---

Column 683

Medical Treatment (Complaints)

Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what statutory procedures currently exist for pursuing a complaint against medical treatment received under the national health service ; and what plans he has to amend the current statutory status of local health councils.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 5 May 1994] : My right hon. Friend has issued directions under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and the Hospital Complaints Procedure Act 1985 requiring health boards and NHS trusts to operate procedures for investigating complaints about treatment received in hospital. The National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) (Scotland) Regulations 1992 prescribe procedures to be followed in investigating complaints where it is alleged that a general medical practitioner has failed to comply with his terms of service. The Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 empowers the Health Service Commissioner for Scotland to investigate certain types of complaints made to him where it is alleged that a person has sustained injustice or hardship as a result of treatment provided under the national health service.

There are no plans to amend the current statutory status of local health councils.

School Transport

Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the costs arising from his decision to allow Strathclyde council to end the dispensation allowing three children to share a two-seater seat in respect of school buses and coaches ; and what were the costs of the other safety measures affecting school transport recently introduced by Strathclyde regional council.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The decision by Strathclyde regional council in March 1994 to end the three for two rule on vehicles used for the transportation of school children in their area and to introduce a number of other measures was entirely a matter for the regional council. In figures provided to the Scottish Office, the council has estimated that the cost arising from such measures in 1994-95 is £1.72 million.

Ayrshire and Arran Community Health Trust

Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what purpose David Fraser and Mervyn Gunn of the Ayrshire and Arran community health trust met Scottish Office officials on Thursday 14 April ; what connection this meeting had with the subsequent resignation of Mervyn Gunn ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : No such meeting took place.

Local Government

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what safeguards he is planning for the funding of welfare rights, money advice centres and voluntary organisations following the dismantling of regional councils and social work committees.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : The Government value highly the work of voluntary

---

Column 684

organisations and wish to ensure a smooth handover from the existing to the new authorities. For this reason, the Scottish Office will issue guidance to the new authorities on the key role of voluntary organisations and the importance of avoiding disruption. In addition, the Scottish Office will direct existing authorities to inform shadow authorities of all funding which is given to voluntary organisations by means of grants, service agreements, contracts and so on. This direction will ensure that the shadow authorities are aware of the full extent of funding of voluntary organisations including annual grants being paid to voluntary organisations in 1994-95.

Care Services

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has of local authorities failing to consider quality of care and value for money when purchasing or supplying care services.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : While local authorities clearly consider issues of quality and value for money, the cost of their directly provided residential care is significantly higher than similar provision available from the private sector which meets the quality standards of registration. Residential care is a major component of local authority community care expenditure.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the advantages and (b) the disadvantages to users of care services provided by (i) the private sector,(ii) the volunary sector and (iii) local authorities.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Good qulaity community care services are available in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. Authorities should seek to offer clients a choice of services from a range of providers which meet their needs and offer good value.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a list of the individuals and groups who have made representations to him about the purchase of care services from the private sector by local authorities.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : No. Many

representations have been received and could not be listed individually without disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy in the long run for the involvement of local authorities in the provision of care services.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Local authorities will continue to have a role as providers of community care services, but, in order to maximise choice and value for money, they should both distinguish between their roles as purchasers and providers and make full use of the independent sector.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his intended circular and formal directions to local authorities on community care plans.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Appropriate bodies have recently been consulted on draft guidance and directions which would require local authorities to include in their community care plans

---

Column 685

statements showing (a) the planned volumes and types of care services to be purchased (b) the estimated costs of such purchases and (c) the proportion of their total proposed expenditure to be incurred on purchases from the independent sector. Responses are being considered.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportions of local authorities' expenditure on care services he expects to be devoted to purchases from the independent sector, the voluntary sector and to in-house provisions.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994 : These proportions should be determined locally in the light of availability of services and as a result of authorities purchasing good-quality services from whichever provider meets the needs and wishes of clients within a reasonable cost.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which care services he intends should be subject to formal tendering ; and which would be accepted for spot purchasing.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : These are matters for local authorities to determine in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what experience and qualifications he will require from new providers of (a) residential care and (b) home helps.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : There are no statutory requirements for qualifications. However, all residential care homes have to be registered with the social work authorities and are regularly inspected by them.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what geographical area of Scotland he considers there is not a real choice of care services ; and where he intends to promote the development of the independent sector.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : The extent of choice varies from area to area and service to service. It is the Government's policy to widen the range of choice by encouraging the independent sector throughout Scotland.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a list of the individuals and groups he has consulted on his draft paper advising local authorities of new requirements governing the content of their community care plans.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : My right hon. Friend is making arrangements to place the list in the Library.

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what length of contract he deems appropriate for the provision of residential care.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 May 1994] : That is a matter for local determination. In the case of individual contracts the length of contract will reflect individual needs.

Scottish Ambulance Service

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Scottish ambulance service has to pursue NHS trust status ; and if he will make a statement.

---

Column 686

Mr. Lang [holding answer 4 May 1994] : The Scottish ambulance service has prepared an application for NHS trust status. I expect to make an announcement on the public consultation process shortly.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Child Support Act

Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to undertake a fundamental review of the operation of the Child Support Act 1991.

Mr. Burt : We are keeping the operation of the Child Support Agency and policy under continuous review.

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the organisations responding to the consultation document on the medical test for incapacity benefit ;

(2) how many of the responses to the consultation document on the medical test for incapacity benefit (a) were in favour of the approach outlined in that document and (b) expressed criticisms ; and when he will publish the responses.

Mr. Scott : The table lists the organisations that have responded to the consultation document. All the responses have been helpful and we have taken account of them in the further development of the new test of incapacity. A report will be published in August summarising all the stages in the development of the test.

List of organisations responding to the consultation document Aberdeen Mental Health Services Customer Group

Action on Disability

ACT-UP Manchester (Aids Coalition to unleash power)

ADSS Disabilities Committee

Age Concern

Alzheimer's Disease Society

Alzheimer's Scotland

Arthritis Care

Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

Association of Directors of Social Work

Association of Disabled Professionals

Association of Metropolitan Authorities

Backpain Network

Bexley Association of Disabled People

Birmingham City Council welfare rights

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Bradford Citizens Advice Bureau

Brighton Association of Tenants With Disabilities

Brighton, Hove and Lewes Mental Health Development Group British Association of Social Workers

British Association of Social Workers Renal Special Interest Group

British Diabetic Association

British Epilepsy Association

British Institute of Industrial Therapy

British Migraine Association

British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society

British Society for Rehabilitation Medicine

Bromsgrove and Redditch Patients and Carers Forum

for Mental Health

Camden Council Welfare Rights Unit

Cancer Relief MacMillan Fund

Carers National Association

Caring Costs

Chester Lodgings and Support Project

Child Poverty Action Group

Church Action on Poverty

City of Bradford Metropolitan Council welfare rights

---

Column 687

City University Department of Systems Science

Cleveland County Council welfare rights

Cleveland Mental Health Support Group

Congleton Sector Planning Group for Mental Health

Consultation and Advocacy Promotion Service

Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

Crewe Welfare Rights Forum

Cystic Fibrosis Trust

Derbyshire Branch of the National Federation of the

Blind of the UK

Derbyshire Centre for Integrated Living

Derbyshire County Council welfare rights

DIAL UK

Disabled Advice Bureau

Disabled Living Foundation

Disabilities Coalition (Boothferry, Glanford, Scunthorpe) Outreach Project

Disability Action Project

Disability Alliance

Disability Network

Disability Scotland

DISC Trinity Community Centre

Drumchapel Law and Money Advice Centre

Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Bureau benefits advice project

Dundee Association for Mental Health

Dunfermline Forum on Disability

East Lothian Volunteer Bureau

East Suffolk Advocacy Network

East Suffolk MIND

Edinburgh Volunteer Exchange

Enfield Disability Information and Advice Project

Epilepsy Association of Scotland

First Steps to Freedom

Flint and District Trades Union Council

Friedrich's Ataxia Group

General Medical Services Committee

George House Trust

Grampian Action for Psychiatirc Services

Greater London Association of Disabled People

Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People

Great Yarmouth Borough Council welfare rights

Greenwich Association of Disabled People's Centre for Independent Living

Group for Improved Living for the Disabled

Headway National Head Injuries Association

Hereford and Worcester County Council

Herefordshire DIAL

Herefordshire Lifestyles

Hertfordshire County Council welfare benefits advice

Humberside Coalition of People With Disabilities

Humberside Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities Ileostomy Association of GB and Ireland

Independent Living (1993)

Industrial Injuries Advisory Council

Island Disability Action Group

Isle of Wight County Council services for disabled people Islington Community Aids Resources

Islington Council Welfare Rights

Joint Consultants Committee

Kent County Council, Dartford and Gravesham Area Advice Forum Kent Turnaround Trading Ltd

Kingston Association of Disabled People

Kirkcaldy Forum on Disability

Lambeth Accord

Lancashire County Council Welfare Rights

Leeds Citizens Advice Bureau

Leeds City Council welfare benefits unit

Leicester City Council welfare rights

Lewes and District MIND

Link--Glasgow Association for Mental Health

Llanrumney Community Project

London Borough of Barnet Disablement Association

London Borough of Greenwich Anti Poverty Sub-Committee

London Borough of Lambeth

London Borough of Wandsworth welfare rights unit

London East Aids Network

Lucas Industries plc

---