House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16 Nov 2000 (pt 5)

Hospital Staff Assaults

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 30 October 2000, Official Report, column 242W, on hospital staff assaults, how

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many of the violent incidents against NHS trust staff in 1998-99 led to (a) prosecution and (b) conviction. [137968]

Mr. Denham: The information requested is not held centrally. The cross-Government National Health Service zero tolerance zone campaign, to stamp out violence against staff working in the National Health Service, has been strongly supported by my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary, the Lord Chancellor and the Attorney-General. The campaign makes clearer that employers need to work with the police, magistrates and the Crown Prosecution Service in order to apply a zero tolerance on violence against staff.

At the launch of the campaign last year, the Lord Chancellor said it was entirely legitimate for magistrates to respond decisively to a particular form of criminal behaviour, such as assaults on National Health Service staff, and to impose sentences which have deterrent components. New national sentencing guidelines issued to the Magistrates Courts in September underline our commitment to tackle violence against National Health Service staff. The guidelines now include as aggravating factors, to be taken into account when sentencing, whether the offence occurred in hospital or medical premises and whether the victim was serving the public.

Harrogate and York NHS Trusts

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on proposals to merge Harrogate and York NHS Trusts; and if he will make a statement. [138314]

Mr. Denham: At the present time there are no formal proposals to merge the Harrogate Health Care National Health Service Trust and the York Health Services NHS Trust. Discussions between the North Yorkshire Health Authority and the trusts are ongoing concerning the future configuration of acute services. Should any proposals to change management structures come out of these discussions, they will be the subject of formal consultation.

Elderly People (Ethnic Minorities)

Mr. Singh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the designated time scale and programme for action is to improve the care and health available to older persons in ethnic minorities. [138320]

Mr. Hutton: The National Service Framework for Older People, which is to be introduced from April 2001, will help to ensure that the health and social care needs of older people from all backgrounds are properly addressed.

Guidance on access to social care services to be issued to local councils soon will include advice on addressing the needs of older persons from ethnic minorities.

Out-patient Waiting Times

Mr. St.Aubyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on out-patient waiting times in the West Surrey Health Authority. [137264]

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Mr. Denham [holding answer 14 November 2000]: At 30 June this year (latest available figures) there were 3,713 patients who had been waiting 13 weeks or over for an appointment in West Surrey Health Authority following referral by a general practitioner.

The health authority and the South East Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive are in close liaison with the three trusts in West Surrey to address this position.

Hospital Mortuaries

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 2000, Official Report, column 379W, on hospital mortuaries, if he will list NHS pathology service sites where all or part of the site fails to meet necessary minimum standards. [138461]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 15 November 2000]: With the exception of cervical cytology screening laboratories, accreditation of National Health Service laboratories is voluntary and carried out by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) UK Ltd. Laboratories accredited by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) UK Ltd. are listed on the company's website at www.cpa-uk.co.uk. I have placed a copy of this information in the Library.

DEFENCE

Shipyards

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the shipyards in the United Kingdom which are capable of building ships of the size of the future generation of aircraft carriers. [136273]

Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from David Gould to Mr. William Ross, dated 16 November 2000:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if he will list the shipyards in the United Kingdom which are capable of building ships of the size of the future generation of aircraft carriers. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The competing Prime Contractors for the future aircraft carrier--BAE Systems and Thomson Naval Systems--have identified a number of UK shipyards with the potential capacity to participate in the build of the vessels. These include Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Swan Hunter on Tyneside, Cammell Laird at Birkenhead and the BAE Systems' yards at Govan and Barrow. Much will depend on the carrier design that is taken forward and the method of construction; consequently, other UK yard options have not been ruled out. Some of the yards identified by the Prime Contractors face potential build limitations or have access restrictions that could prevent whole-ship construction.
We do not plan to award a contract for the build of CVF until 2004 and no decisions are planned at this stage on yard selection. Ongoing assessment work will include a thorough review of all UK facilities and will address yard suitability, construction/access limitations and the overall cost-effectiveness of potential build strategies.
I hope this explains the position.

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Eurocorps

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 October 2000, Official Report, column 271W, on Eurocorps, if he will identify by (a) rank and (b) role the augmentees supplied by the United Kingdom to Eurocorps in Kosovo. [138000]

Mr. Spellar: The 62 posts filled by the United Kingdom in Headquarters Kosovo Force 3 (KFOR3), whose kernel was provided by Headquarters Eurocorps, were as follows:

NATO rank UK rank Role

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Military Assistant to Commander KFOR

OF-6 Brigadier Chief Joint Implementation Commission (JIC)

OR-5 Sergeant Driver to Chief JIC

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel JIC Liaison Officer to the Kosovo Protection Corps

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Chief Staff Officer Operations JIC

OR-7 Staff Sergeant Administrative Supervisor JIC

OR-4 Wren Writer Administrative Clerk Public Information Staff

OF-2/3 Flight Lieutenant Staff Officer (SO) Media Operations

OF-2/3 Major Escort Officer Joint Visitors Bureau

OR-5 Sergeant Administrative Assistant Coordination Office

OF-3 Lieutenant Colonel SO Information Operations Civil/Military Cooperation

OR-6/7 Staff Sergeant Staff Assistant (SA) Intelligence

OF-2/3 Flight Lieutenant SO Intelligence

OR-6 Staff Sergeant SA Intelligence

OR-7/8 Staff Sergeant SA Intelligence

OR-2/3 Lance Corporal Intelligence Analyst

OF-5/6 Sergeant SA Geographic

OF-3/4 Major Commander Intelligence Detachment

OF-5 Group Captain Chief Air Operations

OR-6/7 Flight Sergeant SA Helicopter Operations

OR-7/8 Flight Sergeant Air Traffic Controller

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Chief Operations Cell Ground Liaison Vicenza

OF-4 Wing Commander Chief Air Operations Control Centre

OF-3/4 Lieutenant Colonel SO Campaign Plans

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel SO Civil/Military Cooperation Plans

OF-5 Colonel Chief Engineer

OR-7 Staff Sergeant Administrative Supervisor Engineer Branch

OR-2 Private Clerk/Driver Engineer Branch

OF-3/4 Major SO Infrastructure Plans

OF-3 Lieutenant Commander SO Liaison with United Nations Mission in Kosovo

OF-3 Major SO Civil/Military Cooperations Plans

OF-3 Major Personnel Planning Officer

OF-3 Squadron Leader Movement Planning Officer

OR-4/5 Corporal Administrative Assistant Transport Company

OR-7 Staff Sergeant Communications System Administrator

OR-6/7 Lance Corporal Communications System Administrator

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Chief Theatre Contracting Office

OR-3/4 Civilian Customs Administration Clerk

OR-8 Warrant Officer Deputy Site Sergeant Major

OR-3 Leading Regulator Military Policeman

OR-3 Corporal Military Policeman

OF-7 Air Vice Marshal Commander Rear and Communication Zone

OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Military Assistant to Commander Rear

OR-6 Sergeant Administrative Assistant to Commander Rear

OR-2 Leading Aircraftman Driver to Commander Rear

OF-3 Lieutenant Commander SO Coordinator Joint Visitors Bureau (Rear)

OR-6 Petty Officer Writer Administrative Assistant Legal Branch

OF-3/4 Lieutenant Colonel Chief Personnel (Rear)

OF-2/3 Captain SO Training

OR-7/8 Warrant Officer 2 SA Ranges

OR-7/8 Sergeant NCO/Driver Real Estate Mobile Team

OF-3 Major Logistic SO

OF-3 Major Property Officer

OR-6 Sergeant Clerk/Driver Joint Logistic Centre

OR-3/4 Leading Wren Writer Administrative Clerk Billeting

OR-5/6 Sergeant SA Power Troop

OR-5/6 Petty Officer Electrical Engineer

OR-3/4 Corporal Military Policeman

OR-3/4 Corporal Military Policeman

OR-6 Sergeant Alternate Cryptographic Custodian

OR-5 Sergeant Administrative Assistant Communication Zone South

OF-4/5 Lieutenant Colonel Deputy Commander Communication Zone South

NATO rank	UK rank	Role
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	Military Assistant to Commander KFOR
OF-6	Brigadier	Chief Joint Implementation Commission (JIC)
OR-5	Sergeant	Driver to Chief JIC
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	JIC Liaison Officer to the Kosovo Protection Corps
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	Chief Staff Officer Operations JIC
OR-7	Staff Sergeant	Administrative Supervisor JIC
OR-4	Wren Writer	Administrative Clerk Public Information Staff
OF-2/3	Flight Lieutenant	Staff Officer (SO) Media Operations
OF-2/3	Major	Escort Officer Joint Visitors Bureau
OR-5	Sergeant	Administrative Assistant Coordination Office
OF-3	Lieutenant Colonel	SO Information Operations Civil/Military Cooperation
OR-6/7	Staff Sergeant	Staff Assistant (SA) Intelligence
OF-2/3	Flight Lieutenant	SO Intelligence
OR-6	Staff Sergeant	SA Intelligence
OR-7/8	Staff Sergeant	SA Intelligence
OR-2/3	Lance Corporal	Intelligence Analyst
OF-5/6	Sergeant	SA Geographic
OF-3/4	Major	Commander Intelligence Detachment
OF-5	Group Captain	Chief Air Operations
OR-6/7	Flight Sergeant	SA Helicopter Operations
OR-7/8	Flight Sergeant	Air Traffic Controller
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	Chief Operations Cell Ground Liaison Vicenza
OF-4	Wing Commander	Chief Air Operations Control Centre
OF-3/4	Lieutenant Colonel	SO Campaign Plans
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	SO Civil/Military Cooperation Plans
OF-5	Colonel	Chief Engineer
OR-7	Staff Sergeant	Administrative Supervisor Engineer Branch
OR-2	Private	Clerk/Driver Engineer Branch
OF-3/4	Major	SO Infrastructure Plans
OF-3	Lieutenant Commander	SO Liaison with United Nations Mission in Kosovo
OF-3	Major	SO Civil/Military Cooperations Plans
OF-3	Major	Personnel Planning Officer
OF-3	Squadron Leader	Movement Planning Officer
OR-4/5	Corporal	Administrative Assistant Transport Company
OR-7	Staff Sergeant	Communications System Administrator
OR-6/7	Lance Corporal	Communications System Administrator
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	Chief Theatre Contracting Office
OR-3/4	Civilian	Customs Administration Clerk
OR-8	Warrant Officer	Deputy Site Sergeant Major

OR-3	Leading Regulator	Military Policeman
OR-3	Corporal	Military Policeman
OF-7	Air Vice Marshal	Commander Rear and Communication Zone
OF-4	Lieutenant Colonel	Military Assistant to Commander Rear
OR-6	Sergeant	Administrative Assistant to Commander Rear
OR-2	Leading Aircraftman	Driver to Commander Rear
OF-3	Lieutenant Commander	SO Coordinator Joint Visitors Bureau (Rear)
OR-6	Petty Officer Writer	Administrative Assistant Legal Branch
OF-3/4	Lieutenant Colonel	Chief Personnel (Rear)
OF-2/3	Captain	SO Training
OR-7/8	Warrant Officer 2	SA Ranges
OR-7/8	Sergeant	NCO/Driver Real Estate Mobile Team
OF-3	Major	Logistic SO
OF-3	Major	Property Officer
OR-6	Sergeant	Clerk/Driver Joint Logistic Centre
OR-3/4	Leading Wren Writer	Administrative Clerk Billeting
OR-5/6	Sergeant	SA Power Troop
OR-5/6	Petty Officer	Electrical Engineer
OR-3/4	Corporal	Military Policeman
OR-3/4	Corporal	Military Policeman
OR-6	Sergeant	Alternate Cryptographic Custodian
OR-5	Sergeant	Administrative Assistant Communication Zone South
OF-4/5	Lieutenant Colonel	Deputy Commander Communication Zone South

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