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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 31 October 1994
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Hunting
Mr. Flynn: To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what proposals he has to raise the subject of a ban on fox hunting and stag hunting on church land at the appropriate forum.
Mr. Alison: None. The Church Commissioners' long-standing policy on fox hunting is that our tenants should follow their own consciences in deciding whether or not to allow hunts on to land in their care. Our tenancy agreements do not, therefore, reserve the right of hunting to the landlord. This right rests with the tenant. No stag hunting takes place on land owned by the Church Commissioners.
HEALTH
Measles and Rubella Vaccine
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work her Department is currently undertaking to develop a measles and rubella vaccine which is not dependent on a strain developed from cells from an aborted foetus.
Mr. Sackville: The Department does not undertake vaccine development. MRC5, the cell culture in which the rubella vaccine is prepared, is used worldwide and no further foetal material has been involved since its development in 1966. Industry is not, as far as we are aware, seeking other culture media. However, there are many research groups actively investigating the application of new technologies such as the use of recombinant proteins for vaccine development. Such new vaccines may not require viruses to be grown in present cell culture methods.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the foetus, whose cells were used to develop the vaccine against measles and rubella being used in the current campaign to vaccinate all school children, had been aborted.
Mr. Sackville: All rubella vaccines, including the rubella vaccine being used in the measles and rubella schools immunisation campaign, are grown in cell culture whose cells are called MRC5. This cell line was developed from a small number of cells taken from a single foetus in 1966 and the cells have grown and replicated since and been used widely for growing viruses. The termination of pregnancy was carried out on medical grounds in a national health service hospital. No further foetal material has been involved since 1966. The vaccine is highly purified and does not contain any foetal tissue.
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There is no question of use of this vaccine enabling anyone to profit from a termination of pregnancy.Measles vaccine is prepared on chick embryo tissue.
Aerosols
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those medical aerosols known to her Department that now contain chlorofluorocarbon gases.
Mr. Sackville: Records held by the Medicines Control Agency show that there are 184 products containing chlorofluorocarbons licensed under the Medicines Act for human use at present. A small number, which are listed, contain chlorofluorocarbons as active ingredients. The remainder contain chlorofluorocarbons used as excipients, usually in the form of a propellant. It is not normal practice to disclose excipients, since to do so could prejudice companies' commercially sensitive information, which they are required to provide to obtain a product licence.
Product Licences with Chlorofluorocarbons
Product Name
Deep Freeze Aerosol Spray
PR Freeze Spray (liquid aerosol)
Pain Relief Spray
Stingo (aerosol spray)
Ultrakool Aerosol Spray
Pharmaethyl (pressurized gas - aerosol presentation)
Burnzap
Fluothane
Ethrane or Enflurane (generic name)
Forane or Isoflurane (generic name)
Isoflurane
Alyrane (nonflammable liquid)
Both the Government and industry are working towards replacement of CFC- containing medicinal products.
Influenza
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days on average are lost annually because of influenza.
Mr. Sackville: This information is not collected by the Department. Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the national health service of each influenza vaccination. Mr. Sackville: The basic cost of a pre-filled syringe of influenza vaccine is approximately £5.10. Reimbursement and remuneration for the general practitioner is about £1.00 per patient; this payment forms part of the general practitioner's total payment for providing general medical services.
Condoms
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of state for health if (a) dispensing general practitioners and (b) non-dispensing general practitioners are able, under terms and condition of service, to sell condoms to their patients. Mr. Malone: General practitioners cannot sell condoms to their national health service patients.
General Practitioners
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to decrease bureaucratic requirements on general practitioners. Mr. Malone: In 1991 we set up a working group on unnecessary bureaucracy, made up of representatives of
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the general medical services committee, family health services authorities and the Department of Health. It recommended a number of improvements to claim forms and guidance on simplified procedures. These were implemented in June 1991. All subsequent changes to the general practitioner contract have been made in consultation with representatives of the profession. Among other considerations, these consultations ensure that the profession's views on such changes are fully addressed and that bureaucracy is kept to a minimum.Unemployment
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to the national health service of unemployment (a) in total and (b) by such smaller categories as are available.
Dental Problems
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients consulted general practitioners about dental problems in each of the last five years.
Mr. Malone: The information is not available centrally.
Privatisation
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the privatisations which her Department has promoted since 1979, indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale and the estimated current value of the company.
Mr. Sackville: No part of the Department, its agencies or related bodies has been privatised since 1979.
Blood Supplies (North-West)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the average time taken to deliver blood supplies to hospitals throughout the north-west following the proposed closure of two blood transfusion centres.
Mr. Sackville: The National Blood Authority is satisfied that its proposal to establish a network of blood banks will enable it to continue to respond to emergency demand for blood without detriment to patient care and will result in an improved service to hospitals.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to replace the blood collected from the blood transfusion service at Lancaster for use throughout the north-west.
Mr. Sackville: The majority of blood donation does not take place at transfusion centres. Mobile collection teams go out into the community to conduct pre-arranged donation sessions. Under the NBA's proposals mobile teams would go out to donors in all areas whether the centres are amalgamated or not.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she has made for the specialist provision of factor 8 to hospitals throughout the north-west of England following the proposed closure of two blood transfusion centres.
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Mr. Sackville: The availability to hospitals of factor 8 will not be affected by the National Blood Authority's proposals.
Air Pollution
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the subjects of any reports currently being prepared by the committee on the medical effects of air pollutants, showing the time frames for (a) their completion and (b) their publication.
Mr. Sackville: Two sub-groups of the committee on the medical effects of air pollutants, on asthma and particles respectively, are expected to report back to the main committee by early 1995. The committee will consider their draft reports, with a view to agreeing publication as soon as possible thereafter.
In addition, a summary of COMEAP's work up to the end of 1994 is being prepared and will be published, jointly with material on the work of the advisory committee on the medical aspects of air pollution episodes. Publication is expected towards the end of this year.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each study undertaken for her Department this year on correlations between atmospheric pollution and the incidence of asthma and respiratory illnesses showing the time frames for (a) their completion and (b) their publication.
Mr. Malone: The relevant research studies funded in this year through the Department of Health's centrally commissioned programme are:
Middlesbrough Childhood Asthma study--University of Teesside 1 May 1994-30 April 1995.
Health Effects of the Nitrogen Dioxide Episode in London, December 1991 St. George's Hospital Medical School; 1 April 1993-28 February 1994.
Modified National Study of Health and Growth, which includes the prevalence of asthma in children-United Medical and Dental Schools (UMDS) of Guy's and St. Thomas's; 1 January 1993 31 December 1995 (part of a programme of work and not separately costed).
It is planned to commission two further studies this year which will begin in 1995.
Impact of Air Pollution and Temperature on General Practitioner Consultations--University College Medical School; 1 January 1995-31 December 1995.
Personal exposure to Air Pollutants and Severity of Hay Fever Symptoms in London Traffic Wardens-Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine; 1 February 1995 6 November 1995.
Reports arising from all these studies will be published in the normal way.
London Ambulance Service
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of the London ambulance service were dismissed in 1993 94.
Mr. Sackville: I am advised by the London ambulance service that it dismissed five people in 1993 94. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Martin Gorham, chief executive of the London ambulance service, for details.
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of the London ambulance service were absent for (a) under 20 days, (b) 20 to 39 days and (c) over 40 days in 1993 94.
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Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally in the form requested. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 20 October at column 308 9 .
NHS Estates
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records are held by NHS Estates of transfers of land and property between health authorities, or health authorities and trusts in the Trent region.
Mr. Sackville: Transfers of property to trusts are agreed by the district health authority, and the legal transfers are effected by the regional authority on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The regional health authority and the trusts hold records of property transfers. NHS Estates may provide advice about policy matters, but is not involved in reaching agreement, and does not hold records of transfers. NHS Estates collects data on the size and value of the estate in the NHS.
Private Hospital Treatment
Mr. Hinchcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many in-patients were treated in private hospitals for psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;
(2) how many in-patients were treated in private hospitals for non- psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;
(3) how may out-patients were treated in private hospitals for psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;
(4) how many out-patients were treated in private hospitals for non- psychiatric specialities under contracts places by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
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Cannabis
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to reassess the case for permitting the prescribing of cannabis to those suffering from multiple sclerosis or glaucoma.
Mr. Sackville: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), met the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) and a delegation from the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics on 26 October to hear the case for making cannabis available for medical use. We intend to consider carefully the points made to us before coming to a view.
Any consideration of the use of cannabis as a medicinal product would have to take account of the potential risks associated with short and long-term use of cannabis.
Health Board Managers (Greenwich)
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list (a) the names of the chairman, general manager or chief executive of the Greenwich health authority and its successor bodies and the Greenwich Healthcare Trust in each of the years since 1988 89 and (b) the amounts paid to each person by way of fees, salaries, other remuneration and expenses for each year;
(2) if she will list (a) the names of members serving on the Greenwich health authority, its successor bodies and the Greenwich Healthcare Trust in each of the financial years since 1988 89 and (b) the amounts paid to each member by way of fees, salaries, other remuneration and expenses for each year.
Mr. Malone: A list of chairmen, non-executive members and chief executives of Greenwich health authority, now Bexley and Greenwich health authority, since 1989 and Greenwich Healthcare Trust since 1992 will be placed in the Library.
The annual rates of remuneration are as follows:
|From April |From April |From April |From January |From December
|1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1991
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairmen |£11,868 |£12,462 |£17,437 |£17,610 |£19,285
Since 17 September 1990, non-executives have been remunerated at a rate of £5,000 per annum.
Details of expenses paid to chairmen and non-executives and the salary of the chief executives
are not available centrally.
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Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of severance pay or other financial remuneration paid or agreed to be paid by the Greenwich Healthcare Trust to its former chief executive.
Mr. Malone: This is a matter for the Greenwich Healthcare Trust and the hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman for details.
Tobacco
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest assessment on the influence that tobacco advertising has on the numbers of children and teenagers who become smokers.
Mr. Sackville: With regard specifically to this age group, the report "Why Children Start Smoking", Office
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of Population Consensus and Surveys 1990, identified a number of risk factors associated with starting to smoke. The report concluded that "greater awareness of cigarette advertising is associated with a slightly increased likelihood of starting to smoke in the future. However, the effect appears to be small in comparison with some of the other influences on children such as the example set by parents and siblings."The new voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry on advertising announced on 13 May contains measures further to restrict tobacco advertising in general and particular measures in relation to children and young people.
Staff Statistics
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 24 October, Official Report,
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column 451 , if she will provide comparable data on staff numbers on the revised basis for each year for which it is available since 1989.Mr. Malone: The information is shown in the table.
General and Senior Managers by
Region-England as at 30
September 1991 and 1992-Whole Time
Equivalents
|1991 |1992
-------------------------------------
England Total |14,500|17,700
Northern |770 |770
Yorkshire |1,200 |1,400
Trent |810 |1,070
East Anglian |570 |660
NW Thames |720 |1,050
NE Thames |2,120 |1,950
SE Thames |1,000 |1,150
SW Thames |700 |580
Wessex |860 |990
Oxford |520 |770
South Western |800 |920
West Midlands |1,460 |1,770
Mersey |740 |900
North Western |1,000 |1,270
SHAs and Others |1,230 |2,460
Source: Non-Medical Workforce Census
and KM49 Returns.
Notes:
1. Figures previously published for
1989 and 1990 do not require
amendment.
2. All figures are rounded to the
nearest ten whole-time equivalents.
3. Totals may not equal the sum of
the components due to rounding.
4. Special health authorities and
others include London ambulance
service, special health authorities,
family health services authorities
and other statutory authorities.
Privatisation
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the privatisations which his Department has promoted since 1979, indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale and the estimated current value of the company.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average cost to his Department of answering (a) a written and (b) an oral Parliamentary question.
Mr. Hague: I refer my hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993 at column 391 .
Benefits (Values)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency addition and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1994 prices and as a percentage of average earnings in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date.
Mr. Burt: The information is in the tables.
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Table 1
|Rate of child |As a percentage of |Equivalent value of
|benefit
|plus child |Gross adult weekly |gross adult weekly |benefit at April
|dependency |1994
Uprating date |increase for first |average earnings |average earnings |prices
|child
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 1979 |£11.10 |£100.60 |11.0 |£26.56
November 1980 |£12.25 |£120.20 |10.2 |£25.42
November 1981 |£12.95 |£132.40 |9.8 |£24.00
November 1982 |£13.80 |£142.40 |9.7 |£24.07
November 1983 |£14.10 |£156.70 |9.0 |£23.46
November 1984 |£14.50 |£167.00 |8.7 |£22.99
November 1985 |£15.05 |£178.70 |8.4 |£22.63
July 1986 |£15.15 |£189.10 |8.0 |£22.40
April 1987 |£15.30 |£198.90 |7.7 |£21.67
April 1988 |£15.65 |£218.40 |7.2 |£21.33
April 1989 |£16.20 |£239.70 |6.8 |£20.44
April 1990 |£16.90 |£263.10 |6.4 |£19.48
April 1991 |£17.95 |£284.70 |6.3 |£19.45
October 1991 |£18.95 |£294.70 |6.4 |£20.23
April 1992 |£19.40 |£304.60 |6.4 |£20.15
April 1993 |£19.80 |£316.90 |6.2 |£20.31
April 1994 |£20.00 |£328.50 |6.1 |£20.00
Table 2
|Rate of child
|benefit
|plus child |As a percentage of |Equivalent value of
|dependency |gross
|increase for |Gross adult weekly |adult weekly average|benefit at April
|subsequent |1994
Uprating date |children |average earnings |earnings |prices
|£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 1991 |18.20 |294.70 |6.2 |19.43
April 1992 |18.65 |304.60 |6.1 |19.13
April 1993 |19.05 |316.90 |6.0 |19.54
April 1994 |19.25 |328.50 |5.9 |19.25
Notes:
1 The figures apply to both widows and invalidity pensioners
2 Gross adult weekly earnings have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence.
3 From October 1991 the combined rate of child benefit and child dependency increases for the first child and subsequent
children diverged.
Table 2 reflects the rate in payment for subsequent children from that point.
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Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the level of unemployment benefit in each year since 1979 expressed as a proportion of average male earnings in the same years.
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the table.
|Single rate |As a percentage
|unemployment |of average male
|benefit |earnings
|£ |per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------
November 1979 |18.50 |16.2
November 1980 |20.65 |15.3
November 1981 |22.50 |15.1
November 1982 |25.00 |15.6
November 1983 |27.05 |15.7
November 1984 |28.45 |15.2
November 1985 |30.45 |15.3
July 1986 |30.80 |14.6
April 1987 |31.45 |14.0
April 1988 |32.75 |13.3
April 1989 |34.70 |12.9
April 1990 |37.35 |12.6
April 1991 |41.40 |13.0
April 1992 |43.10 |12.7
April 1993 |44.65 |12.6
April 1994 |45.45 |12.4
Notes:
1. Average earnings are taken from males all occupations (New
Earnings Survey).
2. Percentages are rounded to one decimal point.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current calculation of the amount of (a) the basic pension, (b) the Christmas bonus and (c) child benefit allowance had they been increased since 1979 by (i) increase in prices and (ii) increase in earnings.
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is in the table.
|Current
|Current |value if
|value if |increased
|increased|in line
|Value at |in line |with
|November |with |average
|1979 |prices |earnings
|£ |£ |£
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Basic retirement pension |23.30 |55.70 |74.75
Christmas bonus |10.00 |23.95 |32.15
Child benefit |4.00 |9.45 |12.80
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to two decimal places.
2. In each step of the calculation the benefit has been rounded
to
the nearest 5 pence.
3. The retail prices index (all items) as published by Central
Statistical Office has been used.
4. The average earnings index (whole economy unadjusted) as
published by the Employment Department has been used to
calculate
the earnings upratings.
Advertising Costs
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total cost in advertising (a) personal pensions and SERPS, (b) disability living allowance and disability working allowance and (c) family credit in each year in which a campaign has been run.
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Mr. Roger Evans: The total costs for advertising by the Department of Social Security were:
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