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Health Boards (Administrative Costs)
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the administrative costs of health boards expressed as a percentage of the total spend for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. [14133]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information is shown in the table. The figures have been calculated using audited annual accounts of health boards. From 1992-93 onwards, the percentage decreases relative to total spend are due to an increasing proportion of NHS administration costs being attributable to NHS trusts. The figures are not therefore directly comparable.
1990-91: 7.6 per cent.
1991-92: 7.4 per cent.
1992-93: 8.0 per cent.
1993-94: 6.0 per cent.
1994-95: 3.4 per cent.
Fishing Industry
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors determine the dates on which he (a) closes applications for financial assistance under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance and (b) announces the award of grant; and when he expects to give his decision in respect of applications for financial assistance under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance submitted for consideration in the current round. [14134]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The financial instrument for fisheries guidance--FIFG--schemes opened on 1 July 1994 and applications may be submitted at any time. However, to allow sufficient time to appraise, consult and select the best applications, only applications submitted earlier than three months prior to the planned announcement of awards are considered in that tranche. The timing of each tranche is determined by the number of applications and the total amount of grant sought, the quality of applications, and the availability of funds at the appropriate time to service successful projects.
The present intention is that the next round of FIFG awards will be announced in June 1996.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been (a) the grant value and (b) the number of applications for financial assistance under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance currently
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lodged with his Department which (i) have been received since the present round opened and (ii) have been carried over from an earlier round. [14136]
Mr. Robertson:
There have been 42 applications seeking grant totalling £5,031,319 since the last tranche closed. In addition, there are 50 applicants carried over from previous rounds seeking grant of £7,765,172.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his oral answer of 5 February 1996, Official Report, Scottish Grand Committee, column 6, if he will relax his policy of non-disclosure in respect of the location and current possession of the timing device; and if he will make a statement. [14544]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has made it quite clear that he cannot discuss evidence in the case.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to general practitioner fundholders via their health boards concerning the placing of contracts for their long waiting list patients with individual private consultants and the British United Provident Association; if he will place a copy of such guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [14883]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
No specific guidance on this matter has been issued to general practitioner fundholders.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) to which organisations CITES-listed animals from Glasgow zoo have been transferred; [14777]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The information requested is not held centrally and my right hon. Friend has no reason to set up an inquiry. The Department of the Environment has issued Glasgow zoo with sales exemptions in relation to several ocelots, geffroy cats and margay cats, all of which are CITES listed animals. These exemptions allow Glasgow zoo to sell the animals within the UK. There is no requirement for the zoo to specify the destination of the animals.
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the appeals procedure for members of the NHS pension scheme who have been refused pension benefits after submitting positive medical evidence that they can no longer follow their regular employment. [13568]
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Mr. Malone:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 12 February 1996:
Mr. Malone:
The national health service pension scheme is a notionally funded statutory scheme set up under the provisions of sections 10 and 12 of the Superannuation Act 1972 and therefore does not have trustees.
Mr. O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the qualified medical advisors who advise on the payment of NHS pension benefits to NHS employees who are unable to continue their work because of illness. [13565]
Mr. Malone:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 12 February 1996:
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independent specialist medical report; and if he will make a statement. [13569]
Mr. Malone:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 12 February 1996:
Mr. Malone:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 12 February 1996:
(2) if he will set up an inquiry into the transfer of ocelots, Geoffroy's cats and margay cats from Glasgow zoo to other organisations. [14776]
Mr. O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the trustees of the NHS pension scheme. [13570]
The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.
There are no formal rights of appeal, but members of the NHS Pension Scheme have a number of avenues for challenging a decision affecting their pension rights. The NHS Pensions Agency operates it own internal procedures, involving reviews through senior officers not involved in the original decision. In ill-health retirement cases, where the Agency's medical advisors are unable to recommend acceptance of an application, they will at any time reconsider against further medical evidence.
If in any case a member remains dissatisfied with the Agency's decision they can request a formal determination by the Secretary of State, under Regulation U2 of the NHS Pension Scheme Regulations 1995 [SI 1995 No. 300]. If the dispute relates to a divergence of medical opinion it would be usual to seek an independent specialist's report before making a determination. Determinations are handled outside the Agency, by the NHS Executive.
If the member remains discontent they have the right to raise their complaint with the Occupational Pensions Advisory Board and the Pensions Ombudsman. The findings of the Ombudsman are binding upon the Scheme and may only be overturned by a High Court ruling.
Mr. O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the NHS pension scheme who have had their application for retirement pension payment on ill health grounds turned down by his Department or the NHS executive have been the subject of an
The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.
The NHS Pensions Agency receives independent medical advice under an agreement from BA Medical Services, part of the Department of Social Security. BAMS employ only registered full-time and sessional doctors to co-ordinate and provide advice to the NHS Pensions Agency. In doing so they may seek views of professional colleagues both inside and externally in order to reach consensus medical opinion on advice appropriate to each case.
Mr. O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the procedure for applicants who apply for pension rights under the NHS pension scheme for a medical examination by the medical advisers appointed by his Department. [13567]
The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.
I am afraid I cannot provide information in the form requested except at disproportionate cost, because it would require a review of the files of the individuals concerned.
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