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Column 357
Change in number of employees in employment,
December 1992-
December 1993: Wales
|Part-time|Full-time
-----------------------------------------------------
Manufacturing industry |-1,100 |+10,600
Service industry |+2,500 |+1,900
All industries |+1,400 |+5,300
Source: NOMIS.
SCOTLAND
Land Grants
Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the amounts (a) applied for and (b) received by the Scottish Office from the European Community for land grants relating to industrial regional aid and the amounts paid to Scottish applicants for land grants for each year since 1975.
Mr. Stewart : The Scottish Office does not itself undertake land renewal work. Local authorities and local enterprise companies do, however, carry out and assist with land renewal. Such activities are normally eligible to compete for European regional development fund grant if the work is carried out in an area designated under the European structural funds. Detailed records of projects are not kept centrally either for applications or grant received but it is considered that such work would form only a small part of any programme.
Education Statistics
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of those aged 16 to 18 years in Scotland are in full-time education ; and how many are in each educational sector.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The latest available information is in respect of 1992.
16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education in Scotland, January 1992<1>
|Number |Percentage of
|(thousands) |population in
|age group
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
All full-time education |82.3 |41
of which
School |40.7 |20
Vocational further education |16.9 |9
Higher education |24.7 |12
<1> Age as at 31 August 1991.
Jobs
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the percentage of new jobs likely to be created by the end of the decade that will be jobs traditionally carried out by women.
Mr. Stewart : Information in the form requested is not available.
Playgrounds and Playing Fields
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools in Scotland have sold playgrounds and playing fields since restrictions were lifted.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information is not recorded centrally on disposals by local authorities of school playgrounds and school playing fields or other land and buildings held for educational purposes. There has been no recent change in the statutory requirements governing the provision to be made for school playgrounds and school playing fields in Scotland set out in the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the income in 1994-95 for each district council in Scotland comes directly from (a) central Government sources, (b) council tax and (c) other sources.
Mr. Stewart : Information about local authority income from "other sources" is not held centrally. The figures for aggregate external finance- -AEF--and income from the council tax are given in the table.
|AEF |Council tax
|per cent. |per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------
Borders |87.2 |12.8
Central |85.1 |14.9
Dumfries and Galloway |87.1 |12.9
Fife |84.9 |15.1
Grampian |85.3 |14.7
Highland |88.0 |12.0
Lothian |81.5 |18.5
Strathclyde |87.9 |12.1
Tayside |85.2 |14.8
Note:
1. AEF support includes Revenue Support Grant,
Distributable amount of NDRI and Specific Grants (except
Urban Programme specific grant, figures for which are not
readily available).
2. Council Tax is inclusive of amounts of Council Tax
Benefit met by grant from the Department of Social
Security.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Government grant per head of population was allocated to each district council in Scotland for 1994-95.
Mr. Stewart : The information is in the table.
|Total AEF
|per head of
|population (£)
------------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |119
Ettrick and Lauderdale |115
Roxburgh |126
Tweeddale |121
Clackmannan |146
Falkirk |133
Stirling |168
Annandale and Eskdale |99
Nithsdale |117
Stewartry |102
Wigtown |137
Dunfermline |122
Kirkcaldy |124
North East Fife |129
Aberdeen City |142
Banff and Buchan |122
Gordon |115
Kincardine and Deeside |105
Moray |130
Badenoch and Strathspey |125
Caithness |134
Inverness |114
Lochaber |159
Nairn |110
Ross and Cromarty |167
Skye and Lochalsh |201
Sutherland |173
East Lothian |139
Edinburgh City |177
Midlothian |129
West Lothian |139
Argyll and Bute |221
Bearsden and Milngavie |106
Clydebank |168
Clydesdale |140
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |124
Cumnock and Doon Valley |143
Cunninghame |151
Dumbarton |132
East Kilbride |110
Eastwood |82
Glasgow City |232
Hamilton |140
Inverclyde |169
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |129
Kyle and Carrick |131
Monklands |169
Motherwell |152
Renfrew |146
Strathkelvin |124
Angus |118
Dundee City |175
Perth and Kinross |132
Note:
1. AEF support includes Revenue Support Grant and
Specific Grants (except Urban Programme specific
grant, figures for which are not readily available).
Non-domestic rate income is not distributed to
district councils.
2. AEF per head of population calculated using the
Register General for Scotland's 1992 mid-year
estimates of total population.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the income for 1994-95 of each regional council in Scotland comes directly from (a) central Government sources, (b) council tax and (c) other sources.
Mr. Stewart : Information about local authority income from "other sources" is not held centrally. The figures for aggregate external finance- -AEF--and income from the council tax are given in the table.
|AEF |Council tax
|per cent. |per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |83.5 |16.5
Ettrick and Lauderdale |75.9 |24.1
Roxburgh |78.8 |21.2
Tweeddale |77.6 |22.4
Clackmannan |73.7 |26.3
Falkirk |82.7 |17.3
Stirling |77.2 |22.8
Annandale and Eskdale |70.5 |29.5
Nithsdale |72.9 |27.1
Stewartry |78.5 |21.5
Wigtown |76.7 |23.3
Dunfermline |76.7 |23.3
Kirkcaldy |71.9 |28.1
North East Fife |69.2 |30.8
Aberdeen City |68.8 |31.2
Banff and Buchan |80.8 |19.2
Gordon |77.4 |22.6
Kincardine and Deeside |82.1 |17.9
Moray |80.5 |19.5
Badenoch and Strathspey |75.3 |24.7
Caithness |84.8 |15.2
Inverness |74.8 |25.2
Lochaber |75.8 |24.2
Nairn |73.2 |26.8
Ross and Cromarty |77.5 |22.5
Skye and Lochalsh |83.7 |16.3
Sutherland |82.2 |17.8
East Lothian |74.4 |25.6
Edinburgh City |65.0 |35.0
Midlothian |72.9 |27.1
West Lothian |83.8 |16.2
Argyll and Bute |76.6 |23.4
Bearsden and Milngavie |65.0 |35.0
Clydebank |76.8 |23.2
Clydesdale |71.1 |28.9
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |71.4 |28.6
Cumnock and Doon Valley |76.1 |23.9
Cunninghame |75.5 |24.5
Dumbarton |66.6 |33.4
East Kilbride |66.7 |33.3
Eastwood |64.9 |35.1
Glasgow City |77.8 |22.2
Hamilton |69.8 |30.2
Inverclyde |78.4 |21.6
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |73.6 |26.4
Kyle and Carrick |63.3 |36.7
Monklands |74.7 |25.3
Motherwell |77.0 |23.0
Renfrew |71.6 |28.4
Strathkelvin |62.4 |37.6
Angus |79.3 |20.7
Dundee City |72.3 |27.7
Perth and Kinross |76.3 |23.7
Notes:
1. AEF support includes revenue support grant and specific
grants (except urban programme specific grant, figures for
which are not readily available). Non-domestic rate income
is not distributed to district councils.
2. AEF per head of population calculated using the register
general for Scotland's 1992 mid-year estimates of total
population.
Labour Statistics
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of (a) the total work force and (b) working women are in the service sector.
Mr. Stewart : For December 1993, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that 73 per cent. of all employees in employment in Scotland worked in the service sector. The percentage of female employees in employment who work in the service sector is estimated to be 85 per cent.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women workers there were in 1990 and at the latest date available ; and how many of these were in part-time employment.
Mr. Stewart : For December 1990, it is estimated that there were 960,900 female employees in employment in Scotland, of whom 419,700 were in part-time employment. For December 1993, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that there were 994, 500 female employees in employment of whom 447,800 were in part-time employment.
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Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of average male earnings is earned by women (a) manual and (b) non-manual workers in the service sector.
Mr. Stewart : Information from the new earnings survey, at April 1993, shows that the average weekly earnings of full-time non-manual women in the service sector is equivalent to 68 per cent. of the average for non- manual men workers in the service sector. The average weekly earnings of full-time manual women workers in the service sector is equivalent to 67 per cent. of the average for manual men workers. These estimates are based on average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates in Scotland whose pay was unaffected by absence--source : Employment Department.
Leisure Activities
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount was spent in Scotland in 1992 and 1993 on leisure activities for under-16s and those aged 16 to 21.
Sir Hector Monro : The information requested is not held centrally.
School Meals
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will investigate the nutritional standards of schools meals in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : We have no plans to do so. It is for education authorities, which are responsible for the administration of the school meal service, to decide the content and standard of school meals.
Government Grant
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Government grant was allocated per head of population in each regional and islands council in Scotland in 1994-95.
Mr. Stewart : The information is given in the table.
|Total AEF per
|head of
|population
|£
--------------------------------------------------
Borders |928
Central |817
Dumfries and Galloway |911
Fife |821
Grampian |786
Highland |1,029
Lothian |778
Strathclyde |883
Tayside |850
Orkney |1,814
Shetland |2,063
Western Isles |2,254
Note:
1. AEF support includes Revenue Support Grant,
Distributable amount of NDRI and Specific Grants (
except Urban Programme specific grant, figures
for which are not readily available).
2. AEF per head of population calculated using
the Register General for Scotland's 1992 mid-year
estimates of total population.
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Historic Scotland
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the key performance targets he has set for Historic Scotland for 1994-95.
Mr. Lang : I have set Historic Scotland the following key performance targets for 1994-95 :
|Target
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protecting the built heritage
i. Number of ancient monuments of
national importance to be scheduled. |350
ii. Number of listed building resurvey units
to be completed. |150
iii. Number of historic building repair grants
accepted |137
iv. Conservation of monuments in care. |reduce maintenance
|backlog
Promoting and representing the built heritage
i. Number of visitors to monuments incare. |£2.4 million
ii. Total income. |£7.9 million
Management
i. Value for money savings on maintenance
of monuments in care. |3.5 per cent.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Criminal Cases
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Attorney-General if he will include in the revised code for the Crown prosecutors and in the statement on the treatment of victims and witnesses by the Crown Prosecution Service a section on notification to or consultation with victims or their families where discontinuance of a serious case is contemplated.
The Attorney-General : In general, it is the responsibility of the police to keep victims or their families informed of decisions by which they are affected. This approach is set out in the victims charter and was supported by the Royal Commission on criminal justice which reported last year. If a case is to be discontinued, the CPS will, wherever practicable, consult the police in advance. The CPS seeks to ensure that the police are clear about the reasons for any proposed discontinuance so that information can be passed on to the victim and their respective interests taken into account when deciding whether proceedings would be in the public interest. A draft of the revised code for Crown prosecutors is currently being considered by interested parties on the criminal justice system including victim support. The director is hoping to publish in the early summer.
The CPS keeps under review its statement on the treatment of victims and witnesses. There will be an opportunity to consider whether it should contain information about the termination of cases when the statement is next revised. The suggestion put forward by my hon. Friend has been drawn to the attention of the director.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Occupied Territories
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress being made in the Israel-Palestine Liberation Organisation talks in Cairo, with particular reference to settlements, release of prisoners, security forces and the powers of the Palestinian judiciary.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We understand good progress is being made at the talks in Cairo. Settlements are a final status issue. The Israel-PLO declaration of principles makes it clear that it is to be discussed as soon as possible during the interim period of five years leading to final status, but not later than the beginning of the third year. The interim period starts upon Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho. Israeli negotiators have stated that Israel will release 5, 000 of the remaining 8,400 Palestinian prisoners. They have however said that they will not release prisoners who are members of Hamas. Agreement has been reached on a Palestinian police force of 9,000 men for Gaza and Jericho. Judicial issues are still under discussion.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position of the Israeli Government on withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Prime Minister Rabin has said that any "significant" withdrawal would be dependent upon a referendum in Israel.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Israel's current position on the removal of settlements on the Golan Heights.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Prime Minister Rabin has stated publicly that he would be prepared to evacuate settlements anywhere in the occupied territories if that were necessary for peace.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Palestinian police are scheduled to enter the Gaza strip and Jericho ; and what representations he has been making to the Government of Israel to make this date as early as possible.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Palestinian police are due to assume their duties in Gaza and Jericho once an agreement on Israeli withdrawal is signed. We have emphasised to both sides the importance we attach to rapid conclusion of this agreement.
Lin Qi Qun
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 25 April, Official Report, column 12, with regard to correspondence concerning Lin Qi Qun, if he will investigate the state of affairs in his office which has led him to the statement in his answer that his officials have asked for copies following the faxing of such copies to his office three weeks before ; if he will take steps to improve procedures in his office following its loss of the original correspondence last December and several reminders sent
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following that date ; and if he will now reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton without further delay.Mr. Hurd : I have written to the right hon. Member.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid Distribution
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to review the distribution of Government aid to overseas countries and to prevent such aid from being absorbed by officials of recipient countries.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The possibility of diversion of aid for illicit purposes is considered at all stages in the planning and administration of the aid programme. Most procurement is undertaken by ODA's Overseas Appointments and Contract Department or through registered British procurement agents subject to ODA monitoring, with goods and services generally obtained from United Kingdom sources. Implementation of projects and programmes in the recipient country is, where appropriate, supervised by British consultants or technical co-operation officers on contract to the ODA. Progress at all stages is monitored by ODA advisers, often located in regional offices for more direct and frequent access.
These mechanisms and procedures are continually reviewed to ensure that aid continues to achieve its intended objectives.
Sudan
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part of the further tranche of £15 million provided for in relief aid to the Horn of Africa will be applied to Sudan ; and if he will give details of the work it will support.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We expect to spend about £5 million in Sudan, subject to need and our ability to deliver humanitarian assistance. It is available to support the activities of non-governmental organisations and UN agencies including the provision of shelter for the displaced, drugs, water and supplementary feeding.
Nigeria
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Nigerian Government concerning the current situation of the Ogoni people in Nigeria.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have consistently underlined our wish to see good government and respect for human rights for all the people of Nigeria.
HEALTH
Nurses
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the current shortfall in national health service nursing staff.
Mr. Sackville : It is for local employers to determine the level of nursing staff they require.
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Public Appointments
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the members, occupations and other interests of (a) the National Blood Authority and (b) the NHS Supplies Authority together with the remuneration expenses, travel, pension and any other allowances or benefits relating to the chair or non-executive membership of each.
Mr. Sackville : The information available will be placed in the Library.
Over-65s
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS funds were spent on those over 65 years in the last year for which figures are available ; and what proportion of public health care funds was spent on those over 65 years old in each other country of the EC.
Dr. Mawhinney : It is estimated that around 40 per cent. of gross current expenditure on hospital and community health services in England during 1990-91 was attributable to people aged 65 years and over, who represent approximately 16 per cent. of the population. Figures for other European Community countries are not available centrally.
Paracetamol Overdose
Mr. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of admissions to accident and emergency facilities is caused by paracetamol overdose.
Mr. Sackville : The information is not available for accident and emergency attenders. However, the number of hospital in-patients cases associated with poisoning by paracetamol are recorded in a wider category which also includes poisoning by acentanilide and phenacetin. In 1990-91 there were 30,479 finished consultant episodes where poisoning by these substances was shown as the primary diagnosis.
Prescription Charges (Asthmatics)
Mr. Hoon : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what monitoring her Department has undertaken of the affordability of prescription charges for asthmatics ;
(2) what representations her Department has received about asthmatics' ability to pay prescription charges.
Dr. Mawhinney : No specific monitoring is undertaken. We periodically receive representations about extending the list of medical conditions which confer exemption from prescription charges to include other illnesses, including asthma. Charge remission available under the national health service low income scheme and prescription pre-payment certificates ensure that no one need be deterred for financial reasons from obtaining necessary medication.
Data Protection
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioners (a) hold computerised records and (b) are registered under the Data Protection Act 1984.
Mr. Sackville : According to a survey conducted on behalf of the Department in 1993 an estimated 79 per cent.
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of general practices possess a computer to hold practice records, of which 90 per cent. use the computer for recording some clinical information about patients. Information about registration under the Data Protection Act is not available centrally.Contraceptive Services
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contraceptive claim forms were submitted by general practitioners in each of the last 10 years and in each month of 1993-94.
Dr. Mawhinney : Information about the number of contraceptive claim forms submitted by general practitioners is not available in the form requested.
Press Conferences
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press conferences she and each Minister in her Department have held in the last six months.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Health Literature Line
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the health literature line, including the cost of producing and sending the leaflets, in each year since 1990-91.
Mr. Sackville : The cost for 1993-94 is £263,346. Information on costs for the years 1990-91 to 1992-93 and on producing and sending the leaflets is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
BCG Vaccinations
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 30 March, Official Report, columns 890-1, if she will list the 31 districts which do not offer Bacille-Calmette-Gue rin vaccination to neonates.
Mr. Sackville : No. In 1991 the Public Health Laboratory Service's communicable disease surveillance centre carried out a national survey into the policies and practices of district health authorities for BCG immunisation. The information was collected "in confidence" so as to ensure that the results were as complete as possible. Since 1991 the Department of Health has restated its guidance on BCG immunisation and many health authorities have reviewed their policies.
NHS Property (Disposal)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the redundant NHS hospitals that have been disposed of without planning permission since 1987.
Mr. Sackville : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 31 March at column 1038.
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the regional health authorities pre-1 April that were obliged to consult the Valuation Office for professional advice on the disposal of national health service property ;
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(2) under what circumstances regional health authorities should consult, before 1 April, the Valuation Office even though they are untied.Mr. Sackville : Regional health authorities which were untied from the district valuer, prior to April 1994, are required to secure the recommendation of the district valuer in respect of acquisitions or disposals where, at the outset, the value appeared to be more than £5 million.
Regional health authorities which were not untied as of April 1994 were as follows :
Mersey RHA
West Midlands RHA
North East Thames RHA
North West Thames RHA
South Western RHA
Prescriptions
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 April, Official Report, column 295, when she intends to issue guidance to family health services authorities on private prescriptions.
Dr. Mawhinney : Guidance will be issued shortly.
Departmental Policy
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April, Official Report, column 396, regarding her plans for the work of her Department, how she intends to strengthen the arrangements for controlling communicable diseases and other health hazards ;
(2) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April, Official Report, column 396, regarding her plans for the work of her Department, what new information she will be providing on communicable diseases and other health hazards.
Mr. Sackville : The Government remain committed to preventing communicable diseases and reducing health hazards.
Joint guidance from the Departments of Health and Environment, HSG(93)56 "Public Health Responsibilities of the NHS Roles of Others", was issued on 24 November 1993 to provide firm guidance on communicable disease control arrangements. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
A joint Department of Health/Public Health Laboratory Service working group is currently reviewing and extending the guidance issued to the national health service in 1988 about hospital infection control, with the aim of issuing revised guidelines to the NHS in the autumn.
Childhood immunisation uptake rates are now at record levels and the incidence of childhood diseases are at their lowest ever levels. The memorandum "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", which provides guidance on all matters concerning immunisation, is currently being updated and a new edition will be sent to all doctors and other health care professionals involved in immunisation. Details of the plans to introduce the new tetanus/diphtheria booster dose for teenagers will be announced shortly. We recently issued guidance to the health service on "Aids/HIV-- Infected Health Care Workers" and "Protecting Health Care Workers and Patients from Hepatitis B Infection". Copies of these publications are available in the Library. We are aware of the concerns
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about the recent small increase in cases of tuberculosis. We are currently funding a survey by the Public Health Laboratory Service into notification of tuberculosis and recently my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health established an inter- departmental working group to consider all aspects of tuberculosis.Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April, Official Report, column 396, regarding her plans for the work of her Department, how she plans to implement the open government code of practice throughout her Department.
Mr. Sackville : Two documents on how the code of practice will operate for the Department of Health have been produced : one is a guide to the public, the other is guidance issued to all staff in the Department. Copies of each will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April, Official Report, column 396, regarding her plans for the work of her Department, what further developments in the internal market she intends to secure.
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