§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received any representations from residential or nursing home owners with respect to the European Commission's social action programme, Council document 8073/90, about the organisation of working time.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe are aware of the independent sector's concern about this directive, and have received comments on behalf of private hospital, nursing home and residential care home proprietors.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the average number of weekly working hours of the average home-worker including overtime in(a) local authority residential homes, (b) private residential homes and (c) private nursing homes;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of employees in residential and nursing homes who (a) have a minimum rest period of 11 consecutive hours in every 24 hours, (b) work two consecutive full-time night shifts, (c) work more than eight night hours of every 24 hours, on average, and (d) have regular, free health assessments when working on night shifts.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThis information is not available centrally.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has now assessed the implications of the European Commission's social action programme concerning the organisation of working time, Council document 8073/90, for the level of staffing ratio, organisation and running of residential and nursing homes.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA draft EC directive on the organisation of working time is currently under negotiation in Brussels. The Government are considering the implications of the directive for the United Kingdom.