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WALES
Teachers
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the availability of full-time posts for unemployed teachers in Wales. [2002]
Mr. Hain: Local authorities and grant-maintained schools reported that, as at January 1997, there were 102 vacancies for full-time teachers in maintained secondary, primary and special schools in Wales. This represents less than 0.5 per cent. of teachers employed by local authorities and grant-maintained schools in Wales. It is open to any suitably qualified teacher to apply for appointment to a vacant post in Wales.
Red Barn Development
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the decision of Gwent health authority to cancel the proposed Red Barn development; [2374]
- (2) what role the private finance initiative has played in the Red Barn proposal at Nevill Hall hospital, Abergavenny. [2376]
Mr. Win Griffiths: Gwent Community Health Trust sought private sector interest under the Private Finance Initiative as required by the Department. A preferred bidder was selected and negotiations had been continuing.
Gwent Health Authority's decision was taken because costs had increased, value for money was not demonstrated sufficiently, and the proposals no longer met the demand for services. The Authority will now discuss needs with local people, local authorities and other interested parties. This is a matter for the Health Authority and they have to decide on the most cost effective way of delivering services for their communities.
Pen y Fal Hospital
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what receipts accrued to his Department from the closure of Pen y Fal Hospital, Abergavenny. [2372]
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 348
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The Pen y Fal Hospital site has not yet been sold and no receipts have accrued to the department.
Gwent Community Health Trust are at present marketing the major part of the site and interested parties have been asked to prepare a bid.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the proposed Chepstow community hospital. [2375]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
Glan Hafren NHS Trust in collaboration with local GPs, and with the support of Gwent Health Authority, are working on a proposal for a new Neighbourhood Health Unit to be built on the St. Lawrence Hospital site at Chepstow. The unit will provide for a range of primary, continuing, mental health, diagnostic and acute services. The development is a Private Finance Initiative and the Trust are currently in the final stages of negotiation with the private sector consortium.
Mr. Hanson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the availability of screening programmes via NHS hospitals for ovarian cancer in Wales. [2189]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
I have made no specific assessment of the availability of screening programmes for ovarian cancer. Professional advice is that there is currently no screening test assessed as effective which can be used on a population basis.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the future of the private finance initiative in relation to the national health service.[2379]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
As my hon. Friend knows, the Government is currently undertaking an urgent review of the Private Finance Initiative. This is being led by the Paymaster General. In addition, officials in the Welsh Office Health Department are working with their colleagues in the Department of Health to determine what changes are necessary to ensure the PFI delivers the range of health care facilities which so far it has failed to do. As a first step, we have introduced the NHS (Private Finance) Bill in order to provide the necessary assurance to the private sector that Trusts can enter into PFI contracts. This should break the current logjam of projects.
We expect all of this work to be completed quickly. The review led by my hon. Friend will report by 13 June. Officials are working to a slightly longer timetable; and if all goes well, the Bill will be enacted before the summer recess. We are determined to give the PFI a new impetus so that we can start building new health facilities to carry us through to the 21st Century.
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 349
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the proposed outer bypass for Chepstow. [2369]
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 350
Mr. Hain:
A proposal has been put forward by a private developer for an outer bypass for Chepstow partly funded by residential development on the English side of the border. Most of the route is in England and will require planning approval from local authorities in the area.
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 351
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy personnel are currently employed ashore; and what were the equivalent figures in (a) 1981 and (b) 1988. [2395]
Dr. John Reid:
Available statistics show that 25,252 Naval Service personnel were employed ashore at home and overseas on 1 April 1997; 44,352 on 31 March 1988; and 50,749 on 31 March 1981.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on occupational pensions rights of interrupted employment resulting from national service; and if he will make a statement. [2141]
Dr. John Reid:
Public Service pension schemes allow members who had their careers interrupted by national service to credit that period towards their pension. The impact of National Service on the pension rights of members of occupational schemes outside the public service will depend upon the rules of the relevant scheme and the effect of the application of Inland Revenue limits on final retirement benefits.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make representations to the European Court of Human Rights to bring forward the date of the appeal tribunal concerning McGinley and EEV UK. [1969]
Dr. John Reid:
I have no plans to make representations to the European Court of Human Rights to bring forward its hearing of the case being brought by McGinley and Egan. It is, of course, open to the two applicants to do so.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the acreage of land (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; and what were the equivalent figures in (i) 1974 and (ii) 1979. [2393]
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 352
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Estate Organisation Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from B. L. Hirst to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 9 June 1997:
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to undertake the removal of gallium from the military plutonium stockpile; and what assessment he has made of the discharges to the environment arising from this removal. [1785]
Mr. Spellar:
When plutonium is returned from service use the gallium is removed in conditions designed to protect both the operators involved and the environment at large. As far as this Department is aware, there have been no discharges to the environment arising from such removal.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was (a) the establishment and (b) the nominal strength on 1 May of (i) The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, (ii) The Green Howards, (iii) The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, (iv) The Light Infantry, (v) The Royal Dragoon Guards, (vi) The Light Dragoons and (vii) The 1 Royal Tank Regiment. [2014]
Dr. John Reid:
The establishments and strengths are as follows:
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 351
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about MOD land holdings as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Estate Organisation.
The details of the land held by the Ministry of Defence at 31 March 1974, 1979 and 1997 are as follows:
Date Freehold Leasehold Total
31 March 1974 593,723 54,142 647,865
31 March 1979 579,478 41,640 621,118
31 March 1997 553,317 38,978 592,295
| Unit | Establishment | Strengths | Surplus/deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment | 519 | 573 | +54 |
| 1st Battalion The Green Howards | 625 | 603 | -22 |
| 1st Battalion The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire | 519 | 512 | -7 |
| The Light Infantry | |||
| 1st Battalion | 539 | 476 | -63 |
| 2nd Battalion | 555 | 522 | -33 |
| The Royal Dragoon Guards | 406 | 402 | -4 |
| The Light Dragoons | 388 | 383 | -5 |
| 1st Royal Tank Regiment | 398 | 359 | -39 |
9 Jun 1997 : Column: 353
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