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Petrol
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the amount of (a) benzene and (b) aromatics compounds typically present in different grades of petrol; and what is the maximum permitted by law. [17700]
Mr. Norris: The composition of petrol varies significantly between refineries and between batches produced by the same refinery due to the processes used and the crude oil being processed. The latest available-- 1993--data from the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association indicates that the average percentage of benzene and aromatics, by volume, in different grades of petrol, on a sales adjusted basis, is as follows:
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Percentage by volume
|Unleaded |Unleaded
Petrol |4 star leaded|premium |super
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Benzene |2.12 |2.46 |3.08
Aromatics |31 |33 |42
Benzene is controlled at a maximum of 5 per cent. by EC directive F5/210/EEC. There is no maximum limit for aromatics.
British Rail (Consultants)
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultants his Department has appointed to advise on the information systems implications of rail privatisation; when they were appointed; and what was the value of the contracts. [18086]
Mr. Watts: Ernst and Young was appointed on 8 June 1993 to advise on the overall programme management of information systems to support the restructured railway industry. Information about the value of individual contracts is commercially confidential.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultants have been engaged by British Rail in the last three years to advise on information systems; on what dates they were appointed; and what was the value of the contracts. [18085]
Mr. Watts: I understand from British Rail since 1993 94 the following consultants have been engaged to advise on information systems: Andersons Consulting, AD Little, Focus on Research, Forecast, Gemini, Holmes and Marchant, IMPAC, INDECO, Price Waterhouse, Touche Ross and TQM. Information on consultants prior to that year is not readily available. Information about the value of individual contracts is commercially confidential.
Heathrow Airport
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received (a) formally and (b) informally in each of the past nine months in favour of claims for slots at Heathrow made by (i) United Airlines and (ii) American Airlines from (1) the airlines, (2) lobbyists and (3) hon. Members. [18081]
Dr. Mawhinney: I receive numerous representations concerning UK-US air services. The allocations of slots at Heathrow remains the responsibility of the independent Airport Co-ordination Ltd.
Job Losses
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the jobs that have been lost to agencies in his Department in the past two years that have (a) been taken over by contractors and (b) disappeared. [18335]
Mr. Norris: The information requested is given in the table:
Agency 1993-94 1994-95 Jobs (nature)
|Taken over by |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastguard |nil |nil |nil |16 |Uniformed
| Coastguards and
| administrative
Driving Standards |nil |49 |nil |nil |Driving Examiners
Driver and Vehicle
Licensing<1> |- |- |<2>131 |315 |Administrative
Highways |nil |nil |nil |72 |-
Marine safety |nil |nil |nil |nil |-
Transport Research |Scientific, industrial
Laboratory |- |<3>84 |- |<3>107 | and administrative
Vehicle Certification |nil |nil |1 |1 |Administrative
Vehicle Inspectorate |nil |nil |16 |84 |Administrative,
|professional and
|technical
Notes:
<1> Posts reduced as a result of "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730, the reporting of which does not accord with financial years. total reductions over the two
financial years are shown in the table against 1994-95.
<2> Includes 123 posts which were market tested and work won by contractors.
<3> Reduction in posts reflects decline in demand for TRL services and contracting out work previously undertaken in-house; not possible to separately identify
post reductions due to contracting-out activities.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of equal opportunity courses attended since beginning their appointment for each chief executive currently employed by his Department. [17891]
Mr. Norris: Three agency chief executives attended an equal opportunities seminar in autumn 1994. General management courses attended by agency chief executives during their careers will have included equal opportunities training.
Ferry Services
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct the Scottish rail users consultative committee, under the terms of section 78 of the Railways Act 1993, to consider the proposed withdrawal of the Kyle of Lochalsh-Kyleakin ferry service, subject to the relevant provisions of section 56 of the Transport Act 1962; and if he will make a statement. [18164]
Mr. Watts: My right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) made a direction under section 78 of the Railways Act 1993 on 9 May 1994. The effect was to allow the Rail Users Consultative Committee for Scotland to continue to exercise its functions under section 56(4) to (6) of the Transport Act 1962 in relation to ferry services provided by Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd.
Public Bodies
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the appointments he has made to non-departmental bodies. [17892]
Mr. Norris: Most of the appointments made by my right hon. Friend to non-departmental bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1994", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Appointments are also made by my right hon. Friend to port authorities, the acting conservator of the River Mersey and to the honorary medical advisory panels.
Public Service Vehicles
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what limitations there are on the number of passengers permitted to stand on (a) single-deck and (b) double deck passenger vehicles (i) in general public service and (ii) hired by education authorities for the transport of pupils. [17834]
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Mr. Norris: The number of passengers permitted to stand on a public service vehicle either single or double deck, is usually determined as part of the issue of a certificate of initial fitness or certificate of conformity for the individual vehicle.
Some older PSVs, however, were not issued with such certificates, in these cases the number of standing passengers permitted is one third of the seating capacity, in the lower deck only for double-deck vehicles, or eight passengers, whichever is the less. Standing is not permitted on the upper deck of any PSV.
These requirements apply to all PSVs including those hired by education authorities.
Passenger Service Requirements
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how British rail operators will be penalised for ignoring the new passenger service requirements. [17366]
Mr. Watts: Franchise operators will enter into a contract with the franchising director through the franchise agreement, which will require them to operate the services specified in the passenger service requirement. If operators do not deliver a timetable compliant with PSR, the franchising director may impose penalties, or, as a last resort, terminate the franchise agreement.
In respect of the first four franchises for which PSRs have been developed, British Rail confirmed at the time of the PSR consultation that its operators will continue to operate the existing level of service until such time as services are franchised to the private sector. The PSR is based broadly on the existing BR timetable.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to inform the public of the new passenger service requirements; and what procedure they must follow in complaints about any operator not following the passenger service requirements. [17367]
Mr. Watts: The franchising director is currently considering the responses to a comprehensive consultation with rail users consultative committees and local authorities about the first four proposed passenger service requirements. These represent the detailed contractual framework within which operators must draw up their passenger timetable. Operators will be under an obligation
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to publish comprehensive information about their timetable. Operators must submit to the franchising director details of their proposed timetable. The franchising director will ensure that these are compliant with the PSR and will also monitor the actual services run. The franchising director may impose penalties if the PSR is not delivered. If passengers have complaints about services, these should be directed in the first instance to the train operator, and if they remain dissatisfied they should refer to the appropriate RUCC.Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when all railways will be given passenger service requirements; and if they will be managed uniformly. [17368]
Mr. Watts: A passenger service requirement will be included in each franchise agreement that the franchising director makes with a franchise operator for the provision of passenger services. The franchising director has a statutory objective to franchise passenger services as soon as is reasonably practicable, and has a target to franchise at least 51 per cent. of passenger services by April 1996. He is currently developing a performance regime that will apply to all franchise operators.
Publicity
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To as the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for 1992 93 and 1993 94, separate figures for the spending by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotional materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising; and what are his latest estimates of for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17640]
Mr. Norris: The spending by my Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotional materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising; and the latest estimates for the years1994 95 and 1995 96 are as follows:
£000
|1995-96
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) TV |5,052 |4,193 |4,335 |n/a
(b) Radio |633 |0 |0 |n/a
(c) Press (includes
recruitment) |592 |506 |392 |n/a
(d) Other |0 |7 |130 |n/a
(e) Total |6,277 |4,706 |4,857 |n/a
(f) Recruitment
(percentage of total) |<1>8.2 |<2>9.8 |<3>5.5 |<3>274,821
<1> Includes some or all costs for all agencies except the Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency.
<2> Includes all costs for the Highways Agency, Coastguard and Marine Safety
Agency.
<3> Includes all costs for the Central Transport Group, and senior staff in
executive agencies at G5 level and above.
Expenditure plans by media for 1995 96 are not yet finalised. Above figures exclude statutory advertising and advertising on road schemes.
Column 1082
Plutonium Nitrate
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now received from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority a copy of the full review of plutonium nitrate transport to which he referred in his answer of 2 November 1994, Official Report, column 1123. [17962]
Mr. Norris: The Department has recently been notified that the full review report, which includes the executive summary, is now available. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
WALES
Trunk Road Agencies
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what conclusions he has reached on the pattern of trunk road agencies following local government reorganisation; and if he will make a statement. [18811]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Transition committees were invited to submit proposals for new trunk road agencies to replace the existing eight agencies after April 1996. Proposals were received from nine transition committees or groups of transition committees. These have been assessed and I have decided to appoint eight new agencies arranged geographically to give the minimum change from the present agency boundaries. This I believe will be welcomed in reducing disruption to staff and working procedures during the reorganisation.
I have selected the following proposals:
North East Wales--the proposal from the transition committees of Aberconwy and Colwyn, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham acting in partnership for the trunk roads in the area covering the present county of Clwyd plus Aberconwy.
North West Wales--the proposal from Caernarfonshire and Merionnethshire transition committee and supported by Anglesey transition committee but amended to exclude the trunk roads in the Aberconwy and Colwyn unitary authority for the trunk roads in the area covering the present county of Gwynedd less Aberconwy. Mid Wales--the proposal from Powys transition committee for the trunk roads in the area of the present county of Powys.
West Wales--the proposal from Carmarthenshire transition committee, supported by Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire transition committees for the trunk roads in the area covering the present county of Dyfed.
West Glamorgan--I have selected the proposal from Neath and Port Talbot transition committee in preference to the proposal from County of Swansea transition committee for the trunk road and motorway in the area covering the present county of West Glamorgan.
Mid Glamorgan--the joint proposal from Bridgend, Rhondda, Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil transition committees for the trunk roads and motorway in the area covering the present county of Mid Glamorgan. South Glamorgan--the proposal from Cardiff transition committee for the trunk roads and motorway in the area covering the present county of South Glamorgan.
Gwent--the joint proposal from Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen transition committees for the trunk roads and motorways in the area covering the present county of Gwent.
Shadow authorities, when formed, will be asked to confirm their acceptance of the proposed agencies, to produce service delivery plans for detailed consideration by the Welsh Office, and to agree with the Welsh Office
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the terms of the new agency agreements to take effect from 1 April 1996.I shall be reviewing the arrangements 12 months after their introduction and assessing their adequacy and viability particularly where the agencies have a relatively small trunk road mileage.
Mental Hospitals
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new proposals he has to ensure that patients in mental hospitals are allocated to wards on the basis of the severity of their illnesses rather than on their places of residence. [18080]
Mr. Richards: The responsibility for determining the level of need and the provision of appropriate services rests entirely with local health authorities. The decision to admit a patient to a specific hospital ward is a clinical one, taken at a local level and based on the needs of the individual.
Dental Services
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 23 March, Official Report , column 343 , concerning dentists in Gwynedd, how many of the general dental practitioners in Gwynedd on 31 December 1994 were (a) taking on new NHS patients and (b) treating adults on the NHS; and what was the corresponding number of dentists in Gwynedd on 31 December in each of the preceding five years. [17343]
Mr. Richards: Information is not held centrally on the number of dental practitioners taking on new NHS patients or specifically treating adults on the NHS at any given time. The number of practitioners in Gwynedd treating NHS patients, of any age, in each year from 1989 to 1993 was as follows:
.
|<1>Number of
|practitioners
----------------------------------------------
30 September 1989 |66
30 September 1990 |69
31 December 1991 |63
31 December 1992 |63
31 December 1993 |67
<1> Principals, assistants and vocational
trainees.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many family health services authorities have been unable to provide emergency dental services in each month since April 1991. [17393]
Mr. Richards: From information supplied by family health services authorities since August 1992, emergency dental services have operated in all Welsh authority areas except Dyfed. There was a period up to May 1993 when Gwynedd family health services authority was also unable to arrange such a clinic.
General dental practitioners provide emergency cover for their registered patients under their terms of service.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the increase or decrease in the number of dentists in each of the family health services authority areas in Wales between 1985 and 1995. [18270]
Column 1084
Mr. Richards: The information is given in the table:
<1>Number of
general dental
practitioners
|30 September|31 December
FHSA area |1985 |1994 |Change
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |87 |119 |+32
Dyfed |80 |104 |+24
Gwent |109 |140 |+31
Gwynedd |65 |66 |+1
Mid Glamorgan |119 |123 |+4
Powys |30 |34 |+4
South Glamorgan |129 |134 |+5
West Glamorgan |123 |130 |+7
<1> Principals, assistants and vocational trainees. Dentists
working in more than 1 FHSA are counted in the FHSA where the
majority of their work is performed.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received during the past 12 months concerning NHS dental services in Gwynedd; what steps he has taken over that period to overcome the problem; and what has been the effect of these steps. [18301]
Mr. Richards: In the past 12 months 93 representations have been received about dental services in Gwynedd, including 57 from Members of Parliament. During the same period the Gwynedd family health services authority has received nearly £7,000 to cover the cost of local initiatives aimed at increasing NHS dental provision. A location incentive grant has also been agreed by the Welsh Office to assist a dentist to open a new practice in Dolgellau.
The Welsh Office has also provided a grant of £50,000 to the health authority to enable it to purchase extra community dental sessions and continues to support the Gwynedd family health services authority salaried dental service. On 30 January, my right hon. Friend announced that he is making a further £2.5 million available to improve dental services in the community.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was (a) the highest and (b) the lowest level of remuneration paid by his Department to full-time general dental practitioners in Wales during the most recent year for which figures are available. [18272]
Mr. Richards: General dental practitioners are independent contractors paid, in the main, on an item-of-service basis. The concept of "full time" does not therefore apply and information is not available in the form requested.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dentists there are currently being trained in the University of Wales; and what assessment he made of whether this number is adequate to meet demand. [18303]
Mr. Richards: There are 117 dental students in Wales. Following the last review of medical and dental manpower there was an expansion of 20 per cent. at the Welsh dental school compared with a reduction of 10 per cent. elsewhere. The Welsh dental school is now at full capacity. Dental manpower is assessed on a UK basis and the present manpower strategy is based upon the recommendations of the dental strategy review group which reported in 1982. The situation is being kept under review.
Column 1085
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many salaried dentists there were employed in each of the family health services authority areas in Wales on 31 March; and if he will make a statement. [18271]
Mr. Richards: Three salaried general dental practitioners were employed on 31 March 1995, one each by Gwynedd, Dyfed and Powys family health services authorities.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when did he last met representatives of the British Dental Association to discuss problems relating to NHS dentistry in Wales; and what was the outcome of such discussions. [18302]
Mr. Richards: My right hon. Friend has not previously met representatives of the British Dental Association but has indicated his willingness to meet representatives of the profession in Wales at an appropriate time, if requested. Welsh Office officials maintain regular contact with those representatives.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure by his Department on NHS dentistry services in the county of Gwynedd in each of the past five years. [18304]
Column 1086
Mr. Richards: The information requested is as follows:
Expenditure on NHS
dentistry services
in Gwynedd
|£000
--------------------
1989-90 |2.537
1990-91 |3.031
1991-92 |3.623
1992-93 |5.115
1993-94 |4.787
Source:
Family health
services authority,
district health
authority and
dental practice
board statistics
accounts.
Thyroid Cancer
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of thyroid cancer were reported in each of the health authorities in Wales in each of the last 10 years; and what the average was for Wales in each of those years. [17136]
Mr. Richards: The latest available information is given in the table.
Column 1085
Number of new registrations
Health authority |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
area of residence
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |11 |11 |11 |7 |9 |11 |9 |7 |8 |13 |13
East Dyfed |3 |1 |5 |3 |6 |2 |7 |4 |5 |5 |7
Gwent |6 |10 |12 |5 |14 |8 |12 |6 |10 |9 |12
Gwynedd |3 |4 |1 |2 |4 |6 |6 |5 |2 |2 |7
Mid Glamorgan |11 |9 |5 |5 |6 |7 |9 |9 |8 |11 |11
Pembrokeshire |2 |2 |- |1 |3 |- |6 |5 |6 |4 |2
Powys |3 |2 |1 |1 |- |- |3 |1 |7 |2 |-
South Glamorgan |10 |6 |6 |10 |9 |8 |11 |5 |6 |9 |7
West Glamorgan |4 |4 |5 |7 |6 |7 |3 |9 |11 |10 |6
Wales |53 |49 |46 |41 |57 |49 |66 |51 |63 |65 |65
Nursery Schools
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of children in nursery schools in each of the counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement. [17399]
Mr. Richards: The number of children in maintained nursery schools in each county in Wales, as at January 1994, is as follows:
|Part time|Full time
----------------------------------------------
Clwyd |195 |-
Dyfed |70 |121
Gwent |825 |90
Gwynedd |- |-
Mid Glamorgan |426 |793
Powys |- |-
South Glamorgan |811 |21
West Glamorgan |230 |-
Wales |2,557 |1,025
Source:
Schools Census, January 1994.
Rheumatology Services
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the proposed rheumatology service for Gwent following the withdrawal of one of the consultants. [17419]
Mr. Richards: The provision of this service is a matter for Gwent Health Commission and its providers. However, I understand that interviews for a replacement consultant rheumatologist will be held this month. Gwent Health Commission assures me that arrangements have been put in place to provide consultant cover until this post is filled, so that the quality and level of service will not suffer.
Health Service (Patient Choice)
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to ensure that Mrs. Griffin's children can be treated for chemical poisoning at the Breakspeare hospital; and if he will make a statement. [17381]
Column 1087
Mr. Richards: This is not a matter in which it is appropriate for me to become involved. Hospital referrals are a matter for the clinical judgment of the general practitioner, and are arranged in conjunction with the relevant health authority.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his policy concerning the wish of patients to join or remain on the list of a general practitioner; and if he will make a statement; [17383]
(2) if he will consult the Clwyd family health services authority to ensure that Mrs. Griffin of Bockley might be enabled to remain on the list of a general practitioner of her choice; if he will meet Mrs. Griffin; and if he will make a statement. [17382]
Mr. Richards: The family health services authority is responsible for managing general medical services in its area, and no useful purpose would be served by the meeting proposed.
Patients have the right to join the list of any GP willing to accept them. Doctors, as independent contractors, have the right to remove patients from their practice list without being required to offer an explanation. Patients also have the right to withdraw from a doctor's list without giving reasons. This is because it is considered essential to the practice of good medicine that a doctor and patient have mutual trust and confidence in each other. Patients who are unable to find a doctor willing to accept them on their list can be allocated to a GP by the family health services authority.
Prescribing Costs
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice the Welsh Office has given on indicative budgets for general practitioners in Gwent. [17412]
Mr. Richards: The Department's letter of 31 January 1995 to family health services authorities in Wales gave guidance on the allocation of resources for GP prescribing in 1995 96. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average spending on drugs by (a) fundholders and (b) non-fundholders in the latest available quarter. [17394]
Mr. Richards: Information for the quarter ending 31 December 1994 is as follows:
|Average cost per
|patient per quarter
|£
------------------------------------------------------------
Fundholders |20.15
Non fundholders |22.41
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions there have been between the Welsh Development Agency, the Welsh Office and the Regional Commissioner of the European Community concerning possible grant allocations to the Welsh Development Agency and the principle of additionality; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of such discussions. [17697]
Column 1088
Mr. Redwood: There have been no such discussions but Welsh Office officials meet regularly with the WDA to discuss a wide range of issues, including financial matters.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date his Department approved the redundancy cost for the 19 staff previously employed by the Welsh Development Agency's small firms service and youth training scheme sections, as provided for in point 8 of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the 1991 92 accounts; and under what statutory authority the payments were authorised. [18169]
Mr. Redwood: Redundancy costs were approved on 21 February and 14 March 1991 respectively.
The agency may make redundancy compensation payments under schedule 1 to the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date his Department approved the redundancy cost for the staff previously employed by the Welsh Development Agency's utility services function, as provided for in point 8 of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General's commentary on the 1991 92 accounts; and under what statutory authority the payments were authorised. [18168]
Mr. Redwood: The costs of transferring these services, which included but did not separately identify redundancy costs, were agreed on 27 March 1990.
The agency may make redundancy compensation payments under schedule 1 to the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975.
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