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Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authority areas in England and Wales currently have fluoridated public water supplies; and on what dates the fluoridation of public water supplies commenced in each such area. [23739]
Mr. Malone: This information is set out in the book "One in a Million: Water Fluoridation and Dental Public Health", published jointly by the Public Health Alliance and the British Fluoridation Society, pages 33 to 52, copies of which are available in the Library.
Hip Fractures
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence per capita of hip fractures for people aged 60 years or above for each health authority in England and Wales. [23735]
Mr. Sackville: In 1993 94, the number of finished consultant episodes of hospital care for fracture of femur suffered by those aged 60 and above, per capita in England, was 0.0052, about one in 200. A breakdown at health authority level is not available.
NHS Organ Donor Register
Mr. Churchill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent so far this year in the campaign to promote the national organ donor register; what has been the response; how many and what proportion of responses are currently awaiting processing; what steps she proposes to take to expedite processing; and what plans she has to carry forward this campaign. [24717]
Mr. Sackville: Some £1.53 million was spent in 1994 95 on publicity material and activities to promote the national health service organ donor register which was launched in October 1994. Over 1,300,000 applications to join the register have been received so far, of which
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nearly 270,000 were received and processed in April. On 12 May, some 86,000 postal applications, 6.5 per cent. of the total applications received, were waiting to be processed. Temporary staff were recruited from April mainly to help process the surge of applications following the March publicity campaign. The register will continue to be promoted in 1995 96.Includes about 400,000 transferred from the lifeline Wales register.
Selenium
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department has made of the effects of selenium deficiency; what those effects are; and what action she recommends to avoid selenium deficiency; [24166]
(2) if she will make a statement setting out her policy for combating dietary deficiency in selenium. [24169]
Mr. Sackville: The Department of Health considered selenium deficiency as part of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy's review of dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom. A copy of this report is available in the Library. There is no deficiency disease known to result solely from selenium deficiency, although a specific cardiomyopathy may occur with low selenium intakes which responds to selenium. There is no evidence that selenium deficiency is a problem in the UK. No action is recommended specifically to avoid selenium deficiency.
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received regarding research suggesting that selenium deficiency may speed or trigger the growth and spread of the AIDS virus; what action she proposes to take; and if she will make a statement. [24168]
Mr. Sackville: The Department of Health has received no such representations. The Department is aware of a number of recent publications in the scientific literature on this topic and continues to monitor the situation. There is currently no clear evidence that selenium supplements produce an improvement in haematological or immunological parameters of disease progression in HIV-AIDS patients.
Temazepam
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 21 April, Official Report , column 309 (1) what is her latest estimate of the total amount of prescription units of the drug temazepam produced and imported into the United Kingdom in the 1994 calendar year; what is the latest estimate of the total amount of prescription units of the drug temazepam required to meet known legitimate use; and if she will make a statement; [22070] (2) what is her latest estimate of the amount of temazepam required for prescription under the national health service, in kilograms and prescription units, in the 1994 calendar year; and if she will make a statement. [22044]
Mr. Bowis [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Information on the amount of temazepam manufactured and imported in 1994 is not yet available. Information on total quantities dispensed in family health services authorities in England in 1994 is shown in the table.
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Temazepam dispensed in the family health services authorities in
England 1994 (provisional figures)
Thousands
|Prescription items|Kilograms
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tablets |3,392 |1,595.6
Capsules |2,837 |1,577.3
Oral preparations |116 |58.3
|-------- |--------
Total |6,345 |3,231.2
Note:
The data are from the prescription cost analysis system and include all
prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, dispensing doctors, and
prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally
administered.
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 21 April, Official Report, column 309 , what is her latest estimate of the trend of temazepam production and amount of imports and the amount required for prescriptions by the national health care service over the last five years; if she will give these figures in kilograms, prescription units and the percentage change from year to year and from 1990 to 1994; and if she will make a statement. [22069]
Mr. Bowis [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Information on the total quantity of temazepam manufactured, held in stock, imported and exported in the United Kingdom during the last five years is shown in table A. Information on total quantities dispensed in family health services authorities in England is given in table B.
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Table A: Summary of annual returns for temazepam from Schedule 4 authority holders in the UK for the period
1989 to 1993 (kilograms)
Percentage change from previous year
|Manufacturers
|Quantity |stocks at |Quantity
Year |manufactured |31 December |Total imports|Total exports|manufactured |Imports
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |2,238.00 |2,284.311 |3,672.010 |752.955 |- |-
1990 |2,912.70 |2,226.262 |2,787.380 |170.598 |30.15 |-24.09
1991 |2,918.00 |3,005.970 |3,442.124 |712.890 |0.18 |23.49
1992 |3,271.90 |3,978.215 |4,486.190 |1,018.726 |12.13 |30.33
1993 |970.20 |923.039 |4,505.314 |1,815.770 |-70.35 |0.43
Table B: Temazepam dispensed in the family health services authorities in England for the period 1989 to 1994
Percentage change from previous year
|Prescriptions<1> |Kilograms of |Kilograms of
Year |(000s) |temazepam |Prescription items|temazepam
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |<2>5,946 |3,347 |- |-
1990 |<2>5,985 |3,297 |0.7 |-1.5
1991 |<3>6,427 |3,449 |- |-
1992 |<3>6,914 |3,625 |7.6 |5.1
1993 |<3>6,651 |3,434 |-3.8 |-5.2
1994 (provisional) |<3>6,345 |3,231 |-4.6 |-5.9
Source:
The data are from prescription cost analysis system.
Notes:
<1> The data up to 1990 are not consistent with data from 1991 onwards, so it is not possible to give a
meaningful figure for percentage changes between 1990 and 1994. Figures for 1989 and 1990 are based on fees and
on a sample of one in 200 prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only.
Figures for 1991 to 1994 are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists,
appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally
administered.
<2> Fees.
<3> Items.
NHS Hospitals
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals there were in England (a) by region and (b) in total in each year since 1979. [17068]
Mr. Malone [pursuant to the reply, 30 March 1995, c. 716]: The number of national health service hospitals as defined by section 128 of the NHS Act 1977 is not
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available centrally. The information on the number of NHS hospitals in 1994 in the previous reply was estimated from energy consumption returns submitted to NHS Estates by NHS trusts and directly managed units. This number should be treated with caution. Comparable information for previous years is not available centrally. Returns based on a count of hospitals providing residential facilities is available from 1979 until 1991 as follows.Table A: Number of hospitals with available overnight beds by regional health authority in England, 1979 to 1990-91 RHA |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northern |135 |131 |129 |129 |128 |127 |124 |124 |112 |109 |105 |105 Yorkshire |164 |159 |157 |155 |155 |149 |147 |144 |133 |124 |120 |128 Trent |199 |194 |188 |185 |185 |187 |170 |170 |173 |166 |150 |143 East Anglian |93 |94 |90 |88 |90 |85 |80 |79 |78 |78 |76 |75 North West Thames |118 |112 |109 |102 |101 |99 |99 |100 |95 |102 |88 |88 North East Thames |121 |114 |114 |122 |121 |114 |114 |114 |117 |120 |117 |122 South East Thames |145 |141 |135 |137 |138 |137 |130 |129 |123 |118 |122 |117 South West Thames |124 |119 |112 |113 |115 |112 |106 |99 |115 |115 |107 |108 Wessex |147 |146 |146 |148 |154 |163 |178 |187 |138 |137 |134 |130 Oxford |92 |88 |88 |88 |88 |88 |84 |89 |83 |83 |79 |77 South Western |223 |221 |226 |224 |223 |221 |221 |227 |202 |203 |192 |200 West Midlands |202 |201 |200 |201 |203 |196 |204 |203 |187 |182 |174 |165 Mersey |87 |83 |79 |79 |74 |68 |65 |66 |64 |62 |59 |55 North Western |130 |129 |128 |126 |128 |125 |123 |124 |114 |105 |104 |100 Special Health Authorities |27 |26 |26 |20 |20 |20 |17 |17 |18 |18 |17 |16 Notes: 1. 1987-88 numbers for South West Thames were estimated as complete numbers were not available. 2. Numbers may include a small number of community units for patients with learning disabilities. 3. From 1987-88 collection of data changed from years ended 31 December to years ended 31 March. 4. Numbers are based on a count of hospitals which provided residential facilities. 5. The table has been estimated from available data which was not used to compile the total figures given in table B. Where possible, account has been taken of changes in the way data was collected over the period, and of boundary charges.
Table B: Total number of hospitals in England Year |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total hospitals |2,023 |1,984 |1,926 |1,917 |1,923 |1,891 |1,862 |1,870 |1,737 |1,722 |1,646 |1,624 These figures are taken from the annual published health and personal social services statistics and were not collected after 1990-91. The analysis from which these figures were compiled is no longer available.
Folic Acid
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the fortification of cereal grain flour with folic acid will take place. [23543]
Mrs. Browning: I have been asked to reply.
Currently manufacturers may voluntarily fortify flour with folic acid.
The issue of fortification of foods is currently being considered by the committee on medical aspects of food policy.
ENVIRONMENT
Construction Industry
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to give small firms in the construction industry protection against unfair terms of contract imposed by larger companies. [23410]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: My Department will shortly be issuing a second consultation document taking forward recommendations made in Sir Michael Latham's report "Construction the Team" which will deal with contractual issues in the construction industry.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a long-term strategy for the construction industry and on maintaining relations between the Government and the industry. [23415]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: My Department has a coherent strategy to assist the construction industry and its suppliers by promoting a programme of research, innovation and development; assisting the industry in markets abroad; encouraging the development of technical and professional training; and reviewing the contractual arrangements which operate within the industry. To
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facilitate this, the Government have joined with the industry on a new forum, the Construction Industry Board, which has been set up to promote dialogue between the various parts of the industry and its clients.Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a Bill on construction contracts. [23409]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The Government will consider legislation in the light of the responses to the consultation exercise now being undertaken.
Closed Circuit Television
Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the level of funds allocated to local authorities for closed circuit television systems in England and Wales. [23642]
Mr. Curry: Support for CCTV schemes may be given through programmes such as the urban programme, the urban crime fund, city challenge, safer cities and under the single regeneration budget. The Home Office CCTV challenge competition also injected £5 million into local schemes.
House Condition Survey
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the energy supplement to the already published results of the 1991 English house condition survey. [23672]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Later this year. However, some key findings from the 1991 survey have been included in a guided "Energy Efficiency in Council Housing: Condition of the Stock" which is being sent to all local housing authorities by 19 May. I am arranging for copies of this guide to be placed in the Library.
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Access Committee for England
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the future funding of the Access Committee for England. [23588]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health, the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis).
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which former county boroughs in existence immediately prior to the 1974 local government reorganisation will have their area divided between two or more unitary authorities as a result of proposals from the Local Government Commission. [23683]
Mr. Curry: The area which, between 1968 and 1974, comprised the county borough of Teesside will, from 1 April 1996, constitute parts of the unitary authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on- Tees.
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) Official Report, columns 731-33 , what local government structure existed in the Stockton and Langbaurgh areas immediately prior to the local government reorganisation of 1974. [23685]
Mr. Curry: The present district of Stockton-on-Tees is made up of parts of the county borough of Teesside--the Billingham East, Billingham West, Grangefield, Hartburn, Mile House, North End, Norton, Stockton South, Thornaby East and Thornaby West wards--the administrative county of Durham, part of the rural district of Stockton and the administrative county of Yorkshire, North Riding, part of the rural district of Stokesley.
The present district of Langbaurgh-on-Tees is made up of parts of the county borough of Teesside--the Coatham, Eston Grange, Kirkleatham, Ormesby, Redcar and South Bank wards--and the administrative county of Yorkshire, North Riding--the urban districts of Guisborough, Loftus, Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea and Skelton and Brotton.
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date and from whom he received a copy of the opinion of the Audit Commission on the Local Government Commission's review of the Cleveland and Durham area and if that opinion included the relevant appendices. [23687]
Mr. Curry: A copy of the opinion provided by the Audit Commission to the Local Government Commission in respect of the report containing the latter's draft recommendations for Cleveland and Durham was sent to my Department by the Local Government Commission in November 1993. It included three appendices.
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike), Official Report, columns 731 33, when Middlesbrough ceased to be a county borough council; and what local government structure existed in that area between that date and the subsequent local government reorganisation of 1974. [23684]
Mr. Curry: The area of the county borough of Middlesbrough became part of the county borough of
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Teesside on 1 April 1968, and remained so until 1 April 1974.Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps were taken to ensure that hon. Members were made fully aware, prior to the debate on the Cleveland Structural Change Order, of the view of the Audit Commission on the Local Government Commission's estimates of transitional costs which would result from the proposals for local government change in the Cleveland area. [23686]
Mr. Curry: The Local Government Commission has made available for public inspection all written opinions and other representations it received in response to its draft recommendations for Cleveland and Durham. It also summarised them in its final report for the area. There was no Audit Commission opinion submitted in relation to the estimates of transitional costs set out in that final report.
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when he tabled the Cleveland Structural Change Order before the House, he was aware of the view of the Audit Commission on the Local Government Commission's estimates of transitional costs which would be incurred as a result of the order and the views of both the Local Government Commission itself and its financial advisers Ernst and Young on the relative costs of a unitary structure of the kind proposed in the order and the present two- tier local government structure. [23688]
Mr. Curry: When we took our decisions on local government structure in Cleveland, we had before us the estimates of costs and savings contained in the Local Government Commission's report on its draft recommendations for Cleveland and Durham, and the written opinion of the Audit Commission on those estimates. We also had the revised estimates contained in the Local Government Commission's final report for Cleveland and Durham, and the financial appraisal--based on the financial model developed by the Local Government Commission with Ernst and Young--on which those revised estimates were based.
Giant Hogweed
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he plans to require the owners of land to which the public may have access to eradicate heracleum mantegazzianum; if he will give local authorities a duty to control heracleum mantegazzianum; and if he will make a statement about the dangers associated with this plant. [24081]
Sir Paul Beresford: It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act for any person to plant, or otherwise cause to grow in the wild, the giant hogweed.
The control of giant hogweed is a matter for individual local authorities to consider if they believe there is a localised threat to public health.
I understand that contact with giant hogweed can cause a dermatological reaction which, if exposed to strong sunlight, may result in blistering and swelling, however individuals handling the plant only on an occasional basis may experience no reaction at all, or only transient irritation.
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Ozone Levels
Ms Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about ozone levels affecting Tyneside on 4 May. [24021]
Mr. Atkins: The reported "poor" ozone levels recorded at Newcastle on 4 May between 2 and 3 am were not real levels but due to a technical fault in the analyser, which is currently being corrected by our contractor.
Ms Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that British cities do not exceed World Health Organisation guidelines for low-level ozone concentrations. [24022]
Mr. Atkins: Ozone is a transboundary pollutant, and reductions of ozone concentrations to WHO guideline levels in Europe will not be possible by any one country acting in isolation. The Government believes that harmonised action at an international level is necessary to ensure cost- effective reductions in ozone levels. The Government are pressing for such action in the appropriate international fora.
Contaminated Land, Liverpool
Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to deal with the problem of contaminated land on the site of the former synthetic resins plant in the Liverpool, Garston constituency. [24274]
Sir Paul Beresford: An investigation of the contamination on the site has recently been funded by English Partnerships. Liverpool city council have subsequently initiated further survey work to examine leeching of contamination into adjoining residential properties at Bradford road. On the basis of these surveys, the city council will consider what remedial work is necessary and how such work should be funded.
Business Rates
Mr. Robert Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the amounts allowed in reduction of business rates by local authorities in England for the last financial year. [24163]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Figures for 1994 95 are not yet available. In 1993 94, English local authorities granted £1.9 million in hardship relief from non-domestic rates. In addition, £35 million was granted in discretionary relief to charities and other non-profit-making bodies.
Sheffield Airport
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the plans for the development of Sheffield airport by Glenlivet. [24408]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department has received detailed information from the Sheffield development corporation about the plans for the development of Sheffield airport by Glenlivet. This is currently under consideration.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice and evaluation were available to him between 1989 and the present of the possibility that companies in the Budge group or successor companies to the contract could gain the benefit and profit of opencasting at Tinsley, Sheffield, without fulfilling
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commitments to provide infrastructure for an airport on the site. [24410]Sir Paul Beresford: My predecessors were aware that there was no contractual linkage between the opencasting operation and the provision of infrastructure for and construction of the airport.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he became aware that the guarantee given by A. F. Budge Mining for the construction of Sheffield airport would not be honoured. [24412]
Sir Paul Beresford: The guarantee, or surety, for the construction of Sheffield Airport, was held by A. F. Budge Ltd., rather than A. F. Budge (Mining). My Department became aware that A. F. Budge Ltd. would not be in a position to support the airport development when the administrative receivers were appointed to it in December 1992.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions requiring work towards the construction of an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, were contained in the original planning application for opencasting awarded to British Coal Opencast; and what conditions in relation to such work were contained in the agreement between British Coal Opencast and A F Budge (Mining) Ltd. [24414]
Sir Paul Beresford: The planning permission awarded to British Coal for Opencasting at Tinsley contained the following conditions relating to the construction of an airport.
i. the construction of a road linking the site to the existing road network
ii. the site to be reclaimed
iii. specific parts of the site to be compacted and made suitable for use as an airport
iv. drainage outfall to be provided for the site.
My Department was not party to the terms of agreement between British Coal and A F Budge (Mining) for the opencast mining of the site.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will have to give approval before any proposals to develop an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, are agreed to. [24416]
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has obtained of past or present connections or involvement between Glenlivet and any of its directors and RJB Mining or A F Budge Ltd, or any of their subsidiaries or any of the directors; [24418]
(2) what information he has received on the involvement by RJB Mining or any of its directors in the scheme to develop an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, proposed by Glenlivet. [24419]
Sir Paul Beresford: The only information I have about connections between the directors and the companies mentioned is that a former director of three subsidiary companies of A F Budge Ltd. is currently advising Glenlivet on the aviation elements of its airport proposals.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money to date has been spent on the infrastructure for the Sheffield airport site at Tinsley; and how much more is committed in the future. [24409]
Sir Paul Beresford: Sheffield development corporation has spent £95,000 on the design of
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infrastructure for the Tinsley site for airport and other development.In addition, British Coal has spent £1.9 million providing access to the site and has committed £25,000 to provide site drainage. British Coal will also be providing a drainage outfall for the site which is expected to cost in the region of £500,000.
There are plans for a further £5 million of expenditure on roads and drainage funded by Industrial Development Act grants, European funding and the Sheffield development corporation.
All of the infrastructure provided at Tinsley park will benefit commercial development in addition to a proposed airport.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he became aware that the guarantee to construct Sheffield airport and the right to opencast the site of Tinsley were invested in separate companies and were not mutually enforceable; when he was officially notified of the separation; and when he gave approval to such a separation. [24413]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department was notified in December 1991 of the proposed company restructuring which would separate the mining and airport construction interests within the A F Budge group. No approval was required from my Department.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial checks he intends to make of the financial viability of the scheme to develop an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, proposed by Glenlivet. [24415]
Sir Paul Beresford: Checks on the financial viability of the Glenlivet scheme for the development of Sheffield airport will be carried out by the Sheffield development corporation.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the funding arrangement for the development of an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, by Glenlivet. [24417]
Sir Paul Beresford: We will wish to be assured that adequate funding will be available to secure the project.
Opencasting, Tinsley
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he became aware of the transfer of the opencast contract at Tinsley, Sheffield to RJB Mining; when he was officially informed of it; and when he approved it. [24411]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department became aware of the proposed transfer of the opencast contract at Tinsley to RJB Mining in December 1991 when informed by Sheffield development corporation. As set out in my answer to the hon. Member on 9 May, Official Report , column 421 , no approval was required.
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