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Column 310
Poultry Inspection
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place or are taking place on the establishment of an egency for the purposes of poultry meat inspection.
Mr. Soames : The Government announced last year that a national meat hygiene service is to be established. It will be responsible for enforcing hygiene and welfare rules in licensed fresh red and white meat plants in Great Britain. It will have an important deregulatory impact by providing a consistent and cost-effective service which will be of benefit to industry and consumers alike. Detailed planning is under way, in close consultation and discussion with all the interested organisations concerned.
Agricultural Training Board (Secretary)
Mr. Conway : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what post inspection was undertaken by his Department in the case of an Agricultural Training Board secretary who failed the civil service typewriting grade test in 1987, and had the grade of post altered to assistant administrative officer.
Mr. Curry : We are unable to supply the information required without further details to enable identification of the post in question. The grade of assistant administrative officer is not one used within the agricultural training board.
Myxomatosis
Mr. Viggers : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 19 January, Official Report, column 209, if he will make a further statement on the availability of myxomatosis vaccine.
Mr. Soames : On 18 February the Veterinary Products Committee considered the data supplied by Intervet (UK) Ltd. in support of their application for a licence for a myxomatosis vaccine. It advised that a licence could be issued provided the company met certain conditions. The company is addressing these. I hope a licence will be issued later this month, although, on this basis, it is likely to be May before the company is able to make supplies widely available.
Oxamyl
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail the measures taken by his Department to ensure the absence of Oxamyl from imported food ; and how many prosecutions for the presence of Oxamyl there have been during the past 12 months.
Mr. Soames : Oxamyl is approved for use on food crops in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Monitoring of both
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domestically produced and imported food is carried out by the Government's working party on pesticide residues. Maximum residue levels for oxamyl in various crops have been set by the United Nations Codex Alimentarius Commission. There have been no prosecutions for the presence of Oxamyl during the past 12 months.Moroccan Tomatoes
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the importation of Moroccan tomatoes.
Mr. Curry : My right hon. Friend has received one letter about the effect of tomato imports from Morocco on growers' returns.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Mr. Spring : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has now completed his review of the five environmentally sensitive areas which were first designated in 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I am today laying before both Houses of Parliament statutory instruments providing for the upgrading of the five environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) that were first designated in 1988. These are :
Breckland ;
Clun (formerly Shropshire Borders) ;
North Peak ;
Suffolk River Valleys ;
Test Valley
In the Breckland ESA I am introducing new payments aimed at extending the area of lowland heath. New payments will also be available in the Clun ESA to enhance grassland diversity and encourage hedgerow and woodland management. The provisions extend the boundaries of the North Peak ESA and provide additional encouragement to regenerate heather moorland. In the Suffolk River Valleys ESA the boundary extensions bring in additional valleys and provide for further enhancement of the valley grasslands. I have also decided that new management agreements should be offered to farmers and landowners in the Test Valley ESA and that the boundaries of this area should be extended. I hope that the changes that I am introducing in this ESA will attract wider support than has the current scheme.
I am also laying before both Houses a short amending order which will bring the Pennine Dales ESA scheme into line with other ESAs by extending the scope of woodland payments.
Information packs giving details of the new schemes are being placed in the Libraries and are being sent to farmers in each area from whom applications are now invited. The revisions that I am introducing build on the achievements of the existing schemes. They will strengthen their beneficial environmental effects which are described in the published monitoring reports which will also be available in the Libraries later this month.
Sheep Dip
Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep were tested for organophosphate residues and with what results after the last compulsory dip.
Mr. Soames : The last compulsory sheep dip occurred between 22 September and 2 November 1991. In 1991, 82
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samples of renal fat were taken from sheep under the national surveillance scheme and tested for residues of organophosphorus compounds. No residues above the maximum residue limits were detected. Sixty samples have been taken in 1992. Of the 48 analysed to date, no residues have been detected above the maximum residue limit.Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of the amounts, expressed as appropriate, of the main generic compounds of (a) organophosphates, (b)
organochlorines and (c) pyrethroides used or sold as sheep dip in Britain in each year since 1973.
Mr. Soames : The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member when it has been obtained.
Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has regarding the possibility of organophosphorus compounds or their metabolites getting into and remaining in the flesh and/or offals of sheep dipped in MAFF-approved dips.
Mr. Soames : The licensing assessment carried out under the Medicines Act 1968 requires applicants to submit data demonstrating the persistence of residues of veterinary medicines in food-producing animals including sheep. Where necessary, withdrawal periods, i.e. the minimum time between completion of treatment and slaughter, are subsequently specified in product literature. The Animals, Meat, Meat products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1991 make it an offence to fail to observe these withdrawal periods.
In addition, Ministry veterinary staff undertake random sampling each year under the national surveillance scheme for monitoring residues of veterinary medicines in meat. No organophosphorus residues above the maximum residue limit have been detected in sheep meat under this surveillance programme in recent years.
Meat Inspections
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made as to the equivalence of the qualifications of veterinary officers in each member state of the EC in respect of the hygiene and inspection requirements for fresh meat.
Mr. Soames : Since 1978 the Community has had harmonised rules on training requirements and the mutual recognition of veterinary surgeons. They require any member state to allow veterinary surgeons, upon presentation of the correct certification, to practise on their territory.
Other member states have traditionally made more use of veterinary personnel in meat hygiene work. In many instances their salaries are comparatively lower than in the United Kingdom and they are used not only to supervise abattoirs and perform ante-mortem inspections on all animals, but also for post-mortem inspection which will normally continue to be done by meat inspectors in this country.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensions
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make an estimate of the number and percentage of (a) unmarried and (b) married women who have retired at 60 years of age and have during the past 12 months become entitled to receive a full state retirement pension based on their own contributions.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is not available in the form requested.
At 31 March 1992, 162,570 women resident in Great Britain aged 60 at their last birthday were receiving basic state pension--either on their own or their husband's contributions. Of these 46,120 (28.4 per cent.) were receiving the full rate basic pension based on their own contributions.
A breakdown by marital status is not available.
Earnings Link
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer on 1 March, Official Report, column 47, on the cost of reintroducing earnings upratings for retirement pensions and linked benefits, if, on the basis of the same assumptions as used in the answer, he will estimate the effect on national insurance contribution rates in the years from 1996-97 to 2005-06.
Miss Widdecombe : An estimate of the increase in the main class 1 joint employee-employer contributions for national insurance which could be required is in the table. The estimate excludes contributions payable to the national health service.
|Percentage increase
------------------------------------------------------------
1996-97 |0.2
1997-98 |0.4
1998-99 |0.6
1999-00 |0.8
2000-01 |1.0
2001-02 |1.2
2002-03 |1.3
2003-04 |1.5
2004-05 |1.6
2005-06 |1.8
Note: Derived from estimates underlying tables 13, 14 and
15 of the "National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial
Estimates-Report of the Government Actuary on the Second
Quinquennial review under Section 137 of the Social
Security Act 1975", published in July 1990 (HoC 582).
Benefits
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Treasury revenues in 1993-94 and in a full year of raising child benefit to £9.55 a week for all children assuming (a) corresponding increases in income-related benefits for families and (b) no corresponding increases in income-related benefits.
Mr. Burt [holding answer 25 February 1993] : Based on the latest estimates of the numbers of children for whom these benefits will be paid in 1993-94, there would be additional costs of about £260 million after corresponding increases in other benefits, and about £150 million without such increases.
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Mrs. Helen Dacey
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received in relation to the withholding by the solicitors acting for the estate of the late Mrs. Helen Dacey of the money paid by the Benefits Agency in respect of attendance alllowance DSS reference 379091501, and its delayed transfer to the beneficiary of the estate.
Mr. Scott : The administration of attendance allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from M. Bichard to Mrs. Jane Kennedy, dated 4 March 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 asking what representations he had received in relation to the withholding by the solicitors acting for the estate of the late Mrs. Helen Dacey of the money paid by the Benefits Agency in respect of attendance allowance DDS reference 379091501, and its delayed transfer to the beneficiary of the estate.
Following Mrs. Dacey's death, the Benefit's Agency was in contact with the solicitors who were administering her estate regarding the arrears of Attendance Allowance. Correspondence was received from various other parties about this. However a thorough search of the papers relating to Mrs. Dacey at both the Attendance Allowance Unit and the local benefit office have revealed no representation that the solicitors were withholding payment of the arrears to the beneficiary of the estate.
I am sorry that I am unable to be of more assistance in this matter. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.
HEALTH
Spending Statistics
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the amount of money in real terms spent from the national health service budget per head of population for each family health service authority, district health authority and regional health authority in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992- 93.
Mr. Sackville : The allocation of funds to district health authorities (DHAs) is a matter for regional health authorities (RHAs) and detailed information is not collected centrally. The spending of family health services authorities (FHSAs) is primarily demand-led and funded accordingly. However, information which relates the 1991-92 total revenue expenditure of RHAs, DHAs and FHSAs to their resident populations have been placed in the Library. Similar information for 1992-93 will be available towards the end of the year.
The figures for the FHSAs do not include the full cost of general dental services as the Dental Practice Board became responsible for making most payments direct to dental practitioners from 1 April 1991. Consequently the figures are not fully comparable with those for earlier years. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 7 December 1992 at columns 515-20.
The RHA and DHA figures for 1991-92 are not comparable with those for earlier years as they show the authorities primarily as purchasers rather than providers
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of health care. The figures for DHAs will vary significantly reflecting a transitional position as each RHA moves towards allocating funds to DHAs on a weighted capitation basis. Figures for total spending per capita include other resources (such as regional budgets and local income) in addition to allocations for resident population.Column 316
Patient Services
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services to patients were increased in each region in 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mr. Sackville : Information about general and acute activity in each regional health authority is given in the table.
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General and acute activity growth by region 1989-90 to 1992-93
Ordinary admissions and day cases
Changes Overall
1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-92 @ Q3 1989-90 to 1990-911990-91 to 1991-921991-92 to 1992-931989-90 to 1992-93
Actual Actual Actual Forecast Actual Actual Forecast Forecast
per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A |Northern |487,996 |505,216 |532,953 |564,980 |3.5 |5.5 |6.0 |15.8
B |Yorkshire |564,200 |580,596 |614,400 |659,560 |2.9 |5.8 |7.4 |16.9
C |Trent |619,246 |641,330 |666,702 |705,949 |3.6 |7.1 |2.8 |14.0
D |East Anglia |282,671 |285,833 |305,930 |324,239 |1.1 |7.0 |6.0 |14.7
E |North West Thames|434,450 |427,509 |468,976 |524,638 |-1.6 |9.7 |11.9 |20.8
F |North East Thames|540,113 |547,003 |587,704 |606,363 |1.3 |7.4 |3.2 |12.3
G |South East Thames|493,396 |490,349 |534,695 |553,668 |-0.6 |9.0 |3.5 |12.2
H |South West Thames|360,174 |356,058 |392,617 |410,082 |-1.1 |10.3 |4.4 |13.9
J |Wessex |391,005 |409,328 |446,205 |477,409 |4.7 |9.0 |7.0 |22.1
K |Oxford |297,099 |288,064 |311,548 |345,501 |-3.0 |8.2 |10.9 |16.3
L |South Western |461,908 |461,902 |505,148 |538,226 |0.0 |9.4 |6.5 |16.5
M |West Midlands |709,679 |735,613 |782,583 |793,803 |3.7 |6.4 |1.4 |11.9
N |Mersey |392,991 |397,085 |424,739 |437,169 |1.0 |7.0 |2.9 |11.2
P |North Western |696,469 |710,967 |751,267 |758,796 |2.1 |5.7 |1.0 |8.9
S |Special Health
| Authorities |102,498 |103,945 |111,534 |108,860 |1.4 |7.3 |-2.4 |6.2
T |England |6,833,895 |6,940,798 |7,457,001 |7,809,243 |1.6 |7.4 |4.7 |14.3
Forelands Hospital, Bromsgrove
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what departmental guidelines apply to the sale of Forelands hospital, Bromsgrove ; what is the role of her Department ; and if she will make a statement on the proceeds of the sale and the use to which they have been put.
Mr. Sackville : Departmental guidelines to health authorities on the sale of surplus National Health Service property are set out in "Property Transactions in the National Health Service". Property disposals are fully delegated to health authorities, and the Department was not involved in the sale of Forelands orthopaedic hospital.
Of the £4.2 million realised from the sale, £50,000 was returned to South Birmingham district ; the remaining money was transferred to the region's operational capital programme funding to form part of the overall capital resources available to the region.
Huntington's Chorea
Mr. Eric Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside, (Mr. Blunkett) of 17 February, Official Report, column 206, if she will make additional funding available to health authorities to make provision for the care of people suffering from Huntington's Chorea.
Mr. Yeo : The provision of appropriate care for people suffering from Huntington's Disease is a matter for health authorities. As announced in December, allocations to
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health authorities for 1993-94 have been increased by an average of 0.8 per cent. above projected inflation, after public sector pay restraint has been taken into account.Childhood Cancers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preliminary reports she has received from the United Kingdom co-ordinating committee on cancer research on its five hypotheses on the cause of childhood cancers research project ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : None. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 1 March 1993 at column 28.
Information Technology
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of current inquiries made by her Department into the purchasing of information technology and software.
Mr. Sackville : The purchasing of information technology and software by the national health service is a local matter for health authorities, and my Department is not informed routinely. In common with other matters, these purchases may be the subject of local audit enquiry.
In January this year, authorities were instructed to submit all proposals for investments of £1 million or more on such projects to the NHS management executive for scrutiny against published criteria.
The Department assists by issuing guidance on good practice in procuring computer systems. The latest revision of this guidance will be published in April 1993 under the generic title of "Procurement of Information Systems Effectively" (POISE).
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Tomlinson Report
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 23 February, Official Report, column 541, on the Tomlinson report, if she will list the 10 recommendations which have not been accepted.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Government have accepted 96 of the recommendations in the Tomlinson report and have not accepted three : those which refer to the relocation of the Royal Brompton and the Royal Marsden to the Charing Cross building. The remaining seven have either been referred to the London implementation group for further advice or, although agreed with in principle, are being taken forward in a different manner to that recommended in the report.
Hepatitis B
Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to encourage regular medical checks for consultants, doctors and nursing staff in the national health service with particular reference to hepatitis B infection ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : It is the responsibility of national health service employing authorities to provide occupational health services for health care workers.
Revised guidelines designed to strengthen arrangements for preventing transmission of hepatitis B in the hospital setting have been produced by the advisory group on hepatitis, which advises the four United Kingdom health departments. The guidelines have gone out to consultation with professional bodies and the NHS.
Suicide
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will identify the cost-effective NHS interventions intended to contribute to the targeted reduction in suicide rates.
Mr. Yeo : There are a number of measures which national health service and social services staff can take to help meet the suicide targets. These include the establishment of multi-disciplinary audit meetings in relation to suicides, the implementation of observation policies in all units for those patients who need them and the regular training of teams in the assessment and management of suicidal risk and in the latest treatment techniques for those at risk.
Information on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions is contained in "The Health of the Nation" mental illness key area handbook which has been distributed to both NHS and social services managers. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Elderly Patients, Newcastle
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the average number of beds available in wards responsible to Newcastle district health authority caring for elderly patients in each year since 1982.
Mr. Yeo : The answer is given in the table.
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Total number of average
daily available beds.
Elderly patients 1982-92
Newcastle district
health authority
|Number
-------------------------
1982 |355
1983 |412
1984 |409
1985 |418
1986 |457
1987-88 |489
1988-89 |499
1989-90 |474
1990-91 |457
<1>1991-92 |425
<1> includes trust
figures
Source: SD2A; 1982-86
SH3 return;
1987-88-1991-92 KHO3
return.
Figures shown relate
only to beds
specifically designated
for the elderly. Elderly
patients also occupy a
significant number of
beds in other wards.
Doctors (Alcohol Consumption)
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish guidelines as to the amount of alcohol doctors should drink while on duty.
Making London Better"
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much extra money, in real terms, will be made available to regions, outside the Thames regions, in 1993-94, following the implementation of "Making London Better".
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply of 8 December 1992 to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Martin) at columns 635-36, announcing the 1993- 94 allocations to all regional health authorities. These allocations were made after setting aside sums to improve health services in the capital.
Ponteland Hospital
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in Ponteland hospital, Northumberland (a) in 1991 and (b) 1992.
Mr. Yeo : Ponteland is a geriatric hospital with an overall capacity of 61 beds. Since 1990 the number of beds occupied has declined to between 32 and 38 for continuing care patients. Newcastle district health authority has replaced the continuing care service provided by Ponteland hospital with the purchase of 38 nursing home beds.
Dental Treatment
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the out-of-hours care of the patients of school dentists.
Dr. Mawhinney : Since October 1990 all children have been able to register with a general dental practitioner who, as part of their continuing care, makes arrangements for treatment out of hours. Any child not registered with
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a general practitioner can seek treatment from the Community dental service, who would then be responsible for arranging any necessary out-of-hours treatment.District Health Funding
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made towards providing a greater allocation of resources for health care in Southend, as announced on 12 May 1992, Official Report, column 482 ;
(2) if she will give a general direction to regional health authorities to ensure that no underfunded district receives less in real terms in 1993-94 than in 1992-93 ;
(3) what measures she is making to ensure that underfunded health districts receive extra funds annually until the discrepancy is removed.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 2 March 1993] : Regional health authorities are responsible for managing the movement of their districts towards weighted capitation funding. The following guidance was issued to all RHAs on 4 December 1992 :
"Regions will therefore be asked to report on their planned deployment of the 1993-94 allocation and in particular to demonstrate clear progress towards equalisation. The pace of such progress and whether it should be achieved by reducing resources allocated to districts above their capitation share is a matter for individual regions to judge in the light of local circumstances."
Comprehensive national information on sub-regional allocations for 1993-94 is not yet available, but the guidance above gives clear direction on the policy to be followed.
North East Thames regional health authority gave Southend district health authority £2.7 million real growth in 1992-93 and a further £1.6 million real growth is planned for 1993-94. This growth has occurred over a period when the district's weighted capitation entitlement has also been increasing due to population changes and to changes in the allocation of formula. These changes mean that despite the additional growth, Southend DHA will remain 8 per cent. below its new weighted capitation entitlement in 1993-94. The new DHA into which it will merge in April 1993 will receive further growth in future years with the aim of bringing it to its capitation share.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Decision-making
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances, where cases are raised with the Minister, decisions are made at ministerial level ; in what circumstances cases are referred to officials at the high commission or embassy ; and if he will make a statement.
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