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per cent. overall; 77 per cent. of districts have immunised at least 90 per cent. of children, with 22 per cent. achieving coverage of 95 per cent. or more; 94 per cent. of school children in Northern Ireland have been immunised and 88 per cent. in Scotland and Wales. The campaign has led to a fall in measles notifications and in confirmed measles cases. There were 1,774 measles notifications in England and Wales in January and February 1995 compared with 2,476 in the previous two months. In Scotland, where the campaign is not yet complete, there were 283 cases in January and February compared with 437 in the previous two months. About half of the suspected measles cases in England and Wales have been investigated with laboratory tests. There were only nine confirmed measles cases in January and one in February; one further case, a contact of the February case, is being investigated and may be confirmed. This compares with 101 confirmed cases in the previous two months. There have been no confirmed cases in Northern Ireland this year.Psychiatric Services
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the yearly cost of a psychiatric bed in the national health service for each of the last five years. [14820]
Mr. Bowis: The information is as follows:
Average yearly cost per patient for Psychiatric specialities
|1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
|£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------
Directly managed
units and national
health service
trusts-England |37,755.60|41,960.40|43,924.10
Source:
Annual financial returns of regional, district and special
health authorities for the London postgraduate hospitals and
NHS trusts.
Notes:
1. Figures for 1993-94 are provisional.
2. Figures prior to 1991-92 are not comparable with later
years because there were changes in accounting practice and
included only direct costs whereas figures from 1991-92
include overheads and capital charges.
Care Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role is currently played by the social services inspectorate in terms of establishing whether there are in any particular area reasons for the continued direct provision of local authority part III accommodation. [14707]
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of people employed in care homes provided under the National Assistance Act 1948 in each year since 1979. [14706]
Mr. Bowis: The information available centrally relates to whole-time equivalent numbers of staff directly employed by local authority social services departments in residential care homes. Figures for 1979 to 1993 are published in the 1992 and 1993 editions of the "Local Authority Social Services Statistics: Staff of Local Authority Social Services Departments", copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions during each year since 1984 it has been necessary to place residents in local authority part III accommodation as a direct result of the closure for whatever reason of a private voluntary care home. [14775]
Mr. Bowis: This information is not available centrally.
Out-Patient Appointments
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients failed to attend out-patient appointments in England in each year since 1992; and if she will make a statement. [15110]
Mr. Malone: The information requested is given in the table. Guidance on reducing non-attendance has already been issued to the national health service. This will be supported by further guidance on reducing waiting times. We expect the introduction of the new patients charter standard for out-patient appointments will further encourage purchasers and providers to tackle the problem of non-attenders.
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|1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-attenders |5,068,256 |5,105,459 |5,188,838
Total appointments |42,009,254 |42,632,497 |43,421,464
Proportion of patients
who did not attend |12.1 per cent.|12.0 per cent.|11.9 per cent.
Notes:
1. Includes patients referred by a general practitioner or another consultant.
2. Excludes patients who gave advance warning of their non-attendance.
Source:
"Outpatient and Ward Attenders, England", published annually.
Hostels
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State of Health (1) what account has been taken in drawing up her proposals for amending regulations concerning hostels accommodating people aged 16 to 25 years of the conclusions of investigations into where young people leaving care have been subject to abuse. [14789]
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(2) what mechanisms will exist under the amended regulations governing hostels for people aged 16 to 24 years for (a) checking the suitability of those running hostels and (b) checking the suitability of the premises. [14790]Mr. Bowis: The proposals, currently being consulted on, take account of other provisions of the Children Act
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and regulations which will adequately safeguard the welfare of the young people.Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give a breakdown by member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority of the sums identified in its account for 1993 94 as (a) £55,546 for remuneration of authority members and fees paid to members including the chairman and (b) £30,385 paid to members in travel and subsistence. [15438]
Mr. Sackville: Payments made to members of the authority in 1993 94 are as shown in the table:
|Fees £
---------------------------------------------------------
Prof. Sir C. Campbell (Chairman) |8,214.00
Lady Diana Brittan (Deputy Chairman) |5,304.00
Prof. R. J. Berry |3,682.00
Prof. I. Cooke |1,268.00
Prof. A. Cox |3,036.00
Jane Denton |4,828,00
Liz Forgan |509.00
Mrs. Joan Harbison |2,939.00
Prof. S. Hillier |5,578.00
R. Holloway |1,393.00
Penelope Keith |1,250.00
Mrs. Angela Mays |4,029.00
Dr. Anne McLaren |1,137.00
Dr. Jeannette Naish |1,515.00
Rabbi Julia Neuberger |2,792.00
Prof. R. Shaw |1,003.00
David Shilson |1,905.00
Prof. R. Snowden |1,503.00
Lady Julia Tugendhat |1,408.00
Christine Walby |250.00
Prof. D. Whittingham |2,003.00
Total members fees |55,546.00
Note:
1. Expenses for travelling cost, on average were £1,
446.90 per member per year.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the consistency of the impartiality of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority with her Department's target that in the current financial year 70 per cent. of its income should be derived from licence fees. [15440]
Mr. Sackville: Parliament decided that a proportion of the cost of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's licensing function should be recovered by charging fees to licensed centres. The principle under which the costs of regulation are met by bodies such as the authority is well established. Unlike other similar organisations, the authority does not recover all of its costs through fees; the taxpayer currently meets 30 per cent. of its costs. The licence fees charged are determined by the authority with the approval of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Treasury.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the background to the circumstances identified in the foreword to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority account for 1993 94 and which led to (a) the proposal not to renew the licence of one centre and (b) revoke the licence of a linked centre; what was the outcome of those proposals; and what was the legal cost. [15437]
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Mr. Sackville: Licensing decisions under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act are matters for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The authority decided in June 1994 not to renew the licence of one centre and to revoke the licence of a linked centre. The circumstances of this case cannot be disclosed because the authority's decisions are at present the subject of an appeal. The legal costs of this case are on- going.
Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give a breakdown of the different professional fees which gave rise to the total expenditure of £89,763 on such fees identified in the annual account 1993 94 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [15439]
Mr. Sackville: Professional and administrative fees set out in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's accounts for 1993 94 comprise:
|£
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal costs re licensing problems |72,663.50
Payroll costs |913.18
Accountants |6,979.93
Miscellaneous (computer consultants,
surveyors fees for rates appeal, legal fees for
new lease, personnel consultants, refund on
audit fees) |9,206.63
|89,763.24
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Departmental Staff (Job Offers)
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Attorney General how many job offers were reported by staff in his Department under the requirements of the rules on the acceptance of outside appointments in each of the last 10 years by (a) staff of grade 3 and above, (b) staff below grade 3, (c) staff in sections concerned with procurement or contract work, under section 15 of the rules of 1st February 1993 and (d) staff in other sections, under section 14; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.
The Attorney-General: Owing to a clerical error in my answer of 14 June 1994, Official Report , column 368 , an incorrect date was given for the reported approach at the Serious Fraud Office at grade 6 level under section 14 of the rules. The date should have been 1992 not 1993.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the amount of money spent on central administration and policy formulations by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14621]
Mr. Newton: Details of my Department's running costs and administrative spending for the years in question are contained in the relevant report of expenditure plans,
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Cm. 2820, page 102 a copy of which is available in the Members' Library.DEFENCE
Weapons Establishments Sites
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the licensing of atomic weapons establishments sites; and if he will make a statement. [15649]
Mr. Freeman: Agreement has been reached between the Government, the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and Hunting-BRAE Ltd., the operating contractor of AWE, that the AWE sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield should be licensed during 1997 under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Work has already started on achieving this.
Pilot Training
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many multi-engine pilots are trained each year by the RAF to operational conversion unit input standards; for what reason a contract for training six such pilots is being placed within the commercial sector, as set out in "Future Purchase LC1/0012"; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: The current RAF requirement is to train 61 multi-engine pilots to operational conversion unit input standards each year.
The defence costs study identified a number of ways in which flying training could be carried out more cost-effectively; for example, by the increased use of civilian instructors and contractors. The study concluded that multi-engine pilot training was an area where commonality of syllabus existed between the military and civil sector, and proposed that consideration should be given to transferring this part of RAF flying training to a civilian flying training school. My Department therefore intends to place a contract to train six RAF multi-engine pilots with the civil sector to assess the viability of this strategy.
Fraud
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department's police fraud squad has examined the placing of shipping contracts in the period 1980 to 1990; and if he will make a statement. [14409]
Mr. Freeman: The Ministry of Defence police fraud squad investigated between 1988 and 1990 allegations relating to the placement of Ministry of Defence shipping contracts. The investigation was inconclusive, however; no criminal charges were brought, and the case is now closed.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department's police fraud squad is currently taking in investigating claims of fraud during the chartering of shipping in the Gulf War; and what actions are being taken.
Mr. Freeman: The Ministry of Defence police fraud squad is investigating a number of matters arising from the chartering of shipping during the Gulf war. As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces
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said in his written answers on 9 March, Official Report , column 349 , some of these remain the subject of civil or criminal action.Gordon Foxley
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the total value of procurement orders which were not given to British defence manufacturers as a result of the activities of Gordon Foxley. [14411]
Mr. Freeman: It is not possible to say with any certainty what impact Foxley's corrupt activities in the field of fuse manufacture had on British defence manufacturing industry.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department is still investigating the extent of the fraud carried out by Gordon Foxley; and if he will make a statement. [14410]
Mr. Freeman: Investigations into Gordon Foxley's activities are continuing. Part 5 of the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General into the risk of fraud in defence procurement--HC 258 Session 1994 95-- published on 10 March 1995, contains a full account of my Department's investigations to date.
Biological Weapons
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the continued existence of biological weapons in the sea surrounding the British Isles following the end of the second world war; how many biological weapons remain deposited in the sea; what types of weapons are involved; in what locations they are; when the weapons deposited were last inspected; what evidence there is of leakage; and what steps he is taking to ascertain the circumstances of their disposal. [14406]
Mr. Soames: My Department has no knowledge of any biological weapons being dumped in the sea surrounding the British Isles.
Troop Exchange Programme
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart concerning the troop exchange programme between the United Kingdom and Australia; and if he will make a statement. [14405]
Mr. Soames: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no such discussions.
Housing Stock (Privatisation)
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the role of NatWest Markets in the development of proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock; [15486] (2) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing stock, whether he will state the possibilities under consideration by his Department for transferring the married quarters estate to the private sector; and if he will make a statement; [15487]
(3) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing
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stock, what proposals he has considered for the duration of leasehold to be held by his Department following the privatisation of his Department's housing stock; [15474](4) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report , columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing stock, what provision he has made for the protection of (a) the welfare and (b) the rights of tenancy of service men and women in developing proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock; [15477]
(5) if all moneys accrued from the privatisation of his Department's housing stock will remain within the Department's budget; [15478]
(6) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing stock, what is his estimate for consultancy and legal fees for the completion of proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock; [15480]
(7) when he expects to announce proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock; [15481]
(8) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report , columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing stock, if proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock will be open to consultation by members of the armed services and other interested parties; [15482]
(9) pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721 23, regarding his Department's housing stock, what assessment he has made of potential security risks in considering proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock. [15483]
Mr. Soames: As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Mr. Butler) on 8 December 1994, Official Report , column 303, we intend to develop proposals for the possible transfer of the married quarters estate to the private sector, on the basis of initial work undertaken for us last autumn by NatWest Markets. We are close to completing the competitive selection of financial advisers to assist us in this process. Our consideration of the possibilities for such a transfer is still at an early stage, and a good deal of further development and evaluation is needed. It would therefore be premature at this stage to speculate as to what proposals may emerge from this work, what their details might be, what further independent professional advice might be required to assist the development of these proposals, and what the financial and other implications of such proposals may prove to be. We envisage that we will be in a position to make a further statement on these issues in the second half of the year, and any proposals which we may bring forward in due course will be the subject of appropriate consultation. In the course of our on-going consideration of the possibilities, we shall continue to pay particular attention to the operational and security requirements of the services, and to the welfare and interests of service personnel and their families.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of urgent and unavoidable repairs to be made to his Department's housing stock; and how much has been spent on urgent and unavoidable repairs in each of the last 10 years. [15475]
Mr. Soames: No central record is kept of this information, but the defence housing executive will take on responsibility for the management and maintenance of the married quarters estate from 1 April, and the cost of
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urgent and unavoidable repairs will be met from within its overall budget. We expect that the improved housing management for which the executive is being established will in due course reduce the incidence of requirements for such repairs.Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 721 23 , regarding his Department's housing stock, what estimate he has made of the financial value of his Department's housing stock; and if he will make a statement. [15476]
Mr. Soames: The value which might be realised in any transfer of the married quarters estate to the private sector will depend on a range of factors, which we will be able to determine only as detailed proposals are developed.
David Hart
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the role of Mr. David Hart in the development and execution of proposals for the privatisation of his Department's housing stock. [15485]
Mr. Soames: Mr. David Hart is one of several independent advisers who have contributed to the development of proposals for the married quarters estate. His involvement has been, and continues to be, very valuable.
Budget Reductions
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of future reductions in his Department's budget. [15479]
Mr. Soames: The latest plans for the defence budget ensure that British forces will continue to be able to fulfil their wide range of tasks with improved capability. In addition they provide sufficient resources to meet the costs defence will face in moving to the new smaller and more efficient support structures arising from the defence costs study.
Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 609 , in which cities the memoranda of understanding with Indonesia were signed, of September 1983, March 1984, April 1986 and November 1991, and in each case who were the signatories.
Mr. Freeman: All of the memoranda of understanding referred to were signed in Jakarta by representatives of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and Her Majesty's Government.
Gulf War
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain and evaluate the report to the Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the United States Senate by the United States General Accounting Office on outstanding questions on possible exposure to reproductive toxicants of the allied forces during the Gulf war, in the report coded GAO/PTMD 93.30, dated August 1994. [14582]
Mr. Soames: A copy of this report was obtained shortly after its publication in the United States and was reviewed by scientific and medical specialists within my
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Department, as is all material relating to the alleged Gulf war syndrome.Pensions
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates would be the cost to the Exchequer if the widow of a service man, whom she married after he had left the service, was paid a pension relating to his years of service for marriages before 1978. [14395]
Mr. Soames: My Department has no record of the number of marriages which were contracted before 1978 by former service men after their retirement, and it is not possible, therefore, to provide an estimate of the cost of awarding pensions to their widows in such cases.
Female Crews
Mr. Peter Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many sea-going vessels of the Royal Navy have undergone internal refitting to accommodate female crew members; and how many berths were provided and at what total cost in the last five years. [14910] (2) how many sea-going vessels of the Royal Navy have had internal alterations made to remove accommodation designed for female members of crews; and what is the number of berths removed and at what total cost in the last five years. [14908]
Mr. Soames: Over the last five years, 36 Royal Navy ships and five Royal Fleet Auxiliaries have been converted to accommodate female personnel. This has resulted in 1,313 berths becoming available for female personnel. All conversion work has been carried out as part of major refit programmes and costs of this specific work are not separately identified. In the same period, none has undergone any reversion work.
Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14247]
Mr. Soames: Details of defence operating costs for the years 1989 90 to 1997 98 are contained in table 4 of my Department's annual report, Cm 2801, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Employment Statistics
Mr. Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of (a) service personnel and (b) civilians employed at each Ministry of Defence establishment in Cornwall for the last year for which figures are available. [15031]
Mr. Soames: While it is not my Department's policy to give the number of employees at individual establishments, at 1 July last year there were 3,904 service and 611.5 full-time equivalent civilian personnel employed in the county of Cornwall.
Service Housing, Cornwall, South-East
Mr. Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of Ministry of Defence housing
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units of accommodation for each location in the Cornwall, South-East parliamentary constituency; and how many are currently unoccupied, giving the reasons for their non-occupation. [15032]Mr. Soames: As at 31 December last year, my Department owned 199 houses in the Cornwall, south-east constituency, of which 10 were vacant. Of the vacant properties, six were allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly and four were undergoing works. All are located at Torpoint.
Naval Training
Mr. Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the detailed arrangements for the transfer of Royal Navy sea training from Portland to Plymouth in September. [15033]
Mr. Soames: Operational sea training will end at Portland on 19 July 1995. Flag officer sea training will then move his organisation to Plymouth, where his headquarters will be located in HMS Drake. Full operations should start on 11 September 1995.
TRANSPORT
Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14251]
Mr. Norris: Details of my Department's expenditure on central administration for the years 1989 90 to 1997-298 are contained in figure 2 of my Department's annual report, column 2806, copies of which are available in the Members' Library. We cannot separately identify the costs of policy formulation.
Mobile Telephones
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received urging the inclusion in the driving test of a test of the ability to use a mobile telephone safely while the vehicle is moving as a condition of being allowed to do this; and if he will make a statement. [15345]
Mr. Norris: We have received no such representations.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many road accidents in the past year the driver of a vehicle involved was using a mobile telephone at the time of the accident. [15344]
Mr. Norris: This information could not be obtained other than at disproportionate cost.
Olympic Airways
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 30 January, Official Report , column 484 , regarding Olympic Airways flight DA265 of 7 January, if it is intended to prosecute or penalise Olympic Airways and the pilot. [15209]
Mr. Norris: Regulatory responsibility for Olympic Airways rests with the Greek Civil Aviation Authority, to which the UK Civil Aviation Authority passed an
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information copy of the UK air traffic control occurrence report.Highlands and Islands Airports
Sir Russel Johnston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many take-offs and landings there have
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been at Highlands and Islands airports in each of the last three years for which figures are available.Mr. Norris: The figures for annual aircraft transport movements at the Highlands and Islands airports for the past three years are as follows:
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1992 1993 1994<1>
|Arrival |Departure|Arrival |Departure|Arrival |Departure
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benbecula |1,671 |1,669 |1,639 |1,638 |1,956 |1,952
Inverness |13,910 |13,792 |13,600 |13,596 |11,964 |11,958
Islay |1,165 |1,186 |1,037 |1,039 |1,154 |1,155
Kirkwall |7,018 |7,011 |6,415 |6,413 |5,910 |5,915
Stornoway |3,680 |3,675 |3,427 |3,427 |3,535 |3,531
Sumburgh |14,121 |14,106 |13,773 |13,760 |13,984 |13,982
Tiree |480 |485 |453 |453 |608 |609
Wick |3,175 |3,181 |3,267 |3,262 |3,004 |3,003
<1>Provisional figures
Private Security Guards
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost to date and what is the current cost per month, of his Department's and the Highways Agency's use of private security guards; and if he will give a breakdown of those costs per road scheme or project.
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 22 March 1995 :
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, what has been the total cost to date, and what is the current cost per month, of his Department's and the Highways Agency's use of private security guards; and if he will give a breakdown of those costs per road scheme or project.
The following table gives the information; the figures have been rounded. The ongoing spend is, of course, dependent on the level of future protest action.
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