| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Nuclear Submarines
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances radioactive material is discharged from nuclear submarines into the sea; and if he will make a statement. [10692]
Dr. Reid [holding answer 25 July 1997]: Under normal operating conditions, there are no radioactive discharges from nuclear submarines. However, with the older classes of submarine there are certain occasions when there may be very small controlled discharges of low-level radioactive water. These instances include chemical dosing to prevent corrosion and following a shutdown of the reactor. These discharges must comply with authorised limits and are carefully monitored.
When alongside, discharges of radioactive material are allowed only into approved and controlled shore-based discharge facilities. The discharge of radioactive material into the sea is not permitted when alongside.
Due to advances in reactor development and technology, radioactive water is not discharged from Vanguard class submarines.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the quangos within his Department's responsibility which he has to date announced his intention (a) to abolish and (b) to make subject to a significant element of democratic accountability. [9675]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 25 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire, (Mr. Pickthall) on 18 June, Official Report, column 174; and to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Bradley) on 24 July, Official Report, column 693.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to ensure compliance
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 78
with copyright law; and what progress he is making towards taking out a photocopying licence with the Copyright Licensing Agency. [10990]
Mr. Spellar:
My Department endeavours to respect the rights of copyright holders by ensuring, through internal memorandums and instructions, that all staff are aware of those rights and comply with copyright law.
My Department has been approached by the Copyright Licencing Agency and is considering the terms of the photocopying licence proposed.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Spain and Italy concerning replacement of the Invincible class carriers. [9420]
Mr. Spellar:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with his counterparts in Spain and Italy concerning replacement of the Invincible class carriers.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons were court martialled in each year since 1990. [9884]
Dr. Reid
[pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1997, c. 531]: I regret to say there was an error in the column of figures affecting the Royal Navy. A corrected table showing the number of persons court martialled in each year since 1990 is tabled, with the number of persons convicted in brackets.
| Year | RN | Army | RAF | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35 | 917 | 145 | 1,097 (989) |
| 1991 | 45 | 718 | 153 | 916 (884) |
| 1992 | 76 | 763 | 149 | 988 (892) |
| 1993 | 107 | 677 | 128 | 912 (774) |
| 1994 | 104 | 600 | 91 | 795 (676) |
| 1995 | 95 | 430 | 104 | 629 (515) |
HEALTH
Psychiatric Care (Children)
Mr. Singh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his policy on the treatment of emotionally disturbed children of both sexes in adult wards; and if he will make a statement; [9969]
- (2) what representations he has received on the treatment of emotionally disturbed children in adult wards at Lynfield Mount adult psychiatric hospital, Bradford; and if he will make a statement. [9970]
Mr. Boateng:
Our policy is that children under the age of 16 should not be treated in adult psychiatric wards. Separate provision should also be available for adolescents, but there may be occasions when it is appropriate to treat older adolescents in adult wards. We have received no representations about Lynfield Mount hospital.
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 79
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the use of a Cabinet Sub-Committee as a method of pursuing cross-department policies in health; and if he will make a statement. [10178]
Ms Jowell:
We have received no representations specifically on the use of a Cabinet Sub-Committee in this way. The Government are however, committed to cross-departmental work to improve public health.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the United Kingdom had been living in (a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes in the most recent year for which figures are available for
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 80
(i) less than six months, (ii) between six months and a year, (iii) between one and two years, (iv) between two and three years and (v) three years and more. [10415]
Mr. Boateng:
Information on length of stay is not routinely collected. The latest available information on length of stay relates to residents in residential care homes for the elderly and younger physically disabled as at 31 March 1988. The number and percentage of residents recorded in each of the requested durations are given in table 1.
The number of residents in residential and nursing care homes in England as at 31 March 1996 and the number of admissions to residential homes during the year ending 31 March 1996, whether by short stay or by long stay, are given in table 2. Information on admissions to nursing homes is not collected centrally.
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 79
Source:
Department of Health "Survey of age, sex and length of stay characteristics of residents of homes for elderly people and younger people who are physically handicapped in England at 31 March 1988".
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 79
| (a) Residential homes | (b) Nursing homes | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents as at 31 March 1996 | ||
| Long stay | 275,800 | 145,900 |
| Short stay | 12,200 | |
| Admissions during the year ending 31 March 1996 | ||
| Long stay | 102,300 | n/a |
| Short stay | 287,300 | n/a |
Note:
n/a = not available--information on admissions to nursing homes is not collected centrally.
Source:
Department of Health annual statistical returns (RAC5 and KO36).
Residential and Nursing Homes
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 20 May to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring), Official Report, column 58, if he intends to establish a royal commission to look into the funding of long-term care for the elderly; and if he will make a statement. [10836]
Mr. Boateng:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for West Suffolk on 20 May 1997, Official Report, column 58.
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 80
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities and health trusts have failed to meet their efficiency index targets in each of the last two years. [10413]
Mr. Milburn:
In 1995-96, 27 district health authorities did not meet their planned efficiency index gains. It is estimated that 49 health authorities did not meet their targets for 1996-97. Trusts are not set efficiency targets in the same way as health authorities. Health authorities and general practitioner fundholders may negotiate efficiency savings with hospitals, but information on these is not held at national level.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the policy of each health authority in respect of IVF treatment on the national health service, indicating those where patients (a) pay nothing, (b) pay for drugs only, (c) pay for some cycles and (d) meet all costs. [10351]
Ms Jowell:
Arrangements for the funding of in vitro fertilisation are the responsibility of individual health authorities and the precise information requested is not available centrally. However, some useful information on health authority policies is contained in the College of
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 81
Health report on national health service funding of infertility services commissioned by the national infertility awareness campaign--published November 1996. Copies will be placed in the Library.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |