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Mr. Jack: Given the large number of assumptions which would have to be made as to what the balance of payments and the RPI would have been in the absence of the common agricultural policy, it is not possible to answer such a hypothetical question.


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EDUCATION

Reading Recovery Schemes

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she intends to take to ensure the long-term financial future of the national co-ordinating mechanism for reading recovery schemes.

Mr. Robin Squire: The institute of education, university of London has been funded to provide advice and support to local education authorities during the final two years of the national pilot of reading recovery. My right hon. Friend has no plans to fund the institute beyond the end of the pilot programme.

Grant-maintained Schools

Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools have had their funding reduced as a result of overstated claims for pupils taking school meals; and if she will provide a list of the schools and, in each case, the adjustment made to their budget.

Mr. Robin Squire: The determination of grant for GM schools is now a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the agency to write to the hon. Member.

Teachers

Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the total number of teachers in 1992 93 and 1993 94.

Mr. Robin Squire: The table below shows the full-time equivalent number of teachers in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector, including self-governing schools, in England as at January of each year.


                               |1993<1>  |1994<2>            

-------------------------------------------------------------

Nursery, primary and secondary |389,091  |390,430            

                               |(396,332)                    

Special                        |16,647   |16,292             

Education other than at school |2,578    |2,578              

                                                             

Total                          |408,316  |409,300            

                               |(415,557)                    

<1>The bracketed figures for 1993 include teachers in sixth  

form colleges.                                               

<2>As from April 1993 sixth form colleges became part of the 

further education sector, therefore the 1994 figures exclude 

teachers in these colleges.                                  

Schools (Access)

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the likely effect of parental choice on the speed at which schools become accessible to disabled children.

Mr. Forth: Parental preference will be one of the factors that will influence the speed at which the trend continues towards more pupils with special needs being educated in mainstream schools. It is for local education authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools to secure sufficient places for pupils with special needs in the light of demand. However, parents take differing views on the


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suitability of schools and it is not possible to predict the future effect with any accuracy.

School Construction

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) new schools are planned for construction within the next 10 years and (b) existing schools plan the construction of major extensions within the next 10 years, by education authority area.

Mr. Robin Squire: This information is not available centrally.

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with whom she is consulting in the drawing up of upgraded constructional standards, referred to in her answer of 7 December, Official Report , column 218 ; and when schools will be subject to those upgraded constructional standards.

Mr. Robin Squire: The Department will be consulting shortly with local education authorities, disability organisations and other interested parties. We currently envisage that the revised standards will apply to new construction at schools from September 1995.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Subsidiarity

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many draft directives have been rejected on the grounds that they violate the principle of subsidiarity set out in the Maastricht treaty.

Mr. David Davis: Eleven proposals for legislation have been withdrawn since 1993 on subsidiarity grounds. A number of others have been amended. It is impossible to quantify the number of proposals which are not coming forward at all because they have been ruled out on subsidiarity grounds--but this is perhaps the most significant consequence of the introduction of the principle of subsidiarity at Maastricht.

Management Information Systems

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for delaying the introduction of a full management information system for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until April 1996; and if he will ensure that speedier progress is made.

Mr. Baldry: For operational reasons, the FCO's financial management and accounting system can only be introduced at the start of a financial year. The complex project to procure, configure, test and implement the system began in February 1994. Completing it by April 1995 carried unacceptable risks. April 1996 remains the target.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the financial management accounting system to be introduced in 1996 will be based on the MINIS-type model operated by home civil service departments.

Mr. Baldry: The FCO's financial and management accounting system is a fully integrated accounting system which will enable more precise costing of support and


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frontline functions and the targeting of funding to activities and objectives. It is therefore not based on the MINIS-type model but, as it includes a planning and budgetary module and as it will support the introduction of resource accounting, it will be capable of producing similar information.

Turkey

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what time was spent by Her Majesty's ambassador in Ankara on bilateral/lateral relations, assisting British exports, aid to British citizens, United Kingdom immigration, aid and domestic policies, in the last financial year.

Mr. David Davis: Her Majesty's ambassador in Ankara in the last financial year spent approximately 15 per cent. of his time on bilateral affairs, 30 per cent. on promoting British exports, 20 per cent. on following domestic Turkish politics, 20 per cent. on Turkish external policy, three per cent. on consular affairs, two per cent. on immigration work and ten per cent. on management of the embassy. The breakdown of time spent for the rest of the embassy is of course different. He has minimal personal involvement in the small amount of aid activity in Turkey.

Sudan

Mr. Carrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about bilateral relations with Sudan.

Mr. Douglas Hogg: As was announced at the FCO news conference earlier today, a new ambassador will arrive in the Republic of Sudan in March to take up his appointment following the official retirement date of the preceding ambassador, who was expelled at the end of 1993. Our bilateral concerns about the civil war, human rights, and the distribution of humanitarian relief supplies, can be better pursued with the Sudanese Government if we have an ambassador in Khartoum.

Lebanon

Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of arms sales to Lebanon.

Mr. Douglas Hogg: We are willing to consider applications for the sale of arms to the Lebanese Government. All applications for the sale of arms will be considered on a case by case basis in the light of the international guidelines to which we are committed. These include whether a proposed transfer would be likely to increase tension in the region or contribute to regional instability. Applications by individuals will be considered for arms for sporting or leisure use only.

SCOTLAND

Electronic Mail

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to receive and respond to communications via electronic mail.


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Mr. Lang: Electronic mail is now part of my Department's internal communication system and links with other Government Departments will shortly become operational. I have no plans at present to use it for other external communications, but my Department is keeping the matter under review.

Correspondence

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South may expect a reply from the chief executive of the Western General Hospitals NHS trust to his letters of 4 October 1994 and 9 November 1994 requesting information about the start-up grant awarded to the trust by the national health service management executive and for an indication as to how this money was spent;

(2) when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South may expect a reply from the chief executive of the Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust to his letters of 4 October 1994 and 9 November 1994 requesting information about the start-up grant awarded to the trust by the national health service management executive and for an indication as to how this money was spent.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The hon. Member should have received replies from both these NHS trusts as letters were sent by them on 25 November and 22 December 1994 respectively. Both have apologised for the delay.

Sir Russell Johnston: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in response to recommendation 1235 (1994) of the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe relating to psychiatry and human rights; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on psychiatry and human rights has yet to be adopted formally by the Council.

Infertility Treatment

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the policy of each health board in Scotland with regard to the provision of infertility treatment for patients in the respective health board area; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang: It is for individual health boards to decide on the pattern and extent of infertility services they wish to purchase, in the light of their assessment of local needs.

I understand that all health boards in Scotland purchase levels I and II infertility services.

Level III services are available at four centres in Scotland. These are located in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow and are based on, or have links with, the university medical departments of obsterics and gynaecology. Most health boards purchase specialist level III treatment, including in vitro fertilisation. I understand that the exceptions are Grampian, Lothian, Orkney and Shetland health boards. These boards are currently reviewing their arrangements for purchasing infertility services.

Hospitals (Children)

Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board all hospitals with


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children's wards giving (a) the total number of beds, (b) the total number and percentage of beds available for overnight parental accommodation and (c) the average annual number of overnight stays by parents.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [Holding answer 20 December 1994]: Information on beds in children's wards in all hospitals in Scotland is shown in the table. Information on overnight stays by parents is not held centrally.


National health service hospitals in Scotland     

average available                                 

staffed beds in children's wards<1>:              

by health board area of treatment and hospital    

year ending 30 September 1994                     

                                      |Beds       

--------------------------------------------------

SCOTLAND                              |858        

                                                  

Argyll and Clyde                      |30         

Inverclyde Royal hospital             |12         

Royal Alexandra hospital              |18         

                                                  

Ayrshire and Arran                    |37         

Crosshouse hospital                   |20         

The Ayr hospital                      |17         

                                                  

Borders                               |13         

Borders general hospital              |13         

                                                  

Dumfries and Galloway                 |17         

Dumfries and Galloway Royal infirmary |17         

                                                  

Fife                                  |29         

Victoria hospital, Kirkcaldy          |29         

                                                  

Forth Valley                          |19         

Falkirk and district Royal infirmary  |9          

Stirling Royal infirmary              |10         

                                                  

Grampian                              |121        

Royal Aberdeen children's hospital    |121        

                                                  

Greater Glasgow                       |283        

RHSC, Glasgow                         |283        

                                                  

Highland                              |33         

Raigmore hospital                     |33         

                                                  

Lanarkshire                           |<2>46      

Law hospital                          |22         

Monklands district general hospital   |23         

                                                  

Lothian                               |167        

RHSC, Edinburgh                       |150        

St. John's hospital at Howden         |17         

                                                  

Tayside                               |63         

Ninewells hospital                    |46         

Perth Royal infirmary                 |12         

Stracathro hospital                   |4          

<1>Comprises all beds in children's hospitals (   

Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, RHSC Glasgow  

and RHSC Edinburgh) and paediatric surgery and    

paediatric medicine beds in all other hospitals   

in Scotland. Not shown are those hospitals which  

recorded less than 0.5 average available staffed  

beds.                                             

<2>Health board totals may not compute with       

individual hospital figures due to the effects of 

rounding.                                         

Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board all children's hospitals giving (a) the total number of beds, (b) the total number and percentage of beds available for overnight parental accommodation and (c) the average annual number of overnight stays by parents.


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Lord James Douglas Hamilton [holding answer 20 December 1994]: Information on beds in children's hospitals is shown in the table. Information on overnight stays by parents is not held centrally.


National health service hospitals in Scotland        

average available                                    

staffed beds in children's hospitals: by health      

board area of                                        

treatment and hospital year ending 30 September 1994 

                                                     

-----------------------------------------------------

Scotland                                     |554    

Grampian, Royal Aberdeen children's hospital |121    

Greater Glasgow, RHSC, Glasgow               |283    

Lothian, RHSC, Edinburgh                     |150    

GP Fundholders

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner practices had become fundholders at the end of 1994 in each health board area in Scotland; what percentage of total practices this represents; and what plans he has in respect of practices which have decided not to opt for fundholding status.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The information requested is set out in the table.


                      |Operational    |Percentage of                  

Health board          |fundholders    |total practices                

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Argyll and Clyde      |5              |4.6                            

Ayrshire and Arran    |4              |6.0                            

Borders               |2              |8.3                            

Dumfries and Galloway |1              |2.7                            

Fife                  |4              |6.5                            

Forth Valley          |4              |7.1                            

Grampian              |31             |33.3                           

Greater Glasgow       |11             |4.8                            

Highland              |3              |3.9                            

Lanarkshire           |15             |16.3                           

Lothian               |18             |12.7                           

Orkney                |0              |0                              

Shetland              |0              |0                              

Tayside               |9              |10.6                           

Western Isles         |0              |0                              

                                                                      

Total                 |107            |9.6                            

The GP fundholding scheme is a voluntary scheme which is currently open to practices with 6,000 or more patients or which can group together to achieve this figure.

Under proposals announced on 25 November by my noble Friend the Minister of State it is intended to expand and develop the GP fundholding scheme to allow GP practices a range of options, to participate directly in purchasing health services for the benefit of their patients. This will be subject to parliamentary approval for amendments to the regulations. It will include an expanded standard fundholding scheme from 1 April 1996, including a reduction in the minimum list size requirement to 4,000 patients, and a new primary care purchasing initiative which, subject to successful piloting, it is hoped can be made available to all GP practices in Scotland irrespective of list size. Interest is also being canvassed, amongst experienced GP fundholding practices in Scotland, to participate in up to six pilot projects to evaluate the possible benefits of fundholding


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practices having the option of purchasing all hospital and community health services on behalf of their patients.

These new arrangements are intended to facilitate the process whereby GP practices enter the fundholding scheme in a more flexible way. The resultant participation by increased numbers of practices will assist health boards to ensure that their purchasing of health services for patients is led by primary care priorities. Health boards also have the responsibility to make effective arrangements for consultation with all their GP practices about their purchasing plans, and such arrangements will include also inputs from GP practices which are not directly involved in the fundholding scheme.

Emergency Services

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what system of communications with emergency vehicles the police force, ambulance service and fire brigade have in each region of Scotland; what studies or discussions have been undertaken to make systems compatible with each other in each region; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 January 1995]: All Scottish police forces and fire brigades operate mobile radio systems to common technical standards and the two services occupy adjacent bands of radio spectrum managed by the Scottish Office directorate of telecommunications. These systems are estimated to provide coverage to more than 95 per cent. of all class A and B roads, in addition to urban areas. The ambulance service is currently in the process of re-engineering its mobile radio network to the same coverage standards, with a new system currently fully operational in Grampian and Highlands and Islands.

Operationally, all normal inter-service communication takes place via the control rooms of the services involved. However, a common inter-agency radio channel has been agreed between all three services for local use where circumstances indicate that this would be advantageous.

Publications (Cost)

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of printing, publishing and distributing the publication, "Scotland-- Getting Better".

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The cost of printing, publishing and distributing "Scotland Getting Better" is £10,200.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of publications for each health board and health trust in Scotland for each year since 1990.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The information requested is not held centrally.

Professional Medical Staff

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the turnover of professional medical staff in each health trust in 1994.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Information on the turnover of medical staff is not held centrally.


 

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