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Colin Griffiths
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Staffordshire police concerning the death of Colin Griffiths of Stafford on 26 December 1994. [148662]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand that a report from the Staffordshire police on the circumstances of Mr. Griffiths' death is currently under consideration by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Victim Support
Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been provided for victim support since May 1997. [148893]
Mr. Charles Clarke: When we assumed office in May 1997, Victim Support's annual grant was £11.7 million. It has since been increased as shown:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 12.7 |
| 1998-99 | 12.7 |
| 1999-2000 | 17.5 |
| 2000-01 | 18.4 |
Special Constables
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 January 2001, Official Report, column 491W, on special constables, what the (a) expenditure was on special constable recruitment advertising and (b) number of special constables recruited was in each of the last five years. [148582]
Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 5 February 2001]: The total expenditure on special constable recruitment advertising is assessed at the end of each financial year in March. The figures for the five years 1995-96 to 1999-2000 are set out in the table:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1,960,000 |
| 1996-97 | 1,950,000 |
| 1997-98 | 420,000 |
| 1998-99 | 355,000 |
| 1999-2000 | 910,000 |
| Five year total | 5,595,000 |
The figures for the number of special constables recruited during the same period are:
6 Feb 2001 : Column: 504W
| Recruited | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 1995-March 1996 | 2,565 | 1,868 | 4,433 |
| April 1996-March 1997 | 2,959 | 1,949 | 4,908 |
| April 1997-March 1998 | 2,255 | 1,550 | 3,805 |
| April 1998-March 1999 | 1,668 | 1,155 | 2,823 |
| April 1999-March 2000 | 1,123 | 744 | 1,867 |
| Five year total | 10,570 | 7,266 | 17,836 |
Asylum Support
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many units of accommodation the National Asylum Support Service estimates it will provide in total in (a) 2000-01 and (b) each of the next three years; how many units have been provided to date in 2000-01; and if he will make a statement; [148824]
- (2) how many units of accommodation are provided in property under contract to the National Asylum Support Service; and what proportion of such accommodation was (a) occupied and (b) unoccupied on the first day of each month in 2000-01 to date. [148825]
Mrs. Roche [holding answer 5 February 2001]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. As at the end of December 2000, 26,700 1 units of accommodation were contracted by National Asylum Support Service (NASS), of which 16,600 units were allocated to asylum seekers and their dependants.
NASS estimates that it will require 44,000 bedspaces in this financial year 2000-01. For 2001-02 NASS estimates that it will require somewhere in the region of 16,000 additional bedspaces. Estimates for future financial years are not available.
- 1 Figures rounded to nearest 100
Criminal Records Bureau
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to voluntary associations which operate in England and Scotland on paying a contribution to the Criminal Records Bureau. [148694]
Mr. Charles Clarke [pursuant to his reply, 5 February 2001, c. 433W]: This is to provide additional information to that which I was able to give in my previous reply, in relation to the issue of charges for the voluntary sector. We have listened very carefully to concerns expressed within the voluntary sector, and by others, including right hon. and hon. Members, on behalf of the voluntary sector, about the potential implications of charges to be made by the Criminal Records Bureau. We have made clear our commitment to and support for the voluntary sector and recently announced a major package to promote voluntary and community involvement. It remains our intention that the Bureau should be financed by means of the charges that it makes. But we have concluded that standard and enhanced disclosures, which include those working in sensitive positions with the vulnerable, should be issued free of charge to volunteers. We are continuing our
6 Feb 2001 : Column: 505W
consideration of the appropriate fees regime and structure for other users of the Bureau's services and we shall make a further announcement shortly.
HEALTH
NHS Plan
11. Dr. George Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the implementation of the national health service plan. [147339]
Mr. Milburn: Progress on implementing the NHS Plan is well under way. Among other initiatives we have given local health services funding for three years for the first time. Investment and reform are taking hold in cancer and cardiac services, and we have provided earmarked funding for hospital cleaning.
Patient's Charter
14. Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in implementing the Patient's Charter. [147342]
Ms Stuart: On Friday 26 January, we launched "Your Guide to the NHS" a replacement for the old style Patient's Charter.
The "Guide" fulfils the Government's Manifesto commitment of replacing the Patient's Charter with a clearer guide to patients rights, responsibilities and the national standards and services people can expect from the NHS now and in the future.
Health Care (Cumbria)
15. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next intends to meet representatives of the NHS in Cumbria to discuss matters relating to health care. [147343]
Mr. Hutton: I have no current plans to meet representatives of the National Health Service in Cumbria to discuss matters relating to health care; however, I have regular meetings with NHS representatives in Cumbria.
Transplant Services (Sheffield)
16. Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had concerning the future of transplant services at Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. [147344]
Yvette Cooper: The Government announced the modernisation and reorganisation of organ transplant services last February. We are currently considering proposals for the future of the national cardiothoracic transplant service submitted by the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group which may have implications for services at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
Community Hospital, Gravesend
17. Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the development of the new community hospital in Gravesend. [147345]
6 Feb 2001 : Column: 506W
Ms Stuart: Public consultation on the proposal to develop integrated health and social care facilities on the Gravesend and North Kent Hospital site is expected to start shortly.
NHS Employees (Cost of Living Allowance)
18. Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the distribution of the cost of living allowance to NHS employees. [147346]
Mr. Denham: Cost of Living Supplements are being introduced from 1 April for qualified staff within the remit of the Nurses Pay Review Body, working in high cost parts of England.
The supplements will be payable to staff in designated health authority areas in London and the south of England determined by their staff Market Forces Factor. This is a measure of external labour market pressures on NHS employers.
Renal Services
19. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to improve renal services. [147347]
Mr. Denham: The NHS Plan will deliver 450 new and replacement haemodialysis stations over the next three years, providing treatments for another 1,850 patients and better treatment for 1,200 existing patients.
GP Waiting Times
20. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce waiting times for patients to see their GP; and if he will make a statement. [147348]
Mr. Denham: In a modernised National Health Service all patients should be able consistently to secure fast and convenient access to a general practitioner. The NHS Plan sets targets to achieve this by 2004. We are backing this commitment with the Access Fund which exists to help primary care trusts and primary care groups to deliver the access targets.
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