§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mr. Foster) of 4 February 1999,Official Report, column 694, when he will bring forward legislation to repeal the Osborne Estate Act 1902. [77215]
(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mr. Foster) of 4 February 1999, Official Report, column 694, if the King Edward VII Convalescence Home at Osborne House remains open for new convalescents, [77216]
(3) how many members of (a) the Armed Forces and (b) the Civil Service used the facilities of the King Edward VII Convalescent Home at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight in each of the last five years. [77210]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthWe plan to introduce the necessary legislation at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, I can confirm that the King Edward VII Convalescent House at Osborne House remains open for new convalescents.
The figures for use of the facilities offered by the home in each of the last five years are:
855W
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 The Armed Forces Residents 111 111 114 113 110 Convalescents 231 267 313 274 238
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Average number of convalescents per week 4 5 6 5 5 The Civil Service Residents 5 16 16 15 14 Convalescents 62 96 86 88 94 Average number of convalescents per week 1 2 2 2 2 1 These figures represent the total number of residents at one time or another during a year including admissions, deaths and departures to other accommodation.