| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Yeo : The committee has been asked to give its views on the usefulness of collective dose assessments and the validity of presenting such impacts in terms of numbers of fatalities.
Water Charges (Prepayment)
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment with which water companies the Office of Water Services has had discussions over the installation of prepayment devices.
Mr. Yeo : This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.
Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Governments of European Community member states responded to the second public consultation period for the thermal oxide reprocessing
Column 827
plant at Sellafield ; and if he will indicate whether their submission was for or against THORP being commissioned.Mr. Yeo : Responses to the consultation are still being assessed. Detailed information about the responses will be made available once they have all been considered.
Water Quality
Sir Cranley Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to seek a review of the EC water quality directive.
Mr. Yeo : As part of its programme of work following the Edinburgh summit, the European Commission is already reviewing the drinking water directive--80/778/EEC--and should make its recommendations next year. We have already made clear to the Commission the changes that we believe are required.
Standard Spending Assessments
Mr. Betts : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consideration he is giving in his review of standard spending assessments to include as factors (a) unemployment, (b) health indicators, in particular standard morbidity rates, and (c) disability indicators ;
(2) what plans he has to measure economic deprivation as part of his review of the standard spending assessment system ; and what alternative measures he has so far considered in this regard ; (3) what conclusions he has reached on representations made to him concerning the use of health variables as a reflection of the differing social needs of an area, in place of the measures currently used ;
(4) what conclusions he has reached on representations he has received concerning the extent to which the weighting within the current standards spending assessment system placed on the very elderly discriminates against those areas which have significant health problems but in which industrial traditions have lead to deaths at an earlier age.
Column 828
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 28 October 1993] : The review of standards spending assessments has considered a wide range of issues including the potential use of indicators of health, disability, unemployment, homelessness and economic deprivation. The underlying statistical analysis has been discussed in detail with the local authority associations. Work on the review has now finished and my right hon. Friend will announce the outcome of the review later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994-95.
Mr. Betts : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will as part of the standard spending assessment review consider incorporating factors which are of direct relevance to service provision rather than factors which are proxies for real needs.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 28 October 1993] : The calculation of standard spending assessments uses factorin a number of cases it is necessary to use factors which act as proxies for the underlying need to spend. The review of standard spending assessments has considered the incorporation of 1991 census data and the relevance of existing and other possible new factors.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the national total of capital allocations for housing to local authorities in England for (a) 1979-80, (b) 1982-83, (c) 1985-86 and (d) each year since 1988-89 ; and if he will give the breakdown of the total between (i) non-metropolitan district councils, (ii) county councils, (iii) metropolitan district councils, (iv) London boroughs and (v) the City of London.
Sir George Young [holding answer 28 October 1993] : Information on housing investment programme allocations is given in the table. The figures for 1990-91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.
Column 827
Housing investment programme (HIP) allocations<1><2> by area
£ thousand
|1979-80 |1982-83 |1985-86 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non Metropolitan D.C. |1,009,252|958,581 |690,813 |525,707 |426,030 |847,373 |847,477 |818,398 |865,132
County Councils<3> |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Metropolitan D.C. |648,540 |602,396 |427,151 |377,511 |339,386 |502,755 |485,552 |460,156 |492,922
London Boroughs<4> |885,894 |630,241 |487,083 |427,141 |329,244 |538,164 |527,396 |547,553 |561,412
City of London |706 |720 |417 |281 |214 |708 |668 |605 |679
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |2,544,392|2,191,938|1,605,463|1,330,640|1,094,874|1,889,000|1,861,093|1,826,712|1,920,145
<1> Allocations for the years up to and including 1989-90 are final allocations, ie the initial allocation plus any
increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990-91 and subsequent years are the HIP
allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specified capital grants) issued prior to the start of the financial
year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued during the year.
<2> From 1990-91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing
capital expenditure rather than a directly borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, all
service, basic credit approval.
<3> County councils are not allocated any monies through the Housing Investment Programme as they have no housing stock.
<4> Allocations for the Greater London Council up to and including 1985-86 are included in the figures for the London
boroughs.
Column 828
Water Disconnections
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have been disconnected from their water supply for non-payment of sewerage charges each year since privatisation.
Column 829
Mr. Yeo [holding answer 28 October 1993] : Condition H of the instrument of appointment of each water or water and sewerage undertaker states that disconnection of a water supply can only be made for the non-payment of charges due to the water undertaker for the supply of water.
Capital Allocations
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the regional total of capital allocations for housing to the local authorities in England for (a) 1979-80, (b) 1982-83, (c) 1985-86 and (d) each year since 1988-89 for each standard English region.
Column 830
Sir George Young [holding answer 28 October 1993] : Information on housing investment programme allocations is given in the table. The figures for 1990-91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.
Column 829
Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocations<1><2> by standard statistical region£ thousand
Statistical region |1979-80 |1982-83 |1985-86 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North (including Cumbria) |180,000 |145,740 |92,060 |85,019 |72,469 |112,587 |111,920 |103,243 |116,867
Yorkshire and Humberside |216,000 |214,813 |140,326 |123,706 |106,288 |171,199 |169,217 |162,516 |179,570
East Midlands |159,872 |152,916 |96,812 |72,983 |60,687 |104,420 |111,815 |117,693 |128,238
East Anglia |57,414 |65,351 |53,093 |34,443 |26,394 |61,446 |61,506 |58,666 |54,969
Greater London |886,600 |630,961 |487,500 |427,422 |329,458 |538,872 |528,064 |548,158 |562,091
South East (excluding London) |338,075 |299,516 |237,092 |163,716 |122,805 |297,616 |285,156 |265,778 |280,645
South West |125,000 |138,691 |101,021 |79,033 |62,319 |153,269 |155,399 |140,473 |145,607
West Midlands |248,000 |204,601 |165,767 |142,301 |127,808 |198,040 |204,137 |201,916 |204,557
North West (excluding Cumbria) |333,431 |339,349 |231,792 |202,017 |186,647 |251,551 |233,879 |228,269 |247,601
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |2,544,392 |2,191,938 |1,605,463 |1,330,640 |1,094,874 |1,889,000 |1,861,093 |1,826,712 |1,920,145
Notes:
<1> Allocations for the years up to and including 1989-90 are final allocations, ie the initial allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are the HIP allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specific capital grants) issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued
during the year.
<2> From 1990-91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a directly borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed
by the single, all service, basic credit approval.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the capital allocation for housing for each local authority in England for (a) 1979-80, (b) 1982-83, (c) 1985-86 and (d) each year since 1988-89.
Sir George Young [holding answer 28 October 1993] : Information on housing investment programme allocations since 1978-79 for each local authority in England is available in the Library of the House.
Housing, Lancashire
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number and value of home improvement grants paid to private owners and for tenanted properties, in Lancashire since 1989.
Sir George Young [holding answer 22 October 1993] : Information about the total number and value of home improvement grants paid in Lancashire is shown in the table.
Home improvement grants paid: number and amount of grants:
Lancashire<1>
Grants paid under Grants paid under
the Housing Act the Local
1985 Government and
Housing Act 1989<2>
Financial year |Number |Amount (£000s)|Number |Amount (£000s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |3,721 |13,813 |- |-
1990-91 |2,929 |12,213 |231 |808
1991-92 |897 |4,294 |1,848 |14,201
1992-93 |78 |571 |2,401 |22,413
<1> Including estimated figures for local authorities not providing statistical returns
about home improvement grants.
<2> Includes mandatory and discretionary grants; covers renovation grants, disabled
facilities grants, HMO grants and common parts grants; excludes minor works assistance.
The available information about the numbers of grants paid to owner occupiers and paid for tenanted properties is shown in the table. Figures about the amount of grant paid to each group are not available.
Number of grants paid : by group receiving grant : Lancashire :
(a) Grants paid under the Housing Act 1985<1>
number
Financial Year |Owner occupiers|Other grants |Total grants
|grants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |3,101 |620 |3,721
<1> This information was not collected after 1989-90.
(b) Grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989
number
Financial Year |Owner occupier|Other grants |Total grants
|grants
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |182 |49 |231
1991-92 |1,696 |152 |1,848
<2> The information for 1992-93 is currently in preparation and is not yet
available.
Column 831
Leasehold Reform
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the advisory service for leaseholders seeking to enfranchise or extend their lease under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 to come into operation.
Sir George Young [pursuant to his reply, 19 October 1993] : The Government have been ready to provide a contribution to the costs of an advisory service since the Act received Royal Assent on 20 July, through the special grants programme. Normally up to 50 per cent. of the cost can be met by public funds.
A formal bid was received on 7 October. This showed a low level of initial contributions from private sector bodies, many of whom might expect to be closely involved in the enfranchisement procedures. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment has, therefore, written to a number of institutions seeking further support before final decisions are made about the agency's budget.
I remain confident that the service will be in operation very soon. In the meantime, there is a considerable effort being put into disseminating information about the new legislation. My Department has issued 60,000 leaflets so far, and demand remains high. Several books are being published, and a number of solicitors and valuers have published their own guides. Several conferences are also being organised, in which my Department is playing a full part.
SCOTLAND
Government Offices
Sir Nicholas Fairbairn : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the (a) original estimated cost and (b) actual cost of (i) the new courts and offices in Parliament house, Edinburgh, (ii) the proposed new Scottish Office building in Leith and (iii) the cost of moving thereto and moving other Government Departments into the offices so vacated in St. Andrew's house.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 October 1993] : The estimated cost at tender stage of the extension to Parliament house was £14.16 million. The estimated final cost is in the range £15.5 million to £16 million.This takes account of inflationary costs allowed underthe contract, covers significant foundation difficulties experienced during construction and an increase in VAT during the contract, and includes an allowance for a contractual claim which is under negotiation with the main contractor.
The new building for the Scottish Office in Leith is being acquired by Property Holdings from the developers for a fixed price of £47.5 million. The rental which the Scottish Office will pay to Property Holdings for the new building will represent a saving on rental payable on three buildings which are being given up including New St. Andrew's house, which is being vacated because of the widespread incidence of asbestos there.
The capital costs associated with the new building which will fall to the Scottish Office cover occupational
Column 832
service works and furniture and are estimated at £9.8 million. The cost of moving staff from existing buildings to the new building is estimated to be £0.1 million.Lost Working Days
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of working days lost due to (a) ill health, (b) industrial injuries and (c) industrial action for each year since 1988.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 27 October 1993] : The number of working days lost as a result of ill health and industrial injury is not available for Scotland. The number of days lost in Scotland in each year since 1988 as a result of industrial action is set out in the table :
Number of days lost in Scotland as a result of industrial action Year |Number ------------------------ 1988 |205,000 1989 |541,000 1990 |122,000 1991 |121,000 1992 |55,000
Overseas Staff and Premises
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost for the current financial year to his Department of having (a) premises and (b) personnel overseas ; and what were the comparable figures for (a) 12, (b) 24, (c) 36 and (d) 48 months ago.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 27 October 1993] : My Department has no premises overseas. The cost to my Department of having personnel overseas is expected to be around £317,000 in the current financial year and was £230,000 in 1992-93. Details are not available for previous years.
Strategic Land Use
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his proposals for strategic land use planning following the reform of local government in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 28 October 1993] : Our proposals are set out in paragraphs 3.18-20 of "Shaping the Future--The New Councils" (Cm. 2267).
Office Costs
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993-94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department at Dover house, Whitehall.
Mr. Lang : The estimated cost, including fuel and utilities and maintenance, for Dover house for 1993-94 is £956,982.
Severely Disadvantaged Areas
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.
Column 833
Sir Hector Monro : The number of farmers in receipt of hill and livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas in each year since 1978 is set out in the table.
Year |Number of Farmers ------------------------------------------------------ 1978 |19,802 1979 |19,485 1980 |19,198 1981 |19,072 1982 |18,760 1983 |18,610 1984 |18,343 1985 |18,203 1986 |17,889 1987 |17,852 1988 |17,768 1989 |17,630 1990 |17,537 1991 |17,403 1992 |17,260 <1>1993 |16,827 <1>to date.
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many producers are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances ; and what proportion of those are located in (a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas.
Sir Hector Monro : Based on the 1992 HLCA scheme, the latest complete scheme for which figures are available, of 17,893 claims received 17,260 were from producers located in severely disadvantaged areas and 633 from producers located in disadvantaged areas.
Ewe and Suckler Cow Premiums
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the figures relating to 1993 for the value of the ewe premium and suckler cow premium per head distinguishing the value of any supplements if applicable.
Sir Hector Monro : The rate of sheep annual premium in Scotland for the 1993 marketing year is fixed only after the end of the year. To date, European Commission regulations provide for payments of two advances totalling £12.55 per eligible ewe and a supplement in less favoured areas of £5.16 per eligible ewe. The final rate of premium and supplement due will be fixed by the Commission in spring 1994. The 1993 suckler cow premium rate per head in Scotland is £65.73. In addition a payment of £28.17 per head can be made if the stocking density on a holding is less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare of eligible forage area.
HEALTH
Community Care
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision she intends for community care.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I announced last year that the special community care transitional grant to local social services authorities in England would be
Column 834
£716 million for 1994-95 and £618 million for 1995-96. The grant will be increased by £20 million to £736 million in 1994-95 and by £30 million to £648 million in 1995-96. These increases will help local social services authorities to arrange for more home care and respite care. The special transitional grant is additional to the resources in general local government settlements which will be announced in due course. The grant will be phased out in 1996 -97. In that year a further £418 million will be made available to local social services authorities to reflect the continued development of their community care responsibilities. The cumulative extra finance then available for local authorities' new community care responsibilities will exceed £2.2 billion in England.Hospital Services
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the new services that have been provided by the increase in the hospital and community services budget in each of the last three years.
Mr. Sackville : Government spending on hospital and community health services has risen by 13.8 per cent. in real terms since 1990-91. Over this period there have been significant improvements in the level and quality of services provided to patients. General and acute activity is forecast to be 16 per cent. higher this year than in 1990-91. Since December 1992, no patient in the regions has been waiting longer than two years for in- patient or day case treatment, compared with 51,053 at March 1991. The patients charter has raised the standard of services for patients. The national health service has at the same time taken forward the "Health of the Nation" strategy for preventing premature death and avoidable ill health. With local authorities, health authorities and trusts have successfully introduced our community care reforms, which are designed to provide more flexible and local services to people in the community. We shall continue to build on this progress and improve services still further.
Depleted Uranium
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what collaborative studies her Department has conducted with the authorities of the United States on risks from inhalation of depleted uranium dust particles.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the waiting time for hospital in-patient treatment in each of the regional health authorities which cover the Greater London area.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics : England". The latest published figures are for March 1993 and are available in the Library. The Greater London area is covered by the figures for the four Thames regional health authorities.
Junior Doctors
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of junior doctors are currently working more than their contracted hours.
Column 835
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not available centrally.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made as to the implications for the health service of the EC 48-hour working week directive with particular reference to junior doctors ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The directive on working time has not yet been adopted finally by the European Community Council. However, at the start of negotiations, an assessment was made of the impact of the proposals on the working arrangements of junior doctors within the health service in the light of existing initiatives. On the basis of this assessment we obtained an exclusion from the draft directive for doctors in training.
Abortion
Sir Cranley Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost to the NHS of termination of pregnancy operations in England and Wales in the last 12 months for which figures are available ; what proportion of total NHS expenditure this represented ; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the previous five years.
Mr. Sackville : The annual cost to the national health service of termination of pregnancy is not available centrally. The cost of this treatment varies according to factors such as gestation and length of stay. The estimated average cost of a surgical abortion in a NHS hospital is £140 for a day case and £270 for a straightforward in-patient case, at 1990-91 figures. In 1991, there were 54,602 residents of England and Wales treated in the NHS on a day care basis and 20,570 as in-patients.
Food Safety Law Enforcement
Sir Cranley Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times since the Food Safety Act 1990 came into force his Department has investigated cases where there has been a suggestion that the law has been applied in an over-zealous way by a local authority ; and with what results.
Mr. Sackville : The Department started keeping a record of investigations in 1992. Of the 32 cases it has investigated the Department considered eight complaints to be justified. During 1992 the total number of hygiene inspections and other visits carried out under the Food Safety Act 1990 was 542,855.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanner, Greenwich
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health who authorised the payment by South-East Thames regional health authority of a deposit for the purchase of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner ; for what purpose and on what date ; whether the deposit was refundable or non- refundable ; on what date Greenwich Healthcare Trust agreed to purchase the scanner and pay the balance of the costs ; on what date Greenwich Healthcare Trust took delivery of the scanner ; and on what date it was brought into operational use.
Mr. Sackville : The purchase of equipment to support health care is a matter for managers and clinicians in trust
Column 836
hospitals ; for the remaining directly managed units it is the responsibility of health authorities. The hon. member may wish to write to the chairman of the Greenwich Healthcare Trust, Mr. Neville Thompson, about the financing and installation of medical equipment at the Brook and Greenwich hospitals.Bed Closures and Cancelled Operations
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the number of beds closed and operations cancelled for financial reasons since 1January for each of the district health authorities for England.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not available centrally.
NHS Management
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October, Official Report, columns 398-400, on managing the new NHS, what mechanisms will be established to enable the new regional offices to monitor and promote sub-regional equity.
Dr. Mawhinney : Following the proposed abolition of regional health authorities, the allocation of resources to district health authorities, family health services authorities and general practitioner fundholders would be handled by the National Health Service Management Executive, of which the regional offices will be part, within the policies and financial strategy set by Ministers.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October, Official Report, columns 398-400, on managing the new NHS, (1) how the regional function related to the implementation of the "The Health of the Nation" strategy will be managed ;
(2) how the regional research and development function will be managed ;
(3) how the regional clinical audit function will be managed.
Dr. Mawhinney : The main functions carried out in the national health service above the level of purchasers and providers are described in the background document "Managing the new NHS", copies of which are available in the Library. The detailed allocation of functions to the NHS Management Executive headquarters and regional offices, and the arrangements for discharging those functions, have not yet been decided. The Government remain committed to the "Health of the Nation" strategy, the research and development strategy and the development of clinical audit.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions she intends to take to enable the NHS Management Executive to take on a clearer identity as the headquarters of the national health service.
Dr. Mawhinney : The National Health Service Management Executive is to be streamlined and reorganised to include eight regional offices, each headed by a regional director. This will focus it on the key functions which it needs to perform as the headquarters of the NHS, with a strategic rather than operational role. Work will be undertaken to define clearly the respective roles and
responsibilities of the NHS Management Executive and the wider Department of Health.
Column 837
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest estimate of the number of NHS staff who will be made redundant as a result of the proposed abolition of regional health authorities and NHS Management Executive outposts ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : No estimate has been made. Future manpower requirements for the National Health Service Management Executive will be determined in the light of the functions which are to be discharged by the headquarters and the regional offices.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guarantees of terms of employment she intends to implement for NHS staff transferring from regional health authorities to other NHS bodies.
Dr. Mawhinney : Our intention is that, so far as the law allows, all staff who transfer from regional health authorities to other national health service bodies will have their terms of employment determined as though the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 apply. This will mean that staff transferring will generally be able to preserve their continuity of service in the NHS. Staff who transfer between health authorities in the circumstances provided by the NHS (Transfer of Officers Regulations) (No. 2) Regulations, 1986 are already assured of continuity of service.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing how many national health service trusts fall into (a) band 1, (b) band 2 and (c) band 3 according to unit turnover.
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave the hon. Member for Darlingtstatement of 21 October, Official Report, columns 398-400, on the new NHS, what role she is planning for community health councils within the new NHS structure ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Community health councils have an important role in representing, from an independent viewpoint, the voice of individuals and communities, and this will continue. Arrangements for the establishment and funding of community health councils after the proposed abolition of regional health authorities will be discussed with representatives of the Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales as legislation is prepared.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October, Official Report, columns 398-400, on managing the new NHS, what plans she has to ensure (a) that a public health function remains at the intermediate tier and (b) that those succeeding regional directors of public health retain their ability to make independent statements.
Dr. Mawhinney : The background document "Managing the New NHS", which provides further information in support of the decisions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 October,
Column 838
states that the major public health responsibilities currently undertaken by regional health authorities will be incorporated in the regional offices of the National Health Service Management Executive, and that the professional accountability for public health issues will remain unaltered. Copies of the background document are available in the Library.
| Next Section
| Home Page |