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Hearing Loss
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the net saving or additional cost from abolishing lump sum awards to ex-service people with an attributable hearing loss of 20 per cent., taking into account the extra costs of appeal hearings by the pensions appeal tribunals since abolition; and if he will make a statement. [18953]
Mr. Heald [holding answer 6 March 1996]: Any service-related disablement assessed at 20 per cent. or more attracts a continuing pension rather than a lump sum gratuity.
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 355
The threshold excluding payment of war pension gratuities for service-related noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss assessed at less than 20 per cent. came into operation from 7 January 1993. We estimate that, between that date and the end of January this year, the total cost of the gratuities otherwise payable would have been over £130 million.
The estimated administrative cost of appeals heard by the pensions appeal tribunals involving the assessment of noise-induced sensorineural deafness in the same period is approximately £2 million.
The change on noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss formed part of a package which increased considerably, from April 1993, the war pensions of the most severely disabled ex-service men and women. Nearly 265,000 war pensioners are now benefiting from the increase at an estimated annual cost of some £26 million.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide additional funds to local education authorities to match the teachers' pay award; and if he will make a statement. [18448]
Mr. Richards:
My right hon. Friend's decisions on the Welsh local government revenue settlement for 1996-97 were approved by the House of Commons on 8 February. The settlement is consistent with the Government's commitment to restrain public expenditure and is sufficient for all local authorities in Wales to fund services adequately.
The School Teachers Review Body took account of the Government's policy on public spending, including their view that increases in public sector pay should be met from improvements in productivity and efficiency, along with evidence submitted by the teachers' unions and the employers, in formulating its recommendations.
The Government do not consider it appropriate to provide additional resources to fund the pay award. The money could be found only at the cost of other important spending programmes, such as health. The decision to stage the award, increasing pay scales by 2.75 per cent. from 1 April 1996 and by a further 1 per cent. on 1 December 1996, will help local authorities and schools absorb the increases and meet the demand of other budgetary pressures.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the county of Mid Glamorgan received in 1995 from the strategic development scheme; and if he will make a statement. [18271]
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 356
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The strategic development scheme funding approved in 1995-96 for local authorities in the county of Mid Glamorgan is:
| Local authority | Total approved |
|---|---|
| £ | |
| Mid Glamorgan county council | 4,961,500 |
| Cynon Valley borough council | 3,262,032 |
| Merthyr Tydfil borough council | 1,445,640 |
| Ogwr borough council | 1,122,622 |
| Rhondda borough council | 2,708,758 |
| Rhymney Valley district council | 1,080,067 |
| Taff Ely borough council | 815,220 |
| Total | 15,395,829 |
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of the money allocated to Mid Glamorgan under the strategic development scheme for 1996 will be spent on new schemes; and if he will make a statement. [18273]
Mr. Jones: Strategic development scheme support for new schemes in 1996-97 has been allocated to new unitary authorities as follows:
| Unitary authorities | Allocations for new schemes |
|---|---|
| £ | |
| Bridgend | 818,000 |
| Caerphilly | 1,855,000 |
| Merthyr | 492,000 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taff | 4,037,250 |
| Total | 7,202,250 |
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much he estimates will be allocated to Wales in 1996 under the strategic development scheme; and if he will make a statement. [18269]
Mr. Jones: A total of £63 million has already been allocated for 1996-97 under the strategic development scheme for projects to revitalise Welsh communities, regenerate town centres and open up new areas of investment and opportunity in areas of need.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the county of Mid Glamorgan will receive in 1996 from the strategic development scheme; and if he will make a statement. [18272]
Mr. Jones: Strategic development scheme support in 1996-97 has been allocated to new unitary authorities as follows:
| Unitary authority | Total allocation (£) |
|---|---|
| Bridgend | 1,408,972 |
| Caerphilly | 4,210,451 |
| Merthyr | 1,660,407 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taff | 9,742,909 |
| Total | 17,022,739 |
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 357
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total of money allocated to Wales in (a) 1994 and (b) 1995 under the strategic development scheme; and if he will make a statement. [18274]
Mr. Jones: The total allocated to local authorities in Wales under the strategic development scheme was (a) £59.4 million in 1994-95 and (b) £57 million in 1995-96. Outturn allocations for 1995-96 may vary.
Chernobyl
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what considerations led him not to include data on the effects and quantities of radioactivity from the Chernobyl accident in his Department's ninth annual "Environmental Digest for Wales". [18550]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The "Environmental Digest for Wales" is a wide-ranging compilation of statistics on the Welsh environment but is not intended to be exhaustive. The Chernobyl accident is referred to on page 110 of the digest, together with sources for further information. Appendix 4 of the digest gives references to additional data held in earlier editions.
Further Education Colleges
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance he plans to make available to colleges of further education in 1996-97; and if he will make a statement. [18451]
Mr. Richards: The Department's letter of 13 December 1995 to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales set out the Government's priorities for the Welsh further education sector in 1996-97. It announced that £173.423 million of grant in aid would be made available to the funding council in that year. A copy of the letter was placed in the Library of the House.
Ofsted Budget
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the Ofsted budget in (a) 1994-95 and (b) 1995-96; what the outturn figure for 1995-96 will be; and if he will make a statement. [18447]
Mr. Richards: This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. Mr. Chris Woodhead will write to the hon. Member.
Cocaine-related Deaths
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cocaine-related deaths have occurred in each of the past five years in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [18267]
Mr. Richards: According to records kept by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, no death certificates relating to deaths of Welsh residents in the period 1990 to 1994 mention cocaine.
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 358
Doctors
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were registered with NHS family doctor practices in (a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) 1995, indicating the figures as a percentage of the population in Wales. [18819]
Mr. Richards: Information on patients registered with general medical practitioners (family doctors) in Wales is given in the following table. The figures may include people who, although registered with doctors in Wales, are not Welsh residents and people who are still registered with a doctor but who have either died or moved and not re-registered.
| Number of patients registered | Percentage of population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 October 1980 | 2,862,239 | 102 |
| 1 October 1985 | 2,915,168 | 104 |
| 1 October 1990 | 2,963,612 | 103 |
| 1 April 1995(16) | 2,982,429 | 102 |
(16) The latest data available. The 1994 population figure has been used to calculate the percentage as 1995 data are not yet available.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) junior doctors, and (b) other hospital doctors there were in (i) 1985, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 1995. [18739]
Mr. Richards: The information is given in the following table:
| Junior hospital doctors(17) | Other hospital doctors(18) | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 September 1985 | 1,305 | 893 |
| 30 September 1990 | 1,394 | 1,042 |
| 30 September 1995(19) | 1,651 | 1,321 |
(17) House officers, senior house officers, registrars and senior registrars.
(18) Consultants, staff grades, associate specialists, hospital practitioners and clinical assistants.
(19) Provisional.
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