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Pay Bargaining
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide in respect of his plan for pay delegation submitted to the Treasury (a) a description of the staff in each bargaining unit covered by the plan, distinguishing staff in headquarters functions, agencies and agency candidates, and in other identifiable business units and (b) proposals for trade union recognition in each bargaining unit and the negotiating machinery to be put in place in each bargaining unit. [38273]
Mr. Norris: Three delegation plans were submitted to the Treasury: for the Central Transport Group--which included the Vehicle Certification Agency--for the Marine Safety Agency and for the Coastguard Agency. CTG and VCA will form a single bargaining unit; MSA and TCA will be separate bargaining units.
(a) The staff covered by the plans, which exclude those who will join the senior civil service on 1 April 1996, are as follows: CTG: 2,130 and VCA 76,
MSA: 381,
TCA: 563.
(b) The existing patterns of trade union recognition--the Civil and Public Service Association, the Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists, the National Union of Civil and Public Servants and the Association of First
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division Civil Servants--will continue for all three bargaining units except where the union has no members in that particular organisation. Negotiations on the bargaining machinery for each unit are currently taking place with the recognised unions.Lower Thames Crossing
Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make a statement on the lower Thames crossing study. [37642]
Mr. Watts: The consultants completed the feasibility study for the lower Thames crossing late last year and its findings are being considered by Ministers. This was a wide-ranging study looking at the need for a crossing, possible locations east of the present Dartford crossing and the suitability of the project for attracting private sector finance. Also particular attention had to be given to the sensitive environmental features of the Thames estuary and the impact on it of such a project.
Since the completion of the study, the former Secretary of State has initiated the transport debate following the publication of the royal commission report on environmental pollution and the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment report on traffic generation. All of these issues need to be taken into account on a project such as this before any decisions can be taken on whether or not to take the project forward.
An announcement on the study will be made when all of these issues have been considered.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
EU ACP Meetings
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of the twice yearly meetings between Members of the European Parliament and colleagues from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries during each of the past five years. [37626]
Mr. David Davis: According to European Commission development directorate figures, the total cost to the European development fund of EU ACP joint assemblies and preparatory meetings under the fourth Lome convention is around £1,400,000, converted at the current exchange rate £1:1.984 ecu.
A more precise breakdown is as follows:
1991: 340,000 ecu
1992: 497,492 ecu
1993: 580,000 ecu
1994: 219,750 ecu
The European development fund covers the costs of the ACP participants only. Figures for other costs are not available.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka on the present conflict in Sri Lanka. [37648]
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Mr. Hanley: I discussed the conflict in Sri Lanka with the British High Commissioner during my visit to Sri Lanka from 8 to 10 October.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British high commissioner to Sri Lanka last visited Jaffna; and if he will make a statement on the report he made following his visit. [37649]
Mr. Hanley: Since a trip which he made to the Government-held areas of Palaly and Karaitivu in 1992, the British high commissioner has been unable to visit Jaffna. But a member of the high commission visited from 6 to 8 March, with a group of diplomats from aid donor countries, to evaluate the requirements for relief and rehabilitation in the event of a peace settlement.
Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government received a copy of the United Nations special commission on Iraq report, made public on 11 October, on the scope of Iraq's biological and germ warfare programme and missile delivery system programme; and whether the report identified the involvement of any British companies in these programmes. [37662]
Mr. David Davis: The UNSCOM and IAEA reports were received on Wednesday, 11 October 1995. No British companies are identified in either of the reports.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the referendum held in Iraq. [38093]
Mr. Hanley: The so-called referendum which the Iraqi Government held on 15 October was a farcical attempt by Saddam Hussein to claim democratic legitimacy. The system of brutal oppression in Iraq makes it impossible to express opposition to Saddam. We hope Iraqis will one day be able freely to decide their own future, although it is hard to imagine how this could be possible while Saddam is in power. We support the efforts of the Iraqi National Congress to form a united, representative opposition to Saddam's regime.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken further to publicise the amount of oil that the Iraqi regime is allowed to sell abroad under United Nations sanctions policy; and what estimate he has made of the revenue accruing to the Iraqi Government from the sale of oil. [38094]
Mr. Hanley: We take every opportunity to urge Iraq to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 986, which would allow Iraq to export substantial amounts of oil in return for much-needed humanitarian supplies. Saddam Hussein must shoulder the responsibility for the suffering of the Iraqi people caused by his failure to do so. If the scheme were implemented, we estimate that Iraq could purchase approximately $2.5 billion of humanitarian supplies per annum. This compares with $5 billion spent on all civilian goods in 1989.
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French Nuclear Tests
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given by Her Majesty's Government to invoking articles 142 and 192 of the Euratom treaty in regard to French nuclear tests and France's compliance with the treaty. [37679]
Mr. David Davis: None. The Euratom treaty does not apply to military applications of nuclear energy, including nuclear weapons tests.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 29 August to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) concerning a constituent reference GV100/28008/SB. [38095]
Mr. Hanley: The migration and visa correspondence unit replied to the hon. Member's letter of 29 August on 18 October. The delay in replying is regretted.
High Commission Building, Kenya
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who were the consultants for the new British high commission in Nairobi; what was the estimated cost of the new building; and what are the total costs to date. [38180]
Mr. Hanley: The following consultants were commissioned: Cullum and Nightingale--Design Architects
Hughes and Polkinghorne--Executive Architects
GTMS--Project Managers
Howard Humphreys--Structural and Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
D.G. Jones--Quantity Surveyors
Carnell Green--Interior Designers
The estimated cost of the new building, including two staff houses, staff amenities, fees and furnishings, was £6,974,000 in October 1992. Total costs to date are £6,300,000.
SCOTLAND
Down's Syndrome
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many children have been born in Scotland with Down's syndrome in each of the past 15 years. [36338]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information requested is as follows:
Year |Number of babies
|recorded with
|Down's
|syndrome<1,2>
---------------------------------------------------
1980 |58
1981 |48
1982 |44
1983 |55
1984 |46
1985 |51
1986 |39
1987 |61
1988 |62
1989 |51
1990 |58
1991 |70
1992 |43
1993<3> |42
1994<3> |52
<1> Live and still births.
<2> Recorded on the Scottish Morbidity Record (
SMR)11.
<3> Provisional.
The coverage of the SMR11 statistical inquiry from which information on Down's syndrome babies is derived has increased over the period from 75 per cent. of all live births in 1980 to 98 per cent. of all live births currently and interpretation of the data should be made against that background.
Artificial Limbs and Appliances
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify his latest proposals for the supply and fitting of artificial limbs and appliances under the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [37516]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Artificial limb and appliance centres are funded centrally by the national services division of the Common Services Agency. Proposals to devolve responsibility for purchasing this service to health boards are currently being considered and a decision will be announced shortly.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Care Costs
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families have taken up the offer of up to £40 a week in child care costs since October 1994; and what is the average per family and the total cost of the scheme to date. [37008]
Mr. Roger Evans: At 30 June 1995, 23,000 families had received higher family credit awards as a result of the help with child care charges with an average gain of £14.63 family credit per week. The benefit cost of the provision to that date was £6.6 million. No information is yet available as to families receiving help through housing and council tax benefits.
Source:
One in 20 sample of family credit awards made between 1 October 1994 and 30 June 1995. Figures do not include families who had their child care charges allowed but receive no extra benefit because they are already in receipt of their maximum family credit.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many asylum seekers who have appealed against a refusal of asylum are in receipt of income support. [37163]
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Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate of the annual cost of social security and housing benefits paid to asylum seekers; and how many have been in receipt of those benefits in each of the last three years. [37417]
Mr. Evans: The latest estimate of the annual amount of income support and housing benefit paid to asylum seekers is £200 million. Numbers of asylum seekers receiving income support are shown in the table:
Income support |Number of cases ------------------------------------------------ May 1993<1> |37,000 May 1994<1> |42,000 Note: <1> Includes an estimated 1-2 thousand cases of former asylum seekers who are now entitled to Income Support under the normal rules. Source Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiries May 1993 and May 1994.
Claims from asylum seekers were not identified separately before May 1993.
Information about other benefits paid to asylum seekers and the numbers receiving them is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Habitual Residence Test
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the estimated public savings in income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit arising from the number of British citizens excluded from income-related benefits as a result of the habitual residence test during the first year of its
operation. [37735]
Mr. Roger Evans: The public savings are broadly estimated to be £15 million in the first 12 months of operation, from August 1994 to July 1995.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants for income support have been subjected to the habitual residence test in each of the months since its inception; and how many failed it. [37695]
Mr. Evans: The habitual residence test applies to all income support claimants. I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Timms) on 18 April 1995, Official Report , column 43 , and on 10 July 1995, Official Report , column 449 , in respect of refusals and on 21 April 1995, Official Report , column 314 , in relation to the availability of these figures.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who failed the habitual residence test, and who are neither British citizens nor other European Economic Area nationals, were awarded income support under regulation 70(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Urgent Cases). [37696]
Mr. Evans: This information is not readily available and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social
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Security how many decisions were made by adjudication officers in the year April 1993 94 within the Employment Service concerning the habitual residence of a person claiming unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom. [37697]Mr. Evans: Decisions on contribution conditions, including the habitual residence of a person claiming unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom, are made by the Secretary of State. In the period January to April 1994 there were 201 decisions. Figures for the period April to December 1993 are no longer available.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against the disallowance of income support under the habitual residence test were decided at the Benefits Agency district offices in Euston, Ealing, Kensington, Tottenham, Westminster, Wandsworth, Neasden, Hounslow and Slough in each of the latest four quarters; and those decided, how many were successful. [37698]
Mr. Evans: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the relationship between the figures for estimated public expenditure savings arising from the habitual residence test given in the answers of 2 March 1995, Official Report , column 706 , and 12 July 1995, Official Report , column 621 . [37733]
Mr. Evans: The public expenditure savings arising from the habitual residence test given in the answer of 2 March, Official Report , column 706 , were based on an initial estimate that 5,000 EEA work-seekers would be adversely affected by the test. This estimate was based on the best information available prior to the actual implementation of the test. The public expenditure savings arising from the habitual residence test given in the answer of 12 July 1995, Official Report , column 621 , were based on revised estimates of the actual impact of the test after it had been in operation for eight months.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what extra resources have been given to the independent tribunal service to fund appeals against the habitual residence test. [37737]
Mr. Evans: The independent tribunal service is funded according to the projected work load for all types of appeal. Resources for hearing appeals against the habitual residence test are included in the current year's allocation, but are not identified separately from other types of social security appeals.
Income Support (Appeals)
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimated cost of processing an income support appeal to (a) the Benefits Agency and (b) the independent tribunal service. [37736]
Mr. Roger Evans: The separate information is not available in the precise format requested. The latest estimated costs of processing an appeal to a social security appeal tribunal to (a) the Benefits Agency and (b) the independent tribunal service are £79 and £236 respectively.
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Widow's Benefit
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend regulation 35 of schedule 9 to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 to include widow's benefit as a specified benefit; and if he make a statement. [38173]
Mr. Heald: No. We have no plans to extend the scope of this regulation, which allows for direct payment of income support to third parties, to other benefits.
Direct payments take away people's responsibility to manage their own affairs and are expensive to administer. For both reasons, they ought to be kept to a minimum. There is, however, a provision which allows a person's benefit, or part of it, to be paid to another person--but not to a local authority or corporate body--in cases of budgeting difficulty.
HEALTH
Deprivation Payments
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria have been employed by family health services authorities in determining reductions in deprivation payments to general practitioners; how often such payments are reviewed; and what transitional arrangements have been put in place to prevent hardship. [37419]
Mr. Malone: Family health services authorities do not have discretion in determining deprivation payments for general practitioners. Payments are made on the basis of the Jarman index and are reviewed annually in the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body round. We estimate that the use of the 1991 census data this year will deliver some £5 million extra to the profession as a whole. In addition some £3.7 million will be paid out in England to protect the income of individual GPs losing from the change.
Children in Care
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake a study into the number of children taken into care as a direct result of their mothers receiving custodial sentences for fine defaulting. [37518]
Mr. Bowis: I have no plans to do so.
Consultancy Costs
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what moneys have been spent on the services of outside consultancy firms by each regional health authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [37622]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Buckland Hospital
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the continuity of paediatric services at Buckland hospital, Dover. [37908]
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Mr. Sackville: East Kent health authority is currently working on proposals to strengthen and improve paediatric services across the whole of the district, including the Buckland hospital. The aim is to provide excellent clinical services for patients while meeting the requirements for junior doctor training.
Drug Side Effects
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include drug side effect and interaction information with all drugs dispensed by a pharmacist. [37236]
Mr. Sackville: There is a statutory requirement for manufacturers of medicines to fulfil United Kingdom regulations for labelling medicines and providing patient information leaflets. A leaflet provides information on all aspects of a medicine including side effects and interactions. All newly authorised medicines require leaflets; for those medicines already on the market, leaflets are being phased in over the next three years through the introduction of patient packs for medicines containing a quantity of medicine appropriate for a course of treatment.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that all general practitioners and hospitals have access to computer systems which give warnings of drug side effects and interactions. [37237]
Mr. Sackville: Requirements for accreditation of general practitioner computer systems have been developed and publicised to general practitioner computer suppliers. These set out standards for a drug database listing side effects and interactions.
Computerised prescribing systems are at an early stage of development within hospitals. However, information on drug side effects and interactions is widely available through free issue of the British national formulary, product data sheets, and other local prescribing publications to all hospital doctors and pharmacists. Hospital pharmacists provide a further check by reviewing prescriptions prior to dispensing medicines.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has for the issuing of a steroid warning card to patients on steroid treatment. [37238]
Mr. Sackville: Department of health guidance that steroid warning cards should be issued to patients on steroid treatments has been in issue for many years. In addition, the British National Formulary, published every six months jointly by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, contains advice on the need for and use of the card. Copies of the British National Formulary are issued free of charge to all national health service doctors and community pharmacists.
Mental Health Act
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider the need for district health authorities to ensure adequate cover in their areas of medical practices approved for the purposes of section 12 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in provision of timely attendance to patients requiring examination consequent to sections 2 and 3 of the Act. [37584]
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Mr. Bowis: Regional directors of public health are currently responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient suitably trained and experienced doctors approved under the Act. We are satisfied that these requirements are being properly met. From April 1996 the responsibility will pass to health authorities. We will be issuing guidance on the new arrangements shortly.
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