Written Answers
Gibraltar
14 JUNE 1982
M- McQuarrie asked the Secretary of State for Fig
Commonwealth Affairs whether he had discussion with his Spanish counterpart on the question of Gibraltar during the NATO alliance meeting on 10 June; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind: When my right hon. Friend attended the NATO summit on 10 June he had some discussion with the Spanish Foreign Minister on a variety of subjects, as he did with other NATO colleagues. This discussion included the subject of Gibraltar, in the context of implementation, on 25 June, of the Lisbon agreement.
Mr. McQuarrie asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether further progress has been made between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on the lifting of the restrictions at the border between Gibraltar and Spain; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he has received an assurance from the Spanish Government that the Spanish border between Gibraltar and Spain will be opened on 25 June.
Mr. Rifkind: I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) gave on 5 May to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs). Both Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government are committed to the imple- mentation of the Lisbon agreement on 25 June.
Mr. McQuarrie asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance has been issued to the people of Gibraltar who wish to apply for the status of British nationals which was granted to the inhabitants of that dependent territory under the British Nationality Act; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind: The Gibraltar authorities are carrying out a study of the procedures they will need to adopt in order to deal with applications for British citizenship. They expect to issue guidance to the Gibraltar public well before the British Nationality Act takes effect in January 1983.
Mr. McQuarrie asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to attend the Sintra talks between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on 25 June.
Mr. Rifkind: Yes.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Health Authorities
Mr. Huckfield asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the occupations of regional health authority chairmen, regional health authority members and area health authority chairmen and members, following his latest series of appointments.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: We are currently considering the appointment of regional health authority chairmen and will shortly be considering nominations for membership of regional health authorities. I will write to the hon. Member when the appointments have been made.
Area health authorities were succeeded on 1 April 1982 by district health authorities the members of which are appointed by regional health authorities and local
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Written Answers
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Amex C
authorities. Information about members of district health authorities is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. As to chairmen of district health authorities, who were appointed by my right hon. Friend, the information is as follows:
Category of occupation
Health and allied Non-medical academics Local government Trades union Manual
Directors and businessmen Managerial
Other professionals Retired
Housewives
Farmers and landowners
Others
Supplementary Benefit
No. of DHA chairmen
21
10
17
2723
42
9
19
38
13
4
14
Mr. Ralph Howell asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons who are unemployed are in receipt of supplementary benefit.
Mr. Newton: About 1.5 million people were required to register for work as a condition of receiving benefit in February 1982, the latest date for which information is available.
Health Service Pay
Mr. Skinner asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of increase in pay for (a) doctors and (b) radiographers in each year from 1978 to 1980.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: The average percentage increases were:
Doctors
Radiographers
1978
10-0
9.9
1979
25.7
25.8
1980
31.4
14.0
The awards to doctors in 1979 and 1980 include the last stages of a phased catching-up exercise.
Occupational Deafness
Dr. Edmund Marshall asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend the Social Security Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations to extend their application to persons who have been employed in the glass industry for 10 years and who suffer from occupational deafness.
Mr. Rossi: The benefit provisions for occupational deafness are at present being reviewed by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, the independent body which advises my right hon. Friend on the working of the industrial injuries scheme. Whether the regulations should be amended will be considered in the light of the council's report. I have drawn its attention to the hon. Member's suggestion.
Doctors (Overheads)
Mr. Pawsey asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage he expects the staff and other
DATE
14.6.82
COL. 203 25
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