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Sir James Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the future organisation of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : The Government have decided that the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, which is responsible for the identification and preservation of Northern Ireland's archival heritage and for ensuring public access to that heritage, should become a next steps agency from 1 April 1995. This will give the Public Record Office the freedom to operate as an independent organisation within a framework of appropriate efficiency targets and performance measures. Accountability for the organisation will remain with the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.
Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland in 1994-95.
Mr. Tim Smith : For 1994-95 the following performance targets have been set for OSNI :
1. to survey 25,000 house units in the continuous revision programme ;
2. to complete 850 data capture units representing 1,630 basic scale map sheets converted to digital format ;
3. to update the digital topographical database with 90 per cent. of the surveyed change within 7 days of receipt of the field data ; 4. to dispatch, within 7 working days, 90 per cent. of orders for folded and basic scale maps ;
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5. to reduce unit costs so that the weighted mean percentage reduction of selected representative activities is 3 per cent.; and 6. to recover from the supply of goods and services, 24 per cent. of the total costs incurred by OSNI.Mr. Wolfson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency in 1994-95.
Mr. Tim Smith : For 1994-95 the following performance targets have been set for the agency :
Vehicle Test appointments--5 weeks average waiting time. Driving Test appointments--10 weeks average waiting time. Productivity--(Vehicle Testing)--16.15 units per man per day. Productivity--(Driver Testing)--7.7 units per man per day. Error Rate : Faulty inspections not to exceed 0.3 per cent. of tests conducted.
Level of complaints about booking arrangements--less than 2 per cent. of applications received.
Level of complaints about the conduct of tests--less than 2 per cent. of applications received.
Level of customer satisfaction with booking arrangements--greater than 80 per cent.
Level of customer satisfaction with test procedures--greater than 90 per cent.
Number of compensation payments for cancelled tests--not more than 1 per cent. of applications received.
Composite unit cost--£16.32.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which management consultants have been employed by his Department to assist in the assessment of applications for trust status ; how much each was paid ; and how many assessments they undertook, in each wave.
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 18 July 1994] : IHSM Consultants has been engaged by the Department of Health and Social Services to assist in the assessment of the management capacity of trust applicants in each of the three waves to date. The payments, which include fees and expenses in each case, and number of assessments in each wave are set out below :
1st Wave £9,519.45 in respect of one assessment
2nd Wave £16,559.52 in respect of ten assessments
3rd Wave £10,413.30 in respect of two assessments
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about persons or firms from the Irish Republic purchasing raw wool from farmers in Northern Ireland and about the price offered for such wool by purchasers in Northern Ireland ; and what is his estimate of the consequences of wool being moved across the land frontier to the Republic.
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 18 July 1994] : The British wool marketing scheme permits the sale of wool in its raw state--that is, unsorted and ungraded--to buyers outside the United Kingdom. Little information is available about persons or firms from the Republic of Ireland who purchase raw wool from farmers in Northern Ireland or about the prices offered for such wool by such purchasers. The quantity of wool exported to the Republic of Ireland in 1993, however, was insubstantial and the prices paid are likely to have been lower than those paid for
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wool sold to the British wool marketing board. The effect on the British wool market of exports of such small quantities is not expected to be significant.Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of the appointment of Andersen Consulting as consultants to the Child Support Agency.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. David Hanson :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security on the cost of Andersen Consulting to the Child Support Agency.
I am afraid that I am unable to provide you with information about Andersen Consulting in particular as this information is confidential due to its commercial nature. I can tell you however, that the Agency spent a total of £2.3 million on consultants in 1993-94.
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the Child Support Agency has spent on consultants in 1993 ; and what is the estimated expenditure on the contract with Andersen Consulting.
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Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. John Speller :
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security on the Agency's expenditure on consultants.
In 1993-94 the Agency spent £2.3 million on consultants. I am afraid that I am unable to provide the other information you request as it is confidential due to its commercial nature.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the resident population in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales are in receipt of benefits other than retirement pensions ; and what were the numbers in (i) 1964, (ii) 1971, (iii) 1981 and (iv) 1991.
Mr. Burt : Information on a territorial basis is not available for all benefits. Such information as is available is in the tables. The numbers provided are based on awards of benefit and contain a degree of overlap as people may be in receipt of more than one benefit. It is not possible to determine the percentage of the resident population represented by the figures as information on the number of individuals covered by each award is not readily available.
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Benefit recipients in England Benefit Number of recipients (000's unless stated*) |1964 |1971 |1981 |1991 |1993/ |latest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attendance Allowance |n/a |n/a |293 |771 |760 Child Benefit |3,199 |3,672 |6,058 |5,813 |5,919 Rent Rebate |n/a |n/a |n/a |2,337 |2,451 Rent Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |977 |1,338 Community Charge Benefit |n/a |n/a |n/a |5,475 |n/a Council Tax Benefit (CTB) |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |4,523 Disability Living Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |1,033 Disability Working Allowance* |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |2,990 FIS/Family Credit |n/a |n/a |85 |278 |429 Guardians Allowance* |n/a |n/a |2,695 |1,501 |1,630 Supplementary Benefit/Income Support |n/a |2,398 |3,131 |3,743 |4,795 Industrial Disablement Benefit |n/a |158 |150 |152 |169 Invalidity Benefit |n/a |n/a |468 |971 |1,072 Maternity Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |48 |40 Mobility Allowance |n/a |n/a |174 |545 |n/a One Parent Benefit |n/a |n/a |399 |692 |757 Sickness Benefit |n/a |n/a |282 |83 |109 Severe Disablement Allowance |n/a |n/a |107 |237 |245 Unemployment Benefit |122 |346 |951 |543 |501 Widows Benefit |n/a |n/a |335 |269 |261
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Benefit recipients in Scotland Benefit Number of recipients (000's unless stated*) |1964 |1971 |1981 |1991 |1993/ |latest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attendance Allowance |n/a |n/a |30 |84 |74 Child Benefit |405 |439 |679 |615 |621 Rent Rebate |n/a |n/a |n/a |466 |458 Rent Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |74 |91 Community Charge Benefit |n/a |n/a |n/a |646 |n/a Council Tax Benefit (CTB) |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |573 Disability Living Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |146 Disability Working Allowance* |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |341 FIS/Family Credit |n/a |n/a |14 |41 |60 Guardians Allowance* |n/a |n/a |487 |255 |247 Supplementary Benefit/Income Support |n/a |322 |371 |487 |543 Industrial Disablement Benefit |n/a |18 |16 |17 |19 Invalidity Benefit |n/a |n/a |88 |181 |200 Maternity Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |4 |2 Mobility Allowance |n/a |n/a |21 |82 |n/a One Parent Benefit |n/a |n/a |48 |87 |97 Sickness Benefit |n/a |n/a |44 |15 |17 Severe Disablement Allowance |n/a |n/a |18 |34 |35 Unemployment Benefit |36 |72 |141 |55 |57 Widows Benefit |n/a |n/a |48 |39 |38
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Benefit recipients in Wales Benefit Number of recipients (000's unless stated*) |1964 |1971 |1981 |1991 |1993/ |latest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attendance Allowance |n/a |n/a |28 |63 |56 Child Benefit |190 |212 |362 |355 |357 Rent Rebate |n/a |n/a |n/a |152 |154 Rent Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |56 |74 Community Charge Benefit |n/a |n/a |n/a |341 |n/a Council Tax Benefit (CTB) |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |273 Disability Living Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |102 Disability Working Allowance* |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |245 FIS/Family Credit |n/a |n/a |6 |22 |32 Guardians Allowance* |n/a |n/a |180 |94 |100 Supplementary Benefit/Income Support |n/a |189 |221 |257 |305 Industrial Disablement Benefit |n/a |25 |22 |19 |18 Invalidity Benefit |n/a |n/a |71 |147 |159 Maternity Allowance |n/a |n/a |n/a |2 |2 Mobility Allowance |n/a |n/a |15 |60 |n/a One Parent Benefit |n/a |n/a |21 |39 |43 Sickness Benefit |n/a |n/a |26 |12 |12 Severe Disablement Allowance |n/a |n/a |8 |22 |22 Unemployment Benefit |14 |23 |73 |29 |26 Widows Benefit |n/a |n/a |23 |19 |18 Notes: 1. n/a indicates information not available-benefit not in existence or no caseload data available for the year shown. 2. Figures are in thousands and are rounded to the nearest thousand except for Guardians Allowance and Disability Working Allowance where the actul numbers of recipients are given. 3. Supplementary Benefit was introduced in 1966. No figures are available for the numbers receiving National Assistance in 1964. 4. Council Tax Benefit replaced Community Charge Benefit in April 1993. 5. Disability Living Allowance replaced Mobility Allowance (and Attendance Allowance for persons under 65 years) in April 1992.
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimates his Department has made for the total number of people classified as falling within the benefits poverty trap in (a) May 1992, (b) May 1993 and (c) the latest available date ; (2) what estimates his Department made for the total number of people classified as falling into the benefits poverty trap in (a) May 1992, (b) May 1993 and (c) the latest available date.
Mr. Burt : The term "poverty trap" is often used to describe a situation where, because of a combination of tax and national insurance deductions, and the withdrawal of income-related benefits, a person working on low pay receives little or no increase in income when earnings rise.
The combined rate at which tax and national insurance are deducted from earnings and income-related benefits are withdrawn is known as the marginal deduction rate. Estimates of the numbers with marginal deduction rates at
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or above certain rates in 1992-93 and 1993- 94 can be found in the "Social Security Departmental Report", Cm. 2513, published in March this year. A copy is in the Library.Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of family credit at the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Burt : The estimated outturn for family credit for 1993-94 is £1,091 million.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families were in receipt of family credit ; what was the number of dependent children living in these families ; and what was the average family credit payment at the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Burt : There are 1,055,000 dependent children in the 520,000 families who receive family credit. The average weekly award is £46. Source : Family Credit Statistics : Final Quarterly Tables October 1993.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families where both spouses, or
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partners living as husband and wife, are working were in receipt of family credit at the latest date for which figures are available ; and what percentage this is of the total number of families in receipt of family credit.Mr. Burt : There are 22,500 families receiving family credit where both partners are working. This is 4.3 per cent. of the 520,000 families receiving family credit.
Source : Family Credit Statistics : final quarterly tables October 1993.
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons without accommodation were income support recipients in England at May 1992 and at the latest available date, breaking down the figures by age and by whether or not they were employed at the time.
Mr. Burt : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 7 February 1994, Official Report, column 29.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect on social security fraud of a national identity card ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hague : Most social security fraud arises from failure to declare true circumstances--for example, working and claiming--and only a small percentage results from misrepresentations about identity. We are looking at a range of initiatives including better ways of establishing identity, to prevent or detect multiple claims and instrument of payment frauds.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the policy of the compensation recovery unit in respect of the repayment of benefits by those who have paid appropriate national insurance contributions if they win damages arising out of an industrial disease, medical neglicence, road traffic accident or industrial injury ; and whether the compensation recovery unit will require those who have not paid appropriate national insurance contributions to pay back income support if they win damages arising out of industrial disease, medical negligence, road traffic accident or industrial injury.
Mr. Scott : Both contributory and non-contributory benefits, including income support, are prescribed in compensation recovery legislation. Recovery applies only when benefits are paid in consequence of the accident, injury or disease for which compensation is awarded.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to change the operations of the compensation recovery unit in so far as it affects asbestosis sufferers.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans for any such change.
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost to the pensions industry of the proposed pensions regulator.
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Mr. Hague : Initial estimates of the cost of the new regulatory authority which was announced in the White Paper, "Security, Equality, Choice", Cm 2594, are in the order of £10 million per annum. In addition, it is expected that there will be start-up costs of around £2 million. It is proposed that these costs will be met by an annual levy on occupational pension schemes.
Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to consult on the levies to fund the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and the compensation scheme, as announced in his White Paper "Security, Equality, Choice : The Future for Pensions", published on 23 June.
Mr. Hague : A consultation paper is being issued today. The paper explains how the levies will be structured, seeks views on how the costs of the levies should be distributed across the range of scheme sizes and gives some indication of the potential effect on schemes. It is being issued automatically to a number of interested parties and is available to others on request. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Kynoch : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to conduct a quinquennial review of the independent tribunal service.
Mr. Lilley : In keeping with our commitment to continuing improvement in customer service and value for money in public services, reflected in the citizens charter, the Government have an established programme for regular reviews of non-departmental public bodies. As part of this programme, in consultation with my noble and learned Friends the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Advocate, my Department will shortly begin a quinquennial review of the organisation and management of the Independent Tribunal Service. The review will fully respect the independence of the judicial functions of the service.
Anyone who has an interest in the work of the Independent Tribunal Service is welcome to send in their views, by 30 September 1994, and, to do so, is asked first to contact :
Elizabeth Thorp
DSS
Room 1820
Euston Tower
286 Euston Road
London
NW1 3DN
The results of the review will be announced in due course.
Mr. Lidington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest information held about pensioners' income ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I have today published the latest information, which is for 1992. The figures show that, on average, pensioners' total net income has risen by 50 per cent. over inflation since 1979 ; or 58 per cent. after housing costs have been deducted. In particular, the amount that pensioners receive from occupational pensions has increased by an average of 62 per cent., to an average weekly amount of nearly £72.
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Further details are in the tables.Column 204
Copies of this reply will be placed in the Library.Column 203
Table 3: Proportion of pensioner units with occupational pension and the average amount for those in receipt Percentage of Average amount Percentage units with for those in occupational receipt (£ per pension week, 1992 prices growth in |average |amount since |1979 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1992 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) All pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |65 |72 |51.30 |52.80 |92.20 |75 Single Pensioners |24 |32 |46 |37.20 |35.00 |52.90 |51 All pensioner units |34 |43 |56 |44.80 |44.40 |71.80 |62 (b) Recently retired pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |68 |73 |56.20 |62.10 |100.30 |62 Single pensioners |24 |37 |47 |46.40 |37.70 |71.70 |90 All pensioner units |43 |55 |63 |54.30 |55.30 |91.90 |66 Notes: 1. Estimates of the percentage of pensioner units in receipt of occupational pension income are based upon data from the Family Expenditure Survey and the GAD Survey of Occupational Pension Schemes. Due to this use of additional information, it is not possible to derive the overall average occupational receipt from the estimates in this table. 2. Recently retired pensioner units are defined as: single women aged 60-64; single men aged 65-69; and couples in which the husband is aged 65-69. 3. All average amounts are means.
Table 3: Proportion of pensioner units with occupational pension and the average amount for those in receipt Percentage of Average amount Percentage units with for those in occupational receipt (£ per pension week, 1992 prices growth in |average |amount since |1979 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1992 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) All pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |65 |72 |51.30 |52.80 |92.20 |75 Single Pensioners |24 |32 |46 |37.20 |35.00 |52.90 |51 All pensioner units |34 |43 |56 |44.80 |44.40 |71.80 |62 (b) Recently retired pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |68 |73 |56.20 |62.10 |100.30 |62 Single pensioners |24 |37 |47 |46.40 |37.70 |71.70 |90 All pensioner units |43 |55 |63 |54.30 |55.30 |91.90 |66 Notes: 1. Estimates of the percentage of pensioner units in receipt of occupational pension income are based upon data from the Family Expenditure Survey and the GAD Survey of Occupational Pension Schemes. Due to this use of additional information, it is not possible to derive the overall average occupational receipt from the estimates in this table. 2. Recently retired pensioner units are defined as: single women aged 60-64; single men aged 65-69; and couples in which the husband is aged 65-69. 3. All average amounts are means.
Table 3: Proportion of pensioner units with occupational pension and the average amount for those in receipt Percentage of Average amount Percentage units with for those in occupational receipt (£ per pension week, 1992 prices growth in |average |amount since |1979 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1974 |1979 |1992 |1992 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) All pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |65 |72 |51.30 |52.80 |92.20 |75 Single Pensioners |24 |32 |46 |37.20 |35.00 |52.90 |51 All pensioner units |34 |43 |56 |44.80 |44.40 |71.80 |62 (b) Recently retired pensioner units Pensioner couples |53 |68 |73 |56.20 |62.10 |100.30 |62 Single pensioners |24 |37 |47 |46.40 |37.70 |71.70 |90 All pensioner units |43 |55 |63 |54.30 |55.30 |91.90 |66 Notes: 1. Estimates of the percentage of pensioner units in receipt of occupational pension income are based upon data from the Family Expenditure Survey and the GAD Survey of Occupational Pension Schemes. Due to this use of additional information, it is not possible to derive the overall average occupational receipt from the estimates in this table. 2. Recently retired pensioner units are defined as: single women aged 60-64; single men aged 65-69; and couples in which the husband is aged 65-69. 3. All average amounts are means.
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had, and what provision he has made in his budget, in relation to the victims of crime who will no longer be sufficiently compensated by the tariff scheme of the criminal injuries compensation scheme to be able to be independent of state benefits.
Mr. Burt : None. A wide range of income-related benefits are paid to those whose income falls below a level set each year by Parliament. There are no cash limits to the income-related benefit budget as payment is made to all those who qualify.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to review water charges paid by women in safe housing ; if he will consider introducing a water rebate scheme for those on low incomes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : No. Water charges should be treated in a similar manner to other items of expenditure in the family budget.
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to make available the concessions and benefits of the European Community over-60s card to people in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Hague : No country has yet implemented the EC recommendation for an over-60s card. We are continuing our discussions with interested parties with a view to securing successful implementation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which bodies have been consulted on his plans to introduce a test of habitual residence in the United
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Kingdom as a condition of entitlement to income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit ; what will be the position of United Kingdom nationals who retired abroad and wish to return to the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Burt : The local authority associations were consulted on the proposal to introduce a habitual residence test into income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit. The proposal was also formally referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee, which undertook a public consultation. The habitual residence test will apply to all people who claim these benefits. In the case of returning United Kingdom nationals, the adjudication authorities will be looking at whether the person has an established link with this country, for example whether they have any ties here, such as family, and why they have come back.
Ms Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table setting out for each year between 1988-89 and 1993-94 the number of claimants of rent rebate and rent allowance, divided into fair rented and non-fair rented private sector tenants ; if, following the Treasury's Summer Economic Forecast 1994, he will publish projections for each of the years from 1994-95 to 1996-97 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hague [holding answer 14 July 1994] : The information is not available.
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give, in real terms, the cost to local authorities of a reduction in the rate of direct subsidy to local authorities for housing benefit of (a) 1 per cent., (b) 2 per cent., (c) 3 per cent. and (d) 4 per cent.
Mr. Hague [holding answer 18 July 1994] : If there were no comparable increase in the revenue support grant,
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the housing benefit direct subsidy paid to local authorities would fall by approximately £100 million per annum for each 1 per cent. reduction in the rate of direct subsidy.Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) of 4 July, Official Report, column 97, on employment data on administration of research and development in the national health service, if she will now make it her policy to establish arrangements to collect the data centrally.
Dr. Mawhinney : I have no current plans to collect centrally such comprehensive data.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the priority-setting exercises which have been undertaken by her Department and NHS regions, and those currently under way, giving in each case (i) the amount of research funds to be allocated in each year and (ii) the total costs of the exercise in each year, showing separately the costs (a) to the Department of Health and NHS executive, (b) to the lead NHS region, (c) in time spent by research staff funded by the Department, (d) in time spent by other academic staff employed by universities, (e) in time spent by other NHS staff and (f) other costs.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 15 July 1994] : The current list of research priority setting exercises for the national health service research and development programme is shown in the table.
review exercises completed
Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
Physical and Complex Disabilities
Primary and Secondary Care Interface
Health Technology
Cancer
review exercises underway
Mother and Child Health
Methods of implementing research findings in the Health Service Dentistry
Diabetes
The financial costs for each of these exercises cannot be disaggregated.
The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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