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Hong Kong
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if holders of Hong Kong special administrative region passports will require visas to visit the United Kingdom from July 1997. [19203]
Mr. Howard: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is announcing in Hong Kong today, holders of Hong Kong special administrative region passports will not be required to obtain visas for short visits to Britain after 30 June 1997. We will, of course, keep this arrangement under review, as we do with the visa arrangements we apply in every other part of the world.
Prisoners (Sanitation)
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the provision of 24-hour access to sanitation for prisoners. [19204]
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Miss Widdecombe: The deadline for providing all prisoners with 24-hour access to sanitation was 29 February. On 29 February over 99 per cent. of prisoners had 24-hour access to sanitation. If every cell without sanitation had been withdrawn from use on that date there would have been a loss of 267 places in the area between Leeds and Liverpool and this would have increased the likelihood of using police cells in that region. For this reason I approved the retention of some cells without sanitation until early April, when other accommodation opens.
Since the sanitation programme was announced in 1991, over 19,000 places have been provided with sanitation. During this period the prison population has increased by approximately 30 per cent. I anticipate that all prisoners will have 24-hour access to sanitation by 12 April 1996. The delay has been caused primarily by the need to include necessary security improvements in the refurbishment programme.
Statistics (Gender Breakdown)
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to collect statistics broken down by gender where relevant. [17683]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 29 February 1996]: Statistics about people produced by my Department are normally based on administrative systems which include information on sex. Statistical information about people can therefore usually be broken down by sex.
East Birmingham Task Force
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the projects which received money from the east Birmingham task force between the years 1988 and 1993 and (b) how much money was given to each of the projects. [17895]
Sir Paul Beresford: I have been asked to reply.
The information has been placed in the Library of the House.
HEALTH
High-voltage Power Cables
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to issue guidance notes on health care for people living near to high-voltage power cables; and if he will make a statement. [17133]
Mr. Horam: None. The National Radiological Protection Board has advised that there is no convincing evidence that electromagnetic fields present a hazard to public health at domestic levels of exposure. The board further advises that epidemiological studies related to possible risks of cancer do not provide a basis for setting exposure standards as there is no evidence of any adverse effects. The Department will continue to monitor the situation and maintain support for research in these areas, consulting the NRPB and the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment as necessary.
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Mr. O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent reports he has received regarding health risks posed by high-voltage power lines near busy roads.[17128]
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects which caused the overspend in class A3 of the 1994-95 class XII, vote 3 appropriation accounts. [17801]
Mr. Horam: Additional refurbishment of departmental buildings became necessary leading to additional payments in respect of new works over £150,000 and furniture and fittings. The most significant projects in these categories were:
refurbishment of toilets;
installation of new lighting to comply with regulations on VDU use;
conversion of redundant reprographic facility to offices;
moving staff into the newly-occupied Hannibal house.
Lariam
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 24 January, Official Report, column 243, what (a) representations and (b) reports he has received alleging adverse side effects arising from the anti-malarial treatment lariam; and if he will make a statement. [18221]
Mr. Horam: Ministers have received a small amount of correspondence concerning the possible side-effects of lariam--mefloquine.
From 1990, when lariam was launched in the United Kingdom, to 27 February 1996, the Medicines Control Agency has received 757 reports of 2,054 suspected adverse reactions for mefloquine. This is an increase of 152 reports--the majority of which are not serious--since the answer I gave on 24 January 1996. However, this number of reports is not unexpected in view of recent media attention concerning lariam which encouraged patients to report possible reactions. Receipt of a report of a reaction does not necessarily mean that it has been caused by lariam. The product information for doctors and patients provides information on the adverse effects of lariam.
The Medicines Control Agency will continue to monitor lariam and review any new evidence that may emerge to ensure that the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 336, if he will make it his policy that health authorities communicate directly with all women over 65 years of age who have previously received breast screening to inform them of their rights to continued screening. [17969]
Mr. Horam:
It is already policy that health authorities inform all women of 65 years of age who have previously received breast screening of their right to continued
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screening. Screening units are reminded by the national health service screening programme to encourage women to continue to come for three-yearly screening, and this is emphasised in screening and well woman literature available in GP surgeries, clinics and screening centres.
Mr. Charles Wardle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if all mammography screening facilities in the United Kingdom have to obtain certification to a quality assurance standard; and what this standard is based on. [18329]
Mr. Horam:
No. All mammographic screening facilities have to comply with the lonising Radiations Regulations 1985 and 1988. This is facilitated by compliance with stringent quality assurance standards set by the national health service breast screening programme.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which bodies receive copies of the audit letter issued to NHS trusts by the Audit Commission. [17928]
Mr. Horam:
Management letters from statutory auditors are addressed to the national health service trust concerned. They are copied to the appropriate regional health authority.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue instructions to NHS trusts to provide copies of audit letters issued to NHS trusts to (a) constituency hon. Members, (b) members of the public and (c) the local press who request them. [18037]
Mr. Horam:
National health service trusts may make this information available on request, but these matters are primarily between the appointed auditor and the trust concerned.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require the auditors of NHS trusts to provide copies of their audit letters to (a) constituency hon. Members, (b) members of the public and (c) the local press who request them. [18038]
Mr. Horam:
Statutory auditors of national health service trusts are appointed by the Audit Commission and it is not for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health to instruct them on these matters.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 February, Official Report, columns 290-91, on the Yorkshire Cancer Organisation, what proposals the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority or the NHS Executive have considered to relocate the Yorkshire Cancer Organisation away from Leeds. [18079]
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of fraud occurred in each year since 1985 in NHS trusts and health authorities; and what was the total value of such fraud. [17946]
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Mr. Horam:
The cost of fraud is not separately identified in the accounts or the losses and special payments returns submitted by NHS units in England.
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