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Accident and Emergency Provisions, Liverpool
and Sefton
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of accident and emergency provision in the Liverpool and South Sefton health authority areas; and what plans he has to provide additional resources for the provision of more intensive care beds. [16291]
Mr. Horam: These are matters for the Liverpool and Sefton health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. D. H. Tod and Mr. F. R. Ludlow, chairmen of Liverpool and Sefton health authorities respectively, for details.
Adoption
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the impact of adoption on inheritance rights. [17388]
Mr. Bowis: Under the Adoption Act 1976, an adopted child's links with his birth family are severed and he is treated as the legitimate child of the adopter. He is therefore entitled to inherit only from the adoptive parent and adoptive family. An adopted person does not have legal entitlement to inherit from a birth parent unless his interest has been vested before the adoption order is made. Where interest is only contingent, that interest will be lost on adoption. The proposed Adoption Bill will include a provision to give the court discretion to allow an adopted child to retain a contingent interest--or part of it--in his birth family's property after adoption.
Mr. Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the findings of the Government's White Paper published in 1992 recommending changes to the existing adoption law. [17390]
Mr. Bowis: Following publication of the White Paper "Adoption: The Future" in November 1993, a draft Bill is being prepared for consultation and will be available shortly.
Meningitis
Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of meningitis have been confirmed over the past six months; how many patients have died; and what were the figures for the same period in 1994-95 in (a) the Tees health authority area and (b) England and Wales. [17590]
Mr. Horam: Provisional data on notified cases of meningitis and meningococcal disease in Cleveland--and its component authorities--for the last six-month period of 1995 and the corresponding period in 1994 are shown in the tables. Notifications can be made on clinical suspicion alone and it is likely that some notified cases will not have been laboratory confirmed.
The incidence of meningococcal infection usually increases during the winter. In 1995, the rise in cases appears to have come earlier than usual, in December. Though this partly explains the higher 1995 figures for the July to December period, we did see more cases than in 1994 and also an increase in the proportion of the less
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common group C strain. Nevertheless, the total number of cases and types of meningitis seen in 1995 is not out of line with that experienced in the recent past.
| July-December 1994 | July-December 1995 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Deaths | Notifications | Deaths | |
| England and Wales | 792 | 88 | 1,136 | 120 |
| Hartlepool | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Langbaurgh on Tees | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Stockton on Tees | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Cleveland total | 3 | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| July-December 1994 | July-December 1995 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Deaths | Notifications | Deaths | |
| England and Wales | 378 | 7 | 537 | 17 |
| Hartlepool | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Langbaurgh on Tees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Stockton on Tees | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cleveland total | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| July-December 1994 | July-December 1995 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Deaths | Notifications | Deaths | |
| England and Wales | 199 | 57 | 327 | 78 |
| Hartlepool | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Langbaurgh on Tees | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stockton on Tees | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Cleveland total | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Statistics (Gender Breakdown)
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to collect statistics broken down by gender where relevant. [17682]
Mr. Horam: Gender specific statistical information is already collected by the Department where justified by the purposes the data will serve and where the collation of the data does not place an undue burden on data providers. The coverage and level of detail of all centrally held statistics, including gender-related information, is subject to regular review in consultation with the providers and users of the data.
Cancer Services, Bristol
Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about cancer services at the Bristol oncology centre. [17897]
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Mr. Horam:
This is a matter for Avon health commission and the United Bristol healthcare NHS trust. I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 28 February, Official Report, at columns 849-57.
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has now considered the implications for local authorities of the High Court's decision in relation to Gloucestershire county council's refusal to restore care services to over 1,000 disabled people in the county; and if he plans to issue further guidance to local authorities on the effect of section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 following the High Court's decision. [17917]
Mr. Bowis:
I have no current plans to issue further guidance on this matter.
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate his Department has made of the amount of money which will be reclaimed under the new rules for prescription charges in respect of men aged between 60 and 65; [16945]
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Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what total repayments have been made by the prescription claims processing unit to men aged 60 to 64 years since 20 October 1995; [17252]
(3) how many applications for refunds of NHS prescriptions charges have been lodged by men aged 60 to 64 years since 20 July 1995; and what percentage of those eligible this represents. [17253]
Mr. Malone:
We do not hold figures on the number of men aged 60 to 65 who have paid prescription charges prior to the European Court of Justice ruling. Following our invitation to register a claim we have issued over 187,000 claim forms to men in the United Kingdom. At the close of business on 23 February 132,000--70 per cent.--had been returned.
To date the prescription claims processing unit has authorised payments totalling £2.6 million to 83,000 --63 per cent.--men. At this stage it is not possible to forecast accurately the total cost of likely refunds but they are not expected to exceed £6 million. This does not include the cost of prepayment certificates refunded locally by family health services authorities. Administration costs will be additional.
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Mr. Hanson:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she was informed of the Sky TV pay-as-you-view proposal for selected future sporting events prior to its announcement. [17745]
Mr. Sproat:
This is a commercial matter between BSKyB and the right holder involved. My Department was not consulted.
Ms Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list those contracts her Department
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currently holds with EDS Ltd. indicating for each the (a) date of inception, (b) value and (c) duration. [17441]
Mr. Sproat:
My Department has no contracts with EDS.
Ms Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what have been the (a) administration and (b) wages costs for each national lottery funding distribution body in each month since its establishment. [15063]
Mr. Sproat:
The tables show the lottery administration costs and wages met for 13 months from 1 January 1995. The majority of distributors were given approval to draw funds from the national lottery distribution fund from this date.
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(2) how many pensioners have claimed refunds of prescription charges under the new rules affecting men aged between 60 and 65 years. [16944]
(2) what percentage of applications received by the prescription claims processing unit have been processed to the latest available date; [17254]
1. The NHMF, the art councils and the sports councils were established to perform other activities prior to the national lottery. The figures shown for administration and wages, represent the charge to lottery funds of all full-time lottery staff, plus a proportion of the costs of other staff in the organisations, who spend only part of their time working on lottery activities.
2. Distributors began developing systems to carry out lottery duties in the autumn of 1994. Costs associated with this development were met from other sources (grant-in-aid) and recharged against lottery funds in the first few months of 1995.
(13) Administration costs and wages of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Sports Council for Wales and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland are initially met by the main council and recharged to the lottery at a later date. This does not always take place on a monthly basis.
(14) Administration and wages costs of the Scottish Sports Council lottery unit for January, February and March 1995 were incurred by the main council on behalf of the lottery unit and recharged to the lottery in total, in March.
(15) Administration costs of the Arts Council of England's lottery unit are shown in total for January, February and March 1995.
(16) Figures not available.
(17) Administration costs for the Millennium Commission in March includes £1,119,000 for repayment of grant-in-aid.
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1. The NHMF, the art councils and the sports councils were established to perform other activities prior to the national lottery. The figures shown for administration and wages, represent the charge to lottery funds of all full-time lottery staff, plus a proportion of the costs of other staff in the organisations, who spend only part of their time working on lottery activities.
2. Distributors began developing systems to carry out lottery duties in the autumn of 1994. Costs associated with this development were met from other sources (grant-in-aid) and recharged against lottery funds in the first few months of 1995.
(18) Administration costs and wages of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Sports Council for Wales and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland are initially met by the main council and recharged to the lottery at a later date. This does not always take place on a monthly basis.
(19) The Sports Council's salary costs for January 1995 include the costs of the council's planning team for the period to 31 December 1994, which were later recharged by the council to the lottery unit.
(20) Administration and wages costs of the Scottish Sports Council lottery unit for January, February and March 1995 were incurred by the main council on behalf of the lottery unit and recharged to the lottery in total, in March.
(21) Administration costs of the Arts Council of England's lottery unit are shown in total for January, February and March 1995.
(22) Figures not available.
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Ms Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will publish a list of those agencies charged with distributing national lottery funding detailing the size of budget, the number of staff and the remuneration of each agency head for the year (a) before and (b) after their duties in respect of the lottery were allocated. [15096]
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Mr. Sproat:
The table shows expected administration costs to be incurred by each of the 11 lottery distributors for the 12 months ending 31 March 1996, the number of staff required by those bodies for lottery duties and the salaries of the most senior officials of each body for 1994-95 and 1995-96.
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| Estimated outturn of lottery administration costs--1995-96 | Number of lottery staff(25) | Chief executive remuneration 1994-95(26) | Chief executive remuneration 1995-96(26) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distributor | £000 | £ | £ | |
| National Heritage Memorial Fund | 3,546 | (27)27 | 45,000-49,999 | (23)70,000-74,999 |
| National Lottery Charities Board | 11,145 | (29)148 | n/a | (30)80,000-84,999 |
| Millennium Commission | 5,000 | 43 | (24)40,000-44,999 | (30)80,000-84,999 |
| Arts Council of England | 3,192 | 23 | 55,000-59,999 | 60,000-64,999 |
| Scottish Arts Council | 376 | 8 | 40,000-44,999 | (28)40,000-44,999 |
| Arts Council of Wales | 480 | 9 | 50,000-54,999 | 50,000-54,999 |
| Arts Council of Northern Ireland | 137 | 4 | 40,000-44,999 | 40,000-44,999 |
| Sports Council | 3,140 | 33 | 60,000-64,999 | 60,000-64,999 |
| Scottish Sports Council | 253 | 6 | 55,000-59,999 | 55,000-59,999 |
| Sports Council for Wales | 354 | 4 | 50,000-54,999 | 50,000-54,999 |
| Sports Council for Northern Ireland | 300 | 6 | 35,000-39,999 | 40,000-44,999 |
| Total | 27,923 | 311 | -- | -- |
(23) The NHMF appointed a new director in December 1995.
(24) The post of chief executive of the Millennium Commission was filled on a temporary basis until 1 March 1995.
(25) The figures for staff exclude any allowance for those officers of the NHMF, the arts councils and the sports councils who, though not assigned lottery staff, do spent a proportion of their time on lottery distribution activities.
(26) With the exception of the National Lottery Charities Board and the Millennium Commission, salaries of chief executives are not fully charged against lottery funds.
(27) The NHMF now has a staffing complement of 44 for its lottery distribution activities, the additional posts are expected to be filled in the near future.
(28) The salary of the chief executive of the Scottish Arts Council is currently under review.
(29) The staff complement of the NLCB has been agreed at 148. Some 30 temporary staff are also currently employed.
(30) The chief executives of the NLCB and the Millennium Commission are also paid an allowance of 15 per cent. of their salaries, with which to make their own pension provisions.
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Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations she has received concerning the establishment of free-standing lottery distribution bodies for Wales and Scotland; and if she will make a statement. [16411]
Mr. Sproat:
I have received no such representations.
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