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WALES
Coronary Heart Disease
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [21123]
Mr. Richards: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs), on 18 March, Official Report, column 1.
Wheelchairs
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans (a) to introduce the scheme to provide
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powered indoor wheelchairs for severely disabled people and (b) to introduce a voucher scheme for the purchase of wheelchairs for the disabled. [20913]
Mr. Richards: In the light of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health's recent announcement about the provision of powered wheelchairs and a wheelchair voucher scheme, I am currently examining the implications of introducing similar arrangements in Wales.
Hospital Casualty Units
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for the future development of hospital casualty units in Wales; what assessment he has made of the Audit Commission report; and if he will make a statement. [21386]
Mr. Richards: The future development of hospital accident units will be judged against the criteria of clinical safety, ease of access and value for money.
The Audit Commission's report "By Accident or Design--Improving A&E Services in England and Wales" is currently being considered. It will undoubtedly aid the Department's review of accident and emergency services throughout Wales.
The recently launched patients charter for Wales anticipated a number of the Audit Commission's recommendations and others are being considered for future editions of the charter.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been diagnosed as having cancer in (a) South Glamorgan and (b) Mid Glamorgan and Gwent in the last 10 years; what was the percentage change in each year; and if he will make a statement. [21873]
Mr. Richards:
The number of malignant neoplasms registered in each year since 1981 and the percentage change in each year is given in the following table. Figures for 1991 and later years are not yet complete.
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| South Glamorgan | Mid Glamorgan | Gwent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of registrations | Percentage change | Number of registrations | Percentage change | Number of registrations | Percentage change | |
| 1981 | 1,757 | -- | 2,064 | -- | 1,812 | -- |
| 1982 | 1,682 | -4.3 | 2,182 | +5.7 | 1,833 | +1.2 |
| 1983 | 1,771 | +5.3 | 2,232 | +2.3 | 2,081 | +13.5 |
| 1984 | 1,827 | +3.2 | 2,524 | +13.1 | 2,193 | +5.4 |
| 1985 | 1,891 | +3.5 | 2,564 | +1.6 | 2,286 | +4.2 |
| 1986 | 1,879 | -0.6 | 2,813 | +9.7 | 2,239 | -2.1 |
| 1987 | 1,708 | -9.1 | 2,613 | -7.1 | 2,413 | +7.8 |
| 1988 | 1,884 | +10.3 | 2,557 | -2.1 | 2,246 | -6.9 |
| 1989 | 1,932 | +2.5 | 2,420 | -5.4 | 2,221 | -1.1 |
| 1990 | 2,101 | +8.7 | 2,857 | +18.1 | 2,109 | -5.0 |
Source:
Wales Cancer Registry
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Health Authority Managers
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total pay bill for health authorities' chief executives and general managers in Wales for the year ended 31 March 1990. [21725]
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Mr. Richards: There were no chief executive posts in health authorities in Wales in 1990. The salary bill for NHS general managers in Wales in 1989-90 was £508,000. Source: The summarised accounts of the health authorities in Wales and of the family health services authorities in Wales for the year ended 31 March 1990.
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General Practitioners
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what basis he decides if there are sufficient people being trained to work as general medical practitioners in Wales and whether adequate resources are being invested by the Welsh Office in the training of medical personnel in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [22201]
Mr. Hague: It is the Government's policy to secure an adequate supply of appropriately trained doctors in each sector and specialty. This is achieved through advisory and planning mechanisms at a UK and Wales level.
The medical workforce standing advisory committee considers the longer-term need for doctors and for making recommendations on the intake of medical schools. In 1995, the committee recommended an increase of 11 per cent. in UK medical school intakes by 2000 to a total of 4,970. The Government have accepted that recommendation.
The Welsh Office is involved in UK work force planning through its representation on the Advisory Group on medical education and staffing. The advisory group is currently examining the issue of recruitment and retention of GPs. My officials also have regular discussions with professional educationalists in Wales to ensure that the provision of training for intending GPs is appropriate.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what dates (a) he (b) fellow Ministers at the Welsh Office met representatives of the Medical Practices Committee to discuss the adequacy of the number of general practitioners throughout Wales. [22200]
Mr. Hague:
My officials met representatives of the Medical Practices Committee on 31 October 1995, and will meet them again on 28 March 1996.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much funding Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin received from his Department in (a) 1990, (b) 1992, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [22401]
Mr. Richards:
Funding by the Welsh Office to Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin is shown as follows: the figures are expressed in terms of financial years.
| Funding under the child and family services grant scheme | Section 26 of the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 | Section 21 of the Education Act 1980 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| 1990-91 | 127,751 | 358,250 | 15,000 | 501,001 |
| 1991-92 | 175,526 | 400,000 | 7,000 | 582,586 |
| 1992-93 | 152,872 | 457,000 | -- | 609,872 |
| 1993-94 | 152,872 | 473,544 | 12,900 | 639,316 |
| 1994-95 | 152,872 | 537,000 | 5,306 | 695,178 |
| 1995-96 | 152,772 | 537,000 | -- | 689,872 |
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Intensive Care Units
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many beds there are in each intensive care unit in Wales; and if he will make a statement; [22399]
- (2) how many hospitals in Wales have intensive care units; and if he will make a statement; [22402]
(3) what is the annual cost per intensive care bed in each hospital in Wales; and if he will make a statement.[22400]
Mr. Richards: There are 17 hospitals in Wales with intensive care beds. These are as follows:
| Hospital | Number of intensive care beds in 1995(15) |
|---|---|
| Princess of Wales, Bridgend | 5 |
| Bronglais General | 2 |
| East Glamorgan General | 6 |
| Ysbyty Glan Clwyd | 4 |
| Llandough | 5 |
| Prince Philip, Llanelli | 3 |
| Morriston | 8 |
| Neath General | 1 |
| Nevill Hall | 2 |
| Prince Charles, Merthyr | 4 |
| Royal Gwent | 5 |
| University Hospital of Wales Healthcare NHS Trust: | |
| --University Hospital | 7 |
| --Cardiff Royal Infirmary | 5 |
| West Wales General | 2 |
| Withybush General | 3 |
| Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor | 4 |
| Ysbyty Gwynedd | 8 |
| Total | 74 |
(15) General intensive care beds only. No information is held centrally on the cost of intensive care beds in each hospital.
All health authorities in Wales have been asked to review the number of intensive care and high dependency beds needed in their areas and to take action to address any shortfalls identified.
Arts Council Funding
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much funding the Arts Council for Wales received from his Department in 1994-95; and if he will make a statement. [22460]
Mr. Richards: The Arts Council of Wales received a total grant of £13,696,000 in 1994-95.
Further and Higher Education
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of students in further and higher education in Wales; and what is the current ratio of school leavers to the number entering higher education. [22368]
Mr. Richards: The number of student enrolment at further and higher education institutions in Wales for 1994-95 was 188,681 (provisional). In 1993-94, 9,100 pupils aged 17 and over left school in Wales, of these 64 per cent.--5,860--entered higher education.
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