Written Answers of 18 March 1988

ENERGY

  Nuclear Material
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, 9 March,Official Report, columns 200–1, how much nuclear material in the United Kingdom has been subject to exchange of safeguards obligations on the basis of strict equivalent in quantity and quality, in each year since 1973.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sellafield
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, 29 February,Official Report, column 483, when he expects the particular safeguards provisions for Sellafield referred to therein to enter into force.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Our aim is to bring the first four particular safeguards provisions for Sellafield into force by the end of 1988.

  Uranium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the acceptance of unsafeguarded uranium into the United Kingdom for processing and subsequent re-export without direct use or application in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  All civil uranium imported into the United Kingdom for processing and subsequent re-export is under safeguards.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the gross national product of the Falkland Islands economy in(a) 1986 and (b)

  Mr. Eggar
  The Falkland Islands gross national product for 1986 is estimated to have been approximately £9·9 million. In 1987 it was estimated to have risen to approximately £30·2 million.

  Phyllis Coard
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Grenada on the treatment in prison of Phyllis Coard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The enforcement of prison regulations, which are presently the same as those introduced by the 686
  People's Revolutionary Government of which Mrs. Coard was a member, is entirely a matter for the Grenadian authorities.

  Mr. Raoul Wallenberg
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The case of Raoul Wallenberg was last raised with the Soviet authorities at ministerial level by the then Minister of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind), during discussions in Moscow in July 1985.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Mairead Farrell
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will call for a report from the Queen's university, Belfast, authorities on the status of Mairead Farrell; what public funds she was receiving in the year before her death; what steps will be taken to ensure that those with terrorist backgrounds are not able to receive public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mairead Farrell was a full-time student in her first year of study in the faculty of economics at Queen's university, Belfast., Since her enrolment, on 23 September 1987, she received a maintenance grant of £1,380 from the Belfast education and library board. Grants for eligible students are mandatory.

PRIME MINISTER

  Members' Delegations
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidance she gives to departmental Ministers about receiving delegations from right hon. and hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Such meetings are a matter for the judgment of individual departmental Ministers.

  South Manchester Health Authority
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if, in the light of his refusal to meet a delegation of hon. Members to discuss the financial position of South Manchester health authority, she will dismiss the Minister for Health, the right hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton); and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. R. W. Marshall (Letter)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister when she replied to a recent letter by Mr. R. W. Marshall of Cymerau, Dolwen, Blaenau Ffestiniog, on the subject of nuclear reactor risks, radiation fog and smog from power plants.

  The Prime Minister
  It is not my usual practice to give information on correspondence from third parties.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

  Unification Church
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Attorney-General which religious organisations were approached for assistance when preparing the now abandoned appeal against the decision not to remove charity status from the Unification Church.

  The Attorney-General
  [pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1988, c. 42]: Such an approach was made to the Church of England. I also received representations from the following organisations:

  The Churches Main Committee; The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches; The Arya Samaj in London; The Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Schools (Discipline)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is now in a position to announce the details of the inquiry he has decided to set up into discipline in schools.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The inquiry will be chaired by my noble Friend Lord Elton, will extend to England and Wales, and will have the following terms of reference:—"In view of public concern about violence and indiscipline in schools and the problems faced by the teaching profession today, to consider what action can be taken by central Government, local authorities, voluntary bodies owning schools, governing bodies of schools, head teachers, teachers and parents to secure the orderly atmosphere necessary in schools for effective teaching and learning to take palce."

  Other members of the Committee are:—

  Vice-Chairman
  Dr. Roy Bennett, Emeritus Reader in Educational Studies, Derbyshire College of Higher Education.

  Members
  Mr. Roy Atkinson, Chief Education Officer, Northamptonshire Education Authority.
  Mr. J. A. Phillips, OBE, Headteacher of Graveney School, Wandsworth.
  Mr. Linbert Spencer, Chief Executive, Project Fullemploy Ltd, London.

  I shall be appointing two further members shortly. My intention is that the committee should start its work as soon as possible, and aim to complete its report by the end of the year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Ministers (Integrated Office System)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which companies were asked to tender for the supply of the integrated Office System for Ministers in his Department; on what basis they were selected; what assessment was made of the suitability of HM Systems to provide the service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  A networked engagements management system was needed that could be met only by a bespoke software development. The Department was aware of the typical diary facilities available from a wide range of office automation suppliers and these fell far short of meeting the requirement.

  The Department had previously used a particular software systems company to develop an earlier
  688
  engagement management system. On the basis of that earlier successful implementation, a time and materials contract was placed with that company for the software development and hardware implementation. As part of the implementation, the software systems company had to take account of compatibility requirements. Additional facilities have subsequently been added to provide Ministers with an integrated office system.

  Palestinian Terrorists (Military Equipment)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made with Her Majesty's Government's inquiry into the allegations of sales of military equipment to Palestinian terrorist organisations; and when it will be completed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 9 March 1988]: Allegations that in 1981–82, military communications equipment was licensed for shipment to the PLO have been investigated by the Departments concerned with the active co-operation of Racal-Tacticom.

  Applications to export military communications equipment are considered by relevant Government Departments before any licence is granted by the DTI. Records have been examined and there is no trace of any licence having ever been granted for shipment to the PLO.

  The investigation has revealed that in the case of one export licensed in 1982 to a company in the Lebanon an error occurred so that the usual procedures were completed without taking into account information showing that the Lebanon company had links with the PLO. It is possible therefore that this consignment eventually reached the PLO. It was of very small value and the equipment was non-lethal.

  No evidence has been found to justify any suggestion of unlawful actions by Racal-Tacticom.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients at Park lane hospital have been granted privileges to live at an outside hostel or to study at university while subject to a restriction order in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During the last five years one patient subject to a restriction order has been given permission to leave Park lane hospital to attend a college of further education. None has been given leave to attend a university. Two patients in 1983, two in 1985 and one in 1987 were granted leave from the hospital to live at an outside hostel on a trial basis.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department issues to special hospitals on the provision of unescorted trips for inmates who have not been approved for release by mental health tribunals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Under sections 41 and 49 of the Mental Health Act 1983, persons detained in hospital subject to restriction orders may be granted leave of absence only with my right hon. Friend's consent. Consent is given only when, on the best assessment that can be made in advance, there appears to be no serious risk to the patient or to the public.
  689
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients detained under the Mental Health Acts have been released from(a) Park lane, (b) Rampton and (c) Broadmoor hospitals in each year since 1979; and how many of those released have since reoffended.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The readily available information is given in the table:

  Discharges into the community of patients subject to special restrictions on discharge from special hospitals

  Broadmoor

  Park Lane

  Rampton

  1979

  18

  1

  11

  1980

  18

  1

  14

  1981

  6

  4

  18

  1982

  21

  1

  4

  1983

  4

  10

  10

  1984

  9

  22

  18

  1985

  12

  19

  10

  1986

  5

  6

  15

  Self-help Transmitter Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to amend the self-help transmitter scheme as a way of providing alternative television programmes to areas such as Gloucester.

  Mr. Renton
  The self-help transmitter scheme enables isolated communities not served by the BBC or IBA to construct at their own expense transmitters to relay existing television signals on spare UHF channels. Recently, a community group was licensed on an experimental basis to provide a transmitter offering an alternative to the regional service provided by the BBC-IBA transmitter. Further schemes of this nature will be considered in the light of the current experiment and once decisions have been taken on the possible alternative use of UHF frequencies.

  Refugees
  Mr. Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the implications for his policy on refugees of Amnesty International's code of practice for fair treatment of refugees in the United Kingdom, a copy of which has been forwarded to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  A number of hon. Members and others have written to me drawing attention to Amnesty International's code of practice for fair treatment of refugees in the United Kingdom. I set out our views on Amnesty's proposals in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans) on 16 March at column 572.

  Gary John Byrne
  Mr. Holland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to reply to the letter of 29 February from the hon. Member for Vauxhall concerning the treatment of Gary John Byrne.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I assume that the question refers to Gary John Byrne. I hope to reply shortly.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Bad Debt
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the total amount of(a) United Kingdom and (b) overseas bad debt written off by United Kingdom banks in the financial years 1979–80 and 1986–87 at 1986 prices; and what has been the cost at 1986 prices to the Exchequer in each of those years of allowing these provisions to be written off against tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that information is not readily available in the form requested.

  Customs Clearance (Channel Tunnel)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he now has plans to introduce customs clearance for passengers on Channel tunnel trains terminating at London, Waterloo.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. The most efficient and practicable customs control will be airport-type red and green channels at Waterloo. We are therefore planning on this basis.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any representations on value added tax rules applied to working men's clubs and institutes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  A few representations about VAT on gaming machines were received in the run-up to the Budget, including those made by the Committee of Registered Clubs Associations.

  Excise Duty
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state those treaty obligations of Her Majesty's Government that either prevented him from making or required him to make changes in rates of excise duty between 1987–88 and 1988–89; and if he will list the commodities so affected.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 17 March 1988]: There is no obligation in the treaty of Rome which requires member states to set particular rates of excise duty. But, amongst other things, article 95 of the treaty prevents any member state from imposing, directly or indirectly, any internal taxation on the products of other member states in excess of that imposed directly or indirectly on similar domestic products. Article 95 applies to all the excise duties levied in the United Kingdom.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total of Government(a) assisted and (b) allowed capital expenditure by local authorities on (i) local authority housing, (ii) private sector improvement, repair and intermediate grants, and (iii) housing association grants in the financial years 1970–71 to 1986–87 in 1986 prices.
  691
  Mr. Waldegrave
  At 1986–87 prices the total of gross capital public expenditure on housing in England (local authorities, Housing Corporation and new towns) in 1971–72, the earliest year for which figures are available on a consistent basis, was £4,327 million. The comparable figure for 1986–87 is £3,446 million.

  Available information for the three categories of expenditure specified, for England and at 1986–87 prices, is set out in the table. Although the net total of local authority capital spending is cash limited, spending on the individual component elements specified is not. "Allowed" expenditure is taken to mean gross outturn public

  Housing, England

  All in 1986–87 prices1

  £ million

  Local Authority Housing

  Private Improvement

  Support to Housing Associations

  Year

  LA8

  HC7

  LA3

  HC9

  PE2

  Vote3

  PE4

  Vote5

  PE

  Vote

  1971–7212

  2,819

  n/a

  194

  n/a

  200

  43

  10n/a

  1972–7312

  3,341

  n/a

  347

  n/a

  253

  106

  10n/a

  1973–7412

  4,251

  n/a

  539

  n/a

  319

  135

  10n/a

  1974–75

  5,466

  1,763

  475

  171

  467

  413

  110

  1975–76

  4,878

  3,828

  187

  200

  533

  519

  11370

  1976–77

  4,554

  2,191

  162

  194

  529

  630

  425

  566

  1977–78

  3,769

  2,114

  142

  177

  485

  629

  413

  663

  1978–79

  3,304

  2,057

  175

  176

  359

  637

  435

  675

  1979–80

  3,156

  2,087

  200

  164

  316

  669

  278

  591

  1980–81

  2,361

  2,167

  182

  159

  239

  714

  337

  401

  1981–82

  1,769

  1,318

  252

  176

  182

  669

  254

  368

  1982–83

  2,030

  778

  508

  214

  160

  902

  196

  499

  1983–84

  2,161

  458

  1,040

  311

  158

  838

  162

  1,000

  1984–85

  2,261

  503

  802

  412

  161

  762

  163

  868

  1985–86

  2,018

  517

  474

  434

  124

  733

  155

  793

  1986–87

  1,910

  626

  392

  473

  126

  715

  120

  690

  Note: PE gross outturn figures taken from Public Expenditure White Papers; Vote outturn figures taken from Appropriation Accounts.

  1 Uprated from the published cash figures using the GDP deflator.

  2 Consists of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) renovation, HEA land and dwelling acquisitions, HRA new building for rent and Estate Action. Does not include public expenditure on central government subsidies to LA capital expenditure (eg Main Housing Subsidy).

  3 Consists mainly of main housing subsidy which is paid to certain authorities reflecting annual revenue deficits as well as loan charges on capital borrowing. Also includes housing subsidies to the New Towns, which cannot easily be disaggregated.

  4 Public Expenditure on Home Improvement, Repairs and Intermediate Grants.

  5 Voted expenditure supporting Home Improvement, Repairs and Intermediate Grants.

  6 Local Authority support to housing associations for fair rent and low cost home ownership.

  7 Housing Corporation support to HAs for fair rent and low cost home ownership.

  8 Housing Association Grant (HAG) paid via local authorities.

  9 HAG paid via the Housing Corporation.

  10 Before 1974 the Housing Corporation/local authorities made loans to Housing Associations without exchequer support. A new system of funding, including capital grants, was introduced in the 1974 Housing Act.

  11 Cannot be disaggregated.

  12 For these years disaggregated Vote information is not available.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage of planning applications dealt with by local authorities within the statutory eight-week period at the latest available date; and if he will give figures for comparable periods since 1979.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information requested for the latest available quarter and comparable periods since 1979 are given in the table.
  692
  expenditure by local authorities. "Assisted" expenditure is taken to mean Exchequer contributions voted in estimates. Exchequer contributions in respect of assistance to housing associations cannot be disaggregated before 1976–77 as between local authority and Housing Corporation-sponsored schemes. For completeness, the table therefore also includes public and voted expenditure figures in respect of Housing Corporation-sponsored schemes. Information on public expenditure before 1971–72 and on voted expenditure before 1974–75 cannot be made available except at disproportionate cost.

  Planning applications decided in eight weeks July-September quarter in each year England

  Year

  Percentage decided in eight weeks

  1979

  60

  1980

  63

  1981

  64

  1982

  70

  1983

  68

  1984

  69

  1985

  68

  1986

  64

  11987

  60

  1 Provisional estimates based on returns from early responding authorities.

TRANSPORT

  Vehicle Excise Duty (Evasion)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 7 March,Official Report, columns 97–98, to the hon. Member for Gloucester, what is the cost of each intensive local comaign to discourage the evasion of vehicle excise duty carried out during 1987–88; what size of geographical area is covered by each such campaign; and if he has plans to establish a nationwide campaign.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The costs to the Department, together with the relicensing revenue and the court penalties imposed on evaders, of each of the campaigns already held or under way in the present financial year are estimated as follows:

  DTp1 costs

  Relicensing revenue

  Court penalties

  £

  £

  £

  April 1987

  South Yorkshire

  49,000

  876,000

  8,600

  Nottinghamshire

  48,000

  747,000

  6,700

  May 1987

  Lothian and Borders

  49,000

  688,000

  6,700

  London Metropolitan/City

  107,000

  7,000,000

  335,300

  July 1987

  Merseyside

  57,000

  919,000

  7,000

  September 1987

  Tayside

  32,000

  233,000

  200

  October 1987 (All Wales)

  Dyfed

  157,000

  429,000

  1,500

  Gwent

  389,000

  4,000

  North Wales

  524,000

  6,500

  South Wales

  1,016,000

  3,500

  February 1988

  Hampshire

  53,000

  Results awaited

  March 1988

  Cambridgeshire

  36,000

  Lincolnshire

  35,000

  Norfolk

  40,000

  Suffolk

  37,000

  700,000

  12,821,000

  380,000

  1 Police costs are not included; in total, they are probably of a similar order of magnitude.

  Each campaign covers a single police force area and is the subject of separate negotiations with the chief constable. Where better publicity can be achieved by synchronised campaigns in adjacent areas, officials endeavour to arrange them in collaboration with the police. I have no plans for a single nationwide campaign.

  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates have been made by his Department about the number of cars which are in use without a valid road fund licence.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The most recent estimate of vehicle excise duty evasion in Great Britain is based on a national survey in June 1984 which indicated that 580,000 unlicensed cars and vans were in use on the road.

EMPLOYMENT

  Official Notepaper
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why the Royal Arms no longer appear on the official notepaper of his office.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Royal Arms crest appears on all letterhead paper supplied to the office of the Secretary of State, for official purposes.

  Vocational Education and Training
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the terms of reference, and when is publication expected, of the study of the funding of vocational education and training being undertaken by the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The terms of reference of MSC's study of the funding of vocational education and training are:

  (a) to describe fully current mechanisms for the financing of vocational education and training in Great Britain (excluding initial continuous full-time schooling) and of individuals (employed and unemployed) undertaking vocational education and training;

  (b) to investigate, describe and analyse the effects and effectiveness of those mechanisms; and

  (c) to make recommendations on ways in which the mechanisms and means for the financing of vocational education and training could be improved so as to achieve a system which

  —brings to bear sufficient resources for achievement of the New Training Initiative objectives and the proper vocational education and training of all the country's workforce;

  —is effective and efficient in the use of resources;

  —is responsive to changing needs; and

  —meets labour market requirements.

  The study is to be informed by an extensive programme of original research which will report to MSC during the spring and early summer. It is anticipated that the final report will be published later in 1988.

  Children
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce legislation requiring employers to provide adequate insurance cover for children in their employment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Such provision already exists under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have taken place as a result of industrial tribunals in the south-west in the last year; and in what areas.

  Mr. Nicholls
  None. Industrial tribunal decisions do not of themselves lead to prosecutions.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women have served as sidesmen in industrial tribunals in the south-west in the last year.

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  Twenty-seven.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women have served as chairpersons of industrial tribunals in the south-west in the last year.
  695
  Mr. Nicholls
  None.

SCOTLAND

  Plant Grant and Felling Licence Applications
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many planting grant and felling licence applications to the Forestry Commission were objected to on environmental grounds in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Twenty-four applications for planting grant were referred to the Forestry Commission's regional advisory committees in the year to 31 December 1987 because of sustained objections on environmental grounds. There were no sustained objections to applications for felling licences.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, in the event of civil or nuclear disaster, what arrangements have been made for distribution of emergency supplies including food.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Regional and island councils have contingency plans for dealing with emergencies, which include arrangements, as appropriate, for the distribution of food and other supplies.

  Electorate
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the electorate in each local authority district council ward in Scotland according to the electoral roll currently in force.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 March to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) at columns 327–30.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the electorate in each parliamentary constituency in Scotland, according to the electoral roll currently in force.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A table giving this information will be available in April, when I shall send a copy to the hon. Member and place one in the Library.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the level of uniform business rate for Scotland taking account of proposed rates for the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 27 November to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) at column 132.

  Police Officers
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing for each rank of police officer in Scotland the number who are (i) from ethnic minorities and (ii) women; and what is the total number of police officers in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The position at 31 December 1987 was as follows:696

  Rank

  Ethnic minorities

  Policewomen

  Chief Constable

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Constable

  —

  —

  Assistant Chief Constable

  —

  —

  Chief Superintendent

  —

  —

  Superintendent

  —

  1

  Chief Inspector

  —

  3

  Inspector

  —

  11

  Sergeant

  3

  50

  Constable

  11

  870

  Total

  14

  935

  On the same date, total police strength in Scotland was 13,476.

  Judges
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many judges in Scotland are (i) from ethnic minorities and (ii) women; and what is the total number of judges in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Of the 24 senators of the College of Justice, six sheriffs principal and 89 sheriffs, four are women. No information is collected centrally on the ethnic origins of judges in Scotland.

  Private Medical Projects
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors of medical policy are considered by the Scottish Development Agency when considering financial support for private medical projects.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The agency undertakes consultation with appropriate interests in considering support for any private medical project. If consultations bring out factors of medical policy then these are considered by the agency.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of staff in the Scottish Development Agency, and their numbers, currently involved in the consideration of private medical projects.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The numbers of agency staff, and their allocation among divisions, are given in the agency's annual report which is laid before Parliament each year. The staff in post, as at 31 March 1987, was 683.

  No members of the agency's staff are employed solely in the consideration of private medical projects such as nursing or other homes for the elderly. Staff in the agency deal with such projects as and when appropriate.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the private medical projects currently being considered by the Scottish Development Agency for financial assistance, giving the companies involved and the level of assistance.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, I am unable to provide this information. The number of private medical projects currently being considered by the agency is eight. These comprise projects where one or more medically qualified staff are involved in providing health care.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, when considering financial support to private
  697
  medicine, he takes into consideration the equivalent number of jobs and quality of health care that could be provided in the National Health Service for a similar investment.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: No. Applications for financial assistance in respect of health care projects are assessed in terms of any relevant statutory provisions — for example, the Industry Acts — and against the criteria appropriate to the form of assistance applied for.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the Scottish Development Agency's medical advisers concerned with private medical projects.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The Scottish Development Agency health care division provides in-house expertise in the evaluation of health care projects. Where necessary, this expertise is supplemented by the provision of advice from specialists who are consulted, in confidence, on a case by case basis.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance has been given by the Scottish Development Agency to the setting up of private homes or hospitals for the elderly in each of the years 1983 to 1987; what individuals or companies were involved and what non-financial assistance was provided.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The financial support given by the Scottish Development Agency to the setting up of private homes or hospitals for the elderly in each of the years 1983 to 1987 was as follows:

  Year

  Assistance given

  Number1

  £

  1983–84

  101,500

  3

  1984–85

  90,000

  2

  1985–86

  139,000

  4

  1986–87

  180,000

  4

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1 Companies-individuals assisted.

  In each case the information relates to the Agency's Financial Year (ending 31 March).

  The projects identified in the table comprise nursing or residential homes where one or more medically qualified staff are involved. Financial support was provided by way of loan and-or equity as appropriate.

  For reasons of commercial confidentiality the names of individuals or companies assisted cannot be given.

  In all cases the Scottish Development Agency's full range of business development advisory services was made available.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the guidelines within which the Scottish Development Agency considers requests for financial or other forms of assistance from private health care projects.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: Private health care projects are considered for financial or other forms of assistance by the Scottish Development Agency in exactly the same manner as projects in other business sectors. Projects are evaluated in terms of market demand, any relevant technical factors and the skills and experience of those engaged in management. Where investment or other forms of financial assistance are being considered, a financial appraisal is also undertaken. Investments are
  698
  made under financial guidelines set jointly by the Secretary of State and the Treasury, with the agency board having delegated authority of up to £1 million or 30 per cent. of equity, whichever is the lower. Any investment proposed outside the guidelines has to be approved on a case by case basis by the Scottish Office.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out in the Official Report the employment creation criteria used by the Scottish Development Agency when assessing private health care projects.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The employment creation criteria used by the Scottish Development Agency in assessing private health care projects are no different from those used in assessing projects in other areas of business activity. The agency takes into account the additional earnings generated both directly by the project and elsewhere within the Scottish economy.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of his Departments is consulted about Scottish Development Agency support for private medical schemes; and which Department accepts final responsibility for approval.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: Within the limits of the agency's delegated authority, consultation in respect of any particular project is a matter for the agency's own discretion. Out with these limits, the Industry Department for Scotland is responsible (in consultation with the Scottish Home and Health Department) for approval of agency involvement in such projects.

  Elderly Persons' Homes
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance in the form of loan guarantees has been given by the Scottish Development Agency towards setting up homes for the elderly in each year from 1983; and what are the names of individuals and companies involved.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: There has been no such assistance over the period 1983 to date.

  Coatbridge Project
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Development Agency about extending the geographical area of the Coatbridge project to cover a larger area in Monklands district; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 March 1988]: I am pleased to say that agreement has been reached between the Scottish Development Agency and its partners in the Coatbridge project on an extension both to the area of the project to include the rest of Monklands district, and for a further two years from 1 April 1988. The new project will be known as the Monklands project. This does not require the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend. While, therefore, I have kept myself informed about the current discussions between the Scottish Development Agency and its partners about an extension, I have seen no need for separate discussions with the agency, which—as I

  699
  said in my answer to the hon. Member on 2 1 January—is aware that we regard Lanarkshire as an area which continues to need its special attention.

  SOCIAL SERVICES
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give figures for the last five years(a) by region, (b) by district and (c) nationally, and the

  Average daily available beds, GP maternity specialty, 1979 and 1982 to 1986

  Health Authority

  1979

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Percentage change 1979–86

  Hartlepool

  1·4

  4·0

  4·0

  4·0

  2·5

  0·5

  -64·3

  North Tees

  13·0

  13·1

  15·0

  14·4

  14·8

  14·3

  10·0

  South Tees

  58·6

  37·0

  37·0

  37·0

  37·0

  36·5

  -37·7

  East Cumbria

  n/a

  12·0

  12·0

  9·0

  8·0

  8·0

  n/a

  South Cumbria

  n/a

  26·7

  26·0

  23·7

  16·5

  17·3

  n/a

  West Cumbria

  13·5

  10·0

  9·9

  9·2

  10·0

  10·0

  -25·9

  Northumberland

  47·0

  43·0

  43·0

  44·7

  43·4

  40·6

  -13·6

  Gateshead

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  0·0

  Northern RHA

  190·5

  151·8

  152·9

  148·0

  138·2

  133·2

  -30·1

  Hull

  17-4

  1·0

  0·9

  2·8

  4·0

  3·8

  -78·2

  East Yorkshire

  64·5

  61·6

  61·3

  60·7

  36·7

  27·1

  -58·0

  Grimsby

  24·4

  24·5

  21·0

  20·6

  20·0

  19·6

  -19·7

  Scunthorpe

  40·6

  45·8

  42·0

  31·0

  27·0

  27·0

  -33·5

  York

  14·0

  14·0

  14·1

  14·5

  8·5

  6·8

  -51·4

  Scarborough

  12·0

  12·0

  11·9

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  0·0

  Harrogate

  19·0

  23·0

  23·0

  21·5

  21·9

  15·2

  -20·0

  Bradford

  9·1

  8·6

  9·2

  8·1

  7·1

  6·3

  -30·8

  Airedale

  19·6

  19·7

  20·0

  17·9

  14·2

  12·6

  -35·7

  Calderdale

  10·0

  10·0

  10·0

  10·1

  10·0

  9·8

  -2·0

  Leeds Western

  n/a

  16·0

  16·0

  16·0

  16·0

  16·0

  n/a

  Pontefract

  12·0

  12·0

  11·9

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  0·0

  Yorkshire RHA

  258·6

  248·2

  241·3

  227·2

  189·4

  168·2

  -35·0

  North Derbyshire

  51·0

  51·0

  37·7

  41·8

  41·9

  42·6

  -16·5

  South Derbyshire

  74·3

  83·0

  82·9

  80·3

  82·0

  75·0

  0-9

  Leicestershire

  98·8

  98·1

  94·6

  88·7

  89·1

  77·6

  -21·5

  North Lincolnshire

  29·6

  22·9

  22·5

  14·6

  3·1

  1·3

  -95·6

  South Lincolnshire

  29·0

  14·0

  14·0

  11·0

  11·0

  10·9

  -62·4

  Central Nottinghamshire

  42·0

  20·4

  18·5

  17·4

  18·3

  18·1

  -56·9

  Barnsley

  17·9

  14·2

  14·9

  15·6

  14·1

  10·2

  -43·0

  Doncaster

  n/a

  17·5

  19·5

  18·7

  18·3

  14·7

  n/a

  Rotherham

  n/a

  6·2

  5·2

  6·8

  9·1

  9·8

  n/a

  Trent RHA

  382·3

  327·3

  309·8

  294·9

  286·9

  260·2

  -31·9

  Peterborough

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  0·0

  West Suffolk

  n/a

  12·7

  0·8

  0·7

  0·5

  0·4

  n/a

  East Suffolk

  n/a

  26·8

  28·0

  28·2

  28·2

  28·0

  n/a

  Norwich

  34·0

  33·4

  34·0

  19·3

  17·0

  16·8

  -50·6

  Great Yarmouth

  13·9

  14·0

  13·9

  13·7

  11·7

  10·0

  -28·1

  Huntingdon

  n/a

  22·0

  14·9

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  East Anglian RHA

  140·3

  120·9

  103·6

  73·9

  69·4

  67·2

  -52·1

  North Bedfordshire

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  0·0

  n/a

  North Hertfordshire

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  5·8

  3·6

  0·0

  n/a

  North West Hertfordshire

  10·0

  8·8

  8·0

  8·0

  1·3

  0·0

  n/a

  South West Hertfordshire

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  0·0

  North West Thames RHA

  34·0

  32·8

  32·0

  31·8

  22·9

  18·0

  -47·1

  Basildon and Thurrock

  7·0

  5·3

  7·0

  7·0

  7·0

  7·0

  0·0

  Mid Essex

  28·0

  28·0

  28·0

  28·0

  28·0

  28·0

  0·0

  North East Essex

  63·0

  49·2

  47·0

  45·2

  36·4

  35·1

  -44·3

  West Essex

  21·6

  12·5

  0·0

  11·9

  11·8

  8·6

  -60·2

  700
  percentage change since 1979 for (i) the number of general practitioner maternity beds, (ii) the number of maternity units in hospitals and (iii) the number of maternity hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  The available information about general practitioner maternity beds is given in the table. Maternity beds is given in the table Consultant obstetric wards may also have beds available for use by general practitioners.

  Information about individual units and maternity hospitals could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  701

  Health Authority

  1979

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Percentage change 1979–86

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  1·7

  2·0

  2·5

  3·3

  3·3

  2·0

  17·6

  Islington

  n/a

  5·5

  1·5

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Enfield

  8·1

  10·9

  14·9

  14·8

  14·6

  14·9

  84·0

  North East Thames RHA

  136·1

  113·4

  100·9

  110·2

  101·1

  95·6

  -29·8

  Eastbourne

  7·8

  8·0

  7·6

  7·5

  7·6

  3·9

  -50·0

  Hastings

  10·0

  6·0

  5·4

  5·9

  5·4

  6·0

  -40·0

  Canterbury and Thanet

  10·0

  0·9

  0·3

  0·4

  0·2

  0·2

  -98·0

  Dartford and Gravesham

  12·0

  0·8

  1·2

  1·0

  0·8

  0·3

  -97·5

  Maidstone

  20·0

  20·0

  16·1

  4·8

  3·8

  3·7

  -81·5

  Tunbridge Wells

  37·0

  33·7

  24·7

  23·6

  19·0

  17·6

  -52·4

  Bexley

  9·0

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  -11·1

  South East Thames RHA

  105·8

  77·4

  63·3

  51·2

  44·8

  39·7

  -62·5

  North West Surrey

  53·4

  30·0

  30·0

  30·0

  8·4

  5·8

  -89·1

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  5·8

  3·8

  3·5

  3·9

  3·2

  2·0

  -65·5

  South West Surrey

  10·0

  9·9

  9·8

  5·7

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Mid Surrey

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  0·0

  East Surrey

  11·0

  11·0

  11·0

  1·0

  0·6

  0·0

  n/a

  Mid Downs

  26·3

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  11·6

  7·5

  -71·5

  South West Thames RHA

  115·1

  80·7

  80·3

  66·6

  28·8

  20·3

  -82·4

  East Dorset

  20·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  -70·0

  West Dorset

  11·1

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  12·0

  11·5

  3·6

  Portsmouth

  70·3

  60·9

  60·4

  57·8

  52·9

  52·7

  -25·0

  South West Hampshire and Southampton

  52·8

  56·1

  48·8

  52·5

  57·0

  49·7

  -5·9

  Winchester

  12·8

  11·5

  10·5

  10·8

  11·0

  10·8

  -15·6

  Basingstoke

  24·8

  21·5

  21·4

  11·8

  6·8

  1·7

  -93·1

  Salisbury

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  6·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Swindon

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  0·0

  West Wiltshire and Bath

  122·0

  103·0

  96·2

  92·7

  91·8

  89·7

  -26·5

  Wessex RHA

  323·8

  281·0

  265·3

  251·6

  239·5

  224·1

  -30·8

  West Berkshire

  64·5

  53·5

  43·1

  49·0

  48·9

  48·5

  -24·8

  Aylesbury

  n/a

  18·0

  18·0

  18·0

  18·0

  9·2

  n/a

  Wycombe

  31·9

  31·1

  25·8

  15·8

  19·7

  21·7

  -32·0

  Milton Keynes

  n/a

  36·0

  36·0

  25·2

  17·2

  14·1

  n/a

  Kettering

  20·0

  20·0

  15·0

  14·0

  10·5

  0·0

  n/a

  Northampton

  12·0

  11·9

  11·1

  12·0

  12·0

  11·1

  -7·5

  Oxfordshire

  57·7

  45·9

  45·4

  45·6

  45·7

  38·9

  -32·6

  Oxford RHA

  240·1

  216·4

  194·4

  179·6

  172·0

  143·5

  -40·2

  Bristol and Weston

  24·4

  30·8

  30·9

  30·8

  30·6

  12·2

  -50·0

  Frenchay

  10·3

  10·4

  10·2

  9·8

  10·5

  10·2

  -1·0

  Southmead

  16·0

  16·0

  10·7

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Cornwall and Isles of Stilly

  45·0

  43·0

  43·0

  36·2

  36·7

  37·0

  -17·8

  Exeter

  53·0

  46·8

  48·6

  48·2

  49·1

  37·1

  -30·0

  North Devon

  n/a

  19·0

  19·0

  19·0

  19·0

  16·4

  n/a

  Plymouth

  n/a

  42·7

  42·2

  42·7

  40·9

  21·0

  n/a

  Torbay

  32·1

  33·3

  31·9

  31·9

  1·9

  0·2

  -99·4

  Cheltenham

  n/a

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  n/a

  Gloucester

  n/a

  57·0

  57·7

  47·5

  46·0

  40·4

  n/a

  Somerset

  56·8

  52·1

  51·1

  53·0

  40·7

  41·5

  -26·9

  South Western RHA

  365·8

  359·1

  353·3

  327·1

  283·4

  2240

  -38·8

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  17·0

  12·0

  8·2

  1·6

  0·1

  0·0

  n/a

  Herefordshire

  11·6

  9·6

  9·3

  8·9

  8·2

  9·0

  -22·4

  Kidderminster and District

  39·0

  22·0

  22·0

  22·0

  23·4

  24·0

  -38·5

  Worcester and District

  29·0

  29·0

  29·0

  29·0

  29·0

  26·5

  -8·6

  Shropshire

  85·1

  70·1

  71·3

  72·2

  77·8

  72·5

  -14·8

  Mid Staffordshire

  36·0

  27·7

  20·2

  8·6

  7·3

  7·7

  -78·6

  North Staffordshire

  30·0

  30·0

  29·5

  24·4

  23·3

  22·6

  -24·7

  South East Staffordshire

  11·8

  14·0

  14·0

  14·0

  9·3

  15·8

  33·9

  North Warwickshire

  n/a

  10·0

  10·0

  10·0

  9·2

  8·3

  n/a

  South Warwickshire

  n/a

  11·0

  10·5

  11·0

  9·7

  4·0

  n/a

  Central Birmingham

  n/a

  20·0

  20·0

  18·4

  20·0

  20·0

  n/a

  North Birmingham

  27·7

  28·2

  28·4

  15·3

  14·2

  1·8

  -93·5

  Coventry

  22·4

  21·4

  22·1

  23·0

  23·0

  19·0

  -15·2

  Dudley

  70·9

  63·2

  67·0

  52·4

  42·0

  42·0

  -40·8

  702 703

  Health Authority

  1979

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Percentage change 1979–86

  Sandwell

  3·0

  4·9

  4·9

  4·9

  4·6

  5·6

  86·7

  Solihull

  n/a

  3·1

  1·9

  1·5

  1·9

  1·7

  n/a

  Walsall

  23·0

  11·1

  11·1

  11·0

  11·0

  10·6

  -53·9

  Wolverhampton

  23·0

  23·0

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  -8·7

  West Midlands RHA

  485·2

  410·3

  400·4

  349·2

  335·0

  312·1

  -35·7

  Chester

  1·7

  1·5

  1·4

  1·1

  1·0

  0·9

  -47·1

  Crewe

  n/a

  19·7

  16·6

  16·1

  16·4

  15·5

  n/a

  Halton

  18·0

  17·6

  18·0

  9·3

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Macclesfield

  n/a

  11·0

  7·3

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Wirral

  11·0

  2·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Mersey RHA

  97·8

  51·9

  43·3

  26·5

  17·4

  16·4

  -83·2

  Lancaster

  2·2

  2·3

  2·9

  3·0

  0·9

  0·0

  n/a

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  10·6

  17·0

  4·3

  17·0

  11·1

  0·0

  n/a

  Preston

  n/a

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  4·9

  n/a

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  53·1

  55·3

  54·0

  54·0

  53·8

  53·6

  0·9

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  19·7

  13·8

  11·1

  7·1

  5·8

  6·1

  -69·0

  Chorley and South Ribble

  n/a

  23·2

  25·6

  28·1

  28·0

  25·9

  n/a

  Bolton

  2·8

  1·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Bury

  8·1

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  5·0

  -38·3

  North Manchester

  5·2

  4·8

  4·6

  0·1

  0·0

  0·0

  n/a

  Oldham

  5·8

  3·3

  4·2

  5·8

  5·9

  5·9

  1·7

  Stockport

  15·8

  14·6

  15·5

  16·8

  14·7

  14·7

  -7·0

  Tameside and Glossop

  10·2

  14·1

  1·3

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  -95·1

  Trafford

  20·1

  6·0

  6·0

  5·4

  6·0

  6·0

  -70·1

  Wigan

  32·9

  33·0

  21·9

  6·0

  1·8

  0·3

  -99·1

  North Western RHA

  223·5

  202·5

  165·4

  157·7

  142·6

  122·9

  -45·0

  England

  3,098·9

  2,673·7

  2,506·2

  2,295·5

  2,071·4

  1,845·4

  -40·4

  n/a = Comparable data not available for 1979, due to NHS restructuring in 1982.

  Operations (Cancellations)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates he has as to the number and percentage of operations which are cancelled due to the absence of the consultant surgeon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  This information is not held centrally. Following implementation of the recommendations of the health services information steering group, information is now, for the first time, to be collected centrally on the availability and use of operating theatres, including the number of sessions cancelled during the year (but not the reason for those cancellations). Information for 1987–88 is exepected to be available later this year.

  Consultative Documents
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy that responses received to consultative documents issued by his Department be made publicly available by placing them in his Department's library, except where the respondent has specifically asked that this not be done; and if he will arrange for this procedure to be made clear when future consultative documents are issued.

  Mr. Moore
  I am not planning to make special arrangements in this regard. Organisations which respond to consultative documents are of course free to publicise their replies as they see fit.

  Health Care
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish the total spent on health care in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979, in absolute terms and as a percentage of gross national product.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows for 1979 to 1986 total, net public and private expenditure on health care on the United Kingdom in both absolute terms and as a percentage of gross domestic product. The data have been derived from Central Statistical Office national accounts.

  Expenditure on Health Care in the United Kingdom

  £ million

  Percentage of GDP

  Total expenditure

  Net public

  Private

  Total

  Net public

  Private

  1979

  10,229

  9,245

  984

  5·2

  4·7

  0·5

  1980

  13,375

  11,991

  1,384

  5·8

  5·2

  0·6

  1981

  15,246

  13,722

  1,524

  6·0

  5·4

  0·6

  1982

  16,308

  14,373

  1,935

  5·9

  5·2

  0·7

  1983

  18,359

  16,253

  2,106

  6·1

  5·4

  0·7

  1984

  19,847

  17,286

  2,561

  6·2

  5·4

  0·8

  1985

  21,112

  18,297

  2,815

  6·0

  5·2

  0·8

  1986

  22,869

  19,869

  3,000

  6·1

  5·3

  0·8

  Source: CSO.

  Note: There are slight rounding differences between these figures and those published by the OECD for purposes of international comparisons.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the total cost of
  705
  health care in France and Germany as a percentage of each country's own gross national product for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows for the period 1979 to 1985—the latest readily available year—total, public and private expenditure on health care in France and Germany as a percentage of their respective gross domestic products. The data have been derived from OECD accounts.

  Expenditure on Health Care as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 1979–1985

  France

  Germany

  Total

  Public

  Private

  Total

  Public

  Private

  1979

  7·2

  5·8

  1·4

  7·6

  6·1

  1·5

  1980

  7·4

  6·0

  1·4

  7·9

  6·3

  1·6

  1981

  7·7

  6·2

  1·5

  8·2

  6·5

  1·7

  1982

  7·9

  6·3

  1·6

  8·1

  6·3

  1·8

  1983

  8·1

  6·5

  1·6

  8·0

  6·2

  1·8

  1984

  8·4

  6·7

  1·7

  8·1

  6·3

  1·8

  1985

  8·4

  6·7

  1·7

  8·2

  6·4

  1·8

  Source: OECD.

  Nurse Teachers
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those regional health authorities with a shortfall in nurse teachers; and what is the shortfall in each of the five parts of the nursing education register.

  Mr. Newton
  Information on shortfalls of nurse teachers is not collected centrally. However, a sample survey by regional health authority chairmen in March 1987, for the pay review body, showed that 4·1 per cent. of all tutorial staff posts had been vacant for three months or more.

  NHS (Land and Property Sales)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each regional health authority, district health authority and special health authority and for each year since 1982–83 the total income from the sales of surplus land and property in the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Currie
  Tables showing each health authority's income from the sale of land and buildings as recorded in its annual accounts for the years requested have been placed in the Library.

  Geriatric Care
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that Health Service managers and practitioners are informed of his Department's policy on geriatric care; and what measures are being taken to ensure that they are carrying out the policy.

  Mrs. Currie
  Our policy for geriatric care remains as set out in the 1981 White Paper "Growing Older", as amplified and extended by the annual planning guidelines issued to health authorities.

  We monitor the effectiveness of service in a range of ways; including regular reports on aspects of performance, statistical returns of activity levels, and annual reviews with regional health authorities.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines 706
  to health authorities to provide for the continuation of geriatric nurse training to ensure the provision of competent practitioners for this client group;

  (2) what plans he has to ensure the full use of specialist trained geriatric nurses in patterns of service training.

  Mr. Newton
  All nurse learners have an allocation to elderly care units as part of their basic training. In addition, outline curricula for two post-basic clinical courses on care of the elderly have been published by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. It is for health authorities to determine their training needs, and seek approval to run courses based on these curricula.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the value to geriatric services of improvements in co-ordination and co-operation between various agencies involved, rather than a single agency taking lead responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health's reply to him on 16 March at column 614. Similar considerations apply to care services for elderly people.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) geriatric (b) mentally handicapped and (c) mentally ill people are waiting in special hospitals for places to be offered them in local authority residential homes.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows the number of patients in the special hospitals who, at 16 January, were waiting for places to be offered them in local authority residential homes:

  Broadmoor

  Moss Side

  Park Lane

  Rampton

  Geriatric

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Mentally handicapped1

  —

  1

  —

  6

  Mentally ill people2

  —

  —

  2

  4

  1 Detained patients who are either mentally impaired or severely mentally impaired.

  2 Detained patients who are either mentally ill or psychopathically disordered.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines have been issued by his Department to health authorities concerning the detaining of(a) geriatric, (b) mentally ill and (c) mentally handicapped people in special hospitals while waiting for places in local authority residential homes.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department has issued no guidelines to health authorities on this matter. Guidelines issued to the special hospitals on the care of elderly and long-stay patients recommend that where such a patient is ready for discharge before suitable alternative provision has been made, he should be allowed to remain in the special hospital temporarily as an informal patient.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) privately run nursing homes and (b) local authority run nursing homes accept elderly severely mentally ill people in each local authority area in England.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is not available. The numbers of private and local authority
  707
  homes and hostels for the mentally ill in each local authority are published in "Homes and Hostels for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People". The numbers of private and local authority homes for the elderly and younger physically handicapped people in each local authority are published in "Residential Accommodation for the Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes". Both these publications are available in the Library, the latest relating to 1986.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evaluation has been made by his Department of the contribution of qualified psychiatric nurses to the success of the community care initiatives relating to mental illness and the use of such qualified nurses by local services in these initiatives.

  Mr. Newton
  The contribution of all care and support staff will be taken into account in the evaluation of the care in the community pilot projects which is now under way. It is hoped the evaluation will be completed in 1989.

  Senile Dementia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people with irreversible senile dementia are being cared for in mental hospitals in each health authority area in England.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks in the form requested. Statistics on resident in-patients by diagnosis are not collected centrally. The table gives the most recent information on admissions, and some people may have been readmitted during the year.

  Admissions with main diagnosis of senile and presenile organic psychotic conditions to NHS mental illness hospitals and units, England 1986

  Region-district

  Number of admissions

  Northern RHA

  1,358

  Hartlepool

  108

  North Tees

  169

  South Tees

  40

  East Cumbria

  122

  South Cumbria

  34

  West Cumbria

  89

  Darlington

  43

  Durham

  87

  North West Durham

  45

  South West Durham

  151

  Northumberland

  146

  Gateshead

  111

  Newcastle

  29

  North Tyneside

  0

  South Tyneside

  64

  Sunderland

  120

  Yorkshire RHA

  1,949

  Hull

  0

  East Yorkshire

  213

  Grimsby

  58

  Scunthorpe

  1

  Northallerton

  0

  York

  342

  Scarborough

  118

  708

  Region-district

  Number of admissions

  Harrogate

  33

  Bradford

  43

  Airedale

  229

  Calderdale

  123

  Huddersfield

  171

  Dewsbury

  0

  Leeds Western

  161

  Leeds Eastern

  75

  Wakefield

  220

  Pontefract

  162

  Trent RHA

  2,094

  North Derbyshire

  325

  Southern Derbyshire

  230

  Leicestershire

  302

  North Lincolnshire

  163

  South Lincolnshire

  98

  Bassetlaw

  65

  Central Nottinghamshire

  261

  Nottingham

  67

  Barnsley

  106

  Doncaster

  64

  Rotherham

  126

  Sheffield

  287

  East Anglian RHA

  1,261

  Cambridge

  425

  Peterborough

  89

  West Suffolk

  138

  East Suffolk

  157

  Norwich

  128

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  248

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  1

  Huntingdon

  75

  North West Thames RHA

  1,127

  North Bedfordshire

  7

  South Bedfordshire

  326

  North Hertfordshire

  136

  East Hertfordshire

  45

  North West Hertfordshire

  82

  South West Hertfordshire

  112

  Barnet

  117

  Harrow

  7

  Hillingdon

  3

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  56

  Ealing

  37

  Brent

  84

  Paddington and North Kensington

  36

  Riverside

  79

  North East Thames RHA

  1,303

  Basildon and Thurrock

  86

  Mid Essex

  14

  North East Essex

  251

  West Essex

  44

  Southend

  151

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  120

  Hampstead

  120

  Bloomsbury

  11

  Islington

  0

  City and Hackney

  70

  Newham

  0

  Tower Hamlets

  40

  Enfield

  80

  Haringey

  16

  Redbridge

  195

  Waltham Forest

  105

  South East Thames RHA

  945

  709

  Region-district

  Number of admissions

  Brighton

  68

  Eastbourne

  211

  Hastings

  1

  South East Kent

  31

  Canterbury and Thanet

  128

  Dartford and Gravesham

  42

  Maidstone

  133

  Medway

  9

  Tunbridge Wells

  19

  Bexley

  49

  Greenwich

  5

  Bromley

  83

  West Lambeth

  103

  Camberwell

  2

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  61

  South West Thames RHA

  1,240

  North West Surrey

  157

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  97

  South West Surrey

  84

  Mid Surrey

  47

  East Surrey

  42

  Chichester

  164

  Mid Downs

  179

  Worthing District

  19

  Croydon

  40

  Kingston and Esher

  183

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  0

  Wandsworth

  152

  Merton and Sutton

  76

  Wessex RHA

  1,736

  East Dorset

  91

  West Dorset

  144

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  325

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  294

  Winchester

  0

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  166

  Salisbury

  225

  Swindon

  47

  Bath District

  401

  Isle of Wight

  43

  Oxford RHA

  1,799

  East Berkshire

  176

  West Berkshire

  161

  Aylesbury Vale

  313

  Wycombe

  143

  Milton Keynes

  57

  Kettering

  289

  Northampton

  199

  Oxfordshire

  461

  South Western RHA

  1,481

  Bristol and Weston

  16

  Frenchay

  31

  Southmead

  25

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  243

  Exeter

  195

  North Devon

  17

  Plymouth

  253

  Torbay

  88

  Cheltenham and District

  0

  Gloucester

  369

  Somerset

  244

  West Midlands RHA

  1,414

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  106

  Herefordshire

  40

  Kidderminster and District

  80

  710

  Region-district

  Number of admissions

  Worcester and District

  36

  Shropshire

  84

  Mid Staffordshire

  17

  North Staffordshire

  209

  South East Staffordshire

  213

  Rugby

  0

  North Warwickshire

  0

  South Warwickshire

  187

  Central Birmingham

  12

  East Birmingham

  0

  North Birmingham

  53

  South Birmingham

  49

  West Birmingham

  20

  Coventry

  35

  Dudley

  59

  Sandwell

  0

  Solihull

  61

  Walsall

  35

  Wolverhampton

  118

  Mersey RHA

  1,389

  Chester

  79

  Crewe

  194

  Halton

  6

  Macclesfield

  180

  Warrington

  284

  Liverpool

  282

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  167

  Southport and Formby

  103

  South Sefton

  39

  Wirral

  55

  North Western RHA

  1,740

  Lancaster

  97

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  126

  Preston

  201

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  148

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  60

  West Lancashire

  30

  Chorley and South Ribble

  79

  Bolton

  80

  Bury

  34

  North Manchester

  143

  Central Manchester

  58

  South Manchester

  80

  Oldham

  9

  Rochdale

  9

  Salford

  219

  Stockport

  110

  Tameside and Glossop

  65

  Trafford

  35

  Wigan

  157

  Special Health Authority

  22

  (Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospital)

  England Total

  20,858

  Maternal Deaths
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) direct and (b) indirect maternal deaths in England and Wales in each year since 1985 occurred in National Health Service hospitals without consultant obstetric units; and how many were associated with anaesthesia.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that the information requested is not yet available.

  Fraud
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of money obtained by fraud from his Department's offices in the Bolton area during the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many cases this involved; and what action is being taken to prevent further occurrences.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is not possible to ascertain the total amount of money obtained by fraud. In the year ended 9 February 1988 fraud staff in the Bolton area discovered overpayments of benefit amounting to £129,691. To prevent fraud, benefit procedures are kept under continual review and measures are adopted to combat fraud wherever possible.

  NHS (Birmingham)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now reply to a letter and analysis of the revenue and capital situation in the National Health Service in Birmingham sent on behalf of the five Birmingham community health councils dated 12 February.

  Mrs. Currie
  We can find no record of the original letter of 12 February although a copy has now been received. A reply to earlier correspondence from Central Birmingham community health council was sent by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health on 17 March.

  Dental Charges
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the General Dental Practitioners' Association in respect of the proposal to levy a charge for dental examinations; what his response has been; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I received a letter from the General Dental Practitioners' Association dated 20 January which expressed the association's opposition to our proposals concerning charges for dental examinations. In my response, as with the similar representations I have received, I expressed the view that it is reasonable for patients who can afford it to make a contribution towards the cost of the dental examination of less than £3 at today's prices. Moreover, I pointed out that we were retaining all current exemptions from dental charges, and that therefore the charge could not be expected to have any significant deterrent effect.

  Salford Health Authority (Delegation)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria he used in deciding to meet a delegation of hon. Members about the financial position of Salford health authority; what criteria the Minister for Health the right hon. Member for Braintree, (Mr. Newton), used in refusing to meet a delegation of hon. Members about the financial position of the South Manchester health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Such meetings are a matter for the judgment of individual departmental Ministers. In this case, the hon. Members refused an offer by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security to meet them.

  Natural Medicine
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will detail proposed changes to the licences of natural medical practitioners;

  (2) if he has received representations concerning the proposed changes in regulating licensed natural medical practitioners; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many licensed natural medical practitioners have been licensed to practise in England, by regional health authority, in each of the past eight years.

  Mr. Newton
  Medical treatment provided under the National Health Service must he given or prescribed by a practitioner registered by the General Medical Council. Practitioners of alternative therapies who are not registered with that council are free to offer their services privately subject to the appropriate provisions of statute and common law and the Department does not collect information on them.

  Narcolepsy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations from the Narcolepsy Association (UK) concerning changes in drug availability; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  We have no record of any representations from the Narcolepsy Association (UK) about the availability of drugs required by people who suffer from narcolepsy. Amphetamines are normally prescribed for narcolepsy, and although these are controlled drugs, they continue to be available on NHS prescription from general practitioners.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those research projects dealing with the problem of narcolepsy, stating in which regional health authorities these projects are being undertaken and the funding arrangements for each project.

  Mrs. Currie
  Narcolepsy is an irresistible tendency to go to sleep. It is more usual to speak of the narcolepsies, rather than of narcolepsy, for sudden, repetitive attacks of sleep occurring in the day-time arise in diverse clinical conditions.

  It is understood the United Kingdom incidence of narcolepsy is very small.

  The Department is not at present directly supporting any research into the problem of narcolepsy. I am not aware that any is being carried out by a regional health authority under the locally organised research scheme.

  I understand there is a project on narcolepsy being carried out by the University of Manchester. Details of this and its funding are not held centrally.

  Family Planning
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement about the future of the family planning services provided by district health authorities;

  (2) whether he has plans to require all district health authorities to make sterilisation and vasectomy operations available on the National Health Service;

  (3) if he plans to issue a circular to district health authorities about family planning services.
  713
  Mr. Newton
  The principles underlying the 1974 memorandum of guidance on family planning services in the NHS continue to reflect Government policy, and we have no plans to issue new guidance. The memorandum includes advice on the availability of male and female sterilisation on family planning as well as medical grounds, and asks health authorities to ensure that those with a priority need for the operation are enabled to receive it quickly.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list district health authorities which are currently reducing the family planning services they provide.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) on 15 March at column 548.

  Medical Appeal Tribunals (South-West)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women have served as chairpersons in medical appeal tribunals in the south-west in the last year.

  Mr. Portillo
  I am advised by the president of social security appeal tribunals and medical appeal tribunals that, in the region covering Wales and the south-west, there are currently 19 persons appointed to serve of whom one is a woman. In England and Wales, nominations are made by the president from a panel appointed by the Lord Chancellor.

  Contraception
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what analysis his Department has made of the most cost-effective means of contraception.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department has made no such analysis. The method used should be that which is most suitable and acceptable in each individual case.

  Unwanted Pregnancies
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates the number of unwanted pregnancies is per year.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that the number of unwanted pregnancies is not known.

  Supplementary Benefit Tribunals
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women have served as chairpersons in supplementary benefit tribunals in the south-west in the last year.

  Nursing and midwifery staff at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalents1

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Region

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Northern

  26,720

  3—

  120

  26,520

  —

  220

  26,870

  —

  240

  27,100

  40

  250

  Yorkshire

  29,820

  3—

  20

  29,890

  3—

  40

  30,100

  40

  70

  30,100

  90

  100

  Trent

  35,100

  —

  130

  35,380

  —

  160

  36,480

  —

  190

  36,870

  —

  260

  East Anglian

  14,420

  40

  90

  14,750

  110

  110

  15,150

  160

  170

  15,200

  180

  210

  North West Thames

  27,790

  620

  240

  27,530

  850

  260

  27,080

  1,080

  290

  27,070

  1,360

  230

  North East Thames

  34,280

  600

  370

  33,930

  980

  350

  33,310

  850

  400

  32,460

  1,400

  480

  714
  Mr. Portillo
  I am advised by the president of social security appeal tribunals that, in the region covering Wales and the south-west, there are currently 105 persons appointed to serve of whom 11 are women. In England and Wales, nominations are made by the president from a panel appointed by the Lord Chancellor.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what real percentage increase, according to personal social services pay and prices, in expenditure would have been required between 1978–79 and 1986–87 by local authority social services departments in order to keep pace with demographic and other pressures; which local authorities fell below this line in 1986–87; what the budget growth of these authorities was; what was the actual expenditure on personal social services in these authorities; what the expenditure should have been to meet the level indicated; and what was the difference between these two levels of expenditure.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 15 March 1988]: Taking 2 per cent. per annum as a broad measure of demographic and other pressures on the personal social services at national level, a 17·2 per cent. real percentage increase would have been required over the period 1978–79 to 1986–87. But demographic and other pressures do not bear evenly on individual local authorities and it is therefore not appropriate to apply this figure at authority level. Full relevant information is not available to enable a calculation based on local circumstances.

  Nurses
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of nurses directly employed by National Health Service hospitals on(a) permanent and (b) temporary contracts, by region, for each year from 1983 to 1987; and what was the number of agency or bank nurses employed by National Health Service hospitals, by region, for each year from 1983 to 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: Information about the number of nurses on permanent and temporary contracts is not collected centrally and information specifically for nurses employed in hospitals is not readily available.

  The total number of nursing and midwifery staff employed in each region on 30 September 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 and the number of agency and bank staff is given in the table. Similar information for September 1987 is not yet available.
  715

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Region

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  Nursing and midwifery staff2

  Agency

  Bank

  South East Thames

  30,760

  480

  290

  29,980

  770

  310

  29,550

  820

  410

  29,110

  860

  390

  South West Thames

  24,530

  380

  280

  23,990

  480

  390

  23,720

  520

  470

  23,210

  620

  520

  Wessex

  21,660

  40

  260

  21,880

  60

  310

  22,360

  100

  290

  22,640

  120

  300

  Oxford

  16,500

  3—

  90

  16,780

  10

  200

  16,600

  40

  230

  16,600

  90

  260

  South Western

  25,820

  3—

  270

  25,840

  10

  310

  26,340

  40

  340

  26,500

  40

  430

  West Midlands

  40,750

  10

  60

  40,760

  100

  140

  41,750

  100

  210

  42,060

  170

  280

  Mersey

  22,130

  20

  160

  21,640

  60

  150

  21,910

  40

  200

  21,980

  80

  270

  North Western

  37,060

  —

  50

  37,170

  —

  150

  37,480

  —

  170

  37,630

  20

  210

  London Post Graduate Special Health Authorities

  4,910

  250

  20

  4,580

  310

  10

  4,620

  330

  20

  4,500

  370

  20

  England Total

  392,250

  2,440

  2,430

  390,630

  3,750

  3,110

  393,320

  4,120

  3,710

  393,020

  5,450

  4,220

  1 All figures are independantly rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole-time equivalents.

  2 Includes qualified nurses and midwives, learners and unqualified staff. Excludes Agency and Bank.

  3 Less than five (5) whole-time equivalents.

  Source: DHSS (SR7) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

  Yorkshire Health Authorities (Staffing)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the staffing levels in each health authority within the Yorkshire region in each of the following categories(a) ancillary posts, (b) nursing, (c) medical dental (d) administration and clerical and (e)

  NHS directly employed staff in post—30 September each year

  Whole-time equivalents1

  Yorkshire RHA

  Medical and Dental2

  Nursing and Midwifery3

  Administration and Clerical

  District health authorities

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  Hull

  160

  140

  -9

  2,520

  2,570

  2

  620

  600

  -2

  East Yorkshire

  70

  70

  -2

  1,770

  1,700

  -4

  320

  310

  0

  Grimsby

  70

  70

  -4

  1,340

  1,390

  3

  280

  290

  1

  Scunthorpe

  70

  70

  7

  1,130

  1,130

  0

  270

  280

  1

  Northallerton

  20

  20

  10

  530

  530

  0

  130

  130

  -3

  York

  100

  110

  5

  2,340

  2,360

  1

  460

  470

  1

  Scarborough

  50

  50

  6

  850

  870

  2

  190

  200

  6

  Harrogate

  70

  70

  -3

  1,150

  1,130

  -2

  250

  270

  6

  Bradford

  170

  180

  3

  2,810

  2,770

  -1

  580

  590

  1

  Airedale

  50

  60

  24

  1,430

  1,390

  -3

  270

  280

  2

  Calderdale

  80

  90

  2

  1,520

  1,550

  2

  290

  290

  2

  Huddersfield

  110

  110

  5

  2,060

  2,020

  -2

  400

  410

  2

  Dewsbury

  80

  80

  7

  1,010

  1,030

  1

  230

  250

  8

  Leeds Western

  390

  400

  1

  3,380

  3,360

  -1

  790

  770

  -3

  Leeds Eastern

  330

  320

  -3

  3,080

  3,160

  2

  770

  780

  1

  Wakefield

  110

  110

  0

  2,200

  2,130

  -3

  370

  390

  4

  Pontefract

  60

  70

  11

  1,080

  1,100

  2

  250

  260

  5

  Regional Total

  2,920

  2,970

  2

  30,220

  30,290

  0

  7,020

  7,020

  0

  Yorkshire RHA

  Ancillary

  Other Staff Groups4

  Total directly employed staff5

  District health authorities

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  Hull

  930

  800

  -14

  990

  1,060

  8

  5,210

  5,180

  -1

  East Yorkshire

  710

  540

  -24

  340

  340

  -1

  3,210

  2,960

  -8

  Grimsby

  450

  420

  -7

  280

  300

  5

  2,430

  2,460

  1

  Scunthorpe

  360

  320

  -11

  220

  230

  5

  2,060

  2,040

  -1

  Northallerton

  170

  170

  -2

  120

  120

  -3

  970

  970

  -1

  York

  780

  660

  -15

  740

  770

  4

  4,420

  4,370

  -1

  Scarborough

  340

  320

  -5

  210

  220

  2

  1,640

  1,660

  1

  Harrogate

  450

  430

  -4

  280

  300

  6

  2,200

  2,190

  0

  Bradford

  990

  900

  -9

  620

  650

  5

  5,170

  5,090

  -2

  Airedale

  500

  450

  -10

  330

  320

  -1

  2,580

  2,500

  -3

  Calderdale

  520

  350

  -33

  310

  330

  5

  2,720

  2,600

  -4

  Huddersfield

  730

  650

  -10

  460

  460

  -1

  3,750

  3,650

  -3

  716
  other grades, including ambulance staff and technicians, in 1986 and 1987, indicating the percentage increase or decrease in each category and in the total.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 18 January 1988]: Figures shown in the table relate to staff in post at 30 September 1985 and 1986. Figures are not yet available centrally for 1987.
  717

  Yorkshire RHA

  Ancillary

  Other Staff Groups4

  Total directly employed staff5

  District health authorities

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. change 1985–86

  Dewsbury

  340

  290

  -14

  240

  250

  5

  1,900

  1,910

  0

  Leeds Western

  1,310

  1,230

  -6

  1,130

  1,180

  5

  7,010

  6,940

  -1

  Leeds Eastern

  1,340

  1,280

  -5

  890

  900

  1

  6,410

  6,430

  0

  Wakefield

  800

  680

  -15

  360

  460

  27

  3,850

  3,770

  -2

  Pontefract

  420

  240

  -43

  260

  270

  5

  2,070

  1,940

  -6

  Regional Total

  11,300

  9,870

  -13

  9,170

  9,410

  3

  60,640

  59,570

  -2

  Source: DHSS (SR7) Annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

  1 Figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole time equivalents. Percentage changes are calculated on unrounded figures.

  2 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. Excludes consultants from non-teaching districts and senior registrars from all districts. Contracts for all senior registrars and for most consultants are held by regional health authorities centrally. There will therefore be more doctors and dentists actually working in the districts than are accounted for in the table.

  3 Includes agency staff.

  4 Includes Professional and Technical, Works, Maintenance and Ambulance Staff (including Officers).

  5 Includes Medical and Dental, Nursing and Midwifery, Professional and Technical, Works, Maintenance, Administrative and Clerical, Ambulance (including Officers) and Ancillary Staff.

  6 Includes staff at Regional Headquarters and HQ Units. Includes Senior Medical and Dental; staff whose contracts are held by the Regional Health Authority (see note (2)).

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Thames Flood Plains
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the role of the River Thames flood plains in preventing serious flooding.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 10 March 1988]: It is for the water authorities to plan flood protection as they consider appropriate, and this Ministry is involved only when projects are proposed for grant approval.

DEFENCE

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of Soviet modernisation of their chemical weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The Soviet Union commands the world's largest and most sophisticated chemical warfare capability. In 1987, it admitted that it possessed chemical weapons but the dated examples on display during the visit to the Soviet chemical weapons facility at Shikhany last October, revealed little of Soviet modern weapons or chemical agent technology.

  There have been many advances in chemical weapons technology in recent years. New methods of delivering an expanding range of potential new agents have been developed. We assess that the Soviet Union's extensive research and development programme will have enabled it to exploit many of these advances and to develop new weapons utilising advanced and sophisticated chemical agents.

  Sea Systems Controllerate
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the reports concerning the reorganisation of the sea systems controllerate.
  718
  Mr. Sainsbury
  I expect to receive a report of a full investment appraisal into the options for the co-location of the controllerate project staffs in the autumn.

  Management in Government (Report)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking on the recommendations of the efficiency committee report, "Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps," which are within the area of responsibility of his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In accordance with the policy on Civil Service management announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18 February, the Ministry of Defence is considering two candidates for possible agency status: the Non-Nuclear Research Establishments and the Meteorological Office.

  Nuclear Missiles
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reach a decision with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts on the replacement of the intermediate range of land-based nuclear missiles, with new air and sea-launched cruise missiles and other nuclear weapons, in accordance with the Montebello programme.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  NATO is not planning to replace intermediate range land-based nuclear missiles.

  NATO Meeting (Belgium)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why he did not attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministers and Heads of State meeting in Belgium on 2–3 March.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In accordance with the normal practice for such meetings the United Kingdom was represented at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council on 2–3 March by my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary.