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Riding Schools (Rates)
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from riding school proprietors about the rates they pay; what subsequent action he is proposing to take; and if he will make a statement. [28548]
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Mr. Robert B. Jones: I have received four such representations since the beginning of last year. I have no plans for action in this area.
Natterjack Toads
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has to multiply and improve the habitats of natterjack toads. [29302]
Sir Paul Beresford: The natterjack toad has been the subject of a three-year English Nature species recovery programme, which is due to end in June 1995. English Nature will continue to participate, in co-operation with the Herpetological Conservation Trust, in conservation and repopulation measures identified in a consequential 10-year management plan.
Airport Noise Abatement Grants
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the airports outside London that have received European grants for noise abatement; [24980]
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(2) how much by way of European grants was paid for noise abatement to each airport in respect of (a) London airports and (b) airports outside London. [24981]Mr. Norris: I am answering these questions on behalf of my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
We have no record of European grant being paid for noise abatement to any airport in the UK.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many representations he has received (a) for and (b) against the size of the jackpot in the national lottery. [29105]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 20 June 1995]: I have received many representations about the size of the national lottery jackpots. It is not possible to determine the number for or against the size of the jackpot without incurring disproportionate cost.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support Agency
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the figures for each month since the launch of the Child Support Agency of (a) the amount of child maintenance assessed by the Agency as payable and (b) the amount payable under arrangements carried over from before the launch of the agency; and how much of each amount was paid (i) directly to the parent with care and (ii) via the agency. [27947]
Mr. Burt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 June 1995: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about maintenance assessed by the Child Support Agency.
Monthly information in the form you request is only available for maintenance arising from CSA assessments in cases where the parents are using the Agency collection service. This is set out in the attached table.
However, these figures do not show the whole picture, as they do not include maintenance paid direct between parents who do not use the Agency's collection service. Although this information is now being collected, figures are not available for 1993/94 or broken down on a monthly basis for 1994/95. We do however, estimate that between April 1994 and March 1995, around £111 million arising from CSA assessments was assessed as payable and actually paid in this way. The total maintenance assessed and paid arising from CSA assessments for the 1994/95 year was therefore £615.77 million and £185.24 million respectively.
Comparable figures are not available for maintenance paid under pre-CSA arrangements, as in these cases it is only necessary for information to be collected on the amount of maintenance paid that offsets benefit spending.
I hope this is helpful.
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Annex A: Maintenance arising from CSA assessments
£ million
|Assessed and |Paid via
|scheduled for
|payment via agency|agency
|collection service|collection service
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1993-94 |107.54 |12.57
April 1994 |27.82 |3.70
May 1994 |30.43 |4.04
June 1994 |32.33 |4.66
July 1994 |43.31 |4.80
August 1994 |42.64 |5.75
September
1994 |47.41 |6.10
October 1994 |44.81 |6.47
November
1994 |45.95 |7.03
December 1994 |53.98 |7.09
January 1995 |43.56 |7.85
February 1995 |43.48 |7.66
March 1995 |49.05 |9.09
Total 1994-95 |504.77 |74.24
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents are making child support payments by way of deduction of earnings orders. [29521]
Mr. Burt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 June 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of absent parents who are making child support payments via Deduction from Earnings Orders (DEO).
Since launch to the end of March 1995, the Agency has issued over 34,000 DEOs Aggregated information is now available on the number of DEOs that have been honoured since 18 November 1994. Of the 15,600 DEOs issued from that date to the end of March 1995, payments have been received in relation to 5,800. Due to the processes involved in the implementation of a DEO, a number of the DEOs issued towards the end of 1994/95 would not have been implemented by employers before the end of March 1995.
I hope this is helpful.
State Retirement Pension
Mr. Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the state retirement pension in real terms, for each year since 1979. [29550]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is in the table:
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£ per week
Standard rate of
basic retirement
pension for
people under 80 Value at April
1995 prices
|Single<1> |Married couple<2>|Single<1> |Married couple<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 1979 |23.30 |37.30 |57.62 |92.24
November 1980 |27.15 |43.45 |58.22 |93.18
November 1981 |29.60 |47.35 |56.69 |90.69
November 1982 |32.85 |52.55 |59.21 |94.72
November 1983 |34.05 |54.50 |58.54 |93.70
November 1984 |35.80 |57.30 |58.65 |93.871
November 1985 |38.30 |61.30 |59.50 |95.22
July 1986 |38.70 |61.95 |59.13 |94.66
April 1987 |39.50 |63.25 |57.81 |92.58
April 1988 |41.15 |65.90 |57.95 |92.81
April 1989 |43.60 |69.80 |56.84 |90.99
April 1990 |46.90 |75.10 |55.86 |89.45
April 1991 |52.00 |83.25 |58.21 |93.19
April 1992 |54.15 |86.70 |58.13 |93.07
April 1993 |56.10 |89.80 |59.45 |95.17
April 1994 |57.60 |92.10 |59.52 |95.17
April 1995 |58.85 |94.10 |58.85 |94.10
<1> Man or woman on own insurance.
<2> Man plus wife on his insurance.
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Income Support, North Wales
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the amount recovered by claimants by way of arrears of supplementary benefit in the area covered by the Wrexham and North Wales Coast district benefits agency for each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [29706]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
HEALTH
Respiratory Illness
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of people who died because of asthma and respiratory illness in each of the last five years. [29089]
Mr. Sackville: The information for England and Wales is shown in the table.
Numbers of deaths certified as due to asthma, ICD9 code 493, and diseases of the respiratory system, ICD9 code 460 519 inclusive, in the last five years.
|Deaths certified as
|due to
|diseases of the |Deaths certified as
|respiratory |due to
Year |system (ICD9 code |asthma (ICD9 code
|460-519) |493)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993 |90,745 |1,690
1992 |60,388 |1,790
1991 |63,237 |1,884
1990 |61,018 |1,858
1989 |66,712 |1,957
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the top 10 districts where expenditure on prescriptions are the highest for (a) asthma treatment and (b) other respiratory conditions. [29088]
Mr. Malone: The information is shown in the tables. They list those family health services authorities in which total expenditure is greatest, which could reflect the size of the family health services authorities, and do not show where the expenditure per head of population is greatest.
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The top 10 family health services authorities in terms
of net
ingredient cost for drugs and appliances used in
the treatment of asthma
England 1994
Rank |Family health
|services authority
---------------------------------------------------------
1 |Lancashire
2 |Hampshire
3 |Essex
4 |Kent
5 |Devon
6 |Nottinghamshire
7 |Staffordshire
8 |Birmingham
9 |Cheshire
10 |Derbyshire
1. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained
in the British National Formulary sections 3.1, 3.2 and
3.3. The above figures also include peak flow meters and
inhaler devices. Some of the drugs may be used for other
conditions.
2. Data cover all prescriptions dispensed by chemist and
appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal
administration.
The top 10 family health services authorities in terms
of net
ingredient cost for drugs used in the treatment of
diseases of the
respiratory system excluding those used in treatment of
asthma
England 1994
Rank |Family health
|services authority
---------------------------------------------------------
1 |Essex
2 |Lancashire
3 |Kent
4 |Hampshire
5 |Birmingham
6 |Humberside
7 |Hertfordshire
8 |Surrey
9 |Leicestershire
10 |Cheshire
1. Drugs used in the treatment of diseases of the
respiratory system are contained in the British National
Formulary chapter 3. Drugs used in the treatment of
asthma are contained in the British National Formulary
sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3. Some of the drugs may be used
for other conditions.
2. Data cover all prescriptions dispensed by chemist and
appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal
administration.
Temazepam
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies her Department has made of the possible negative effects of using temazepam without a prescription, with special reference to the injection of the drug; what assessment she has made of whether other benzodiazepines are more effective in the treatment of anxiety and sleeplessness than temazepam; what information and educational material is currently available to the general public concerning the ill effects of illegal
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use of temazepam; to what degree this information is available; and if she will make a statement. [29247]Mr. Bowis: The Department has commissioned research on the impact of prescription drug leakage on the illicit drug market, including on the risk behaviours associated with injecting prescription drugs. It is due to be completed in late 1996.
It is for doctors treating patients for anxiety and sleeplessness to decide which benzodiazepine, if any, would be the most effective for individual patients. Doctors have access to information about the effects of benzodiazepine prescribing in the British National Formulary, copies of which are in the Library. The Department issues this to all doctors free of charge.
General information on the ill-effects of the misuse of benzodiazepines, including temazepam, is given in the leaflets "Drugs and Solvent Misuse--A Basic Briefing" and "Drugs and Solvents: Things You Should Know" which is targeted at young people. These are widely available and, together with similar leaflets produced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, can be ordered free of charge through the national drugs helpline service, telephone 0800 77 66 00. Local health authorities and boards or other agencies may produce their own educational materials.
The Mental Health Foundation booklet "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence", which contains information about the risks of benzodiazepines, drew attention to the potential for misuse of these drugs and for diversion of supplies to illicit markets. The booklet, copies of which are available in the Library, was circulated to all English family health services authorities in March 1994 under cover of a letter which gave Departmental endorsement to the guidelines and recommended their use by general practitioners wishing to help patients who may be dependent on benzodiazepines to shift gradually to non-prescribing interventions.
The Department is considering what further advice should be issued to FHSAs on the powers they have to examine controlled drug prescribing and to clinicians on the prescribing of benzodiazepine and related drugs.
Speech Therapists
Mr. Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take action to unfreeze the posts for speech therapists required for special education needs in Bootle. [29321]
Mr. Malone: This is a matter for Sefton health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. F. R. Ludlow, chairman of the health authority, for details.
Residential Care Charges
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the treatment of occupational pensions by local authorities when the recipient enters residential accommodation leaving a spouse remaining in the community. [30505]
Mr. Bowis: We have been looking carefully and sympathetically at this issue. While our guidance to social services departments makes it clear that they can exercise
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discretion when applying the charging rules to care home residents with occupational pensions, they are not at present required to disregard a portion of that occupational pension in order to provide for a spouse remaining at home. We have now decided in principle that the local authority charging regulations should be amended so as to disregard half the occupational pension when a husband or wife enters a residential care or nursing home in order to help their spouse remaining at home. The Department will be consulting with the interested parties, including the local authority associations, about the details of implementing this proposal. At the same time, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be taking forward a similar proposal in respect of people who were in residential care or nursing homes on 31 March 1993 and who have preserved rights to the higher levels of income support.Special Hospitals
Sir Malcolm Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the future management of special hospitals. [30595]
Mr. Bowis: We have decided on a number of important changes in the organisation and funding of high security psychiatric services provided by the three special hospitals, Ashworth, Broadmoor and Rampton. Their purpose is to integrate special hospital services more closely with mainstream mental health services while fully maintaining the protection of the public, staff and patients themselves. They build on the substantial improvements in quality and effectiveness of services that have been achieved by the Special Hospitals Service Authority since it was set up in 1989.
The changes take account of the recommendations of the expert group, chaired by Dr. John Reed CB, on high security and related psychiatric provision whose report was published in July 1994. I announced then that we were asking officials to examine further the group's recommendations and advise on what changes, if any, should be made in the funding, management and deployment of the services. In doing this, they were to pay particular regard to Ministers' obligations to maintain the security and quality of the services and to achieve value for money. The decisions I am announcing today have been taken in the light of this further advice.
The key features of the new arrangements that we are introducing are:
a national high security psychiatric services commissioning board within the NHS executive, which will be responsible for commissioning services provided by the special hospitals. It will advise and be accountable to Ministers through the chief executive of the national health service executive and include representation from NHS purchasers, the Welsh Office, Home Office, Prison Service and the present Special Hospitals Service Authority;
the establishment of three new special health authorities which will be responsible for managing services provided by the special hospitals;
the establishment of a co-ordinated structure of commissioning arrangements for secure psychiatric services from the special hospitals to those provided at local level.
Further details are contained in a paper entitled "High Security Psychiatric Services--Changes in Funding and
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Organisation" which is being published today, copies of which are available in the Library.This will bring high-security services much more closely into line with the arrangements for other NHS services through:
separation of responsibility for commissioning and provision of high security services:
This will extend to the special hospitals the benefits which have been achieved in the NHS generally through the separation of the purchasing and providing functions. The hospitals will concentrate on improving the quality and effectiveness of service delivery. The new commissioning board will be responsible for assessing national needs for psychiatric care in conditions of high security and contracting for services to meet those needs;
local management for the three special hospitals:
will give greater responsibility to the people who work in each hospital so that they are able to develop the organisation in ways that best meet the needs of their patients and respond quickly on day-to-day matters affecting patients and staff;
better integration of high security services with other parts of the mental health services:
will help to reduce, both for patients and staff, the isolation of the special hospitals and the impediment this presents to improving the quality and effectiveness of their services. This includes the removal of financial and organisational barriers which have tended to impede the movement of patients through services in accordance with their clinical and security needs. It will also allow freer movement of staff between the hospitals and other NHS employment. It will support the reshaping of existing patterns of services in accordance with assessed patients needs;
direct involvement of local NHS health purchasers in commissioning high security services:
will ensure that the needs of patients requiring high security are better understood and strategies to meet their continuing care needs are built into local mental health service development plans. This will help secure the most effective use of available resources to provide high- quality services at the level of security required. The new arrangements will take effect on 1 April 1996. At that point, the Special Hospitals Service Authority will cease to be responsible for the management of special hospital services and we intend to take the necessary steps to abolish it. I should like to take this opportunity of paying tribute to the chairman, Mrs. Anne-Marie Nelson, her predecessor Dr. David Edmond, the members of the authority, and all its staff for the invaluable work that they have done in the past six years in improving and modernising the services of the special hospitals.
The new arrangements will incorporate special provisions for funding, commissioning and regulation to maintain the degree of central oversight which is essential for high security services. The chief executive of the NHS executive is putting in hand the necessary preparatory work to enable the change to be implemented from April 1996.
I recognise that the period of change will be a challenging one for the staff of the authority and the hospitals. The authority is arranging for there to be full discussion with staff and patients about the implications of the changes for them. I have complete confidence in their commitment and dedication to ensure that the quality of the service they provide is fully maintained as the changes proceed.
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Our task now is to consolidate the authority's past successes and develop a service for the future which can respond to the full range of patients' needs, meet the aspirations and potential of staff and work effectively with other secure psychiatric services, while continuing to ensure the protection the wider public rightly expects. I believe that the changes I have announced today create the framework we need for achieving this.Appetite Suppressants
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to reduce the availability of appetite suppressant drugs. [29305]
Mr. Sackville: Proposals are being considered to limit the availability of appetite suppressants by way of an order under section 62 of the Medicines Act 1968 to situations in which there exists a clear medical need for such products. The Medicines Control Agency is currently consulting those with an interest in this subject on the form that such an order might take.
Hip Replacements
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average cost in real terms of hip prostheses to the national health service in each of the last 12 years. [29300]
Mr. Sackville: The information is not available centrally.
Multiple Births
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in England in each year from 1990 to 1994; what was the total number of maternities in England in each year; how many multiple births were conceived as a result of (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception; and if she will make a statement. [29529]
Mr. Sackville: The information on multiple and total maternities is shown in the table.
England
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Twins |7,537 |7,739 |7,883 |7,897 |8,014
Triplets |190 |201 |192 |225 |249
Quadruplets |9 |10 |8 |11 |8
Quintuplets |- |1 |1 |- |-
Sextuplets |- |- |- |1 |-
Septuplets |- |- |- |- |-
Total number of
maternities with
multiple births |7,736 |7,951 |8,084 |8,134 |8,271
All maternities |662,048|655,703|646,266|631,710|624,004
The table excludes those maternities to mothers resident outside
England and Wales.
Figures relating to multiple births following assisted conception are contained in the Human Fertilisation and
Column 259
Embryology Authority annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.Edgware General Hospital
Mr. Dykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to visit Edgware general hospital in the near future; and if she will meet a deputation of local residents and medical staff during her visit. [29752]
Mr. Malone: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Edgware hospital at present.
Mr. Dykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make it her policy to review the proposed closure in April 1997 of Edgware general hospital accident and emergency unit when her Department receives medical evidence of up-to-date local requirements; [29753]
(2) if she will list the replacement services for the local community to be undertaken by the relevant health authorities after the closure in April 1997 of the accident and emergency department of Edgware general hospital. [29751]
Mr. Malone: No. Barnet health authority has a duty to ensure that residents have a comprehensive health service meeting the full range of their needs effectively and safely. Edgware hospital's accident and emergency department will not close until alternative facilities are available and capable of providing an improved service to patients.
A new minor accident treatment service is being established on the Edgware site and will provide modern and effective services for local residents. Full-scale accident and emergency services will be provided at the redeveloped Barnet hospital, as well as at Northwick Park and the Royal Free. A primary care investment fund, amounting to £17 million, has been established to improve family doctor and community services in the area.
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the annual costs of carrying out competitive tendering processes in the national health service since their introduction. [29705]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
General Practitioner Lists
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients (a) in each region and (b) in England were removed from general practitioners' lists in the latest available year; how many and what proportion of these were de-registered at the request of their GP; and how many patients in England were de-registered at the request of their GP in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [29700]
Mr. Malone: Information on the removal of patients is available only for 1992 93, and I refer the hon. Member to the answer that the Under- Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), gave him on 20 July at columns 368 70 .
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Market Testing
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the annual cost of carrying out market-testing processes in the national health service since their introduction. [29704]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Gorton Medical Centre
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her reply of 16 May, Official Report, column 167 , with regard to Gorton medical centre, if she will state the latest position both with regard to the judgment of the High Court and with regard to financial assistance to improve the premises of the centre. [29969]
Mr. Malone: We are still considering the implications of the judgment of the High Court.
Officials at Manchester family health services authority have recently received a copy of plans from the doctors at Gorton medical centre regarding the proposed work to improve their practice premises. The authority will now consider what financial assistance can be provided and the right hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Joan Higgins, chairman of Manchester FHSA, about future progress in this connection.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Treasury Counsel Fees
Mr. Byers: To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report , column 451 , how much each Treasury counsel retained for civil work received in fees from public funds in 1994 95; of the Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court, how many received between (i) £250,000 to £300,000, (ii) £300,000 to £350,000, (iii) £350,000 to £400,000, (iv) £400,000 to £500,000, (v) in excess of £500,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service for financial year 1994 95. [29928]
The Attorney-General: The Treasury Solicitor's Department paid each of the two Treasury counsel retained for Government civil work between £200,000 and £250,000 in the financial year 1994 95. However, Treasury counsel will also have received fees from other Government Departments and agencies which have instructed them direct. The total fees paid to Treasury counsel from public funds could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.
On the information currently available, of the Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court the following numbers received payments from the Crown Prosecution Service during the financial year 1994 95 in the following bands:
|Number
-----------------------------------------
(i) £250,000 to £300,000 |3
(ii) £300,000 to £350,000 |1
(iii) £350,000 to £400,000 |0
(iv) £400,000 to £500,000 |1
(v) in excess of £500,000 |1
All figures are inclusive of value added
tax.
TREASURY
Crown Immunity
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all areas within (a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28657]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 15 June 1995]: The reference to the Crown immunity in the question is taken to refer to legislation that does not bind the Crown. Certain legislation is expressly applied to the Crown. In most legislation, however, particularly older legislation, there is no such express provision. In those circumstances, whether legislation applies to the Crown will depend upon the implications to be drawn from the drafting and context of the legislation.
Lloyd's
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his estimates of the (a) total tax assessed and (b) total tax refunded in respect of profits or losses made by the underwriting members of Lloyd's of London in each of the years since 1977 78. [28673]
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