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existence of such contracts will form a part of Offer's will-secure test for CHP schemes.Developers will wish to ensure that they can meet these resource- determination/heat-contract requirements, when preparing their submissions.
The document "Consultation on the NFFO Process--A Summary Report (1995)", which summarises the 53 written submissions, is available from the Renewable Energy Enquiries Bureau at ETSU, at the above address.
The Government expect to decide the policy for the proposed NFFO-5 order after making the NFFO-4 order, in the light of the circumstances at the time. The NFFO-5 order will not necessarily have the same size or technology bands as the proposed NFFO-4 order. In line with my Department's policy of stimulating use of electronic communications, this statement is being made available via the Internet on the DTI world wide web "server" at "http: //www.dti.gov.uk/nffo".
Covert Operational Procurement Exhibition
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what (a) financial and (b) other assistance is given by Her Majesty's Government to the COPEX arms exhibition. [40095]
Mr. Lang [holding answer 27 October 1995]: No Her Majesty's Government financial or other assistance was given to the covert operational procurement exhibition which was held between 31 October and 2 November 1995 at Sandown park.
Chemical Weapons Bill
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the outcome of the consultation on the draft Chemical Weapons Bill which was published by his Department on 19 July. [41649]
Mr. Lang: A revised draft taking account of the comments we have received has been published today and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
EU Industrial Regeneration Funds
Mr. MacShane: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for allocation of funds from the EU's Resider II programme to United Kingdom steel regions, following his Department's announcement of the UK's share of the EU industrial regeneration funds; and if he will make a statement. [40834]
Mr. Eggar: The European Commission's proposals of 4 October for the use of the European structural funds community initiatives reserve include an extra 60 mecu for the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar, for Konver, Resider, Rechar and Retex together. In accordance with articles 11 and 29a of Council regulations 4253/88, as amended by Council regulation 2082/93, the Commission's proposals and draft guidelines for the use of the reserve are to be submitted to the management committee for Community initiatives for an opinion, and for information to the European Parliament; and may then be amended. Only after that will member states be invited by the Commission to send applications
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for assistance. At that stage, which is unlikely to be reached for some months, the Government will decide how they propose to use whatever definitive allocations to the UK have been decided.Temporary and Part-time Staff
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff are currently employed in his Department and in related agencies on (a) temporary or casual employment contracts and (b) part-time employment contracts, given as an actual figure and as a proportion of the total work force, and what were the corresponding figures for five years ago. [41114]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Breakdown by Department and executive agency for 1 April 1995 of the number of permanent staff, the number of casual staff-- that is, normally those engaged for a period of up to 12 months, but exceptionally up to two years--and of the number of part-time staff are presented in the civil service staff in post summary table for 1 April 1995, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Estimates on a comparable basis for 1 April 1990 have also been placed in the Library of the House.
Lloyds Bank and Trustees Savings Bank Merger
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects a decision to be made on whether to refer the merger of Lloyds bank and the Trustees Savings bank to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he make a statement. [40948]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Director General of Fair Trading is currently considering the proposed merger and will advise my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in due course. A decision on whether or not it should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission will be taken once that advice is received.
Small Businesses
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board Of Trade how many small businesses in each sector of the economy there were in each year since 1979. [40966]
Mr. Page: The most recent estimates of the number of small businesses by sector were published in "Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics for the United Kingdom, 1993" which is in the Library of the House. There are no comparable figures for earlier years.
Ethnic Minority Business Initiative
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to replace the ethnic minority business initiative. [40964]
Mr. Page: My Department has no plans to replace the ethnic minority business initiative following the transfer of funding from the Home Office to the single regeneration budget. Financial support for ethnic minority initiatives continues to be available within the single regeneration budget administered by the Department of the Environment via regional Government offices. Business links have been established to provide a range of help to individual businesses, including ethnic minority businesses.
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Loan Guarantee Scheme
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money (a) in real terms and (b) when adjusted for inflation has been invested in the loan guarantee scheme in each year since 1982 83. [40967]
Mr. Page: The table gives Government expenditure for each year, net of premium income and recoveries, in actual value and adjusted for inflation.
Small firms loan guarantee scheme net expenditure
£ million
|Actual |Adjusted to 1994
|values
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83 |10.8 |19.1
1983-84 |27.2 |46.2
1984-85 |32.9 |53.2
1985-86 |27.1 |41.3
1986-87 |11.5 |16.9
1987-88 |3.5 |5.0
1988-89 |3.8 |5.1
1989-90 |5.6 |7.0
1990-91 |16.5 |18.9
1991-92 |27.5 |29.7
1992-93 |19.2 |20.0
1993-94 |12.8 |13.1
1994-95 |16.2 |16.2
Cash and Running Cost Limits
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limits and running cost limit for 1995 96. [41650]
Mr. Lang: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1--programmes and administration--will be increased by £9,512,000 from £1,233,829,000 to £1,233,341,000. This net increase results from: (i) the take up of running costs and capital end-year flexibility (£9,470,000, including £200,00 machinery of government transfer from class XVIII, vote 1);
(ii) expenditure relating to the privatisation of the National Engineering Laboratory (£1,633,000);
(iii) capital-related expenditure on videoconferencing (£1,000, 000); and
(iv) other miscellaneous changes (£169,000);
offset by a reduction in provision to offset a corresponding increase on class IV, vote 4, £2,760,000. This increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Within this total, the gross running cost limit for the Department of Trade and Industry is being increased by £49,665,000 from £314,962,000 to £364,627,000. This change comprises:
(i) the take up of £6,157,000 in running costs end-year flexibility as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995, Official Report , columns 776 82 offset by £1,253,000 for an increase in VAT refunds (£53,000) and the reclassification of expenditure (£1,200,000).
(ii) £1,006,000 in respect of the contractorisation of the National Physical Laboratory.
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(iii) machinery of government transfers from the former Employment Department (class V, vote 1) in respect of running costs (£38,849, 000) and the Office of Manpower Economic (£1,573,000); and(iv) machinery of government transfers from the Cabinet Office: Office of Public Service (class XVIII, vote 1) of £5,580,000 offset by transfers to class XVIII, vote 1 from class IV, Vote 1, of £2,247, 000.
As a result of related machinery of government transfers, the DTI also becomes responsible for administering the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service running cost limit of £22,978,000. In addition, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 10 (Office of Gas Supply), will be increased by £1,188,000 from £5,352,000 to £6,540,000 and the gross running cost limit by £1,054,000 from £5,136, 000 to £6,190,000. The increase is required for additional staff and running costs--as reflected in the explanatory and financial memorandum of the Gas Bill--for the additional duties placed on the director general by the licensing provisions of the new gas legislation.
Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 2 (science programme) will be increased by £8,606,000 from £1,284,246, 000 to £1,292,852,000. This increase results from the take up of £5, 606,000 in capital end-year flexibility as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995, Official Report , columns 776-82 and of £3,000,000 which is sought to take forward initiatives to strengthen partnerships with industry. This latter increase will be offset by a reduction in the end-year flexibility entitlement on class XVIII, vote 1 (Cabinet Office: Office of Public Service) running costs.
Electricity Supply
Mr. Tyler: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many households in England and Wales are estimated to be without a mains electricity supply. [41202]
Mr. Page: According to the English house condition survey of 1991, some 2,000 dwellings were without a mains electricity supply. The Welsh Office estimates that in 1993, less than 0.1 per cent. of households in Wales had no mains electricity supply.
Patent Office
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the performance of the Patent Office since it became an agency. [41648]
Mr. Ian Taylor: Since the Patent Office became an agency in 1990, it has consistently met its financial objectives and has successfully introduced accruals accounting. It has reduced overhead costs--that is, the cost of common services, by 46 per cent. over five years--and has substantially reduced its overall cost base. Through savings passed on to the customer, fees have been held steady for the last three years. In addition to these financial improvements, it has focused heavily on quality and standards of service to its customers and was awarded a charter mark in 1993.
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The Patent Office's performance as an agency has won recognition both within the UK and overseas. In recent years delegations from many different countries--Japan, China, Korea, the former Russian States, New Zealand, Canada and the USA--have visited the office to learn about its management and operational procedures. I therefore welcome the fact that Vice-President Gore referred specifically to the success of the British Patent Office as an executive agency in his decision to make the US Patent and Trademark Office the first of a series of agencies to be transformed into a performance-driven, customer-oriented organisation.HEALTH
Contraception
Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners have faxes; and what proportion of general practitioners were faxed with details of the warning on the seven brands of contraceptive pill. [39969]
Mr. Sackville: The Committee on Safety of Medicines' advice on oral contraceptives was sent by the Epinet electronic communication system to all directors of public health, who were asked to activate their established cascade arrangements to forward the message to: all family health services authorities to forward to all general practitioners; family planning doctors and nurses; medical directors of all hospital units within the district to cascade to appropriate hospital consultants in particular: obstetricians and gynaecologists; and the chief executive of the health authority. The detailed arrangements for cascading messages are determined locally. Precise information on the number of general practitioners who have faxes and the proportion who received details of the advice by fax is not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asthma
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has that asthma attacks increase with increases in car pollution, with particular reference to nitrogen dioxide. [39892]
Mr. Sackville: The latest report of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, "Asthma and Outdoor Air Pollution", was published on 19 October. One of the report's main conclusions was that most asthmatic patients are unaffected by exposure to such levels of non- biological air pollution as commonly occur in the United Kingdom. A small number of patients experience clinally significant effects which occasionally require an increase in medication or attention by a doctor. In commenting specifically on exposure to traffic, the report stated that there was a consistent, although modest, association between exposure to traffic and asthma prevalence in children. Traffic pollution was a plausible explanation though socio-economic and other environmental factors could also play important roles. The report also concluded that nitrogen dioxide levels are
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unlikely to be an important influence on daily variations in asthma occurrence.Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
Trent Regional Health Authority
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls have been made to the NHS helpline in the Trent regional health authority area for each month since its establishment; and how much has been spent in establishing, publicising and administering the helpline. [39444]
Mr. Malone: The tables detail the number of calls which the Trent regional health information service have received since its inception in April 1992 to September 1995 and the full contract price paid to Nottingham community health national health service trust to provide the service.
The contract price includes the cost of publicising and administering the service. There was an established local health information service in Nottingham prior to the establishment of the national HIS network. The contract price for 1991 93 includes a sum of £66,000 to upgrade accommodation, furnishings and IT software prior to Nottingham community health NHS trust taking responsibility for providing the regional HIS.
Illustration of the number of calls received by Trent
Regional HIS
since it was established in April 1992
Month |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
-------------------------------------------------------------
April |130 |837 |849 |1,604
May |141 |702 |864 |1,799
June |118 |731 |1,349 |1,893
July |134 |685 |1,052 |1,734
August |129 |735 |1,033 |1,717
September |285 |941 |1,715 |1,917
October |294 |750 |2,111 |n/a
November |393 |747 |1,951 |n/a
December |217 |466 |1,162 |n/a
January |529 |700 |2,023 |n/a
February |1,386 |780 |1,776 |n/a
March |1,110 |980 |1,916 |n/a
Total |4,866 |9,054 |17,801 |<1>10,664
<1> To date.
Illustrates the contract value between Trent regional health
authority and Nottingham community health NHS trust for the
provision of the regional freephone HIS
Year |Value of contract
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-1993 |£177,181
| Includes £66,000 contribution towards
|upgrading accommodation, furniture and
|IT software.
1993-1994 |£137,859
| Includes £13,810 for an ethnic development
|outreach worker in Leicester.
1994-1995 |£149,637
| Includes £14,402 for an ethnic development
|outreach worker in Leicester.
1995-96 |£155,193
Dental Services
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of active registrations of capitation
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patients for dental treatment in (a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Sheffield family health services authorities in the age categories (i) nought to two years, (ii) three to five years, (iii) six to nine years, (iv) 10 to 14 years, (v) 15 to 17 years and (vi) under 18 years as at 30 June for each of the last four years; and what was the take-up for each age group per 100 local population for each of the years. [39469]Mr. Malone: This information will be placed in the Library.
Salisbury National Health Service Trust
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration underlay the decision of Salisbury NHS trust to defer non- urgent elective admissions from Bath and Wiltshire health commission until April 1996; for what reasons it was able to admit similar patients referred by fundholding general practitioner practices; and what representations (a) his Department and (b) the NHS executive have made to the Salisbury trust about this issue. [40714]
Mr. Sackville: Non-urgent elective admissions from the health commission for Wiltshire and Bath have not been deferred until 1996. Patients from general practitioners whether fundholders or not are having routine operations at the trust. Routine admissions have been slowed to take account of an unexpected 15 per cent. increase in activity. The national health service executive is working closely with the trust to monitor progress.
Ministerial Transport
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of ministerial transport in each of the past five years; what allowance has been paid to Ministers who use their own vehicles; and what has been the cost in each of the past five years. [40741]
Mr. Sackville: The available information is shown in the table. Information for financial years 1991 92 and 1993 94 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For the financial year 1990 91 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) on 13 December 1993, Official Report , column 474 . No allowances have been paid to Ministers who use their own vehicles.
Financial year |Total amount (£) --------------------------------------------------- 1994-95 |280,536 1993-94 |281,174
Blood Service Staff
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the amounts awarded in each of the last three years in performance- related pay to management at the National Blood Authority's plasma fractionation centre; [40700]
(2) if he will list the amounts awarded in each of the last three years in performance-related pay to management at each of the National Blood Authority's establishment. [40701]
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Mr. Sackville: These are matters for the National Blood Authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. J. Adey, the chief executive of the authority, for details.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number and total year's experience there of employees who left the national blood transfusion service over the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [39810]
Mr. Sackville: A total of 496 staff left the national blood service in the year ending 31 March 1995. Their length of service with the national blood service was as follows:
|Number
-----------------------------------------------------
Less than a year |136
At least 1 year, but less than 5 years |190
At least 5, but less than 10 years |90
At least 10, but less than 15 years |25
More than 15 years |55
I understand this staff turnover to be within the normal range in the service, in any one year.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on central functions of his Department on (a) staff salaries, (b) consultancy fees, (c) redundancies and (d) recruitment, in each of the last five years. [40695]
Mr. Sackville: Separately identifiable running cost expenditure by the Department of Health and its agencies on staff salaries, consultancy fees and recruitment is shown in the table.
£ million
|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
---------------------------------------------------------------
Staff salaries |103 |114 |127 |117 |113
Consultancy
fees |18.4 |24.3 |18.4 |15.9 |18.5
Recruitment |- |- |0.80 |0.53 |0.37
The Department has had no compulsory redundancies. The cost of voluntary early requirements in 1994 95 was £700,000.
Cambridge Military Hospital
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for health what additional resources will be made available to (a) North Hampshire health commission or (b) Bath and Wiltshire health commission to take account of the cost of transferring care for NHS patients from the Cambridge military hospital, Aldershot, and the RAF hospital, Wroughton, to NHS provider units. [40715]
Mr. Sackville: I am aware of the difficulties faced by North and Mid Hampshire health commission following the decision by the Ministry of Defence to close the Cambridge military hospital. The health commission has kept me in close touch with its programme for reproviding the Cambridge military hospital services.
The implications for the NHS of the closure of the MOD hospitals are currently being discussed between the health commissions and the NHS executive.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of Cambridge military hospital and its present contribution to health services for NHS patients. [40433]
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given today by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces. The local health authorities are currently working closely with local national health service trusts and general practitioners to ensure that there is no break in local services and these services are provided to patients charter standards.
Conceptions and Births
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of (a) conceptions and (b) births by region and nationally, among girls under the age of 16 years in each of the last 10 years. [40683]
Mr. Sackville: The available information is shown in the table. Full data for 1994 are not yet available.
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Live births to girls aged under 16 and conceptions to girls aged under 16 leading to maternities or to abortions under the Abortion Act
1967, by health region of usual residence 1985-94
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
|Live |Live |Live |Live |Live
|Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England and Wales |n/a |1,401 |9,194 |1,365 |9,135 |1,303 |8,782 |1,261 |8,382 |1,317
England |n/a |1,306 |8,684 |1,271 |8,590 |1,215 |8,246 |1,190 |7,922 |1,234
Health Region:
Northern and Yorkshire |n/a |229 |1,422 |244 |1,329 |199 |1,371 |233 |1,339 |240
Trent |n/a |149 |994 |156 |961 |152 |927 |135 |907 |146
East Anglia and Oxford |n/a |106 |813 |106 |816 |99 |720 |94 |749 |103
North Thames |n/a |135 |942 |130 |936 |132 |900 |125 |823 |121
South Thames |n/a |144 |995 |134 |963 |136 |863 |131 |861 |121
South and West |n/a |132 |980 |117 |1,018 |127 |928 |120 |918 |129
West Midlands |n/a |172 |1,215 |157 |1,155 |160 |1,111 |138 |1,029 |160
North West |n/a |239 |1,323 |227 |1,412 |210 |1,426 |214 |1,296 |214
Wales |n/a |95 |510 |94 |545 |88 |536 |71 |460 |83
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
|Live |Live |Live |Live |Live
|Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births |Conceptions|births
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England and Wales |8,634 |1,306 |7,822 |1,426 |7,254 |1,314 |7,243 |1,403 |n/a |1,353
England |8,111 |1,231 |7,362 |1,335 |6,786 |1,241 |6,790 |1,325 |n/a |1,251
Health Region:
Northern and Yorkshire |1,413 |265 |1,274 |245 |1,156 |233 |1,160 |243 |n/a |201
Trent |898 |152 |849 |160 |828 |173 |818 |156 |n/a |164
East Anglia and Oxford |724 |84 |642 |111 |583 |97 |522 |97 |n/a |90
North Thames |845 |118 |839 |130 |790 |120 |755 |143 |n/a |121
South Thames |904 |136 |773 |150 |762 |129 |812 |150 |n/a |137
South and West |938 |117 |778 |120 |695 |125 |717 |117 |n/a |127
West Midlands |1,046 |136 |987 |171 |922 |157 |911 |190 |n/a |200
North West |1,343 |223 |1,220 |248 |1,050 |207 |1,095 |229 |n/a |211
Wales |523 |75 |460 |91 |468 |73 |453 |78 |n/a |102
Boundaries are as at 1 April 1994.
Data for England and Wales do not include events to mothers who are normally resident outside England and Wales.
Conceptions not leading to maternities or to abortions under the Abortion Act 1967 are not included in the statistics, as information about them is
incomplete.
Column 453
Burials and Cremations
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bodies were buried or cremated by local authorities under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 in each of the past five years. [40587]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Psychiatric Care
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been killed by someone who has recently had psychiatric care (a) in 1995 and (b) in each year since 1979. [41109]
Mr. Bowis: This information is not available centrally.
Chilled Foods
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Ministry is taking to ensure that chilled foods are safe to eat when bought from retailers. [38928]
Mr. Sackville: We are committed to maintaining high standards of food safety. Revised Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995 were brought into force on 15 September 1995. Under the regulations, chilled foods which are likely to be harmful to health, because they support either the growth of pathogenic micro-organisms or the formation of toxins, must be kept at a maximum chill temperature of 8 deg. C. This requirement applies to food retailers. The regulations are enforced at local level by environmental health officers employed by local authorities.
Neuroleptic Drugs
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the results of the prescription and use of neuroleptic drugs for mentally ill people. [39668]
Mr. Bowis: The introduction of neuroleptic drugs has been one of the most significant advances in psychiatry, facilitating the introduction of modern methods of care and enabling many mentally ill people to lead fuller and more productive lives.
Mr. Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died following
Column 454
inappropriate prescription or dosage of neuroleptic drugs in each year since 1992 93. [39669]Mr. Bowis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Ms Squire) on 27 April, Official Report, column 621.
Neurosurgical Units
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of neurosurgical facilities in Sussex. [39801]
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 8 June, Official Report, columns 307-308.
Power Lines
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his assessment is of the risk to health of electromagnetic radiation from power lines; and if he will make a statement; [39800] (2) what research has been performed on the relationship between electromagnetic radiation from power lines and cancer; and if he will make a statement. [39803]
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 3 November 1994, Official Report , columns 1274-75.
Nurse Call Bell Systems
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines cover the operation of nurse call bell systems in NHS trust hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [39802]
Mr. Sackville: It is for individual trusts to determine operational policies for nurse call systems in the light of local circumstances. Technical guidance is published in health technical memoranda 2015 "Bed Head Services", a copy of which will be placed in the Library shortly.
NHS Management
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the average pay rise of NHS chief
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executives for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [39806](2) what guidelines are in effect concerning the salary and employment conditions of NHS trust chief executives; and if he will make a statement. [39807]
Mr. Malone: Information on average pay rises of national health service chief executives is not available centrally. For those staff employed on the national terms and conditions for general and senior managers, basic salaries were last increased by 2.2 per cent. from 1 September 1994. The effect on the pay scales is set out in health service guideline, HSG(95)7, copies of which are available in the Library.
NHS trust boards are accountable for the proper appointment, appraisal and remuneration of their senior executives and, as in all their functions, boards must have regard to the public service values of accountability, probity and openness enshrined in the codes of conduct and accountability issued to NHS boards in April 1994. The code of accountability requires all national health service boards to establish a remuneration and terms of service committee to exercise proper control of executive board members' remuneration.
Needles
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make needles for the use of administering insulin available on prescription; and if he will make a statement. [39805]
Mr. Malone: Disposable syringes with attached needles are already available on general practitioner prescription.
Hospitals (Voluntary Fundraising)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the total income to the NHS from voluntary fundraising in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [40431]
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