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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 24 April 1995
HEALTH
Pay Offers
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region all health trusts for which she has departmental responsibility showing (a) pay offers made, to date, to staff covered by national pay review machinery and (b) in how many cases pay offers are linked with financial penalties for unjustified absence; and if she will make a statement. [19044]
Mr. Malone: The Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine recommended that there should be local negotiations on pay in addition to a 1 per cent. increase in national rates of pay and similar offers have been made to most staff groups covered by negotiations in various Whitley councils. Negotiations on local pay are a matter for individual national health service trusts but I understand that in some 120 NHS trusts which have made offers about 75 per cent. are of around 3 per cent. overall.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of trusts have made formal pay offers of 3 per cent. or more. [20619]
Mr. Malone: Negotiations on local pay are a matter for individual national health service trusts but I understand that in some 120 NHS trusts which have made offers about 75 per cent. are of around 3 per cent. overall.
Centre for Epilepsy
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future of the Centre for Epilepsy in relation to the re- organisation of neurosciences at the Kings Healthcare trust in the south- east [20056]
Mr. Malone: The Centre for Epilepsy has a positive future as part of the major new neurosciences centre being developed at King's College hospital, announced on 4 April. King's Healthcare trust will be working with the centre to relocate its facilities to purpose-built accommodation on the main Denmark hill site.
Executive Letters
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation was undertaken before issuing executive letter EL(95)5 on purchasing home-based hospital care. [20255]
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Mr. Malone: The Department consulted representatives of health authorities and national health service trusts and informed a number of bodies representing clinicians and patients before issuing EL(95)5.
Rehabilitation Equipment
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received claiming a conflict of interest or unfair competition in respect of the practice of local and health authorities in granting the procurement and servicing of rehabilitative equipment to a manufacturer or supplier of such equipment. [20260]
Mr. Sackville: Representations have been received from a supplier of disability aids alleging a conflict of interest within the industry. This claim is being considered.
Psychologists
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the steps taken to ensure that enough professional clinical psychologists are available to meet the demands of care in the community. [20258]
Mr. Bowis: It is for local employers to determine the staff needed to deliver the services that they have contracted to provide. Since 1991, the number of clinical psychologists employed by national health service trusts and the number of training places commissioned on their behalf by regional health authorities has continued to increase to meet the growing demand for clinical psychologists. Officials from the NHS executive and from regional health authorities meet regularly with representatives from the British Psychological Society to review progress.
GP Fundholding
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the four-partner practice at Hornsey Rise health centre, a first-wave fundholder, which is leaving the scheme. [20621]
Mr. Malone: It is regrettable that this practice feels unable to continue within fundholding, but the strength of fundholding is its voluntary nature. The fact is, however, that many more general practitioners are opting to enter the scheme, taking the population covered by a general practitioner fundholder to over 42 per cent.
Ministerial Meetings
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings there have been in (a) 1994 95, (b) 1993 94, (c) 1992 93 and (d) 1991 92 between herself, a health Minister or parliamentary private secretaries and representatives of private health insurance companies; and if she will make a statement on the content of these discussions. [20625]
Mr. Sackville: There have been numerous meetings to discuss a range of topics relevant to private medical insurance, including taxation policy, long-term care and advertising. The available information is shown in the table.
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Date |Minister |Company
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 September 1993 |Secretary of State |Private Patients Plan
9 November 1993 |Parliamentary Under Secretary |Private Patients
|of State for Health-Mr. Sackville|Plan
22 November 1993 |Parliamentary Under Secretary |Norwich Union
|of State for Health-Mr. Sackville
23 November 1993 |Parliamentary Under Secretary |Association of British
|of State for Health-Mr. Bowis |Insurers
12 January 1994 |Parliamentary Under Secretary | Association of British
|of State for Health-Mr. Sackville| Insurers
14 March 1994 |Parliamentary Under Secretary | Prudential
|of State for Health-Mr. Bowis
12 July 1994 |Secretary of State |Association of British
| Medical Insurers
31 October 1994 |Minister for Health- Mr. Malone |BUPA
15 February 1995 |Secretary of State |Association of British Insurers
6 March 1995 |Secretary of State |Association of British Insurers
31 March 1995 |Minister for Health- Mr. Malone |Norwich Union
Appeals
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors under notice of dismissal are awaiting appeal to her; and for how long they have been waiting. [20620]
Mr. Malone: Doctors subject to paragraph 190 of the national health service terms and conditions of service may appeal to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health if they consider that their appointment has been unfairly terminated for reasons other than personal misconduct. Appeals are determined by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the light of advice from a professional committee. Six appeals are awaiting determination: four were lodged within the last 12 months, one in June 1993 and one in September 1993.
Private Facilities
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the policy of patients in casualty being asked whether they will go into private facilities within that hospital. [20624]
Mr. Sackville: It is for the individual patient or their guardian to request private medical treatment. No pressure should be placed on patients in accident and emergency departments to be treated privately.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of acute private beds in England in 1993 94 in (a) NHS facilities and (b) in total. [20626]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
GP Appointments
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for health what representations she has received regarding the
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procedures for appointment of general practitioners to vacant practices; and if she will make a statement. [20535]Mr. Malone: We have received representations on various aspects of the general practitioner appointments procedures from both the profession and the national health service. In response to that, we amended regulations on 1 April 1994 to allow family health services authorities to readvertise vacancies up to three times where the aggregated number of applications was fewer than 20. We will continue to consider any further representations that are received.
Healthcall
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the cost so far to the NHS of legal actions taken by Healthcall against family health service authorities. [20622]
Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for health if civilian staff currently employed by the Ministry of Defence at Queen Elizabeth military hospital will be offered employment on their current terms and conditions within the NHS when the hospital becomes a civilian NHS hospital; and if she will make a statement. [20533]
Mr. Malone: This is a matter for Greenwich Healthcare trust in consultation with interested parties. I understand that the hon. Member has already written to the trust, which will reply direct to him.
Patient Calls
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to require deputising services medically to triage calls from patients in the same manner as general practitioners. [20623]
Extra-contractual Referrals
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the last four years what were the number and total cost of extra- contractual referrals requested from each district health authority, and in total; and what were the number and total cost of such referrals approved by each district health authority. [20627]
Mr. Malone: Information on the number of extra-contractual referrals requested and approved by health authorities is not available centrally.
Income Generation
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will itemise how much income has been received by NHS bodies since the introduction of the income generation initiative. [20404]
Mr. Sackville: Information is contained in the annual national health service national summary accounts, copies of which are available in the Library and which set out income receipts by health authorities and trusts under a number of headings.
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Nurses' Pay
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the methods by which nurses' pay has been determined between 1974 and 1995 [17561]
Mr. Malone: For the period 1974 to 1983 nurses' pay was negotiated between the sides of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley council. In July 1983 the independent Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine was set up to advise my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on remuneration. Since the review body was established all 12 reports have been accepted in full by the Government. Settlement levels over the period to 1994 increased by over 130 per cent. in a period when inflation rose by less than 69 per cent.
Patient Transfer (Kent to Southampton)
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to publish the report on the transfer of a patient from Maidstone to Southampton referred to in the report of south Thames region concerning the transfer of a patient from Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup to Leeds. [20534]
Mr. Sackville: Mid Kent Healthcare national health service trust published the detailed conclusions and an action plan arising from its investigation of this incident on 5 April.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Public Appointments
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of
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5 April, Official Report, columns 1174-75 , concerning public appointments, if he will list the names and positions of the four people who have been appointed in consultation with the Prime Minister and the name of the person appointed in consultation with the Government Chief Whip. [20317]Mr. John M. Taylor: The four people appointed in consultation with the Prime Minister were:
Lord Griffiths, MC, as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct in October 1990;
Lord Justice (now Lord) Steyn as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct in October 1993;
Lord Archer of Sandwell as chairman of the Council on Tribunals in November 1992; and
Sir Tim Chessells as member of the Legal Aid Board in January 1995 and as chairman from May 1995.
Mr. David Sumberg MP was appointed to the Advisory Council on Public Records in November 1992 in consultation with the Government Chief Whip.
A Member of Parliament from each of the main parties serves on the Advisory Council on Public Records, but only Mr. Sumberg was appointed in the period covered by the question.
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the current total number of positions held and the number of new appointments, retirements and resignations in the last five years with respect to (a) the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords, (b) the Court of Appeal, (c) the High Court Bench, (d) the Circuit Bench, (e) the Industrial Tribunal, (f) the social security appeal tribunal, (g) the immigration appeals tribunal and (h) valuation tribunals. [20318]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The information relating to the numbers of full- time office holders in post as at 19 April 1995 and to the numbers of appointments, retirements and resignations of full-time office holders in the five-year period between 19 April 1990 and 19 April 1995 is set out in the table.
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|Appointments |Retirements |<1>Resignations
|In post |19 April 1990 to|19 April 1990 to|19 April 1990 to
|19 April 1995 |19 April 1995 |19 April 1995 |19 April 1995
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Lords |12 |9 |7 |0
Heads of Division including Lord Chancellor |5 |4 |2 |0
Court of Appeal |32 |20 |9 |0
High Court Bench |95 |55 |16 |0
Circuit Bench |516 |222 |108 |1
Industrial Tribunal including President<2> |83 |48 |39 |0
Social Security Appeals Tribunal including President<2> |41 |26 |3 |2<3>
Immigration Appeals Tribunals including President |3 |1 |1 |0
Leasehold Valuation Tribunals |<4>-
<1> Resignations: those who retire without being entitled to an immediate pension.
<2> These President also hold Circuit Bench posts.
<3> Presidents who returned to full time Circuit Bench posts.
<4> no full-timeposts
ENVIRONMENT
Road-side Advertising
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to alter the planning law on road-side advertising; and if he will make a statement. [19748]
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Sir Paul Beresford: My right hon. Friend has no plans to amend the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992 controlling road-side advertising. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is consulting publicly on proposed changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 with regard to traffic signs for tourist destinations and facilities.
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Swinden Quarry
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the proposed extension of Swinden quarry at Cracoe in the Yorkshire Dales national park; and whether he intends to call in and review the planning decision on this matter. [19752]
Sir Paul Beresford: The Secretary of State has received approximately 70 representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals; a petition has also been received.
In exercise of his powers under article 14 of the Town and Country Planning Act General Development Order 1988, the Secretary of State has directed the planning authority not to grant planning permission on this application without specific authorisation.
This direction has been issued to enable the Secretary of State to consider whether he should direct under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that the application should be called in for his own decision. No decision has yet been reached.
Car Ban, Athens
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain regular reports on the environmental effects of the ban on private cars in the centre of Athens and consider the implications for traffic policy in British cities. [19988]
Sir Paul Beresford: I am advised that the Athens experiment is scheduled to last three months. I will study reports as and when they become available.
Government Office for London
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total staffing level of the Government office for London. [20237]
Sir Paul Beresford: Three hundred and thirty-seven.
Subsidence
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the effects of subsidence on housing in mining areas caused by mining operations in the last 10 years; what action his Department has taken to limit the effects of subsidence on housing in mining areas caused by mining operations; and how many letters he has received concerning subsidence on housing in mining areas. [19835]
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 19 April 1995]: My Department has carried out a number of general assessments of mining subsidence in the last 10 to 15 years under the planning research programme and derelict land grant. The Review of mining instability in Great Britain , published in 1992, gave a broad general picture of the extent of mining in Great Britain and its effects on land use and development; regional, technical and case study reports provide a concise summary of the mining and mining-related subsidence events and the methods of investigation, monitoring and remedial measures that are available. In addition, specific assessments have been
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made in a number of areas such as the black country, the Wrekin district of Shropshire, south Wales and Norwich.Derelict land grant has also been used to fund investigations and remedial measures, principally the limestone mines of the black country but also in the sand mines in West Yorkshire and Surrey, chalk mines in Norwich, Reading and Bury St. Edmunds, metal mines in Cornwall and Shropshire, salt mines in Cheshire and stone mines in Bath.
Planning guidance issued in 1990 advised local planning authorities and developers of the need to take account of the possibility of subsidence when considering all development in past, present and future mining areas.
There is no central record of the number of letters received concerning subsidence on housing in mining areas.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Tanzania (Aid)
31. Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid is being given to Tanzania to cope with the influx of refugees from Rwanda. [18656]
Mr. Baldry: In addition to the substantial and continuing bilateral emergency aid that we have been providing for Rwandan refugees in Tanzania, we are also seeking to help local affected Tanzanians. We are designing a project with Help Age International to support Tanzanian elderly and disabled people in the region.
South Africa
32. Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid provision is being made for the development of sport in South African townships. [18757]
Mr. Baldry: We are currently funding, in conjunction with the British Council, an initiative with the United Kingdom Sports Council to develop sports administration and coaching, and we are about to embark, with Voluntary Service Overseas, on a two-year sports development pilot programme. Both projects are aimed specifically at disadvantaged communities in the townships and rural areas.
Aid Targeting
33. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking to ensure that aid is targeted towards those people most in need. [18758]
Mr. Baldry: The whole of the aid programme already has a strong poverty focus. In 1993 94 over two thirds of our bilateral aid went to the poorest developing countries. We are increasing our assistance through non- governmental organisations and have strengthened our capacity to design and implement projects of direct benefit to the poor.
Kenya
34. Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of aid
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is currently given to Kenya; and if he will make a statement. [18759]Mr. Baldry: British bilateral aid to Kenya amounted to £31.3 million in 1993 94, the last year for which figure are available.
Bilateral Debt Commitments
35. Mr. Eastham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional resources the Overseas Development Administration is making available to severely indebted countries to help them meet their bilateral debt commitments. [18761]
Mr. Baldry: Aid is not used to finance bilateral debt commitments directly. However, the United Kingdom has converted £1.1 billion of bilateral aid to grants and links its programme aid to adjustment programmes, which often involve rescheduling of other bilateral debt.
Liberia
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of current humanitarian needs of Liberia; what is being done by the international community to meet those needs; and what is Britain's contribution. [19915]
Mr. Baldry: We are closely monitoring the situation in Liberia and remain ready to consider further support. The UN is seeking US$65.3 million this year for emergency relief programmes which can be implemented under existing security constraints.
We have provided £500,000 in response to this appeal to agencies working in the agriculture, food security and health sectors, thereby increasing our emergency aid to Liberia to over £900,000 since April 1994.
Nepal
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British aid is being given to Nepal for forestry projects, designed to ameliorate flooding. [18963]
Mr. Baldry: British aid for forestry in Nepal addresses two main issues. Through our community forestry project we are helping the Government of Nepal to develop a community-based approach to sustainable forest management for the benefit of people living in the hills. At the same time, our support for forestry research is helping to provide the information needed to develop and improve sustainable forest management interventions. Neither project is designed primarily to ameliorate flooding but both will help by slowing water run off and reducing soil erosion in the hills of Nepal.
Afghan Refugees (Pakistan)
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional bilateral aid Her Majesty's Government intend to make available to the Government of Pakistan from September when UNHCR stops all funding of Afghanistan refugees in Pakistan, including food and schools; what discussions Her Majesty's Government are undertaking with EU
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states to assist Pakistan in supporting Afghan refugees, including the supply of wheat; and if he will make a statement. [19989]Mr. Baldry: Our assistance to Afghan refugees is channelled through NGOs and international agencies, rather than through the Pakistan Government. In the past year we have provided approximately £3 million for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and in March 1995 we provided £1.28 million of food aid through CARE for relief programmes inside Afghanistan. We will consider further contributions during the course of the year.
The EU has for many years been one of the main providers of food aid for refugees in Pakistan and those returning to Afghanistan. A joint UNHCR-- World Food Programme food assessment mission arrived in Pakistan on 21 April. It will discuss its findings with representatives of donors, including EU member states, in Islamabad.
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by Her Majesty's Government against decisions by UNHCR to reduce and, from September, to stop all aid to refugees from Afghanistan in Pakistan except to those families deemed vulnerable; and what representations were made by Her Majesty's Government against a decision to stop funding all schools for Afghan refugee children in Pakistan from September. [19987]
Mr. Baldry: UNHCR has made no decision to stop all funding of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, including food and schools, from September.
However, last year's joint UNHCR--World Food Programme food assessment mission concluded that the across-the-board care and maintenance programme should not continue after 30 September 1995. Aid will continue to be targeted at those most in need, the food assessment mission having found that many Afghan refugees in Pakistan were self-reliant and enjoyed a higher economic and nutritional status than rural Pakistanis. This year's food assessment mission is due to review the situation about now. We and other donors support the view that more UNHCR emphasis should be placed on rehabilitation efforts inside Afghanistan in order to encourage refugees to return home.
UNHCR has no plans to cease primary education for all Afghan refugee children in Pakistan.
Desertification Convention
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what obstacles there are for the ratification of the desertification convention by the United Kingdom. [19807]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 21 April 1995]: We intend to ratify in concert with other EU and OECD countries in the light of further progress in the intergovernmental negotiating committee on various provisions of the convention, including administrative arrangements.
Tropical Rainforests
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made
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