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Clinical Services
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he classifies haemodialysis as a clinical service; [8152]
- (2) if he will publish a full list of clinical services available through the national health service; [8150]
(3) what is his definition of a clinical service. [8149]
Mr. Milburn: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 10 July 1997, column 579.
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each of the clinical services which will be available at each of the PFI hospitals on his approved list of PFI projects. [8151]
Mr. Milburn: As part of the review of the Private Finance Initiative, officials will be considering what services may be included in PFI projects and are aiming to produce a list of these by the end of the year.
Aircraft Disinfectant Tanks
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Department's letter of 20 June, POH (3) 5437/5 if he will assess the advantages of requiring
11 Jul 1997 : Column: 640
airlines to add (a) glutaralydehyde and (b) other water-soluble oils active against viruses, to aircraft disinfectant tanks. [7934]
Ms Jowell:
There would be no advantage in adding glutaraldehyde, or similar disinfectants, to aircraft sewage tanks because the normal processes for treating such sewage are considered adequate for the protection of public health.
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for mergers of NHS trusts in the Birmingham area; and if he will make a statement on their effect on the future of Solihull hospital. [8157]
Mr. Milburn:
There are currently no proposals for trust mergers in the Birmingham area. In April 1996, Solihull hospital merged with Birmingham Heartlands NHS Trust to form Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS trust (Teaching). The merger secured the future of Solihull Hospital and local services for the people of Solihull. There are no plans to change this arrangement.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the non-construction costs were of the last district general hospital to be built; and which it was. [8146]
Mr. Milburn:
There is no recognised definition of non-construction costs.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost of the professional work involved in preparing the plans and relevant project details for a district general hospital valued at (a) £50 million, (b) £100 million, (c) £150 million and (d) £200 million. [8154]
Mr. Milburn:
Costs vary depending on whether the scheme is new build or refurbishment, the method of fee acceptance and other factors.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average time taken by his Department from project inception to formal approval for the last five district general hospitals to be built. [8147]
Mr. Milburn:
Project inception is not a standard term, so the information requested is not available.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the construction consortium negotiating the PFI contract for the Norfolk and Norwich hospitals prevented commercial close being achieved by a request for further contractual negotiations. [8156]
Mr. Milburn:
The procurement has been conducted using the negotiated procedure of the European Union procurement regulations. Commercial close cannot be achieved until all negotiations have been concluded to the satisfaction of both parties.
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Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each road scheme under construction the projected costs and the actual costs in the same format as in the answer of 16 October 1995, Official Report, columns 75-80. [6871]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to write to my right hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 11 July 1997:
As you know, the Minister of Transport in London, Miss Glenda Jackson, has asked the Agency to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning road schemes under construction. Lawrie Haynes, Chief Executive, has asked me to reply as he is away from the office at present.
You asked for details of projected costs for each of these schemes together with actual costs. As these schemes are currently under construction and consequently final accounts have not been agreed with the contractors concerned, it is not possible to supply the actual costs. To publish estimates of the final outturns would pre-empt discussions still in progress with the contractors concerned. I therefore enclose a list of all schemes currently under construction with details of their tender costs.
The Procurement strategy which the Agency announced on 24 June 1997 is aimed at improving cost control of our projects.
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Vehicle Exhausts
Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department (a) is undertaking, (b) has evaluated and (c) has conducted into the effects on pedestrians of the positioning of exhaust outlets of heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles at ground level; if he will introduce legislation to require repositioning of exhaust outlets at the top of vehicles, along the lines of that introduced in the United States; and if he will make a statement. [7460]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government is not aware of any research into the effects on pedestrians of the positioning of exhaust outlets of heavy goods and public service vehicles and has not considered making it mandatory to reposition exhaust outlets at the top of vehicles. It is however a requirement that buses have their exhaust pipes at the rear or on the off side of the vehicle.
Exhaust emissions from heavy vehicles are being addressed through a series of improvements in vehicle design and exhaust after-treatment systems, together with in-service enforcement measures, which are aimed at achieving a general standard of air quality. Although, against this background, it would not appear that the position of the exhaust pipe will have any significant impact on health, it is nevertheless a factor which we shall take into account as we explore with industry how even cleaner and more efficient vehicles may be produced.
Coach Operators (Disabled Travellers)
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to meet representatives of coach and tour operators to discuss (a) the priority reservation of front seats in coaches for disabled people and (b) other improvements to accommodate the needs of the disabled traveller. [7737]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The allocation of seats in an operational issue for coach operators.
We are, however, actively pursuing other improvements to ensure coaches are easier to use by disabled people. Discussions have been taking place with the bus and coach industry, both operating and manufacturing, to consider the detail of the accessibility regulations which will be introduced under the Disability Discrimination Act.
11 Jul 1997 : Column: 643
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