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E. MorganD. Jessop
W. Bailey
E. Roberts
Sir Donald Walters
P. Morgan
West Wales TEC
Peter Allen
Carl Hadley
David Davies
Wynfford James
Peter Scott
Bob Hastie
Peter Hancock
John Button
Mike Davies
Mike Rush
John Foley
Bob Donaldson
Michael Reilly
Huw Richards
Beverley Pold
Pamela David
South Glamorgan TEC
Roger Helliwell
David Jenkins
Barry Lane
Geoff Metcalf
John Soulsby
Robert Watts
Rita Austin
Laurence James
Michael Boyce
Joachim Burkhardt
Eric Crawford
Steve Dolan
Pupils (Expenditure)
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure on each (a) primary school pupil, (b) secondary school pupil and (c) average for all pupils, for the last financial year for which information is available.
Sir Wyn Roberts : In 1990-91 the expenditure on each nursery and primary school pupil in Wales was £1,308 and on each secondary school pupil was £1,953. The average expenditure on all pupils in nursery, primary and secondary schools was £1,570.
School Orchestras
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has had about the future funding of school orchestras in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : To date I have received 13 written
representations from Members of Parliament and in excess of 500 from organisations and members of the public about the funding of the school music service in Wales.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
One Girl's War"
Mr. Allason : To ask the Attorney-General what is the current legal status of "One Girl's War" by Joan Millar ; and what are the legal costs incurred to date by the Treasury Solicitor.
The Attorney-General : The injunctions granted in England on 28 November 1986 to prevent publication of
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the book "One Girl's War" by Joan Millar were discharged by consent on 21 October 1992. In proceedings in the Republic of Ireland, although an injunction was originally granted against the publishers, it was discharged on 2 December 1986. The legal costs incurred to date by the Treasury Solicitor are estimated to be £35,000.SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Allowances
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the turn-round of correspondence relating to disability allowance applications met his targets ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The arrangements for replying to correspondence relating to operational questions on disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 25 February 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the targets for the turnround of correspondence on Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The Benefit Agency's published target is to respond to all letters from Members of Parliament on all subjects within an average of 20 working days of receipt. Whilst this target is generally being met for letters on matters other than DLA it is currently not being achieved on all letters about DLA and I accept that regrettably some very long delays have been experienced before a reply has been sent. I apologise for this. The delays are due to the backlog of correspondence that has built up in the DLA Unit following the greater than expected workload faced by the Unit in the early months of the DLA scheme.
A recovery plan for clearing the backlog of correspondence is in operation at the DLA Unit and I am pleased to say significant progress is being made. The correspondence sections, both at the DLA Unit and centrally, have been strengthened and our aim is to complete the clearance of the backlog during early March. Thereafter it will be our intention to respond to all future correspondence on DLA within the Agency's target of 20 working days. We have been meeting this target for the majority of letters on DLA received since the start of the year, and I can assure you that I am monitoring the position very closely.
I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines he has established for the Benefits Agency to respond to requests for the release of medical records to unsuccessful applicants for disability living allowance and attendance allowance.
Mr. Scott : The information used to decide a claim for disability living allowance or attendance allowance is made available to the claimant on request. Only medical evidence that is considered, on the advice of a medical practitioner, to be harmful to a person is withheld.
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Severe Weather Payments
Ms. Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to (a) reduce the number of consecutive days on which the temperature must be 0 C or below in order for severe cold weather payments to be made or (b) increase the ceiling on savings which can be held without disqualification for severe cold weather payments.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans to change any of the fundamental elements of the scheme.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Refreshment Facilities
Sir Harold Walker : To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee why the Smoking Room was excluded from the scope of the inquiry into the House's refreshment facilities conducted by Food Services Associates.
Mr. Colin Shepherd : The consultancy brief issued to Food Services Associates was
"to examine food production and food service systems"
and to
"develop a strategic plan for the re-organisation of food production and food service systems in the House of Commons". Bars, including the Smoking Room, were excluded from the scope of the study except where changes proposed by the consultants for food service areas impinged on areas used for bars.
Sir Harold Walker : To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the proposals contained in the report of Food Services Associates to reform the refreshment facilities of the House.
Mr. Colin Shepherd : The Food Service Associates report, which the Committee is currently considering, estimated the cost of equipment at £2.8 million. Before the Committee reports to the House, an estimate will be required of the total cost of any proposals, including equipment, building works, electrical and mechanical works, installation and ventilation.
EDUCATION
London Schools (Freehold Transfers)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for ensuring the transfer of the freeholds from the London residuary body to the dioceses of London and Southwark, of former voluntary maintained schools with the Inner London education authority whose freeholds transferred to the London residuary board on the abolition of the Inner London education authority.
Mr. Forth : Following the abolition of the Inner London education authority there was no general need to transfer land used for the purposes of voluntary schools since it would have remained in the hands of the appropriate voluntary school trustees.
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Disabled Students
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the latest statistics on the number of disabled students in further and higher education ; and what future resources will be allocated to encourage more disabled people to enter these.
Mr. Boswell : A total of 42,000 students with learning difficulties and disabilities enrolled on further education courses on 1 November 1991. Information on the number of such students in higher education is not held centrally. My right hon. Friend's initial guidance to the further and higher education funding councils emphasised the need to facilitate access to further and higher education for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. Both the councils are taking account of the particular needs of these students in their allocation of resources to institutions.
Pupil Exclusions
Ms Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of young people who are or have been excluded or suspended from school also have a statement of special educational needs ; and of those, what proportion have statements which refer to emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Mr. Forth : Information on permanent exclusions has been collected by the Department over a two year period beginning with the summer term 1990 under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). A preliminary analysis of year one returns showed that 12.5 per cent. of pupils permanently excluded had statements of special educational needs. We have no information as to how many of those statements refer to emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Ms Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many of the young people who have been excluded or suspended from school and who are also statemented, have had to wait more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months and (d) one year before appropriate placement and funding were provided.
Mr. Forth : This information is not collected centrally.
Ms Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people, by local authority area have been (a) suspended and (b) excluded from school in each year since 1988.
Mr. Forth : The Department has been monitoring permanent exclusions from English maintained schools over a two-year period beginning with the summer term 1990 under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). A preliminary analysis of year one NERS data shows that some 3,000 permanent exclusions were reported. It is not possible to provide an area breakdown of the figure because of assurances given as to confidentiality. The Department does not collect information on temporary exclusions.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Disabled Civil Servants
Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service.
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Mr. Jackson : The annual report on progress in the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service is presented in the magazine Independent published today.
The report shows that during 1992, 8,336--1.5 per cent.--registered disabled people were employed in civil service departments and agencies, an increase of 312 people over 1991. In addition to this, the civil service employs many more people with disabilities who choose not to register as disabled.
I am arranging for copies of Independent to be placed in the Library of the House.
HEALTH
Hospitals (Alcohol Sales)
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of hospitals have bars on hospital premises which sell alcohol for consumption by doctors.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not available centrally.
Psychiatric Patients
Ms Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the cost to each health authority in England and Wales of providing psychiatric patients with beds in the private sector ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) and the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 23 February at column 555 . The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information concerning Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mesothelioma
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed as having mesothelioma in each of the last five years.
Mr. Sackville : The number of patients who were first diagnosed as having mesothelioma in each of the last five years for which statistics are available is shown in the table.
The number of patients first diagnosed as having mesothelioma in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987, England and Wales.
Year |Number --------------------- 1983 |506 1984 |567 1985 |545 1986 |642 1987 |671
Dentistry
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she will take to ensure that patients presenting themselves for treatment at dental surgeries are made aware of (a) the cost of the treatment prior to its commencement and (b) whether this treatment is available under the NHS.
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Dr. Mawhinney : General dental practitioners are already required by thier terms of service to provide a treatment plan to patients registered with them under continuing care of capitation arrangements when they examine them for the first time. This treatment plan includes any treatment to be undertaken, an estimate of any national health service charge and any proposals for private care and treatment, including the cost to the patient.
The additionally required to provide a new or revised treatment plan when they propose to undertake complex treatment, the details of which are listed in regulations, and on any occasion when the patient so requests.
Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Services
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been done to inform residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services that they are included in local authority purchasing plans.
Mr. Yeo : It is the responsibility of each local authority to assess the needs of its population for community care services, including for residential services for problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and drugs and to enter into appropriate contractual arrangements with service providers.
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services she expects to close within the first four months of community care.
Mr. Yeo : The Government and the local authorities have made clear the high priority they attach to the provision of services for people who misuse alcohol and drugs. The funds being made available to local authorities through the community care special transitional grant fully reflect existing levels of service provision and there is therefore no reason why services which appropriately meet the needs of this important client group should not be maintained. Special monitoring arrangements for independent sector residential services for people who misuse alcohol and drugs are being established in the first three months after the full implementation of the community care reforms on 1 April 1993.
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision has been reached on fast track assessment by the working group convened to discuss residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services.
Mr. Yeo : At our request, the local authority associations have convened a working party, on which independent sector service providers are represented, to prepare good practice guidance on fast track assessment and on out-of-area referrals, which will enable them to issue advice to their members. It is expected that this will be available during March.
Tobacco Advertising
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the authors of her Department's discussion document, "The Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption" came to in respect of the specific study of the effect of an advertising ban in the United Kingdom, as opposed to the review of studies from elsewhere in the world ; and whether she will make a statement.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The Department of Health's discussion document "Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption" did not make any estimate of the effect of an advertising ban in the United Kingdom.
Anaemia
Ms. Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines she has issued to health authorities and family health services on the monitoring and detection of iron deficiency anaemia in children ;
(2) what information she has on the number of children under the age of five years suffering from iron deficiency anaemia.
Mr. Sackville : No guidelines have been issued. Iron deficiency anaemia is a recognised risk in this age group but the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy, in considering dietary reference values for the population in 1991, reported that more information was needed on the iron status of different groups of the United Kingdom population, including infants and children.
The Government have set up a national diet and nutrition survey to monitor the nutritional status of representative groups of the population in an eight year cycle. A survey of pre-school children is currently underway. An expert group on the weaning diet is now considering the nutritional needs of infants and young children and is expected to report by the end of 1993. We will then review the need for guidelines to the national health service.
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