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Ministerial Visits
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the overseas visits of Ministers, indicating if they were accompanied by officials and the costs involved, in each of the past five years. [16500]
Lord James Douglas Hamilton [holding answer 19 February 1997]: Ministers are always accompanied on overseas visits by at least one official. Costs of visits prior to 1995 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Since 1992, Scottish Office Ministers have attended 28 Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Councils in Brussels or Luxembourg. The total costs of attendance at Councils in 1995 and 1996 was £34,861.70. Figures for 1997 are not yet available. In addition, Ministers also undertook the following visits to promote or represent Scotland's interests abroad:
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Equipment and Furniture
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies during the past 12 months, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately.[17071]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
Six items of equipment with a total estimated value of £250 and 17 items of information technology equipment, and some accessory pieces, with a total value of approximately
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£15,000 have been reported missing over the last 12 months. No items of information technology or other equipment valued at £5,000 or more have been reported missing.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment he has made of the need for a Scottish centre for the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders; what funding he has provided since 1992 for such a service; and if he will make a statement; [17996]
(3) if he will make a statement on the implications of the closure of the sleep laboratory at the royal infirmary of Edinburgh; [18002]
(4) what is the current availability of continuous positive airways pressure units and accessories in the NHS in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [18004]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
I am glad to confirm that the royal infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust will not be closing its sleep laboratory. I am pleased that the laboratory has secured sufficient funding of £530,000 to enable it to continue in operation after 1 April 1997.
The assessment of need for sleep disorder services is a matter for health boards to determine. A Scottish needs assessment programme report on obstructive sleep apnoea and allied disorders is to be published shortly. In the light of the report, health boards, other purchasers and interested providers will wish to assess the appropriate level of sleep disorder services required and how best to deliver care locally and nationally, for patients across the length and breadth of Scotland.
The current availability of continuous positive airways
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pressure units and accessories in the NHS in Scotland is a matter for health boards and providers and information is not held centrally. Sleep disorder services at the royal infirmary's sleep laboratory were purchased on a national basis until 31 March 1996 when the purchasing of services was devolved to health boards. Funding from 1991-92 to 1995-96 is set out in the list.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much the Government spent on (a) new social housing and (b) maintenance of social housing in (i) England, (ii) the west midlands and (iii) London between 1990 and 1996; [16551]
Mr. Clappison
[holding answer 20 February 1997]: The available information on allocations for expenditure on social housing stock made by the government for the years 1990-91 to 1996-97 is set out in the table. Some of the resources allocated through the single regeneration budget challenge fund and city challenge will be used for investment in social housing but this element is not separately identified in the allocations made. Corresponding figures on a comparable basis for other OECD countries are not available.
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(2) what plans he has to ensure continued provision for a national diagnosis and management centre for sleep disorders; and if he will make a statement; [17997]
1991-92: £50,000
1992-93: £55,000
1993-94: £296,000
1994-95: £287,000
1995-96: £519,000
(2) how much the Government spent on (a) new social housing and (b) maintenance of social housing between 1990 and 1996; and what were the equivalent figures for other OECD countries. [16550]
(19) Resources were provided for cash incentives schemes in 1990-91 and 1991-92 but within a package of measures directed at homelessness which are included in the 'other local authority' row.
(20) Covers special programmes for homelessness, rural housing, energy efficiency, New Town defective dwellings, flats over shops and the Housing Partnership Fund.
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