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Departmental Papers
(Access for Visually Impaired)
Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for departmental (a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67840]
Mr. Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 27 January 1999, Official Report, column 296.
As the Department responsible for health issues, we aim to make our documents available to the widest possible audiences. The Green Paper, "Our Healthier Nation", included versions in Braille, audio tape and large print and the Social Services White Paper versions in Braille and audio tape.
Texts of Green and White Papers are also available on The Stationery Office website, which many people with less severe visual impairments find very convenient, since they can adjust their own browser software to as large a type as they require.
It has not been our usual practice to offer texts on floppy disks because there has not been significant demand. Availability of texts via the internet may now be satisfying that demand but, if we receive an ad-hoc request for a text on disk, we are happy to produce and supply it.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to review the list of exemptions from prescription charges; [66066]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 26 January 1999]: The current prescription charge exemption arrangements were reviewed as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. Following the Review, all current prescription charge exemptions will be protected for the rest of the Parliament and existing patient charges will rise by no more than the rate of inflation over the next three years.
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 327
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, the percentage of live births delivered by caesarean section within each health authority in England. [67673]
Mr. Hutton:
Information about emergency and total caesarean deliveries by hospital/trust for 1989-90 to 1994-95 is contained in table 31 of the Statistical bulletin "NHS Maternity Statistics 1989-90 to 1994-95". Copies of the bulletin are available in the Library. It is planned to publish a further bulletin with more up to date information in spring 1999. Information about live births delivered by caesarean section within each health authority could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Edward Davey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the total NHS budget (a) in 1996-97 and (b) 2000-01, in 1998-99 prices. [66525]
Mr. Denham:
The total National Health Service budget in 1998-99 prices for the years 1996-97 and 2000-01 is contained in the table.
(2) what plans he has to review the operation of exemptions from prescription charges; and if he will make a statement. [66067]
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Year | Adjusted to 1998-99 prices |
| 1996-97 | 34,749 |
| 2000-01 | 40,375 |
Royal Hospital, Haslar
Mr. Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between the Ministry of Defence and the NHS on the planned closure of the Royal Hospital, Haslar; and what plans he has to ensure the maintenance of hospital provision on the Gosport Peninsular. [68073]
Mr. Denham: Following the Strategic Defence Review, the Ministry of Defence decided to close Royal Hospital, Haslar. The local health authority will now be exploring with Royal Hospital, Haslar and colleagues in the Defence Secondary Care Agency the options for the provision of the most effective healthcare for the local population. In the meantime the Ministry of Defence has made a commitment to maintain the service currently provided by Royal Hospital, Haslar until 2002 at the earliest.
Correspondence
Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Solihull to ministers in his Department dated 19 November and 16 September 1998. [67975]
Ms Jowell:
My noble Friend, the Baroness Hayman, replied to the hon. Member on 26 January 1999.
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 328
Defence Military Assistance Fund (Indonesia)
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) of 16 December 1998, Official Report, columns 526-28, if he will provide a breakdown of the expenditure under the Defence Military Assistance Fund relating to Indonesia in each of the last three years, indicating separately the amounts used to support defence sales. [66623]
Mr. George Robertson: The total committed expenditure for Indonesia under the Defence Military Assistance Fund, DMAF, for the last two years, and the cost of assistance waived under its predecessors, the Defence Policy Fund and the Defence Sales Fund, is as follows:
- 1995-1996
- £691,880 total, of which £583,000 was committed to support of defence exports
- 1996-1997
- £1,675,280, of which £1,629,080 was committed to support of defence exports
- 1997-1998
- £62,400, of which £19,700 was committed to support of defence exports.
Portsmouth Dockyard (Service Personnel)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel, and at what ranks, are currently attached to (a) HMS Ark Royal and (b) HMS Intrepid in Portsmouth Dockyard; and at what annual cost per ship. [67248]
Mr. Doug Henderson: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 27 January 1999, Official Report, columns 265-66.
Chapelcross and Calder Hall Nuclear Reactors
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his forecast for the longevity of the tritium production facility at Chapelcross; [67210]
- (2) what discussions his Department has had with BNFL about extending the life of the Chapelcross and Calder Hall reactors; and if he will make a statement. [67209]
Mr. Spellar: The productive life of Chapelcross is a matter for BNFL, subject to its meeting the relevant regulatory requirements of the independent regulator, the Health and Safety Executive HSE. I understand, however, that in 1996 the HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate agreed that the reactors could continue to operate for another ten years from 1998, up to a potential age of 50. This agreement was subject to satisfactory results from the normal programme of inspections and some work being undertaken to plant and procedures which was already planned and being implemented.
The Ministry of Defence is currently in the very early stages of discussions with BNFL about the prospects for a further extension of the life of Chapelcross beyond the period quoted.
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 329
The Ministry of Defence has had no links with Calder Hall since it was put under IAEA Safeguards in August 1996.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report arising out of the review into CS gas holdings. [67649]
Mr. Spellar:
The review includes a substantial amount of material the disclosure of which would be harmful to defence, national security or international relations. I am, therefore, withholding the review material in accordance with the terms of Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1998, Official Report, column 657, regarding CR gas, if he will list the (a) dates and (b) circumstances of each occasion on which the possible use of CR gas by the armed forces was authorised following a request for assistance for law enforcement purposes from the civil power. [67629]
Mr. Spellar:
The use of CR gas has been authorised on two instances in the past two years where the Armed Forces have responded to a request for assistance for law enforcement purposes from the civil power. I am withholding the details of the circumstances in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of the unclassified reports in the CDB Technical Notes series. [67600]
Mr. Spellar:
I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the CDB Technical Notes series which was started in April 1995 when the then Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment became part of DERA. Since that date 13 unclassified technical reports have been produced.
I have made arrangements for a list of the titles to be placed in the Library of the House.
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