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EU Programmes
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the value in cash and constant prices of the United Kingdom contribution to the EU's programmes for central and eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and non-EU Mediterranean states in each year since 1990. [26975]
Mr. Baldry: United Kingdom contributions to EU programmes for central and eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and non-EU Mediterranean states since 1990 have been:
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Figures in £ million
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------
CEE countries
(PHARE)
Cash value |25.3 |31.3 |54.1 |61.5
Value at constant 1993
prices |28.5 |33.0 |54.6 |61.5
FSU countries (TACIS)
Cash value |0 |0.04 |3.9 |21.2
Value at constant 1993
prices |0 |0.04 |3.9 |21.2
Non-EU Mediterranean
countries
Cash value |16.2 |16.5 |24.7 |45.2
Value at constant 1993
prices |18.2 |17.4 |24.9 |45.2
<1> Most recent year for which data are available.
Liberia
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs howBritish contributions to the Liberia trust fund have been spent. [27326]
Mr. Baldry: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 21 February, Official Report , column 130.
As the security situation in Liberia shows no sign of improvement, projects for which our funds are earmarked are not yet able to be implemented.
Illegal Abortion
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has on the numbers estimated to have died from illegal abortion, in the last year for which figures are available, by the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities; and on what basis their figures were calculated; [27240]
(2) what is his Department's estimate on the number of women who die worldwide annually from illegal abortion; and what is the basis for this figure. [27239]
Mr. Baldry: Estimates of deaths resulting from the termination of pregnancy--whether legal or illegal--are based on information collated by the World Health Organisation. The quality of data is very uncertain as there is a reluctance to attribute death to abortion where it is illegal. Although earlier estimates suggested that up to 200,000 women may die, per year, from abortion, a study, undertaken by WHO last year--based on data sources such as hospital admission records and maternal mortality studies-- estimated that 70,000 women die each year as a result of complications following unsafe abortions.
HEALTH
Mercury
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has evaluated on the migration of mercury from amalgam fillings to human organs; and if she will make a statement on the impact of increased levels of mercury fillings on recorded levels of mercury in human tissue. [26675]
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Mr. Malone: The Committee on Toxicity advised in 1986 that the use of dental amalgam is free from the risk of systemic toxicity and that only a few cases of hypersensitivity occur. The subsequent research findings, and recent evaluations by several authoritative national and international expert committees are consistent with that advice. The Department of Health will continue to assess and evaluate all research in this area.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of specific funding is available for research into toxicity levels of mercury in humans from potential sources with particular reference to (a) mercury in the food chain, (b) mercury in dental amalgam and (c) environmental mercury. [26676]
Mr. Malone: Research has been carried out in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, about the health effects of mercury. Research to determine the long term biological safety of all types of materials used in primary dental care has been identified as a priority for the national health service primary dental care research and development programme; £175,000 has been allocated to the programme for the 1995 96 financial year and the first call for proposals will be made shortly. The NHS regions also fund research and development, including a project into the safety aspects of dental amalgam during pregnancy which is funded by South and West regional health authority at a cost of £45,000.
The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Department of Health's policy research programme also commissions research to meet identified policy needs. There is no specific budget for research into toxicity from mercury. Decisions on whether to support research proposals are made on the basis of competing priorities and the scientific merit of the proposal.
Suicide
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress is being made towards achieving the "Health of the Nation" target relating to suicides among severely mentally ill people; [26649]
(2) how her Department (a) currently monitors and (b) proposes to monitor progress towards the "Health of the Nation" target relating to suicides among severely mentally ill people. [26648]
Mr. Bowis: Following the references to the limitations in available data in the "Health of the Nation" White Paper, we have carried out some detailed technical work to identify a viable measure. We have decided to introduce from next year district returns which show the incidence of suicide and unexplained death among severely mentally ill people, defined for the time being as people subject to a care programme. This will enable changes in the incidence to be tracked.
Prescriptions
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the top 100 prescribed items, giving their actual cost to the NHS. [26981]
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Mr. Malone: A list of the top 100 items by prescription volume dispensed in 1994 has been placed in the Library. The total net ingredient cost of these items was £941 million.
Hepatitis C
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received about the problems of haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C. [27191]
Mr. Sackville: Representations this year include seven parliamentary questions, a short debate in the House of Lords and five early-day motions. In addition Ministers have received 214 letters.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's most recent estimate of the number of people infected with hepatitis C from contaminated blood products; and how many of these are haemophiliacs. [27344]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Morning-after Pill
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to make post-coital oral contraceptives available in pharmacies without prescription. [27403]
Mr. Sackville: Any change to the legal classification of such medicines to allow them to be supplied by pharmacists without prescription would be subject to statutory consultation by the Medicines Control Agency with all interested organisations. No application has been received to reclassify any post-coital oral contraceptive from a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacy medicine.
Neurosurgical Units
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list all the neurosurgical units in Sussex and those in neighbouring counties with their distance in miles from the Sussex border; [27095]
(2) what guidelines she has issued about the maximum distance any patient should be from a neurosurgical unit; [27096]
(3) what is the total number of neurosurgical units in Sussex; what is the number of health authorities; and if she will list the health authorities that do not have a neurosurgical unit within their boundaries. [27097]
Mr. Sackville: The Department has not issued guidelines about the siting of neurosurgical units, but a recently published report from the neuroscience review group of South Thames Commissioners concluded that specialist neurosurgical services should be centralised in major units which can attract a minimum of 2,000 patients per year, to allow the development and maintenance of expertise in the management of these less common surgical problems. The review group identified St. George's hospital, Tooting, as meeting this standard. The recommendations are currently being considered by the South Thames health authorities responsible for purchasing these services. The specific information requested is as follows:
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Neurosurgical units in Sussex and neighbouring counties
County/London |Location of unit |Distance from
Borough |Sussex county
|boundary<1>
|(miles)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Sussex |Hurstwood Park hospital |-
Wimbledon |Atkinson Morley's hospital |21
Camberwell |Kings College/Maudsley |25
Greenwich |The Brook hospital<2> |32
Hampshire |Southampton general hospital |26
<1> Estimated shortest distance by road to nearest town or village on or close to the border.
<2> Until transfer of services.
District Health Authorities in South Thames without neurosurgical units within their boundaries
East Sussex (The one unit currently in Sussex is located in West Sussex, the other Sussex DHA)
East Kent
West Kent
Eastern Surrey
Western Surrey
Bromley
Croydon
Bexley and Greenwich (On transfer of services from the Brook hospital)
Kingston and Richmond
Chemotherapy (Charges)
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on charging women for chemotherapy by Wigan and Leigh Health Service trust. [27098]
Mr. Sackville: Wigan and Leigh Health Service national health service trust issued a statement on Friday 26 May apologising unreservedly for having made charges and undertaking to reimburse those patients affected. The trust has changed its administrative procedures regarding prescription charges with immediate effect to ensure that these events are not repeated.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines cover charging patients for chemotherapy treatment as (a) out- patients and (b) in-patients; and if she will ensure that there is a consistent approach to charging for chemotherapy treatment throughout the NHS; [27099]
(2) if she will make a statement on the definition of day care surgery and outpatient treatment; and whether prescription charges can be levied when clinicians administer drugs on hospital premises. [27100]
Mr. Sackville: Any medication administered in hospital, whether to in-patients or out-patients, does not attract prescription charges. This is the position under the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 1989. Health authorities and trusts were reminded of this in guidelines issued in 1994, HSG(94)12, copies of which are available in the Library. A patient receiving treatment as a day case or as an out-patient--in other words who does not require the use of a hospital bed overnight--is liable for prescription charges for medication taken home.
HIV/AIDS
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much compensation has been paid to people who contracted HIV from contaminated blood products; how
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many people have received compensation; and how many were haemophiliacs. [27345]Mr. Sackville: Payments totalling £87 million have been made to those who contracted HIV from infected blood and blood products, and to their families. Of 1,511 people who received payments, 1,238 were haemophilia patients.
Parental Leave
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what maternity and paternity entitlements are available to employees within her Department. [27287]
Mr. Sackville: Female staff within the Department have the following maternity entitlements:
i. paid time off to attend ante-natal appointments;
ii. paid maternity leave of three months and one week;
iii. unpaid maternity leave up to a maximum of 52 weeks, inclusive of any period of paid maternity leave;
iv. an unpaid career break of up to five years.
Where a member of staff does not satisfy the conditions for paid leave, she may take a period of unpaid leave.
Male staff, except those on temporary appointments of less than two years, are entitled to two days' paid paternity leave; extra leave may be allowed where there are special difficulties.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fisheries Regulations
14. Mr. Butler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to ensure that the proper enforcement of fisheries regulations is taking place. [25826]
Mr. Jack: Some £25 million is spent annually on inspection to enforce fisheries regulations both at sea and on land.
Lindane
15. Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent studies he has commissioned into the use of lindane in pesticides. [25827]
Mrs. Browning: The non-agricultural uses of lindane were reviewed in 1995 by the independent advisory committee on pesticides, which advised that approvals for non-agricultural products containing lindane should continue. The agricultural uses of lindane are currently the subject of a review by the committee.
Veal Calves
16. Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to support the development of the humane United Kingdom veal market. [25828]
Mrs. Browning: We are establishing a demonstration unit to show how veal calves can be raised using high welfare standards, at the ADAS research centre at Rosemaund, near Hereford.
Milk
17. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the operations of Milk Marque. [25829]
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Mr. Waldegrave: I have received several representations since vesting day about the operating practices of Milk Marque. Complaints about these practices are a matter for the competition authorities.
27. Mr. Cash: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to seek changes in the European Community rules to permit trading in milk quota across member states' frontiers. [25839]
Mr. Waldegrave: We proposed the transferability of milk quotas between member states during the debate on CAP simplification, in last year's CAP price fixing negotiations and in Council earlier this year, when I advocated transnational quota leasing. The European Court of Auditors made a similar recommendation two years ago, but there is, as yet, no support for our ideas in the Council of Ministers.
Fish Stocks
18. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that stocks of fish are properly protected in the future. [25830]
Mr. Jack: Ensuring the sustainable exploitation of fish stocks in such a way that the livelihoods of this and future generations of fisheries are protected is one of my main priorities. A combination of R and D, currently running at £6.5 million a year, and strong enforcement of fishery rules will help to protect fish stocks for the future.
Office of Science and Technology Panel
19. Sir Graham Bright: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to respond to the recent report from the OST Technology Foresight Panel on Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment. [25831]
Mr. Waldegrave: We will respond by ensuring that these recommendations are taken fully into account in developing our research strategy. We will of course contribute to the overall Government response.
Set-aside Land
20. Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to encourage public access to set-aside land. [25832]
Mr. Jack: Last September my right hon. Friend launched a new voluntary countryside access scheme which offers farmers annual payments in return for managing their set-aside land for public access under a five- year agreement.
28. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new proposals he has to improve the working of the set-aside land scheme. [25841]
Mr. Jack: In addition to the measures mentioned in my reply of 20 October 1994, Official Report , column 418 , my right hon. Friend has recently negotiated in Brussels agreement in principle that eligible land taken out of production under the forestry and agri-environment schemes may from next year count towards farmers' set-aside requirements under the arable area payments scheme.
Meat Hygiene Service
21. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the abattoir industry to the proposed
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level of charges to be levied by the Meat Hygiene Service. [25833]Mrs. Browning: The Meat Hygiene Service has recently completed statutory consultation on its proposed charges. 91 responses were received in respect of the 1,866 premises consulted. These responses are currently being considered.
26. Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many members of the Federation of Fresh Meat Wholesalers have advised him of their opposition to the institution of the Meat Hygiene Service. [25838]
Mrs. Browning: Abattoir operators who write to us do not normally indicate whether they are members of a trade association.
Organic Farming
22. Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what schemes are now in place to encourage organic farming methods. [25834]
Mr. Waldegrave: The Government are keen to assist the development of organic farming. The organic aid scheme for England was launched in August last year and provides financial assistance during conversion to organic production. Similar schemes are available in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In addition, the organic sector also benefits from a substantial programme of research and development and from our support for the work of the independent UK Register of Organic Food Standards. My Department currently spends around £1 million annually on R and D into economic and practical aspects of organic farming.
Meat Exports
23. Mr. Mills: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to encourage on-the-hook meat exports. [25835]
Mrs. Browning: According to Meat and Livestock Commission estimates, our meat exports were worth nearly £1 billion in 1994. But it makes sense to increase these further. That is why in, for example, the beef sector we have in hand action to improve the quality of dairy beef, to open up new export markets; to develop the welfare friendly veal market; and to encourage the use of dairy breed beef in meat processing. We are also working with the industry on stepping up promotion of sheep carcass meat in our chief export markets.
Agrifood Business
24. Dr. Twinn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contributions his Department is making to improving the prospects of sales from Britain's agrifood business on a world-wide basis. [25836]
Mr. Jack: MAFF has its own export promotion division, specifically designed to help UK agri-food exporters win business worldwide. My ministerial colleagues and I also take a personal interest in promoting UK capabilities abroad. This year we propose to take business teams to Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, India where opportunities for UK exports exist. We are also representing UK interests at agri-food exhibitions in China, Poland, the Baltic States, the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Thailand and Kazakhstan.
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In addition, Food From Britain, which is partly funded by my Department, has offices in key European markets as well as North America and has a substantial programme of action in support of British food exporters. Ministers give support by attending and speaking at major food and drink exhibitions around the world.Common Agricultural Policy
25. Mr. Clapham: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the total cost of the common agriculture policy in 1996. [25837]
Mr. Waldegrave: The 1996 preliminary draft budget for common agricultural policy expenditure has been set at the level of the guideline of 40.8 billion ecu or £33.9 billion. If it proves necessary, the budgetary discipline decision provides for access to the monetary reserve of 500 mecu or £415 million for additional costs resulting from a weakening of the US dollar of from realignments of the exchange rate mechanism which took place in late 1992 and early 1993. In addition, the CAP also imposes a cost on consumers. A note on the impact on consumers and taxpayers is available in the Library.
Sheep
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of subsidy provided per sheep by (a) the British Government and (b) the European Union. [26905]
Mr. Jack: Payments under the 1994 sheep annual premium scheme were fixed at £16.96 per eligible ewe, with an additional supplement of £5.24 per ewe payable to producers in the less-favoured areas. Rates have not yet been fixed for 1995. The scheme is fully funded by the European Union.
Hill livestock compensatory allowances are also payable on sheep in the LFAs. In severely disadvantaged areas, allowances under the 1995 scheme are paid at the rate of £5.75 per specially qualified ewe and £3.00 per qualified ewe. In disadvantaged areas, allowances are paid at the rate of £2.44 per qualified ewe. Up to 25 per cent. of expenditure under this scheme is reimbursable by the European Union.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what maternity and paternity entitlements are available to employees within his Department. [27294]
Mr. Jack: Maternity and paternity entitlements in the core department and its agencies, with the exception of the Meat Hygiene Service, follow those laid down in chapters 3.1 and 5 of the leave and attendance section of the civil service management code, a copy of which is to be found in the Library of the House. Such arrangements are provided in conjunction with the statutory entitlements available.
The majority of the staff of the MHS which was launched as an agency on 1 April 1995, transferred from local authorities. Accordingly, the agency has currently based its draft policy on local government conditions.
Consultants
Mrs. Hodge: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the level of expenditure on consultancy by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for
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which his Department is responsible for (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what is projected for 1995 96. [25548]Mr. Waldegrave: The total costs of consultants employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and its executive agencies for the years 1993 94, 1994 95 and 1995 96 are detailed in the table. The figures for 1994 95 are provisional, and the figures for 1995 96 are current estimates. I will write to the hon. Member once the provisional figures are confirmed.
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