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Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current research the Royal Hallamshire hospital, Sheffield is carrying out for his Department; and what research it has carried out during the last 12 months. [39568]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 October, Official Report , columns 35-37 .
Prescription Drugs
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the 50 most expensive and 50 least expensive prescription drugs available in the NHS; what is the cost of each to the NHS; and how many prescriptions for each have been issued during the last 12 months for which records are available; [40698]
(2) what was the cost to the National Health Service of each of the 50 most commonly prescribed drugs for the latest available 12-month period; and how many prescriptions for each drug were issued. [40697]
Mr. Malone: The information requested cannot be supplied as it contains data which are confidential.
Cancer Specialists
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full- time cancer specialists are working in the NHS; in what specialties; and what were the corresponding numbers in each of the last five years. [40699]
Mr. Malone: The available information is shown in the table by grade for cancer specialties in England at 30 September each year.
Column 483
Hospital medical staff by grade for cancer specialties in England at 30 September each year
Numbers
1989 1990 1991
|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative
|oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All staff |100 |520 |30 |100 |530 |40 |120 |550 |50
Consultant |30 |210 |10 |40 |210 |20 |50 |220 |20
Staff grade<1> |- |- |- |- |0 |- |- |10 |-
Associate specialist |- |10 |- |- |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Senior registrar |10 |60 |0 |10 |70 |0 |20 |70 |10
Registrar |10 |80 |0 |10 |80 |0 |20 |80 |0
Senior house officer |20 |100 |10 |20 |100 |10 |20 |100 |10
House officer |0 |20 |- |0 |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Other staff |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital practitioner |- |10 |- |0 |10 |0 |0 |10 |0
Clinical assistant |20 |50 |10 |20 |50 |10 |20 |60 |10
Column 485
Numbers
1992 1993 1993
|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative
|oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All staff |160 |530 |80 |170 |520 |100 |190 |560 |130
Consultant |50 |220 |20 |60 |230 |30 |80 |250 |40
Staff grade<1> |- |10 |0 |0 |20 |0 |0 |20 |0
Associate specialist |- |10 |- |- |10 |- |- |10 |-
Senior registrar |20 |50 |10 |30 |50 |20 |30 |50 |20
Registrar |30 |80 |10 |20 |70 |10 |20 |80 |20
Senior house officer |30 |100 |10 |30 |100 |10 |20 |100 |10
House officer |10 |10 |- |10 |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Other staff |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital practitioner |0 |10 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Clinical assistant |20 |50 |20 |30 |40 |30 |30 |40 |30
<1> Staff grade is a new grade from 1989. - signifies a zero value.
O = signifies a number between `0' and `5'.
All figures are rounded to nearest `10'.
Whole time equivalents
1989 1990 1991
|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative
|oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All staff |70 |450 |20 |70 |460 |30 |80 |480 |30
Consultant |20 |190 |10 |20 |190 |10 |30 |200 |10
Staff grade<1> |- |- |- |- |0 |- |- |10 |-
Associate specialist |- |10 |- |- |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Senior registrar |10 |50 |0 |10 |60 |0 |20 |60 |0
Registrar |10 |80 |0 |10 |80 |0 |10 |80 |0
Senior house officer |20 |100 |0 |20 |100 |10 |20 |100 |10
House officer |0 |20 |- |0 |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Other staff |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital practitioner |- |0 |- |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Clinical assistant |0 |10 |0 |0 |10 |0 |0 |10 |0
Column 485
Whole time equivalents
1992 1993 1994
|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative|Medical |Clinical |Palliative
|oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine |oncology |oncology |medicine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All staff |120 |460 |60 |120 |450 |70 |140 |490 |80
Consultant |30 |200 |20 |40 |200 |20 |60 |220 |30
Staff grade<1> |- |10 |0 |0 |10 |0 |0 |10 |0
Associate specialist |- |10 |- |- |10 |- |- |10 |-
Senior registrar |20 |50 |10 |20 |50 |20 |30 |50 |20
Registrar |20 |80 |10 |10 |70 |10 |20 |80 |10
Senior house officer |30 |100 |10 |30 |100 |10 |20 |100 |10
House officer |10 |10 |- |10 |10 |- |0 |10 |-
Other staff |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital practitioner |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Clinical assistant |10 |10 |0 |10 |10 |10 |10 |10 |10
<1> Staff grade is a new grade from 1989. - signifies a zero value.
O = signifies a number between `0' and `5'.
All figures are rounded to nearest `10'.
Psychiatric Patients
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many new beds have become available for psychiatric patients in NHS hospitals in 1995 and in each year since 1979; [41107]
(2) how many psychiatric patients have been moved from hospitals that have been closed down to alternative NHS hospitals in 1995 and in each year since 1979; [41105]
(3) how many psychiatric patients have moved from hospitals that have closed down to private psychiatric hospitals in 1995 and in each year since 1979. [41104]
Mr. Bowis: This information is not available centrally.
Mr. Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current number of beds in private psychiatric hospitals; and what is was in each year since 1979. [41106]
Mr. Bowis: Information on the current number of beds in private hospitals in 1993 94 designated for mental illness and people with learning disabilities is published in "Private hospitals, homes and clinics registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984", copies of which are available in the Library.
Prior to 1993 94, the data did not differentiate between hospitals/clinics and nursing homes.
Ballon Angioplasty
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has participated in the research carried out by Dr. Julian Gunn, Professor David Cumberland and Professor David Crossman in respect of patients suffering from angina after receiving balloon angioplasty; and if he will make a statement. [40952]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 October, Official Report , columns 35 37 .
Ecstasy
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has commissioned to discover whether the drug Ecstasy is demethylenated by human cytochrome P.4502D6 (CYP 2D6); and if he will make a statement; [41004]
(2) what research his Department has commissioned to discover whether the drug Ecstasy is a substitute for human CYP 2D6; and if he will make a statement. [41005]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 October, Official Report , columns 35 37 .
Residential Care Homes
Mr. Butcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which the conditions imposed on private residential homes and nursing homes in Coventry are within the scope of legal requirements or his Department's
guidelines. [40897]
Mr. Bowis: Responsibility for the regulation of private residential care homes and nursing homes lies with the local authority and health authority respectively. It is for them to ensure that homes comply with statutory requirements and to develop local standards for
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registration. Guidance issued recently to authorities promotes sensible, pragmatic and consistent approaches in setting standards.Individual Treatments
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning his intention to remove grommets from the list of approved treatments; and what reasons were given for their removal. [41110]
Mr. Malone: No list of approved treatments exists. Health authorities and general practitioner fundholders are responsible for assessing the needs of the people they serve and deciding what treatments and services are required to meet those needs, within the framework of national priorities. Decisions about individual treatments are a matter for the individual clinician together with the patient, based on an assessment of clinical need, and taking account of available evidence of effectiveness.
Laryngectomies and Tracheotomies
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will create a body that is able to answer questions and concerns from people who have undergone laryngectomies and tracheotomies. [39679]
Mr. Sackville: Surgeons and other professional staff in hospital ear, nose and throat departments are available to answer questions and address the concerns of patients undergoing this treatment. The National Association of Laryngectomy Clubs also provides advice and has branches attached to a number of hospitals which specialise in laryngectomies.
NHS Administration Costs
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the change in administration costs in the NHS since 1989 90; and how he intends to achieve the 5 per cent. cut in health authority spending on administration he announced on 11 October. [41516]
Mr. Malone: The table sets out health authority administration expenditure from 1989 90 to 1993 94, the latest year available. I expect the national health service executive regional offices to agree with individual authorities figures for the cost of running the authority for 1996 97 which will, in aggregate, deliver the 5 per cent. cash savings my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 11 October 1995.
Health authority
administration expenditure
1989-90 to 1993-94
|£ million
------------------------------
1989-90 |691
1990-91 |871
1991-92 |786
1992-93 |900
1993-94 |1,069
Source:
Summarised annual accounts of
regional health authorities,
district health authorities,
special health authorities
for the London postgraduate
hospitals and family health
services authorities/family
practitioner committees.
Notes:
1. The figures represent the
total revenue expenditure on
pay and accommodation costs
of staff of all disciplines
and their support staff
employed at headquarters
levels.
2. RHA, DHA and SHA costs are
reported in the accounts as
"Authority administration and
purchasing expenses". This
includes capital charges from
1991-92. FHSA/FPC
administration costs are
those reported in the
accounts as revenue
administration costs and
represent that part of the
total expenditure which is
not medical, dental,
ophthalmic or pharmaceutical.
3. Changes in the years in
the roles and
responsibilities of family
practitioner committees,
which became family health
services authorities in 1990,
RHAs and DHAs, which started
to transfer provider
functions to NHS trusts in
1991-92, together with
changes in accounting
policies, particularly the
inclusion of capital charges
in health authorities'
administration and purchasing
expenditure, mean that the
figures are not comparable.
Employment of Children
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his announcement of 30 October Official Report column 42-43 regarding changes in child employment law, if he will publish details of the representations he has received recommending that the limit on children's work of two hours on a Sunday be increased to between five and eight hours; and if he will list the organisations and their papers submitted in support of this proposed change to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, as amended. [41388]
Mr. Bowis: The consultation I announced on 30 October is intended to provide us with the views of others on what in our view would be a sensible change to the current law.
Public Health Link
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what procedure general practitioners will be notified in the case of immediate category of notification procedure on the public health link system being activated. [41512]
Mr. Sackville: Following consultation with the profession, the chief medical officer wrote to all doctors on 24 February 1994 setting out the new arrangements for communications with the profession (PL CMO(94)3). Where there is a need to send information very quickly to doctors, the public health link system is activated. The message is transmitted electronically to district directors of public health who have the responsibility for forwarding it, with the minimum of delay, to the relevant health professionals. Every district has set up its own locally determined mechanisms for cascading the information. For example, some general practitioners would receive the information electronically via a local e-mail system, others by fax, others by courier, and in some instances the message could be conveyed by a telephone call.
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether the public health link system of communications which uses the EPINET system will operate satisfactorily if the immediate category of notification procedure needs to be activated. [41511]
Mr. Sackville: The public health link system was set up in February 1994, following consultation with the profession and in response to a recognised need to get important urgent information to doctors. The system was first tested on 6 July 1994 when a test message was sent to district directors of public health to cascade to all doctors. This test message enabled districts to assess their local arrangements.
Column 490
Since then the cascade system has been activated a further seven times, for example to provide information about Ebola virus and plague. The system has generally been welcomed and has worked well, though it is recognised that it is very difficult for each district to get information to each and every doctor within a few hours. Each use of the cascade has provided a valuable opportunity to assess and revise the local and central arrangements for cascading information. A list of the cascade messages, and chief medical officer letters and updates, is included in the annual report "On the State of the Public Health", copies of which are available in the Library.Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whom he intends to consult in his review of the public health link procedure for notifying general practitioners that he announced in his statement to the House of 23 October, Official Report, columns 701 10, when he expects to conclude the review; and if he will publish the results. [41513]
Mr. Sackville: The review of arrangements for communicating urgent information to all doctors has already started. The results of the review will be discussed with the profession. We shall ensure that the conclusions from that review will be acted upon.
Dental Services
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by family health services authority the number of people registered with NHS dentists in England in (a) December 1993, (b) July 1994, (c) December 1994 and (d) July 1995. [41514]
Mr. Malone: This information will be placed in the Library.
Waiting Times
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding the waiting times for patients of general practitioner fundholders and the patients of general practitioners who are not fundholders in the North and Mid-Hampshire health commission area. [41515]
Mr. Malone: This information is not available centrally.
WALES
Ministerial Transport
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [40749]
Mr. Hague: The information is not readily available in respect of all transport and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The cost of ministerial use of the official car service, a significant element of ministerial travel arrangements, over the five years is as follows:
1990 91: £144,209
1991 92: £158,535
Column 491
1992 93: £170,0621993 94: £174,069
1994 95: £176,452
Ministers who use their own vehicles are paid normal civil service rates. The cost in 1994 95 was £1,020 and in 1995 96 to date, £915. The cost of the previous three years is not readily available.
Council House Sales
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales he will list by local housing authority, (a) the amount each authority has used from the sale of council houses since April 1981 to pay off its debts, (b) the amount each authority currently has on deposit from the sale of council houses and (c) the amount saved in interest payments on debts in the case of (a) and the amount received in interest in the case of (b) . [40689]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The available information is given in the following tables.
£000
|Usable receipts
|from the sale of
|council houses |Outstanding loan
|available at 31 |debt as at 31
Authority |March 1995 |March 1995
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside |521 |35,067
Colwyn |569 |27,763
Delyn |0 |32,279
Glyndwr |456 |11,980
Rhuddlan |397 |27,743
Wrexham Maelor |992 |74,603
Carmarthen |776 |35,755
Ceredigion |1,170 |21,618
Dinefwr |608 |28,115
Llanelli |0 |47,698
Preseli Pembrokeshire |2,597 |41,828
South Pembrokeshire |1,209 |21,090
Blaenau Gwent |2,199 |103,856
Islwyn |390 |50,848
Monmouth |3,585 |45,849
Newport |7,642 |122,004
Torfaen |2,660 |83,132
Aberconwy |247 |20,265
Arfon |0 |29,695
Dwyfor |303 |15,939
Meirionnydd |0 |10,635
Ynys Mon |246 |53,675
Cynon Valley |0 |52,914
Merthyr Tydfil |345 |64,194
Ogwr |633 |74,913
Rhondda |0 |87,253
Rhymney Valley |0 |71,738
Taff Ely |532 |41,957
Brecknock |1,188 |31,614
Montgomeryshire |689 |23,199
Radnorshire |399 |13,239
Cardiff |7,053 |183,971
Vale of Glamorgan |6,702 |60,004
Port Talbot |0 |40,166
Lliw Valley |0 |39,742
Neath |0 |39,981
Swansea |242 |135,631
Clwyd |n/a |145,656
Dyfed |n/a |118,889
Gwent |n/a |171,914
Gwynedd |n/a |80,160
Mid Glamorgan |n/a |134,775
Powys |n/a |57,412
South Glamorgan |n/a |171,374
West Glamorgan |n/a |170,118
Dyfed /Powys Police
Authority |n/a |4,377
Gwent Police Authority |n/a |4,050
North Wales Police Authority |n/a |3,179
South Wales Police Authority |n/a |11,306
Total Districts |44,350 |1,901,954
Total Counties |n/a |1,050,298
Total Police Authorities |n/a |22,912
Total Wales |44,350 |2,975,164
Source:
Local authority returns.
Failure to use sale proceeds to redeem existing debt would have resulted in correspondingly higher outstanding loan debt and correspondingly increased interest charges paid by council taxpayers in Wales.
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the technical meeting between his officials and those of the regional development directorate of the European Commission in relation to the supply of information material to the Welsh Office reduced grant in aid to the Welsh Development Agency and the additionality principle. [37814]
Mr. Hague [holding answer 19 October 1995]: I am pleased to say that the Commission has now accepted that European structural funds are properly spent in Wales and has released all previously blocked resources. Agreement has also been reached on improving the presentation of European regional development fund support made to the WDA and other public bodies in Wales.
Veterinary Services
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the availability of Welsh Office veterinary services in mid Wales. [39808]
Mr. Hague: The Government's veterinary field service provides veterinary services throughout Great Britain. VFS officers are employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, but on a wide range of subjects, state veterinary service officers working in Wales do so on my behalf, in view of my responsibilities for matters such as farm animal health, welfare and meat hygiene.
A review of the VFS earlier this year recommended an improved and streamlined management structure, and the Government announced on 4 May a number of changes to the VFS. In future there will be fewer, larger VFS divisions, altering from four to three in Wales. The future VFS divisional offices in Wales will be located at Cardiff, Carmarthen and Caernarfon. The present VFS divisional office at Llandrindod Wells will remain as an area office, as will the current area office at Ruthin. The number of front-line veterinary and technical staff will stay the same.
Column 493
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost of the assisted places scheme in Wales for each of the last three years for which figures are available. [40466]
Mr. Hague: Expenditure in Wales on the assisted places scheme for each of the financial years 1992 93 to 1994 95 was £2,457,230, £2,621,261 and £2,771,504 respectively.
Primary School Pupils
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many primary school pupils were taught in classes of more than 30 pupils, in total and as a percentage of all pupils, in each local authority in (a) January 1994 and (b) January 1995. [40429]
Mr. Hague: On the basis of provisional January 1995 schools census figures, there were some 67,800 pupils in ordinary classes of more than 30 in maintained primary schools in Wales in January 1994 and approximately 72,500 in January 1995; these pupils represented 26.5 per cent. of all pupils in ordinary classes in January 1994 and 28.0 per cent. in January 1995.
Information on the basis of individual local authorities is not currently available.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average annual cost of educating a primary school pupil in a class of 30 pupils. [40430]
Mr. Hague: The information requested is not available centrally.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
AGCO-Massey Ferguson Merger
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he or his officials have had regarding the AGCO takeover of certain Massey Ferguson operations in Coventry; and what notification he has received of expected job losses. [41284]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: None. In the first instance, it is for the Director General of Fair Trading to consider and advise my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on all qualifying mergers under the Fair Trading Act 1973. That advice would take into account all relevant factors.
Investment (United States)
Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what initiatives he has taken to attract United Kingdom firms to invest in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement. [40576]
Mr. Nelson: United Kingdom companies have a long history of investing in the United States. It is the most popular destination for direct investment overseas and the United Kingdom is the largest foreign investor in the United States.
My Department encourages British companies to consider the investment option in drawing up strategies for doing business with American companies. As one
Column 494
element of the "North America Now" trade promotion campaign we have a programme of help for United Kingdom companies seeking strategic partners in north America.Annual Remuneration
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the number of individuals in his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies whose annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeded (i) £100,000, (ii) £200,000, (iii) £300,000 in (1) 1985 86, (2) 1990 91, (3) 1992 93, (4) 1994 95 and (5) 1995 96. [40815]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 November 1995]: Other than pension contributions, benefits in kind are not normally paid to staff in the department, agencies and NDPBs. No individual--in the Department, its agencies or its NDPBs has received remuneration, excluding pension benefits, above £100,000 in any of the years specified.
Salaries
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the (a) lowest and (b) highest full-time salary paid to any employee in his (i) Department, (ii) agencies and (iii) non-departmental public bodies in (1) 1994 95 and (2) 1995 96. [40816]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 November 1995]: It is the Government's normal policy to publish civil servants' salaries in bands. Accordingly, the lowest full-time salary in all three organisations fell within the band:
1994 95: £4,000 £8,999
1995 96: £4,000 £8,999
The highest full-time salary relating to civil servants in agencies fell within the bands:
1994 95: £65,000 £69,999
1995 96: £70,000 £74,999
and in the Department:
1994 95: £95,000 £99,999
1995 96: £95,000 £99,999
The highest full-time salary relating to non-civil servants in NDPB's fell within the band:
1994 95: £95,000 £99,999
1995 96: £95,000 £99,999
New Parliamentary Building
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, pursuant to his answer of 23 October, Official Report , column 460 , what percentage of existing contracts have gone to British firms; when he expects the award of the cladding contract to be announced; and how many (a) UK cladding firms and (b) other firms have been invited to tender for the cladding contract. [40682]
Mr. Ray Powell: Many of the companies which are invited to tender for the new parliamentary building contracts are multi-national in either their ownership or their operations, or both. Consequently it is not possible to provide a precise answer about the use of "British firms".
Column 495
Of the three major contracts let to date, two went to a British-based company. Numerous smaller contracts have been awarded for work which has been carried out almost entirely in the UK although the companies may not have been UK owned.The tender list for the fenestration units reflected the fact that the cladding industry tends to be dominated by continental European companies. Initially, five companies were invited to tender at least two of which have a significant UK presence. Negotiations are still underway to determine which of the offers is the most competitive in terms of both time and cost. An announcement is not expected this year.
SCOTLAND
Waverley Court, Paisley
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his best estimate of the total cost to the public purse of keeping Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley empty for six years following a decision by Scottish Homes to dispose of it to the private sector; what were the costs in terms of (a) lost rental income, (b) resettlement allowances, (c) decoration payments, (d) removal expenses, (e) furniture storage expenses, (f) other rehousing payments and costs, (g) staff time in developing the package, (h) staff time in consultation with individual tenants or groups of tenants, (i) staff time in briefing, consulting, guiding and instructing outside bodies, (j) staff time in working with potential developers, (k) loss of rental income for the whole period, (l) all consultancy fees relating to the building during the whole period and (m) other costs; what will be the cost of demolishing the building and clearing the site; what action he intends to take to ensure such events cannot occur again; and if he will make a statement. [39188]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes and I have asked its chairman, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of Scottish Homes to discuss the cost to the public purse of its decision to evacuate Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley six years ago; if he will instruct an investigation into the circumstances which caused Scottish Homes to seek disposal of the building to the private sector without first checking that private sector financiers were willing to lend or enter into mortgages on the property or its component parts; if he will instruct the board of Scottish Homes to instruct disciplinary investigations arising from the performance of its officials in this episode; and if he will launch a full-scale investigation into the loss of public funds; [39189]
(2) if he will launch a public inquiry into the possible misuse of public funds, maladministration and negligence of Scottish Homes in relation to Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley. [39173]
Column 496
Mr. Robertson: My right hon. Friend is aware of the
corrrespondence between the hon. Member and the chairman of Scottish Homes and has no plans to initiate any inquiry into the matter.
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