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Sierra Leone
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the United Nations or its associated bodies have made of the role of Liberia in respect of the conflict in Sierra Leone; and what action is proposed as a result. [126771]
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Mr. Hain [holding answer 21 June 2000]: The United Nations has made no formal assessment of Liberia's role in respect of the conflict in Sierra Leone. However, there is increasing international concern over reports of close links between RUF rebels in Sierra Leone and supporters in Liberia, and Liberia's alleged involvement in the illicit trade in Sierra Leone diamonds.
We will be taking forward our discussions with international partners on these issues over the coming period. Meanwhile, we welcome the EU's decision on 13 May to delay signature of the National Indicative Programme for Liberia in the light of concerns about Liberia's current activities.
Burma
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to identify the location and value of assets held by the Burmese Government which have been frozen by the EU. [127160]
Mr. Battle: The Bank of England's Sanctions Emergency Unit, on behalf of HM Treasury, has issued a Notice to all financial institutions in the UK instructing them to freeze all funds belonging to those individuals subject to EC Regulation 1081/2000. UK financial institutions are required to report all such funds to the Bank of England.
The Burma (Freezing of Funds) Regulations 2000 makes breaches of the EC Regulation a criminal offence and provides penalties for such breaches.
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce investment sanctions against Burma. [127159]
Mr. Battle: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 20 June 2000, Official Report, column 156W.
HEALTH
MRSA (Netherlands)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the incidence, control and reduction of MRSA in hospitals in the Netherlands. [126325]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 19 June 2000]: We are aware of the very strict protocols used for the management of MRSA in the Netherlands. Practice there and in other European Union countries is taken into account when formulating central policy. We have recently set national standards for the control of hospital acquired infections, including MRSA. These will be delivered locally and will be independently inspected and reviewed by the Audit Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement.
Administrative Costs
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the budget for hospital and community health services of (a) health authorities and (b) primary
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care groups and primary care trusts was spent on administrative costs in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [126916]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 21 June 2000]: In 1998-99 £420 million was spent on the cost of managing health authorities, 1.15 per cent. of the £36,612 million total National Health Service expenditure (net).
Primary care groups were not established until April 1999; therefore no figures on their management costs are yet available.
Hospital Cleaning
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the financial savings made by NHS trusts in (a) domestic services and (b) cleaning contracts in the last year for which figures are available. [126920]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 21 June 2000]: The information is not collected centrally.
Voluntary Sector
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the voluntary sector organisations involved in (a) primary care groups and (b) healthy living centres. [126881]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 21 June 2000]: The names of all voluntary sector organisations currently working with primary care groups (PCGs) are not collected centrally. PCGs should work alongside voluntary organisations in identifying local priorities and developing the Health Improvement Programme (HImP).
The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) who are running a programme to support the development of a network of healthy living centres (HLCs) collect information about partners involved in bids as part of the application process. I have placed in the Library a list of those voluntary organisations involved at the bidding stage in the seven NOF funded HLCs.
Prescriptions (Incapacity Benefit)
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the cost of granting all those on Incapacity Benefit in the UK free prescriptions; [127240]
- (2) if he will estimate the costs of giving free prescriptions to all those on Incapacity Benefit in Norwich, North. [127241]
Ms Stuart: In England, it is estimated that the cost of extending entitlement to free prescriptions to all recipients of Incapacity Benefit would be around £120 million per year. Information is not available on a constituency basis.
Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the outstanding repair and maintenance backlog at NHS facilities in each health authority in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement. [127164]
Ms Stuart: The table provides the details requested.
(11) Fire safety backlog was not collected in 1995-96. The figures for the remaining years include all aspects of backlog repair and maintenance.
Source:
The figures are derived from the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) collected annually by NHS Estates.
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22 Jun 2000 : Column: 263W
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