| Previous Section | Home Page |
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vessels, including those in refit and on standby, will be operated by the Royal Navy following the
Column 108
completion of the "Options for Change" force restructuring programme in the classes (a) offshore patrol, (b) patrol craft and (c) Royal Fleet auxiliaries, as defined in annex B of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1993.Mr. Hanley : On current plans, the Royal Navy will, by the mid- 1990s, operate eight offshore patrol vessels, 22 patrol craft--including the three Hong Kong patrol craft--and 21 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The total given for patrol craft includes the five River class minesweepers which have been re-roled as patrol craft since the publication of the 1993 Statement on the Defence Estimates.
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many squadrons will be operated by the Royal Air Force following the completion of the "Options for Change" force restructuring programme in each of the (a) strike/attack, (b) offensive support, (c) air defence, (d) maritime patrol, (e) reconnaissance, (f) airborne early warning, (g) transport, (h) tankers, (i) search and rescue, (j) surface to air missiles and (k) ground defence roles, as defined in table 3.1 of "UK Defence Statistics 1993".
Mr. Hanley : On current plans the RAF will, by the mid-1990s, operate six strike/attack, five offensive support, six air defence, three maritime patrol, five reconnaise, one airborne early warning, 14 transport, two tanker, two search and rescue, five surface to air missile and four ground defence squadrons.
Column 109
Back to Basics"
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications of the Government's "back to basics" policy for his Department during 1994.
Mr. Rendel : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what working definition of "back to basics" is used by his Department ; and what his Department has done in the past three months to implement the policy.
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 20 January 1994] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 21 January at col. 849.
HEALTH
Entertainment Budget
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will itemise under heads of expenditure how the budget for entertainment within her Department was expended in the financial year 1992-93.
Mr. Sackville : The Department of Health does not have a budget for entertainment. The nearest equivalent is hospitality, on which £246, 374 was spent in 1992-93. A breakdown of this figure is shown in the table. Hospitality expenditure includes costs of refreshments for meetings of working groups and advisory committees and the high level of expenditure in some areas reflects activity on areas of work such as the Tomlinson review, specialist medical training, mental health, diet and nutrition, and the Warner report on the selection and recruitment of staff working in children's homes.
Department of Health hospitality expenditure 1992-93
|Budget |Expenditure
|£ |£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministers' Offices |40,000 |31,178
Departmental Management |10,164 |9,152
Economics and Operational Research |0 |747
Finance-CFS, FHS, Admin. |795 |1,043
Information Systems |2,600 |1,259
Statistics |1,205 |1,928
Community Services |2,717 |13,833
Dental Services |400 |1,120
Family Health Services |5,500 |5,377
Health Care-Policy |15,021 |16,661
Environment and Food |30,860 |22,469
Health Promotion |8,571 |19,088
Health and Social Services
Coordination |2,090 |751
International Relations |2,496 |3,697
Medical Devices |4,462 |4,318
Medical Support |2,570 |5,754
Medicines Control |208 |683
Pharmaceuticals |950 |477
Information and Publicity |5,000 |2,478
Research and Development |3,389 |10,249
Nursing |0 |6,661
Social Services Inspectorate |8,000 |6,972
Corporate Affairs |26,359 |29,571
HPSS Finance and Corporate
Information |16,000 |12,103
Health Authority Personnel |0 |8,338
Health Care-Management |14,199 |16,001
NHS Performance Management |7,555 |12,703
Health Advisory Service |0 |1,023
Mental Health Advisory
Commission |500 |611
Mental Health Review Tribunals |0 |131
|--- |---
Departmental total |211,531 |246,374
Notes:
1. These titles represent the organisational groups which deal with
the
subjects concerned.
2. Hospitality expenditure tends to consist of a large number of small
payments-for example, refreshments for meetings of advisory
committees, working groups etcetera.
3. Managers are required to balance increased requirements in one area
-such as hospitality-against reduced requirements in other areas.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the hospitality budget for her Department, the management executive and each regional health authority for each of the last five years.
Mr. Sackville : Information on the hospitality budget for regional health authorities is not available centrally. Figures for the Department of Health are shown in the table.
|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93
|£ |£ |£
--------------------------------------------------------
Department of Health |121,579|163,670|211,531
National Health Service
Management Executive |36,906 |32,460 |64,735
Notes:
1. Figures are not available prior to 1990-91.
2. Figures have not been adjusted for inflation.
3. Departmental figures include the NHS management
executive figures.
4. Management executive figures are not directly
comparable from year
to year because of organisational changes.
GPs (Misconduct)
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the procedures for determining allegations of professional misconduct against general practitioners were last subject to review.
Dr. Mawhinney : Professor Alan Wilson of Leeds university is chairing a full review of national health service complaints systems. We will consider the need to review the current NHS disciplinary arrangements for general practitioners in the light of Professor Wilson's recommendations on complaints.
The General Medical Council's preliminary proceedings committee and professional conduct committees operate disciplinary procedures under powers contained in the Medical Act 1983. Subject to that Act, the procedural rules under which these committees operate are the responsibility of the GMC, an independent statutory body, and are subject to periodic review. From time to time proposals for more substantial changes to the disciplinary machinery of the council are put forward, such as the recent GMC proposal for new performance procedures to extend its disciplinary remit beyond cases of serious professional misconduct to lesser offences of persistently poor performance. Changes in the underlying structure of the GMC's disciplinary powers would require an amendment to the Medical Act.
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons she considers it to be appropriate
Column 111
and in the public interest for a general practitioner who has been struck off the register by the General Medical Council to be able to continue to practice pending an appeal.Dr. Mawhinney : It is for the General Medical Council's professional conduct committee to decide whether to order the immediate suspension of a doctor's registration where it has found the doctor guilty of serious professional misconduct and directed that his or her name should be erased from the register. Under the Medical Act 1983, this committee can order the immediate suspension of a doctor's registration only where it is satisfied that to do so is necessary to protect the public or is in the best interests of the doctor concerned. Unless such an order is made, the doctor can continue to practice until the erasure takes effect 28 days after the doctor is served with a notice of erasure, or a longer period if an appeal is lodged. Only where the committee orders an immediate suspension do family health services authorities have the power to remove the doctor's name from their list immediately.
The professional conduct committee decides whether to order an immediate suspension on the basis of the evidence put before it in each individual case. The General Medical Council is an independent statutory body charged under the Medical Act 1983 with responsibility for the registration of doctors and the regulation of the medical profession. It would not be appropriate for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to intervene in the way it carries out its responsibilities under the Act. Any change in the General Medical Council's powers described above would require primary legislation and would be a matter for Parliament to decide.
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will review the procedures for suspension of general practitioners from the provision of national health service services in the light of the recent case raised with her by the hon. Member for Woolwich ; on what date she became aware of the medical service committee hearing of the Greenwich and Bexley family health services authority held in July 1989 ; on what date she communicated the findings of that hearing to the General Medical Council ; and if she will make a statement ;
(2) what assessment she has made of the propriety of general practitioners continuing to practise in the NHS following findings of misconduct by a local medical service committee and by the professional conduct committee of the General Medical Council and the decision by the judical committee of the Privy Council on the merits of an appeal against such findings ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 18 January 1994] : The General Medical Council's professional conduct committee has the power under the Medical Act 1983, where it finds a doctor to be guilty of serious professional misconduct and directs that he or she should be struck off or suspended from the medical register, to order an immediate suspension of that doctor's registration. The exercise of this power is a matter for the professional conduct committee which may only use it where it is satisfied that it is necessary to do so for the protection of members of the public or would be in the best interests of the doctor concerned.
We are giving urgent consideration to the need for legislation to provide, in extreme cases, for a power of immediate suspension of general practitioners from
Column 112
provision of national health service services pending the outcome of investigations into allegations of serious misconduct. In the case to which the hon. Member refers, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State became aware of a decision of Greenwich and Bexley family health services authority on 4 July 1989 when a copy of the decision was sent to the Department in accordance with regulation 10 of the National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1974. The practitioner appealed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. My right hon. Friend's decision on the appeal, together with the family health services authority decision and its service committee's recommendations, were passed on to the General Medical Council on 10 May 1991.Redundancy
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the redundancy entitlement of an officer of the national health service made redundant after 40 years service whilst on sick leave and having accumulated 6 per cent. performance-related pay.
Dr. Mawhinney : Redundancy payments for national health service staff employed on national terms and conditions of service are governed by section 45 of the General Whitley Council handbook, a copy of which is available in the Library. The amount to be paid will be calculated according to age, length of service and whether there is entitlement to early payment of superannuation benefits. The calculation may take account of performance-related pay when it is consolidated in annual salary ; it is not affected by sick leave.
Dr. Kabir
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the case of Dr. Kabir was referred to the Privy Council ; when a final decision was made to strike him off the register of general practitioners ; what investigation she is making into the length of time it has taken for this case to be resolved ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The professional conduct registrar committee of the General Medical Council directed the register to erase Dr. Kabir's name from the medical register on 19 March 1993. Dr. Kabir lodged a petition of appeal with the Privy Council, within the statutory 28 days, on 16 April 1993. After two adjournments, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council dismissed his appeal on 12 January 1994. This decision remains subject to formal approval of Her Majesty in Council. We have asked the family health services authority and officials to report to us on the handling of this case.
Surveillance Cameras
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance has been issued by her Department to health authorities and national health service trusts regarding the use of hidden surveillance cameras to detect staff misdemeanours ; and if she will make a statement ;
(2) what data has been collected by her Department regarding the number of national health service trusts and directly managed units which currently use hidden surveillance cameras on their premises.
Column 113
Public Bodies
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) who are the members currently appointed to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment ;
(2) who are the members currently appointed to the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment ;
(3) who are the members currently appointed to the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment ;
(4) who are the members currently appointed to the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment.
Mr. Sackville : The members of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment currently serving are :
Chairman
Professor B. Bridges, PhD FIBiol
Members
Professor E. Alberman MD FFCM FRCP
Professor V. Beral MB BS FRCP
Professor K. Boddy OBE PhD DSc FinstP FRSE
Professor R. Cartwright PhD MA MB BChir MFCM FFPHM
Professor K. Clayton CBE MSc PhD
Professor J. Denekamp BSc PhD DSc
Professor T. Dexter FRS PhD MRCPath DSc
Dr. G. Draper MA DPhil
Professor O. Eden MB BS DRCOG MRCP FRCP
Professor J. Evans BSc PhD FIBiol FRSE FRCPE
Dr. D. Goodhead MSc DPhil
Dr. J. Hendry PhD MSc BSc
Professor P. Jacobs BSc DSc FRSE FRCPath FRS
Professor P. Smith BSc DSc MSPHM
Dr. M. Spittle MSc MRCP FRCR
Dr. T. Wheldon PhD FinstP
Professor J. Whitehouse BA LRCP MRCS MA MB MRCP MD FRCP The members of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment currently serving are : Chairman
Professor H. F. Woods BSc MB BCh MRCP D Phil FRCP(Lon) FFPM FRCP(Edin)
Members
P. Aggett MB ChB FRCP MSc DCH
V. Beral MB BS FRCP
Professor A. D. Dayan BSc MD FRCPath FFPM CBiol FIBiol
Professor G. G. Gibson BSc PhD
G. Hawksworth BSc PhD
I. Kimber BSc MSc PhD FIMLS CBiol MIBiol
D. E. Prentice MA VetMB MVsc MRCPath MRCVS
A. G. Renwick BSc PhD DSc
F. M. Sullivan BSc
A. Thomas MB ChB MRCP PhD
Professor D. Walker BVSc FRCVS CBiol FIBiol
Professor R. Walker PhD FRSC CChem FIFST
The members of the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment currently serving are : Chairman
R. L. Carter, MA, DM, DSc, FRCPath
Members
Professor P. G. Blain, BMedSci, MB, PhD, FRCP(Lond), FRCP(Edin), MFOM, CBiol, FIBiol
Professor R. A. Cartwright, MA, MB, PhD, FFPHM
Professor C. E. D. Chilvers, BSc(Econ), MSc Hon, MFPHM
C. Cooper, BSc, PhD, DSc
Professor A. D. Dayan, BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FFPM,
Column 114
CBiol, FIBiolP. B. Farmer, MA, DPhil, CChem, FRSC
Professor R. F. Newbold, BSc, PhD
Professor J. M. Parry, BSc, PhD, DSc
I. F. H. Purchase, BVSc, MRCVs, PhD, FRCPath, CBiol, FIBiol A. G. Renwick, BSc, PhD, DSc
S. Venitt, BSc, PhD
Professor G. T. Williams, BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPath
The members of the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment currently serving are : Chairman
Professor J. M. Parry, BSc, PhD, DSc
Members
Professor J. Ashby, BSc, PhD, CChem, FRCS
R. L. Carter, MA, DM, DSc, FRCPath
J. Cole, BSc, DPhil
C. Cooper, BSc, PhD, DSc
Professor D. S. Davies, BSc, PhD, CChem, FRCS, MRCPath
Professor H. J. Evans, PhD, FRSE, CBiol, FIBiol, FRCPE, FRCCSE Professor R. F. Newbold, BSc, PhD
S. Venitt, BSc, PhD
R. M. Winter, BSc, MB, BS, FRCP
The membership of the committees on toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment are published annually in their joint report, copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health who are the members currently appointed to the Health Advisory Service.
Mr. Bowis : The responsibility for running the Health Advisory Service falls to Dr. Richard Williams, who is accountable to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The Health Advisory Service has no membership as such, but relies on secondments from the national health service and elsewhere to carry forward its work programme. Details are contained in the annual report of the director of the HAS for 1992-93 "A Unique Window on Change", copies of which are available in the Library.
| Next Section
| Home Page |