance on any related matters he wished to raise including how these ideas might apply to Blyth. That offer still stands.
Visa Nationals
16. Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make arrangements during 1993 to reduce the maximum period for which a visa national may visit the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I have no plans to reduce the maximum period for a visit specified in the immigration rules, but I will consider in due course whether any changes are called for in connection with the draft external frontiers convention when action is needed to ratify it.
Stabbing
17. Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims there have been of crimes of stabbing in each of the last three years.
Mr. Jack : We do not know the total number of victims of stabbings, which are not recorded as a separate offence category by the police. We do know that the number of homicides in England and Wales where the method of killing was by a sharp instrument were 182 in 1989 ; 184 in 1990 ; and 223 in 1991.
Young Offenders
18. Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to tackle youth crime.
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Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The Government have introduced a wide range of measures which aim to prevent young people from committing crime. We have also considerably strengthened the powers of the courts to deal with those who do. I am now preparing proposals for new measures which will increase the powers of the courts to provide care and training in secure accommodation for juveniles who persistently re-offend.
Racist Organisations
19. Mr. Chisholm : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the law he is considering in relation to racist organisations.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The views of racist organisations are repugnant to the Government and to the public at large and an offence is committed under the Public Order Act 1986 if there is the intention or likelihood of stirring up racial hatred, or if threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour takes place. The Government have no present plans to change the law.
Prison Population
20. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the size of the prison population ; and what the figure was three years ago.
Mr. Peter Loyd : On 31 December 1992 the prison population in England and Wales was 40,600. Three years earlier it was 45,900.
Community Service Orders
21. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current use of community service orders.
Mr. Jack : The courts are making increasing use of community service orders. In 1991, 41,200 community service orders were started, an 8 per cent. increase over 1990.
Police (Civilian Staff)
22. Mr. Duncan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilians now work in the police force ; and what change there has been in this figure since 1979.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There were 49,085 civilian staff employed by the police service in England and Wales at the end of November 1992. This is an increase of 14,455, or 42 per cent., since the Government first took office in 1979.
Electoral Registration
23. Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to take to improve the current system of electoral registration ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have set up a working group of Home Office officials and representatives of electoral registration officers and local authorities to look at all aspects of electoral registration. We shall consider the working group's findings once it has concluded its work.
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Car Crime
24. Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had recently with the Northumbria police authority about car crimes in the force area.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State met representatives of Northumbria police authority on 10 December 1992 to discuss matters of concern to them. Car crime in the force area was not raised specifically.
Police (Restructuring)
25. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the future organisation of the police force.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend is considering what reforms may be needed and will announce his proposals as soon as possible. The interested parties will be consulted before final decisions are reached.
Crime Prevention Board
27. Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from Crime Concern over the establishment of a new national crime prevention board ; and what representations he has made.
Mr. Jack : The chairman of Crime Concern wrote to me last month welcoming the setting up of a National Board for Crime Prevention and seeking discussions on the relationship between it and the board. I have invited Crime Concern to come and discuss these matters with me once separate discussions between its representatives and senior officials on the ways in which they can contribute to the new developments on crime prevention have been completed. I have no doubt that Crime Concern will have a valuable contribution to make in assisting the work of the board.
Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill
28. Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those organisations which have written to him to register their opposition to the proposals contained in the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I have arranged for a list of the main organisations who have written to us to be placed in the Library.
Refugees (Detention Centres)
29. Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans Her Majesty's Government have to build new detention centres for refugees ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : We plan to provide about 300 additional detention places in phases from 1993 to 1995 to accommodate those detained under immigration powers, including asylum applicants. These plans have not yet been finalised.
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