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SCOTLAND
Departmental Publications
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what means his Department makes available it publications in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print; and how this is publicised. [1675]
Mr. Dewar: Publications in Braille and audio tape are made available and publicised through the Scottish Braille Press who distribute them to individuals and organisations for the visually impaired throughout Scotland. My Department does not currently produce publications in large print. We are, however, presently considering how we might increase the range of information in alternative formats for people who are visually impaired.
Speeding
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount raised through the payment of fixed penalties for speeding in each of the last five financial years, for each police force in Scotland; and if there has been any change of policy by the police forces regarding the collection of speeding fines during the past five years. [1284]
Mr. McLeish: Police fixed penalties for speeding were only introduced in April 1993 and have been set at £40 since then. The following table gives the information held centrally on the number of police conditional offers of fixed penalties for speeding issued in each of the last three financial years, for each police force in Scotland. The fixed penalties are collected by the Clerk of the District Court with jurisdiction over locus of the offence. It is not possible from information held centrally to give the total amounts raised from fixed penalties for speeding in each police force area for the period covered in the table.
| Police Force | Offers issued | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
| Central | 3,248 | 3,913 | 3,716 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 3,032 | 2,931 | 4,478 |
| Fife | 3,576 | 3,686 | 3,111 |
| Grampian | 5,528 | 7,275 | 6,892 |
| Lothian and Borders | 8,628 | 11,298 | 10,873 |
| Northern | 2,266 | 2,749 | 3,479 |
| Strathclyde | 36,675 | 30,247 | 27,651 |
| Tayside | 6,071 | 5,730 | 5,210 |
| Scotland | 69,024 | 67,829 | 65,410 |
HEALTH
Dental Services
Mr. Cann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government are currently taking to ensure the retention of qualified dentists in the general dental service; and if he will make a statement. [1890]
Mr. Milburn:
This area is under review.
6 Jun 1997 : Column: 282
Mr. Cann:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the total amounts claimed for dental treatments from the Dental Practice Board in each of the last five years in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the relationship between these figures and the numbers of general dental practitioners in the same periods. [1894]
Mr. Milburn:
Information on payments scheduled by the Dental Practice Board for England and Wales is given in the table. Questions relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland respectively. The table includes figures for the number of general dental practitioners on health authority lists.
| England | Wales | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item of service payments | Number of dentists(2) | Item of service payments | Number of dentists(2) | |
| £ million(1) | £ million(1) | |||
| 1992-93 | 966.6 | 15,618 | 53.4 | 831 |
| 1993-94 | 884.3 | 16,020 | 48.7 | 858 |
| 1994-95 | 925.3 | 15,745 | 49.8 | 850 |
| 1995-96 | 931.5 | 15,998 | 49.5 | 855 |
| 1996-97 | 951.3 | 16,387 | 51.1 | 913 |
(1) Most child treatments were paid for through capitation payments until September 1996. Therefore the item of service figures do not give a true reflection of the amount of child treatment carried out. The figures include entry payments.
(2) These figures are a headcount of the number of different dentists on Health Authority lists. They exclude community salaried and hospital dentists.
Capital Investment
Mr. Cann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total amount of money currently spent to assist in capital investment in general medical practices; what were the figures in each of the last five financial years; and what are the figures for capital investment in dental practices. [1892]
Mr. Milburn: It is not possible to identify separately the total amounts paid to general medical practitioners and general dental practitioners to support capital investment.
Sunderland Hospitals (Name Change)
Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total cost to the Sunderland Hospital Trust of changing the name of Sunderland District General hospital to the Sunderland Royal hospital. [2461]
Mr. Milburn:
Sunderland District General hospital was recently renamed Sunderland Royal hospital to reflect its royal designation. The change reflects the hospital's links with Sunderland Royal Infirmary, which closed in 1995 when services were transferred to more modern buildings at the District General Hospital. We understand from City Hospitals Sunderland National Health Service Trust that the costs of the title transfer were at around £1,000 and were paid from non-exchequer funds.
6 Jun 1997 : Column: 283
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) the name, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in his Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2425]
Mr. Dobson:
I have appointed Mr. Joe McCrea as my special adviser. He was previously my research assistant. The terms and conditions of his appointment are set out in the draft model contract, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Special advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details of this and of previous salary are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
This is a personal appointment made by me following consultation with the permanent head of the Department and the Prime Minister.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the review of the use of silicone breast implants to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [2299]
Mr. Boateng:
The Independent Review Group aims to report to the Chief Medical Officer in late 1997. The completion date for the review will, however, depend on the amount of work that the Group considers necessary to fulfil the remit.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit a copy of the full Schengen agreement text in the Library prior to the signature of the treaty of Amsterdam. [2009]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Schengen Agreement is not a Treaty to which this country is a party, nor is it an EC or EU document. We will consider whether to deposit the Schengen Agreement in the Libraries of the House in the light of developments in the IGC negotiations.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the current British interpretation of human rights with the draft Amsterdam treaty, with particular reference to the use of the term "fundamental freedoms" in article F of the draft treaty.[1995]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We consider the use of the term human rights and fundamental freedoms in the draft Treaty to be fully compatible with the UK's understanding of that term.
6 Jun 1997 : Column: 284
Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to send a British team to monitor the Algerian elections. [1583]
Mr. Fatchett:
The UK contributed two observers to the United Nations co-ordinated team which monitored the Legislative Elections in Algeria which took place on 5 June 1997.
Mr. Hope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of (a) the meeting in Paris on 27 May between NATO Heads of State and Government and the Russian President and (b) the North Atlantic Council meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers at Sintra on 29 and 30 May. [2847]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
In Paris my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister signed, with his NATO colleagues, the President of Russia, and the NATO Secretary-General, the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Co-operation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation. This is an historic document designed to encourage greater trust and co-operation between Russia and NATO.
The main provisions of the Act are:
Foreign Ministers also initialled a draft NATO/Ukraine Charter which will provide a basis for enhanced co-operation symbolising NATO's recognition of the importance of Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.
On 30 May NATO Foreign Ministers and the 27 Partner countries launched the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and an expansion of NATO's programme with Partners, Partnership for Peace. The enhanced Partnership for Peace encourages Partners to plan, train for and mount the full range of peacekeeping operations including the most demanding. The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council will also provide a political forum for discussing Partnership activities, and wider issues of European security.
Copies of the NATO Russian Founding Act have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
6 Jun 1997 : Column: 285
The NATO Foreign Ministers in Sintra had a preliminary discussion on decisions to be taken at the NATO Summit meeting in Madrid on 8 July. In particular they discussed NATO enlargement but did not reach conclusions on which of the applicants for membership will be invited to join the Alliance at Madrid. That decision will be taken by Allied Governments in time for the Summit.
a list of shared principles, including the right of States to choose the means to ensure their own security;
arrangements for a Permanent Joint Council which will meet monthly at the level of Ambassadors, twice yearly at Ministerial level, and on demand in a crisis;
consultation and co-operation over security crises, crisis management and conflict resolution, joint operations, defence policy and military doctrine and arms control;
an agreed approach to the adaption of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe and provisions for more co-operation between military establishments.
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