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a review of the proportion of junior doctors' salary costs funded by the deans; andadditional training of trust personnel staff to avoid some of the problems currently arising when trusts manage house officer and senior house officer contracts.
Mr. Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that NHS trusts will honour agreements on nationally negotiated packages for junior doctors with special reference to the new deal which limits their hours of work. [33226]
Mr. Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are planned to ensure that NHS trusts implement national agreements limiting junior doctors' hours of work when NHS trusts are responsible for their contracts; and if he will make a
statement. [33230]
Mr. Malone: National terms and conditions of service continue to apply to junior doctors including the limits on junior doctors' hours under the new deal which are set out in "Terms and Conditions of Service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales)". All national health service trusts are required to comply with these limits.
Mr. Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional staff will be required in each NHS trust to manage junior doctors' contracts when their contracts are held at trust level; and if he will make a statement. [33229]
Mr. Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the cost nationally of each NHS trust personnel department employing at least one additional member of staff to deal with junior doctors' contracts in the event of their being transferred to trust level after the abolition of regional health authorities. [33234]
Mr. Malone: It is for individual trusts to make decisions about staff numbers.
Mr. Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made as to whether NHS trusts' personnel departments have staff with sufficient experience and knowledge to manage the complexities of junior doctors' contracts. [33228]
Mr. Malone: We are considering what training is necessary to ensure that registrar and senior registrar contracts are managed effectively.
Contraceptives
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has given for the provision of Norplant free by family planning clinics. [33271]
Mr. Sackville: A full range of contraceptive services should be available to those who wish to use them. It is a matter for local health authorities to decide how best to use their resources to provide comprehensive and accessible services that meet the needs of local users.
NHS Pension Scheme
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average amount contributed by the NHS to their pension fund prior to retirement of (a) female and (b) male doctors; [33237]
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(2) what is the average amount paid in by comparable female and male doctors into the NHS pension scheme prior to retirement and the average amount female and male doctors receive in pension after retirement; [33236](3) for how many years female and male doctors have put the same contribution into NHS pension schemes; and for which years payments can be taken into account in calculation of widowers'
pensions. [33272]
Mr. Malone: National health service employers contribute 4 per cent. of pensionable earnings to the national health service pension scheme in respect of their employees. Female and male doctors contribute 6 per cent. of their pensionable earnings to the scheme and contribution rates in every year have been the same for both sexes. Information is not available centrally about the amounts contributed, and average pension received, by staff groups. Widowers' benefits are based upon service accrued after 6 April 1988 unless cover for earlier service has been purchased.
NHS Appointees (Payments)
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is held by his Department or the NHS executive on expenditure on trust board and health authority member's allowances. [33249]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 16 February, Official Report , column 808 , which gives the latest information available centrally about payments to members of health authorities and national health service trust boards.
Tendering
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 21 June, Official Report , column 259 , what information his Department or the NHS executive holds on the costs associated with (a) market testing and (b) compulsory competitive tendering in the NHS. [33158]
Mr. Sackville: Information is held on the value of a large number of individual service contracts which have been notified to the national health service executive by NHS trusts and other Units. Individual contract values are not released except with the prior agreement of the two parties concerned. It is not yet possible to access the information on contract values by numbers above or below a given size without detailed scrutiny of the full list of contracts.
NHS Contracts
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS organisations entered into contracts with either (a) Touche Ross or (b) Arthur Anderson Chartered Accountants in the period from December 1993. [33145]
Mr. Sackville: The information is not available centrally.
St. Bartholomew's Hospital
Mr. Sedgemore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is prepared to examine proposals to keep St. Bartholomew's hospital at Smithfield open. [33504]
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Mr. Malone: The recent decision on the future of St. Bartholomew's hospital was right for patients and for the future of hospital services in east London. Alternative options for the future of the Smithfield site are currently being examined by a task force chaired by Sir Ronald Grierson.
Pay Review Body
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has appointed the new chair of the Pay Review Body for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors; and if he will list the criteria for selection. [33270]
Mr. Malone: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 4 July, Official Report, column 102 , on this subject. An appointment will be made in due course by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
Hip Replacement Operations
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the percentage of hip replacement operations that required (a) one revision and (b) more than one revision in each of the past 12 years. [29268]
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 21 June 1995]: The information is not available in the form requested. The information in the table shows the proportion of the total number of hip operations in each of the last six years that were revisions. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available.
|Hip |Percentage
|operations|Revisions |revisions
-------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |46,490 |2,882 |6.2
1989-90 |50,790 |3,555 |7.0
1990-91 |50,725 |3,449 |6.8
1991-92 |55,642 |3,895 |7.0
1992-93 |57,437 |3,963 |6.9
1993-94 |58,439 |3,740 |6.4
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics-Estimate from 25 per cent.
sample.
Hip operation codes-shortlist code WC1 and WC3.
OPCS4R codes W37-W39, W46-W48.
Revision codes-37.3, 38.3, 39.3 46.3, 47.3 and 48.3.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Voluntary Organisations
Miss Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many voluntary sector organisations his Department has (a) paid grants to or (b) entered into contracts with in (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what was the total value of these grants and contracts. [31306]
Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is as follows:
Voluntary sector Voluntary sector
organisations organisations
|Paid grants |Value of grant |Awarded contracts|Value of contract
Year |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |1,342 |77,597,234 |326 |68,086,243
1994-95 |1,373 |71,404,810 |321 |69,608,550
Some payments due under the letters of offer were made in the same financial year.
Dungiven Bypass
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he now expects work to begin on the Dungiven bypass. [32447]
Mr. Moss: The Dungiven bypass is not included in the Department's current five-year major road works programme.
Bridge Strengthening
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been expended to date on the bridge strengthening programme; and how long it will be and at what cost before the programme is complete. [32446]
Mr. Moss: In the last three years, approximately £13.2 million has been expended on the bridge assessment and strengthening programme. Information prior to 1992 93 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The provision allocation for the 1995 96 financial year is £5 million.
It is planned that the assessment programme will be completed by 31 December 1998. The cost and the timing of the completion of the associated strengthening works will depend on the volume of work identified and the availability of finance.
Limavady Bypass
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he now expects work to begin on the construction of the Limavady bypass. [32448]
Mr. Moss: Work on the first stage of the Limavady bypass is due to commence in the 1997 98 financial year, subject to the availability of finance.
Further Education
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of capital expenditure on education has been devoted to further education in each of the past 10 years. [32904]
Mr. Ancram: The information is as follows:
Year |Percentage --------------------------------- 1984-85 |3 1985-86 |3 1986-87 |4 1987-88 |5 1988-89 |9 1989-90 |10 1990-91 |9 1991-92 |6 1992-93 |8 1993-94 |7
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the proposed five-year building programme for further education colleges in Northern Ireland. [32906]
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Mr. Ancram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 June, Official Report , column 466 .
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which further education colleges he has visited; and if he will make a statement on the physical condition of those colleges. [32903]
Mr. Ancram: I have visited Fermanagh, Omagh, Limavady, North-West, Magherafelt, North-East, Upper Bann and East Tyrone colleges. The physical condition of these colleges varies from excellent to some instances where provision is poor.
Belfast Institute of Further Education
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will visit the Ormeau road premises of the Belfast Institute of Further Education; and what actions he proposes to take to bring its facilities up to modern standards. [32902]
Mr. Ancram: I always try to respond positively to invitations to visit schools and colleges.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 June, Official Report , column 466 .
Emergency Legislation
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to start a full-scale independent review into the emergency legislation; and what will be its timetable. [32692]
Sir John Wheeler: The timing of the independent review of the continuing need for the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 and the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 has yet to be decided. The Government will take a number of factors into account before initiating the review and deciding upon its timetable. These will include assessing the security situation in Northern Ireland to see if confidence in a lasting peace has been clearly established.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is his policy that internment should not feature in the proposed successor legislation to the Emergency Powers Act 1964. [32693]
Sir John Wheeler: Provision for the detention of terrorists--in section 34 of and schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991--are currently
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not in force. The Government will carefully consider the continuing need for such provisions in the context of preparing the successor legislation to replace the existing Act which expires next year.Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussion he has had with the Chief Constable of the RUC on the desirability of using Police and Criminal Evidence Act powers rather than emergency legislation wherever possible; and what was the response. [32695]
Sir John Wheeler: Discussions between Ministers and the Chief Constable on security matters remain confidential. However, it is hoped that a changing and improving security situation will mean that the use of the powers contained in the emergency legislation will continue to decrease to the point where they are no longer needed.
Detainees
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were held in each holding centre in each month of 1994 and each month of 1995 to date. [32694]
Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is as follows:
1994 |Castlereagh|Gough |Strand Road ------------------------------------------------------------ January |128 |37 |4 February |114 |44 |3 March |129 |35 |0 April |132 |22 |7 May |118 |32 |4 June |150 |15 |7 July |111 |17 |2 August |99 |39 |13 September |47 |9 |5 October |56 |6 |3 November |51 |13 |3 December |36 |9 |1
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many detentions under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1985 were made in each month of 1994 and each month of 1995 to date; and for what lengths of time detainees were held. [32697]
Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is as follows:
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|Less than |24 hrs- |48 hrs- |72 hrs- |120 hrs-
|24 hrs |47 hrs 59 mins |71 hrs 59 mins |119 hrs 59 mins|167 hrs 59 mins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994
January |24 |99 |3 |43 |0
February |17 |101 |10 |26 |7
March |20 |110 |3 |31 |2
April |27 |77 |4 |29 |24
May |30 |55 |7 |58 |4
June |42 |96 |7 |22 |5
July |43 |69 |3 |14 |1
August |25 |89 |5 |27 |5
September |8 |44 |2 |7 |0
October |10 |54 |1 |0 |0
November |10 |55 |0 |0 |2
December |14 |32 |0 |0 |0
1995
January |6 |26 |2 |0 |0
February |10 |40 |1 |0 |0
March |17 |26 |4 |2 |0
April |17 |19 |0 |0 |0
May |6 |21 |0 |0 |0
Figures for June 1995 are not yet available.
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Diplock Courts
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to phase in more trials with jury rather than continuing the use of Diplock courts over the coming year. [32698]
Sir John Wheeler: The Government have no plans to amend schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991, which lists those substantive offences that are dealt with on indictment by the Crown court without a jury in accordance with section 10 of the Act. The future independent review of the legislation will address the continuing need for all aspects of counter-terrorist law.
Collegiate Court
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his response to the proposal by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights that consideration should be given to the establishment of a collegiate court pending full restoration of jury trials. [32699]
Sir John Wheeler: The Government are not presently persuaded that multi-judge courts are desirable to deal with scheduled offences. There is no evidence to show that a change to multi-judge courts would necessarily produce better justice, or significantly enhanced confidence in the court system. Any person convicted of a scheduled offence in a single-judge court has an automatic right of appeal to the Court of Appeal which itself comprises three judges, and there is an important safeguard in that the trial judge is required to produce a written judgment setting out his reasons for any conviction.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which projects have been selected by the Water Executive for the private finance initiative; what is the estimated cost of these projects; when they were due to go out to tender; and what is the estimated delay caused by these projects being included in the private finance initiative. [32823]
Mr. Moss: The Water Executive has a major capital construction programme designed to ensure compliance with national standards, incorporating those of the EC, over the next 10 years. This programme has significantly increased the executive's capital demands and it is appropriate that we explore the use of private finance in this context. It is a normal method of funding infrastructure projects internationally, as well as in the United Kingdom, and I am anxious that the potential for
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its application to the Water Executive's capital programme should be tested.Government recognise that using private finance must provide genuine value for money. I have therefore agreed that, as a first step the Water Executive should select two pilot schemes to test the viability of the private sector financing, building, owning and operating such facilities on a long-term basis. In order to assist with this work a consortium comprising Mott MacDonald Ltd., and NatWest Markets have been appointed to act as a manager and financial advisor of the pilot scheme.
I am presently considering the final selection of the schemes to be included in the pilot project. They will probably have a combined capital value of over £20 million and I will announce the details in due course.
I do not anticipate that the private finance initiative will cause any significant delays in these schemes.
Students
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland domiciled students leave to study at higher education institutions in Great Britain; and what percentage return to work in Northern Ireland. [32908]
Mr. Ancram: In 1993 94, the latest year for which information is available, 24 per cent. of all Northern Ireland domiciled new entrants to higher education left to study at institutions in Great Britain, including 34 per cent. of full-time undergraduate new entrants. In the same year, 11 per cent. of Northern Ireland domiciled first-degree graduates from Great Britain universities returned to Northern Ireland to take up employment.
Electronic Surveillance
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to implement electronic surveillance of interviews with suspects in holding centres; and what form this will take. [32700]
Sir John Wheeler: The Government have said that they will give consideration to the introduction of an electronic recording scheme for the police offices, in the context of the successor legislation to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 if it still appears necessary to do so in the light of the developing security situation.
Holding Centres
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to close any holding centres. [32701]
Sir John Wheeler: None at present.
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Coroners Courts
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response he has had from the Lord Chancellor to the recommendations by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights on the reform of coroners courts in Northern Ireland. [32702]
Sir John Wheeler: In Northern Ireland, coroners courts and inquest procedures are the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor has confirmed to the Secretary of State that he has no present plans to change the current system of inquests in Northern Ireland.
Forensic Science Laboratory
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals there are for the future use of the site of the former forensic science laboratory at Newtownbreda; when he expects to make a decision; and if he will make a statement. [32994]
Sir John Wheeler: The former site at Newtownbreda of the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory is no longer required by Government. In accordance with standing policy it will be sold and it is intended to arrange a public auction for this purpose as soon as possible.
Human Rights
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to cease using derogation under article 5(3) of the European convention on human rights and article 4 of the international covenant on civil and political rights. [32696]
Mr. Howard: I have been asked to reply.
Limited derogations under article 15 of the European convention on human rights and article 4 of the international covenant on civil and political rights cover detention by the police on the Secretary of State's authority under the prevention of terrorism Act of persons suspected of involvement in Northern Irish terrorism. The Government continue to keep the need for the derogations under review but it is too early to be satisfied that they could safely be withdrawn.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Family Credit
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each month since December 1994 the percentage of family credit claims taking five working days to be dealt with from the time of the claim being received by his Department and the figures for each subsequent day up to 30 working days. [31678]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ian Magee to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 6 July 1995: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the clearance of claims to Family Credit.
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I enclose, at annex A, a table which details the proportion of claims cleared within 5 days and up to 30 days, from December 1994 to the end of May 1995.I hope you find this useful.
Annex A: Clearance times for Family Credit claims-
December 1994-May 1995.
|December|January |February|March |April |May
Days |1994 |1995 |1995 |1995 |1995 |1995
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 |31.1 |33.6 |39.2 |42.6 |45.6 |42.2
6 |33.7 |36.0 |42.3 |46.3 |50.7 |46.9
7 |38.6 |40.0 |48.4 |52.9 |53.3 |50.9
8 |40.9 |42.3 |51.3 |55.8 |56.2 |57.5
9 |43.4 |45.1 |54.2 |58.8 |62.7 |61.0
10 |49.5 |50.3 |60.7 |65.0 |65.8 |65.5
11 |52.8 |52.6 |63.7 |67.9 |70.5 |67.4
12 |58.1 |56.3 |68.4 |72.4 |72.7 |69.4
13 |60.6 |58.4 |70.6 |74.2 |74.7 |74.7
14 |63.0 |60.4 |72.6 |76.1 |78.8 |76.7
15 |67.9 |64.3 |76.7 |79.7 |80.7 |79.2
16 |70.1 |66.0 |78.4 |81.3 |83.5 |80.5
17 |73.7 |68.9 |80.9 |83.6 |84.6 |82.0
18 |75.1 |70.4 |82.1 |84.6 |85.7 |82.0
19 |76.5 |72.0 |83.3 |85.6 |87.9 |85.2
20 |79.7 |74.9 |85.7 |87.7 |89.0 |86.3
21 |81.1 |76.2 |86.7 |88.6 |90.4 |87.9
22 |83.4 |78.5 |88.3 |90.1 |91.0 |88.7
23 |84.4 |79.6 |89.0 |90.7 |91.7 |89.7
24 |85.3 |80.9 |89.7 |91.3 |93.0 |91.4
25 |87.3 |83.0 |91.2 |92.5 |93.5 |92.0
26 |88.4 |83.9 |91.8 |93.1 |94.4 |92.8
27 |89.8 |85.6 |92.6 |93.9 |94.7 |93.3
28 |90.3 |86.4 |93.0 |94.2 |95.1 |93.9
29 |90.8 |87.2 |93.4 |94.6 |95.8 |94.8
30 |92.1 |88.8 |94.3 |95.3 |96.1 |95.1
The figures provided indicate the cumulative total percentage cleared
in each working day.
Mortgage Interest
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to commission further research into the exclusion of certain categories of borrowers from mortgage protection insurance policies. [32045]
Mr. Roger Evans: We have no such plans. However, we have already worked closely with the Association of British Insurers in developing guidelines to best practice which addresses many of the concerns about existing mortgage protection insurance. We continue to have on-going discussions with the Association of British Insurers and the Council of Mortgage Lenders and, as with any new policy, we will be monitoring carefully the changes to the provision of income support help with housing costs.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the dates of all meetings held by himself or his Department with (a) the Association of British Insurers, (b) representatives of individual insurance companies and (c) other individuals connected with the insurance industry to discuss the reduction of mortgage interest protection by income support prior to the initial announcement of this policy. [32047]
Mr. Evans: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had meetings with the Association of British Insurers. Ministers and officials in this Department have had regular, and on-going, discussions with the Association of British Insurers, representatives of individual insurance
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companies and other individuals connected with the insurance industry.Habitual Residence Test
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were refused income support due to the habitual residence requirement in March; and how many of these were (a) British nationals, (b) European economic area nationals and (c) others. [32718]
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