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Seal Pup Slaughter
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government last authorised the British embassy in Moscow to raise the issue of seal pup slaughter. [38475]
The Prime Minister: The embassy in Moscow was instructed to raise the question of seal culling on receipt of the 1995 seal cull figures. These arrived on 3 October and the embassy is now seeking a meeting with the
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relevant authorities to reiterate the British public's opposition to seal culling and to ask the Russians to reconsider their position.Intergovernmental Conference
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy towards the IGC; and if he will make a statement. [38573]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to my speech on Europe on 1 March, Official Report, columns 1060-74. We will continue to seek a European Union that is open, flexible, free-trading, efficient and responsive to people's concerns.
Information Technology
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent or allowed for the hire of consultants in each Government Department during the process of assessing bids for IT-related contracts; and if he will list the consultants used and the amounts spent in each case. [38086]
The Prime Minister: The information is not held centrally.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Prime Minister what safeguards exist to prevent individual firms from establishing monopoly positions during the award of contracts for services that are carried out in all or most Government Departments, with particular reference to those for information technology. [38084]
The Prime Minister: All contracts are awarded on the basis of best value for money after a fair and open competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. Departments will have regard to market conditions when considering bids. The procedure is no different in the case of information technology contracts.
Market Testing
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Prime Minister what steps have been put in place in each Government Department to avoid corruption or conflict of interest during the market testing process. [38087]
The Prime Minister: The principles to be followed are laid out clearly in "The Government's Guide to Market Testing" and the "Civil Service Management Code". The recent White Paper on procurement, "Setting New Standards", re-emphasised the Government's commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards in procurement. All these documents are available in the Library of the House.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Prime Minister what mechanisms exist in each Government Department during the market testing process to test bids for risk assessment and value for money and, following the award of contracts, to monitor the performance of those contracts. [38085]
The Prime Minister: The principles to be followed are laid out clearly in "The Government's Guide to Market Testing", which is available in the Library of the House.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Policyholders Protection Act 1975
Mr. Batiste: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has completed his review of the Policyholders Protection Act 1975; and if he will make a statement. [39328]
Mr. Lang: Following publication of the consultative document "A Review of the Policyholders Protection Act 1975" in July 1994, there has been general support, both from insurers and policyholder interests, for changes in the scope and operations of the Policyholders Protection Act. I have therefore concluded that the Act requires amendment. The amendments will require primary legislation, which I will bring forward when parliamentary time permits. The principal change which I propose to make is to the Act's geographic coverage. I propose to restrict it to insurance policies covering European Economic Area risks and commitments underwritten by United Kingdom authorised companies and UK risks and commitments underwritten by UK-located branches of EEA companies. I also intend to extend the Act's scope, subject to de minimis provisions, to include insurance policies covering UK risks which have been underwritten on a services basis by companies based elsewhere in the EEA.
I also propose to restrict the coverage of partnerships, which are currently treated more favourably under the Act than incorporated companies. I propose to put them on an equal footing by restricting compensation to partnerships and incorporated companies alike only to compulsory insurance classes.
Neither of these proposals will be retrospective: they will apply to payments by the Policyholders Protection Board triggered by any insurance failure after enactment of the proposals.
I also propose to make a number of minor changes to the Act which have been suggested during the review to improve the operation of the Act, to improve protection for insureds who are not policyholders and to reduce the Policyholders Protection Board's administrative costs.
Full details of the proposed changes are contained in a document which I have placed in the Library of the House.
Iran
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further exceptions there have been concerning the Government's export licensing policy towards Iran following his statements of 18 January 1994, Official Report , column 509 , and 6 July 1994, Official Report , column 224 . [39329]
Mr. Oppenheim: As I said in my earlier statement, a number of representations have been received by my Department concerning export business entered into before the moratorium on export licences was imposed on 17 December 1992. We have identified a third case concerning the completion of a contract for repair and overhaul in the United Kingdom of non-lethal marine components.
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In the circumstances, we have agreed to issue a licence which would allow these components to be returned to their owners in Iran unrepaired.Research Establishments
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the expected cost of conducting a prior options review of the public sector research establishments--Cm 2991; and from which budget this will be found. [38408]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The cost of conducting individual reviews of public sector research establishments will vary, but it is not expected to be substantial. The reviews will be undertaken, and the costs borne, by the respective parent or sponsoring Government Department or research council in each case.
All public sector research establishments are subject to periodic review. The Government's response to the Multi-departmental Scrutiny of Public Sector Research Establishments--Cm 2991--announced that we are bringing forward the existing programme of reviews and extending the prior options process to research council establishments to allow related establishments to be considered together.
Consultancy Brokerage Service
Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what fees were paid in total to the Consultancy Brokerage Service's contractor, Salford University Business Services; [37756] (2) what has been government expenditure to date on the Consultancy Brokerage Service including its consultants and set up costs. [37773]
Mr. Lang: Some £2.94 million. This sum includes total payments of £650,000 to all contractors, including Salford University Business Services Ltd. The sums paid to individual contractors are commercially confidential. Some £1.37 million of the total expenditure was on information technology hardware, for which alternative uses are being found.
My hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Energy announced on 14 September 1995 that the DTI would be working with business links to develop regional consultancy databases and that the Consultancy Brokerage Service would not now proceed. It is not expected that this alternative approach will entail any significant expenditure.
National Engineering Laboratory
Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances the Astra provisions applied to the privatisation of public bodies; and if they will apply to the takeover of the National Engineering Laboratory by ASL. [38186]
Mr. Ian Taylor: An "Astra" clause is not normally made a condition of sale when privatising a public body although shortlisted bidders can be invited to say whether they would be prepared voluntarily to undertake not to seek the renegotiation of redundancy terms. The purchaser of the National Engineering Laboratory had made its
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intentions known to the Department and the Department has passed on this information to staff and to the unions which represent staff at the laboratory.Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if all contracts by Government Departments or agencies previously placed at the National Engineering Laboratory will now be subject to competitive tendering following the takeover by ASL of the laboratory. [38182]
Mr. Taylor: Work outstanding under letters of agreement or contracts with the National Engineering Laboratory will be transferred to the purchaser.
Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the value of existing contracts, split between private and public sector, held by the National Engineering Laboratory and which will be transferred to ASL on takeover. [38185]
Mr. Taylor: The value of the existing contracts of the National Engineering Laboratory is commercially sensitive information which must remain confidential.
Copyright
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his letter of 21 August to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, when he hopes to complete his review of draft regulations to implement directive 93/98/EEC on the duration of copyright in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [37297]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The review of the proposed legislation to implement directive 93/98/EEC has been completed, taking into consideration the comments received in response to the consultative draft which was circulated earlier in the year. Regulations to implement the directive are now in the course of preparation, and will be laid before both Libraries of the House as soon as possible.
Pay Bargaining
Mr. McAllion: To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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, distinguish 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. [38285]
Mr. Lang: My Department will contain the following bargaining units for the 1996 97 pay round: for specialist insolvency grades (currently 625 posts); for specialist in the Radiocommunications Agency (326 posts); and for the rest of DTI (9103.5 posts) including any agencies which remain within DTI's remit on 1 April 1996, but excluding staff of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service which will be a separate bargaining unit.
Proposals have been put to the trade unions--IPMS, NUCPS, CPSA and FDA-- regarding the negotiating machinery.
Encryption
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to resist changes to Government policy on encryption following
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consideration of encryption issues by the Council of Europe and the European Union. [38164]Mr. Ian Taylor: Officials from various Government Departments have been giving consideration to Government policy on the provision of encrypted services on public networks. Such a policy needs to take into account the legitimate requirement of industry, commerce and individuals for a range of cryptographic services and national security needs, including fighting terrorism and serious crime. In addition, the European Union has put forward draft proposals on the provision of European-wide trust services, which the Government, with other member states, are considering. But no decisions have yet been taken.
HEALTH
NHS Trusts
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by NHS trust, the centrally returned figures for expenditure on management consultancy services in 1994 95. [38379]
Mr. Sackville: Centrally returned figures do not separately identify this information.
Departmental Work
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the work of his Department since 1990. [38073]
Mr. Sackville: The work of my Department is summarised for each year in the departmental report, alongside an explanation of the Department's expenditure plans for the following years. The first such report was produced in 1991, and contains an explanation of the major policy and service developments that occurred in 1990 91. Copies of the reports are available in the Library.
Population Statistics
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales together, in each case with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures. [36779]
Mr. Sackville: The available information will be placed in the Library.
NHS Low Income Scheme
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 July, Official Report, column 1284 85, (1) how many applicants to the NHS low income scheme are for help with prescription charges; how many were allowed; and what is the total value of the benefit consequently paid out; [37319]
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(2) on the health benefits scheme, how much expenditure can be identified as resulting from applications for help through the AG1 scheme instead of total revenue forgone on health benefits. [37320]Mr. Malone: AG1 claims to the national health service low income scheme are treated as claims for help in respect of all relevant NHS charges and travelling expenses. I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 19 July, columns 1284 85, for the available information about prescription and dental charge revenue forgone and expenditure on sight tests and optical vouchers. Costs attributable to AG1 claims are not identified separately. Information about AG1 claims and their outcomes is shown in the table.
Number of AG1 claims received and numbers of charges
certificates issued for Great Britain in 1994-95
|Outcome
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of AG1 claim forms received |1,300,963
Number of NHS charges certificates issued for full
help (AG2) which includes entitlement to free
prescriptions<1> |694,135
Number of NHS charges certificates issued for
limited help (AG3) |457,254
<1> People receiving income support, family credit and disability
working allowance (with capital of £8,000) or less are also entitled
to free prescriptions under the NHS low income scheme.
Calculators (Purchases)
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calculators have been purchased by the NHS supplies authority in each of the last five years. [37410]
Mr. Sackville: The information requested is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Specialist Clinics
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the result of the National Centre for Primary Care Research study into the cost -effectiveness of specialist clinics in general practice. [37411]
Mr. Malone: The Centre for Primary Care Research undertook a study to establish the extent and nature of specialist outreach clinics and to describe specialists' and general practitioners' views on them. The results were published in the British Medical Journal , volume 38, on 23 April 1994, copies of which are available in the Library. The National Primary Care Research and Development Centre is currently conducting research in this area.
Stress
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 March, Official Report, column 569, what are the first results of the research by Dr. Toby Wall about the mental health of the NHS work force. [37412]
Mr. Malone: The first results from this research are not yet available.
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Children's Homes
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the main recommendations of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes and on the main provisions of the code of practice issued by his Department following publication of the Warner report; [37700]
(2) what specific structures and systems have been established by his Department to monitor compliance on the part of local authorities with the provisions of the code of practice arising from the publication of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which each local authority is (a) currently and (b) in the future planning to comply with the provisions of the code; [37701]
(3) what specific action (a) has been taken and (b) is planned in order to encourage greater compliance on the part of local authorities with the provisions of the code of practice arising from the publication of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes; [37703]
(4) what assessment his Department has made of the costs to local authorities associated with compliance with the provisions of the code of practice arising from the publication of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes; [37704]
(5) to what extent local authorities will be reimbursed in future for the increased costs associated with compliance with the provisions of the code of practice arising from the publication of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes; [37705]
(6) if he will make a statement setting out the steps which he is taking to encourage compliance with the terms of the code of practice arising from the publication of the Warner report on the selection, development and management of staff in children's homes with particular reference to the advance vetting of those seeking access to children; and if he will indicate those agencies, charities or commercial organisations of which the Department holds details and which are able to provide advice to local authorities on such vetting procedures. [37699]
Mr. Bowis: Progress on the implementation of recommendations in the Warner report by local authorities was reported in Children Act reports in 1992, 1993 and 1994, copies of which are available in the Library.
The code of practice for the employment of residential child care workers, which I endorse, was produced by the independent support force for children's residential care. It is a reference document intended for the use of local authorities and other providers of child care services. It does not impose on local authorities any new burdens or costs. Local authorities are expected to continue to be particularly rigorous in their policies, procedures and practice for the recruitment, selection and retention of staff involved in child care services. This is routinely examined by inspectors of these services.
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The code of practice and existing guidance from the Department of Health provide advice to local authorities on vetting procedures: how they implement the advice is their responsibility.Osteoporosis
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what criteria are used to ascertain the suitability of an illness for inclusion in "The Health of the Nation" as a key area; and how many of these criteria are met by osteoporosis; [38426]
(2) what research has been conducted into the suitability of osteoporosis for inclusion in "The Health of the Nation" as a key area; and if he will make a statement. [38427]
Mr. Sackville: The criteria used to determine the five key areas as set out in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper (Com 1986) were:
the area should be a major cause of death or avoidable ill-health;
effective interventions should be possible, offering significant scope for improvement in health; and
it should be possible to set objectives and targets, and monitor progress towards them.
The Department of Health published the report of its advisory group on osteoporosis in January 1995. Copies of the report were distributed to all national health service bodies in England and are also available in the Library. The Department is presently working to implement many of its recommendations, including that further work be done to measure osteoporosis against the criteria for inclusion as a "Health of the Nation" key area. This year, the Department has increased its support for the National Osteoporosis Society from £20, 000 to £50,000.
Unlicensed Herbal Medicines
Mr. Stott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to take to prevent unlicensed herbal medicines being sold to the public in breach of the criminal law. [38509]
Mr. Sackville: The Medicines Control Agency investigates all reports of unlicensed herbal remedies being sold to the public in breach of United Kingdom medicines legislation, and takes the appropriate action.
NHS Drugs
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the total costs of NHS drugs used in each of the past six years; and what is his latest calculation of the number killed by their use. [38642]
Mr. Malone: The cost of national health service drugs in England, in each of the past six years is shown in the table. The cost of drugs used by hospital and community services in 1994 95 is not yet available. In 1992, the latest year for which information is available, in England and Wales the number of deaths due to drugs, medicaments and biological substances causing adverse effects in therapeutic use was 14 . It is not possible to identify the adverse effects of prescribed drugs only.
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Total NHS spending on drugs (England) £ million Year |FHS drugs |HCHC drugs|Total ------------------------------------------------------- 1989-90 |1,942 |414 |2,356 1990-91 |2,080 |460 |2,540 1991-92 |2,317 |591 |2,908 1992-93 |2,641 |643 |3,284 1993-94 |2,951 |710 |3,661 1994-95 |3,230 |- |- Notes: FHC = Family Health Services. HCHS = Hospital and Community Health Services. Source: <1> International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision. Data for 1993 and 1994 are being checked and should be available in 1996.
NHS Hysterectomy and Dilation and Curettage Operations
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of NHS hysterectomy and dilation and curettage operations carried out in each of the past three years that are now judged to be unnecessary. [38644]
Mr. Sackville: Doctors are responsible for deciding whether an operation is needed in individual cases, in consultation with their patients. The relevant medical royal colleges are responsible for issuing guidelines on conditions and their treatments.
Boneloc Bone Cement
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the patients on whom Boneloc cement was used for their operation have now been contacted and informed of Scandinavian research of its failures. [38637]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally. The Department issued hazard notice HN 9501 to orthopaedic departments in the health service in April 1995 providing advice on Boneloc bone cement. Action taken with regard to individual patients as a result of departmental advice is a matter for the clinical judgment of the health service professional concerned, in light of the patient's individual circumstances.
Variations in Health
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the report of the variations sub-group of the Chief Medical Officer's "The Health of the Nation" working group. [38913]
Mr. Dorrell: The sub-group's report on variations in health has been published today, and copies have been placed in the Library.
NORTHERN IRELAND
School Teacher Appointments
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received on bringing school teaching appointments within the provisions of Northern Ireland fair employment legislation; and if he will list those
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Protestant churches which have indicated that they wish this teacher exemption to continue in the course of recent reviews. [37155]Mr. Ancram: As provided in section 38 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976, the Fair Employment Agency reviewed the exception relating to the employment of teachers in schools in 1981 and 1987. No changes were recommended to the exception. During these reviews, the Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian authorities indicated that they wished to see the exception retained.
Fire Service
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the fire service in Keady was upgraded from being an auxiliary fire unit to become a retained unit; how many call-outs the fire service in Keady had in the last full year prior to it ceasing to be an auxiliary fire unit; how many call-outs the retained unit in Keady had in the calendar year of 1994; and if he will make a statement about the number of fires in the Keady area. [37551]
Mr. Moss: In 1952, the then Northern Ireland fire authority established a volunteer fire party in Keady which shortly afterwards was changed to an auxiliary fire service unit. The auxiliary fire service was disbanded nationally in 1967, but following a review of fire cover, a retained fire crew was established in Keady in November 1971.
Due to the length of time involved it has not been possible to establish the number of call-outs attended by personnel in Keady prior to Keady being upgraded to retained status.
In the calendar year 1994, Keady station dealt with 144 calls, made up as follows:
|Call-outs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Fires (eg, property or car fires) |19
Secondary Fires (eg rubbish or derelict property fires) |60
Chimney fires |23
False Alarm Calls |36
Special Service Calls (eg, road traffic accidents or |6
| rescues)
Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fire call-outs the fire service has had this year to the districts of Tandragee, Richhill, Markethill, Newtownhamilton, Middletown, Bessbrook, Hamiltonsbawn and Keady. [37550]
Mr. Moss: The number of turn-outs to 30 September are as follows:
|Turn-outs
------------------------------------
Tandragee |28
Richhill |14
Markethill |14
Newtownhamilton |182
Middletown |9
Bessbrook |110
Hamiltonsbawn |2
Keady |298
The figures for Newtownhamilton and
Keady relate to calls attended
within the station areas, as
opposed to specifically within the
town.
Electoral Registration Statistics
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the latest estimates of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland together, in each case, with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures. [36778]
Sir John Wheeler: The 1991 electoral ward population figures taken from the Northern Ireland census, aggregated to parliamentary constituencies are as follows. Subsequent mid-year estimates are provided at district council level only and not broken down by age. Consequently the equivalent electoral registration figures relate to September 1991.
|Column 1 |Column 2 |Column 3
|Population
|aged 17 and
|over plus 63
|per cent. of
Parliamentary |population |Registered |Percentage of
Constituency |aged 16 years|Electors |Column 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast east |54,655 |53,375 |97.7
Belfast north |54,931 |55,587 |101.2
Belfast south |55,368 |52,556 |94.9
Belfast west |54,960 |55,280 |100.6
East Antrim |64,621 |63,739 |98.6
East Londonderry |78,930 |76,912 |97.4
Fermanagh and South
Tyrone |70,489 |71,472 |101.4
Foyle |77,264 |75,970 |98.8
Lagan Valley |76,053 |73,688 |96.9
Mid Ulster |71,186 |70,410 |98.9
Newry and Armagh |68,837 |68,716 |99.8
North Antrim |71,096 |70,217 |98.8
North Down |70,201 |69,604 |99.1
Strangford |71,468 |69,855 |97.7
South Antrim |71,334 |68,292 |95.7
South Down |78,592 |77,371 |98.4
Upper Bann |68,675 |68,422 |99.6
Total |1,158,660 |1,141,466 |98.5
Irish Language
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new proposals he has to improve the access to Irish medium education and teaching of Irish as a second language. [38638]
Mr. Ancram: I am prepared to respond to proposals for grant-aiding Irish-medium schools where they are clearly viable in terms of parental support and where financial support would be compatible with the provision of effective education and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure. The teaching of Irish as a second language is a matter for individual schools within the common curriculum requirements. A wide range of support is available to schools to assist them in making such provision.
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