| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Jun 2003 : Column 753W—continued
Welsh Language Helpline
Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information has been provided to the public since last autumn through the Inland Revenue's Welsh language helpline; what the cost was; what information has been provided through the helpline specifically on working tax and child tax credit; and what proportion of expenditure this represented. [116827]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Welsh Language Contact Centre opened in November 2002. It handles calls from customers who would like to conduct
10 Jun 2003 : Column 754W
business through the medium of Welsh across the full range of the Inland Revenue's activities, including tax, national insurance and Tax Credits.
In a full year the cost of running the unit is estimated to be £300,000. The Contact Centre aims to provide the same level of information, guidance and support on working tax and child tax credit as the English language counterparts.
The cost of providing information and support about working tax and child tax credit in Welsh has not been recorded separately from the overall cost of operating the centre.
World Poverty Reduction
Mr. Caton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution the UK is making to ensure that the 2015 targets for reducing world poverty are met. [117971]
John Healey: Making progress on the 2015 Millennium Development Goals is a joint HM Treasury Public Service Agreement with the Department for International Development.
The Government has made substantial increases to the aid budget. The UK's level of ODA will increase by £1.5 billion to reach 0.40 per cent. of GNI in 2005–06. This is the largest ever increase in UK aid, making a 93 per cent. real terms increase since 1997.
By 2005–06, DflD's budget will grow to nearly £4.6 billion a year by 2005–06, including a £1 billion bilateral programme for Africa.
However, to meet these goals. a UN panel and the world bank have estimated that the current level of aid will have to double. The UK Government continues to press the urgent case for an International Finance Facility to raise the additional finance needed.
Agreement was made in the Communiques of recent G7 and G8 meetings to continue to focus on the Millennium Development Goals, and their financing, including the International Finance Facility. Finance Ministers' will report back to Heads of State on the IFF in advance of the Annual Meeting of the world bank and International Monetary Fund in September 2003.
WALES
English Patients
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients who are English residents have been treated in Welsh hospitals for each of the last five years for which records are available; and if he will list (a) the top 10 procedures carried out on such patients and (b) the numbers of each procedure carried out. [117281]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the following tables:
Table 1 shows the number of patients who are English residents who have been treated in Welsh hospitals for each year from 1998 to 2002.
10 Jun 2003 : Column 755W
Table 2 shows the top 10 procedures carried out on such patients and the numbers of procedures carried out over the last five years.
| Admission year | English patients |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 11,251 |
| 1999 | 10,942 |
| 2000 | 10,970 |
| 2001 | (11)11,319 |
| 2002 | (11)12,476 |
(11) Data for 2001 and 2002 is provisional and subject to amendment.
| Procedure name | English patients |
|---|---|
| 1. Other closed reduction of fracture of bone | 1,019 |
| 2. Normal delivery | 971 |
| 3. Continuous infusion of therapeutic substance | 877 |
| 4. Prosthesis of lens | 863 |
| 5. Diagnostic endoscopic examination of bladder | 752 |
| 6. Other intravenous injection | 676 |
| 7. Primary open reduction of fracture of bone and intramed | 658 |
| 8. Primary open reduction of fracture of bone and extramed | 541 |
| 9. Other operations on penis | 450 |
| 10. Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic exam/upper gastrointe | 424 |
Source:
Health Solutions Wales. Information provided to the third character rubric.
Future of Europe Convention
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many days in the last three months he has spent attending the Convention on the Future of Europe. [117526]
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings he has held with (a) Education Secretaries in the National Assembly for Wales, (b) the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and (c) the Secretary of State for Education to discuss the subject of higher education funding in Wales since the publication of the Government's White Paper. [115058]
Peter Hain: There have a number of meetings of Ministers and officials between the National Assembly for Wales, the Department for Education and Skills and the Wales Office to discuss funding of support for students in higher education in Wales since the publication of the Government's White Paper on the future of higher education.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each official visit in Wales he and his predecessors made since 1997, broken down by (a) constituency and (b) purpose of visit. [116630]
Peter Hain: The information requested is not held on that basis. However, since the creation of the Wales Office in 1999, my predecessor and I have undertaken a wide range of visits and official engagements in Wales. These have included visits to local employers, police
10 Jun 2003 : Column 756W
authorities, universities and voluntary organisations, farms and tourism outlets and local authorities. I have also addressed a number of major conferences and given keynote speeches to a variety of organisations in Wales.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
European Television Programming
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who is responsible for enforcing the quota for original European television programming specified in Television Without Frontiers; what steps have been taken so far; who will be responsible after the enactment of the Communications Bill; and if she will make a statement. [117656]
Dr. Howells: To date, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been responsible for reporting to the European Commission, biennially, in accordance with Article 4.3 of the Television Without Frontiers Directive. Performance by UK licensed broadcasters has been considered by the Commission in accordance with Articles 4 and 5, and therefore, no enforcement action has been required.
Future responsibility for quota provisions will be a matter for discussion between this Department and Ofcom.
National Lottery
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will ensure that the proportion of Lottery money currently provided to the voluntary and community sector will be protected and ring-fenced if a new lottery game is established following a successful London bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. [117601]
Mr. Caborn: Current estimates suggest that hypothecated Olympic Lottery games would have only a modest impact on the flow of income to the established good causes. The arts, sport, heritage and charities will continue to receive at least their current percentage shares of all other Lottery income until the end of the current licence period in 2009.
The shares passing to the existing good causes will be subject to review at this time, as would have been the case had a decision been taken not to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Partnership Agreements
Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in her Department. [117461]
Dr. Howells: The partnership agreement between the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the DCMS Trade Unions (comprising members of the Public and Commercial Services Union, First Division Association and Institute of Professionals, Managers and Specialists) was agreed in March 2001.
Pay Audits
Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on
10 Jun 2003 : Column 757W
completing a pay audit in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if she will publish the results of such an audit. [117442]
Dr. Howells: DCMS completed its pay audit in July 2002. This found that there was currently no significant difference between average salaries of males and females. But the review recommended action to shorten paybands and conduct a further study of data by ethnicity, disability and working pattern.
The Royal Parks Agency has completed an initial review, and plans to discuss the outcome with its Trade Union Side, in meetings on pay in the near future. No particular pay issues have been identified for the groups mentioned.
10 Jun 2003 : Column 758W
Although NDPBs were not formally covered by the Government's commitment to carry out equal pay reviews, the Departments NDPBs have either completed their own reviews or are in the process of finalising them and drawing up action plans. Information on these reviews is not held centrally.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |