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Miscarriages of Justice
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the High Court judgment on disclosure by the Home Office of material relating to alleged miscarriages of justice.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: Transcripts of judgments are public documents and copies may be obtained from the shorthand writers. I understand that the approved text of the judgment in this case will become available shortly.
Young Offenders
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use the military corrective training centre at Colchester as a model for young offenders in prison institutions and detention centres.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 1 December 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Alan Meale, dated30 November 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about what plans there are to use the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester as a model for young offenders in prison institutions and detention centres.
Prison Service staff have visited the corrective training centre in Colchester, as well as establishments operating vigorous and demanding regimes in the United States of America. We are interested in applying relevant and effective aspects of these regimes in our young offender institutions, but it would not be possible simply to use the Military Corrective Training Centre as a model without modification in a civilian establishment.
HEALTH
NHS Managers
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to ensure that NHS managers are capable of undertaking basic financial tasks; and that those who do not are dismissed.
Mr. Malone: Where necessary, candidates for national health service management posts are required to demonstrate financial skills. Every NHS organisation decides what necessary training to give staff to develop financial skills. Where managers consistently fail to demonstrate any necessary skills, it is an option to dismiss them.
Mental Health (Race Bias)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations or reports she has received alleging a race bias in the mental health system; what has been her response; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Malone: None. But consultation by the mental health task force with service users has led to the issuing of advice to purchasers, "Black Mental Health: A Dialogue for Change" and a video on good practice "Different Cultures, Different Needs". Copies of this advice and video are available in the Library. I was pleased to launch them on 22 November.
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Medical Register
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to discuss with the General Medical Council its policies on reinstating doctors to the medical register.
General Medical Council
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who appoints the lay members of the General Medical Council.
Mr. Malone: Lay members are nominated by the Crown on the advice of the Privy Council.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will reduce the maximum interval between general practitioner referral and hospital treatment to three months by 1997; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Malone: The Government have made good progress in reducing waiting times for hospital treatment and will continue to do so within the resources available.
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the average waiting times for ophthalmic in-patient treatment for each year since 1985.
Mr. Malone: Information on average waiting times by specialty is not available centrally. Data on numbers of people waiting by specialty and national health service trust are given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library.
Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital
Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in respect of a replacement for the Birmingham and Midland eye hospital when the lease of the present building expires.
Mr. Sackville: Work started on site in September on a development to replace services currently provided at the Birmingham and Midland eye hospital. Construction is under way and is on schedule for commissioning in March 1996. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. N. R. Thompson, chairman of City hospital national health service trust, for further details.
General Practitioners
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health is she will list by regional health authority the current general practitioners who are listed under section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983; at what intervals they are reviewed; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Bowis: This information is not available centrally. Responsibility for approving doctors under section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 was delegated to regional health authorities. Approval lasts for five years and can be extended if the criteria laid down in departmental guidance, HC(90)21, are met. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
Community Care
Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to collect information on, or to
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monitor the policies on which local authority social services departments base their charges for non-residential community care services;(2) what plans she has to monitor the impact of local authority social services departments' charging policies in respect of non-residential community care services on individual disabled people.
Mr. Bowis: It is for local authorities to assess the needs of their local population and to ensure that all policies, including those for charging, meet those needs equitably and effectively.
Social Workers
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers there are (a) per 100 residents and (b) per 100 residents over 65 years of age in each shire county.
Mr. Bowis: The information requested, calculated per 10,000 residents and relating to staffing as at 30 September 1993, is shown in the table.
County |Number of social |Numbers of social
|workers per 10,000|workers per 10,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |43.7 |7.2
Bedfordshire |50.5 |6.3
Berkshire |40.1 |5.0
Buckinghamshire |30.2 |3.7
Cambridgeshire |31.8 |4.5
Cheshire |39.6 |5.9
Cleveland |46.3 |6.5
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |22.5 |4.5
Cumbria |33.9 |6.0
Derbyshire |36.8 |6.0
Devon |28.8 |5.8
Dorset |18.1 |4.1
Durham |26.4 |4.2
East Sussex |35.5 |8.0
Essex |31.6 |5.1
Gloucestershire |27.6 |4.8
Hampshire |25.7 |4.0
Hereford and Worcester |31.9 |5.2
Hertfordshire |32.2 |4.7
Humberside |30.1 |4.9
Isle of Wight |31.8 |7.4
Kent |37.1 |6.1
Lancashire |27.7 |4.7
Leicestershire |42.9 |6.3
Lincolnshire |22.5 |4.1
Norfolk |23.1 |4.4
Northamptonshire |25.9 |3.7
Northumberland |34.2 |5.8
North Yorkshire |23.2 |4.1
Nottinghamshire |38.3 |6.0
Oxfordshire |39.9 |5.6
Shropshire |22.9 |3.6
Somerset |30.4 |5.8
Stafordshire |44.4 |6.5
Suffolk |24.5 |4.3
Surrey |24.8 |4.0
Warwickshire |34.0 |5.3
West Sussex |18.4 |3.8
Wiltshire |30.5 |4.7
Source:
Department of Health staffing return SSDS001 and Office of Population Censuses and
Surveys mid-1993 population estimates.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those members of each NHS trust in England who have disclosed private interests.
Mr. Malone: This information is not available centrally. It may be obtained from individual national health service trusts which are required to keep registers of members' interest and make them available to the public.
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with district auditors concerning the financial operations of national health service trusts.
Mr. Sackville: The primary relationship of district auditors is with the national health service trusts they audit. Department of Health officials have occasional contact with district auditors on financial issues affecting NHS trusts, mostly via the Audit Commission.
Census Statistics
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce legislation which would allow personal census information to be used for purposes other than those associated with the generation of census statistics; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: We have no plans to introduce such legislation.
Staff Rules
Mr. Merchant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the staff rules of her Department were last revised.
Mr. Sackville: The last amendment to the staff rules was issued on 20 August 1991. The Department is currently preparing a new staff handbook incorporating the existing staff rules which will be issued shortly.
Mr. Merchant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what delegation of authority for disciplinary matters is provided for in her Department's staff rules.
Mr. Sackville: The permanent head of the Department has responsibility for all disciplinary matters. He remains personally involved in all disciplinary cases at grade 5 level and above but disciplinary powers relating to members of staff at grade 6 and below are delegated depending on the grade of the member of staff concerned.
Gipsies and Travellers
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provisions she has made for the welfare and health of gipsies and travellers following the enactment of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994;
(2) what discussions she has had with her colleagues regarding the needs of gipsies and travellers following the enactment of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
Mr. Bowis: Gipsies and travellers are entitled to the same health and welfare services as the rest of the population. These rights are not affected by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. The Department funds some special projects designed to help their access to primary health care.
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NHS Pay
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the British Medical Association regarding (a) the principles of local pay determination and (b) linking pay to performance.
Mr. Malone: Discussions have taken place and are continuing with the British Medical Association on our proposals for the introduction of local pay arrangements in the national health service and the modification of the distinction awards scheme.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the representatives of nursing staff regarding pay increases and conditions.
Mr. Malone: Discussions are continuing within the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council about local pay arrangements for 1995 96.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had regarding the effects on pay agreements negotiated on a local basis with particular regard to regional inequalities.
Mr. Malone: Representations from employers have welcomed the opportunity provided by locally negotiated pay to respond flexibly to labour market conditions and differing working arrangements. Those received from organisations representing national health service staff have argued for retention of national rates of pay.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that any statement regarding national health service pay is made to the doctors and nurses and other employees organisations before departmental press releases are issued.
Mr. Malone: Press statements are used by the Department to convey quickly key messages or key facts to the press and through them to their readers. On the infrequent occasions when national health service pay is the subject of a departmental press release it is normal practice for organisations representing doctors and nurses and professional bodies and trade unions representing other employees to be informed in advance.
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Efficiency Gains
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how proposed efficiency gains will (a) fund pay increases and (b) benefit patients.
Mr. Sackville: In 1995 96, the hospital and community health services will have the benefit of an increase in Government spending on revenue of 1.3 per cent. real terms, and of efficiency gains of at least 3 per cent., equivalent to a further £600 million. This combination of new money and efficiency gains will allow for service growth and reasonable staff pay rises.
Hospital and community health services will expand by around 4 per cent. in 1995 96, provided that pay rises are earned through increased efficiency. This will enable the health service to make further progress on waiting times, as well as tackling other challenges identified in the priorities and planning guidance for 1995 96, notably improvements in mental health services cancer services, and maternity care.
Quangos
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for reducing (a) the number of and (b) the cost of quangos in the health service.
Mr. Malone: Plans to merge district health authorities and family health services authorities into single authorities and to abolish regional health authorities on 1 April 1996 have been laid before parliament.
These changes will result in savings of approaching £150 million per year.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many local quangos there are in the health service; and how many people are involved in them in an administrative capacity; (2) how many quangos there are in the health service (a) in each region and (b) by such smaller area as is available.
Mr. Malone: The table gives details of the number of national health service bodies in the geographical areas covered by each of the eight regional health authorities.
Region |RHAs |DHAs |FHSAs |Trusts |Special Trustees|SHAs |Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Thames |1 |15 |12 |57 |15 |4 |104
South Thames |1 |16 |10 |60 |4 |0 |91
Trent |1 |10 |8 |41 |2 |0 |62
West Midlands |1 |15 |11 |47 |1 |0 |75
North West |1 |17 |16 |62 |0 |0 |96
Northern and Yorkshire |1 |15 |16 |57 |3 |0 |92
Anglia and Oxford |1 |10 |8 |46 |0 |1 |66
South and West |1 |12 |9 |49 |1 |1 |73
|-------- |-------- |-------- |-------- |-------- |-------- |--------
Total |8 |110 |90 |419 |26 |6 |659
Key:
Regional health authorities, district health authorities, family health services authorities, operational NHS trusts, special trustees and special health
authorities.
Information on the number of people involved locally in an administrative capacity is not available centrally.
Disabled People
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number and percentage of disabled people employed by her Department and associated agencies over the past five years; and what are the projected figures for the next five years;
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(2) what is the budget allocated by her Department and associated agencies for each of the next five years for, and how many staff or staff hours equivalent have been allocated to achieve the objectives of, the programme for action to achieve equality or opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.Column 87
Mr. Sackville: Data are collected only on members of staff who are registered disabled; numbers employed as at 1 July for each of the last five years are set out in the table:
Year |Number |Per cent. of
|workforce
----------------------------------------------------
1990 |29.0 |0.6
1991 |34.5 |0.7
1992 |74.5 |1.0
1993 |68.0 |1.3
1994 |67.0 |1.45
Part-time staff counted as half units.
In addition, there were a number of other staff with a disability but who were not registered.
It is not possible to make accurate forward projections at present since the Department is undergoing reorganisation with a view to achieving a significant reduction in staffing levels. However, the Department and its associated agencies remain committed to the employment of people with a disability.
The Department draws up an annual equal opportunities action plan to address equality issues for all staff including those with a disability taking into account the objectives of the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people. A separate budget is not held for this purpose but funds are made available from relevant budgets as and when needed. The Department's equal opportunities unit has a complement of five staff. In each of the Department's agencies and the national health service executive in Leeds, a member of staff in their personnel units has responsibility for equal opportunities.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the implications of the proposed direct payments to disabled people for the future availability of local authority care services for other groups of service users and carers.
Mr. Bowis: We propose that local social services authorities should, subject to Parliament's approval, be allowed to make direct cash payments to disabled people in lieu of community care services for which they are assessed as having a need. It is for local authorities to determine the type and range of services they provide in response to assessed needs and there is no reason why direct payments in themselves should affect the availability of care services for other groups.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her proposal to make direct payments to disabled people will allow them to purchase care services from local authorities.
Mr. Bowis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth) on 24 November at columns 332 33 . We will be working with the key interests in the months ahead to firm up the details of this proposal, which has been widely welcomed.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will include in her proposals on direct payments to disabled people requirements for the registration and inspection of domiciliary care.
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Mr. Bowis: No, these are separate issues.
Quarry House, Leeds
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of providing first-class British Rail season tickets for staff based at Quarry house, Leeds.
Mr. Sackville: Two first-class British Rail season tickets are currently provided at an equivalent annual cost of £20,232.30.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out numbers, by grade, of staff who have moved from London to Quarry house, Leeds.
Mr. Sackville: Some 522 staff in the national health service executive and the National Health Service Estates agency have moved from London to Leeds on permanent transfer terms. The grade breakdown is:
Grade |Number of staff
------------------------------------------------
G1A |1
G3 |5
G4 |-
G5 |20
G6 |17
G7 |99
SEO |72
HEO |139
EO |128
AO |38
AA |3
|--------
Total |522
Parkinson's Disease
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to establish a code of good practice and suitable protocols for the treatment of Parkinson's disease; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Bowis: Clinical guidelines on Parkinson's disease, together with good practice and clinical protocols, are a matter for the relevant health care professionals.
District health authorities and general practitioner fundholders are responsible for purchasing services for people with Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson's Disease Society, with which I am in frequent contact, produced helpful draft guidance for health purchasers earlier this year entitled "Parkinson's Disease: Meeting a Need". This includes guidance on good practice.
Junior Doctors
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the demands, in terms of working hours, made on junior doctors in hospitals in Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Malone: The new deal on junior doctors' hours, copies of which are available in the Library, provides for a phased programme of action to reduce junior doctors' contracted hours and hours of work. Our regional task forces, including those covering Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton, constantly review progress towards the targets for reducing hours. They are in regular contact with all hospitals to give support and to
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monitor implementation. Part of this process is to assess with hospitals the need for further action to reduce juniors' working hours. Action is also monitored nationally and I receive regular progress reports from each task force.National Blood Authority
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish in full the responses to the National Blood Authority consultation on the future of the blood service; and if she will arrange for an independent analysis of the replies to be undertaken and published.
Mr. Sackville: These are matters for the National Blood Authority, which has undertaken a thorough and widespread consultation on its proposals. The results will be carefully considered before decisions are made.
Drugs
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to reduce the national health service drugs bill.
Mr. Malone: A wide range of measures is in place to encourage efficient and cost-effective prescribing and to
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ensure the national health service pays reasonable prices for medicines.Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her calculation of the total number of people who have become addicted to medicinal drugs during the past 15 years; and how many of them remain addicted.
Mr. Bowis: A patient is considered to be addicted to a medicinal drug on the basis of a clinical diagnosis by a doctor. Information on the number of such diagnoses is not available centrally.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her calculation of the numbers of people who died as the result of the use of medicinal drugs in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Sackville: The table shows the number of people who have died as a result of poisoning by drugs, medicaments, and biological substances-- ICD 960 979--in the last 10 years in England and Wales, under the headings of accidental, suicide and self-inflicted injury, and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted. Whether or not these were prescribed drugs is not recorded at death. However, most of the categories of these substances are available only on prescription. Major exceptions are "analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics"-- ICD 965--and "other unspecified drugs and medicaments"-- ICD 977.
ICD number<1> |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 960-979 |2,019 |1,917 |1,792 |1,892 |1,817 |1,959 |1,712 |1,771 |1,791 |1,971 965 |737 |726 |652 |698 |688 |675 |646 |716 |753 |875 977 |290 |258 |253 |290 |304 |290 |255 |286 |294 |312 <1> International classification of diseases, 9th revision.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her calculation of the cost of medicinal drugs that were (a) wrongly prescribed and (b) prescribed and not used in each of the past five years.
Mr. Malone: Information on drugs wrongly prescribed or prescribed and not used is not available.
Palliative Care
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the responsibilities of health authorities with regard to the funding of palliative care.
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Mr. Sackville: Health authorities are responsible for contracting with those who provide specialist palliative care services in order to meet the health needs of their populations.
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