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GP Fundholders
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid in fees to general practitioner fundholder managers in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97; and if he will break down the figures by health authority. [1801]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested is not held centrally. General practitioner fundholder managers are paid from the Practice Fund Management Allowance (PFMA) but their salary is not identified as a separate item within total PFMA allocations. The total PFMA expenditure for 1995-96 was £109.6 million and allocations of PFMA for 1996-97 were £153.3 million.
Children (Employment)
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation to outlaw the illegal employment of school-age children. [1542]
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Mr. Boateng:
We are considering how the existing system for protecting children under minimum school leaving age who work might be improved.
Mr. Gerrard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department is responsible for funding the treatment of prisoners with HIV/AIDS. [1154]
Ms Jowell:
I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Diplomatic Missions (Parking Fines)
Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parking fines were incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1996. [2029]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: During 1996 the London diplomatic missions incurred a total of 1,676 unpaid parking fines, which is slightly more than the 1995 figure of 1,586. In February this year this department wrote to all diplomatic missions to give them an opportunity to pay off all outstanding parking tickets, or appeal to have the ticket cancelled. Since then payments totalling £48,640.00 have been received, compared with £11,600.00 in 1996. The table below shows only missions which have 11 or more fines outstanding.
3 Jun 1997 : Column: 133
Consular Fees
Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to change consular fees. [2021]
Mr. Fatchett: An order in Council was made on 20 May which reduces both the cost of a 5 year multiple entry visa and the cost of a certificate of entitlement and completes the 3 staged increase in settlement visa fees designed to achieve full cost recovery in this category. The Order also abolishes the fee for the confirmation of the right of abode (now obsolete). The Order will come into effect on 10 June.
PRIME MINISTER
Question Time
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will estimate the annual reduction in the number of visitors to the Strangers' Gallery during oral questions to him consequent upon the change to their timing. [958]
The Prime Minister: Admission of the public to the Strangers Gallery is a matter for the House authorities.
Disability
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will nominate a Minister in each Department to
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help identify and to overcome obstacles to ability, employment, education and mobility among people with real or apparent disability; [1227]
The Prime Minister:
The Government place great importance on ensuring equal opportunities for all groups, including disabled people. By moving the disability portfolio from the Department of Social Security to the Department for Education and Employment the Government has signalled a move away from treating disabled people as recipients of benefit towards a culture which will value their wider role in society as people willing and able to take advantage of education, training and employment opportunities.
My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Equal Opportunities now deal with disability issues.
My right hon. Friend will act as a focal point across Government for disability issues and will be working with Ministerial colleagues in their Departments to ensure that the needs of all disabled people are addressed as policies are being developed. In this way, my right hon. Friend will have an input into policy as it affects disabled people whilst responsibility for implementing specific areas will remain with the relevant Departments.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister how much each Department has spent since 1 May on podiums and backdrops. [1224]
The Prime Minister:
This is a matter for the individual departments. No central records are kept.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister what is the role of the Minister without Portfolio; and for what reason he is excluded from the rota for oral questions. [1225]
The Prime Minister:
My hon. Friend's role is to assist me and my Ministerial colleagues in implementing Government policy and presenting it effectively.
My hon. Friend is not in charge of a Department. Therefore--in line with the practice of the Minister without Portfolio in the previous administration--he will not have a slot on the rota for oral questions.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to attend the hand-over ceremony in Hong Kong. [1467]
The Prime Minister:
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will both attend the hand-over ceremony in Hong Kong. I am still considering whether I will be able to attend.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister which Department has ministerial responsibility for horse and dog racing. [1717]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: Such Ministerial responsibility as there is for horse and dog racing arises from the sport's close links with betting. The Home Office is responsible for the betting legislation.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the public relations firms awarded Government contracts in each year since 1992, indicating the nature and value of the contract in each instance. [1639]
The Prime Minister:
The information requested is not held centrally for all Government Departments.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 121, on the transfer of responsibility for charities and voluntary organisations, if he will publish the responses and a summary of the responses to his policy document, "Building a Future Together", relating to the specific issue of transferring responsibility for voluntary organisations and charities to the Home Office. [1716]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The Labour Party Policy Document published in March and the covering letter invited organisations and individuals from the voluntary sector to make their views known on how Government should structure its responsibilities for the voluntary sector. No one argued for responsibility for the sector to remain at the Department of National Heritage and views expressed to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) before and after the election were that there should be a clear focus for Government activity to support, nurture and work with the sector. Representatives of the voluntary sector and other respondents positively welcomed the return of the responsibility to the Home Office.
(2) what considerations and consultations led him to do without a Minister with overall responsibility for disability issues. [1226]
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