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Central Statistical Office

Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Central Statistical Office performed against its key targets in 1995-96. [37790]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The Central Statistical Office's performance for 1995-96 is described in the agency's annual report and accounts, which are being laid before the House and published today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

The CSO achieved 29 of the 34 published targets, including 18 of the 20 targets relating to the quality of key economic statistics.

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Targets for the future will relate to the performance of the Office of National Statistics, which was formed on 1 April 1996 following the merger of the CSO with the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Targets for 1996-97 are set out in the ONS business plan 1996-97 to 1998--99, which was published in March.

PRIME MINISTER

Stone of Scone

Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister at what time he first informed the Dean of Westminster of his intention to make a statement to the House about the Stone of Scone; and what consultations previously had taken place with the dean and chapter. [36913]

The Prime Minister: My discussions with the dean and others before the announcement were confidential.

Isle of Wight

Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the Isle of Wight council calling for independence. [36917]

The Prime Minister: As far as I am aware, none.

Mr. Field: To ask the Prime Minister if he will undertake a study on the future status of the pound sterling as legal tender on the Isle of Wight following the council's call for independence. [36919]

The Prime Minister: No. The Isle of Wight is part of the United Kingdom and sterling continues to be the only legal tender on the island.

Beef Exports Ban

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister when he proposes to take action if the EU committee of experts fails to agree to lift the ban on British beef exports to third countries. [37488]

The Prime Minister: We expect the Commission and other member states to act fully in accordance with the framework for removing the ban agreed unanimously at Florence.

HEALTH

Dental Services (Duplicate Registrations)

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many duplicate registrations were eliminated by the Dental Practice Board in each six-month period between January 1990 and January 1994 and in each month since January 1994; and what estimate he makes of the number of duplicate registrations in place in January of each year since 1990. [35088]

Mr. Malone: The table sets out the number of duplicate general dental service registrations that were eliminated by the Dental Practice Board in each six-monthly period between January 1990 and January 1994 and in each month since January 1994.

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A reliable estimate cannot be made of the amount of duplication that remains within registrations. The Dental Practice Board is continually seeking to reduce the level of duplication.

General Dental Service: Number of duplicate registrations eliminated 1990-96, England

Month	Adults	Children	Total
July-December 1990	0	0	0
January-June 1991	0	0	0
July-December 1991	0	0	0
January-June 1992	370,500	0	370,500
July-December 1992	469,855	65,406	535,261
January-June 1993	378,744	124,542	503,286
July-December 1993	129,310	45,768	175,078
1994
January	87,983	21,988	109,971
February	49,881	13,772	63,653
March	54,022	17,234	71,256
April	115,593	31,407	147,000
May	447,505	127,396	574,901
June	104,052	36,408	140,460
July	98,484	31,162	129,646
August	100,723	37,429	138,152
September	103,504	34,290	137,794
October	105,400	37,916	143,316
November	105,197	37,477	142,674
December	95,478	29,457	124,935
1995
January	93,583	26,398	119,981
February	96,792	34,400	131,192
March	106,942	36,953	143,895
April	98,407	35,994	134,401
May	98,249	34,802	133,051
June	100,535	33,892	134,427
July	98,091	32,643	130,734
August	99,407	37,960	137,367
September	101,805	34,798	136,603
October	109,898	41,864	151,762
November	98,404	37,171	135,575
December	103,385	33,932	137,317
1996
January	102,101	30,201	132,302
February	105,089	38,947	144,036
March	111,490	38,598	150,088
April	98,339	38,629	136,968

Central formal registration was introduced in October 1990. From the outset the Dental Practice Board's systems ensured that the same patient (as defined by first initial, surname, sex and date of birth) could not be registered more than once with the same dentist. The "eliminated duplicates" shown in the table represent detected duplicates where the same person was registered with more than one dentist.

The numbers eliminated in 1992 contain estimates because recorded data is for England and Wales.

GP Lists (Removals)

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include in the patients charter a requirement for each GP practice to include in its annual report the number of patients removed from its list at the general practitioner's request; and if he will make a statement. [35841]

Mr. Horam: General practitioners routinely supply this information to health authorities and there are no plans to make publication of it a patients charter requirement.

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Primary Care Services

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that health authorities are able to commission primary care services from general practitioners according to locally expressed needs; and if he will make a statement. [36188]

(2) what action he is taking to ensure that primary care services are developed according to local community needs and priorities; and if he will make a statement. [36159]

Mr. Malone: Health authorities are responsible for developing strategies in consultation with local people for improving health and health services, including supporting and developing primary care. A major consultation exercise is also under way to identify how primary care services might be further developed in future.

Health Trusts (Consultation)

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance is issued to health trusts on the necessity for consultation with the public; and if he will make a statement; [35980]

(2) what courses of action are open to members of the public in circumstances where a health trust declines to attend a public meeting to discuss changes in health care and its provision; and if he will make a statement; [35981]

(3) what courses of action are open to members of the public if a health trust refuses to meet them to discuss changes in the level and provision of local health care; and if he will make a statement; [35982]

(4) what guidelines are issued by his Department on the need for, and the extent of, consultation with patients about changes in availability or quality of health care and its delivery; and if he will make a statement. [35983]

Mr. Horam: It is for health authorities to assess the health needs of their population and purchase services to meet those needs. Where substantial changes in services are proposed, the health authority is required to consult with its local community health council. If the CHC objects to the resultant proposal, it is normally referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health for a final decision--regarding English HA proposals. Members of the public of course have the opportunity to put their views forward to the CHC. Copies of relevant guidance are in the Library.

Rough Sleepers

Mr. Patten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated of health risks incurred by those who sleep rough, with particular reference to Victoria street, London SW1. [36003]

Mr. Bowis: The Government recognise the health problems associated with rough sleeping and have developed two key initiatives to help homeless people, including those who sleep rough, obtain the health and personal social services that they need.

The homeless mentally ill initiative provides accommodation and psychiatric care for rough sleepers with mental health problems in central London where the problem of rough sleeping is most acute.

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The Department has also funded some 35 primary health care projects in England to help homeless people to access services they need. The projects provide a range of services in places where homeless people tend to congregate, such as hostels and day centres, and have been fully evaluated.

Both initiatives provide services to rough sleepers in Westminster, including Victoria street SW1, and have provided valuable information complementing the Government's rough sleepers initiative.

The Department also published, on 4 July, a report entitled "Tuberculosis and homeless people" which recommends strategies for the identification and treatment of tuberculosis in homeless people and contains measures to prevent tuberculosis in the homeless population.

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