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WALES
NHS Staff (Bridgend)
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many doctors were employed by Bridgend and District NHS Trust on 30 September 1996. [78006]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: There were 173 doctors (153.7 whole-time equivalent) employed by Bridgend and District NHS Trust as at 30 September 1996.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) nurses and (b) mental care nurses were employed by Bridgend and District NHS Trust on (i) 30 September 1996 and (ii) 30 September 1997. [78005]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Information on nurses employed by Bridgend and District NHS Trust is shown in the following table.
| 30 September 1996 | 30 September 1997 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Whole-time equivalent | Number | Whole-time equivalent | |
| Nurses(10) | 1,575 | 1,355 | 1,591 | 1,357 |
| Mental care nurses(11) | 663 | 630 | 657 | 621 |
(10) Staff employed in the nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff group.
(11) Staff employed in the community psychiatry, other psychiatry, community learning disabilities and other learning disabilities services.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Social Inclusion Programme
Mr. Livsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a detailed breakdown of Welsh budget provision for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 under the Social Inclusion Programme. [78771]
Mr. Michael: I announced allocations for a dedicated Social Inclusion Programme in December 1998. The amounts are set out:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | 8.0 |
| 2000-01 | 10.0 |
| 2001-02 | 30.0 |
There are many other budgets across the range of Welsh Office programmes that also contribute to the objective of fostering social Inclusion.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
29 Mar 1999 : Column: 509
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the total amount of charges on matrimonial properties held by the Legal Aid Board. [78519]
Mr. Hoon: The precise impact of the statutory charge can be identified only when all moneys due by way of costs and contributions have been collected into the Fund. The total principal quantified as subject to the statutory charge on property was £196.2 million at the end of March 1998. This amount relates mainly, but not exclusively, to properties which are subject to the charge as a result of matrimonial proceedings. The amount therefore does include statutory charges on property arising out of non-matrimonial proceedings. It is not possible to provide a breakdown between outstanding matrimonial and non-matrimonial charges.
There was £32.8 million accrued interest for outstanding statutory charges on property as at 31 March 1998.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the net cost of matrimonial legal aid for each of the past five years. [78518]
Mr. Hoon:
The net cost of matrimonial legal aid, for each of the past five years was as follows:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 266,725,000 |
| 1994-95 | 296,624,000 |
| 1995-96 | 324,862,000 |
| 1996-97 | 345,668,000 |
| 1997-98 | 343,287,000 |
Conditional Fee Insurance
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions he has had with insurers about the development of the insurance market for conditional fee insurance; and how he proposes to regulate the market. [78520]
Mr. Hoon: My officials and I are in regular contact with the insurance industry on the development of all aspects of legal insurance. Responsibility for the regulation of the insurance market rests with Her Majesty's Treasury. The provision of legal expenses insurance is subject to statutory and self regulation. Insurance companies trading in the United Kingdom have to be authorised in accordance with the Insurance Companies Act 1982. In addition, most companies agree voluntarily to abide by the industry statements and codes of practice of the Association of British Insurers.
Departmental Staff (Ethnic Origin)
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will provide a breakdown, in numerical and percentage terms, of the
29 Mar 1999 : Column: 510
ethnic origin, at 1 March, of (a) his private office, (b) Government special advisers, (c) his Policy Unit and (d) staff in total. [78502]
Mr. Hoon:
Information relating to ethnicity in the Lord Chancellor's Department is not usually given where numbers are small enough to enable identification of individuals. This practice complies with an agreement between the Trade Unions and the Department, and assurances given to staff when they are asked to provide the information. However, as the special adviser to the Lord Chancellor and all staff in my private office (irrespective of ethnic origin) have consented to provision of this information, and the Trade Unions have consented to publication, the information requested at (a) and (b) is set out in the table.
The Lord Chancellor's Department does not have a "Policy Unit" as referred to at (c).
| Ethnic Origin | Number | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Minister of State's Private Office | |||
| White | 3 | 50.00 | |
| Black--of Caribbean origin | 1 | 16.67 | |
| Asian--of Indian origin | 1 | 16.67 | |
| Asian--of Bangladeshi origin | 1 | 16.67 | |
| Response rate | 100.00 | ||
| (b) Government special advisers | |||
| White | 1 | 100.00 | |
| Response rate | 100.00 | ||
Immigration Adjudicators
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals were made to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal against decisions of an immigration adjudicator in cases in which he has made a decision to deport in the last year for which figures are available. [78616]
Mr. Hoon: This information is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many adjudications are required to deal with appeals against entry clearance refusals; and what estimate he has made of the number needed in each of the next five years. [78690]
Mr. Hoon:
The information provided is based on the assumption that it is the number of adjudicators, and not adjudications, that is required. There are 50 full-time and 200 part-time adjudicators and approximately 17 per cent. of their time, equivalent to 2,500 sitting days per year, is spent on appeals against decisions by entry clearance officers. Current plans for the next three years assume that 1,750 days will be necessary per year, rising to 2,250 when the provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Bill for appeals against refusals of visas for family visits, if approved by Parliament are implemented. No forecasts have been made beyond the next three years.
29 Mar 1999 : Column: 511
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average waiting time for an adjudicator to determine an appeal against refusal to (a) vary and (b) extend leave to remain. [78624]
Mr. Hoon:
Data of this nature in the categories requested is not retained by the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA). The Immigration Appellate Authority are able to list appeals before adjudicators within approximately 6-8 weeks. Decisions are then typed and sent out. On average this takes 5 weeks.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many of the asylum appeals remitted by the Immigration Appeal Tribunal to the special adjudicator the appeal was allowed by the special adjudicator in each of the last five years. [78675]
Mr. Hoon:
This information is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average time for a special adjudicator to determine an asylum case remitted to him from the immigration tribunal from the time the case is remitted in the last year for which figures are available. [78678]
Mr. Hoon:
The Immigration Appellate Authority are currently able (as at 24 March 1999) to list appeals heard by the Tribunal (both asylum and non asylum) but remitted back to an adjudicator, for hearing within approximately 6-8 weeks. Decisions are then typed and sent out. On average this takes 5 weeks.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average waiting time for (a) a decision on leave to appeal and (b) the determination of the appeal itself in the case of appeals against refusals to vary or extend leave to remain from an adjudicator to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [78644]
Mr. Hoon:
Specific data in the form requested are not retained by the Immigration Appellate Authority.
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