---

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crime Victims and Witnesses

32. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary about the care of victims of crime and of witnesses. [7311]

The Attorney-General: It is not my practice to give details of meetings with Ministerial colleagues on particular topics. I have frequent discussions with my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary about Departmental matters of members interest. As regards fulfilment of our commitment to improving the position of victims and those who give evidence in court, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Home Secretary on 3 July, Official Report, columns 235-37.

Serious Fraud Office

33. Mr. Winnick: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the work of the Serious Fraud Office. [7312]

The Attorney-General: The aim of the Serious Fraud Office remains to investigate and prosecute serious and complex fraud and so deter fraud and maintain confidence in the probity of business and financial services in the United Kingdom. To this end since 5 April 1996 the SFO has secured the conviction of 26 defendants out of 29 prosecuted.

Crown Prosecution Service

Mr. Forth: To ask the Attorney-General if he will give for the proposed review of the Crown Prosecution Service (a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8250]

The Attorney-General: Sir Iain Glidewell is aiming to report by the end of the year.

No firm estimate as to the likely cost is yet available.

Lenient Sentences

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Attorney-General how many sentences considered unduly lenient he has sought leave to refer to the Court of Appeal since 1 May. [7313]

The Attorney-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope).

SCOTLAND

NHS Operations (Cancellations)

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were admitted to hospital for surgery and subsequently discharged without the operation having taken place in each NHS hospital trust or health board hospital in the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997. [6854]

Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 4 July 1997]: I regret that information on cancellations of operations in the level of detail requested is not collected. The figures for cancellations of planned admissions for in-patient and day case treatment during the period 1 October 1996

17 Jul 1997 : Column: 265

to 31 March 1997 are given in the table. The number of cancellations involved is very small in relation to the total number of admissions. The Government and the NHS in Scotland are working to reduce to as few as possible the number of occasions when patients have their operations cancelled.

Cancellation of planned admissions by NHS hospitals during the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997 (4)

	Number
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust	670
Angus NHS Trust	25
Borders General Hospital NHS Trust	174
Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust	11
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust	20
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	374
East and Midlothian NHS Trust	126
Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust	28
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	40
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust	354
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust	12
Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust	49
Highland Communities NHS Trust	13
Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust	110
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	157
Law Hospital NHS Trust	7
Lomond Healthcare NHS Trust	68
Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust	64
Moray Health Services NHS Trust	136
North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust	24
Orkney Health Board Unit	13
Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust	52
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust	291
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust	434
Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust	221
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust	691
Shetland Hospitals and Community NHS Trust	9
South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust	54
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust	72
Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	88
Stobhill NHS Trust	33
The Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust	153
The Yorkhill NHS Trust	39
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust	165
West Lothian NHS Trust	222
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust	241
Western Isles Health Unit	7
Scotland	5,247

(4) Provisional.

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients awaiting operations were informed by letter of the cancellation of their hospital admission for the operation in respect of each NHS hospital trust and health board hospital during the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997. [6855]

Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 4 July 1997]: I regret that information on cancellations of operations in the level of detail requested is not collected. The figures for cancellations of planned admissions for in-patients and day case treatment during the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997 are given in the table. The number of cancellations involved is very small in relation to the total number of admissions. The Government and the NHS in Scotland are working to reduce to as few as possible the number of occasions when patients have their operations

17 Jul 1997 : Column: 266

cancelled. I would expect all hospitals to notify patients of the cancellation of their admission for treatment as soon as possible and by the most appropriate method.

Cancellation of planned admissions by SHS hospitals during the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997(5)

	Number
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust	670
Angus NHS Trust	25
Borders General Hospital NHS Trust	174
Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust	11
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospital NHS Trust	20
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	374
East and Midlothian NHS Trust	126
Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust	28
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	40
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust	354
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust	12
Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust	49
Highland Communities NHS Trust	13
Inverclyde Royals NHS Trust	110
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	157
Law Hospital NHS Trust	7
Lomond Healthcare NHS Trust	68
Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust	64
Moray Health Services NHS Trust	136
North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust	24
Orkney Health Board Unit	13
Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust	52
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust	291
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust	434
Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust	221
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust	691
Shetland Hospitals and Community NHS Trust	9
South Ayrshire Hospital NHS Trust	54
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust	72
Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	88
Stobhill NHS Trust	33
The Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust	153
The Yorkhill NHS Trust	39
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust	165
West Lothian NHS Trust	222
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust	241
Western Isles Health Unit	7
Scotland	5,247

(5) Provisional.

Local Authority Pension Funds

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an assessment of the additional amounts that local authorities in Scotland will have to pay into their pension funds as a result of the proposed changes to advance corporation tax; and from where these moneys will be provided. [7342]

Mr. Chisholm [holding answer 8 July 1997]: The funding of local authority pension funds is a matter for local authorities. Although the loss of tax credits will have some impact on the income of local authority pension funds, the extent to which these changes feed through to authorities' budgets will depend on the overall judgements made by the funds' actuaries as they undertake subsequent revaluations to the funds. In addition, pension funds should benefit from improved company performance as a result of the reduction in Corporation Tax and other measures in the Budget to encourage quality long term investment.

17 Jul 1997 : Column: 267

Scottish Parliament

Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the date of the Scottish Assembly referendum. [7662]

Mr. McLeish: The referendum on the establishment and tax-varying powers of a Scottish Parliament will be held by this Autumn. My noble Friend Lord Sewel gave an undertaking during Committee on the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill in another place that the Government would announce the date of the referendum by Report. [House of Lords O.R. Volume 581 Number 25. Column 103]. On the currently envisaged timetable, the date will therefore be announced by 21 July.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's meeting with Professor J.D. Percy and colleagues of the Accounts Commission on arrangements and responsibilities for a Scottish Parliament. [9109]

Mr. McLeish: I have agreed to meet with Professor Percy and the Accounts Commission but have yet to arrange a date.

Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the date of the referendum to be held in Scotland on the establishment of a Scottish Parliament. [9825]

Mr. Dewar: Subject to the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill receiving Royal Assent, the referendum on our proposals for a Scottish Parliament will be held on Thursday 11 September 1997.

---