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Disabled People
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of people suffering a disability in each of the counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: Information of the incidence of physical and sensory disability is contained in the reports of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys published in 1988 89. These showed that 16.4 per cent. of adults and 3.1 per cent. of children in Wales had such disabilities. This information is not available separately for counties.
The 1991 census asked whether respondents had any long-term illness, health problem or handicap which limited their daily activities or the work they could do, including any problems which were due to old age. The following table contains information from the 1991 census relating to Welsh counties.
Residents with a limiting long-term illness:
|Percentage of
|Number |residents
----------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |64,051 |15.7
Dyfed |57,244 |16.7
Gwent |76,456 |17.3
Gwynedd |35,755 |15.2
Mid Glamorgan |109,379 |20.5
Powys |16,735 |14.2
South Glamorgan |56,202 |14.3
West Glamorgan |70,173 |19.4
Wales |485,995 |17.1
Source:
1991 Census-Report for Wales.
Deeside College, Kelsterton
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to visit the Deeside college, Kelsterton.
Mr. Richards: My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Deeside college.
Buckley Disability Action Group
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the offices of Buckley Disability Action Group, Clwyd.
Mr. Richards: Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have plans to do so at present.
Holyhead
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's total financial contribution to investment in the port of Holyhead; and what are the implications of such investment for travellers by sea to the Republic of Ireland and for travellers by rail to stations to Crewe and London; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: Under the European regional development fund, £4.3 million has been made available to Holyhead since 1987 of which £2.5 million related to port development. In addition, since 1991, the area has attracted £300,000 assistance under the strategic development scheme, £1.9 million under the urban programme scheme and investment of £3.1 million by the WDA through the Holyhead joint venture board. The Department has also invested over £9.9 million in regional selective assistance and £525,000 in regional enterprise grant within the Holyhead travel-to-work-area.
Improvements at the port will provide a better standard of service to travellers and the business community, as well as improving the prospects for local employment.
Schools
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which schools he has visited in each of the counties in Wales in 1994; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: In 1994 my right hon. Friend has visited the following schools:
= Name of school |County ------------------------------------------------------------- Llanfihangel Rhydithon County Primary School |Powys St. Davids High School |Clwyd Eirias High School (Grant Maintained) |Clwyd Trelai County Primary School |South Glamorgan Dynevor Comprehensive School |West Glamorgan Ysgol Bro Lleu |Gwynedd
I have undertaken four visits with two more programmed for December. My right hon. Friend and I are keen to visit as many schools as diary commitments and other pressures allow.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to assist people in Wales who suffer disability, with a view to improving access to buildings, transport and employment; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People on Thursday 24 November 1994.
Public Appointments
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many individuals have responded since July 1993 to Welsh Office advertisements for the register of public appointments; how many of these have been appointed; and if he will list those appointed.
Mr. Redwood: The general advertising campaign in July 1993 inviting people to join the Welsh Office register of candidates elicited over 2,500 inquiries. Approximately 1000 individuals subsequently returned nomination forms. Six of these have been appointed to public bodies in Wales. They are:
Mr. H. K. Evans
Mr. Heddwyn Evans
Mrs. C. A. Hinton
Mr. M. C. G. Pepper
Mr. H. D. B. Williams
Mrs. V. Wilson
Health Authorities and Trusts
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of health authorities and trusts as at 30 September.
Mr. Richards: There were nine district health authorities, eight family health services authorities and 24 NHS trusts in Wales as at 30 September 1994.
Rural Transport
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a review of rural transport provision in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: County councils are required to review regularly the level of public transport provision in their areas and if necessary buy in services which are not being provided commercially.
Animal Transport
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement of his policy concerning the effect on the Welsh farming industry of the reluctance of shippers to carry live animals.
Mr. Redwood: I am aware of the concerns in the industry about the ban by ferry companies on the transport of live animals. The situation is being monitored closely, and it is still too early to assess fully the impact of the ban on the farming industry. However, the Government are actively seeking agreement on European Community rules on the welfare of animals in transit, introducing
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tighter national laws and urgently checking proposals for new transport facilities so that those which are satisfactory can proceed.Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Line
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet Railtrack and train operators to discuss the carriage of rail freight on the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth line; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: A meeting is planned with the director of Transrail to discuss the carriage of rail freight on all lines in Wales. The matter will also be raised at the next meeting with the chairman of Railtrack.
University of Wales
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the Welsh Funding Council is able to, or expected to, take steps to alter the arrangements reached between the university registry and the constituent institutions within the university of Wales following the Rosser report; and if he will make a statement on the funding of those institutions.
Mr. Redwood: The arrangements agreed between the University of Wales and its constituent colleges following the Rosser report, and the University Registry's role within those arrangements, are matters for the university and the colleges to decide. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales' responsibility is to allocate funds for teaching and research and to do so in a way which ensures accountability and value for money.
Abattoirs
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the provision of abattoirs and meat processing facilities in Wales.
Mr. Redwood: Decisions about the provisions of abattoirs and meat processing facilities in Wales are a matter for the commercial judgment of those involved in the industry.
European state aid regulations put severe restrictions on the granting of financial aid to investments in abattoir facilities. However, financial support can be considered for meat processing under the European processing and marketing grant scheme administered by my Department.
Libraries
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration has been given to the special circumstances in Wales in the preparation of the Aslib report on the development of regional hyper- libraries; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: The review of the Public Library Service in England and Wales, commissioned by the Department of National Heritage from Aslib, included a case study of the Gwynedd library service. The draft report was published in September and has been circulated for comment to a wide range of library interests.
The Library and Information Service Council (Wales), which has statutory responsibility to advise the Secretary of State on library matters, has considered the draft report in full, including the recommendations relating to regional hyper-libraries, and has submitted comments to Aslib.
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Coronary Disease
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to reduce the waiting times between diagnosis and bypass operations for younger coronary disease patients in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: Younger coronary disease patients will benefit from the Government's policies to open a new heart treatment centre in south Wales; to reduce the causes of heart disease through health promotion, and to reduce waiting times generally for both outpatient and inpatient hospital diagnosis and treatment.
Apprenticeships
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the firms which have agreed to participate in the arrangements for the modern apprenticeship scheme; how many apprenticeships each has agreed to provide; what funds he is providing to each company via the appropriate training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: My Department has contracted with the training and enterprise councils in Wales for the delivery of 550 places on the modern apprenticeships programme in 1994 95. The training and enterprise councils, training providers--including colleges--and a variety of employers are involved in its delivery. Information on the firms involved is not held centrally.
Wales Engineering Centre
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the appointment of a chief executive for the Wales Engineering Centre.
Mr. Redwood: Engineering Centre for Wales appointments are a matter for the chairman and members of the centre.
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has decided the details of the transitional arrangements to phase-in the effects of the 1995 revaluation; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: The revaluation will result in significant local and sectoral changes in rateable values and rates bills. Around 76,000 properties will see increases in their bills, and around 26,000 will see reductions. The Welsh Office's consultation paper, published last month, outlined proposals for transitional arrangements to phase-in the effects of these changes. In the light of responses to that paper and the package of support announced by the Chancellor today, I propose that no business will face a year-on-year increase of more than 10 per cent. after allowing for inflation. For property with a new rateable value of less than £10,000, the maximum real increase will be 7.5 per cent. For small composite properties such as shops with living accommodation, the limit will be 5 per cent.
I estimate that around 62,000 Welsh properties will benefit from relief. I am sure that this will be widely welcomed by the business community.
The Exchequer contribution will cover part of the cost of the scheme. The remainder will be met by limiting real reductions in rates bills, as proposed in the consultation paper. For 1995 96, the limits will be 10 per cent. for properties with a rateable value under £10,000 and 5 per cent. for larger properties.
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Other details of the scheme will be as proposed as in the consultation paper. Regulations giving effect to the transitional arrangements will be laid before Parliament shortly.Non-domestic Rates
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the Welsh non-domestic rate poundage for 1995.
Mr. Redwood: The 1995 revaluation has increased overall rateable values in Wales by around 18 per cent. I propose to reduce the Welsh poundage from 44.8 to 39.0p reflecting this.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Nurses
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of qualified nursing staff by speciality for each region in each of the last five years.
Mr. Moss: The information for 1990 93 has been placed in the Library. The figures before 1990 were not collected on a compatible basis and figures for 1994 are not yet available.
Making Belfast Work"
Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list expenditure by (a) constituency and (b) district electoral area in Belfast under the "Making Belfast Work" initiative from its inception.
Mr. Moss: Information on expenditure by constituency and district electoral area is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, work is on-going on a database which links project information to different spatial regions.
Details of projects funded under the "Making Belfast Work" initiative from its inception to the end of the 1991 92 financial year are contained in the MBW strategy proposals. A copy of this document was placed in the House of Commons Library in April of this year. I have arranged for details of projects funded by the initiative from 1992 93 to the present also to be placed in the Library.
Roads
Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many minor cross-frontier roads have been reopened to date; and how many more have still to be reopened.
Sir John Wheeler: Some 41 of the 104 crossings previously subject to closure orders are open to traffic. Of those, work at 17 crossings has been completed, is in progress on 14 others and was not required at the remaining 10. Some of the remaining 63 crossings are on private land where it will be for the landowner to decide what, if any, work is required.
Residential Care Homes
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all of the registered residential homes
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and nursing homes in the Armagh and Dungannon unit, and the Newry and Mourne unit of management.Mr. Moss [holding answer 24 November 1994]: The information requested is as follows:
ARMAGH AND DUNGANNON UNIT OF MANAGEMENT
Nursing Homes
Armagh, Hamiltonsbawn Road, Armagh
Castledillon, Drumilly, Portadown Road, Armagh
Chestnut Lodge, 47 Carrickaness Road, Benburb
Collegelands, Lislasly Road, Aughanlig, Dungannon
Copperfields, Moore Street, Aughnacloy
Corkhill Lodge, Donaghmore, Dungannon
Dungannon, Killyman Road, Dungannon
Fairlawns, 63 Drumcairn Road, Armagh
Greenpark, Keady Road, Armagh
The Haven, Quarry Lane, Dungannon
Hockley Lodge, 11 Drumilly Road, Armagh
Hockley Mews, 11 Drumilly Road, Armagh
Manor Court, Dungannon Park, Dungannon
The Meadows, Newline, Richhill, Armagh
Nightingale, Old English Road, Dungannon
Rathowen, 118 Portadown Road, Tandragee
The Retreat, 62 Drumilly Road, Armagh
Sanville, 17 Annagher Road, Coalisland
The Valley, 8 Tullybroom Road, Clogher
Residential Homes
Ballymore Retreat, 111 Ballymore Road, Tandragee
39 Ballynahonemore Road, Armagh
The Bawn Cottage, 31A Main Street, Hamiltonsbawn
Benvinda, 49 Maynooth Road, Richhill
Corkhill Lodge, Corkill, Donaghmore, Dungannon
112/113 Fairgreen Park, Keady
Fairlawns, 63 Drumcairn Road, Armagh
Glenview, 9 Cabragh Road, Dungannon
Hebron House, 84/86 Main Street, Markethill
Lisnakee House, 18 Moodage Road, Tandragee
Monique, 28 Moor Road, Coalisland
Roughan House, Newmills, Dungannon
St. Macartan's, 74 Main Street, Clogher
Sunnymead, Deansbridge, 12 Portadown Road, Armagh
NEWRY AND MOURNE HSS TRUST
Nursing Home
Ardmaine, Fullerton Road, Newry
Arnos Vale, 75 Warrenpoint Road, Rostrevor
Avila, Convent Road, Bessbrook, Newry
Cairngrove, Balmoral Avenue, Rathfriland Road, Newry
Cairnhill, Rathfriland Road, Newry
Coolbawn, 23 Queen Street, Warrenpoint
Glencarron, 6 Creamery Road, Crossmaglen
Kilbroney House, 83 Kilbroney Road, Rostrevor
Lisnaaran, 4 Greenpark Road, Rostrevor
Our Mother of Mercy, 1 Home Avenue, Newry
Rathfriland Manor, Rosconner Terrace, Rathfriland
Rockfield, Windmill Road, Newry
St. John of God, Courtney Hill, Newry
St. Joseph's, Prince's Street, Warrenpoint
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