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Convalescent Home (Osborne)
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the average bed occupancy rate at King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne in each of the last five years broken down between (a) residents and (b) convalescents. [83364]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The information is as follows:
| Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Residents (4) | Convalescents (5) |
| 1994 | 64 | 33 |
| 1995 | 68 | 47 |
| 1996 | 80 | 53 |
| 1997 | 72 | 47 |
| 1998 | 70 | 70 |
(4) Average occupancy per year
(5) Average occupancy per week
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many beds have been available for (a) residents and (b) convalescents in each of the last five years at King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne. [83363]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The information is as follows:
| Year | Residents (6) | Convalescents |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 25 | 15 |
| 1995 | 25 | 15 |
| 1996 | 20 | 20 |
| 1997 | 20 | 20 |
| 1998 | (7)30 | (7)30 |
(6) Any unfilled residents beds were offered to convalescents whenever there was a demand.
(7) Registered beds reduced from 40 to 30 in 1998 with no distinction between residents and convalescents.
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when it was decided that accommodation at King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne would be available to other ranks as well as officers. [83361]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The Order in Council extending eligibility to other ranks as well as officers was made on 21 July 1998.
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent persons have been employed at the King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne in each of the last five years. [83360]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The information is as follows:
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has received from English Heritage to date for the future of the accommodation used by the King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne; and by what date he has asked English Heritage to make any further proposals. [83359]
11 May 1999 : Column: 98
Mr. Alan Howarth:
English Heritage is preparing conservation, management, business and development plans for the whole of the Osborne House estate which will include proposals for opening more of the Convalescent Home accommodation to the public, and offering the remainder for use by a private sector partner. I am expecting English Heritage to come forward with options later this year.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what alternatives to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund his Department has sought to manage the King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne. [83358]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
After very careful consideration, particularly of the question of financial viability, my right hon. Friend decided that it was no longer appropriate to run part of Osborne House as a convalescent home. In the light of this decision, no alternative managers for the convalescent home have been sought.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Civil Service Benevolent Fund took over the running of King Edward VII convalescent home at Osborne; and what is the nature of their contract or other arrangement with (a) English Heritage and (b) his Department of the occupation of the premises. [83365]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The Civil Service Benevolent Fund took over the running of the home on behalf of the Secretary of State on 1 July 1985. The terms under which the home is managed and maintained and the arrangements between my Department, English Heritage and the Civil Service Benevolent Fund are contained in an agreement with my Department which was last revised on 6 December 1996 and in the National Heritage Act 1983 (Osborne House) Directions 1986. English Heritage is responsible for the maintenance of the external fabric of the convalescent home and for the provision and payment of some other services including redecoration and the supply of some equipment.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date analogue television transmissions will be ended. [83887]
Janet Anderson:
The Government want to move to as early an announcement as possible of a date for the switch-over from analogue to digital television transmissions. However, this can be done only on the basis of a properly considered strategy set against the background of actual digital services winning public acceptance, and which protects those consumers who wish to receive free-to-air television services as well as those who are potentially excluded from the new technology. The Government expect to say more about the development of a strategy for analogue to digital migration before the Summer recess.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if it is the Government's policy that the television licence fee for televisions capable of receiving digital transmissions should be the same as for televisions only capable of receiving analogue transmissions. [83825]
11 May 1999 : Column: 99
Janet Anderson:
The level of the licence fee for colour and black and white television sets will be determined until 2001-02 under a five year formula linked to RPI announced in December 1996. The review panel chaired by Gavyn Davies is considering, against an expectation that the licence fee will remain the principal source of funding for public services for the BBC Charter period to 2006, ways in which funding to support public service output can be extended from other sources. The review will report by the end of July 1999 and the Government will then consult on its findings.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many applications for information he received under the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in the last parliamentary session; and how many of these applications were granted. [83111]
Dr. Jack Cunningham
[holding answer 10 May 1999]: For monitoring purposes, the information is collected on a calender year basis. Information for 1997 was published last year in the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information 1997 Report. Between 1 January and 28 July 1998, when the then Office of Public Service (OPS) merged with the Cabinet Office, the OPS received 3 applications for information under the Code, of which 2 were granted. Arrangements are in hand to restore the Parliamentary Commissioner for Adminstration's formal remit to the position before the merger of OPS with the Cabinet Office. The remainder of the Cabinet Office, and the Prime Minister's Office do not come under the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration's jurisdiction are not covered by the Code of Practice.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if he will make a statement on his Department's green transport plans; [82702]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
The Cabinet Office intends to put a green transport plan in place by the end of this month. This plan will cover the headquarters office and the Cabinet Office Agencies.
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the number of cases currently covered by legal aid which will not be taken up by solicitors operating under conditional fee agreements as a result of failure to
11 May 1999 : Column: 100
meet risk assessment tests demanding a (a) 55 per cent., (b) 60 per cent., (c) 65 per cent., (d) 70 per cent. and (e) 75 per cent. likelihood of success. [83348]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government remain satisfied that lawyers will be prepared to undertake meritorious cases under conditional fee agreements. With the ability, potentially, to double their fees, they can continue to be expected to take on cases which, in their professional opinion, are more likely to have a successful outcome than not. It can be in no one's interest for weak cases to be pursued, especially as the protection in costs afforded by legal aid can force defendants with good defences to offer settlements in the face of what are little more than blackmailing claims.
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to monitor the impact of the Government's decision to abolish legal aid for personal injury claims. [83349]
Mr. Hoon:
We will monitor and evaluate the impact of all of the key reforms under the Access to Justice Bill, not just the decision to withdraw legal aid from most personal injury cases. The Legal Services Commission will have a duty to inform itself about the need for services, the provision of services, and the quality of the services provided. Much of this information will be provided by the Regional Legal Services Committees. In addition, we are in discussion with all the major interest groups, including those representing the consumers, the professions, and the insurance industry, about the design of a research project to evaluate all aspects of how conditional fees operate under the reformed law.
1994-95: 64
1995-96: 59
1996-97: 58
1997-98: 56
1998-99: 48.
(2) if he will make a statement on the introduction of a green transport plan for his Department. [82837]
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