Report of Proceedings of Tynwald Court
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Printed (by Authority) by The Copy Shop Ltd., 48 Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man. REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF TYNWALD COURT Douglas, Wednesday, 22nd November 2000 at 10.30 a.m. Present: The Department of Education is today seeking Tynwald The President of Tynwald (Hon N Q Cringle). approval for expenditure not exceeding £687,100. This is In the Council: the Attorney-General (Mr W J H Corlett to enable a start to be made next week, with Tynwald's QC), Hon Mrs C M Christian, Messrs E A Crowe, permission, on a scheme to provide Marown Primary D F K Delaney, J R Kniveton, E G Lowey, Dr E J Mann, School with four additional classrooms, improved office Messrs J N Radcliffe and G H Waft, with Mr TA Bawden, accommodation and staff room, together with the Clerk of the Council. conversion of the original multi-purpose room to an ICT suite. The traffic management plan is to provide for the In the Keys: The Speaker (Hon J D Q Cannan) relocation of the junior playground and the creation of a (Michael); Mr L I Singer and Hon A R Bell (Ramsey); safe drop-off and pick-up area as well as some additional Mr R E Quine OBE (Ayre); Mrs H Hannan (Peel); car parking. Hon W A Gilbey (Glenfaba); Hon S C Rodan (Garff); The four extra classrooms will enable the school to Hon D North (Middle); Mr P Karran and Mr G T Cannell accommodate the rising numbers of pupils from the Crosby (Onchan); Messrs J R Houghton and R W Henderson and Glen Vine areas. A large number of new houses have (Douglas North); Hon D C Cretney and Mr A C Duggan been built or are in the course of construction in the school's (Douglas South); Mr R P Braidwood and Mrs B J Cannell catchment area and the number of pupils on the roll has (Douglas East); Mr J P Shimmin and Hon A F Downie risen from 110 four years ago to 150 at present. The (Douglas West); Hon J A Brown (Castletown); assessed permanent capacity of the school was for 106 Hon D J Gelling (Malew and Santon); Sir Miles Walker children and there has been a temporary mobile classroom CBE LLD (hc) and Mrs P M Crowe and Mr J Rimington on site over the past few years. The office and staff room (Rushen); with Prof T StJ N Bates, Clerk of Tynwald. space have proven insufficient as the school has grown, as have the arrangements for parents to drop off and pick up their children at this school. The Chaplain of the House of Keys took the prayers. The total cost of the scheme at September 2000 prices is £729,000, of which Tynwald has approved pre-contract Apologies for Absence expenditure of £41,900 already. The department, therefore, Mr President, seeks approval for the construction phase The President: Hon. members, we have apologies this costs of £687,100. I so move, sir. morning from the Lord Bishop, who is off the Island on Church business, and from Mr Corkin, who is away on The President: The hon. member for Middle. Treasury matters. I also have granted Mr Shimmin leave of absence for later on this morning. Mr North: I beg to second, Mr President, and congratulate the department on moving ahead with this extension, much needed. (Members: Hear, hear.) Congratulations. Marown Primary School — Alterations and Extensions — Expenditure Approved The President: The motion, hon. members, is that printed at 7 on the order paper. Will those in favour please The President: Having seen off the major capital items say aye; against, no. The ayes have it. The ayes have it. yesterday, perhaps we can move on a bit smarter today and I call on the hon. member for Garff to move item 7 on our order paper. National Health Service (Isle of Man) Mr Rodan: Thank you, Mr President. I beg to move: (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations That Tynwald approves of the Department of 2000 — Approved Education incurring expenditure not exceeding £687,100 on the alterations and extensions to Marown Primary The President: Item 8. I call on the Minister for Health School. - and Social Security. Apologies for Absence Marown Primary School — Alterations and Extensions — Expenditure Approved National Health Service (Isle of Man) (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2000 — Approved T270 TYNWALD COURT, WEDNESDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER 2000 Mrs Christian: Thank you, Mr President. I beg to The President: The minister to reply. move: Mrs Christian: Thank you, Mr President. Yes, with That the National Health Service (Isle of Man) respect to whether there has been local consultation, it is (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) my understanding that the only changes of this nature are (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2000 [SD No 564/00] normally addressed through the Drugs and Therapeutic be approved. Forum, so I would expect that it has been considered and reviewed by that local grouping. However, I cannot The department seeks approval today for regulations imagine that after such consultation there would seek to which amend the terms on which general medical and be a variation from the UKU on this because we have so pharmaceutical services are provided under the NHS. The many more serious concerns to address. purpose of the regulations is to add Propecia, a drug for The position with Relenza is that, yes, that will be the treatment of male pattern hair loss, to schedule 3 to the addressed and I can give the hon. member, I am afraid, no principal regulations, that schedule being the list of drugs indication of how soon it may be before that may or may which cannot be prescribed or dispensed on the National not become available here, but now that the United Health Service. Kingdom have made that announcement with respect to Relenza it will certainly be getting consideration in the A Member: Why? Island. This drug cannot yet be prescribed on private prescription, but I anticipate that it will not be very long Mrs Christian: I appreciate this may disappoint one before that becomes the position. I do not have a cost for or two members of this hon. Court - (Laughter) the actual drug. I do have an estimate of what it was felt it might cost in the United Kingdom on a broad base, and Mr Delaney: I declare an interest, Mr President! that was between £6 million and £32 million annually, a very wide range, but even at the lowest end of the range Mrs Christian: - but I am sure that they will all agree £6 million in the UK would translate to a not inconsiderable that there are much more important priorities for NHS sum in the Isle of Man - expenditure. I beg to move, Mr President. Mr Singer: Hair-raising! Mr Karran: I beg to second and reserve my remarks. Mrs Christian: - a hair-raising sum, the hon. member The President: The hon. member, Mr Singer. says. I can agree with that. So I hope that the hon. members who wish to avail themselves will not have to wait too Mr Singer: I suppose I should be declaring an interest long before it becomes available on private prescription. as well in this. Could I ask the minister: this we have obviously picked up from the United Kingdom, following The President: Hon. members, the motion before you the United Kingdom here. While sometimes on certain is that printed at 8 on your order paper. Those in favour drugs we do have local consultation and we are allowed to please say aye; against, no. The ayes have it. The ayes prescribe certain drugs on the Island here which are have it. blacklisted in the United Kingdom, I wonder whether advice had been sought from the local medical practitioners here as to what their view was. I would suspect that it was Social Security Benefits (Isle of Man) the same as in the United Kingdom, but should we not ask Up-rating (Amendment) Order them rather than directly adopt the UK proposals without 2000 — Approved that consultation? And could I ask the minister, whilst she is doing this, is she looking at the decision yesterday to The President: Item 9, the Minister for Health and allow the anti-flu drug Relenza which is now going to be Social Security. allowed to be dispensed in the UK? Would it not be a time to talk to the doctors, and when would she see us having Mrs Christian: Thank you, Mr President. I beg to permission to introduce that on the National Health Service move: in the Isle of Man? How long does she think it would take before that was done? That the Social Security Benefits (Isle of Man) Up- rating (Amendment) Order 2000 [SD No 653/00] be The President: Let us not widen it into an all-drugs approved. matter. Mrs Hannan. Hon. members will recall that the Treasury minister Mrs Hannan: Thank you, Eaghtyrane. Could I ask the announced in his February budget speech the provision of minister, what is the cost of this drug and can it be obtained additional resources for social security to specifically taiget on a private prescription if people need to use it? families on low incomes. I am therefore pleased to bring forward the order which increases, with effect from 1st The Speaker: Thank you, Hazel. November 2000, the prescribed amounts for the purposes Social Security Benefits (Isle of Man) Up-rating (Amendment) Order 2000 — Approved TYNWALD COURT, WEDNESDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER 2000 T271 of family income supplement and disability working Social Security Administration Act 1992 allowance by 5 per cent.