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British Transport Police
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the effect on the jursidiction of the British Transport police of the Railways Act 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : From 1 April 1994, the British Transport police's jurisdiction in respect of British Rail,
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London Underground Limited and the docklands light railway will be unchanged. It appears, however, that in respect of matters soley affecting Railtrack, its powers of pursuit and investigation could be limited.The Government regard such a limitation, which arises from a purely legal point, as undesirable and are urgently considering with BR and BTP how it might be addressed.
Tolls
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those tunnels and bridges for which his Department has responsibility where tolls are levied which have exemptions for disabled motorists in receipt of mobility supplement and road tax exemption.
Mr. Key : The Department is the highway authority for the Severn bridge and the Dartford-Thurrock crossing. At both crossings, vehicles which are driven or used by disabled people and which are exempt from vehicle excise duty are exempt from tolls.
Scaffolding (Controls)
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authorities which have not adopted section 2 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
Mr. Key [holding answer 1 March 1994] : This provision requires any person erecting scaffolding on or above a highway to be authorised by a licence issued by the highway authority. We are not aware of any highway authority which is not complying with this requirement ; detailed information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
If my right hon. Friend has a particular concern he may care to write to me.
WALES
Pit Closures
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the specific projects, and the amount which (a) has been spent and (b) will be spent to alleviate job losses from coal closures since October 1992 in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
Mr. Redwood : The information requested is shown in the following table.
Assistance for area affected by closure of Taff Merthyr colliery
£000
|Expenditure|Provision
|1992-93 |1993-94
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mid Glamorgan Training and Enterprise Council
Merthyr Modern Manufacturing Training
Centre |100 |-
Cynon Valley Technology Centre |100 |51
Employment Training and Employment
Action (Training for Work from 1
April 1993)<1> |<2>135 |<3>450
Improved Engineering training facilities at
Merthyr College |- |50
Improved Engineering training facilities at
Ystrad Mynach College |- |50
Improved access to training for Merthyr
and Rhymney residents at Alan Davies
Training Centre |- |20
Increased Business Enterprise Support<1> |- |450
Aberdare Opportunity Shop |- |110
Improved Engineering training facilities at
other Mid Glamorgan colleges |- |170
Access to Training for the Homeless in
Aberdare |- |10
Women in the Workforce<1> |- |5
Education/Business Links<1> |- |45
Enhanced Careers Guidance<1> |- |20
Creation of training/work opportunities for
the Disabled<1> |- |15
Urban Programme
Merthyr Tydfil BC:
Goatmill Road, Dowlais |250 |-
Repairs and Renewal to Treharris Boys
Club |53 |-
Cyfarthfa Park |60 |140
Rhymney Valley DC:
Caerphilly Business Park |58 |-
Infrastructure Works at Duffryn
Industrial Estate |100 |-
Cynon Valley DC:
Cwm Cynon Enterprise Centre |100 |100
River/Sewer Diversion, Mountain Ash |130 |-
Technology Centre, Aberaman |30 |-
<1> Cannot be disaggregated to separately identify costs relating to Merthyr
Tydfil and Rhymney.
<2> Excluding participants allowances.
<3> Including participants' allowances.
In addition, expenditure on Welsh Development Agency projects in the hon. Member's constituency is as follows :
|Expenditure |Planned
|October 1992|expenditure
|to date
|£000 |£000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
General site improvements
completed since October 1992 |103 |-
Adoption works under construction |18 |60
Fitting out works at Triangle
Business Park |57 |527
13k sq ft extension at Pentrebach |447 |-
Property Development Grant
assistance for speculative units
totalling 14k sq ft |- |50
Acquisition of Whitbread Enterprise
Centre, Rhymney and
refurbishment |250 |150
Urban Development activity in
Merthyr |2,164 |1,240
Land reclamation activity in the
constituency |6,300 |1,770
Loans to businesses |40 |-
Public Appointments
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the public appointments he is responsible for making in addition to those identified in "Public Bodies 1993", including non-executive agency and other departmental management boards.
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Mr. Redwood : The details of the public appointments I make are given in "Public Bodies : Appointments Made by the Secretary of State for Wales, 1 December 1993", copies are in the Library of the House. In addition, I appoint jointly with the Secretary of State for the Environment, the following :
Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency--
Advisory panel on standards
Michael Fitzgerald, QC (Chairman)
Jeremy Baylis
Michael Rush, CBE
Robin Thompson
The members of Cadw : Welsh Historic Monuments Advisory Committee were given in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd), c. 946 .
Public Bodies
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will publish guidelines on the conduct of members of non-departmental public bodies in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : I expect the highest standards in the conduct of public business in Wales. General guidance is available in "Non Departmental Public Bodies : A Guide for Departments". I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. The Welsh Office draws on this to provide members of executive non-departmental public bodies in Wales, on appointment, with guidelines
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describing the purpose and function of the body, and their responsibilities as board members. The Government are also considering ways in which the approach recommended in the Cadbury committee's report could be adapted to meet the needs of non-departmental public bodies.Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many non- departmental public bodies there are in Wales as at 1 January ; and what is their total budget.
Mr. Redwood : The information requested is given in HMSO "Public Bodies 1993" which is in the Library of the House.
Strategic Development Scheme
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was allocated to the district and borough councils in Wales by the Welsh Office out of the strategic development scheme in 1992.
Mr. Redwood : The strategic development scheme was launched on 11 June 1993 when a Welsh Office circular invited local authorities to submit bids for support in 1994-95. The scheme brought together support previously administered separately through the urban programme, rural initiative, projects of regional and national importance and special project schemes. The allocations to the district and borough councils in Wales in 1992-93 under these separate schemes is set out in the table.
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1992-93 Allocations
Council |Urban |Rural |PRNI/SP |Total
|Programme |Initiative
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside District Council |110,000 |- |- |110,000
Colwyn Borough Council |137,000 |- |- |137,000
Delyn |765,658 |- |2,000,000 |2,765,658
Glyndwr District Council |225,237 |- |- |225,237
Rhuddlan Borough Council |1,129,500 |- |825,000 |1,954,500
Wrexham Maelor Borough Council |562,059 |- |200,000 |762,059
Carmarthen District Council |£17,865 |126,500 |- |144,365
Ceredigion District Council |107,163 |100,000 |- |207,163
Dinefwr Borough Council |1,083,375 |125,000 |600,000 |1,808,375
Llanelli Borough Council |1,103,627 |- |1,200,000 |2,303,627
Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council |112,439 |342,104 |700,000 |1,154,543
South Pembrokeshire District Council |198,000 |142,000 |- |340,000
Blaenau Gwent Borough Council |1,692,885 |- |700,000 |2,392,885
Islwyn Borough Council |852,476 |- |- |852,476
Monmouth District Council |32,724 |211,000 |- |243,724
Newport Borough Council |840,426 |- |- |840,426
Torfaen Borough Council |484,436 |- |- |484,436
Aberconwy Borough Council |190,900 |617,983 |2,185,000 |2,993,883
Arfon Borough Council |661,932 |94,500 |- |756,432
Dwyfor District Council |150,000 |156,400 |1,900,000 |2,206,400
Meirionnydd District Council |223,529 |100,000 |- |323,529
Ynys Mon Borough Council |325,282 |135,000 |- |460,282
Cynon Valley Borough Council |2,334,765 |- |- |2,334,765
Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council |1,499,581 |- |- |1,499,581
Ogwr Borough Council |1,363,902 |- |- |1,363,902
Rhondda Borough Council |1,909,285 |- |- |1,909,285
Rhymney Valley Borough Council |1,173,766 |- |- |1,173,766
Taff Ely Borough Council |1,094,591 |- |- |1,094,591
Brecknock Borough Council |252,000 |- |- |252,000
Montgomeryshire District Council |- |196,826 |- |196,826
Radnor District Council |15,836 |- |250,000 |265,836
Cardiff City Council |1,099,683 |- |- |1,099,683
Vale of Glamorgan County Council |587,677 |- |- |587,677
Port Talbot Borough Council |191,047 |- |- |191,047
Lliw Valley Borough Council |439,078 |- |- |439,078
Neath Borough Council |686,811 |- |- |686,811
Swansea City Council |564,697 |- |500,000 |1,064,697
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Wales Total |24,219,232|2,347,313 |11,060,000|37,626,545
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received in favour of the intention to replace the Welsh dragon with the Union Jack on Welsh Development Agency literature ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : There is no such intention. However, based on my personal experience of meeting business people from overseas while promoting Wales, I have suggested to the Welsh Development Agency that the recognition of Wales as a first-class location for inward investment would be assisted by having both symbols prominent in the literature.
Railway Lines
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make provision, in his reorganisation of local government in Wales for specific funding for unitary authorities to underpin financially socially necessary railway lines ; and if he will make a statement.
Clwyd (Job Losses)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of (a) steel and (b) aerospace jobs lost in Clwyd since 1979.
Mr. Redwood : The information requested cannot be given as to do so would breach rules of company confidentiality.
Poolside Development, Caernarfon
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to expedite the necessary decisions, currently being discussed between the Welsh Development Agency, Arfon borough council, Gwynedd county council and the Welsh Office, in relation to the Poolside development at Caernarfon.
Mr. Redwood : I understand that a meeting between Arfon BC and Bangor Market Company Ltd.--to discuss design proposals for this site--is due to take place within the next two weeks. Once the company has firm proposals
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my officials will be happy to discuss the possibility of urban investment grant support for a retail development on the site.National Curriculum
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what considerations underlay the issue of English language versions of material used in connection with the implementation of the national curriculum before the Welsh language versions were made available ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : It is my aim to issue national curriculum documents in Welsh and English simultaneously whenever possible. Where the documents are not issued at the same time, this is for practical reasons.
Lorry Routes
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration has been given to the establishment of a national network of lorry routes based on weight and speed limits ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Motorways and trunk roads form a national network of through routes in Wales. They are suitable for all classes of vehicle except where specific constraints necessitate weight, height or length restrictions.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was allocated to each district and borough council in Wales out of the strategic development scheme fund in 1993 ; and how this figure was reached in each case.
Mr. Redwood : Allocations for 1993-94 through the urban programme, rural initiative, projects of regional and national importance and special project schemes were determined by a number of factors. A strategic approach was positively encouraged under the urban programme and bids forming part of an acceptable local strategy received priority. Voluntary sector bids under the urban programme and rural initiative were also given some priority. Other factors taken fully into account for all schemes included value for money, jobs created and sustainable economic development.
The allocations to the district and borough councils in Wales under these separate schemes is set out in the following table :
Column 841
1993-94 Allocations
Council |Urban |Rural |PRNI/SP |Total
|Programme |Initiative
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside District Council |337,500 |- |- |337,500
Colwyn Borough Council |70,000 |36,000 |1,226,000 |1,332,000
Delyn |337,998 |- |1,950,000 |2,287,998
Glyndwr District Council |118,131 |174,540 |- |292,671
Ruddlan Borough Council |1,137,554 |27,000 |1,200,000 |2,364,554
Wrexham Maelor Borough Council |246,401 |- |2,085,000 |2,331,401
Carmarthen District Council |17,865 |120,000 |- |137,865
Ceredigion District Council |76,781 |519,000 |500,000 |1,095,781
Dinefwr Borough Council |427,830 |236,000 |- |663,830
Llanelli Borough Council |764,057 |- |1,500,000 |2,264,057
Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council |140,000 |1,007,460 |- |1,147,460
South Pembrokeshire District Council |221,792 |672,238 |1,000,000 |1,894,030
Blaenau Gwent Borough Council |915,728 |- |655,000 |1,570,728
Islwyn Borough Council |722,920 |- |- |722,920
Monmouth District Council |183,306 |111,911 |- |295,217
Newport Borough Council |1,034,386 |- |- |1,034,386
Torfaen Borough Council |345,344 |- |- |345,344
Aberconwy Borough Council |170,450 |440,000 |- |610,451
Arfon Borough Council |381,854 |590,000 |- |971,854
Dwyfor District Council |121,475 |501,300 |1,000,000 |1,622,775
Meirionnydd District Council |157,595 |457,500 |- |615,095
Ynys Mon Borough Council |116,291 |165,000 |- |281,291
Cynon Valley Borough Council |1,725,532 |- |- |1,725,532
Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council |987,046 |- |- |987,046
Ogwr Borough Council |1,165,412 |- |- |1,165,412
Rhondda Borough Council |2,799,766 |- |- |2,799,766
Rhymney Valley Borough Council |744,720 |- |- |744,720
Taff Ely Borough Council |533,282 |- |- |533,282
Brecknock Borough Council |- |110,000 |720,000 |830,000
Montgomeryshire District Council |- |262,000 |- |262,000
Radnor District Council |15,836 |- |- |15,836
Cardiff City Council |1,305,692 |- |- |1,305,692
Vale of Glamorgan County Council |760,882 |- |- |760,882
Port Talbot Borough Council |330,809 |- |- |330,809
Lliw Valley Borough Council |338,504 |8,344 |- |346,848
Neath Borough Council |310,285 |- |- |310,285
Swansea City Council |964,804 |- |165,000 |1,129,804
|--- |--- |--- |---
Wales total |20,027,828|5,438,293 |12,121,000|37,587,121
Water Disconnections
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of domestic water disconnections in Wales for 1993.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The collection of statistics on water disconnections is a matter for the Director General of Water Services, who publishes this information on a half yearly basis.
The data for the period 1 April 1993 to 30 September 1993 are held in the Library of the House. The results for the period 1 October 1993 to 31 March 1994 will be published in May.
Rural Roads
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available extra resources to enable highway authorities to improve the maintenance of rural roads.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Resources for local authorities' responsibility for highway maintenance are provided through the local government revenue settlement. They determine the level of expenditure in the light of total resources available and local needs.
Social Services (Charging)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from representatives of people with learning difficulties concerning county personal social services charging policies.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I have received six letters on this subject.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the Clwyd People First Committee to discuss charging policies.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : No. The charging policies to which the hon. Member is referring are entirely a matter for Clwyd county council.
Column 844
Children's Play
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about his policy on children's playing fields and children's play ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The main planners and providers in this field are local authorities and the voluntary sector. Central Government support is provided by way of grant to help meet the costs of Play Wales, an advisory body made up of representatives from county and district councils and the voluntary sector.
Private Patients
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total income from private patients in the national health service in each year since 1989-90.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 10 February, column 433-35 .
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the income from private patients of each trust hospital in each year since 1990 -91.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : There were no NHS trusts in operation in Wales prior to 1992-93. In that year the Pembrokeshire NHS trust came into effect and received £155,000 income from private patients. However, separate figures for each of the trust's hospitals are not available centrally.
Consultants
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of (a) finished consultant episodes and (b) private patient finished consultant episodes in each year since 1989-90.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information in Wales is collected on the basis of in-patient cases treated in NHS hospitals and is given in the following table.
Column 845
|Total number |of which
|of in-patient|private
|cases |patients
--------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |475,515 |1,994
1990-91 |482,473 |1,760
1991-92 |500,336 |1,558
1992-93 |503,657 |1,257
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Pergau Dam
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he will use in directing what to include in the summary documents to be submitted to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the aid support given to the Pergau dam project in Malaysia.
Mr. Goodlad : The summaries of documents which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has provided with his memorandum to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Pergau and aid and trade provision were drawn up in line with the long-standing conventions relating to the release of documents to Select Committees.
GCHQ
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the (a) planned costs and (b) actual spending on GCHQ civil servants' travel expenses for the last five years for which figures are available.
Mr. Hurd : It is not the Government's policy to give detailed information about the expenditure of individual security and intelligence agencies. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 30 November 1993, Official Report, columns 419-20, figures for the aggregate expenditure on the security and intelligence agencies will be published with main estimates.
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are applied by civil servants at GCHQ as to what class of air-travel they use.
Mr. Hurd : In determining travel arrangements for GCHQ civil servants, use is made where practicable of RAF flights, economy fares and MOD charter. Otherwise, normal commercial carriers are used with class of air travel determined in accordance with the following criteria :
Structure |<1>Grade 3 and above|Other grades
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First/Economy |(a) Economy |Economy
|(b) First |Economy
Business/Tourist<1> |(a) Business |Tourist
|(b) Business |Business
First/Business/Tourist<1> |(a) Business |Tourist
|(b) Business |Business
<1>Or equivalent.
Note: (a) relates to flights up to 2.5 hours long;
(b) to longer flights.
Column 846
Chemical Weapons Convention
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made as to the implications of the United Kingdom Government failing to implement the chemical weapons convention before July 1994.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There are unlikely to be any significant implications if the Government do not implement the chemical weapons convention by July 1994, as the earliest the convention can enter into force is January 1995.
Mr. Lorrain Osman
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why his Department issued a fresh public interest immunity certificate on the seventh application by Mr. Lorrain Osman for habeas corpus in January 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : A public interest immunity certificate was signed in the course of Lorrain Osman's seventh application for habeas corpus to reassert the public interest in non-disclosure of documents sought by Mr. Osman.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the reasons why he, on 26 October 1990, applied for a court order to strike out from affirmations made by Mr. Lorrain Osman all passages referring to nine FCO documents already disclosed to his advisers and the removal of copies of all nine documents from the possession of Mr. Osman and from the record of the court ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : The order was applied for on the grounds that the documents in question were subject to public interest immunity and irrelevant.
Public Interest Immunity Certificates
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the reasons why the disclosure of documents which were the subject of a public interest immunity certificate issued by the former hon. Member for Warwickshire, North on 12 June 1990 was thought likely to prejudice relations between Her Majesty's Government and an overseas Government or affect the efficiency of the officers concerned in carrying out negotiations or other diplomatic duties overseas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : Confidential diplomatic communications are a well- established class of documents whose disclosure would not be in the public interest.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the nature of the relations, dealing or negotiations between the Government of the United Kingdom and other Governments referred to in paragraph 4 of the public interest immunity certificate issued on 12 June 1990 by the former hon. Member for Warwickshire, North in connection with communications between the Hong Kong Government, the United Kingdom high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 847
Mr. Goodlad : No. Our relations with other Governments are confidential.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times since 1979 a public interest immunity certificate has been issued by a Government Minister in a criminal case affecting the liberty of the subject ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : As regards Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, the information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in respect of how many documents the former hon. Member for Warwickshire, North, then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, claimed public interest immunity by a certificate dated 12 June 1990 in connection with communications between the Hong Kong Government, the United Kingdom high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ; and if he will make a statement.
Dependent Territories
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current rate of (a) income tax, (b) capital gains tax and (c) corporation tax in each British dependent territory.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman shortly with the information requested.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was (a) the total revenue received from off-shore financial activities and (b) the total expenditure on regulating such activities by the locally elected administration of each British dependent territory in the Caribbean in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information is as follows :
Caribbean Dependent Territories: Offshore Finance
Financial year 1992-93
|Total Revenue|Total cost of
|regulation
|(£) |(£)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Anguilla<1> |155,750 |77,500
British Virgin Islands<1> |12.66 million|733,333
Cayman Islands |19.52 million|1.16 million
Montserrat |159,000 |33,000
Turks and Caicos Islands |1.54 million |200,000
<1>Estimate.
HEALTH
Kidney Transplants
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many kidney patients died in 1992 while awaiting a suitable donor organ.
Column 848
Mr. Sackville : There is no information about the number of people awaiting a kidney transplant who died of kidney disease during 1992. Kidney failure is fatal unless treated with dialysis or transplantation. People on dialysis awaiting a transplant may live for many years and may die from causes other than kidney failure.
Minimal Access Surgery
Mr. Sims : To ask the Secretary of State for Health with which bodies her Department is consulting as to the implications of the Cuschieri report on minimal access surgery ; what plans she has to implement the report's recommendations ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : We have referred Professor Cuschieri's report to the Standing Medical Advisory Committee and the Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee for advice.
Discussions are taking place with the competent authorities regarding standards of training of doctors in relation to minimal access surgery. The Department of Health and the Wolfson Foundation are funding the establishment of two minimal access therapy training units in England. Minimal access therapy has been identified as a priority for research to obtain better information about outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of new treatments.
Regional Offices
Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to reorganise the regional offices of the national health service ; what criteria will be applied to potential locations in the north-eastern region.
Dr. Mawhinney : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in her statement on managing the NHS on 21 October 1993 her intention to abolish regional health authorities and reorganise the National Health Service Management Executive to include eight regional offices. As a first step towards the new structure she has decided, following consultation, to reduce the number of regional health authorities from 14 to eight, creating common boundaries with the regional offices. Decisions regarding the location of the new regional offices have yet to be reached.
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