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State Papers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the official definition of a state paper. [22935]
Mr. John M. Taylor: I understand the expression "State Papers" to signify those papers which are created or acquired by Ministers, officials or other Crown servants by virtue of the office they hold under, or their service to, the Crown. Whether or not the Crown can claim ownership of any wider class of papers will depend on the circumstances of the case.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what circumstances state papers are permitted to be held in private hands. [22936]
Mr. John M. Taylor: State papers are normally held by the Crown. In very rare circumstances, they may be held in private hands, normally when permission has exceptionally been given to a former Minister or public servant to retain possession of them. Examples of such circumstances are given in part 1 of the report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors on Ministerial Memoirs, Cmnd 6386, also known as the Radcliffe committee.
Solicitors
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he plans to take in respect of solicitors who persuade criminals to take civil cases against the police. [22732]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Solicitors are duty bound to act in the best interests of and on the instructions of their clients and, subject to means and eligibility tests, will apply for legal aid to take or defend actions where appropriate on behalf of their clients.
Legal Aid
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take urgent action to limit legal aid in fraud cases to a maximum of £10,000. [22742]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Lord Chancellor has recently announced the proposals he intends to take forward following the consultation paper on legal aid for the apparently wealthy. The Lord Chancellor will issue a Green Paper on the future of legal aid very soon. That will address the provision of legal aid in both civil and criminal cases.
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Leasehold
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what effect the recent leasehold valuation tribunal decision on the Westminster Grosvenor estate will have on recent legislation providing for leasehold enfranchisement; and if he will make a statement. [23345]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: I have been asked to reply.
The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 enables leasehold valuation tribunals to approve estate management schemes, if the tribunal is satisfied that this is in the general interest having regard to the matters specified in the Act. The Grosvenor estate, Mayfair, applied for a scheme, and following a hearing the tribunal approved it. I understand that this decision is being appealed to the Lands Tribunal.
HEALTH
Mental Health Care
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the amount spent per head of the population on NHS mental health care in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle in each year since 1991. [21916]
Mr. Bowis: Figures are shown in the table. Comparable figures are not available prior to 1991 92.
|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
-------------------------------------------
London |60.05 |65.00 |63.46
Newcastle |88.64 |70.00 |71.74
Birmingham |47.11 |51.95 |52.10
Manchester |61.84 |72.92 |51.93
Liverpool |33.51 |41.03 |47.37
Sources:
1. Annual financial returns of health
authorities.
2. Mid-year population estimates.
Notes:
1. Figures for 1993-94 are provisional.
2. Figures are for services purchased by
district health authorities and do not
include expenditure by general
practitioner fundholders.
3. Figures do not include expenditure on
services for people with learning
disabilities.
In addition, of course, local authorities in these cities would also incur expenditure as a result of their responsibilities for the care of mentally ill people.
Serious Bowel Disease
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what date Ministers were first informed of the research project recently reported in The Lancet, into possible links between immunisation for measles and serious bowel disease; [22624] (2) on what date Ministers were first informed of the findings of the research project recently reported in The Lancet, into possible links between immunisation for measles and serious bowel disease. [22625]
Mr. Sackville: The chief medical officer was first informed of the scope of the Royal Free hospital school of medicine work which was reported in The Lancet recently in September 1994. At that point, he sought
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advice from national and international experts. In January 1995, the Department of Health convened a meeting at which the preliminary results of the Royal Free work were discussed. At that meeting, attended by independent experts, work was also presented on other possible factors in the causation of serious bowel disease including other infectious agents.Tobacco
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide tables showing for each 5p between 5p and £1, her estimate of the effect on consumption of an increase in the purchase price of an average (a) packet of 20 cigarettes, (b) 250 g of hand-rolling tobacco, (c) packet of five cigars and (d) 250 g of pipe tobacco. [22991]
Mr. Sackville: The Department does not hold figures on the effect of price on the consumption of specific tobacco products holding a minor share of the market, such as hand-rolling tobacco, cigars or pipe tobacco. However, studies have shown that a 10 per cent. increase in the price of tobacco products can be expected to lead to a drop of between 3 per cent. and 6 per cent. in consumption. Working on the basis of this relationship the effect of price increases on a packet of cigarettes costing £2.70 would be as follows:
Increase in price |Percentage decrease
|Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------
5p |0.6-1.1
10p |1.1-2.2
15p |1.6-3.2
20p |2.1-4.2
25p |2.6-5.2
30p |3.1-6.1
35p |3.6-7.1
40p |4.1-8.0
45p |4.5-8.8
50p |5.0-9.7
55p |5.4-10.6
60p |5.8-11.3
65p |6.3-12.1
70p |6.7-12.9
75p |7.1-13.7
80p |7.5-14.4
85p |7.9-15.1
90p |8.3-15.9
95p |8.7-16.6
100p |9.0-17.2
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Health if she will make a statement on hermost recent assessment of the relationship between cigarette advertising and the level of smoking-related illness. [22672]
Mr. Sackville: In 1992, the Department of Health reviewed all the available evidence on the effect of tobacco advertising on tobacco consumption. The findings were published as a discussion document, "Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption", copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's assessment of the relationship of the price of tobacco products to health. [23002]
Mr. Sackville: Studies show that a 10 per cent. increase in the price of tobacco products would be expected to lead to a reduction in consumption of between
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3 per cent. and 6 per cent. Since tobacco consumption is harmful to health, increases in price can therefore be expected to have a beneficial effect on health.Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last discussed, and when she next plans to discuss, tobacco pricing with a (a) European Union health ministers and (b) Group of Seven member country Health Ministers; and if she will make a statement. [22954]
Mr. Sackville: The European Community Health Council last discussed smoking at its meeting on 22 December 1994, including the importance of price in reducing tobacco consumption. There is no specific date for the next discussion, although this issue is regularly raised at meetings between Ministers and other European Health Ministers. Indirect taxation issues are of course a matter for Finance Ministers.
There have been no meeting of the Group of Seven member country Health Ministers, nor are any planned.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the percentage of the population by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) socio- economic grouping consuming each different type of tobacco product for each year since 1965; and if she will give her estimate of levels of consumption for the current year among each of these groups. [22992]
Mr. Sackville: The available data will be placed in the Library. The tables give the percentage of adults estimated to smoke cigarettes, cigars and pipes and of under-16s estimated to smoke cigarettes. Data on other types of tobacco products are not available.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received in the last year concerning the effect of the price of tobacco products on levels of consumption; how many have been in favour of (a) an increase and (b) a decrease in price; and if she will list the representations received. [22953]
Mr. Sackville: Tobacco taxation policy is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The available records show that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health received 12 letters on this subject in the last year. Six of the correspondents were in favour of price increases, four wished to see no further rise, while the remaining two suggested that price rises would not achieve any reduction in consumption.
NHS Staff Retirement
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total of NHS staff (a) retiring on pension and (b) taking early retirements on pension for each of the last 10 years; and what was the annual cost of early retirements in each of the last 10 years. [22739]
Mr. Sackville: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 11 May 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility. A breakdown of the figures in the format requested is not available. We are however able to provide the following information: Age retirements over the last 4 years:
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Age Retirements Year |Number ---------------------- 1991-92 |11,734 1992-93 |12,774 1993-94 |9,635 1994-95 |11,364
Ill-health retirements over the last 4 years:
Ill-health Retirements Year |Number ---------------------- 1991-92 |7,387 1992-93 |8,381 1993-94 |8,613 1994-95 |8,484
Early retirements over the last 4 years:
Early retirements Year |Number ---------------------- 1991-92 |3,108 1992-93 |4,033 1993-94 |6,318 1994-95 |5,564
The value of early retirements including ill-health retirements to the scheme over the last 3 years is:
Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1992-93 |137.291 1993-94 |158.827 1994-95 |211.383
GP Fundholding
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines she has issued to general practitioner fundholders regarding the assessment of a patient's needs as medical or social; [22693]
(2) what guidelines she has issued to general practitioner fundholding practices regarding the maintenance of respite care provided by general practitioners. [22695]
Mr. Malone: The explanatory booklet "General Practitioners and Caring for People", issued in October 1992, provided guidance for general practitioners on the implications of the community care reforms. In addition, HSG(95)8 sets out NHS responsibilities, including those of fundholding GPs for meeting continuing health care needs. Fundholding GPs do not purchase respite care other than through the total purchasing pilot projects, where fundholding GPs work in partnership with health authorities to purchase the full range of health care for their patients.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioner fundholders employed community psychiatric nurses in each of the last five years; [22845]
(2) how many general practitioner fundholders employed health visitors in each of the lastfive years; [22846]
(3) how many health visitors were employed by general practitioner fundholding practices in each of the last five years. [22847]
Column 571
Mr. Malone: None. Fundholding general practitioners do not directly employ nurses providing these services. Fundholding general practitioners may contract for these services with an established national health service provider of community nursing services or with a provider of community mental health services.
Liver Complaints
Mr. Critchley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the number of specialist intensive care units for liver complaints. [23077]
Mr. Sackville: None. Specialist units for treating liver failure are provided under the supra-regional arrangements. They are funded centrally to meet the level and quality of service required.
Newham General Hospital
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request the East London and City health authority, or other appropriate body, to conduct an inquiry related to the relevant parts of the Medical Act 1983, into the participation by a theatre assistant in an operation at Newham general hospital conducted earlier this year. [23119]
Mr. Malone: This is a matter for Newham Healthcare national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. Rosemary Walters, chairman of the trust, for details.
Children in Care
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases the children of women serving custodial sentences for fine defaulting have been taken into care since 1989. [23152]
Mr. Bowis: This information is not available centrally.
Junior Doctors' Hours
Mr. Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors and dentists, by region, remain outside the current new deal limits for contracted hours in on-call posts; and if she will make a statement. [24261]
Mr. Malone: The new deal on junior doctors' hours, a copy of which is in the Library, currently requires that no junior doctor or dentist should be contracted for an average of more than 72 hours a week in a hard- pressed post. At 8 February 1995, the returns from the eight regions in England were as follows:
Hard-pressed on-call posts
contracted for more than 72 hours a week
Region |March 1994 |September 1994|February 1995
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern and Yorkshire |1,433 |878 |162
Trent |342 |175 |60
Anglia and Oxford |517 |306 |189
North Thames |1,094 |773 |178
South Thames |879 |411 |95
South and West |452 |148 |20
West Midlands |529 |293 |67
North West |1,291 |801 |0
|-------- |-------- |--------
Total |6,537 |3,785 |771
Since March 1994 there has been a fall of over 88 per cent., from 6,537 to 771, in
the number of hard-pressed on-call posts contracted for more than 72 hours a week.
Over 96 per cent. of the present total of 27,669 junior doctors and dentists now
comply with the current new deal contracted hours targets.
This is excellent progress, showing that the rate at which we are eliminating these posts more than doubled in the four months to February this year. Hospitals, supported by our task forces, have made enormous strides in confronting the problem of long hours and I am very grateful to them.
While we must remain firmly focused on tackling the hard-core of problem posts remaining, I believe we have now succeeded in establishing a ceiling on contracted hours which will help us to press on with further improvements.
The progress we are making is most encouraging, but there is no room for complacency. We know that more work is still needed to crack the problem and there are still too many juniors who are under pressure to work too long. The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that juniors get real and lasting benefits from the new deal.
Epilepsy
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has had regarding National Epilepsy Week; what financial support her Department has given and will be giving to National Epilepsy Week; and if she will make a statement; [22844] (2) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) of 17 January, Official Report , column 576 , what progress her Department is making with any new initiatives for people with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement. [22920]
Mr. Bowis: Since January of this year, the Department of Health has been working with the voluntary sector on an epilepsy initiative which includes National Epilepsy Week. We will officially launch the week on 15 May and we have commissioned a series of posters to publicise the Week and to raise awareness of epilepsy generally. During the week we are sponsoring a large multidisciplinary conference, on epilepsy in London.
These events are only part of the Government's current initiative. We have so far provided £144,000 for voluntary organisation projects over the next three years and £95,000 for two innovative epilepsy service development projects. The Joint Epilepsy Council is producing a booklet for young people with epilepsy and the Royal College of General Practitioners is working on new guidelines, on epilepsy, for general practitioners.
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 March, Official Report , column 320 , how many of the 96 products licensed for the treatment of epilepsy between 1991 and 1995 were (a) new chemical entity products, (b) variations on existing products and (c) products that received a product licence, parallel import; and if she will place the names of the 96 products in the Library. [22921]
Mr. Sackville: Records from the Medicines Control Agency show that of the 96 products licensed for the treatment of epilepsy between 1991 and 1995, eight were new chemical entities, 69 were variations, through
Column 573
abridged licences, on existing products and 19 were products that received a product licence, parallel import.A list of the information requested will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 March, Official Report , column 320 , how many of the 90 products licensed for the treatment of epilepsy between 1985 and 1990 were (a) new chemical entity products, (b) variations on existing products and (c) products that received a product licence, parallel import; and if she will place the names of the 90 products in the Library. [22922]
Mr. Sackville: Records from the Medicines Control Agency show that, of the 90 products licensed for the treatment of epilepsy between 1985 and 1990, one was a new chemical entity product, 30 were variations, through abridged licences, on existing products and 59 were products that received a product licence, parallel import. A list of the information requested will be placed in the Library.
Child Protection
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on child protection training for general practitioners in each of the last five years (a) by health authority and (b) as a percentage of the overall training budget. [22848]
Mr. Malone: This information is not available centrally.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who represents general practitioner fundholders on area child protection committees. [22849]
Mr. Bowis: The exact composition of an area child protection committee is a matter to be agreed locally. Government guidance, contained in "Working Together Under the Children Act 1989: A Guide to Arrangements for Inter-Agency Co-operation for the Protection of Children from Abuse", is that general practitioners should be represented by the general practitioner representative(s) of the local medical committee(s). Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
National Blood Authority
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she now expects the NBA to submit to her its proposals for reorganisation of the national blood transfusion service; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the NBA proposals. [23423]
Mr. Sackville: The National Blood Authority will make its final recommendations shortly. A copy of the authority's published proposals will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency planning on the part of the NBA to implement amalgamation of blood centres and changes to present arrangements for the production and testing of blood products she has authorised. [23424]
Mr. Sackville: The National Blood Authority was set up in April 1993 to be responsible for the strategic management of the national blood service with a view to enhancing its quality and cost efficiency. Specific changes are a matter for consideration by the National Blood Authority.
Column 574
Privatisation
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the inclusion of privatisation as one of her priorities and key challenges for 1995 96 to 1997 98; [22763] (2) what factors led to the addition of privatisation as a priority in the 1995 departmental report; [22765]
(3) what services she has prioritised for privatisation in 1995 96 to 1997 98. [22764]
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 9 may 1995]: The Department is committed to securing the best value for money available for its internal running costs. Its "Priorities and Key Challenges 1995 96--1997 98"-- repeated in the "1995 Departmental Report"--includes privatisation as well as market testing and purchasing among the range of techniques available to secure this. This is in line with the White Paper "Continuity and Change", Cm 2627.
A prior options review recommended the privatisation of the non-core business of the National Health Service Estates agency. Ministers have accepted this recommendation and a scoping study is now under way to consider the extent of the business that might be included. There are no other privatisations planned.
Waiting Lists
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage change in the average length of time waiting list patients stay in hospital in 1982 83 and 1992 93. [22777]
Mr. Malone [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Estimates show that the average length of stay in hospital for patients admitted from waiting lists reduced by 41 per cent. between 1982 83 and 1992 93, from 8.7 days to 5.1 days.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Cinemas
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has on the structure of ownership of cinemas in the United Kingdom. [23604]
Mr. Dorrell: I refer the hon. Member to the recent report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of films for exhibition in cinemas in the United Kingdom, which provides detailed information about the pattern of such ownership. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received about the future pattern of ownership of cinemas in the United Kingdom. [23605]
Equal Opportunities
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21486]
Column 575
Mr. Sproat: After initial consultation with staff through formal working parties, my Department published in November 1994 an equal opportunities policy statement and an equal opportunities action plan for 1994 95. The policy statement and action plan are consistent with government policy and have recently been updated to reflect the considerable progress made in this area. The documents underline the Department's commitment to be an equal opportunities employer.
Tourism
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what programmes analysis review has been carried out as the value of the expenditure of public money on promoting tourism; [22529]
(2) what contribution is made from public funds to the promotion of tourism in the United Kingdom; for what public purpose or purposes; and if he will publish the available evidence on the return produced. [22522]
Mr. Dorrell: This financial year the combined grant in aid allocation to the British Tourist Authority and the national tourist boards for England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland is close to £90 million. In addition, local authorities in England spend some £62.7 million annually on direct tourism promotion.
The British Tourist Authority and the English tourist board have evaluation studies attached to all their major programmes. Although it is extremely difficult to establish the link between tourist board activity and tourist spend, research undertaken on behalf of the BTA indicates that its activities may stimulate as much as £10 in incremental revenue per £1 spent.
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his assessment of proposals made by the British Tourist Authority's VAT working group's report for a reduction in the level of value added tax levied on the accommodation sector. [22947]
Mr. Dorrell: The report does not take account of all the different costs to business in other member states and therefore I believe does not demonstrate that UK tourism operators are placed at an overall competitive disadvantage because of the level of VAT alone. The Government are working with the industry on a range of measures to improve the competitiveness of British tourism.
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has made to other Departments with regard to the report prepared by the British Tourist Authority's VAT working party. [22948]
Mr. Dorrell: My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a copy of the final report and is aware of the industry's views.
Churchill Papers
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage in what circumstances historians and others wanting to use the Churchill papers, following their purchase for the state, will have to pay a copyright fee; to whom such copyright proceeds would go; what is the estimated amount of such proceeds per annum; and if he will make a statement. [22447]
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