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NHS Executive (Redundancy Costs)

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the redundancy costs of reducing management and manpower at the NHS executive, Quarry house in each of the last three years. [21723]

Mr. Horam: The costs for the Department of Health's voluntary early severance/retirement scheme for national health service executive staff at Quarry house for each of the last three financial years is shown in the table. There have been no compulsory redundancies in the NHS executive during this period.

1993-941994-951995-96
£££
Total cost0388,4063,812,635
Centrally funded0310,7243,050,108
Net cost to DH077,681762,527

Fraud

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that fraud appears as a separate item in the losses statements of health authorities and trusts from 1 April. [21729]

Mr. Horam: With effect from December 1995 health authorities and trusts were already required to report the value of all frauds to the national health service executive separately.

Physical Activity Task Force

Mr. Riddick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the work of the physical activity task force has been completed; and if he will make a statement. [22730]

Mr. Horam: The work of the physical activity task force has now been concluded. The Government fully appreciate the valuable work of the task force, from which the Department of Health has developed a physical activity statement. Copies of this statement are available in the Library.

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of accident and emergency services at Darlington memorial hospital.[22074]

Mr. Horam: This is a matter for South Durham health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the authority, Dr. John Marshall, for details.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all

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board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [21828]

Mr. Malone: All national health service bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, have a statutory basis. Health authorities and special health authorities are statutorily required to admit members of the public to their meetings. NHS trusts are statutorily required to hold an annual public meeting and many voluntarily admit the public to board meetings. There is no requirement on the Dental Practice Board to hold any meetings to which the public are admitted.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21833]

Mr. Malone: National health service bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, are subject to investigation by the Health Service Commissioner (Ombudsman), and scrutiny by both the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office.

The principles of open government are incorporated in the code of practice on openness in the national health service, with which all national health service bodies must comply. The principles of the citizens charter apply to national health service bodies and have been incorporated into the patients charter.

The NHS executive monitors the performance of all national health service bodies.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests (i) under the statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [21838]

Mr. Malone: There is a statutory obligation on national health service trusts to publish an annual report, all other NHS bodies are required to do so by the codes of conduct and accountability. There is a statutory obligation on all NHS bodies to publish annual accounts but no obligation on them to publish minutes of their meetings, although many do. Health authorities and special health authorities are statutorily required to publish the agendas of their meetings. All NHS bodies are required by the codes of conduct and accountability to maintain a register of members' interests.

NHS Trusts

Mr. Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will break down by (a) element and (b) amount the emolument figure paid to NHS trust board members in 1993-94 in the NHS accounts; [22000]

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Mr. Malone: Information will be placed in the Library on the fees paid to non-executive directors, other emoluments of executive directors, compensation for loss of office and early retirement pensions paid to the directors of NHS trusts for 1993-94. Information on the number of individuals involved is not available centrally.

We do not recognise the amount of £985,000 quoted by the hon. Member.

Mr. Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down by (i) trust, (ii) element and (iii) amount the losses and special payments totalling £24,902,000 as set out in the NHS summarised accounts 1994-95. [21995]

Mr. Horam: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts no longer recruit senior managers on fixed-term contracts. [20901]

Mr. Malone: The information is not available centrally.

Play Schemes

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has either to suspend or abandon his proposed deregulation of supervised activities and holiday play schemes used by children under eight years of age.[22075]

Mr. Bowis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 18 March at column 82.

WALES

Executive Action

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those areas of executive action where he has discretion to act in respect of an individual without giving reasons for his decision. [20530]

Mr. Hague: Comprehensive records are not kept in the form requested. I exercise discretion to act in respect of an individual without a legal obligation to give reasons in the following subject areas, which provide examples of such powers. However, as a matter of practice and in accordance with the Government's code of practice on access to government information, reasons are usually given when there is an exercise of any discretionary power.

The subject areas, with examples are:


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Ministerial Visits (Nursery Schools)

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which nursery departments and nursery schools he has visited. [21132]

Mr. Richards: Since our appointments, in addition to a number of my constituency visits, my right hon. Friend or I have visited the following infant and primary schools, many of which have nursery provision:


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