| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
NHS Staff
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the National Health Service spent on hiring agency nursing staff in the last 12 months. [20735]
Mr. Hutton: The expenditure on non-National Health Service nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, in England, for the financial year 2000–01 was £447,248,470. The non-NHS staff figures include all nurses, midwives and health visiting staff not directly employed by the NHS. We are unable to disaggregate agency nurses. The 2000–01 figure is the latest available and is provisional.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimates he has made of the impact of staff shortages on NHS capacity. [20625]
Mr. Hutton: The NHS Plan, published in July 2000, acknowledges that the shortage of human resources is the biggest constraint faced by the national health service
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 736W
today. The plan sets targets for recruiting 20,000 more nurses, 7,500 more consultants, 6,500 more therapists and other health professionals and 2,000 more general practitioners by 2004 over the 1999 baseline. The Government's manifesto carried these commitments forward.
The NHS Plan also contains targets for increasing the number of students in training. There will be: 5,500 more nurses and midwives entering training each year by 2004 than there were in 1999, 4,450 more therapists and other key professional staff being trained by 2004, 1,000 more specialist registrars and 450 (since raised to 550) more doctors training for general practice by 2004.
Taken together, these targets will address current shortages and provide for growth required to improve services in line with National Service Frameworks, the Cancer Plan and waiting time commitments.
Adult Stem Cell Research
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the progress and effectiveness of adult stem cell research in treating health disorders. [19671]
Ms Blears: Adult sources of stem cells along with those from cord blood, foetal and now embryonic sources are being studied by researchers around the world. However, with the exception of the well established use of bone marrow derived cells in transplantation and some very early clinical trials using foetal cells in Huntington's and Parkinson's disease, this research has not yet reached the stage of treatment for any health disorders where assessments of this kind can be made.
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy on (a) sanctions against and (b) bombing of Iraq. [22199]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) on 28 November 2001, Official Report, columns 965–66.
Civil Service
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on his discussions with the civil service commissioners about the terms of appointment of the next head of the civil service; [19948]
- (2) what proposals he has to look outside the civil service for the appointment of the next Cabinet Secretary; what plans he has to fuse the Cabinet Office with the office in 10 Downing street; and what new conditions an applicant will be required to agree to before appointment as (a) head of the civil service and (b) Cabinet Secretary. [19949]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 626W.
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 737W
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister what action he instituted on and before 9 December into
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 738W
reports of a campaign by persons in Government to undermine the reputation of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. [22726]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answers I gave the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 5 December 2001, Official Report, columns 323–24.
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 739W
DEFENCE
New Deal (Young People)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by the Department under the new deal for young people; and at what cost to public funds. [21311]
Dr. Moonie: Information follows on the number of people employed by my Department and its agencies under the new deal for young people. New deal recruits take up existing vacancies so extra costs are limited to the subsidy, where appropriate, and any additional training and development which may be needed. The cost of the latter cannot be readily identified.
On 30 September 2001, the latest date for which information is available, 19 people between the ages of 18 and 24 were employed by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies under the new deal for young people. It is not, however, possible without disproportionate cost to identify the number serving who are now over age 24 but originally appointed through the young people's scheme.
RAF Finningley
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Manchester Airport submitted an expression of interest in acquiring the RAF Finningley site for development as a civil passenger airport; what meetings with his Department were held; and if he will publish the documents relating to the expression of interest. [21436]
Dr. Moonie: Expressions of interest from potential bidders for the former RAF Finningley were invited on 28 July 1996 in the Estates Gazette, as part of the first attempt to sell the site.
Manchester Airport (consortium) was interviewed on 10 October 1996 along with a number of other parties.
When the site was re-marketed in 1997, Manchester Airport did not apply.
The release of documents relating to the expression of interest is a matter for Manchester Airport.
Defence Employment (Glasgow)
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in Glasgow are employed in defence work. [21620]
Dr. Moonie: The number of directly employed Ministry of Defence jobs in the city of Glasgow local authority area as at 1 July 2000 is as follows.
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 740W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Military | 1,204 |
| Civilian | 1,832 |
| Civilian casual | 7 |
| Total | 3,043 |
In addition to this direct employment, the MOD supports a significant number of defence related jobs throughout the UK. The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) is currently unable to provide data relating to the number of jobs created or sustained directly or indirectly as a result of MOD expenditure at a national or regional level. DASA is currently reviewing their methodology on the estimation of employment figures dependent on UK defence expenditure.
Type 45 Destroyers
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Type 45 destroyers will be constructed in Scotland. [21619]
Dr. Moonie: Under the shipbuilding procurement strategy for the Royal Navy announced in the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 10 July 2001, Official Report, columns 675–85, the first Type 45 destroyer will be assembled and launched at Scotstoun on Clydeside. It is planned that the remainder of the class, of up to 12 ships, will be assembled and launched at Barrow in Furness. However, significant sections of each ship will be manufactured by Vosper Thornycroft at Portsmouth and BAE Systems Marine at Barrow and on the Clyde.
Gibraltar
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training exercises have been carried out by the armed forces (a) in and (b) from Gibraltar during the last three years; and how many of these were (i) Royal Navy (ii) RAF (iii) Army and (iv) all services. [22125]
Mr. Ingram: About 300 training exercises have been carried out by the UK armed forces in and from Gibraltar during the last three years. Of these, five exercises each year are conducted off Rock by Gibraltar-based forces. Around 30 each year were maritime based including maritime/air and amphibious exercises, 50 predominantly Army and the remainder joint exercises.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships have docked in Gibraltar in the last three years. [22126]
Mr. Ingram: 149 Royal Navy ships have docked in Gibraltar since April 1998.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are based in Gibraltar. [22127]
Mr. Ingram: The Army presence on Gibraltar comprises 400 regular and reservist members of the Gibraltar Regiment plus around 60 UK-based Army personnel in a range of other posts.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effect in military activity in and around Gibraltar as a result of the Brussels process. [22128]
11 Dec 2001 : Column: 741W
Mr. Ingram: Military activity on and around Gibraltar has not been affected by the recent Brussels process discussions.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |