22 Mar 1999 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 22 March 1999
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Green Transport Plan
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what involvement fleet managers have had in drawing up her Department's Green Transport Plan. [77969]
Clare Short: The Department for International Development (DFID) has three official cars which are supplied by the Government Car Service. We have no fleet manager. We are in the initial stages of formulating a Green Transport plan.
Bilateral Aid (Dependent Territories)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list all bilateral aid to each of the dependent territories in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [78037]
Clare Short: UK Bilateral Gross Public Expenditure on Aid (GPEX) to UK Overseas Territories in the specified years was as follows:
| £000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
| Anguilla | 1,810 | 1,367 | 2,520 |
| Bermuda | 30 | 57 | 30 |
| British Virgin Islands | 678 | 1,096 | 604 |
| Cayman Islands | 46 | 26 | 13 |
| Falkland Islands | 19 | 4 | 2 |
| Gibraltar | 118 | 163 | 192 |
| Montserrat | 6,568 | 14,452 | 38,317 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 2,788 | 3,198 | 2,569 |
| St. Helena and Dependencies | 9,267 | 7,991 | 8,765 |
| Pitcairn Islands | 203 | 160 | 76 |
| Total, UK Overseas Territories | 21,527 | 28,513 | 53,087 |
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GPEX is expenditure by all official UK sources i.e. Government Departments and public bodies including the Commonwealth Development Corporation, which meets the criteria for developmental official flows agreed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Assistance Committee.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Freemasons (CPS)
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made in the establishment of a register to record membership of the freemasons in the Crown Prosecution Service. [78051]
The Attorney-General: In accordance with Government policy, in October 1998 the Crown Prosecution Service invited its lawyers to declare their masonic status for the purposes of a public register. The CPS is considering the format of a register in conjunction with other departments affected by the Government's policy. The CPS has also invited those recently selected for the new Chief Crown Prosecutor posts to declare their masonic status for the purposes of a public register.
HEALTH
Long-term Care
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged between (a) 16 to 64, (b) 65 to 74, (c) 75 to 84 and (d) over 85 years were in residential care homes in the most recent year for which figures are available; and in each of those age groups how many were funded by (i) local authorities on a means tested basis, (ii) the individuals themselves and (iii) the Department of Social Security. [76491]
Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 15 March 1999]: Information on the numbers of people in residential care at 31 March 1996, the latest year for which complete information on residents is available, together with figures for local authority supported residents at 31 March 1996 and 1998 and on people in residential care who are funded by income support at February 1996 and August 1998, is given in the table. Information on the number of individuals who found themselves is not available centrally.
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| People in residential care | Local Authority supported residents | Income support claimants (1) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age band | 31 March 1996 | 31 March 1996 | 31 March 1998 | February 1996 | August 1998 |
| 18-64 | 59,983 | 37,047 | 43,396 | 37,000 | 32,000 |
| 65-74 | 27,420 | 13,655 | 14,949 | 10,000 | 8,000 |
| 75-84 | 82,503 | 42,595 | 48.095 | 18,000 | 10,000 |
| 85 and over | 130,358 | 59,867 | 73,100 | 30,000 | 17,000 |
(1) Numbers do not include claimants in nursing homes or those income support claimants who are paid a residential allowance and have their fees met by the local authority or themselves.
Source:
DH annual statistical returns (RAC5, SR1) and DSS Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry
22 Mar 1999 : Column: 1
Restraint Techniques
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 1999, Official Report,
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column 373, on restraint techniques, what responsibility (a) the Mental Health Commissioner has and (b) other official bodies have to collect information on deaths that occur in mental health institutions. [77690]
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Mr. Hutton:
The Mental Health Act 1983 does not place a specific duty on the Mental Health Act Commission to collect information on deaths that occur in mental health institutions. However, since February 1997, with Ministerial agreement, the Commission has gathered data on the deaths of detained patients and reviewed those from non-natural causes. The Commission has now completed the second year of data collection and is in the process of drawing general conclusions from the information available which it intends to present in the form of a report, drawing attention to general issues identified and making recommendations for action. It is intended to publish the report this year and to circulate it widely to mental health services in England and Wales.
The Office for National Statistics collects information on all deaths that occur in England and Wales through the death registration system. This information included "place of death" which may give details of a communal establishment, such as a mental health institution, if that is where the death occurred.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems his Department require to be in place in mental health institutions to deal with medical emergencies resulting from the use of (a) control and restraint techniques and (b) drugs. [77629]
Mr. Hutton:
It is for each trust to ensure that appropriate staffing level and policies for responding to emergencies are in place.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he published the conditions for spending each of the new grants announced in his White Paper for social services. [77954]
Mr. Hutton:
The White Paper "Modernising Social Services" announced a range of new grants as part of a three year social services modernisation fund. In addition to these, as part of our carers strategy my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced a Carers Grant on 8 February. The conditions for spending each of the new grants were published on the following dates:
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what involvement fleet managers have had in drawing up his Department's green transport plan. [77970]
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Mr. Hutton:
The Department is drawing up green transport plans for all headquarters buildings and main buildings by executive agencies by the end of this month and for all other key buildings by March 2000. The Department does not have a fleet.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the local authorities to which Ministers have written urging greater spending on local services within their portfolio area. [77958]
Mr. Hutton:
Ministers have extensive correspondence with local authorities which includes advice on additional resources for personal social services. However, I am not aware of any letters specifically urging greater spending on local services.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) professional and (b) other relevant background of lay members of primary care groups. [77953]
Mr. Denham:
None. Health Authorities are responsible for appointing a lay member to each Primary Care Group board. Apart from excluding practising general practitioners, practising nurses, non-executive directors of National Health Service trusts or health authorities and staff working in the NHS, the Department or NHS Estates, the only qualification we have stipulated is that the lay member must live in the geographical area for which the primary care group is responsible.
Promoting Independence: Partnership Grant 16 March 1999
Promoting Independence: Prevention Grant 16 March 1999
Promoting Independence: Carers Grant 16 March 1999
Children's Services Grant 11 November 1998
Mental Health Grant 26 February 1999
Training Support Grant 4 March 1999.
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