House of Commons Hansard Debates for 15 May 1995

Mr. Redwood: Grade 7. The officer was employed on various duties before undertaking the review. Other senior managers were consulted on the review and a wide range of views was canvassed.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales carried out by his Department. [24385]

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales was commended; how long the review took to complete; and what was the total cost to public funds of the review. [24384]

Mr. Redwood: The financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales was overtaken by the review of the council's functions which I announced in response to the question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Conwy (Sir Wyn Roberts) on3 November 1994, Official Report, column 1329. The review started on 5 April 1994 and consultations on the action plan are continuing. The cost of staff allocated full-time to the work was about £23,000. They would have been performing other duties within the Welsh Office if they had not been doing this task.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with local authorities prior to the publishing of his Department's action plans on the Countryside Council for Wales. [24381]

Mr. Redwood: The action plan was drawn up in consultation with the Countryside Council for Wales. I am currently consulting local authority associations in Wales seeking their views on the proposals in the plan which could affect their members.

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South and East Wales Ambulance Trust

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the South and East Wales ambulance trust concerning the dismissal of the board director responsible for personnel; and if he will make a statement. [24281]

Mr. Redwood: None. This is a matter for the trust.

NHS Trust Annual Accounts

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what guidelines he has issued to NHS trusts with regard to the availability to the public of the last published set of annual accounts at convenient places; and what proposals he has to issue further guidelines. [24387]

Mr. Redwood: NHS trusts are required to prepare an annual report under schedule 2(7) of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. Either the full or an abridged version of the annual accounts must be included within the body of the report. The report must be made available to the public free of charge, be published prior to the annual general meeting, the advertisements for which must state how copies can be obtained and be placed in the Library of the House.

Employment Statistics

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest available figures for the numbers of people in Blaenau Gwent constituency who are in (a) part-time and (b) full-time employment. [24291]

Mr. Redwood: According to the 1991 census of employment, there were 4,800 part-time and 14,800 full-time employees in Blaenau Gwent constituency in September 1991.

Trust Appointments

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the non-executive members of the boards of the NHS trusts in Wales which became operational on 1 April; what assessment he has made of the impact on the operations of those trusts which have been without boards since 1 April; and if he will make a statement. [24283]

Mr. Redwood: I hope to make an announcement shortly.

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I have received no reports of operational difficulties in trusts established on 1 April 1995.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many NHS trusts had the appointment of their non-executive board members announced (a) before1 April, (b) before 15 April, (c) before 30 April and (d) later in each year in which trusts have became operational in Wales. [24279]

Mr. Redwood: Prior to 1 April 1995, appointments of non-executive board members were announced for 23 of the 24 established NHS trusts before their operational date on 1 April. Board non-executive members were appointed to the remaining trust later in the year.

Car Leasing

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to NHS trusts concerning the purchase or leasing of cars for executive board members; what proposals he has for the issuing of further guidelines; and what representations he has received concerning the controls on car leasing contracts for board members. [24282]

Mr. Redwood: I have not issued guidance to NHS trusts concerning the purchase or leasing of cars for executive board members. However, as set out in the code of conduct and accountability, proper stewardship of public moneys requires all NHS boards to achieve value for money. No representations have been received recently.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many executive board members of NHS trusts in Wales have been (a) disciplined formally and (b) dismissed for breaches of the code of conduct in relation to executive car leasing arrangements. [24280]

Mr. Redwood: The information is not available centrally. This is a matter for individual NHS trusts.

Pay Rates

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about rates of pay in (a) the Blaenau Gwent constituency, (b) the rest of Wales and (c) the United Kingdom. [24313]

Mr. Redwood: Rates of pay vary widely, depending on the type of work, the level of skill involved and what the employer can afford. Outside the south-east in the UK, there is little evidence to suggest that, for the same job, they vary greatly from area to area.

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