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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of MRSA have been recorded in each health authority district in Scotland in each of the last 12 months. [2980]
Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 11 June 1997]: Information on the total number of cases of infection or colonisation with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is not collected centrally in Scotland.
The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health receives isolates submitted voluntarily by hospitals in Scotland. The following table shows the numbers of isolates received for the 12 months to May 1997 for each Scottish health board area. Several isolates may be taken from a single patient on one occasion or at different times.
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| Weeks | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1997 | |||||||||||||
| Health board | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 | 41-44 | 45-48 | 49-52/3 | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | Total |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 5 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 24 | 149 |
| Argyll and Clyde | 15 | 21 | 47 | 6 | 29 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 41 | 28 | 30 | 33 | 332 |
| Borders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 11 | 18 | 13 | 103 |
| Fife | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 33 |
| Forth Valley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 55 | 52 | 43 | 43 | 218 |
| Greater Glasgow | 24 | 29 | 3 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 49 | 27 | 60 | 74 | 64 | 30 | 74 | 498 |
| Grampian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 16 |
| Highland | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 |
| Lanarkshire | 16 | 38 | 25 | 21 | 34 | 26 | 43 | 30 | 28 | 52 | 32 | 56 | 62 | 463 |
| Lothian | 9 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 54 | 25 | 47 | 57 | 318 |
| Tayside | 9 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 16 | 28 | 19 | 186 |
| Total | 85 | 115 | 97 | 109 | 128 | 87 | 161 | 141 | 200 | 346 | 252 | 280 | 330 | 2,331 |
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Deportation
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons awaiting deportation have been detained at (a) HM Prison Greenock and (b) other prisons in each of the past seven years; what was the average time spent in such detention; and if he will make a statement. [2765]
Mr. McLeish:
Detailed statistics concerning persons detained before 1995 are not available within the Scottish Prison Service. The number of persons detained in (a) Greenock and (b) other prisons in Scotland under the Immigration Act since 1995 are detailed in the table. The average period of time spent in detention by persons awaiting deportation is 54 days.
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| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 13 | 18 | 6 |
| Barlinnie | -- | 1 | 1 |
| Cornton Vale | -- | 1 | 3 |
| Edinburgh | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Greenock | 67 | 65 | 54 |
| Inverness | 1 | -- | -- |
| Longriggend | -- | -- | 3 |
| Perth | -- | 1 | -- |
NORTHERN IRELAND
Health Board Headquarters (Armagh)
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the gardens at the headquarters of the Southern Area Health Board at Tower Hill, Armagh City. [2143]
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Mr. Worthington:
The total cost of landscaping, including the courtyard gardens, within the Tower Hill site was £28,347.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the acute hospital rationalisation proposals will be implemented. [1522]
Mr. Worthington
[holding answer 11 June 1997]: Teams have been set up in the Royal Group of Hospitals Trust and the Belfast City Hospital (BCH) Trust to take forward the decisions arising out of the Acute Hospitals Reorganisation Project. The process of implementation has already begun but in view of the inter-relationship of many of the specialties involved and the complexities arising from this, implementation will be on a gradual basis and is likely to take a couple of years. As promised by the Secretary of State earlier, I am presently looking again at the decision to centralise maternity and associated services in the BCH Tower Block. This is also the subject of a judicial review.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement about the 1997-98 running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments. [3771]
Mr. Murphy:
The gross running cost limit for 1997-98 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is £783,171,000. There is also a net running cost limit of zero for the Land Registers of Northern Ireland. Details of the provision for individual Northern Ireland Departments are set out in the Northern Ireland Estimates published today and are available in the Library.
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements have been made for the appointment of a new Police Authority for Northern Ireland. [3813]
Marjorie Mowlam:
The Police Authority has a vital task to perform in securing the maintenance of an adequate and efficient police force. It also has a very important role to play in enhancing the relationship between the police and the public it serves.
I have therefore appointed 17 members of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland for a term of three years which will begin on 29 June 1997. In making the appointments I have, as required by the Police Act (NI) 1970, consulted organisations and persons representative of the community in Northern Ireland. In addition, and in accordance with the Guidelines issued by Sir Leonard Peach, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland, applications for appointment were invited by advertisements in the Northern Ireland press. As a result, the Authority widely represents the community and continuity is provided by the continuing service of several individuals for a second term.
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5. Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government's monetary policy objectives are met. [1589]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
Last month I announced reforms which gave the Bank of England operational responsibility for setting interest rates. Today, I have written to the Governor setting out the Bank's remit and how it will be held accountable for meeting its target.
To meet the Government's objectives of high levels of growth and employment, we need consistently low inflation. That is why I am today announcing a precise and rigorous framework to achieve the Government's inflation target of 2½ per cent.
Our new long term framework will ensure that if inflation is 1 per cent. higher or lower than this target, an open letter will be sent by the Governor to the Chancellor so that the public is fully informed of why the divergence has occurred and what steps will be taken in response.
I have arranged for the letter which I have sent the Governor today to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
19. Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the causes of the predicted rise up to 2001-2 in cyclical social security as set out in table 4.6 in the most recent Red Book; what assessment he has made of the implications; and if he will make a statement. [1604]
Mr. Darling:
The spending plans inherited by the Government for the period up to 1999-00 assume increases in Cyclical Social Security expenditure from future inflation upratings and future growth in the number of Income Support claimants and the average amounts of benefit paid to them. They are partly offset by an assumption of falling unemployment. Beyond 1999-00 the projections allow for additional growth in expenditure above what would be expected from inflation upratings, in line with that observed in the past. The Government are currently reviewing these plans and will announce the outcome in the Budget.
21. Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the methodology used by the Government for calculating the level of unemployment. [1606]
Mrs. Liddell:
My hon. Friend's interest in methodology is well placed and shared by the Government and the Government have begun a process of consultation which reflects the Employment Select Committee's recommendations for more prominence to estimates for the labour force survey.
On 8 May the Office for National Statistics launched a process of consultation with users about the dissemination and presentation of labour market statistics. The Director of the Office for National Statistics is responsible for
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 563
deciding the form, the coverage and timing of release of statistics by his office, which is committed to a wide-ranging consultation.
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