HC Deb 09 November 1983 vol 48 cc147-8W
Mr. Hind

asked the Minister of State for Energy whether he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Council of Energy Ministers on 4 November.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

I attended the Energy Council on 4 November. The Council prepared a report requested by the Special Council.

The Council confirmed that solid fuels were an essential element in the energy strategy of the Community.

1979 1980 1981 1982*
Radiography†
Radiographers in post‡ 823.5 838.8 852.2 864.3
Total Attendances║ 2,185,727 2,154,820 2,228,212 2,253,897
Rate per 1,000 patients 0.38 0.39 0.38 0.38
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists and Remedial Gymnasts in post¶ 873.9 908.7 952.3 979.6
Total Attendances 3,305,011 3,398,065 3,441,147 3,487,589
Rate per 1,000 patients 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.28
Occupational Therapy•
Occupation Therapists in post 267.4 304.1 319.5 318.7
Total Attendances 446,988 546,982 562,788 609,398
Rate per 1,000 patients 0.60 0.56 0.57 0.52

Notes:

* 1982 data refer to 31 March, all other years to 30 September.

† Radiographers include diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers.

‡ All manpower numbers are whole-time equivalents.

║Total attendances refer to both inpatients and outpatients.

¶ Remedial gymnasts cannot be reported separately prior to 1982, when there were approximately 15 such staff.

•Excludes occupational therapists employed by local authorities in Scotland.

The Council endorsed a continuing role for the Community's programmes for energy research, hydro-carbon technology, and demonstration projects.

A further meeting of the Energy Council is to be held in December, at which it is hoped to make further progress in determining measures to promote production and consumption of solid fuels, increased funding for Community aid with the social costs of restructuring the coal industry, a scheme to promote trade in coking coal and the amount of money to be spent in the next phase of the energy demonstration projects scheme.

The projects to be supported this year under the scheme for hydrocarbon technology were agreed.

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