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Sir Patrick Mayhew : My hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) is continuing his bilateral discussions with, at present, three of the four Northern Ireland parties. The two Governments continue to work extensively on a framework to carry the process forward.
Security Situation
17. Mr. Spring : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the current security situation in the Province.
22. Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on security matters as they relate to Northern Ireland.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) earlier today.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
18. Mr. Simpson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the results achieved by the Northern Ireland criminal injuries compensation scheme with particular reference to the effects on the victim.
Sir John Wheeler : The chief executive of the Compensation Agency advises that the 1994 provisional
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outturn for criminal injuries was 11,289 claims cleared and compensation totalling £29.6 million paid. No amount can fully compensate for the effect of criminal injuries.Joint Declaration
19. Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for advancing the Downing street declaration ; and what he proposes for the next stage.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink) earlier today.
Social Security
21. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on eligibility for social security benefits in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ancram : Social security benefits are available in Northern Ireland on the same basis as they are in Great Britain.
Inward Investment
23. Mr. Fabricant : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives he is making to promote investment by United States companies in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : The year 1993-94 has been an encouraging year in terms of inward investment and I believe that new Industrial Development Board initiatives in San Jose and Atlanta will help to maintain the momentum and reinforce success.
27. Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on prospects for inward investment to Northern Ireland during the period 1994 to 1995.
Mr. Tim Smith : Recent results suggest the Industrial Development Board is experiencing increasing success and it is my hope that we will see a continuation of this trend.
Trade With the Irish Republic
24. Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to encourage trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : The Industrial Development Board has organised a series of export seminars and clinics to advise Northern Ireland companies about export opportunities in the Republic of Ireland. In addition, since 1992 the board and the Irish Trade Board have co-operated in a wide range of trade and export activities.
Mr. Gerry Adams
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the document agreed between the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) and Mr. Gerry Adams ; and if he will make a statement.
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Housing
Mr. Duncan : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet future housing needs in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : I commend the Housing Executive, housing associations and the private sector for the excellent contributions they have made, and continue to make, to improving housing in Northern Ireland and meeting the Government's objectives of increasing owner-occupation, improving housing conditions and meeting urgent housing need. Future housing policies and programmes must build on the progress made to date. I have, therefore, asked the Department of the Environment to initiate a housing review with the following terms of reference :
"to review policies and programmes aimed at meeting housing need in Northern Ireland".
The Department will shortly be inviting a wide range of interests to submit comments and proposals to this review and I intend to publish a consultation paper on the outcome. I want to make it quite clear that this review is of policies and programmes and is predicated on the continued existence of the Housing Executive as the single regional housing authority, together with an expanding voluntary housing sector and a growing private sector.
Nursing and Midwifery Staff
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the whole-time equivalent numbers of (a) agency and (b) bank nursing and midwifery staff employed in the NHS for each year since 1987.
Mr. Ancram : There are no agency nurses employed in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland. Information on the number of bank nurses, whole-time equivalent, is only available from 1990 and is as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1990 |40.38
1991 |47.40
1992 |42.46
1993 |58.74
There are no bank midwifery staff.
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many qualified NHS nurses and midwives, unqualified NHS nursing staff and nursing learners there were in each year since 1993 ; and what percentage each group was of the total NHS and midwifery staff in each year.
Mr. Ancram : The information, at December 1993, is as follows :
|Whole time |Percentage of all |Percentage of total
|equivalent |nurses |NHS staff
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trained nursing |12,230.88 |77.19 |28.58
Student nursing |230.10 |1.45 |0.54
Other nursing |3,384.69 |21.36 |7.91
Note: Figures for Student Nursing represent traditional students and exclude 1694 Project 2000
students.
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the numbers of whole-time
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equivalent NHS nursing and midwifery staff employed on each grade and pay point of the clinical grades, educational grades and senior nursing and midwifery pay spine in each year since 1990.Column 298
Mr. Ancram : Details of the number of whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery staff are as follows :
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[TITRE} ------------------------------------------------------------------ Senior Nursing Staff |74.11 |65.00 |66.00 |56.00 Scale A |2,737.79|2,899.24|2,807.74|285.37 Scale B |226.68 |342.47 |430.92 |522.21 Scale C |1,124.27|995.37 |907.95 |798.52 Scale D |3,448.58|3,798.34|3,818.30|4,097.26 Scale E |4,884.96|4,733.83|4,536.20|4,374.00 Scale F |430.92 |419.23 |438.31 |422.27 Scale G |2,221.14|2,142.14|2,034.61|1,905.79 Scale H |183.40 |223.40 |241.59 |238.59 Scale I |184.64 |165.67 |155.27 |136.27 Educational Grades |284.73 |288.80 |282.09 |274.87 Note: Information for 1990 and details of nurses on pay points is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Nursing Education
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of entrants to initial pre-registration nursing education by course of study and by the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each year since 1989.
Mr. Ancram : The information is as follows :
Number of
students who
commenced training
Part of register |1988-89 |1989-90
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 1 (general nursing) |708 |671
Part 3 (medical health nursing) |186 |176
Part 5 (mental handicap nursing) |58 |54
Part 8 (children's nursing) |10 |18
Part 1-degree |20 |22
Part 1-part 8 |56 |46
|--- |---
Total |1,038 |987
Part of register Number of
students who
commenced training
|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 1 (General Nursing) |409 |180 |150
Part 1/Degree |27 |32 |-
Part 3 (Mental Health Nursing) |94 |61 |27
Part 5 (Mental Handicap Nursing) |12 |34 |22
Part 8 (Children's Nursing) |23 |12 |-
Part 12 (Adult Nursing-P2000) |217 |429 |461
Part 13 (Mental Health Nursing: P2000) |36 |94 |79
Part 14 (Mental Handicap Nursing: P2000) |18 |43 |34
Part 15 (Children's Nursing: P2000) |16 |30 |49
Part 12/Degree |- |- |32
|--- |--- |---
Total |852 |915 |854
It is not possible without undertaking a detailed manual exercise to provide details of the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each year. However, the minimum entry requirements are five GCSE or GCE O- level grades or equivalent.
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Health Service Staff
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of health service directly employed staff by main staff group for each year since 1987 ; and what were the changes between each year and the next over the whole period in numbers and percentages.
Mr. Ancram : The information is as follows :
HPSS workforce by staff group (whole time equivalents)
Main staff groups |Numbers
----------------------------------------------------------------
1987
Medical |2,007.66
Trained Nursing |12,293.16
Student Nursing |2,924.00
Other Nursing |2,747.84
Paramedical |2,365.76
Administration and Clerical |5,787.98
Domestic and Allied |8,927.95
Tradesmen |951.61
Other Grades |611.73
Social Services |4,380.29
Dental |361.24
Pharmacy |235.09
Ambulance |579.25
Home Helps |2,965.81
|-------
Total |47,139.37
1988 compared
with 1987
Main staff groups |1988 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |2,036.91 |+20.25 |+1.46
Trained nursing |12,581.10 |+287.94 |+2.34
Student nursing |2,841.90 |-82.10 |-2.81
Other nursing |2,776.61 |+28.77 |+1.05
Paramedical |2,440.54 |+74.78 |+3.16
Administration and clerical |5,944.29 |+156.31 |+2.70
Domestic and Allied |8,510.79 |-417.16 |+4.67
Tradesmen |927.00 |-24.61 |-2.59
Other Grades |596.97 |-14.76 |-2.41
Social Services |4,463.17 |+82.88 |+1.89
Dental |355.71 |-5.53 |-1.53
Pharmacy |237.60 |+2.51 |+1.07
Ambulance |575.75 |-3.50 |-0.60
Home Helps |2,758.82 |-206.99 |-6.98
|------- |------- |-------
Total |47,047.16 |-92.21 |-0.20
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1989 compared
with 1988
Main staff groups |1989 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |2,073.52 |+36.51 |+1.80
Trained nursing |12,507.94 |-73.16 |-0.58
Student nursing |2,733.03 |-108.87 |-3.83
Other nursing |2,855.15 |+78.54 |+2.83
Paramedical |2,484.12 |+43.58 |+1.79
Administration and clerical |6,257.90 |+313.61 |+5.28
Domestic and allied |7,905.80 |-604.99 |-7.11
Tradesmen |913.00 |-14.00 |-1.51
Other grades |556.78 |-40.19 |-6.73
Social services |4,552.56 |+89.39 |+2.00
Dental |344.80 |-10.91 |-3.07
Pharmacy |247.70 |+10.10 |-4.25
Ambulance |567.84 |-7.91 |-1.37
Home helps |2,703.14 |-55.68 |-2.02
|------- |------- |-------
Total |46,703.28 |-343.88 |-0.73
1990 compared
with 1989
Main Staff Groups |1990 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |1,977.57 |95.95 |-4.63
Trained Nursing |12,471.98 |-35.96 |-0.29
Student Nursing |<1>1,678.24 |-154.79 |-5.66
Other Nursing |2,946.71 |+91.56 |+3.21
Paramedical |2,564.08 |+69.96 |+2.82
Administration and Clerical |6,748.95 |+491.05 |+7.85
Domestic and Allied |7,127.49 |-778.31 |-9.84
Tradesmen |878.00 |-35.00 |-3.83
Other Grades |526.78 |-30.00 |-5.39
Social Services |4,624.16 |+71.60 |+1.57
Dental |339.84 |-4.96 |-1.44
Pharmacy |250.39 |+2.96 |+1.09
Ambulance |588.43 |+20.59 |+3.63
Home Helps |2,373.48 |-329.66 |-12.20
|----- |----- |----
Total |45,986.10 |-717.18 |-1.51
1991 compared
with 1990
Main Staff Groups |1991 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |2,027.22 |+49.65 |+2.51
Trained Nursing |12,506.44 |+34.46 |+0.28
Student Nursing |<2>1,786.30 |-811.94 |-31.49
Other Nursing |3,253.93 |+307.22 |+10.43
Paramedical |2,679.21 |+125.13 |+4.9
Administration and Clerical |7,379.17 |+630.22 |+9.34
Domestic and Allied |6,215.58 |-911.91 |-12.79
Tradesmen |839.00 |-39.00 |-4.44
Other Grades |476.85 |-49.93 |-9.48
Social Services |4,628.71 |+4.55 |+0.10
Dental |325.50 |-14.34 |-4.22
Pharmacy |255.11 |+4.72 |+1.89
Ambulance |579.75 |-8.68 |-1.48
Home Helps |2,268.62 |-104.86 |-4.42
|----- |----- |----
Total |45,201.40 |-784.70 |-1.71
1992 compared
with 1991
Main staff groups |1992 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |1,943.82 |-8.34 |-4.11
Trained nursing |12,343.90 |-162.54 |-1.30
Student nursing |<3>942.40 |-823.9 |46.65
Other nursing |3,267.75 |+13.82 |+0.43
Paramedical |2,746.00 |+66.79 |+2.49
Administrative and Clerical |7,632.45 |+253.28 |+3.43
Domestic and allied |5,678.67 |-536.91 |-8.64
Tradesmen |801.00 |-38.00 |-4.53
Other grades |480.15 |+3.30 |+0.69
Social services |4,596.99 |-31.72 |-0.69
Dental |321.02 |-4.48 |-1.38
Pharmacy |253.88 |-1.23 |-0.48
Ambulance |673.24 |+93.39 |+16.13
Home helps |2,085.85 |-182.77 |-8.06
|------- |------- |-------
Total |43,767.12 |-1,434.28 |-3.17
1993 compared
with 1992
Main staff groups |1993 |Numbers |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical |1,968.26 |+24.44 |+1.26
Trained nursing |12,230.88 |-113.02 |-0.92
Student nursing |<4>230.10 |-712.30 |-75.58
Other nursing |3,384.69 |+116.94 |+3.58
Paramedical |2,785.82 |+39.82 |+1.45
Administrative and Clerical |7,804.27 |+171.82 |+2.25
Domestic and allied |5,407.78 |-270.89 |-4.77
Tradesmen |781.00 |-20.00 |-2.50
Other grades |447.62 |-32.53 |-6.77
Social services |4,543.92 |-53.07 |-1.15
Dental |314.96 |-6.06 |-1.89
Pharmacy |258.29 |+4.41 |+1.74
Ambulance |669.92 |+3.32 |-0.49
Home helps |1,974.95 |-110.90 |-5.32
|------- |------- |-------
Total |42,802.46 |-964.66 |-2.20
Main Staff Groups 1993 Compared
with 1987
|Numbers |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------
Medical |-39.40 |-1.96
Trained Nursing |-62.28 |-0.51
Student Nursing |-2,693.90|-92.13
Other Nursing |+636.85 |+23.18
Paramedical |+420.06 |+17.76
Admin and Clerical |+2,016.29|+34.84
Domestic and Allied |-3,520.17|-39.43
Tradesmen |-170.61 |-17.93
Other Grades |-164.11 |-26.83
Social Services |+163.63 |+3.74
Dental |-46.28 |-12.81
Pharmacy |+23.20 |+9.87
Ambulance |+90.67 |+15.65
Home Helps |-990.86 |-33.41
|------- |-------
Total |-4,336.91|-9.20
<1> Excludes 188 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.
<2> Excludes 861 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.
<3> Excludes 1,441 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.
<4> Excludes 1,694 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many regular publications he was responsible in 1993-94 ; what was their circulation ; and how many were obtainable by subscription.
Sir John Wheeler : The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments produced 192 regular publications during the financial year 1993-94. Circulation included a wide range of public and private sector bodies, groups representing clients interests, interested parties, academics, various officials and, where appropriate, Northern Ireland Members of Parliament, Northern Ireland and party spokesmen and the Library of the House. Some 107 of those regular publications were available by subscription or for purchase through HMSO.
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Strangford Lough Marine Nature Reserve
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans have been made to ensure that the livelihoods of fishermen will be protected as a result of the proposed designation of the Strangford Lough marine nature reserve ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : It is not anticipated that the creation of the proposed marine nature reserve for Strangford Lough will adversely affect the livelihoods of local fishermen ; nonetheless, following objections received from organisations representing the fishermen, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will continue its dialogue with the representatives concerned with a view to resolving any problems.
Ambulance Service
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the standard response times of the ambulance service in the Southern and Eastern health board areas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : The standard response times for an emergency ambulance call in Eastern ambulance HSS trust area is 18 minutes, that is, from the receipt of the call to the arrival of a vehicle at the site of the patient. Over the nine months period 1 April to 31 December 1993, 93 per cent. of emergency ambulance calls were responded to within this target.
The standard response times for an emergency ambulance call in Southern health and social services board area is 21 minutes, that is, from the receipt of the call to the arrival of a vehicle at the site of the patient. Over the nine months period 1 April to 31 December 1993, 95 per cent. of emergency ambulance calls were responded to within this target.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the current response times of the ambulance service in the Mournes area of South Down covered by the Southern health and social services board ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : Information on response times is not available for the Mournes area of South Down as this information is collected only on an area board basis.
Vehicle Crime
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the reduction in (a) non-terrorist related vehicle crime and (b) all vehicle crime, since the introduction of photo- driving licences in Northern Ireland.
Sir John Wheeler : None. Photographs have appeared on driving licences in Northern Ireland since 1927.
Cremations
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest available annual figure for the number of people cremated.
Mr. Tim Smith : In 1993, 1,926 cremations took place.
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Social Workers
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it compulsory for the new trust boards to employ approved social workers to care for (a) the mentally sick and (b) people with disability ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : Any health and social services trust holding an authorisation from a board to exercise statutory functions under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 is already under a statutory duty to employ approved social workers and accordingly no further action is necessary.
Approved social workers are only appointed under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 to exercise functions in relation to applications for admission to hospital and guardianship in respect of people with mental disorder ie mental illness, mental handicap or any other disorder or disability of mind.
HEALTH
Water Births
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance clarifying whether a mother has a right to a water birth.
Mr. Sackville : District health authorities as purchasers and hospitals as providers should seek the views of women in determining arrangements for maternity care, including the birth itself. The Expert Maternity Group's report, "Changing Childbirth", calls on the national health service to provide a service which is as responsible as possible to the needs of women.
Circular EL(94)9 already sets out action required by the NHS to implement the recommendations of the expert maternity group within the next five years.
Copies of "Changing Childbirth" and circular EL(94)9 are available in the Library.
AIDS
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocations were made to local authorities in the northern region for AIDS support in (a) 1993-94 and (b) 1994-95 ; and what was the basis of allocation to such authorities in each of those years.
Mr. Sackville : For 1993-94 AIDS support grant allocations were made on the basis of open-ended bids submitted by local authorities. Local authorities not receiving AIDS support grant were given money under the health alliances scheme for HIV prevention and joint working with health authorities.
For 1994-95 local authorities were invited to submit expenditure plans against indicative allocations of both AIDS support grant and healthy alliances moneys. These allocations were based on confidential information available for the first time and supplied to the Department by the Public Health Laboratory Service on the distribution of AIDS cases by local authority area. Where this formula would mean a reduction in grant in 1994- 95, local authorities were advised that there might, in exceptional circumstances, be some scope to adjust allocations on a transitional basis and that applications for additional grant could be made. We hope to issue letters confirming final allocations shortly.
Column 303
The information requested for the northern region is shown in the table. The figures in brackets relate to allocations under the healthy alliance scheme.Column 303
1993-94 1994-95
Allocation Indicative
allocation
Authority |AIDS support grant|Healthy alliances |AIDS support grant|Healthy alliances
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleveland |0 |(56,000) |27,000 |(5,000)
Cumbria |0 |(31,000) |10,000 |(2,000)
Durham |0 |(44,000) |2,000 |(6,000)
Gateshead |0 |(30,000) |10,000 |(2,000)
Newcastle |223,000 |(0) |86,000 |(64,000)
Northumberland |0 |(25,000) |15,000 |(3,000)
North Tyneside |0 |(54,000) |15,000 |(3,000)
South Tyneside |0 |(45,000) |15,000 |(3,000)
Sunderland |0 |(48,000) |10,000 |(2,000)
Junior Doctors
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of junior doctors in each region and in England.
Dr. Mawhinney : The most up-to-date figures, for September 1993, are expected to be available in August this year.
Column 304
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average working hours for junior doctors in each of London's regional health authorities ; and what the figures were in 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Dr. Mawhinney : Information on the average working hours of junior doctors is not available.
Trends in the patterns of contracted hours are monitored by the regional task forces and are summarised in the table. Data for 1990 are not available.
Column 303
Percentage |North West Thames|North East Thames|South East Thames|South West Thames contracted for 83 hours a week or less ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ September 1991 |84 |66 |77 |78 September 1992 |85 |80 |75 |91 September 1993 |100.0 |98.9 |99.8 |99.9
Medical Negligence
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the proven cases of medical negligence in hospitals in England in the last 10 years ; what was the average completion time in such cases ; in how many cases medical practitioners were (a) dismissed from the health service, (b) advised to retire or (c) suffered some other sanction ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 14 March at columns 537-38.
Ophthalmics
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions exist on ophthalmological departments of hospitals setting themselves up as opticians.
Mr. Sackville : None, provided that this does not significantly interfere with national health service activity or disadvantage NHS patients.
Staff Levels
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the present level of nursing staff in (a) London and (b) Lewisham.
Column 304
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 April at column 197.
Maternal Death
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Department intends to take to improve co-operation or impose sanctions so that all report forms of maternal death are returned to the confidential inquiry into maternal death.
Mr. Sackville : One of the outstanding features of the confidential inquiry into maternal deaths and one of the factors contributing to its success, has been its voluntary nature. The Department therefore has no plans to impose sanctions on health authorities for the return of report forms notifying maternal deaths.
However, when the latest report, covering the period 1988-90, was disseminated in January of this year, under cover of a leter PLCMO(94)1 from the Chief Medical Officer, the opportunity was taken to remind health professionals of the importance of completing reports promptly. This is a matter that is kept under regular review. Copies of the letter are available in the Library.
Paracetamol Overdose
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of suicide deaths resulted from paracetamol overdose in each of the last five years.
Mr. Sackville : The information is shown in the table.
Column 305
Suicide deaths from poisoning where paracetamol is mentioned in the deaths' records.
England and Wales 1988-1992.
Paracetamol Paracetamol with
without mention of mention of other
other drugs drugs
Year |Numbers |Percentage of |Numbers |Percentage of
|suicide deaths |suicide deaths
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988 |102 (10) |2.4 |29 (4) |0.7
1989 |64 ( 3) |1.7 |13 (3) |0.3
1990 |101 ( 5) |2.6 |5 (-) |0.1
1991 |81 ( 5) |2.1 |23 (3) |0.6
1992 |99 (11) |2.5 |12 (3) |0.3
The figures in brackets are deaths where there was also a mention of alcohol.
Note: This table is compiled using the information available in Table 2 of Series DH2,
and Table 10 of Series DH4.
Table 2 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Mortality
Statistics: cause" Series DH2 lists all three-digit ICD (International Classification of
Diseases) categories containing a death, and also all four digit categories that are
expected to attain 20 deaths annually.
Table 10 of the OPCS publication "Mortality statistics: injury and poisoning" Series DH4
nos. 15-19, lists all substances mentioned in the records of deaths assigned to
accidental and other poisoning by solid or liquid substances. The inclusion of a
substance in this list does not, however, imply that it is necessarily toxic. Where two
or more substances are mentioned together the contribution, if any, of each to the death
is unknown; even where one substance is listed alone there may well be the other factors
with an important bearing on death.
Copies of the publications are available in the Library.
Hospital Consultant Posts
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital consultant posts by specialty are currently vacant.
Dr. Mawhinney : The most up-to-date figures, for September 1993, are expected to be available in August 1994.
Health Services, Leeds
Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds have been closed in (a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust since their inception as trusts.
Mr. Sackville : The latest information available is published in "Bed Availability in England 1992-93", a copy of which is available in the Library.
Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many operations were cancelled in the last three months of the 1993-94 financial year in (a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust ;
(2) how many patients were not admitted within a month of their second cancelled operation in (a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust in the last quarter of the 1993-94 financial year.
Mr. Sackville : These are matters for the St. James's university hospital and United Leeds teaching hospitals national health service trusts. The hon. Member may wish to contact the acting chairman and chairman Councillor Mr. Bernard Atha and Mr. Tony Clegg, respectively.
Health Services, Sunderland
Mr. Etherington : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which date Sunderland district health authority (a) considered and (b) resolved to move the Sunderland family health services authority to the Durham road children's centre.
Mr. Sackville : This is a matter for the Sunderland family health services authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. John Brown, chairman of the authority for details.
Mr. Etherington : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the dates and occasions on which
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the Sunderland district health authority consulted with (a) the City of Sunderland social services department, (b) the Sunderland district health authority clinicians, (c) GPs and health personnel involved in the delivery of child health services over the (i) options to unify child health services and (ii) the use of the Sunderland eye infirmary site ;(2) on which date building work and alterations were (a) authorised and (b) commenced at the Sunderland eye infirmary to accommodate the proposed move of child health services to that site ;
(3) if she will give the date on which the Sunderland community health council received public consultation documents concerning the proposed unification of child health services on the Sunderland eye infirmary site ;
(4) if she will list the dates or occasions on which the children, parents or carers and other users of the Sunderland health authority child development unit were consulted on the proposed move to the Sunderland eye infirmary site ;
(5) on which date the Sunderland district health authority invited tenders for the building and alteration work to accommodate the children's department unit at the Sunderland eye infirmary ; how many tenders were received and on what dates ;
(6) what was the date of the Sunderland health authority decision to move the child health services to the Sunderland eye infirmary site ;
(7) if she will list all the options considered by the Sunderland district health authority for the proposed unification of child health services and the dates on which these options were discussed by the Sunderland district health authority board.
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