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Comprehensive Schools: Minimum Size
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the minimum size, in forms of entry, they consider is necessary to provide education for comprehensive intake.[HL37]
Baroness Blackstone: The Department for Education and Employment does not recommend minimum sizes for schools. That must depend on local circumstances.
Motorway Hard Shoulder Accidents
Lord Brougham and Vaux asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many road accidents have been reported involving stationary vehicles on motorway hard shoulders in each of the years 1989 to the most recent for which records are available; and how many people were (a) killed and (b) injured in these accidents.[HL75]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty): The statistics requested are shown in the following table:
| Year of Accident | |||||||||
| 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Number of accidents | 104 | 108 | 84 | 84 | 82 | 72 | 88 | 61 | 68 |
| Number killed | 19 | 23 | 13 | 14 | 33 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 6 |
| Number injured | 192 | 193 | 165 | 132 | 146 | 107 | 164 | 104 | 139 |
House of Lords: Powers
Lord Sudeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it is legal and constitutional under the Parliament Acts for a Bill (other than a money Bill) that has been rejected by the House of Lords to be presented for Royal Assent if that Bill allows one House of Parliament to alter the composition of the other House or the voting rights and sitting rights of a majority of its members without prior enactment of measures to protect the people's democratic rights through a second chamber.[HL34]
The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Jay): Yes. The Parliament Acts lay down special rules for only two categories of public Bill introduced first into the Commons. On Bills certified by the Speaker as a Money
Bill, the House of Lords may impose only a delay of one month. On Bills to extend the life of a Parliament, the House of Lords retains an absolute veto.Cabinet Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness
Lord Ewing of Kirkford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the composition and terms of reference of the Cabinet Committee on productivity and competitiveness mentioned in the Pre-Budget Report.[HL142]
Baroness Jay: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has asked my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to chair a new Cabinet Sub-Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness. The composition and terms of reference for this committee are: Ministerial Sub-Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness EA(PC)
- Chancellor of the Exchequer (Chair)
- Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
- Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Secretary of State for Education and Employment
- Minister for the Cabinet Office
- Secretary of State for Scotland
- Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
- Secretary of State for Wales
"To consider measures to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the United Kingdom economy".
Mental Illness: Combating Stigma
Lord Walton of Detchant asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their response to the campaign launched on 7 October by the Royal College of Psychiatrists entitled Every Family in the Land, which drew attention to the pressing problems of people with mental health problems, with particular reference to negative discrimination and social exclusion.[HL84]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman): We welcome the campaign launched by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It complements the Department of Health's Impact Strategy to reduce discrimination against people with mental health problems. We are working in collaboration with the Royal College, users of mental health services and the voluntary sector in taking forward the aims of the Impact Strategy. Officials have agreed to join the Royal College's working party with a view to lending support to their aim to reduce stigmatising attitudes amongst doctors.
Fluorides: Sources
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Jay of Paddington on 8 April (WA 144), whether they will indicated in general terms, without disclosing commercially sensitive information, the source or sources for fluorides used in current water fluoridation schemes in the United Kingdom.[HL49]
Baroness Hayman: Enquiries of the water industry confirm that the two chemicals used, Hexafluorosilicic Acid and Disodium Hexafluorosilicate, are sourced from reputable suppliers.
Health Improvement Programmes and the Voluntary Sector
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What guidance has been or will be issued to primary care groups, health authorities and local authorities in respect of involvement by the voluntary sector in drawing up the health improvement programmes.[HL56]
Baroness Hayman: Guidance on health improvement programmes has been issued jointly to the National Health Service, including primary care groups, and to local authorities. A copy is available in the Library. This guidance includes clear reference to the range of local stakeholders, including the voluntary sector, who should be involved in this process.
NHS Trusts: Directors' Remuneration
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the remuneration of chairmen and non-executive directors of health authorities and hospital trusts; and how many days a week or month they are expected to contribute for that remuneration.[HL58]
Baroness Hayman: Non-executive directors of National Health Service trusts, health authorities and health boards receive remuneration of £5,000 a year. Annual remuneration for chairs of both NHS trusts and health authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for NHS trusts in Scotland are set at three levels: band 1 at £19,285; band 2 at £17,145; and band 3 at £15,125. There are seven levels of remuneration for chairs of Health Boards in Scotland, ranging from £7,200-£25,140 a year. Payments are based on the turnover of the body involved for NHS trust chairs, and on the annual level of cash allocation for health authority and health board chairs.
Non-executive directors of NHS trusts, health authorities and health boards are expected to work from two to four days a month. Chairs are expected to work from two to three and a half days a week.
Licensing Laws
Viscount Exmouth asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they propose to bring the United Kingdom's licensing laws into line with those of Europe; and, if so, when.[HL41]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The preliminary fact-finding work of our liquor licensing review suggests that there is no one European model. Our Continental neighbours generally have more relaxed licensing hours but stricter enforcement regimes. Our review will consider whether there are ideas we might usefully draw on.
Medway Secure Training Centre
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What aspects of substandard performance led to payments to the contractor being reduced by £5,869 for the first quarter's operation of the Medway Secure Training Centre.[HL82]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Contractor incurred performance points in five out of six areas of performance measurement: safety and security; care and control; living conditions; regime; and preparation for release. In addition, performance points were incurred for non-reporting of performance events.
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the weekly cost of each boy and each girl at the Medway Secure Training Centre.[HL83]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The pricing basis of the secure training centre contract depends on the availability of places and the quality of service provided. There is no distinction within the contract between the cost of accommodating male or female trainees. On the question of costs, I refer to my reply on 27 April (col. 9), when I explained to noble Lords that, if we exclude capital costs, the average cost of a place at Medway would be £2,400 per week.
TWH Management Ltd.
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Department of Trade and Industry wrote, as indicated in their letter of 4 January 1989 to Mrs. Olsen of the Serious Fraud Office, to Lord Grantchester QC, Chairman of the Licensed Dealers Tribunal, criticising his judgment in the matter of TWH Management Ltd; and whether the DTI wrote to the Securities and Investments Board and to the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation "indicating to the extent proper our criticisms of it".[HL51]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There is no evidence on the files that any formal communication was sent to Lord Grantchester; nor that copies of the report were sent to SIB (now FSA) or IMRO. It is however clear that TWH Management Ltd disclosed the report to IMRO.
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