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inquiry into incidents on ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven general hospital between February and April 1991. He has been assisted by Anne McDonald, RSCN, RGN, DipN (London), who is director of quality at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospitals and Professor David Shaw, CBE, FRCP, FRCP (Edin), Emeritus Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.The report of the inquiry team will be published in full. The inquiry's terms of reference were :
1. To inquire into the circumstances leading to the deaths of four children and injuries to nine others on Ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven General Hospital during the months February to April 1991 (inclusive).
2. To consider the speed and appropriateness of the clinical and managerial response within the hospital to the incidents, and to make recommendations.
3. To examine the appointment procedures, systems of assessment and supervision within the Hospital and Mid Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery respectively, including an examination of the occupational health services available to both the College and the Hospital, and to make recommendations.
4. To review the recommendations of the regional fact finding inquiry (July 1992) into paediatric services at the hospital and to advise whether any additions or amendments to those recommendations are necessary.
5. In the light of the events on Ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven General Hospital between February and April 1991 (inclusive) : 5.1 to advise on the most efficient way for health authorities to be informed of serious untoward incidents and to monitor their handling ;
5.2 to consider whether and, if so, how the regional health authority should be informed of serious untoward incidents and the way in which they are handled.
6. To consider such matters relating to the said incidents as the public interest may require.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all information held by the NHS Management Executive is regarded as information held centrally.
Mr. Sackville : All validated information held by the National Health Service Management Executive is regarded as information that is available centrally. Validated information is that which has been checked by the Department for accuracy, consistency and statistical reliability. The NHS Management Executive also holds a disparate range of administrative and management data obtained from a number of sources which may not be compiled on a comparable basis or use common definitions, or which may contain subjective judgments.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for the last four years the number of psychogeriatricians employed by the NHS.
Dr. Mawhinney : The available information is shown in the table.
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Hospital doctors in old age psychiatry in England as at 30 September each year, in whole time equivalents Year |Old age |psychiatry --------------------------------- 1989 |78.6 1990 |103.3 1991 |154.2 1992 |170.1 Notes: These data include doctors in the following grades: consultants, associate specialists, staff grades, senior registrars, hospital practitioners and clinical assistants. Until recently, old age psychiatry was covered by general psychiatrists, but it is now a specialty in its own right. Some general psychiatrists have sub-specialty interest in psychogeriatrics, but these are not collected in the data.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those district health authorities which do not employ a psychogeriatrician.
Dr. Mawhinney : Psychogeriatric services are purchased on behalf of patients by purchasing and commissioning agencies, and they are responsible for ensuring that these services are available to the local population. They may purchase these services across different district or regional boundaries. At 30 September 1992, 63 of the 252 employing authorities in England employed old age psychiatrists. Until recently, old age psychiatry was covered by general psychiatrists, but it is now a specialty in its own right. Some general psychiatrists have sub-specialty interest in psychogeriatrics, but these are not collected in the data.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the names and qualifications of the district general manager and the chairman and district health authority members of the South Lincolnshire district health authority in each of the last three years ;
(2) what were the names and qualifications of the Trent regional general manager and the chairman and members of the regional health authority in each of the last three years.
Dr. Mawhinney : Chairmen and non-executive members of the health authorities are appointed for their personal qualities, knowledge and skills and for the contribution they can bring to the strategic leadership of their authority. The selection of both executive and non-executive members of health authorities is a matter for each individual body. The names of the chairman and non-executive members of Trent regional health authority in each of the last three years are :
Year |Chairman |Non-executive |members ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1991 and 1992 |Sir Michael Carlisle |Mr. M Dessau |Mrs. P. Wildgoose |Dr. K. Edwards |Mr. G. Clemons |Mr. D. Bertram 1993 |Sir Michael Carlisle |Mr. M. Dessau |Mrs. P. Wildgoose |Dr. K. Edwards |(until 31 October 1993) |Mr. G. Clemons |Mr. D. Bertram |Professor C. Campbell |(from 1 November 1993)
The chairman of the South Lincolnshire health authority in each of the years 1991 to 1993 was Dr. J. D. Brackenridge.
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people (a) under 16 years of age and (b) under 18 years of age were treated for drug abuse in the Greater Manchester regional health authority area in each of the past three years ;
(2) how many hospital admissions took place in each of the last three years in each of the Greater Manchester regional health authorities from causes associated with drug abuse.
Mr. Bowis : These are matters for the North Western regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir Bruce Martin, for details.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants have been suspended in the Trent region in each of the last 10 years ; and how many consultants in the region are under suspension at present.
Dr. Mawhinney : This is a matter for Trent regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of Trent RHA, for details.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November, Official Report, columns 242-44, what discussions her Department has had with research unit directors about the adequacy of the review procedure.
Dr. Mawhinney : As stated in the previous reply to the hon. Member, expert peer review of long-term research contracts is well established and unit directors are given the opportunity to comment fully on the text of reports. The present round of site visits was discussed with unit directors when they met with the Department's director of research and development on 27 November 1992.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November, Official Report, columns 242-44, which of the reports of site visits of her Department's research units which have already taken place have been discussed with the relevant unit director ; and how soon her Department will be initiating discussions about site visit reports with directors of other units which have alredy been reviewed.
Dr. Mawhinney : Directors have had an opportunity to comment on reports of site visits to the following units :
Childhood Cancer Research Group
National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit
Medical Care Research Unit
Centre for Primary Care Research
Social Medicine and Health Services Research Unit
National Institute for Social Work Training
Site visit reports are in preparation for :
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Cancer Screening Evaluation UnitClinical Operation Research Unit
Social Policy Research Unit
Dates for visits to the remaining four units have yet to be arranged. In keeping with established review practice, directors will have an opportunity to comment on all reports still outstanding as soon as they become available from the review teams.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued as to the distance a consultant covering a paediatric unit can live or work away from that unit when on call for that unit.
Dr. Mawhinney : Employing bodies are encouraged, when drawing up consultants' contracts of employment, to include a requirement to live within a 10-mile radius of their place of work.
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to review the quality, standard and practices of senior management at Pinderfields hospital.
Dr. Mawhinney : Officials have conducted a rigorous review of the trust's five-year strategic direction and its annual business plan. We have every confidence in the newly appointed trust board and its management team.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest information about the current incidence of
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ; and what information she has as to the ages of persons so suffering.
Mr. Sackville : Figures for the total number of definite and probable cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are produced on a yearly basis by Dr. R. G. Will, consultant neurologist at the national CJD surveillance unit, Edinburgh. His reports are available in the Library.
Forty-eight definite and probable cases of CJD were identified by the surveillance unit between 1 May 1992 and 30 April 1993. Their ages range from 30 to 86.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many private pay beds there were in the East London and City health authority in each year since 1986 ;
(2) how many private pay beds there were in the North East Thames regional health authority in each year since 1986, and at the latest available date.
Mr. Sackville : Information has not been collected centrally since 1 April 1991. The information that is available is shown in the tables.
' Private pay beds-East London and the City health authority |The City and |Hackney --------------------------------------- 1986 |6 1987-88 |2 1988-89 |4 1989-90 |4 1990-91 |4
Private pay beds-North East Thames regional health authority |Total -------------------- 1986 |43 1987-88 |103 1988-89 |129 1989-90 |133 1990-91 |129 Source: SD2A SBH 211 Return (1986) KH02 Return 1987-88 to 1990-91.
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made for special training for the ambulance service personnel likely to provide service in the channel tunnel ; how many such personnel have received specialist training ; whether such training has included paramedic instruction ; what is the expected reaction time for the ambulance service in the event of an emergency ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : Talks are currently taking place between East Kent Commissioning Agency, Kent Ambulance Service and Eurotunnel. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Mark Outhwaite, chief executive of East Kent Commissioning Agency at 7-9 Cambridge terrace, Dover for details.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent in cash terms at current prices, and how much per head of population has been spent, on capital projects in the Anglian Harbours hospital trust and the James Paget hospital, Gorleston, in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 1 February 1994] : The available information is shown in the table.
Year |Great |Anglian |Total |District |Spend |Yarmouth |Harbours |spend in |Health |per head |and |National |District |Authority |Waveney |Health |popula- |District |Service |Authority|tion |Health |Trust |area |Authority |£'000s |£'000s |£'000s |£ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1986-87 |1,149 |- |1,149 |194,872 |5.89 1987-88 |1,947 |- |1,947 |197,641 |9.85 1988-89 |753 |- |753 |200,091 |3.76 1989-90 |1,209 |- |1,209 |201,950 |5.98 1990-91 |3,388 |- |3,388 |202,149 |16.75 1991-92 |2,493 |2,625 |5,118 |202,047 |25.33 1992-93 |2,617 |4,267 |6,884 |202,255 |34.03 Notes: 1. Population figures for 1986-90 based on 1981 census, 1991 and 1992 figures based on 1991 census. 2. All figures are historic cash spending. 3. Records of individual DHAs prior to 1986 are no longer available centrally. 4. Anglian Harbours NHS Trust was established 1 April 1991, James Paget Hospital NHS Trust was established 1 April 1993 and figures are not separately identifiable from Great Yarmouth and Waveney DHA figures.
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Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for each standard region of the United Kingdom of the numbers and proportion of the unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications.
Miss Widdecombe : The latest estimates from the Labour Force Survey for summer--June to August--1993 of the numbers and proportion of the ILO unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications, for each region of the United Kingdom, are given in the following table--estimate for Northern Ireland is based on spring 1993 data. The Labour Force Survey shows that the ILO unemployment rate for people with no qualifications is about 50 per cent. higher than the rate for qualified people. People qualified to A-level standard or higher have the lowest ILO unemployment rates.
Numbers and proportions of ILO unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications. Not seasonally adjusted. Standard regions |ILO unemployed with|Proportion of all |ILO |qualifications |unemployed |(Thousands) |(Percentage) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East |693 |72 Greater London |342 |72 Rest of South East |352 |72 East Anglia |71 |74 South West |147 |74 West Midlands |186 |62 East Midlands |116 |64 Yorkshire and Humberside 190 71 North West |217 |68 North |129 |70 Wales |90 |69 Scotland |180 |70 Northern Ireland (Spring 1993) |50 |58 United Kingdom |2,070 |69 Source: Labour Force Survey, summer 1993 and spring 1993.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the maximum level of the award for unfair dismissal in the year that it was first introduced ; what is the equivalent amount upgraded for inflation since that time ; and what is the current maximum award.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Compensation for unfair dismissal usually consists of a basic and a compensatory award. The compensatory award, introduced in 1972, was then limited to 104 weeks' pay or £4,160, equivalent to £27,606 today when uprated by the retail prices index, whichever was the less. The current limit is £11,000. The basic award, introduced in 1976, was subject to a maximum limit of £2,400, equivalent to £8,611 today. The current limit is £6,150.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the maximum level of the award for unfair dismissal ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the results of the
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consultation exercise in connection with the annual review of these awards and will announce the outcome in due course.Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to make available to Parliament transcripts of European Council meetings.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Meetings of the European Council are not normally held in public. However, some parts of some Council of Ministers meetings are open sessions which are televised. Arrangements are being made to supply videos of open televised sessions to the Library.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which of the public appointments for which he is responsible require advance notice to and consultation with the Chief Whip's Office ; and which appointments made since 1979 have been so notified and consulted upon.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to answer parliamentary questions about discussions and consultations between Departments and offices of Government relating to public appointments.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will respond to the European Union's Green Paper on European Social Policy before 31 March.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provision is made for parental leave in each other EC state.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Table 5.8 on page 144 of "OECD Employment Outlook July 1990" gives information about general legislative provisions for maternity and parental leave in OECD countries.
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide figures for the amount his Department has been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision for each of the past three years.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The figures set out show the Department's recoveries from the Department of Social Security in respect of financial years 1991-92 and 1992-93 and forecast recoveries for 1993-94.
|£ million -------------------------------------------- (i) 1991-92 Outturn |2.5 (ii) 1992-93 Outturn |2.8 (iii) 1993-94 Estimated Outturn |3.1
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the proportions of full-time female manual workers, full-time female non-manual
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workers and all full-time female workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North- West ;(2) if he will list the proportions of full-time male manual workers, full- time male non-manual workers and all full-time male workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North-West ;
(3) if he will list the proportions of full-time adult manual workers, full -time adult non-manual workers and all full-time adult workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North-West.
Miss Widdecombe : The information available from the New Earnings Survey is provided in the following tables :
Full time employees in the London Borough of Newham on adult rates- pay unaffected by absence Proportion with gross weekly earnings below the following amounts: at April 1993 £ |Manual |Non-manual|All |women |women |women |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------- 100 120 140 |4.0 160 |7.1 180 |6.0 |12.1 200 |9.6 |16.2 220 |15.7 |22.2
£ |Manual |Non-manual|All |men |men |men |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------- 100 120 140 160 |1.5 180 |2.0 200 |6.5 |6.7 |6.6 220 |13.0 |9.5 |11.2
£ |Manual |Non-manual|All |adults |adults |adults |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------- 100 120 140 |1.6 |1.7 160 |6.5 |1.6 |3.4 180 |8.3 |3.7 |5.4 200 |13.0 |8.0 |9.8 220 |19.4 |12.2 |14.9 Note: " " denotes sample number too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate, or information not available. Source: New Earnings Survey.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions employers failed to provide his Department with the required notice of
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impending redundancies under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 in each of the last five years ; how many of these employers were prosecuted under section 194 of that Act ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 1 February 1994] : The following table shows the number who have notified the Department but who failed to do so within the time limits. In each case an explanation is sought. Section 193(7) provides that where it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to comply with the full requirements, he shall take all reasonable steps to comply as far as possible. Taking account of this, it has not so far been considered appropriate by successive Governments since 1975 to prosecute an employer for failure to meet the notice requirements. The figures include many notifications by insolvent companies.
|Number --------------------- 1989 |1,855 1990 |2,828 1991 |4,021 1992 |4,724 1993 |2,630
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response the Government will make to the International Labour Organisation's concern over the ban on union membership at GCHQ ; and when the last correspondence took place over this matter between the ILO and Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. David Hunt [holding answer 1 February 1994] : The Government made it clear to the ILO when it last
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reported in February 1993, and will continue to make it clear in future reports, that their overriding objective remains to safeguard national security, but that they are willing to consider any proposals which are consistent with that objective.Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which EC legislation affects the issue of import licences for pyrotechnic articles.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 1 February 1994] : To avoid barriers to trade, EC directive 93/15/EEC on explosives for civil uses required the removal of import licensing for those explosives within its scope. It was implemented in Great Britain by the Placing on the Market and Supervision of Transfers of Explosives Regulations 1993 which removed import licence controls for all explosives including pyrotechnic articles.
The new regulations require explosives, including all pyrotechnic articles, supplied in the United Kingdom whatever their place of manufacture to be authorised by the Health and Safety Executive, and in the case of fireworks, compliance with British Standard 7114 or an equivalent standard. The Government believe that these new provisions will effectively maintain safety standards.
Sir David Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the main passported benefits to which recipients of (a) income support and (b) family credit are eligible ; and if he will estimate the average weekly value of each benefit in each year since April 1988.
Mr. Burt : The information is in the table.
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Passported Benefits from Income Support Average weekly value |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Housing Benefit<1> |19.01 |21.06 |24.74 |29.35 |34.19 Community Charge Benefit<2> |n.a. |n.a. |6.13 |3.83 |4.60 Cold Weather Payments<3> |5.00 |5.00 |5.00 |6.00 |6.00 Free School Meals See note 4 Free milk and vitamins for pregnant women and children under See note 5
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Passported Benefits from Income Support and Family Credit Average weekly value |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Social Fund Maternity Payments<6> |86.00 |86.00 |100.00 |101.00 |101.00 Social Fund Funeral Payments<6> |497.00 |545.00 |612.00 |706.00 |789.00 NHS Benefits See note 7 Notes: 1. Housing Benefit (HB)-the award of Income Support allows the award of maximum HB. Average weekly value relates HB (rent rebates and rent allowances) payable to eligible IS recipients. 2. Community Charge Benefit (CCB)-the award of Income Support allowed the award of maximum (80) of CCB. In England and Wales CCB, existed for three years from April 1990 to March 1993. Figures for the average amount of CCB in 1988-89 and 1989-90 are not available. CCB was replaced by Council Tax Benefit (CTB) in April 1993. The award of IS allows the award of maximum (100) CTB. Information on the average amount of CTB payable is not yet available. 3. The weekly amount of Cold Weather Payments increased from £5.00 to £6.00 in February 1991. It is only paid for weeks in which the weather forecast is for the temperature to fall to an average equal to, or below, 0 degrees celsius for the period of the forecast. It is payable to Income Support recipients either (a) whose applicable amount includes one or more of the premiums specified in paragraphs 9 to 14 of Part III of Schedule 2 to the General Regulations (pensioner premiums and various premiums paid in respect of a disability), or (b) whose family include a child aged less than 5. 4. Free School Meals-the responsibility for the provision of school meals rests with local education authorities and with governing bodies of self-governing (grant-maintained) schools. It is for them to decide the prices they charge for all school meals and as a result prices vary throughout the country. It is not therefore possible to provide a national average figure. 5. Information about the average weekly value of free milk and vitamins available to recipients of Income Support and Family Credit and their dependents is not available centrally. 6. The amounts shown are the average awards. Social Fund funeral and maternity payments are made as one-off payments for particular events. 7. NHS Benefits are not cash benefits. People receiving IS and FC are entitled to full remission of NHS charges for prescriptions, dental treatment and wigs and fabric supports. They are also entitled to free sight tests and the full value of optical vouchers towards the cost of their glasses. They may also have help with the cost of travelling to hospital for NHS treatment. The statistical information collected centrally by the Department of Health does not separate the prescriptions etc provided free of charge to IS and FC recipients from those provided to other beneficiaries of the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of administering unemployment benefit for Durham in 1993.
Mr. Burt : Information in the form requested is not available. The cost to the Employment Service of administering unemployment benefit and income support for Durham in the financial year 1992-93 was £3.8 million.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he has agreed to make following the review of war pension entitlements.
Mr. Hague : None. There has been no such review.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the budget for the Lewisham district office social fund for the current year as set at 1 April 1993 ; whether the budget was subsequently increased ; how much remains in the budget ; how many applicants have been refused a grant, giving the reasons for refusal ; how many applicants have been refused a loan, giving the reason for refusal ; how many applicants refused went on to appeal ; and how many of these appeals were successful.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Social Fund (SF) in the Benefits Agency's (BA) Lewisham and Brixton District. Details of the initial budget allocations for Lewisham and Brixton District for the 1993-94 financial year are in the Library. There has not been any subsequent additional budget allocation this year. The balance outstanding as at 31 December 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, was £252,848 for grants and £778,676 for loans.
With regard to the number of applicants refused a grant or loan in the District, information on the SF is not kept by SF applicant but by SF application. At 31 December 1993 the numbers of grant and loan applications refused were 6,714 and 5,589 respectively. The reasons for refusal are given at Annex A.
The new Social Fund Computer System (SFCS), introduced to Lewisham and Brixton in July 1993, collects additional statistics which were not collected under the old system. Many statistical items are collected differently and are not directly comparable with previous years. The old system recorded reasons for refusal per application whereas SFCS records reasons for refusal per item requested. In cases where a partial award is made a reason for refusal will also be appropriate. Therefore, the sum of all reasons for refusal will not equal the number of application refusals.
There is no right of appeal against discretionary SF decisions. Applicants dissatisfied with a decision may seek a review of the
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