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DEFENCE
Efficiency Savings
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the key milestones and their planned date for (a) his Department's and (b) his private office's 3 per cent. efficiency savings. [74650]
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Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 4 March 1999]: My Department's efficiency target is to achieve annual efficiency improvements of 3 per cent. (as a percentage of its operating costs efficiency baseline) each year from 1999-2000 to 2001-02. This target has not been applied uniformly across the Department, but has been disaggregated according to the scope to achieve efficiency in different budget areas. Progress in achieving this target is monitored by a steering group chaired by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces.
Budget holders are required to identify the value and means of achievement of efficiency as part of my Department's annual planning processes. Total efficiency achieved will therefore be the sum of many hundreds of individual measures across the Department. Examples of some of the initiatives that will contribute towards the achievement of the Department's efficiency target were set out in section 4 of the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement, published by HM Treasury in December 1998, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Draft plans at present indicate the potential to achieve efficiency improvements valued at some £530 million in 1999-2000. The realism of these plans, and the level of cash savings they eventually produce, remains under scrutiny.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle), of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 28, on smart procurement, when the full transition plan will be completed; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [74823]
Mr. Spellar:
The Smart Procurement Initiative Implementation Team has recently delivered a report on its activities since September 1998 to the Steering Group chaired by myself. This includes a draft plan for the transition year, the very detailed and evolutionary nature of which does not lend itself to open publication. Over the coming weeks, I anticipate being able to announce achievements in the implementation of SDR measures, including the Smart Procurement Initiative. A summary of the Smart Procurement transition plan will be prepared and placed in the Library at that stage.
Nurses and Ancillaries (Injuries)
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice is given by his Department to trusts about their liability for injury to nurses and ancillaries arising from them lifting or moving patients; [73708]
- (2) what advice is given to nurses and ancillaries in (a) hospitals and (b) domiciliary situations about the methods and extent to which they are authorised to lift or move patients; and if he will make a statement; [73707]
(3) if all trusts employing nurses and ancillary staff are required to insure them against injury arising from the lifting or moving of patients. [73706]
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Mr. Denham [holding answer 26 February 1999]: The Government are committed to improving the health, safety and welfare of NHS patients and staff.
Insurance arrangements are a matter for National Health Service employers to determine locally. Staff who are injured in the course of their duties are entitled to payments from the National Health Service (Injury Benefits) Scheme for loss of earnings. They may also be entitled to compensation payments as a result of local insurance arrangements.
National Health Service employers, like all employers, are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and other statutory health and safety requirements.
The National Health Service Executive issued guidance on 18 May 1998 on "The Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff". This guidance explains the obligations of NHS employers as well as giving advice on manual handling and other health and safety matters.
The National Health Service Executive sponsored a series of seminars around the country last year on health and safety issues.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 29 January from the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West on appointments to health authorities and NHS trusts in the North West. [74834]
Ms Jowell:
I replied to the hon. Member on 4 March.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority in the West Midlands (i) the total funding allocation and (ii) the funding per capita for health services for each year between 1987 and 1999, indicating for each year the (1) planned and (2) actual funding allocation by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [74857]
Mr. Denham:
Figures have been given for 1996-97 onwards as health authorities in their present form did not exist prior to that year.
The following tables give, for each health authority in the West Midlands:
The target is the health authority's fair share of resources as calculated by the weighted capitation formula which is then used to inform the allocation. Health authorities are moved closer to their target over time through the differential distribution of growth.
1. actual allocation for crude and weighted head of population;
2. target allocation for crude and weighted head of population.
(1) Does not include non-recurrent money given to health authorities containing health action zones.
Note:
Targets and allocations for 1999-2000 are not comparable with those for earlier years which only covered hospital community health services (HCHS). This is because from 1999-2000 allocations were unified to cover the three funding streams of HCHS, prescribing and general practice infrastructure.
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