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Column 185
Median equivalised household income of bottom and top quintiles for selected groups (in £'s per week in April 1994 prices)
1979 1979 1991-92 1991-92
|Before Housing Costs|After Housing Costs |Before Housing Costs|After Housing Costs
|Bottom |Top |Bottom |Top |Bottom |Top |Bottom |Top
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single, unemployed, no children |<3>(75) |<3>(204) |<3>(56) |<3>(188) |70 |270 |35 |244
Couple both unemployed or not employed, no children |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<3>(71) |<3>(277) |<3>(40) |(253)
Single, unemployed with child(ren) |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>-
Couple unemployed with child(ren) |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<3>(66) |<3>(134) |<3>(34) |<3>(111)
Others with children<1> |108 |262 |91 |229 |109 |406 |85 |349
Three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed, no children<2> |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<3>(69) |<3>(191) |<3>(32) |<3>(160)
Three or more adults, unemployed or not employed with child(ren)<2> |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>-
<1> This group includes couples with one or more employed/self-employed and singles in employment/self-employment.
<2> This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such households whereas all others are based on individuals in benefit units.
<3> Bracketed figures are particularly uncertain as they are based on less than 100 sample benefit units. Ninety five times in 100, the true value will be within a given range. As an example, for the bottom quintile of single, unemployed, no children in
1979 the range is £56 to £90 before housing costs and £42 to £71 after housing costs, in April 1994 prices.
<4> Denotes that no reliable estimate can be made because sample number of benefit units is too small.
Approximate number of sample benefit units for each group
|1979 |1991-92
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single, unemployed, no children |30 |140
Couple both unemployed or not employed, no children |10 |40
Single, unemployed with child(ren) |less than 5|10
Couple unemployed with child(ren) |10 |50
Others with children<1> |500 |750
Three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed, no children<2> |20 |70
Three or more adults, unemployed or not employed with child(ren)<2> |less than 5|10
<1>This group includes couples with one or more employed/self-employed and singles in
employment/self-employment.
<2> This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such house-holds whereas all others are based
on individuals in benefit units.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables to show, for each Child Support Agency office, (a) what percentage of maintenance assessments are incorrect, (b) how many phone calls are lost, (c) the number of phone calls which fail to get through to the CSA office, (d) the number of complaints received and (e) the number of complaints outstanding.
Mr. Burt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Mark Fisher, dated6 December 1994: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the performance of the Child Support Agency in relation to maintenance assessments; telephone calls and complaints.Monitoring indicates that too many assessments are inaccurate and the Agency is examining closely its checking procedures. Information is not yet available for publication.
During August and September this year a Central call handling system was introduced throughout the Agency's six Centres. Abandoned calls result when the customer is put on the queuing system but hangs up before getting through. Between 3 September and 30 September 1994 the number of such abandoned calls is as follows:
X
Centre |Calls abandoned
Belfast |7,845
Birkenhead |1,927
Dudley |14,326
Falkirk |2,653
Hastings |7,826
Plymouth |8,723
National Enquiry Line |388
|--------
Total |43,688
From April 1994 to September 1994, over 9,700 complaints had been received which required a written reply. At the end of September fewer than 3,300 were awaiting a reply. We do not differentiate between complaints about the operations of the Agency and those concerning child support legislation.
From the beginning of September a new system of data collection was introduced and in the future information will be available broken down by Agency Centre.
I hope that this reply is helpful.
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the amount of arrears involved under orders made by the Child Support Agency.
Mr. Burt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Ted Rowlands, dated6 December 1994: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the amount of arrears owed to the Child Support Agency.
As at the end of September 1994, the Agency had arrangements with absent parents to pay child maintenance debt totalling an estimated £22.9 million. An estimated £2 million of the arranged debt was overdue and thus was in arrears.
In addition, an estimated £266.8 million of child maintenance had been assessed but no agreement to pay had been reached with the absent parent. In such cases the Agency clarifies the amount owed by each individual absent parent, and then contacts them to reach an acceptable agreement to pay the appropriate amount.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Grants and Loans (Refusal)
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the refusal rate for community care grants and social fund loans for each of the last five years by region.
Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is set out in the tables. It is by Benefits Agency territories.
The main reason that community care grants are refused is because the applicant fails to meet the eligibility criteria.
Southern Territory
Type |Refusal rate per
|cent.
--------------------------------------------------------
1990-91
Community Care Grants |61
Budgeting Loans |41
Crisis Loans |8
1991-92
Community Care Grants |73
Budgeting Loans |41
Crisis Loans |10
1992-93
Community Care Grants |75
Budgeting Loans |39
Crisis Loans |13
1993-94
Community Care Grants |75
Budgeting Loans |37
Crisis Loans |15
1994 to October
Community Care Grants |77
Budgeting Loans |37
Crisis Loans |19
Wales and Central Territory
Type |Refusal rate per
|cent.
--------------------------------------------------------
1990-91
Community Care Grants |62
Budgeting Loans |39
Crisis Loans |7
1991-92
Community Care Grants |74
Budgeting Loans |39
Crisis Loans |8
1992-93
Community Care Grants |74
Budgeting Loans |38
Crisis Loans |12
1993-94
Community Care Grants |75
Budgeting Loans |38
Crisis Loans |21
1994 to October
Community Care Grants |77
Budgeting Loans |38
Crisis Loans |18
Scotland and Northern Territory
Type |Refusal rate per
|cent.
--------------------------------------------------------
1990-91
Community Care Grants |62
Budgeting Loans |39
Crisis Loans |8
1991-92
Community Care Grants |75
Budgeting Loans |42
Crisis Loans |12
1992-93
Community Care Grants |75
Budgeting Loans |42
Crisis Loans |17
1993-94
Community Care Grants |76
Budgeting Loans |42
Crisis Loans |17
1994 to October
Community Care Grants |77
Budgeting Loans |42
Crisis Loans |25
Ministerial Speeches
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions since 1979 civil servants in his Department have been asked to draft speeches of a constituency nature for use in a Minister's own constituency.
Mr. Hague: None. Civil servants may provide briefing of a factual nature for Ministers on these matters relating to their own Departments. In addition, Ministers, in preparing for a constituency speech, can draw on material produced by their Department during the normal course of business.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the amount of cold weather payments for each of the last two years in the United Kingdom and in Wales;
(2) what locations in Wales are used as a basis for the decision on cold weather payments; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Roger Evans: The Meteorological Office weather stations used for the cold weather payments scheme in Wales are: Aberporth, Cilfynydd, Mumbles, Rhoose, Trawsfynydd and Valley.
Some 2.5 million payments were made in the United Kingdom at a cost of nearly £15 million in 1992 93 and 2.1 million payments were made at a cost of nearly £12.4 million in 1993 94. No payments were made in Wales during the last two years.
Quarry House
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out (a) the initial estimated cost and (b) the final cost of building Quarry house, Leeds.
Mr. Roger Evans: When the contract for the construction of Quarry house was awarded, it was estimated that the contract price, plus a contingency for design development, would total around £57 million. The final account agreed with the contractor is £55,361,264.
War Pensioners
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list those local authorities which under the Social Security Act 1992 disregard only the statutory minimum first £10 of any war widow's pension or war disablement pension when calculating housing or council tax benefit;
(2) if he will list those local authorities which under the Social Security Act 1992 disregard (a) up to 25 per cent. (b) 26 per cent. to 50 per cent. (c) 51 per cent. to 75 per cent. and (d) 76 per cent. to 100 per cent. of war widow's pension or war disablement pension when calculating housing or council tax benefit.
Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is not currently available in the form requested.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the savings from raising the
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housing benefit taper from 65 per cent. to (a) 70 per cent. (b) 75 per cent. and (c) 80 per cent.Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is in the table:
Housing benefit |Estimated savings taper Per cent. |£ millions ------------------------------------------------------ 70 |185 75 |345 80 |485 Source: Estimates based on the 1990-91-92 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994-95 benefit levels and prices. Savings rounded to the nearest £5 million.
PRIME MINISTER
Collective Responsibility
Dr. Wright: To ask the Prime Minister how many hon. Members are currently covered by the doctrine of collective responsibility.
Mr. Newton: I have been asked to reply.
All 108 members of the Government are bound by collective responsibility. The position of parliamentary private secretaries is set out in paragraph 47 of "Questions of Procedure for Minsters", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
President Mubarak of Egypt
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proposals put to him by President Mubarak of Egypt relating to the Egyptians working in Libya, the responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103, and the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya.
Mr. Newton: I have been asked to reply.
President Mubarak made no such proposals.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Newton: I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the Budapest summit of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed
Mr. Byers: To ask the Prime Minister what officials met Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed at 10 Downing street on 3 April 1985 and 7 January 1985; and what were the issues discussed.
Mr. Newton: I have been asked to reply.
Both meetings were with the Prime Minister's private secretary for overseas affairs and discussed meetings the Prime Minister was shortly to have with the Sultan of Brunei.
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The meetings took place on 3 April 1985 and on 7 January 1987, and not as previously stated to the hon. Member.Scott Report
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make it his policy to publish the Scott report before 28 July 1995; and if he has yet formed a decision as to the appropriate price to be charged for the report and its related documents;
(2) if he will make it his policy that the price of the published Scott report be kept to a minimum.
Mr. Newton: I have been asked to reply.
As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister stated when he announced the terms of reference for the inquiry, Official Report, 16 November 1992, columns 74 75, Sir Richard Scott will be entirely free to decide on the publication of his report. The inquiry will report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. It is too early to comment on the price of the report.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the special advisers employed by his Department in each of the last five years indicating when they (a) joined and (b) left his Department and the annual salary they received.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 1 December 1994]: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is as follows:
|(a) |(b)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir P. Cradock |January 1984 |June 1992
Professor B. Griffiths |October 1985 |November 1990
Mr. G. R. J. Guise |September 1986|November 1990
Mrs. T. Gaisman |February 1987 |February 1989
Mr. G. D. Bourne |March 1988 |December 1989
Mr. A. J. Dunlop |June 1988 |November 1990
Mr. I. Whitehead |June 1988 |August 1990
Mr. H. Harris-Hughes |February 1989 |April 1992
Mrs. A. Ponsonby |February 1989 |November 1990
Mr. R. Harris |January 1990 |November 1990
Mrs. S. Hogg |December 1990 |to date
Miss B. Wallis |December 1990 |May 1992
Mr. N. True |January 1991 |to date
Mr. J. Hill |February 1991 |March 1992
Mr. R. A. Rosling |February 1991 |November 1993
Lord Poole |May 1992 |July 1994
Sir R. Braithwaite |June 1992 |December 1993
Mr. D. Green |June 1992 |to date
Mr. K. Ramsay |June 1992 |to date
Miss A. Warburton |January 1994 |to date
Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings, and are confidential.
HEALTH
Drug Tests
Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to compel drug manufacturers to disclose the results of tests on the safety and effectiveness of drugs.
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Mr. Sackville: This information is required by the United Kingdom licensing authority, which has an overriding obligation to safeguard public health. It is supplied in confidence to the Medicines Control Agency and we have no plans to require companies to make it publicly available.
Dental Services
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to improve dental health among children.
Mr. Malone: The Department has published an oral health strategy for England which sets a number of objectives relating to the further reduction in caries in children. Carrying forward dental health is a matter for health authorities.
The Department has made available £1 million for oral health education for 1994 95. Thirty-six proposals have been approved. A second tranche is currently being considered.
Victoria Hospital
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next plans to visit Lichfield to discuss developments at Victoria hospital.
Mr. Sackville: I am aware of the excellent work done at the Victoria hospital, Lichfield and of the Premier Health national health service trust's plans for further development of the hospital. I look forward to visiting the hospital in the future.
General Practitioner Support
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the level of support given by family health service authorities to single-handed general practitioners; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Malone: This year, we have made available £674 million of cash-limited moneys to family health services authorities to support general practitioners, including single-handers in the provision of practice premises, staff and computers. Next year the amount will increase to £710 million, a 2 per cent. real increase.
Hepatitis C
Mr. Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to compensate those who have contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.
Mr. Sackville: We have great sympathy for those who may have become infected with hepatitis C from contaminated blood products, but have no plans to make payments to patients who may have been infected with hepatitis C as a result of national health service treatment.
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about compensation to those who have been infected with hepatitis C.
Mr. Sackville: We have no plans to make payments to those who have been infected with hepatitis C.
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Single-sex Wards
Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the provision of single-sex wards in hospitals.
Mr. Sackville: Health authorities and national health service trusts must make their own decisions about the use of single sex-wards, but should ensure that all patients are treated in such a way that their dignity, privacy and religious and cultural beliefs are respected. Under a new standard in the revised and expanded patients charter to be published in the new year, patients can expect to be told in advance if they will be treated in a mixed-sex ward. This will allow them to discuss their worries with the hospital, which will, where possible, take account of their views.
Health Statistics
Mr. David Martin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the number of (a) district health authorities and (b) regional health authorities since March 1991; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Malone: In March 1991, there were 189 district health authorities and 14 regional health authorities. The numbers are now 110 and eight respectively.
This is part of our programme for achieving more effective health authorities, linking primary and secondary care, streamlining management structures and improving the health of the population.
Hospital Medicines
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support her Department is giving to the dissemination of information concerning hospital medicines; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: Product information for all licensed medicines is available in data sheets produced by the manufacturers and authorised by the licensing authority and in the British National Formulary, which is sent free to all doctors. In addition, there is now a requirement that manufacturers of all newly licensed medicines supply leaflets written for patients, for older medicines leaflets will be phased in over five years unless requested sooner. For licensed medicines used in hospital, leaflets will be supplied by the pharmacy on request.
Herbal Remedies
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the future availability of herbal remedies.
Mr. Sackville: The position of herbal medicines is safeguarded. The exemption from product licensing requirements for certain herbal medicines under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968 will continue. This applies to existing and new products which fall within the terms of the exemption. The exemptions and public health safeguards under section 56 of the Act also remain.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been waiting for treatment longer than one year in the United Health area of south Humberside.
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Mr. Malone: The information requested is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest published data are for March 1994.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding any risk to human health from bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Mr. Sackville: We have received a number of representations on bovine spongiform encephalopathy. There is no scientific evidence that BSE presents a risk to human health.
Smoking
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is spent on health education to reduce smoking among those under 16.
Mr. Sackville: In 1994 95, £1.4 million has been allocated to the Health Education Authority's anti-smoking programme aimed specifically at teenagers. In addition, £12 million has been earmarked for the three-year national health education campaign on smoking. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing parents, whose smoking habits and attitudes have a vital influence on smoking by their children.
Schools are required to provide education about the dangers of smoking. They allocate resources accordingly from the funding devolved to them. Expenditure on health education programmes in schools is not available centrally.
Health authority health promotion units are also involved in local campaigns to dissuade teenagers from smoking; however, detailed information on expenditure on these activities is not available centrally.
Joint Commissioning Authorities
Mr. Colin Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had concerning the size of population and geographical area to be covered by joint commissioning authorities.
Mr. Malone: We have received a number of representations, including correspondence from my hon. Friend.
Health Service Pay
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had in the last month with doctors, nurses and other health service staff on the next pay round.
Mr. Malone: The Health Departments, and organisations representing doctors and dentists, nurses and midwives and staff in professions allied to medicine, have each recently presented evidence to the national health service review bodies about pay in 1995 96. Discussions are continuing in the nursing and midwifery staffs negotiating council, the professions allied to medicine and related grades of staff--professional and technical A--council and with the British Medical Association about local pay arrangements. Agreements have recently been reached in the Whitley councils for other staff which
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include pay increases for 1994 95 together with an enabling provision for local pay schemes.Hospital Statistics
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the total cost of closing Guy's hospital; and what is the estimated annual cost of running both Guy's hospital and St. Thomas's hospital.
Mr. Malone: There are no plans to close Guy's hospital. The consultation document "Looking to the Future", issued by Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health commission on 14 November, gives details of the various options and running costs under consideration for developing better health services in south-east London. Copies of the document are available in the Library.
Copyright
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will summarise the legal advice she has received as to whether the use of the NHS number is protected by Crown copyright; if she will place a copy of that advice in the Library; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville: The new national health service number develops a system that has been in place since the commencement of the NHS. The NHS number system is Crown copyright and, as such, unauthorised use can be pursued in the context of Crown copyright and intellectual property rights in general. This position has been confirmed by departmental solicitors. We do not consider it appropriate to publicise advice received in the manner suggested.
Private Patient Income
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 22 November, Official Report, column 84 , when she expects to be able to publish information on private patient income for 1993 94.
Mr. Sackville: Private patient income by region for 1993 94 is shown in the table.
Private patient income
|1993-94
------------------------------
Northern |1,539
Yorkshire |447
Trent |1,853
East Anglian |1,291
N W Thames |5,794
N E Thames |10,049
S E Thames |1,747
S W Thames |966
Wessex |1,878
Oxford |7,113
South Western |488
West Midlands |3,903
Mersey |2
North Western |3,710
SHAs |25,611
NHS Trusts |109,918
Source:
Annual accounts of regional,
district and the London
postgraduate teaching
hospitals. Trust Accounts
summarisation schedules of
National Health Service
trusts.
Note:
Figures are provisional.
Management Costs
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which years since 1980 her Department required NHS authorities to operate with a total management cost of less than 4 per cent.
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