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Mr. Curry : I am reviewing all aspects of the scheme and will make an announcement soon.
Hill Farms
19. Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of hill farms generated a net farm income below the annual average for industrial earnings in 1991-92.
Mr. Curry : Net farm income is not a measure of farmers' cash earnings and is not comparable with the average earnings of industrial workers.
Set-aside
20. Mr. Gallie : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a progress report on non-rotational set-aside.
Mr. Gummer : We are pressing the European Commission for Proposals.
In the meantime, we are consulting on our proposals for national management rules for non-rotational set-aside.
Farmland (Public Access)
21. Ms Quin : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from farmers in the northern region about public access to farmed land.
Common Agricultural Policy
22. Mr. Purchase : To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to make representations to the EC in order to reduce United Kingdom net contribution to the common agricultural policy.
Mr. Gummer : As a result of the reform of the common agriculture policy agreed last year, UK receipts under the CAP are likely to increase from 7 per cent. to around 9 per cent. of total expenditure.
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Integrated Administration and Control System
23. Mr. Olner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on an extension of the 15 May deadline for the return of details appertaining to the integrated administration and control system.
Mr. Gummer : We have received a number of representations suggesting an extension of the 15 May deadline.
25. Mr. Sykes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the integrated administration control scheme.
Mr. Gummer : The integrated administration and control system is an important and necessary measure to make sure that taxpayers' money is properly accounted for in every part of the Community.
27. Mr. Wilson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had on the complexity of IACS questionnaires.
Mr. Gummer : We have received a number of representations about IACS documents.
Fishing Organisations
24. Mr. Enright : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent consultations he has held with fishing organisations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The industry and the Fisheries Departments began a major review of fisheries conservation three days ago. On 8 May I expect to attend the annual general meeting of the NFFO.
French Agriculture Minister
26. Mr. Brazier : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the French Minister for Agriculture to discuss implementation of CAP reforms ; and if he will make a statement.
28. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met his French opposite number to discuss the export of British farm produce ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall).
Set-aside Land
Dame Peggy Fenner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to seek a review of the criteria for rotational set-aside in the EC.
Mr. Curry : We are continuing to discuss various detailed aspects of the rotational set-aside arrangements with our Community partners. We have no plans to seek a fundamental review of the arable area payments scheme at this stage.
Clenbuterol
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to which countries in the European Community have incorporated into their domestic legislation a ban on the use of clenbuterol as a growth promoting substance.
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Mr. Soames : I am not aware of any member state which has introduced a specific ban on the use of Clenbuterol as a growth-promoting substance. It is, however, contrary to EC legislation for a veterinary medicinal product to be used for a purpose other than that for which it is licensed, unless under the direction and authority of a veterinary practitioner. No member state has licensed the use of Clenbuterol other than for therapeutic purposes.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the health risk to citizens of the United Kingdom from beef produced in countries which have ineffective controls over the misuse of clenbuterol.
Mr. Soames : All member states are required to submit to the Commission annually details of their national plans for the examination for residues, including clenbuterol, in live animals and fresh meat. Similar arrangements apply in respect of third countries importing meat into the Community.
Ongoing surveillance in the UK for clenbuterol in imported meat is carried out under a scheme, co-ordinated by the working party on veterinary residues in animal products, which is directed at retail and wholesale premises and extends to both imported and domestic supplies. Because of the evidence of abuse of clenbuterol outside Great Britain, surveillance is being increased this year. A new sampling programme for imported meat will also commence shortly under which samples of imported bovine tissues will be collected and analysed for clenbuterol residues.
The consumption of meat containing excessive residues of clenbuterol can result in increased pulse rate and palpitations. There is no evidence of any such cases of illness arising in the United Kingdom.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Conway : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the occasions on which his Department authorised the establishment of an additional personal secretary post responsible to the marketing development manager--principal grade--since January 1986.
Mr. Curry : No personal secretary posts have been appointed to report to principal grade officers.
Cashmere
Sir David Steel : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for placing cashmere production on an equitable base with other supported livestock enterprises in the United Kingdom.
Mr Curry : I have no plans to introduce support measures for cashmere production.
Vegetables
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those vegetables of which he is aware which contain alkaloids ; if he will indicate in each case the number of cases of harm to humans which have been recorded in the United Kingdom as a result of the consumption of those vegetables ; if he will indicate in each case whether sales of products made from those vegetables have been banned ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Soames : Potatoes, aubergines, green and red peppers and green tomatoes contain glyco alkaloids. Figures are not collected centrally in the form requested. Local authorities have powers under the Food Safety Act 1990 to ensure that foodstuffs containing unacceptable levels of alkaloids do not enter the food supply.
Comfrey Products
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from the Action Group for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy about the decision to ban the sale of comfrey products ; what reply he has given ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames : I have received representations from both groups about the recent decision to seek the withdrawal from sale of certain comfrey products containing the highest level of toxic alkaloids. In reply, I have reiterated that this action was taken on the basis of clear and unequivocal recommendations from the independent expert scientific committees that advise Ministers on food safety issues.
Farm Woodland Premium Scheme
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to suspend payment of the farm woodland premium scheme in England ; and if he will make a statement.
Fishery Protection Vessels
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent successes have been achieved by the fishery protection vessels operated on behalf of his Department.
Mr. Curry : From 1 January to 15 April this year the Royal Navy fisheries protection vessels have carried out 465 inspections at sea ; serious infringements of fisheries rules have been identified on 27 vessels.
Agricultural Training Board
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decisions have been taken about the future status, funding and operation of the Agricultural Training Board following the consultation exercise that took place last month.
Mr. Gummer [pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 1April, col. 329] : The Government can now confirm their intention to replace thAgricultural Training Board with a non-statutory independent organisation. The target date for completing the change is 1 April next year.
The new arrangements will free the successor body to the board from the constraints that statutory control imposes and allow it to expand commercially, so that it can offer training services on a fully commercial basis to a wider range of land-based and rural businesses. The new body will work closely with the other agencies and organisations operating in rural areas, particularly the Rural Development Commission and training and enterprise councils in England and Wales and the local enterprise companies in Scotland. The successor body will
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continue to service the agricultural and horticultural industries, but this change will also allow it to develop and provide services to organisations operating in areas such as the countryside and environmental management.As I have already announced, the Government will continue to make a substantial contribution to the new organisation's finances, through a contract with the ATB successor body for the provision of specific services, initially covering the period to March 1996. Government objectives will be reviewed before the end of this first contract period and any changes will be reflected in any succeeding contract. Subsequent changes to funding levels will also have regard to the commercial revenue generated by the successor body.
I have asked Mr. Andy Stewart, the ATB's current chairman, to lead the development of the successor body. He will be supported by a group of senior industry representatives from Scotland, England and Wales who have agreed to act as directors of the successor bodyy and to work closely with the existing board members during the changeover period.
I have every confidence in the ATB successor body's ability to make the most of the opportunities that this new freedom presents to respond to the needs of the industries that it will serve.
Veterinary Surgeons
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many qualified veterinary surgeons were employed by the Central Veterinary Laboratory on 1 January 1991, 1 January 1992 and 1 January 1993, respectively.
Mr. Gummer : Responsibility for this matter is delegated to the Central Veterinary Laboratory and I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Gentleman direct.
Letter from T. W. A. Little to Mr. Gavin Strang, dated 29 April 1993.
As you know the Minister has asked that I write to you direct with the answer to your question. The information requested is as follows :
|Veterinary surgeons
|employed
------------------------------------------------------------
1 January 1991 |44
1 January 1992 |46
1 January 1993 |38
These figures include veterinary surgeons employed at the
Laboratory's Lasswade laboratory near Edinburgh.
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what dates the Veterinary Products Committee considered the paper "Bovine Somatotropin and Animal Health : The effect of recombinant BST on somatic cell counts", by E. J. Brunner, E. P. Millstone, I. R. White, R. J. Barrell and O. N. N. Al-Muderis.
Mr. Gummer : The Veterinary Products Committee considered a pre- publication copy of this paper at its meeting on 23 July 1992.
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SCOTLAND
Bail Appeals
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many appeals against refusal of bail were granted in each of the past five years on legal aid ; and what proportion of the total these appeals constituted ;
(2) how many appeals against refusal of bail in each of the past five years in (a) district court and (b) sheriff court were forwarded to the High Court ; and how many were granted ; (3) what was the total cost to his Department in dealing with appeals against refusal of bail for each of the past five years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is not available. Records do not distinguish between appeals against grant or refusal of bail, nor between appeals from the district and sheriff courts. Bail appeals are not recorded as a separate category of grants of legal aid.
The total number of appeals against grant or refusal of bail considered by the High Court over the past five years is as follows :
Year |Number --------------------- 1988 |2,679 1989 |2,820 1990 |3,031 1991 |3,301 1992 |4,149
The estimated average court costs of hearing a bail appeal, including judicial, staff and accommodation costs, are £10.80 at 1992 prices.
Ferry Piers
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost of adapting the piers at Kennacraig, Port Ellen and Port Askaig to accommodate the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, Isle of Arran ; and which agencies are responsible for funding the project.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The total cost of adapting the piers at Kennacraig, Port Ellen and Port Askaig including dredging and other associated works to accommodate MV Isle of Arran is estimated to be in the region of £700,000. The project is being funded by Caledonian MacBrayne, the Scottish Office and the European regional development fund.
National Epilepsy Centre
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has concerning the future of the National Epilepsy Centre.
Mr. Stewart : Decisions on the future of residents of the national epilespy centre are matters for Quarrier's Homes, which runs the centre in conjunction with those local authorities and health boards which have responsibility for the residents. Proposals for the future should be set out in the relevant local authority and health board community care plans.
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Junior Doctors
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many actual hours are currently worked by junior doctors in each hospital.
Mr. Stewart : Information on actual hours worked by junior doctors is not held centrally. Junior doctors contract for a standard working week of 40 hours and such further agreed additional duty hours to be spent on- call or on shift work as are required to meet the needs of the service. As at 30 September 1992--the latest available figures--the average number of contracted hours for junior doctors was 79 per week. Provisional half- yearly returns from health authorities indicate that as at 31 March 1993 only 130 junior doctors, 3.9 per cent., were contracted for more than 83 hours of duty per week.
Huntington's Disease
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial contribution will be required from sufferers from Huntington's disease or other long-term illness living in private sector homes.
Sufferers from long-term illnesses, living in private sector nursing homes, who require medical or other treatment are not required to contribute towards the cost of that treatment provided it is available under the NHS and is prescribed or recommended by their general practitioners.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision there is within the national health service for long-term care for sufferers of Huntington's disease.
Mr. Stewart : The level of provision for sufferers of Huntington's disease will vary for each patient. In all cases the aim will be to secure the most effective package of care to meet the needs of the patients and carers alike. This can range from community health service care and support for those able to live at home to long-term hospital care.
Care in the Community
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of whether appropriate residential care will be available, for all who require it, under the care in the community legislation.
Mr. Stewart : Since April 1992, all social work authorities have been required to produce community care plans for their areas based on a local assessment of need. These plans have been examined by the Scottish Office community care implementation unit which then discusses the plans with the local authority and the health board jointly. All plans include information about the availability of residential care.
Acute Beds
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the impact of deprivation on the demand for acute beds in each health board area.
Mr. Stewart : There is no conclusive information available on the impact of deprivation on the demand for acute beds in Scotland.
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Ambulances
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made on speeding up response of emergency ambulances.
Mr. Stewart : In 1991-92, 49 per cent. of emergency calls were responded to within eight minutes and 95 per cent. within 20 minutes. In 1992-93 the percentage of calls responded to within eight minutes increased to 51 per cent. and the performance within 20 minutes was maintained. This was achieved despite a 6.9 per cent. increase in the number of calls received.
Residential Care
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether elderly home owners who enter residential care are expected to sell their property to pay part of their care costs.
Mr. Stewart : All client groups who require public support are expected to contribute towards the cost of residential care they receive. The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 require that the value of a permanent resident's former dwelling should be taken into account in assessing ability to pay unless it is occupied by the resident's spouse, or a relative who is aged 60 or over, or who is incapacitated. Local authorities do, however, have discretion to disregard property from the financial assessment in other circumstances where they consider it reasonable to do so.
Women Consultants
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to increase the number of women medical graduates who take specialist training to become consultants.
Mr. Stewart : On 2 April the NHS in Scotland management executive announced the introduction in 1993-94 of a national scheme for part-time training and working at registrar and senior registrar level which will be available to men and women doctors and dentists. We have allocated additional funding of £350,000 to meet the cost of 25 part-time registrar and 10 part-time senior registrar posts. The scheme will be run by the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.
NHS Employees
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken concerning NHS employees' continuity of employment with local authority-run community care services.
Mr. Stewart : Consideration is presently being given to responses received as a result of a consultation exercise on draft care staff transfer enabling regulations.
Crossroad Schemes
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crossroad schemes funded by his Department have reported that they expect to run out of funds by 31December.
Mr. Stewart : My Department does not fund local crossroads schemes directly and I have had no reports of
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any that expect to run out of funds by 31 December. Local schemes, of which there are about 50 in Scotland, are eligible for grants from local authorities and health boards. It is for these authorities to decide whether to fund crossroads schemes or make other provision for care attendant schemes.Unemployment
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce long-term unemployment in Glasgow ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : The key to increased employment is a prosperous and productive economy. The Government are firmly committed to removing the barriers to economic growth and to the stimulation of economic development, through various measures including the activities of Scottish Enterprise and its network of local enterprise companies, among which is the Glasgow Development Agency.
In relation to long-term unemployed individuals, we have introduced the most comprehensive range of measures there has ever been in this country to help people back to work. The Employment Service already provides a wide range of services which contribute to two thirds of people who become unemployed leaving unemployment within six months. From the summer it will also provide community action, a new programme of voluntary work for people unemployed for more than a year. The new training for work programme operated by local enterprise companies, which began on 1 April, has the principal purpose of helping unemployed people to get jobs and is targeted on those unemployed for six months or more. This programme will be delivered in Glasgow by the Glasgow Development Agency, along with further measures announced on 16 March by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer which will give long-term unemployed people a new way to gain qualifications and provide more opportunities for those seeking to start their own business. The rate of increase in long-term unemployment in Glasgow between January 1992 and January 1993 was less than a third of that for Great Britain as a whole. The measures which I have described will further improve performance in responding to the needs of the unemployed.
Young Chronically Sick
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to build a hospital unit for the young chronic sick.
Mr. Stewart : None. It is for health boards as purchasers of health care to determine how best to provide for the health needs of all residents in their area.
Accident Waiting Times
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average length of waiting time at accident and emergency departments within each health board area for the latest available period.
Mr. Stewart : This information is not held centrally.
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Forestry Commission
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 March, Official Report , column 150 , when he expects the inter-departmental committee of civil servants to report on the future organisation, management and ownership of the Forestry Commission.
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