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School Closures
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the schools which closed in Shropshire in each year since 1979. [34260]
Mr. Byers:
Since 1983, the earliest year for which we have information available, the schools which have closed in Shropshire (excluding special schools) are listed in the table. Some schools have closed to reopen as an amalgamated school: some have closed to facilitate a change in age range. In such cases the successor schools are shown.
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Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will introduce measures to help students over the age of 50 years by (a) the provision of grants, (b) the waiving of tuition fees and (c) extending the upper age limit of eligibility for student loans; and if he will make a statement. [36077]
Dr. Howells:
Full-time students currently in higher education who were aged over 50 at the start of their course are eligible for free tuition and for a means tested grant towards their living costs and will continue to be so for the duration of their courses. Those aged 50 and over who begin courses in the academic year 1998-99 will also be eligible for a grant at a reduced rate for that year only.
Under the new arrangements applying to entrants from 1998-99 onwards, all students, irrespective of their age, will be eligible to receive means-related help towards their contribution to tuition costs. We have no plans to extend the eligibility for loans to those aged 50 and over for 1998-99, but intend to review the eligibility requirements for 1999-2000 and subsequent years when grants will no longer be available. The recent consultation paper on lifelong learning, "The Learning Age", invited views on extending loans to those in their early 50s who wish to enter higher education, for example, to retrain following redundancy. Final decisions will be taken in the light of the responses to that consultation.
Acute Hospitals
16. Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he proposes for GPs and other primary carers in determining the local operation of acute hospitals. [34384]
Mr. Milburn:
The White Paper The New NHS sets out our approach for modernising the National Health Service and for providing integrated primary and community health care services which will influence local acute NHS Trusts.
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17. Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of existing burns and plastic surgery hospital facilities within the Hillingdon, South West-Hertfordshire and Brent and Harrow health authority areas. [34385]
Mr. Boeteng:
The Mount Vernon and Watford Hospitals NHS Trust provides plastic and burns services for these areas. A review of these services is being undertaken through joint working with the NHS Executive's regional offices and affected health authorities. Further discussions will shortly confirm a model of care, and criteria against which options for the future provision of services would be assessed. Full public consultation will take place on any significant service reconfiguration.
18. Mr. McCabe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to raise standards in learning disability services. [34386]
Mr. Boateng:
There is a substantial programme of work in progress including: a report drawing out the lessons from a Social Services Inspectorate inspection of learning disability services last year and a follow up to good practice guidance on health services for people with learning disabilities called 'Signposts for Success' issued in January 1998.
20. Mr. Heppell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to take to improve the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives. [34388]
Mr. Milburn:
The Government are employing a twin strategy to deal with the growing workforce demand by increasing training levels and investing in initiatives to improve the recruitment, retention and return to practice of trained staff, including flexible and family-friendly ways of working.
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36. Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategies are in place to improve the recruitment and retention of nursing staff at NHS trusts. [34405]
Mr. Milburn:
We are employing a twin strategy by increasing training levels and investing in initiatives to improve the recruitment, retention and return to practice of trained staff, including flexible and family-friendly ways of working. A resource pack has been sent to all trusts to help local managers develop and expand their recruitment and retention programmes, using the momentum built up by the current £1.2 million nursing publicity campaign.
21. Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of London's health service. [34389]
Mr. Milburn:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the findings of the independent review panel, led by Sir Leslie Turnberg, and the Government's response, on 3 February 1998, Official Report, columns 843-58. We have accepted all the review panel's recommendations. This marks the beginning of a ten-year programme of modernisation for health services in London, which will deliver tangible benefits to patients, year by year.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to raise standards in primary care in London. [34391]
Mr. Milburn:
We have accepted the recommendation of the independent review panel, led by Sir Leslie Turnberg, that there should be systematic progress in developing primary care in London. This will form part of a ten-year programme of modernisation for London's health services which will deliver tangible benefits for patients, year by year.
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