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Wexham Park Hospital
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations at Wexham Park hospital were cancelled on 16 January; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement. [147001]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 23 January 2001]: Information on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-medical reasons, and breaches of the standard to re-admit patients within one month following such cancellations, are collected on a quarterly basis at health authority level and placed in the Library. The latest figures cover the five quarters up to Quarter 2 (July-September 2000) of the 2000-01 financial year.
The specific information requested should be available from the Chair of the Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts are (a) acute, (b) community and (c) both community and acute; and how many amalgamations of acute and community trusts there have been in the last five years in England and Wales. [147230]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 25 January 2001]: In England, there are 144 acute trusts, 128 community trusts and 53 acute and community trusts. These figures exclude community trusts with no consultant-led services and primary care trusts. There have been six amalgamations of acute and community trusts in England in the last five years and eight other mergers forming acute and community trusts but involving combinations of acute, community, or acute and community trusts with existing acute and community trusts. Questions about health services in Wales are a matter for the devolved Assembly.
Mrs. Nicola Stevenson and Mr. Richard Sampson
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the reports by the Community Healthcare Service (North Derbyshire) NHS Trust into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mrs. Nicola Stevenson and Mr. Richard Sampson. [148584]
Mr. Hutton: I am aware of the tragic deaths of Mrs. Stevenson and Mr. Sampson and offer my sincere condolences to their families.
The Community Healthcare Service (North Derbyshire) National Health Service Trust has undertaken a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mrs. Stevenson and Mr. Sampson. The
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resulting reports contain clinical and personal details and it would not be appropriate for them to be made public. The investigations have highlighted a number of concerns and, as a result, the trust has asked the North Derbyshire health authority to commission an external review into its acute in-patient unit. I would expect the findings of that review to be made public.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Activity Holiday Operators
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from operators of activity holidays regarding the impact on staffing levels of the national minimum wage and the Working Time Directive. [148523]
Mr. Chris Smith: I have received no representations from operators of activity holidays regarding the impact of the Working Time Directive. Late in 1998 we received a copy of the British Activity Holiday Association's comments on the then draft National Minimum Wage Regulations. These comments concerned the accommodation offset.
PRIME MINISTER
Coleraine
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made towards fulfilling the commitments he made at Coleraine in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [145749]
The Prime Minister: Considerable progress has been made since 1998 with the restoration of devolution, the establishment of the principle of consent in statute and arrangements for cross border co-operation and the promotion of fairness and equality. I am committed to ensuring that progress continues on all fronts and to bring about lasting stability and prosperity for all the people of Northern Ireland.
Ilisu Dam
Mr. Austin: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the World Archaeological Congress regarding Hasankeyf and the Ilisu dam; and if he will make a statement. [146852]
No decision will be made on ECGD support until we have fully considered the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, which will cover the archaeological and cultural impact of the project.
Ministerial Residences
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official residences of Ministers and the cost in 2000 of providing and servicing each one. [146329]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 22 January 2001]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 5 June 2000, Official Report, columns 50-51W.
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Crown Appointments
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what steps he takes to ensure compliance with the principles of equal opportunities in the appointment of (a) Sheriffs, (b) Under-Sheriffs, (c) Lords-Lieutenant and (d) deputy Lords-Lieutenant; and if he will make a statement; [146727]
- (2) what plans he has to review the appointment procedures for (a) Sheriffs, (b) Under-Sheriffs, (c) Lords-Lieutenant and (d) deputy Lords-Lieutenant; and if he will make a statement. [146728]
The Prime Minister: The prime duty of Lords Lieutenant is to be the Queen's representatives in their county or area. Other than in four Scottish cities (where each Lord Provost is Lord-Lieutenant by virtue of office), Lords-Lieutenant are appointed under current legislation by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of the day, following consultations locally and, where appropriate, with the relevant Secretary of State or First Minister.
Those appointed as Lords-Lieutenant are people of standing in their local communities, most frequently on account of their record of voluntary activity for the good of the community. In considering these appointments, the principles of equal opportunities are always taken into account. Deputy Lieutenants are appointed by Lords-Lieutenant, subject to the Queen not disapproving of the granting of the commission. Lords-Lieutenant are specifically advised that within each county or area, Deputy Lieutenants should be widely representative of its life in social range, gender, ethnic mix and service to the community.
Serving High Sheriffs are responsible for nominating their successors and their Under-Sheriffs. The Government are working with the Shrievalty Association to ensure that nominations cover a wider range of ethnic and social groups and both sexes, and has recently endorsed a proposal to establish nomination committees in England and Wales to encourage a more systematic approach.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) Sheriffs, (b) Under-Sheriffs, (c) Lords Lieutenant and (d) Deputy Lords-Lieutenant there are; in each category (i) how many and (ii) what proportion are (A) women and (B) from ethnic minority backgrounds; and if he will make a statement. [146731]
The Prime Minister: In England there are currently 46 Lords-Lieutenant (one of whom serves as Lord-Lieutenant of the separate counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire); in Wales, six, plus two vacancies; in Scotland 35 (of whom four are ex-officio as Lord Provosts of cities); and in Northern Ireland eight.
Of these, seven in England are women; four in Scotland; one in Wales; and one in Northern Ireland. None is currently from an ethnic minority.
I welcome the fact that the number of female Lords-Lieutenant is growing and I look forward to the appointment of the first Lords-Lieutenant from ethnic minorities in due course.
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I will write to my hon. Friend with the information that is available on the numbers of Deputy Lieutenants; it will take a little time to assemble.
There are 54 High Sheriffs in England and Wales (of whom one serves as High Sheriff for both Herefordshire and Worcestershire). Of these, seven (almost 13 per cent.) are women, and none is from the ethnic minorities. Nominations already made mean, however, that the proportion of women High Sheriffs will reach 25 per cent. in 2003. Three members of ethnic minorities have been nominated for future years in Greater London, Greater Manchester and Leicestershire respectively. There are 61 Under-Sheriffs in England and Wales, of whom two (just over 3 per cent.) are women. I regret that information is not available on the number for ethnic minorities.
There are eight Sheriffs in Northern Ireland, three of whom are women (37.5 per cent.); none is from an ethnic minority. There are no Under-Sheriffs in Northern Ireland.
Sheriffs in Scotland, being salaried judicial appointments, are not comparable to High Sheriffs or Sheriffs in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Personal Envoys
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to send a personal envoy to Zimbabwe to help resolve the land dispute and help restore peace to the country; and if he will make a statement. [146867]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 23 January 2001]: There are no such plans.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to send a personal envoy with a message from him to (a) Sri Lanka, (b) Myanmar and (c) Sierra Leone, to help move the peace process forward; and if he will make a statement. [146868]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 23 January 2001]: There are no such plans.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to send a personal envoy with a message from him to Phillipines Ministers to help in the search for Eiman April Grant; and if he will make a statement. [146869]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 23 January 2001]: There are no plans to send a personal envoy to the Philippines.
The British Ambassador in Manila has, however, been liaising closely with senior members of the Philippine Government about the case. The Embassy is providing consular assistance to Eiman's step-father Mr. Grant, and Eiman's half-sister.
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