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Mr. M. Suthers (Chairman)Mr. G. Longbottom
Professor E. Symonds
Consultant Episodes
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing the total number of finished consultant episodes within each English health region for 1993-94.
Mr. Sackville : Finalised figures are not yet available.
Cars (Expenditure)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on cars by (a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities and (c) trusts in 1993-94.
Mr. Sackville : The information for 1993-94 is not yet available.
Birmingham Hospitals
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals there were in Birmingham in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Bryan Baker, the chairman of West Midlands regional health authority, for details.
London Hospitals
Ms Jowell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions she makes about the additional costs for teaching, research and overheads for London hospitals.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 23 May 1994] : In allocating resources, we assume that teaching hospitals incur excess costs, compared with those of other hospitals, which are attributable to the impact of teaching and research on the hospitals' services. The arrangements for allocating resources to regional health authorities include a service increment for teaching and research which recognises the excess costs. In 1994-95 they are assumed to be £37, 744 per medical clinical undergraduate student outside London and £41,141 in London.
Research
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of the research projects her Department has commissioned for the past five years ; and what was the total cost of projects undertaken by staff employed by (a) universities and polytechnics, (b) independent research institutes, (c) health authorities, (d) management consultants and (e) other organisations, in each of those years.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 20 May 1994] : The total cost of research commissioned by the Department for
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the past five years is shown in the table and includes the Department's centrally commissioned programme for health and personal social services research :
Year |Cost
|£ million
------------------------------
1993-94 |<1>33.9
1992-93 |31.3
1991-92 |27.4
1990-91 |23.7
1989-90 |19.2
<1> Estimate.
Source: Forward Look of
Government-funded Science,
Engineering and Technology,
HMSO, 1994.
This information does not include the cost of research carried out by Department of Health-sponsored non-departmental public bodies which is not commissioned by the Department, but by the NDPBs in line with their statutory responsibilities or in agreement with the Department of Health. The forward look includes research commissioned by the Department and by the NDPBs.
For the years before 1992-93 information about where the research was carried out was not collated centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Long-term Care
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action she takes to identify cases where patients require long-term or permanent levels of medical care with unusually high levels of funding requirements ; and what steps are taken to assist district health authorities in meeting these additional costs ;
(2) if she will ring-fence funding for special medical cases where individual care needs are of an unusually high level ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : District health authorities and general practice fundholders are responsible for purchasing health care for the identified health needs of their populations including high-cost cases.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid Distribution
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage and cash amount of Overseas Development Administration assistance has been allocated to (a) bilateral aid, (b) the European Union, (c) international financial institutions, (d) east and central Europe know-how funds and (e) other recipients over each of the past five years.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The breakdown of overseas development assistance is as follows :
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1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93
|£000 |Per cent.|£000 |Per cent.|£000 |Per cent.|£000 |Per cent.|£000 |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Bilateral aid to |831,859 |56.8 |925,416 |56.7 |1,020,358|60.0 |983,483 |49.8 |1,036,274|49.6
developing countries
(b) European Union |264,039 |18.0 |281,727 |17.2 |321,739 |18.9 |443,434 |22.5 |442,782 |21.2
(c) International Financial |234,239 |16.0 |230,788 |14.1 |192,661 |11.3 |298,821 |15.1 |351,617 |16.8
Institutions
(d) Know How Fund |0 |0.0 |2,178 |0.1 |14,164 |0.8 |28,348 |1.4 |46,761 |2.2
(e) Other<1> |133,337 |9.1 |193,458 |11.8 |151,560 |8.9 |220,808 |11.2 |213,932 |10.2
<1>"Other" consists of:
1. Bilateral
CEE/FSU-Food aid and Disaster relief.
Other ODA Expenditure-Polish Interest Stabilisation Fund.
2. Multilateral
UN Agencies, Commonwealth organisations, International research organisations.
3. Administration costs.
Investment Personnel
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the know-how fund's training for investment personnel scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The training for investment personnel scheme was introduced in August 1990 as the second of two investment support schemes for British business under the auspices of the know-how fund. To date 120 businesses have taken up TIPS grant offers totalling £2.89 million. Further details about the scheme are in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 17 December 1993 at columns 923-24.
In the light of the growing demand for grant from British business since 1990, we have decided that the scope and criteria of the scheme should remain, but that in the future the basis for approving grant should be the number of trainees trained, with a ceiling of 70 per cent. on the proportion of eligible costs met. Small companies are likely to qualify for the higher rate of grant. The maximum amount of grant available for all applications will continue to be £50,000. These changes will take effect on 1 June.
Paul Goodall
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the dates on which meetings or contact was made with the Bosnian authorities to discuss the murder of Mr. Paul Goodall ;
(2) what contact has been made with Interpol regarding the murder of Mr. Paul Goodall ;
(3) when a representative of the Overseas Development Administration last met the public prosecutor in Zenica to discuss the murder of Mr. Paul Goodall ;
(4) if a written report on the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mr. Paul Goodall has been received from the public prosecutor in Zenica ;
(5) what assistance has been given to the Islamic fund-raising organisation AGASI.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answers 23 May 1994] : We are doing all we can to insist that the Bosnian authorities carry out a proper investigation into the murder of Paul Goodall and bring the killer or killers to justice. The Overseas Development Administration has had numerous contacts with the Bosnian authorities since Mr. Goodall's murder and an ODA representative last met the public prosecutor in Zenica on 8 April 1994. The Bosnian authorities have decided not to issue a report on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Goodall's murder on legal grounds as this could influence the pre-trial investigation.
The new charge d'affairs in Sarajevo who arrived in late April has had a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the Deputy Interior Minister to press for action, and will have further contacts with the police in Sarajevo. He will shortly be travelling to Zenica to pursue the matter further there.
We understand that the Bosnian Government have not so far involved Interpol. The charge d'affairs is encouraging the Bosnian Government to draw on all possible sources of assistance.
We have no knowledge of an Islamic fund-raising organisation called AGASI, and have given it no funding.
DEFENCE
Royal Windsor Horse Show
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery did not participate in this year's royal Windsor horse show.
Mr. Hanley : The decision that the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery should not participate in this year's royal Windsor horse show was taken by the show's committee.
Botswana
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on participation in, and costs of recent Army exercises in Botswana.
Mr. Hanley : The Army currently holds annual company level exercises in Botswana. The most recent of these took place in January/February 1994 and involved 1 Glosters. The next exercise is planned for November/December 1994 and will involve 3 Para. The cost of the
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last exercise was £66,000. This comprised vehicle hire of £24,000, container movement of £38,000 and additional in-theatre costs of £4, 000.Aircraft of the RAF's air transport force were used to deploy and recover the personnel and equipment involved in this exercise, within the annual flying programme for the force. Therefore, only incidental additional expenses were incurred on this aspect of the training.
Arms Imports
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) combat aircraft, (b) attack helicopters, (c) warships or other military vessels, (d) large calibre artillery launcher systems, (e) tanks, (f) armour-protected vehicles and (g) missiles and associated launch vehicles were imported into the United Kingdom in 1993 (i) permanently and (ii) temporarily.
Mr. Aitken : Imports and exports in 1993 of those equipments were reported in the United Kingdom's latest return to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms ; a copy of our return was placed in the Library of the House earlier this month.
Upper Limb Disorders
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present number of civil servants taking legal action against his Department as a result of work-related upper limb disorders.
Mr. Aitken : There are at present 38 claims outstanding against the Department as a result of work-related upper limb disorders.
Dartmouth Naval College
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what courses other than initial officer training are offered at Britannia royal naval college Dartmouth ; for how many personnel ; and at what cost.
Mr. Hanley : During 1993-94 the following training courses, other than initial office training, were offered at Britannia royal naval college :
|Student |Annual costs
|numbers |(£K)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval studies non-grad academic |59 |11.5
International sub Lt course |30 |3.8
Special duties list officers |30 |6.8
Graduates technical course |37 |2.6
University bursars acquaint |26 |1.1
Strategic studies |11 |0.8
University RN unit courses |45 |0.4
CCF officers |33 |0.4
Combined Cadet Forces
Sea Cadet Corps |165 |0.4
Short intro (SIC2) |0 |0.8
Short intro (SIC4) |44 |1.8
Undergraduates technical course |8 |1.8
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many students from foreign and Commonwealth countries attend Britannia royal naval college, Dartmouth ; and what is the annual fee income therefrom.
Mr. Hanley : In the financial year 1992-93, the most recent year for which complete figures are currently
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available, 143 places at Britannia royal naval college, Dartmouth were taken up by students from foreign and Commonwealth countries, generating an income of £562,000.International Military Services Ltd.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the assets of International Military Services Ltd. have now been disposed of.
Mr. Aitken : International Military Services Ltd. ceased trading on 31 July 1991. Most assets and good will have been disposed of, but the company will not be wound up until its residual obligations have been met.
Civil Servants
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what economies in open structure grade civil servants employed within his Department are now being sought.
Mr. Aitken : Current plans involve a reduction in excess of 20 per cent. at grades 1 to 3 between 1 April 1990 and 1 April 1995. This does not take account of the outcome of the defence costs studies, which may result in further reductions.
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the London-based open structure grade civil servants employed in his Department have been made redundant since the 1990 prospect study ; and what savings resulted.
Mr. Aitken : My Department's policy is to minimise, through pre- redundancy measures, compulsory redundancies in civilian staff at all levels. As a result, there have been no compulsory redundancies in members of the open structure in London or elsewhere, but some 200 members of the open structure have left under early retirement schemes.
Aircraft
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had, and what representations he has received, concerning the future large aircraft ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : In recent weeks, a number of representations have been received from hon. Members about the future large aircraft. The subject has also been discussed in some detail with a team from British Aerospace, when it gave us a presentation on the subject this week.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to replace the Hercules aircraft ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : We plan to replace or refurbish about half of the Hercules fleet on a rolling basis by the end of the century. We do not envisage taking a decision on the balance of the Hercules fleet, which will be considered alongside the possible replacement of other RAF transport aircraft, for a number of years.
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Low Flying
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 305, since what date it has been his policy not to publish detailed information on activity in low flying areas.
Mr. Hanley : It has been our policy not to publish detailed information on activity in low flying areas since the introduction of the present United Kingdom low flying system in 1979.
Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority Mallet's mortar was removed from the MOD Royal Arsenal site in Woolwich ; what consultations took place ; what representations he has received ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : Since the 1980s, the Royal Arsenal has had an agreement with the Royal Armouries for the loan of Mallet's mortar and other artefacts. This agreement was revised in 1991 when the Royal Arsenal undertook to pay the maintenance costs of the Royal Armouries. It also stated that when the Royal Arsenal no longer required Mallet's mortar it was to be returned to the Royal Armouries. That has now been done and the mortar is at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth. I am not aware of any consultations, and have not received any representations.
D-day
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) of 10 May, Official Report, column 127, what representatives of Opposition parties have been invited to the events his Department is organising to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-day landings.
Mr. Hanley [pursuant to his reply, 23 May, Official Report, c. 70] : The following representatives of Opposition parties have been invited :
House of Commons
The Rt. Hon. Mrs. Margaret Beckett
The Rt. Hon. James Molyneux
The Rt. Hon. Stanley Orme
Mr. John Home Robertson
Mr. Frank Cook
Mr. Eddie Loyden
Mr. Don Dixon
Mr. Archie Kirkwood
Rev. Martin Smyth
The Rt. Hon. Paddy Ashdown
Mr. John Denham
Mr. Bruce George
Mr. John McWilliam
Mr. Menzies Campbell CBE QC
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Mr. Andrew MackinlayThe Rt. Hon. Sir David Steel KBE
Mr. William Ross
Mr. Ken Maginnis
House of Lords
Lord Hill Norton
Lord Carver
Lord Callaghan
Lord Bramall
Lord Bonham-Carter
Lord Mayhew
Lord Gregson
Lord Scarman
Lord Shaughnessy
Lord Williams of Elvel
Lord Ennals
Air-to-air Missile Programme
Mrs. Angela Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current status of the Royal Air Force's advanced short range air-to-air missile programme.
Mr. Aitken : I am pleased to report that the contract for development and production of an initial batch of advanced short-range air- to-air missiles awarded to British Aerospace in March 1992 is proceeding well. Progress to date has been satisfactory ; British Aerospace have met all major milestones and the programme remains on schedule to meet the in- service date of December 1998. I am also pleased to announce that, following a recent review of the operational requirements of the RAF's Harrier and new European fighter aircraft, the contract for the follow-on order of a further quantity of missiles, announced in the statement on the defence estimates 1994, has been awarded to British Aerospace.
This represents an important endorsement of the programme by the Government, is an excellent fillip for British Aerospace in its continuing efforts to promote the exportability of the missile and, with the order valued at some £66 million, is, in itself, excellent news for British industry.
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