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Mental Health Beds
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the number of mental health beds in those areas where there is most need (a) during the current financial and (b) the next financial year; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Bowis: It is for health authorities to determine the range and type of mental health services they purchase based on their assessment of the needs of their population.
Tobacco Advertising
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her policy on the advertising of tobacco.
Mr. Malone: The Government are committed to ensuring that there are strong and effective controls on the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. We believe that voluntary agreements with the industry provide the best way of controlling tobacco advertising. In May 1994 we announced the main points of a revised voluntary agreement, which will significantly reduce levels of outdoor advertising and enhance the size and impact of health warnings on press and poster advertising. The new agreement will be published shortly.
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Herbalists
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to allow the rights granted to herbalists in the Medicines Act 1968; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: The rights granted to herbalists under the Medicines Act 1968 will continue.
Chiropractors
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to make treatment by qualified chiropractors available to patients on the national health service; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: We believe that the professional recognition and regulation of the profession will encourage those purchasers who want to refer their patients for chiropractic treatment to do so. Provision within the national health service is a matter for local decision in the light of priorities and available resources.
Drugs Budget
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of the drugs budget in the national health service, both for hospitals and for general practitioners; what the cost was in 1979; and what has been the change in each year since then.
Mr. Malone: The latest provision for the cost of drugs in the family health services in 1994 95 is £3,217 million. The cost of drugs in the hospital and community health services is met from the total HCHS cash-- limited allocation and a separate estimate for 1994 95 is not available. Information relating to earlier years is shown in the table.
Total NHS
spending on drugs
£ million
(rounded)
|Percentage |Percentage
Year |FHS Drugs |Increase |HCHS Drugs|Increase
------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |633 |- |156 |-
1980-81 |766 |21.1 |185 |19.0
1981-82 |786 |14.4 |214 |15.5
1982-83 |1,009 |15.1 |245 |14.4
1983-84 |1,130 |12.0 |267 |8.9
1984-85 |1,192 |5.4 |279 |4.6
1985-86 |1,275 |7.0 |297 |6.4
1986-87 |1,378 |8.1 |318 |7.3
1987-88 |1,536 |11.5 |352 |10.6
1988-89 |1,744 |13.5 |380 |8.1
1989-90 |1,942 |11.4 |414 |8.8
1990-91 |2,080 |7.1 |460 |11.3
1991-92 |2,317 |11.4 |591 |28.4
1992-93 |2,641 |14.0 |634 |7.2
1993-94 |2,951 |11.7 |<1>696 |9.9
Note:
Provisional.
Pharmacists
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring her Department undertakes to ensure that national health service prescriptions are properly dispensed by pharmacists.
Mr. Malone: None. Monitoring of the dispensing of national health service prescriptions by pharmacists is undertaken by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society through its professional regulatory machinery.
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Herbal Remedies
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to satisfy herself that herbal products which do not require any licence under the terms of the Medicines Act 1968, rather than simply being exempt by sections 12 and 56 of that Act, will remain available under the provisions of the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations; and if she will make a statement.
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Mr. Sackville: We have looked carefully at all the circumstances in which herbal products are sold and supplied. Those herbal products which require no licence under the Medicines Act will remain available under the new regulations.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her recent announcement that herbal remedies currently exempt from licensing restrictions on their preparation under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968 will remain exempt under the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations also applies to their exemption under section 56 of that Act from restrictions on the supply of such herbal remedies; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: The exemptions and public health safeguards for herbal medicines under section 56 of the Medicines Act 1968 will continue to apply under the new regulations.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what protection will be afforded by the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations for those products which are sold only to herbalists and other practitioners for use in their preparations but not directly to the public; and if she will make a statement. (2) what assumptions her Department has made of whether products sold directly to herbalists and other practitioners are considered to be placed on the market in the context of European directives; whether or not they therefore fall within the licensing requirements of relevant European directives; what steps she is seeking to guarantee their continued availability; how their continued availability will be protected by the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: Herbal products supplied to herbalists and other practitioners for use in their preparations but not directly to the public, which are currently exempt from product licensing requirements under the Medicines Act 1968, will retain their exemption under the proposed new regulations. This will be the case whether or not these products can be regarded as placed on the market.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the proposals of the Natural Medicines Society for a simplified registration system for its preparations which would require the demonstration of safety and purity but not necessarily of efficacy; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: Herbal medicines covered by exemptions from product licensing requirements under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968 will remain exempt. The need for a simplified registration scheme for such products does not therefore arise.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations her Department has received in total from individuals and from right hon. and hon. Members registering concern about the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations; and how many of these representations welcomed the regulations in question.
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Mr. Sackville: The Department has received about 3,500 letters from individuals and over 1,000 letters from right hon. and hon. Members who were concerned about the possible effect of the proposed new regulations on herbal medicines. Our confirmation that herbal medicines currently exempt from product licensing requirements will continue to enjoy this exemption when the new regulations come into force has been generally welcomed.
Mrs. Anne Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether preparation of herbal products in the form of tinctures, extracts, powders and tablets falls outside the definition of industrial processes set by the European directive to be implemented through the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: We are satisfied that herbal preparations in the forms described, which are prepared by traditional processes, are not "industrially produced" when supplied in accordance with section 12 of the Medicines Act. They will therefore continue to be exempt from product licensing requirements.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make available in the Library copies of all correspondence which she, her officials, and officials of the Medicines Control Agency have had with the European Commission in connection with the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations and in connection with relevant European directives.
Mr. Sackville: Such correspondence is regarded as confidential by the parties concerned. In my announcement of 11 November, I made clear our view in the position of herbal medicines under the relevant EC directive and the considerations that gave rise to that view.
Aromatherapy
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis she has formed the policy that products used in aromatherapy do not fall within the definition of medicines as established by relevant European directives; what provisions of the proposed new Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations will ensure their continued availability; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: Products used in aromatherapy are medicinal products if used, sold or supplied for a medicinal purpose. The position of aromatherapy products currently exempt from product licensing requirements is unaffected by the proposed new regulations.
Casualty Services
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the decision by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly district family health services authority on the future of a casualty service for Falmouth and Penryn.
Mr. Sackville: This is under discussion locally and the hon. Member may wish to contact Dr. Stan Dennison, the chairman of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority, for details.
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Visiting Costs Scheme
Mr. Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce a visiting costs scheme to help enable parents to visit their children in hospital.
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller), for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) and for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 1 November at columns 1081-82 .
DEFENCE
Yugoslavia
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the situation in the former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Soames: The former Yugoslavia featured prominently in the debate in the House on 17 November, Official Report, columns 133 228, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made a further statement to the House on 21 November, Official Report, columns 341 48. We remain very concerned about the upsurge in fighting and are monitoring the situation closely.
Christmas Expenditure
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much public money will be spent on entertaining, Christmas decorations and other festive activities this Christmas season by his Department and Government agencies answerable to his Department; and of this sum how much will be spent in Ministers' private offices, his London flat in London and official residences.
Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 26 October, Official Report , column 706 , concerning entertainment expenditure by my Department and its agencies.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many official Christmas cards he and his Ministers intend to send in 1994; how much these cards will cost (a) to buy, (b) to post and (c) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes; and if he will place in the Library a sample copy of the official Christmas card he intends to send this year.
Mr. Freeman: There are no plans for Ministers in this Department to send official Christmas cards this year.
Overseas Service Men (Training)
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to encourage countries overseas to send service men for training in the United Kingdom; how much Her Majesty's Government charge for military training; how many personnel were sent to the United Kingdom in the last year; and what is the overall sum earned by the Ministry of Defence in providing such training.
Mr. Soames: My Department continues to encourage training in the United Kingdom by foreign and Commonwealth students as an important element of developing and strengthening relationships and ties with
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friendly nations. During the last financial year, 4,566 students from 98 different countries took part in training in the United Kingdom. The charges for training will depend on the length of the course, its syllabus and the number taking part; although central records are not maintained of the receipts from this activity, they are estimated to be around £39,500,000.RAF Leeming
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of works at RAF Leeming in order to accommodate the proposed move there of 100 Squadron from RAF Finningley; and if he will itemise that expenditure.
Mr. Soames: The cost of works is estimated to be £10,000. This is for minor refurbishment of existing accommodation at RAF Leeming.
RAF Bases
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF bases in the United Kingdom have runways of 9,000 ft or over; and what proportion that is of all the RAF bases in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Soames: Of the 72 RAF stations in the United Kingdom, excluding USAF bases, the following 11 have runways of 9,000 ft or over:
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Coningsby
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Finningley
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Machrihansish
RAF Manston
RAF Marham
RAF St. Mawgan
RAF Waddington
RAF Wittering
RAF Scampton
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of disabling the fibre optic communications system at RAF Scampton and of providing a new junction point elsewhere.
Mr. Soames: The cost of disabling the fibre optic communications system is not expected to exceed £50,000. The equipment at RAF Scampton is not a junction point and will not therefore need to be relocated.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of providing safe access from the married quarters at RAF Scampton on to the A15.
Mr. Soames: If it is decided to close RAF Scampton, the existing married quarters will be used to meet the shortfall at RAF Waddington. An estimate of the cost of providing safe access from the married quarters on to the A15 will not be available until more detailed work is carried out on this related, but separate, project.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the renovation of the small arms range at RAF Scampton; and what will be the cost of its decommissioning.
Mr. Soames: Approximately £3,000 was recently spent on minor refurbishment of the small arms range. The decommissioning of the range will consist of the
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de-leading and removal of sand which is carried out as a routine maintenance task every 18 months at a cost of £3,500.Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums were spent at RAF Scampton in order to accommodate the Red Arrows in 1984; and under what heading that expenditure was made.
Mr. Soames: Details of this expenditure are no longer available.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of relocating the Central Flying School from RAF Scampton to other bases.
Mr. Soames: The total estimated cost is £3,000,000.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of keeping the married quarters open at RAF Scampton, but segregated from the main technical site; and under what headings this expenditure will be itemised.
Mr. Soames: If it is decided to close RAF Scampton, the existing married quarters will be used to meet the shortfall at RAF Waddington. It will not be possible to provide an estimate of the costs requested until more detailed work is carried out on this related, but separate, project. The main cost headings are likely to be access, internal roads, perimeter fencing and provision of facilities.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of recommissioning RAF Church Fenton and other associated works to prepare for the possible move there from RAF Scampton of the Short Brothers units; and if he will itemise that expenditure.
Mr. Soames: Only minor works services would be required at RAF Church Fenton at an estimated cost of £20,000.
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of providing replacement receipt and dispatch facilities for the operation of the priority flight delivery service at another RAF base if the facilities at RAF Scampton are closed.
Mr. Soames: It is anticipated that the priority freight delivery service task would be subsumed within the existing infrastructure of other RAF bases. Relocation costs have been identified and should not exceed £10,000.
Air Misses
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the joint air miss working group report on the air miss between an RAF Bulldog and a US Air Force F11 over East Lothian on 26 June 1991.
Mr. Soames: A copy of this report is available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the joint air miss working group report on the air miss between an RAF Bulldog and an RAF Tornado near Tranent on 11 May 1992.
Mr. Soames: A copy of this report is available in the Library of the House.
Low Flying
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State of Defence if he will list the dates, locations, and nature of
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the activity notified, for all instances in which helicopter operators have been informed of particularly intense military low-flying activities in accordance with paragraph 2.4 of aeronautical information circular 156/1993, dated 21 October 1993.Mr. Soames: The aeronautical information circular, AIC, 156/1993 was replaced by AIC 73/1994 dated 30 June following a working group review of the pipeline inspection notification system--PINS. The requirement of paragraph 2.4 of AIC 156/1993 does not feature in the new AIC since the working group was satisfied that, in practice, all intense military low- flying activity was already notified to helicopter operators under the existing notice to airmen, NOTAM, system and there was no requirement for additional arrangements.
Since 21 October 1993, almost 6,000 NOTAMs have been issued, covering various types of air activity. To identify those which warned specifically of intense military low-flying activity would incur disproportionate cost.
Air Safety
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the actions taken by his Department in response to each of the recommendations of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch's reports on the military-civil collisions on 29 August 1991 and 23 June 1993.
Mr. Soames: As a result of the accident on 29 August 1991, my Department in conjunction with other authorities has implemented the recommendations made by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, as follows:
(i) Greater publicity of the civil aircraft notification procedure--CANP-- and its benefits has been achieved through articles in general aviation safety leaflets and briefings to civil pilots at a number of open evenings.
(ii) Extension of the CNAP system to encompass civil aerial work carried out below 1,000 ft was introduced in August 1993.
(iii) Information has been published showing the directional flow of aircraft in the few areas of high-intensity low-flying operations and RAF stations operating fast jets have been identified. As far as the accident on 23 June 1993 is concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 7 July, Official Report, column 264 . My Department continues to work with the appropriate authorities and organisations in order to maximise flight safety in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many notifications have been made under (a) the civil aircraft notification procedure and (b) the pipeline inspection notification system in each month from October 1993 onwards; and how many reports have been received in each month of (a) breaches of notified areas by military aircraft and (b) non- compliance with notifications by civil aircraft.
Mr. Soames: Under the civil aircraft notification procedure only commercial activity attracts temporary avoidance status; details of recreational and other aerial activity are passed as warnings to military aircrew who will take account of them in planning their sorties. The
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numbers of notifications, broken down by type of activity, received in each month since October 1993 are as follows:
|Commercial |Recreational and
|activity |other aerial
|activity
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1993
October |50 |79
November |10 |52
December |5 |13
1994
January |15 |31
February |26 |63
March |22 |40
April |40 |65
May |59 |117
June |58 |106
July |57 |134
August |62 |90
September |34 |81
October |35 |95
Since October 1993, there have been six reported breaches of avoidances accorded to commercial activity; three in June 1994, one in September 1994 and two in October 1994.
Under the pipeline inspection notification system a summary of all relevant activity is issued daily from Monday to Friday. Each summary comprises several individual notifications; it would incur disproportionate cost to identify the total number of notifications made.
Notification under PINS attract the same status as recreational and other aerial activity notified under CANP. They constitute a warning of activity, but do not attract avoidance status; they cannot, therefore, be breached.
Participation in CANP or PINS by civil pilots is on a voluntary basis, the question of non-compliance does not therefore arise, nor is there any mechanism for identifying civil activity which could have been but was not notified.
Pipeline Inspection Notification System
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the review of the first six months of operation of the pipeline inspection notification system; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.
Mr. Soames: The review of the pipeline inspection notification system was carried out by a working group chaired by the National Air Traffic Service on which my Department, the Civil Aviation Authority, the British Helicopter Advisory Board, helicopter operators and companies making use of pipeline inspection services were all represented.
The group's main recommendations were that the system be made more flexible to allow more precise notifications of pipeline inspection activity, and that details of the areas in which military fast jets are permitted to fly below 250 ft be incorporated in the revised AIC.
No formal report was produced. The group's recommendations were, however, incorporated into the revised system which was notified to air users in the aeronautical information circular 73/1994 issued by the Civil Aviation Authority on 30 June 1994.
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