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Table 1 Subsidy paid to local authorities for housing benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1990-91 |11.5 1991-92 |14.5 1992-93 |18.5 Source: Housing benefit final subsidy claim forms. Notes: 1. The figures quoted represent subsidy paid to local authorities of rent allowance spending above the rent officer's reasonable market rent figure where benefit could not be restricted under the provisions of regulation 11. Local authorities are not required to record their total benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11. 2. Groups protected by regulation 11 include not only "vulnerable groups"-people aged over 60, incapable of work or with responsibility for children-but also those who were able to afford the accommodation when they first took it on and those who have recently been bereaved.
Table 2
Total housing benefit subsidy paid to local
authorities
£ million
|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93
------------------------------------------------
Rent allowances |1,530 |2,154 |2,894
Rent rebates |2,848 |3,183 |3,719
|---- |---- |----
Grand total |4,378 |5,337 |6,613
Source: Social Security departmental Report
1994.
Invalidity Benefit
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by region for (a) February 1992-93, (b) February 1993-94 and (c) February 1994 to date, the total number of claimants for invalidity benefit who have been examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency medical service in each region ; how many of these claimants were subsequently found fit for work and their benefit disallowed ; how many of those claimants whose benefit was disallowed appealed against the decision ; and how many were successful.
Mr. Scott : This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 18 July 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking, for February 1992-93, February 1993- 94 and February 1994 to date, about the total number of claimants for Invalidity Benefit who have been examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency Medical Services in each region ; how many were found fit for work and their benefit disallowed ; how many subsequently appealed against the decision ; and how many were successful.
The information regarding numbers of recipients of Invalidity Benefit (IVB) examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS), (formerly the Regional Medical Service), in the periods requested and the outcomes of such medical examinations, is not available in the format requested. This is because the information relating to IVB is aggregated with other incapacity benefits. Similarly, statistics are not available relating to the numbers of cases found fit for work following examination by a BAMS doctor and who have their benefit disallowed by an Adjudication Officer (AO) ; and have appealed against the decision ; and how many were successful. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
BAMS provide an opinion on a customer's capacity for work. However, the decision on this question lies with the AO, the independent adjudication authority. The AO considers the BAMS report along with all other available evidence.
The information which is available relating to examination by doctors from BAMS is provided at Appendix 1.
This information is collated quarterly and therefore does not correspond exactly with the periods requested. Additionally, the statistics have only been maintained since 1 January 1993 and therefore no earlier information is available.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Column 53
Appendix 1
BA Medical services reference work
SB/IVB/SDA cases examined and where the opinion was capable of work
Reference of1 January 1993 to 1 April 1993 to 1 July 1993 to 1 October 1993 to 1 January 1994 to
31 March 1993 30 June 1993 30 September 1993 31 December 1993 31 March 1994
|Examined |Found |Examined |Found |Examined |Found |Examined |Found |Examined |Found
|capable |capable |capable |capable |capable
|of work<1> |of work<1> |of work<1> |of work<1> |of work<1>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inverness |243 |66 |253 |86 |318 |109 |296 |113 |232 |50
Aberdeen |174 |38 |318 |102 |267 |62 |266 |63 |219 |65
Dundee |1,021 |257 |1,070 |281 |1,160 |332 |914 |258 |1,182 |212
Glasgow |8,227 |2,847 |6,514 |2,182 |5,151 |2,130 |9,681 |2,072 |6,508 |2,497
Edinburgh |1,038 |470 |1,209 |617 |2,777 |1,124 |2,170 |810 |1,597 |664
Newcastle |6,632 |2,650 |6,484 |2,841 |7,943 |3,409 |6,392 |2,815 |6,497 |2,702
Leeds |11,030 |4,826 |11,361 |4,726 |14,230 |6,047 |13,939 |5,809 |13,896 |5,951
Bootle |6,288 |2,335 |<2>- |<2>- |7,702 |2,750 |20,372 |2,463 |7,645 |2,761
Manchester |6,819 |2,213 |6,716 |2,379 |8,501 |3,440 |6,166 |2,244 |7,146 |2,425
Nottingham |3,700 |1,474 |3,569 |1,465 |4,642 |1,804 |4,537 |1,884 |4,331 |1,898
Birmingham |7,361 |2,077 |6,763 |2,100 |7,944 |2,365 |7,685 |2,613 |9,970 |3,233
Wembley |6,493 |2,577 |5,264 |1,869 |6,429 |2,831 |6,043 |2,827 |8,527 |3,725
Sutton |4,778 |2,039 |4,698 |1,888 |5,612 |2,263 |5,843 |2,328 |6,811 |2,473
Bristol |<3>- |<3>- |<3>- |<3>- |5,844 |2,501 |3,473 |1,401 |4,139 |1,699
Cardiff |8,147 |2,861 |9,016 |3,375 |6,373 |2,468 |8,005 |2,322 |8,352 |2,523
<1> This column includes recipients who were considered either capable of following their own occupation or of undertaking suitable
alternative work.
<2> Statistics not available.
<3> Bristol office not yet open. Statistics for Bristol are aggregated with Birmingham.
Pensions
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to introduce legislation to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper entitled "Security, Equality, Choice : The Future for Pensions".
Mr. Hague : We intend to introduce legislation at the first available opportunity.
Job Seekers Allowance
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to publish his proposals for a job seekers allowance to coincide with the Budget statement on 29 November.
Mr. Burt : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) on 21 June at column 87.
Disabled People (Rights)
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation in the next parliamentary Session to improve the rights of people with disabilities.
Mr. Scott : On 15 July, I issued a consultation document inviting comments by 7 October on a variety of proposals in five areas to combat discrimination against disabled people. A number of the proposals being considered would require legislation. Final decisions on the way forward will be taken in the light of the responses to the consultation document.
Bosnian Refugees (Benefit Assistance)
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what level of benefit assistance is given to Bosnian refugees on arrival in the United Kingdom.
Column 54
Mr. Burt : Bosnian refugees admitted to the United Kingdom who are not being looked after in reception centres are entitled to the full rate of income support subject to the normal rules of entitlement. People who seek asylum at a port of entry to the United Kingdom can receive income support at a reduced rate--90 per cent. of their appropriate personal allowance--while their application for refugee status is being processed by the relevant authorities. Both groups can receive housing benefit, which can meet up to 100 per cent. of reasonable housing costs, if they are liable to pay rent for their home.
SCOTLAND
Abortions
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions were performed in Britain on women residents in each health board area in Scotland in each year since 1990 ; and how many of these were performed in NHS hospitals.
Mr. Stewart : The information on the number of abortions performed in England and Wales on Scottish residents does not differentiate between those carried out in NHS hospitals and those carried out in the private sector, and is not yet available for 1993. The information available is as follows :
1990
|Hospitals in
|England
Scottish and Wales
hospitals
Health board of |Total |NHS |Total
residence
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |723 |711 |122
Ayrshire and Arran |616 |612 |84
Borders |132 |131 |6
Dumfries and Galloway |238 |217 |34
Fife |771 |767 |16
Forth Valley |495 |488 |35
Grampian |1,195 |1,140 |14
Greater Glasgow |1,686 |1,641 |284
Highland |454 |451 |13
Lanarkshire |822 |804 |127
Lothian |1,862 |1,836 |32
Orkney |27 |27 |-
Shetland |31 |31 |1
Tayside |1,121 |1,113 |11
Western Isles |25 |25 |5
Scotland |10,198 |9,994 |784
1991
|Hospitals in
|England
Scottish and Wales
hospitals
Health board of |Total |NHS |Total
residence
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |739 |734 |101
Ayrshire and Arran |663 |657 |65
Borders |179 |178 |5
Dumfries and Galloway |244 |238 |26
Fife |816 |811 |11
Forth Valley |507 |502 |32
Grampian |1,327 |1,270 |19
Greater Glasgow |1,892 |1,837 |258
Highland |431 |425 |12
Lanarkshire |895 |880 |134
Lothian |2,112 |2,093 |32
Orkney |24 |24 |-
Shetland |23 |22 |1
Tayside |1,168 |1,163 |13
Western Isles |26 |25 |3
Scotland |11,046 |10,859 |712
1992
Scottish Hospitals in
hospitals
|England and Wales
Health board of |Total |NHS |Total
residence
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |645 |639 |67
Ayrshire and Arran |677 |673 |51
Borders |181 |181 |5
Dumfries and Galloway |251 |246 |28
Fife |755 |753 |13
Forth Valley |530 |521 |23
Grampian |1,282 |1,235 |18
Greater Glasgow |1,953 |1,918 |193
Highland |433 |429 |15
Lanarkshire |903 |887 |116
Lothian |2,007 |2,000 |30
Orkney |39 |39 |0
Shetland |33 |32 |0
Tayside |1,071 |1,067 |13
Western Isles |31 |31 |1
Scotland |10,791 |10,651 |573
1993<1>
Scottish
hospitals
Health board of |Total |NHS
residence
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |600 |593
Ayrshire and Arran |671 |668
Borders |164 |164
Dumfries and Galloway |216 |214
Fife |759 |757
Forth Valley |491 |484
Grampian |1,349 |1,303
Greater Glasgow |2,126 |2,100
Highland |452 |450
Lanarkshire |905 |895
Lothian |2,084 |2,075
Orkney |28 |28
Shetland |48 |48
Tayside |1,089 |1,080
Western Isles |19 |19
Scotland |11,001 |10,878
<1>Provisional.
Skin Cancer
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what has been the change in the rate of incidence of melanomas from 1984 to 1994 ;
(2) what survey of skin cancer has been conducted through general practitioners ; and what consultation he has had about the results with the Association of Dermatologists.
Mr. Stewart : Registrations of malignant melanomas in Scotland for the years 1993 and 1994 are not yet complete. The most recent 10-year period for which information is available is 1982-92. The incidence rate for men rose from 3.17 per 100,000 in 1982 to 6.2 per 100,000 in 1992. The comparable figures for women were 5.11 per 100,000 and 8.29 per 100,000.
I am not aware of any survey of skin cancer conducted through general practitioners. This is, however, an area of increasing concern which has been brought to GPs' attention by the Chief Medical Officer of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department. There has been considerable research into the subject by individuals and groups, often with GPs' co-operation, and the Scottish Dermatological Society and the British Association of Dermatologists (UK) are no doubt aware of the results.
Secure Hospital Places
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many persons are currently in prison because there is no place available in a secure hospital ; and what steps he is taking to resolve this problem ;
(2) if he will publish the result of his inquiry into the imprisonment of persons for whom no place could be found in a secure hospital.
Mr. Stewart : The information requested by the hon. Member cannot be compiled in time before the House rises. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House for the benefit of other hon. Members.
Dangerous Plants
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the conclusions of the latest research available to him on the potential dangers of humans coming into contact with Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed ; if he intends to fund further research ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will place a specific duty on river purification boards and water authorities to eradicate Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed from the banks and verges of rivers, reservoirs and lochs ; (3) what powers he has to ensure that Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed is eradicated from
Column 57
places to which the public have access or are likely to have access ; what powers and duties local authorities have in this regard ; what are the duties and responsibilities of landowners in relation to its eradication ; and if he will make a statement ;(4) if he will bring forward legislation to give local authorities and/or landowners a duty to eradicate Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed from places to which the public have access ; and if he will make a statement ;
(5) how many cases were recorded in each of the past five years of people requiring medical treatment after coming into contact with Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 1 July 1994] : The effect of Humans coming into contact with the sap of Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed may require medical treatment from a GP or hospital but data are not available on the numbers of people requiring such treatment. Nor has my right hon. Friend been informed of research into any potential dangers from contact with this plant.
There is no specific statutory duty placed on any individual or body to eradicate Giant Hogweed from public places. Private landowners are free to do so and district councils have adequate powers under the nuisance provision of the Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897 where they consider that a public nuisance exists from Giant Hogweed. There are no plans to bring forward legislation imposing new duties of this kind on local authorities or landowners.
Multiple Births
Mr. Wrigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Scotland in each year from 1990 to 1993 ; what was the total number of maternities in Scotland in each year ; and how many multiple births of each type in each year were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 July 1994] : The information available is set out in the table :
Type of birth |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twins:
2 live |711 |682 |790 |751
1 live, 1 stillbirth |15 |22 |11 |25
2 stillbirth |5 |5 |6 |4
Triplets:
3 live |14 |18 |15 |10
2 live, 1 stillbirth |2 |4 |- |-
1 live, 2 stillbirth |- |2 |- |-
3 stillbirth |- |- |- |-
Quadruplets:
4 live |1 |1 |- |-
3 live, 1 stillbirth |- |1 |- |-
Quintuplets |- |- |- |-
Sextuplets |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Maternities |65,556 |66,630 |65,307 |62,946
Column 58
Information on the number of multiple births in Scotland attributed to assisted conception is not available. Some information on these matters is published in the first annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and in earlier annual reports of the interim licensing authority, copies of which are available in the Library.Electricity Interconnector
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what date Her Majesty's Government decided to set up separate inquiries in Scotland and Northern Ireland into the proposed electricity interconnector ; and how this decision was reached.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 July 1994] : My right hon. Friend appointed a reporter to take a public inquiry to consider Scottish Power's application for the Scottish part of the proposed interconnector with Northern Ireland, and the objections to it, and to report to him. He understands that the reporter subsequently arranged that the public inquiry should start in Ayr on 4 October. Consideration of the application from Northern Ireland Electricity for that part of the interconnector which is proposed in Northern Ireland is not a matter for my right hon. Friend.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the Ove Arup report on the proposed Scotland-to- Northern Ireland electricity interconnector ; and if he will consider postponing the public inquiry into the matter of the interconnector until copies of this report have been made available to the objectors and the reporter.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 July 1994] : My right hon. Friend has not seen the Ove Arup report on the proposed electricity interconnector with Northern Ireland.
Conflicts of Interest
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions employees of Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Enterprise or the Forestry Authority have declared that there might be a potential conflict of interest between their work for their agency and any outside private interest or business.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 15 July 1994] : This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Glasgow-Barrow Air Service
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the performance criteria on which the subsidy payable to Loganair/British Airways Express for the Glasgow-Barra service is dependent ; what weight is given to the number of advertised scheduled flights actually completed between Glasgow and Barra ; and what steps he is taking to monitor performance in this service.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 15 July 1994] : Subsidy is payable in arrears for the lifeline air service operated between Glasgow and Tiree and Barra based on the deficit incurred in providing the service designated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In addition, the service must be operated in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority regulatory regime.
Column 59
Under the terms of the contract, the operator is required to submit to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State details of each occasion on which the company fails to operate the air service with an explanation for each failure. The performance of the service is continuously monitored and reviewed with the company concerned.Children Bill
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will present a children's Bill for Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 11 July 1994] : We are making preparations for children's legislation and will introduce it when parliamentary time permits. The Government's decisions on future legislation will be announced in the Queen's Speech.
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration has been given to the implications of the forest fires in south-west Scotland for the dispersal of radioactive waste in the area ; and if he will now commission a further report on the subject.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 11 July 1994] : There is no evidence to suggest that radionuclides are concentrated within the forest biomass and hence it is not believed that forest fires will affect the dispersal of radionuclides within south-west Scotland. There is no intention to commission further work on this topic.
Column 60
DEFENCE
Aldershot Hospitals
Mr. Critchley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans regarding the Louise Margaret and the Cambridge hospitals in Aldershot.
Mr. Hanley : As part of "Front Line First", we propose to reorganise the service hospital base in the United Kingdom around one hospital at Haslar in Gosport. This would involve the closure of the Cambridge military hospital, including the Louise Margaret maternity wing, in Aldershot. Our proposals for the defence medical services are outlined in a consultative document, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Training
Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) list the foreign Governments assisted with training and (b) the amount forgone as listed in "Other Notes" on page 19 of the Appropriation Accounts of 1992-93, class 1, vote 1.
Mr. Hanley : It is not our practice to disclose this information as details of military assistance are in confidence between the coutries involved.
Gifts
Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recipients of gifts and their amounts listed in "Special Payments" on page 28 of the Appropriation Accounts 1992-93, class 1, vote 2.
Mr. Hanley : Details of gifts made in 1992-93 by my Department, their value, and the identity of recipients are as follows :
Column 59
Number |Description |Value |Recipient
|£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 |Bell, Nameboard, Honours Board ex-HMS Ariadne |375.00 |Scunthorpe Borough Council
1 |Bell-ex HMS Minerva |200.00 |City of Salford
1 |Bell-ex RMAS Invergordon |60.00 |Town of Invergordon
1 |Bell-ex HMS Osiris |60.00 |Ilkley Parish Council
1 |Bell-ex HMS Charybdis |300.00 |Island of Guernsey
2 |Nameboards-ex HMS Jupiter |100.00 |TS Jupiter
1 |TON Class MCM Instructional Equipment |725.00 |The Bronington Trust
1 |Deck Plate-ex HMS Minerva |30.00 |Ist Battalion Scots Guards
1 |MK 28 Mine Shell |12.00 |New Tavern Fort Project
67 |Ship's Crests, Badges and Associated Items |335.00 |The Sea Cadet Corps
4 |Mines/Sinkers |100.00 |Royal Naval Museum-(for display on
|HMS Minerva)
1 |Unmarked Ship's Bell |150.00 |Parishes of East Meon and Langrish
1 |Bell-ex HMS Sirius |300.00 |City of Portsmouth
1 |All-Purpose Firestreak Missile and Cradle Trolley|9.00 |Yorkshire Air Museum
1 |WESSEX |250.00 |State of Guernsey
1 |Land Rover |360.00 |RHKR(V) Museum
1 |Armoured Vehicles |1,600.00 |Canadians
1 |Heavy Ferry |20,000.00 |RE Museum
1 |TACR 11 |4,500.00 |Imperial War Museum
1 |Jet Provost Aircraft |8,750.00 |RAF Museum
1 |Vulcan Cannon Pod |180.00 |RAF Museum
1 |Quantity 70 X L39A1 Rifles |700.00 |Army Rifle Association
1 |Searchlights |300.00 |RE and Army Museum
1 |Aircraft Components |250.00 |Bedford College
1 |Admiral's Barge |12,000.00 |Portsmouth Property Base
1 |Quantity 2 X Cat 5 Viking Gliders |1,500.00 |RAFGSA
1 |Ship's Bells |5,060.00 |Local Authorities
1 |Quantity 70 X LMG's Machine Guns |7,000.00 |Nepal
1 |1992 NRA BISLEY Meeting Civilian Usage of | |78,620.00
|7.62mm Ammunition
------- |-------
101 |143,826.00
Contractors
Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the contractor paid the extra-contractual amount listed under "Special Payments" on page 19 of the Appropriation Accounts 1992-93, class 1, vote 1.
Mr. Hanley : It is not MOD policy to identify individual contractors where matters of commercial confidentiality are concerned.
Car Purchases
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many other Departments use the car purchase running contract drawn up by his Department ; and how many vehicles were purchased through this scheme in the last year.
Mr. Aitken : A total of 25 other Departments and public bodies use the Ministry of Defence enabling contract arrangements. The total number of vehicles procured against the contracts in financial year 1993-94 was approximately 2,900.
Civilian Employees
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances conviction for a violent offence for which a prison sentence has been served debars an applicant from civilian employment with the Ministry of Defence.
Mr. Aitken : A person who has been found guilty of an offence against the law is not necessarily debarred from employment with my Department. Each case is considered on its merits, taking into account the nature and date of the offence, the candidate's age at the time, and the type of work for which he or she is applying.
Column 62
Anti-personnel Mines
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or
self-neutralising mechanisms have been exported from the United Kingdom since 1982.
Mr. Aitken : It has been the established practice of successive administrations not to release information about individual defence exports. Nevertheless, in this case and in the context of the recent UN resolution on anti-personnel mines, I can confirm that no AP mines have been exported from the United Kingdom for well over a decade.
Official Service Residences
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July, Official Report, columns 341-42, if he will provide a breakdown of (a) the maintenance, furniture and equipment costs for each residence, (b) the subject matter of each contract of more than £5,000 for each residence and (c) the annual cost for domestic and household staff for each residence.
Mr. Hanley : For security reasons it is not our practice to reveal the location of individual residences for senior officers. The maintenance, furniture and equipment, and domestic and household staff costs for the 77 official service residences are shown in the table, with residences being identified numerically. Information on the nature of each contract of more than £5,000 for each residence is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Column 63
£ thousand
Combined figures Based on
for 1992-93
and 1993-94 1994-95 rates
except where
indicated of pay
Residence |Maiintenance |Furniture and|Annual
|equipment |domestic and
|household
|staff costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1 |7.0 |2.0 |84.3
2 |5.0 |1.2 |9.4
3 |2.0 |1.2 |32.2
4 |2.5 |3.0 |36.3
5 |63.0 |16.0 |157.7
6 |37.5 |8.0 |61.6
7 |56.5 |11.0 |84.3
8 |10.0 |3.0 |0
9 |63.0 |2.5 |173.2
10 |30.0 |6.5 |42.8
11 |86.0 |24.0 |117.7
12 |27.0 |2.9 |87.2
13 |200.0 |12.0 |78.0
14 |3.6 |1.0 |42.8
15 |41.7 |2.3 |42.8
16 |9.0 |0 |51.8
17 |7.0 |3.0 |99.8
18 |57.0 |9.7 |84.3
19 |80.7 |24.0 |142.2
20 |18.0 |3.0 |44.7
21 |14.4 |4.8 |142.2
22 |49.0 |55.0 |81.3
23 |25.0 |4.0 |61.8
24 |35.0 |8.5 |173.2
25 |14.6 |5.0 |39.5
26 |69.0 |8.0 |65.8
27 |37.5 |10.1 |139.3
28 |<1>66.6 |8.5 |52.0
29 |15.0 |15.3 |76.0
30 |25.5 |10.1 |66.8
31 |22.3 |14.1 |83.0
32 |61.5 |8.0 |30.2
33 |13.0 |3.6 |23.4
34 |13.7 |7.7 |37.6
35 |22.5 |9.0 |9.6
36 |50.4 |3.4 |55.7
37 |23.4 |0 |72.6
38 |29.3 |3.2 |58.4
39 |39.2 |3.1 |50.9
40 |23.6 |0.2 |50.9
41 |38.3 |8.2 |35.0
42 |83.3 |18.8 |83.9
43 |61.7 |27.3 |95.3
44 |26.1 |14.7 |50.9
45 |25.0 |2.2 |69.5
46 |49.2 |14.0 |71.3
47 |80.7 |29.9 |84.3
48 |19.9 |9.3 |49.1
49 |35.9 |5.0 |42.2
50 |21.4 |27.3 |53.6
51 |24.6 |11.6 |41.5
52 |82.0 |5.0 |71.2
53 |213.9 |1.1 |36.6
54 |<2>29.0 |0 |99.9
55 |563.0 |140.0 |102.4
56 |0 |2.3 |52.3
57 |87.4 |4.6 |121.1
58 |19.9 |4.4 |62.5
59 |108.8 |19.7 |80.9
60 |0 |0 |88.6
61 |10.6 |4.6 |63.5
62 |0 |0 |18.0
63 |<3>15.1 |<3>4.3 |4.0
64 |<3>267.4 |1.2 |37.6
65 |48.8 |2.6 |51.6
66 |90.1 |3.2 |55.8
67 |88.1 |4.4 |72.5
68 |38.1 |3.1 |45.3
69 |11.3 |4.1 |22.7
70 |23.2 |9.5 |26.5
71 |396.0 |1.5 |72.5
72 |0 |0 |26.5
73 |<3>4.8 |3.6 |51.6
74 |102.9 |1.5 |37.6
75 |11.2 |4.8 |49.3
76 |93.7 |2.0 |45.3
77 |96.4 |5.9 |74.6
|------- |------- |-------
Total |4,324.7 |719.6 |4,990.3
<1>Charges over a five-year period.
<2>FYs 1990-94.
<3>FY 1993-94.
Mr. Gordon McNally
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1990 Ministers, officials or serving officers at the rank of major or above have met Mr. Gordon McNally and discussed military equipment.
Mr. Aitken : I am not aware of any meetings which may have taken place between Ministers, officials or serving officers and Mr. McNally.
Arms Sales (Abu Dhabi)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to sell a type 23 frigate to Abu Dhabi.
Mr. Aitken : The purchase of a type 23 frigate from a United Kingdom yard is one of a number of possibilities being considered by the United Arab Emirates.
MOD Police
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the report of the Blelloch inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police is to be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) on 14 July, Official Report , columns 760-61 .
EMPLOYMENT
Race Relations Employment Advisory Service
Mr. Khabra : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to market test the race relations employment advisory service.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The race relations employment advisory service is included in the Employment Department's market testing programme for 1994-95.
Actively Seeking Work Test
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many decisions, disallowances and warning letters have been issued to unemployment benefit
Column 65
and income support claimants by adjudication officers, in respect of the definition of actively seeking work, in each year since 1979.Mr. David Hunt : Information on the number of decisions and disallowances issued to unemployment benefit claimants in respect of the definition of actively seeking work is contained in the quarterly summary entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions", copies of which are held in the Library. This information is available from 1 October 1989, when the actively seeking work condition was introduced, to the year ending March 1994. My Department does not hold information about the number of decisions and disallowances issued to income support claimants on those grounds.
The number of warning letters which have been issued to unemployment benefit and income support claimants, in respect of the definition of actively seeking work, in each full year since 1 October 1989 is shown in the following table :
Annex A
|Number of actively
|seeking employment
|warning letters
|issued
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1 October 1989 to December 1989 |7,577
January to December 1990 |44,793
January to December 1991 |24,896
January to December 1992 |24,636
January to December 1993 |10,869
January to March 1994 |2,230
Labour Statistics
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of (a) men and (b) women over the age of 50 years who are living within the Greater London area and are registered as unemployed.
Miss Widdecombe : In April 1994, the latest month for which figures are available, unadjusted claimant unemployment amongst people aged 50 and over in the greater London region stood at 49,664 men and 16, 087 women.
Breast Feeding
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he gives to employers about arrangements for encouraging mothers to continue breast feeding on their return to work after maternity leave ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : None. Arrangements for women who wish to continue breast feeding on their return to work are best agreed between the individual women themselves and their employers.
School Leavers
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of summer-term school leavers had (a) obtained employment, (b) started vocational training and (c) started courses of further or higher education by the following October in 1978 and in each year since then.
Miss Widdecombe : The information in the table has been taken from the youth cohort study of England and
Column 66
Wales. The youth cohort study started in 1985 and has surveyed young people reaching minimum school leaving age approximately every two years since then.
Main activity status<1> of 16-year-olds<2> in the October after leaving
school<3>
Per cent.
|In a full time|On a training |College of
|job (over 30 |scheme e.g. |further educa-
|hours a week) |youth training|tion
|(or tertiary
|college)
|full time<4>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 1984 |24.0 |39.0 |20.0
October 1985 |23.0 |37.0 |20.0
October 1986 |26.0 |39.0 |21.0
October 1988 |31.0 |36.0 |25.0
October 1990 |28.0 |23.0 |34.0
October 1991 |22.0 |19.0 |42.0
Source: Youth Cohoht Study.
<1>Main activity status identifies whether young people are out of work,
in a full time job (over 30 hours a week), on a training scheme, full
time at school or sixth form college, at a college of further education
(or tertiary college) full time or doing something else.
<2>Aged 16 at preceding 31 August.
<3>Figures for October 1984 and October 1985 covered pupils in state
schools only; independent schools were included from 1987
onwards.
<4>Excluding those young people who remain in school or sixth form
college.
Industrial Tribunals
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to increase the maximum awards which may be made to successful applicants by industrial tribunals.
Miss Widdecombe : Awards in cases of sex or race discrimination are not subject to an upper limit. We are considering the outcome of the annual review of the limits on other awards and will announce the decision as soon as possible.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now increase the financial resources available to industrial tribunals.
Miss Widdecombe : We have already done so. The financial resources allocated to industrial tribunals for 1994-95 have been increased over those for last year.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the minimum, maximum and average waiting times for (a) unfair dismissal, (b) redundancy rights, (c) maternity rights, (d) race discrimination and (e) other claims in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales ; and what were the waiting times in 1979, 1989 and 1993.
Miss Widdecombe : No information is available for 1979 and information for 1989 and 1993 is not available in the form requested. The figures for 1989 and 1993, all jurisdiction, are shown in the following table :
Length of time for registered applications
to come to first hearing
Percentage under (weeks)
|12 |20 |26 |30 |36
---------------------------------------------
England and Wales<1>
1989-90 |44 |75 |85 |n/a|n/a
1993-94 |14 |38 |54 |63 |75
Scotland
1989-90 |43 |85 |91 |n/a|n/a
1993-94 |5 |65 |80 |86 |91
<1>Separate figures are not available for
Wales.
Regional Expenditure
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been his Department's expenditure in each region in each of the last five years.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information in the form requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Unemployment, Germany
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 11 July, Official Report, column 406, if he will now provide figures giving the percentage rate of unemployment in the united Germany.
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