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Mr. Malone: The number of national health service sight tests paid for by family health services authorities in England is shown in the table:
|Millions
Year |Sight tests
------------------------------------
1978-79 |7,894
1979-80 |8,331
1980-81 |8,332
1981-82 |8,469
1982-83 |8,678
1983-84 |9,266
1984-85 |9,882
1985-86 |10,246
1986-87 |10,615
1987-88 |11,695
1988-89 |12,493
1989-90<1> |5,280
1990-91<1> |4,154
1991-92 |4,979
1992-93 |5,528
1993-94 |5,935
<1> From 1 April 1989, NHS sight
tests were restricted to certain
groups in the population.
The figures for 1989-90 include
sight tests paid for in 1989-90 but
conducted in 1988-89 under the
previous scheme. The remaining
tests were conducted and paid for
in 1989-90 which does not
constitute a full 12 months of the
new scheme. The figures for 1990-91
which do represent 12 months under
the new scheme, are not, therefore,
directly comparable with those for
1989-90.
Two surveys carried out jointly by
the Department of Health and the
optical profession estimated that
13.184 million sight tests were
performed in Great Britain in the
year to 31 March 1994; the estimate
for the year to 31 March 1995 is 12,
673 million.
Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield
Sir Norman Fowler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were provided in the last 12 months at the Good Hope hospital, Sutton Coldfield; and what was the comparable figure for 1978.
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally, although I understand from the Good Hope hospital that the total number of operations undertaken at the hospital in the current year is expected to show a 47 per cent. increase on 1989 90. I refer my right hon. Friend to Mr. Doug Ellis, chairman of the Good Hope hospital, for further details.
World Health Organisation
Mr. Eastham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contributions the United Kingdom Government made to the World Health Organisation in (a) 1981, (b) 1991 and (c) 1994; if these funds were directed to (i) the World Health Organisation headquarters or (ii) the regional office in Copenhagen; who determined the level of contributions; at what time of the year the contributions were requested; if such funding is linked to inflation; and when the next review of financial allocations will take place.
Mr. Malone: The United Kingdom contribution to the World Health Organisation regular budget was as follows:
1981: £4,286,214.93
1991: £8,357,571.23
1994: £13,432,053.21
These funds were directed to the WHO's headquarters in Geneva. The level of the United Kingdom contribution is in accordance with the United Nations's scale of assessment adjusted to the specific requirements of the WHO. The WHO biennial budget is set at the world health assembly. Contributions are payable in two instalments to be submitted by 1 January. Inflation, in line with the standard assessment for all United Nations organisations, is one of the factors taken into account in determining the budget with the next biennial budget for 1996 97 is due to be set at the world health assembly in May.
WALES
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales will the Secretary of State provide details of what performance targets for 1995 96 he has proposed for the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for
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Rural Wales, the Wales tourist board and the Cardiff Bay development corporation.Mr. Redwood: The targets I am proposing to the chairman of the bodies concerned are:
|1995-96
|target
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welsh Development Agency
Job creation
Number safeguarded or created |13,000
Minimum percentage outside M4 and A55 catchment
areas |20
Inward Investment
New jobs |10,000
Investment (£ million) |500
Industrial and commercial floor space (direct build and
joint ventures)
Square metres |100,000
Property
Disposal (£ million) |90
Vacant space (000 Sq metres) |116
Investment
In conjunction with capital programme (£ million) |650
Derelict land
Reclamation hectares |850
Efficiency
Management running costs (£ million) |13.2
Reduction in consultancy (costs £000) |700
Development Board for Rural Wales
Job creation
Number safeguarded or created |1,500
Property
Disposal (£ million) |6.0
Void rate (percentage) |10.0
Investment in conjunction with capital programme
£ million |30
Management
Running costs £ million |3.689
Reduction in consultancy costs (£000) |170
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation CBDC'S
Programme Barrage
Expenditure in year (£ million) |42.0
Percentage completed |54
Land reclamation
Hectares |24
Land disposal
Hectares |30
Receipts (£ million) |10.3
Roads
Constructed (kilometres) |3.5
Running costs (£ million) |4.1
Private Sector Activity Development
Private Sector Investment (£ million) |120
Industrial/Commercial floor space (sq metres) |69,500
Residential (units) |560
Jobs |3,000
Wales Tourist Board
Capital development
Private sector investment (£ million) |18.0
Leverage Private: Public |6.1
Direct marketing: cost per response |75p
Wales share of GB market, (percentage) |9.5
Average occupancy rates, (per cent.):
Hotel and Guest Houses |40
Caravan Sector |62
Self Catering |72
Running costs (£ million) |4.15
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 22 February, Official Report, column 195, what information he has on the numbers of non-executive members of the boards of non-departmental public bodies sponsored by him who are paid other than on a schedule E basis, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: This information is not held centrally. However, non- departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department were instructed in May 1994 that board members' remuneration should be subject to national insurance and tax in the usual way.
Live Animal Exports
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the loss of revenue to farmers in Wales so far this year resulting from their inability to get their products to market as a result of public disorder incidents; and what is his estimate of the full-year effect on current trends.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: There has been little effect so far on prices on beef animals and sheep as a result of the present action on live exports. The main effect has been on dairy producers, who are receiving less for their surplus male calves. If these animals are fattened for beef in this country, this may impact on producer prices in the medium term, but this could be mitigated by increases in exports of carcases and boned meat.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take immediate steps to ensure that no Welsh farmers are prevented from transporting their animals to market within the framework of legislation that safeguards animal welfare and in accordance with the trading laws of the European Community; and how many representations he has received from (a) farmers and (b) farming unions on this matter.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Numerous representations have been received on this subject and I have met the farming unions on a number of occasions to discuss the matter. The export of live animals is a legal trade. The Government fully appreciate the strong feelings and concern expressed by those calling for higher animal welfare standards; but pursuing these aims by violent means is completely unacceptable. We do share their views about standards elsewhere and we have been doing our best to reach an acceptable agreement throughout the European Community on the transport of live animals which would allow the trade to operate on a basis acceptable to all.
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Minerals Planning Guidance
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue a Welsh equivalent of the new version of minerals policy guidance note 6 on guidance for aggregates provision in England.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: My right hon. Friend is considering what guidance is needed in Wales to supersede that contained in minerals planning guidance note 6, 1989.
Planning Policy Guidance
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue Welsh equivalents of planning policy guidance notes (a) No. 15, on planning and the historic environment, (b) No. 23, on planning and pollution control, (c) No. 24 on planning and noise and (d) No. 2 on green- belts.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: My right hon. Friend is preparing draft planning policy guidance for Wales, covering those policy planning guidances recently issued in England.
Minewater Pollution
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will draw up a list of watercourses and their surrounding areas which are vulnerable to minewater pollution and develop a programme of remedial and preventative work along with estimates of the funding required.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: A survey report on ferruginous minewater impacts in the Welsh coalfields was published in March 1994 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. A follow-up report studying remedial options for the most significant minewater discharges is due to be published shortly.
Ian Greer Associates
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what items of correspondence were received by Ministers in his department from Messrs Ian Greer Associates in the last month.
Mr. Redwood: The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), received a request on 3 February 1995 from Ian Greer Associates Ltd. for a meeting with representatives of Boeing, which was declined.
Biodiversity
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research his Department has carried out upon the impact of recreation on biodiversity.
Mr. Redwood: My Department has not recently carried out an research on the impact of recreation on biodiversity.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what prime biodiversity areas within the meaning of the report,
"Biodiversity--The UK Action Plan", he has identified in Wales; and if he will make a statement about his strategy to protect and enhance such sites.
Mr. Redwood: The biodiversity steering group is considering this issue. Its report is due to be published by the end of this year.
Column 500
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the suitability of existing financial incentives to encourage environmentally sensitive forms of agriculture to ensure that they are contributing to biodiversity objectives.
Mr. Redwood: The environmentally sensitive area scheme is an obvious example of the application of biodiversity objectives to agricultural policy. A detailed monitoring programme to examine the environmental and economic effects of the scheme has been established and will continue.
Policy reviews are undertaken every five years to assess the suitability of the scheme and reports of the findings in the Cambrian mountains "Original", and Cambrian mountains "Extension" and Lleyn peninsula ESAs were published in 1991 and 1992 respectively. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Payment reviews are undertaken biennially.
The new agri-environmental schemes will be similarly monitored to ensure they also contribute to biodiversity objectives.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has issued to encourage the tourism industry in Wales to include information about the need for environmental conservation, and information about local biodiversity, in promotional literature.
Mr. Redwood: Planning policy guidance note 21: "Tourism", issued November 1992, outlines the economic significance of tourism, its environmental impact and how it should be dealt with in local authority development plans. Local authorities, working with the Wales tourist board are best placed to decide how to promote such policies.
Welsh Health Common Services Authority
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial assistance from public services was provided to the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and to Grosvenor Waterside with respect to the development of Crickhowell house as the authority's new headquarters.
Mr. Redwood: A contribution of £478,000 was paid by the Cardiff Bay development corporation to Grosvenor Waterside towards infrastructure costs associated with the construction of Crickhowell house.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning the number of inquiries made with regard to the market testing of the prescription-pricing service; how many inquiries have been made to date; and what is the proposed modus operandi for organising the market-testing bidding procedure.
Mr. Redwood: None. By 23 February, 38 organisations, including the prescription pricing services' in-house team, had asked for a copy of the authority's market testing information pack. The closing date of the submission of outline proposals is 24 March 1995. The bidding procedure will be organised according to the established public sector procurement rules.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning damage to the authority's premises arising from leaks;
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what compensatory measures he has discussed to remedy the problem; and who will pay for it.Mr. Redwood: None. The defects liability period for the external envelope of Crickhowell house has been extended to 31 March 1995. The rectification of any building defects is a contractual matter for Grosvenor Waterside and the parties responsible for the design and construction of the building.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral statement of the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards) of 21 February, Official Report , columns 223 24, if he will list those sections of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority which will be market tested under the conventional procedure and those sections where other procedures will be followed.
Mr. Redwood: Prescription pricing services is being market tested conventionally. As my hon. Friend indicated on 21 February, Official Report , column 223, options for other non-clinical services still have to be considered.
Bryn Alyn Hall School
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to 23 February, Official Report , column 300 , on what date the latest inspection of Bryn Alyn Hall school took place; what representations he has received and from whom under section 87 of the Children Act 1989 following the Department's inspection of welfare of children at the school, and what was his Department's response to their representation.
Mr. Redwood: At the request of my Department, the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools inspected the school in November 1994. Its advice was received in January 1995 and is currently being considered.
The responsibility to inspect the welfare of children at the school under the Children Act 1989 rests with the Clwyd social services department. I understand that that Department visited the school in November/December 1994 and its final report is expected to issue shortly. My Department has received for information a copy of a previous report on the school by the SSD, but has received no formal notification of a concern about welfare under section 87(4) of the Children Act.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in the preparation of summary management plans for biological sites of special scientific interest in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: The designation and management of SSSIs is the responsibility of the Countryside Council for Wales. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member with the information requested. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
Coastal Defence
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research his Department has undertaken to assess the scope for habitat creation through managed retreat of the coast.
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Mr. Redwood: Strategic research in this area is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. A full-scale managed set-back trial is being carried out at Tollesbury creek, Essex. Nevertheless, my Department ensures that, where appropriate, a managed set-back option is among those considered for coastal defence schemes approved for grant aid.
Red Kites
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made to maintain the annual red kite population increase in Wales at more than 5 per cent. per annum since the publication of the report "Biodiversity--The UK Action Plan": and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: Sixty-nine breeding pairs of red kite were observed in Wales in 1994, as opposed to 61 pairs in 1993--an increase of 13.1 per cent.
GP Fundholders
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the aggregate outturn level of savings by general practitioner fundholders for the current financial year.
Mr. Redwood: The latest estimate is £6 million.
Special Areas of Conservation
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those areas he intends to designate special areas of conservation in Wales over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: A list of candidate sites of community importance will be published as soon as possible.
Special Protection Areas
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to designate any marine special protection areas in Wales.
Mr. Redwood: No such sites have yet been submitted to me for designation.
Nature Conservation
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what guidance he has issued to local authorities to encourage them to make reasonable provision for local nature reserves and natural green space in local plans.
Mr. Redwood: Advice and guidance to local authorities on the needs of nature conservation are set out in Welsh Office circular 52/87. In addition, the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 which implement the habitats directive encourages the management of features of the landscape which are of major importance of wild flora and fauna, which would include sites which are important to local communities.
DEFENCE
Yorks and Lancaster Regimental Museum
13. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will guarantee the future of the Yorks and Lancaster regimental museum in Rotherham.
Column 503
Mr. Soames: With the exception of one member of staff, my Department does not fund this museum and I cannot therefore comment on its future.
Official Service Residences
16. Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's procedures for controlling expenditure on the official service residences of senior officers.
Mr. Soames: The control of expenditure on accommodation, including official service residences, is delegated to budget holders. Work is in hand to prepare comprehensive guidance on expenditure on such residences.
Killing of Civilians
17. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on members of the armed services who are accused of killing civilians while on duty.
Mr. Soames: Members of the armed forces are subject to the criminal law. Where a member of the armed forces is alleged to have committed murder or manslaughter in the United Kingdom, jurisdiction lies with the civil authorities.
Submarines and Fishing Vessels
18. Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the measures taken to avoid hazardous encounters between submarines and fishing vessels in and around the Firth of Clyde and on traditional fishing grounds.
Mr. Soames: A comprehensive package of dynamic measures provides for the safe co-existence of submarines and fishing vessels in UK waters. These have been implemented only after extensive consultation with the fishing industry, with whom my officials and those of the Department of Transport regularly consider such matters.
Armed Services Ranks
19. Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed services were estimated to be in post on 1 January; how many of them held (a) one of the six highest commissioned ranks, (b) the three highest non-commissioned rank and (c) no rank at all; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: At 1 January 1995, the total strength of the regular armed forces was 236,667. On the same date, 1,752 personnel on the active list held one of the six highest commissioned ranks. 28,144 personnel held one of the three highest non-commissioned ranks. No service personnel had no rank at all.
European Defence Co-operation
20. Mr. Jack Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to discuss European defence co-operation with the Council of Ministers of the Western European Union at their next meeting.
Mr. Soames: We look forward to participating fully in discussions on a range of issues affecting European defence and security at the next meeting of WEU Ministers in May. The development of the WEU as a
Column 504
means of European co-operation in this area will undoubtedly be on the agenda.Front Line First"
21. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to undertake a review along the lines of "Front Line First"; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman: The defence costs study was highly successful and achieved all of its aims and we do not plan, nor do we need, to conduct another similar exercise. The Ministry of Defence will, however, continue to subject all of its activities to close and continuous scrutiny as part of its normal arrangements for maximising efficiency and effectiveness.
Atomic Weapons Establishment, Llanishen
22. Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received in relation to the percentage allowance for overheads on bids for non-Trident warhead diversification work by the atomic weapons establishment, Llanishen, Cardiff.
Mr. Freeman: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has received no such representations.
Defence Industry Scientists
23. Dr. Michael Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to help find gainful employment for defence industry scientists following reduced demand for defence equipment.
Mr. Freeman: The Government described in "Realising our Potential", Cm 2250, the considerable efforts being made to exploit the wealth-creating potential of the defence research and development programme. Further details were given in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994, Cm 2550.
European Defence Co-operation
24. Mr. Riddick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to develop increased European defence co-operation through existing NATO structures.
Mr. Soames: European allies co-operate closely within the alliance. As agreed at last year's NATO summit, the alliance is prepared to make its collective assets available for WEU operations undertaken by the European allies in pursuit of their common foreign and security policy. NATO's combined joint task force concept, which was also endorsed at the summit, will make NATO command and control facilities available for European-led operations. These developments have paved the way for the generation of separable but not separate European capabilities.
Bosnia
25. Sir Fergus Montgomery: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to visit Bosnia; and if he will make a statement on the level of humanitarian supplies so far delivered and the number of lives saved.
Mr. Soames: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made two visits to Bosnia
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last year, most recently in December 1994. It is too early to say how many he will make this year, or when.UNHCR records show that a total of 315,000 tonnes of food aid was delivered to over 2,700,000 people in Bosnia in 1994, including almost 71,000 tonnes to Sarajevo. As part of this, British UNPROFOR troops have assisted with the delivery of over 234,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid since operations began in Bosnia in Autumn 1992; the RAF airlift into Sarajevo has flown in a further 22,800 tonnes of aid since July 1992.
Land Contamination (Woolwich Arsenal)
26. Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of land contamination on the Woolwich arsenal site; and if his Department will bear the costs of decontamination.
Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 15 February 1995, Official Report, column 723 about my Department's assessment of land contamination at the royal arsenal, Woolwich. The extent of decontamination required and the associated costs have yet to be defined and will be determined by the future use of the site.
Chemical Weapons Agents (Russia)
27. Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has made to the Government of Russia about the safe storage and ultimate destruction of its stock of chemical weapons agents; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman: Officials are in regular dialogue with their Russian counterparts on all aspects of the chemical weapons convention through the preparatory commission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. Her Majesty's Government remain keen to see the Government of Russia, as the declared holder of one of the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons, deposit early its article of ratification of the chemical weapons convention so that monitoring of the stockpiles's destruction can begin as soon as possible.
Nuclear Weapons
28. Mr. Norman Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department has taken to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the last 12 months.
Mr. Soames: The prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons is one of the main aims of the United Kingdom's security policy. My Department supports a wide range of measures to this end, including: Actively working to have the nuclear non-proliferation treaty extended idefinitely and unconditionally at the review and extension conference of states parties in April/May.
Playing a positive and constructive part in negotiations for a comprehensive test ban treaty.
Making a full contribution to the work of the Zangger Committee and Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Scrutiny of export licence applications for nuclear-related goods to sensitive destinations.
Trying to establish a mandate for an ad hoc committee at the conference on disarmament in Geneva to negotiate a Convention banning production of fissile material for military explosive purposes.
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