| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Unemployment
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) men and (b) women are unemployed in (i) Wales and (ii) Flintshire. [5303]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: There were 74,279 men and 22,345 women on the claimant unemployment count in Wales in October 1996. The corresponding figures for Flintshire were 2,710 and 934 respectively.
2 Dec 1996 : Column: 542
Computer Programme
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress with the OSIRIS office automation project. [7142]
Mr. Hague: The OSIRIS service has been delivered to the pilot work group and tested. Implementation of the service in my Department's housing division is now under way.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the principal components of the £70 million estimated capital cost of PFI contracts sponsored by his Department given in the Red Book; and what is (i) the length of each contract, (ii) the break clause timings where applicable and (iii) the end of contract ownership arrangements agreed for the principal schemes. [7144]
Mr. Hague: The figures in table 5.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" show estimated capital spending by the private sector under the PFI. The £70 million estimated for 1997-98 includes one contract that has already been signed, for the OSIRIS IT project. This seven-year contract was signed in June 1996. Further information, including break clause and end-of-contract arrangements, is provided in a case study of the project published by the central IT unit and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
The remainder of the £70 million is made up of projects for which contracts have not yet been signed.
National Museum of Wales
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the use of heritage furniture donated to the National Museum of Wales in the house of the director; if he has authorised its use; what guidelines exist concerning the use of heritage furniture in private residences of senior museum employees; and if he will make a statement. [7148]
Mr. Hague: I have seen press reports on this matter. I understand that the national museum provides the director with furnished accommodation at the museum of Welsh life, for which he pays a commercially assessed rent. In addition to living there, the director uses the accommodation for office purposes, and for entertaining in association with his work.
Selection of individual items of furniture to be placed in the accommodation is a matter for the museum, in accordance with the terms of its agreement with the director. The Welsh dressers to which the press reports refer were purchased by the museum, rather than donated; I am advised that, if they had not been placed in the director's accommodation, they would have been held in store.
I am satisfied that these arrangements are entirely proper.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to attend further official luncheons for
2 Dec 1996 : Column: 543
the purpose of encouraging Welsh business to fund and participate in a Welsh pavilion at the millennium exhibition at Greenwich. [7143]
Mr. Hague:
I have no immediate plans to do so, but will consider this as necessary in the next few months.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made for the printing by The Stationery Office of his Department's requirements for bilingual public documents, forms and leaflets. [7146]
Mr. Hague:
My Department has made no arrangements with The Stationery Office for the printing of bilingual public documents, forms and leaflets. All printing work is subject to normal public procurement procedures.
Community Health Services
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to introduce needs weighting for community health services in the NHS capitation formula; and if he will make a statement. [5069]
Mr. Horam: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) on 28 November 1996, cols 368-70.
Correspondence
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who paid for (a) the envelopes and (b) the postage for his letter of 6 November to all Labour hon. Members. [5434]
Mr. Dorrell: (a) Conservative Central Office and (b) Conservative Central Office.
Malathion
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the currently marketed (a) medicines and (b) other products that contain malathion. [5144]
Mr. Malone: The following medicinal products for human use have a current marketing authorisation but it is not known if they are currently marketed:
| Product name | Marketing authorisation number |
|---|---|
| Clinimal (Malathion 0.35 per cent. w/w) | PL 00083/0035 |
| Malathion Lotion containing malathion 0.5 per cent. w/v) | PL 00199/5002R |
| Derbac-M Liquid Prioderm Liquid | PL 11314/0046 |
| Prioderm Cream Shampoo | PL 11314/0051 |
| Prioderm Lotion | PL 11314/0052 |
| Sulco-M Lotion | PL 11314/0055 |
| Quellada-M Lotion | PL 14236/0004 |
| Quellada-M Shampoo | PL 14236/0005 |
The only other products containing malathion of which the Department of Health is aware are the following pesticides which are approved for use. It is not known if they are currently marketed:
2 Dec 1996 : Column: 544
| Product name | Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food number | Professional/ amateur use |
|---|---|---|
| Duramitex | (02512) | Amateur |
| Malathion Greenfly Killer | (01247) | Amateur |
| Malathion 60 | (08018) | Professional |
| Bio Crop Saver | (03969) | Amateur |
| Murphy Malathion Dust | (07880) | Amateur |
| Murphy Liquid Malathion | (07881) | Amateur |
| MTM Malathion 60 | (05714) | Professional |
| Murphy Liquid Malathion | (03971) | Amateur |
| Murphy Malathion Dust | (03792) | Amateur |
| Ban Mite | (06039) | Professional |
| MTM Malathion 60 | (07931) | Professional |
Elective Surgery
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which waiting times for elective general surgery in the coming financial year in the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority accord with the patients charter. [5380]
Mr. Malone: Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority has not yet finalised its purchasing plan for 1997-98 nor agreed any contracts with provides of surgical services. In common with every other health authority in the country, Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth will work with its providers to ensure that all patients are treated within the time limit set by the patient's charter.
Women
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to measure and evaluate the effect of his Department's policies on women. [5483]
Mr. Horam: In July this year, the model guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment was revised and circulated at Cabinet level for Departments to adapt to their own circumstances. Copies have been placed in the Library. This guidance requires officials to identify policy issues which might impact differentially on women and men, and other groups, to assess whether this is justified in policy terms, and to adjust the policy if it is not. Women are major users of health services and play an increasing role as managers and employees in the health and social services professions. Health policy and services need to be responsive to and reflect women's needs. Headline achievements in the Department of Health and the national health service have included:
Making women's health a key health ministerial responsibility since 1986.
Regular ministerial meetings with representatives of women's groups; a wide range of women's health organisations receive funding.
Extensive gender-disaggregated statistics on health status and health-related behaviour are published by, or on behalf of, the Department of Health.
Many of "The Health of the Nation" targets are relevant to women and several are set specifically for them.
2 Dec 1996 : Column: 545
Residential Care (Malpractice)
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the legal sanctions applicable in the event of cases of malpractice among residential carers. [5850]
Mr. Burns: It is the responsibility of the employer, in the first instance, to take disciplinary or dismissal action as appropriate.
The general criminal law may be applied, for example in the case of assault against a person or theft of a person's property.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |