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Al Shifa Factory (Khartoum)

37. Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on his communications with the Attorney-General of the United States in relation to the legality of the US military strike against the Al Shifa factory in Khartoum. [67835]

The Attorney-General: The legality of the US action against the Al Shifa action factory in Khartoum is a matter for the United States. I had no communications with Attorney-General Reno on the matter.

Crown Prosecution Service

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to review aims and objectives of the Crown Prosecution Service. [67833]

The Solicitor-General: The overall aim of the Crown Prosecution Service is to contribute to the reduction both of crime and the fear of crime and to increased public confidence in the criminal justice system by fair and independent review of cases and by firm, fair and effective prosecution to court. The aim is consistent with, and supports, the wider aims which this Government have established for the first time for the criminal justice system as a whole.

The objectives of the CPS have been revised to take account of the Glidewell recommendation that they should focus more on the CPS core business of prosecution.

Ministerial Flights

Mr. Maples: To ask the Attorney-General which ministers in his Department made use of (a) RAF and (b) chartered aircraft between 1 October 1998 and 31 January 1999; and if he will list the dates, destinations and costs of such flights. [69079]

The Attorney-General: None.

4 Feb 1999 : Column: 744

WALES

Public Bodies

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those bodies in Wales to which the Welsh Assembly will be able to appoint members. [68349]

Mr. Michael: Responsibility for making appointments to the following bodies in Wales will transfer from the Secretary of State for Wales to the National Assembly for Wales when the Assembly assumes its functions:














































4 Feb 1999 : Column: 745


    Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales


    Place Names Advisory Committee


    Social Services Inspectorate Advisory Group for Wales


    Welsh Committee for the Professional Development of Pharmacy


    Welsh Advisory Committee on Drug and Alcohol Misuse


    Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board


    Welsh Tribunals:


    Rent Assessment Panels for Wales


    Welsh Others:


    Community Health Councils. The responsibilities and scope of CHCs are currently under review, but the present councils cover the following areas:


    Brecknock/Radnor;


    Bridgend;


    Caerphilly;


    Cardiff;


    Carmarthen/Dinefwr;


    Ceredigion;


    Conwy;


    Dyffryn Clwyd;


    Gogledd Gwynedd;


    Llanelli/Dinefwr;


    Meirionnydd;


    Merthyr & Cynon Valley;


    Montgomery;


    Neath & Port Talbot;


    North East Wales;


    North Gwent;


    Pembrokeshire;


    South Gwent;


    Swansea;


    Taff Ely & Rhondda;


    Vale of Glamorgan;


    Ynys Mon;


    Council of St. David's University of Wales, Lampeter


    Court and Council of University of Wales, Aberystwyth


    Court of University of Wales, Bangor


    Court of University of Wales, Swansea


    Food Strategy Advisory Group


    NHS Complaints Procedure: Independent Review Panels


    National Library of Wales, Court


    National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Court


    National Park Authorities:


    Brecon Beacons;


    Pembrokeshire Coast;


    Snowdonia.


    Saundersfoot Harbour Commission


    Sea Fisheries Committee--South Wales


    Wales Multi Research Ethics Committee


    Wales New Deal Advisory Task-force.

4 Feb 1999 : Column: 746

It may be helpful to the right hon. Gentleman to note that the Cabinet Office publication 'Public Bodies 1998' explains the categories of public bodies as follows:



    Advisory NDPBs:These are generally set up administratively by Ministers to advise them and their departments on matters within their sphere of interest. Some Royal Commissions are classified as Advisory NDPBs. Generally, advisory NDPBs are supported by staff from the sponsor department, and do not incur expenditure on their own account.


    Tribunal NDPBs: This category covers bodies with jurisdiction in a specialised field of law. In general, tribunals are serviced by staff from the sponsor department.


    Other bodies: These tend to be bodies which operate at a local level and include local authority planning bodies; CHCs and University Courts and Councils.

Health and Education Spending Plans

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his public spending plans for health and education in the next three years. [68359]

Mr. Michael: The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) provided an extra £1.030 billion for the NHS in Wales--£175 million next financial year, £345 million in 2000-01 and £510 million in 2001-02. I am now considering in detail my spending priorities in view of the range of pressures and will make a further announcement in due course.

For education I am making available an additional £117 million next financial year, £262 million in 2000-01 and £399 million in 2001-02. I will be announcing further details very soon.

In future these decisions will be a responsibility of the National Assembly.

Primary Health Care

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the role of primary health care provision in North Wales. [68362]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones: The North Wales Health Authority is responsible for assessing, monitoring and arranging for the provision of health services in its area in order to meet clinical needs. This responsibility extends over both the primary and secondary sectors.

The Welsh Office maintains oversight of health authorities in Wales; in the exercise of these functions officials meet representatives of each authority on a regular basis to review and report on progress.

The Government's White Paper "Putting Patients First" set out our proposals for restoring and modernising the NHS. The aim is to ensure that services are developed in partnership and driven by a concern for quality, effectiveness and efficiency. Primary health care provision has a key role to play in that process and Local Health Groups will be established on 1 April. These groups will harness the skills and experience of primary care professionals and will work with partners such as local

4 Feb 1999 : Column: 747

authorities and the voluntary sector, to ensure that the services provided are responsive to the needs and circumstances of local people.

In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

Health Care Provision

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to improve the provision of health care for children. [68364]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones: Our aim to improve the health and well-being of children in Wales is set out in the Green Paper "Better Health, Better Wales" (Cm 3922). Work is in hand to develop a children's strategy which will set clear objectives and principles to govern the development and delivery of children's services in Wales. A set of targets for children's health has been developed to measure improvements in children's health over the next five years.

"The Health of Children in Wales" report sets out the statutory and policy requirements for high quality services for children and has been issued to all health authorities, health trusts and local authority social services departments in Wales. Progress in implementation of the report is being monitored.

We have announced additional funding to establish a paediatric intensive care unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff (UHW). This unit will ensure that seriously ill children receive high quality specialised intensive care.

We have set aside £25 million to establish a "Sure Start" programme in Wales over the next three years. The programme will aim to improve the health, welfare and social development of very young children particularly in areas of greatest disadvantage.

Local authorities in Wales will have an extra £5 million of earmarked resources in 1999-2000 to begin making improvements to the quality and outcomes of services they provide for children. They will have to take into account the Government's response to the Children's Safeguards Review (Cm 4105), which includes range of proposals to improve the health of looked after children by local authorities and other public agencies. The response to the Review also sets out the new arrangements for monitoring and safeguarding the welfare of children in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.

We have published an action programme for improved planning of special education needs (SEN) provision for children with disabilities and will be funding pilot projects in Wales in 1999-2000.

The recent White Paper "Smoking Kills" (Cm 4177) announced a comprehensive package of measures designed to discourage children from taking up smoking and to adopt healthier life styles.

In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

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