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Health Authority Cash Limits
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are made for local health commissioning (a) when health authorities face shortfalls in their budget and general practitioner fundholders have unspent allocations; and if he will make a statement. [41623]
Mr. Sackville: It is for regional health authorities to manage overall spending within the regional cash limit set by the national health service executive. Regional health authorities set cash limits for health authorities and agree budgets for general practice fundholders. They are therefore responsible for managing any over or underspends within the overall resources available to them.
Community Health Councils
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the minimum number of hours per week the office of a community health council must be open to the public in order to comply with the Community Health Councils (Access to Information) Act 1988. [41719]
Mr. Malone: The Community Health Council (Access to Information) Act 1988 does not place any duty on community health councils in respect of minimum opening hours.
Secure Unit Places
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the numbers of secure places (beds) available on 1 January and 1 July for each year from 1985 to 1995 (a) for children and young people and (b) for children and young people aged 15 and 16 years, in each case indicating the number available (i) for boys, (ii) for girls, (iii) for both and (iv) in total; [41334]
(2) what were the total numbers of local authority secure places (beds) available for holding children and young people on 1 January and 1 July in each year since 1985. [41335]
Mr. Bowis: The information available centrally is contained in "Children accommodated in secure units, year ending 31 March 19XX".
Employment of Children
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to bring the Employment of Children
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Act 1973 into effect; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards implementation of that Act. [41686]Mr. Bowis: A comprehensive framework for the protection of children at work already exists. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Couchman) on 30 October, Official Report, columns 42 43, detailing my recently announced proposals for some minor improvements to that system.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility falls to local authorities for the care of asylum seekers' children who have no other means of support; and if he will make a statement. [41828]
Mr. Bowis: The responsibility that falls to local authorities for the care of asylum seekers' children is the same responsibility they have for any other children who may be "in need" as set out in section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
NHS Management Numbers and Costs
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each year sine 1989 the number and cost of general and senior managers in the NHS by region and total. [39385]
Mr. Malone [holding answer 26 October 1995]: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 21 July 1994-- Official Report, columns 591 92 , and to the replies I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 24 October 1994, Official Report, column 451, on 31 October 1994, Official Report, columns 902 3, on 3 November 1994, Official Report , column 1267, and on 18 July, Official Report, columns 1152 53. Information on the number of general and senior managers at 30 September 1994 is shown in the table. Information on costs for 1994 95 is not yet available.
NHS hospital and community health
services-general and senior
managers by region at 30
September 1994
|Numbers
----------------------------------
England Total |22,950
Northern |1,040
Yorkshire |2,020
Trent |1,720
East Anglian |980
North West Thames |1,080
North East Thames |1,960
South East Thames |1,570
South West Thames |1,160
Wessex |1,290
Oxford |1,080
South Western |1,110
West Midlands |2,180
Mersey |1,070
North Western |1,600
SHAs and Others |3,080
Source:
Department of Health non-medical
work force census.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the
nearest 10 whole-time
equivalents. The total does not
equal the sum of the components
due to rounding.
NHS Priority Setting
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the participants, and the organisations that they represented, who attended the recent conference initiated by his Department, the Royal College of Physicians and the British Medical Association in respect of establishing a national framework for rationing national health service treatment; if he will send the hon. Member for Don Valley a copy of the letter since circulated to participants at the conference by Mr. Alasdair Liddel, giving his assessment of the conference; and if he will make a statement. [41007]
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what (a) meetings and (b) other consultations he has had with health authorities and health commissions with regard to the introduction of a national framework for health care rationing in the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [40923]
(2) what (a) meetings and (b) other consultations he has had with any organisations representing the medical profession with regard to the introduction of a national framework for health care rationing in the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [40924] (3) what studies his Department has undertaken regarding the introduction of a national framework for health care rationing in the NHS; [40925]
(4) what plans he has to introduce a national framework of rationing in the NHS; [40926]
(5) what report he has received about the meeting in September initiated by the NHS executive about a national framework for the rationing of health care in the NHS; who proposed that the meeting should take place; if he will list those present; if he will make available the report of the meeting; and if he will make a statement; [40927]
(6) what plans he has to hold meetings to discuss national rationing of health care in the NHS; who will participate; and if he will publish the reports of those meetings. [40928]
Mr. Malone [holding answer 2 November 1995]: There are no plans to introduce a national framework for rationing services and no work has taken place to prepare such a framework. In their response earlier this year to the Health Select Committee on priority setting, Cm 2826, the Government set out their approach to priority setting at three levels, in the following terms:
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Ministers, advised by the Department of Health, set out the framework of national priorities and targets for improvement. This is done through annual priorities and planning guidance to the NHS and through important policies such as "The Health of the Nation" White Paper and the patient's charter;Health authorities and GP fundholders assess the needs of the people they serve and decide what treatments and services are required to meet those needs. This process should be informed by proper consultation with the public;
Individual clinicians decide the most clinically appropriate treatment and clinical priority for each patient, based on their assessment of that patient's needs.
Earlier this year, officials in the NHS executive agreed with leaders of the medical profession and senior NHS managers that it would be helpful to meet together to discuss priority setting issues. This meeting took place on 28 September 1995 and involved a wide range of interests including patients' representatives. Views were exchanged on a personal and non- attributable basis. The note sent to participants summarising the discussion was not intended as a public document and to publish the letter would break the undertaking given to the participants.
There was general consensus at the meeting that:
setting priorities was a necessary part of life in any health care system
the role of Ministers and the NHS executive in setting a small number of national priorities was acceptable with no dissent about the current set of priorities.
individual clinicians want to be free to take decisions about individual patients, but do not want to be left taking responsibility in isolation for difficult decisions
there is scope for spreading good practice in approaches to priority- setting at local (health authority) level.
NHS Expenditure
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the spending per head of population on (a) primary care and (b) secondary care in (i) inner London, (ii) outer London, (iii) England and (iv) by each family health services authority in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on variations in amounts. [40793]
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 1 November 1995]: Primary care has been interpreted as family health services and per capita spend is for family health services authorities. Secondary care has been interpreted as hospital and community health services and per capita spend is for district health authorities.
For the per capita spend for DHAs and FHSAs for 1991 92, 1992 93 and 1993 94, I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 12 December 1994, Official Report , column 465, and to the reply the then Minister for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney ) gave him on 26 May 1994, Official Report , column 305.
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The total FHSA and DHA per capita spend for England for 1991 92, 1992 93 and 1993 94 is shown in the table.
|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
|£ |£ |£
--------------------------------------------------------------
England DHA per capita spend |355 |376 |370
England FHSA per capita spend |115 |132 |153
Total DHA and FHSA per capita
spend |470 |508 |523
Note:
Comparisons of these figures should be treated with caution
as not all expenditure covered arises from population
activities and crude populations do not take into account
difference in age structure or relative health needs across
the country. In addition, FHSA per capita spend includes GP
fundholder expenditure on both primary and secondary care
services and this will vary with the distribution of GP
fundholders.
Source:
Annual accounts of health authorities and mid-year population
estimates.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Hutton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils (a) in each local education authority band and (b) in each region received support under the assisted places scheme in each of the past five years. [40938]
Mrs. Gillan: Information on the place of residence of pupils in the assisted places scheme is not collected centrally. Many schools serve wide catchment areas and may offer places to pupils from outside the local authority area in which they are situated. I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) gave to the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr. French) on 3 July, Official Report, columns 35 37, containing information on the numbers of assisted place holders at schools situated within each local authority area for the academic year 1994 95. Information for earlier years is not readily available.
The numbers of assisted place holders within each region for each of the last five years are given in the table:
Assisted places scheme
Numbers of
assisted pupils in
academic year
Region |1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
---------------------------------------------------------------------
North East |806 |873 |913 |939 |995
North West |6,365 |6,408 |6,542 |6,550 |6,569
Yorks and Humberside |1,742 |1,794 |1,839 |1,893 |1,940
East Anglia |1,267 |1,340 |1,377 |1,430 |1,436
East Midlands |1,735 |1,846 |1,914 |2,002 |2,020
West Midlands |2,591 |2,721 |2,776 |2,869 |2,932
South West |3,129 |3,246 |3,381 |3,451 |3,499
South East |4,193 |4,403 |4,762 |4,891 |5,008
Greater London |4,912 |5,010 |5,170 |5,266 |5,348
Figures relate to England only.
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Cornish Language
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her Department's assessment of the current level of the teaching of the Cornish language; and what measures she proposes to promote the teaching of the Cornish language. [40552]
Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend does not collect information on the teaching of Cornish. She has no proposals to promote Cornish teaching: it is for schools and other education establishments to decide what subjects to teach once they have met the requirements of the national curriculum and other statutory requirements.
Primary Schools
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action she is taking to raise standards in primary schools. [40553]
Mrs. Gillan: The national curriculum and its assessment, national tests, regular inspections, improvements to teacher training and our improving schools programme all act to raise standards in primary schools. The chief inspector of schools has confirmed that our reforms are improving the quality of education.
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Social Affairs Council
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Spring) of 19 October, Official Report , column 379 , what was the voting record of each member state on items agreed at the meeting of the European Community's Social Affairs Council held on 5 October; and if she will make it her practice to list all votes, including where there have been no votes, in the future. [41089]
Mr. Forth: There were no votes taken at the Council. The resolutions on the image of men and women in the media, the fight against racism and xenophobia, and co-operation with third countries in the field of youth were adopted unanimously, without discussion.
Grant-maintained Status
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many "Going GM" conferences her Department has organised; at what cost; and how many more are planned. [41087]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department has organised 54 "Going GM" conferences at a total cost of around £720,000. We have firm plans to hold another nine
Column 629
between now and February 1996. Conferences this term have been over-subscribed and we are reviewing how to meet the increased demand for places.Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for each education authority the number of (a) voluntary-aided, (b) voluntary-controlled, (c) special agreement, (d) county and (e) grant-maintained schools; in each case what is the total number of pupils and the number in each category in (a) the primary sector and (b) the secondary sector; and what is the number of schools in England in each category. [41299]
Column 630
Mr. Squire: I shall place the information in the Library.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the number of parental ballots on grant- maintained status in (a) voluntary-aided, (b)
voluntary-controlled, (c) special agreement and (d) county schools (i) between 1 September 1993 and 31 August 1994 and (ii) between 1 September 1994 and 31 August 1995; and in each case, how many ballots have resulted in a majority of parent voting (1) in favour of and (2) against grant- maintained status. [41300]
Mr. Squire: The information requested is set out in the table:
Column 629
Number of parental ballots of grant-maintained status
|Number of ballots|"Yes" ballots |"No" ballots
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) 1 September 1993 to 31 August 1994
(a) Voluntary aided |59 |31 |28
(b) Voluntary controlled |25 |16 |9
(c) Special agreement |1 |1 |0
(d) County |184 |109 |75
(ii) 1 September 1994 to 31 August 1995
(a) Voluntary aided |15 |6 |9
(b) Voluntary controlled |13 |10 |3
(c) Special agreement |0 |0 |0
(d) County |57 |34 |23
Note:
"Yes" ballots are those where a majority of parents voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status, and
"No" ballots are those where a majority voted against. Initial ballots have been disregarded where a second
ballot was required because of low turnout or the Secretary of State having declared a ballot void.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the total number of parents voting (i) in favour of and (ii) against grant-maintained status in ballots between (a) 1 September 1992 and 31 August 1993 (b) 1 September 1993 and 31 August 1994 and (c) 1 September 1994 and 31 August 1995. [41301]
Mr. Squire: The information requested is set out in the table:
Number of parents voting in grant-maintained ballots
|(a) |(b) |(c)
|1 September|1 September|1 September
|1992 to 31 |1993 to 31 |1994 to 31
|August 1993|August 1994|August 1995
---------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Parents
voting in
favour of GM
status |251,250 |63,703 |17,322
(ii) Parents
voting against
GM status
(including
spoilt papers) |142,593 |57,078 |18,087
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the full-year cost in (a) transitional grant and (b) formula allocation of capital grant in the event of all the present voluntary aided schools becoming grant-maintained during the same financial year. [41303]
Column 630
Mrs. Gillan: It is for the Funding Agency for Schools to determine the balance between the level of formula allocation and other forms of capital grant. The cost in (a) transitional grant and (b) formula allocation becoming grant-maintained during the same financial year will depend on levels of grant prevailing at the time.
Voluntary-aided Schools
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been (a) the level of capital expenditure and (b) the governor's share of capital expenditure in voluntary-aided schools in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [41302]
Mrs. Gillan: The level of capital expenditure over the past three years has been as follows:
£ thousands
|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
---------------------------------------------------------
(a) Total Governors'
expenditure eligible for
grant on which grant was
paid |95,681 |94,104 |89,139
(b) -of which Governors'
Contribution |14,352 |14,116 |13,371
Notes:
1. Governors' contribution based on 15 per cent. of
approved building work costs. Information on additional
annual expenditure incurred by governors, not approved
for grant assistance, on cash-limited and off-programme
work, is not held centrally.
2. Governors' contribution includes expenditure
supported by Central Government loans.
3. The figures do not include local authority capital
expenditure at aided schools, information on which is
not held centrally.
4. The figures do not include expenditure on repairs.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what time scale has been allowed for responses to her Department's consultation paper on self-government for
voluntary-aided schools; and what factors underlay her Department's rejection of the time scale periods recommended in (a) the Department of Environment publication "Action for Central Government" and (b) her Department's document on efficient scrutiny into the administrative burdens on schools. [41714]
Mr. Robin Squire: The consultation paper was published on 27 October with a request for responses by 24 November 1995. As the paper made clear, my right hon. Friend intends to consider the possibility of legislation in the coming parliamentary Session in the light of responses. This necessitates an unusually short consultation period, for which an apology was given in the letter to consultees accompanying the paper.
Mr. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to publish in full responses to her Department's consultation paper on self-government for
voluntary-aided schools and if she will make a statement. [41716]
Mr. Squire: A summary of responses will be made available on request, and a copy will be placed in the Library. Wider access to the responses themselves will be subject to consultees' consent.
Mr. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what dates copies of her Department's consultation paper on self-government for voluntary-aided schools were sent to (a) voluntary- aided schools, (b) grant-maintained former VA schools, (c) local authority associations and (d) local education authorities. [41717]
Mr. Squire: The consultation paper was published on 27 October 1995. Some 4,400 copies were dispatched on that day and on the following two working days.
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the rules and regulations she proposes to repeal or amend by means of a reference to the Deregulation Committee before the end of 1995; and if she will make a statement. [41529]
Mr. Forth: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what regulations her Department proposes to repeal by the end of 1995; if she proposes to conduct a cost compliance assessment on each regulation repealed; and what is the estimated cost of undertaking a cost compliance assessment to assess the advantages or disadvantages of such a repeal. [41553]
Mr. Forth: There are no plans to repeal any regulations by the end of 1995.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer by the repeal of each rule and regulation which has so far been the subject of a reference to the Deregulation Committee from her Department; and in
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how many cases a cost compliance assessment has been carried out. [41530]Mr. Forth: My right hon. Friend has laid one draft deregulation proposal to date. The draft order, which speeds up the process by which schools may change their session times, will not lead to any savings to the Exchequer.
Community Action Scheme
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people are on the community action scheme. [41833]
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Stephen Byers, dated 6 November 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question about the number of people presently on the Community Action programme.
At the end of September 1995 there were 12,900 people on Community Action.
I hope this is helpful.
Accelerated Modern Apprenticeships
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people are undertaking accelerated modern apprenticeships; and how many to date have completed such a course. [41832]
Mr. Paice: Reliable information on the number in training or completing accelerated modern apprenticeships is not available at present.
Youth Training
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the number of 16 and 17-year-olds on youth training in each region in August 1994 and August 1995. [41834]
Mr. Paice: The number on youth training in each region is given in the table. Information has been given for July 1995, the latest available month. It is not possible to provide figures for those aged 16 and 17 on youth training. Therefore, the table covers all those on youth training.
Youth training Great Britain and regions
number in training
Region |August 1994|July 1995
-------------------------------------------------------------
South east |25,700 |24,500
London |18,200 |16,800
Eastern |21,500 |19,600
South west |18,000 |19,100
West Midlands |27,100 |26,300
East Midlands |22,400 |22,700
Yorkshire and Humberside |27,600 |26,100
Merseyside |11,100 |12,300
North west |37,100 |32,900
North east |18,900 |16,800
Wales |14,600 |13,000
Scotland |32,300 |30,300
Great Britain |274,500 |263,700
Source:
TEC Management Information Returns, Welsh Office, The
Scottish Office, Employment Service.
Training Programmes
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people were on training for work programmes in each month of 1995. [41830]
Mr. Paice: Information on the number on training for work up to July 1995, the latest month for which figures are available, is given in the table.
Training for work-Great Britain 1995 Month |Number on programme ------------------------------------------------------------ January |130,100 February |132,900 March |118,100 April |99,000 May |95,200 June |92,600 July |85,800 Source: TEC Management Information Returns, Welsh Office, The Scottish Office.
Internet
Mr. French: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received about the regulation of material available to schoolchildren on the Internet. [41820]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department has received a number of comments on this issue in response to the Education Department's consultation paper "Superhighways for Education". A summary of the responses will be published later this month.
Mr. French: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to improve the regulation of material available in schools on the Internet. [41814]
Mr. Squire: The National Council for Educational Technology earlier this year published advice for teachers and parents on access to computers and on-line communications. These issues were also covered in the Education Department's consultation paper "Superhighways for Education". The outcomes of this consultation will be announced shortly.
Mr. French: To ask the Secretary of State for Educational and Employment what guidelines currently exist to restrict the material made available to schoolchildren on the Internet. [41813]
Mr. Squire: The National Council for Educational Technology has published guidance for schools and colleges on the use of the Internet, including considerations relating to access to undesirable materials. The NCET has also published guidance for teachers and parents on these issues.
Pre-School Learning Alliance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what annual grant has been made by her Department to the Pre- School Learning Alliance or to its predecessor the Pre-School
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Playgrounds Association in each year since 1990; for what purpose the grant is intended; and what plans she has for the continuance of such a grant for such purposes once plans for universal nursery vouchers are fully implemented. [41629]Mr. Robin Squire: Grants paid by the Department since 1990 91 are as shown in the table. They support the training of playgroup staff, and are reviewed annually. No decisions have been taken about the level of grant from 1997 98, when the voucher scheme is to be implemented fully.
Financial year |£ thousands --------------------------------------------- 1990-91 |179 1991-92 |327.5 1992-93 |649.5 1993-94 |887 1994-95 |1,195 1995-96 |1,195
Mr. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to implement the recommendations of the study commissioned by her Department and undertaken in 1994 into the use of the grant made by her Department to the Pre-School Learning Alliance. [41630]
Mr. Squire: The independent review into the use of the Pre-School Playgroups Association of its grant from the Department in support of staff training was undertaken in 1993. The review found that the PPA made effective use of its grant and obtained value for money. The review's findings were taken into account by the Department in determining its grant to the PPA in 1994 95, which increased by 35 per cent. over the preceding year.
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