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Medicines Control Agency
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reintroduce a turnover-related element into the Medicines Control Agency fee system.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : In the course of its full review of the fee structure, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has been considering a number of options. The MCA will be publishing its proposals shortly.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Association of Pharmaceutical Importers to discuss the accountability of the Medicines Control Agency.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No, but I understand that the chairman of the Association of Pharmaceutical Importers has had informal discussions with Medicines Control Agency officials and a further meeting is planned.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the upper limit on turnover for companies to be eligible for the payment concessions from the Medicines Control Agency.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have received a number of representations that the limit on turnover, which allow companies to qualify for concessions in time for payment, should be raised. We are considering these in the full review of the Medicines Control Agency's fee structure.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received calling for the Medicines Control Agency fee structure to be amended ; if he has any proposals to amend the fee structure ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A number of representations have been received suggesting that the Medicines Control Agency's fee structure should be amended. The Medicines Control Agency has been carrying out a full review of its fee structure. New proposals should be published shortly.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms there are for hon. Members to raise the question of particular outstanding applications to the Medicines Control Agency.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is open to hon. Members to write to Ministers at any time to inquire on behalf of an applicant about progress of a particular application. Information about a licence application is, however, commercial in confidence and cannot be divulged without the permission of the applicant.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that the Medicines Control Agency processes product licence (parallel imports) licence applications quickly and effectively.
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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : From April 1990 the number of staff employed on product licence (parallel import) applications has been increased and procedures have been streamlined follwing the re-organisation of the Medicines Control Agency into separate businesses. The director of the Medicines Control Agency has recently announced in a speech to the British Institute of Regulatory Affairs the objective of eliminating all licence backlogs by April 1992.Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy for the Medicines Control Agency to give an explanation if a product licence application is outstanding for more than six months.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. It is open to applicants to inquire to the Medicines Control Agency about the progress of their applications at any time. In addition, information on the time taken to grant licences is published by the MCA at regular intervals in the Medicines Act information leaflet.
Association of Pharmaceutical Importers
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to invite the Association of Pharmaceutical Importers to join the joint consultative group ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. the joint consultative group exists to provide an informal discussion forum comprising senior representatives of the Department, the Medicines Control Agency and the two principal trade associations. If it were expanded to cover other interested trade associations it could not function in that informal way.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the Association of Pharmaceutical Importers ; and what matters were discussed.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have had no formal meetings with the chairman of the Association of Pharmaceutical Importers.
Mental Illness
Mr. Sims : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been discharged from institutions for the mentally ill into community care since 1979 ; and what information he has as to how many of these people are amongst these currently classified as homeless.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the number of people discharged from (a) long-stay mental handicap and (b) long-stay mental illness hospitals since 1980.
Mr. Dorrell Information available centrally is given in the table. Figures up to 1986 exclude deaths and all transfers to other hospitals, while figures after 1986 only exclude deaths and transfers between hospitals within a district health authority.
Centrally collected figures are not available on the current whereabouts of persons with a mental illness discharged from national health service hospitals and hospital units.
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Discharges from mental illness and mental handicap
hospitals and
units, in England 1979-89
After a stay of onAll durations of stay
or more
Year |Mental |Mental |Mental |Mental
|illness |handicap|illness |handicap
--------------------------------------------------------
1979 |3,460 |1,178 |149,027 |15,760
1980 |3,376 |1,120 |158,556 |18,014
1981 |3,516 |1,246 |163,583 |21,258
1982 |3,465 |1,229 |162,230 |24,345
1983 |3,563 |1,457 |167,535 |30,445
1984 |3,928 |1,919 |171,144 |34,892
1985 |3,441 |2,052 |176,200 |37,902
1986 |3,571 |2,528 |176,351 |40,464
1987-88<1> |3,900 |2,500 |181,350 |35,050
1988-90<1> |5,150 |2,960 |188,600 |39,360
<1> Estimated number of finished district spells
include transfers to other hospitals outside the
district.
Drugs
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his estimates of the annual cost to the national health service of introducing original pack dispensing for generic pharmaceuticals and of the pharmacists' containers allowance.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is not possible to estimate what the effect of introducing more original pack dispensing for generic pharmaceuticals might be on costs for the national health service. The cost of the container allowance for the year 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 was £14.6 million.
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the proposed European Community directive on patient information leaflets for pharmaceuticals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We support the principle of providing improved information to patients about their medicines as proposed by the EC.
Discussions on details are in progress.
Occupational Therapists
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many occupational therapists are employed by local authority social services departments in England ; and what is the current vacancy rate.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : At 30 September 1989 the number of qualified occupational therapists employed in social services departments in England was 1,305 in whole-time equivalent (wte) terms. Of these, 65 staff (wte) were employed in capacities other than that of occupational therapist, for example, senior management. Information on the numbers of vacancies for occupational therapists in social services departments is not collected centrally.
Respite Care
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each local authority social services department in England, the number of respite care beds provided in (a) residential care homes and (b) hostels.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not collected centrally.
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Home Helps
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hours of home help service were provided by local authority social services departments in each year from 1979-80 to 1989-90.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information about hours of home help service is not collected centrally. The numbers of home helps employed by social services departments in England in whole-time equivalent terms at 30 September in each year are set out in the table.
|Number
---------------------
1979 |44,660
1980 |46,637
1981 |46,541
1982 |47,310
1983 |49,326
1984 |50,561
1985 |51,959
1986 |53,706
1987 |56,336
1988 |57,004
Abortion
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has about administrative arrangements in London district health authorities for getting women who want abortions into the queue.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not collected centrally.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has received any representations about the availability of abortion services in London.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Yes. Arrangements for the provision of abortion services within the national health service are the responsibility of individual health authorities. Queries of a local nature should be taken up with the chairman or general manager of the health authority concerned.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) for each of the last four years and (b) for each London district health authority the average waiting time for abortions.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The available information is for the year 1987-88 and relates to waiting time for admissions for the category "legally induced abortion". For each of the four Thames regional health authorities the average, as expressed by the median waiting time, was one week. Reliable information is not available on a district basis.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) for each of the last four years and (b) for each London district health authority the number of abortions carried out.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The number of abortions performed on residents of the London district health authorities can be found as part of table 24a of OPCS annual review volumes "Abortion Statistics". These are published in series AB and copies are in the Library. The latest year for which data are available is 1989.
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Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has issued guidelines about procedures for referrals for abortions.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave her on 28 January at column 429 .
Interleukin II
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals are (a) currently conducting a clinical trial of Interleukin II or (b) prescribing Interleukin II on a named patient basis ; and if he will list the hospitals concerned.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : For reasons of confidentiality information held by the Medicines Licensing Authority about clinical trials cannot be divulged. The Department does not have information about the use of drugs on a named patient basis.
Maternity Cases
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for the most recent year for England and for each national health service region the percentage of women whose deliveries were (i) at a domestic address,(ii) in a consultant ward of a national health service hospital, (iii) in a general practitioner ward of a national health service hospital, (iv) in a combined
consultant/general practitioner ward of a national health service hospital, (v) in a private hospital, (vi) in another hospital or institution and (vii) elsewhere ;
(2) if he will list for the most recent year for England and for each national health service region the percentage of women who had (i) general anaesthesia, (ii) epidural or caudal anaesthesia, (iii) spinal anaesthesia, (iv) combinations of these methods of anaesthesia and (v) none of these methods of anaesthesia during labour or delivery ;
(3) if he will list for the most recent year for England and for each national health service region the percentage of women (i) whose labours were surgically induced,(ii) whose labours were induced by oxytocic drugs,(iii) whose labours were induced by a combination of surgical methods and oxytocic drugs, (iv) whose labours were of spontaneous onset and (v) who had elective caesarean sections ; (4) if he will list for the most recent year for England and for each national health service region the percentage of women whose deliveries were conducted by (a) a hospital doctor, (b) a general practitioner, (c) a midwife and (d) a person other than a doctor or a midwife.
(5) if he will list for the most recent year for England and each national health service region the percentage of women whose deliveries were (a) spontaneous, including abnormal presentation of the head and breech spontaneous, (b) instrumental including forceps, ventouse and breech extractions, (c) caesarean sections and (d) by other and unspecified means.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 February 1991] : The most recent information available is for 1988-89, the first year for which additional delivery details were collected in the hospital episode statistics system. Following are the national estimates derived from these data ; in the case of place of delivery, it has not been possible to provide the precise breakdown requested. The national percentages should be treated as approximate
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figures and it is not possible to provide reliable regional estimates. Steps have been taken to improve quality and completeness of data which should reduce the level of approximation in later years and enable more detailed breakdowns to be made.
|Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------
(i) Place of delivery
In an NHS hospital:
In a consultant ward |61
In a GP ward |4
In a consultant/GP ward |33
Other than NHS hospital |2
(ii) Anaesthetic administered
General |7
Epidural or caudal |15
Spinal |1
Combination of the above |1
Other, including no anaesthetic |60
Not known |15
(iii) Method of onset of labour
Surgically induced |4
Oxytocic drugs |8
Combination of the above |6
Spontaneous onset |73
Elective caesarian |5
Not known |5
(iv) Person conducting delivery
Hospital doctor |22
General practitioner |<1>0
Midwife |72
Other |1
Not known |4
(v) Method of delivery
Spontaneous |78
Instrumental |11
Caesarian section |10
Other and unspecified |1
<1> less than 0.5 per cent.
Residential Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his policy on allowing registration of private residential and nursing homes which refuse admission to residents who require income support to pay for their care ;
(2) what information he has on how many registered private residential or nursing homes currently refuse admission to residents who require income support to pay for their care.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have no information about how many homes refuse admission to people requiring income support. Local authorities and health authorities are the registering authorities under the Registered Homes Act 1984. The Act sets out the criteria which enable a registration authority to refuse an application for registration. The admission of people who rely on income support is not among the criteria. There are no plans to seek amendment of the Act in this respect.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms exist to determine whether those in nursing homes in receipt of income support top-up payments towards the costs of nursing care are actually receiving nursing care.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The person responsible for a nursing home has a statutory duty to provide adequate
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facilities and services to meet the care needs of their patients. District health authorities must inspect each home at least twice a year to ensure that this requirement is met.Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most recent guidance issued to registration authorities with regard to privacy in residential care and nursing homes ; and if he has any proposals to issue further guidance.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The question of privacy is dealt with in the 1989 social services inspectorate guidance "Homes are for Living In" and is also being covered in the current publications in the "Caring for Quality" series, of which three have already been issued and a further two are to follow. Copies will be placed in the Library. The Department's caring in homes initiative will reinforce the emphasis on good practice in residential care homes.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
The Gulf
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is his policy on the involvement of United States and British forces in future security arrangements for Gulf states ;
(2) what is his policy on a security agreement for the Gulf area involving states in the region and other states ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) whether he will make it his policy to ensure that the future security of the Gulf states is not based upon the armed forces of any one state in the region ; and if he will make a statement ; (4) what is his policy on the involvement of north African states in the security of the Gulf region.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : New arrangements for the security of the Gulf states are matters for the states of the region themselves. We welcome the initiative taken by the Foreign Ministers of The Gulf Co-operation Council states, Egypt and Syria to discuss future security arrangements. We are ready to play our part if asked to do so.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to promote democracy amongst the Gulf states.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Constitutional arrangements in the Gulf states are a matter for their Governments and peoples.
As regards Kuwait, the national conference held in Jedda in October 1990 by the Government in exile and with delegations representing Kuwaiti opinion across the board, agreed that there should be a return to the provisions of the 1962 constitution as soon as possible after liberation. We have welcomed the Kuwaiti crown prince and Prime Minister's recent public reiteration of his Government's commitment of popular participation under this constitution, including new elections for the national assembly after liberation.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the role of the United Nations in the future security arrangements in the Gulf region.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : A lasting peace in the Gulf region must clearly provide for the security of Kuwait and the other countries of the Gulf. It will be for the countries of the region to reach agreement on the necessary arrangements. We would not rule out the deployment of UN military observers or peacekeeping forces in the area if that were their wish.Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to achieve a complete withdrawal of United States and British forces from the Gulf region.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : It is our intention to withdraw British forces that have been involved in hostilities from the Gulf region as rapidly as possible.
We believe that it is for the countries of the region to take the lead in deciding future security arrangements.
The withdrawal of United States forces is a matter for the United States Government.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to extend military non-proliferation measures in the Gulf region.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Our immediate objective is to complete the restoration of international peace and security in the middle east. We shall be examining with our partners how best to limit the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Northern Somalia
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on trade links with northern Somalia.
Mr. Sainsbury : I have been asked to reply.
United Kingdom trade with Somalia is not classified by region. Figures on trade with Somalia can be obtained from "Overseas Trade Statistics Business Monitor MM20" tables II and V. A copy is available in the Library.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Social Fund
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of their social fund budgets have been spent by both Barnsley offices of his Department in (a) 1989-90 and (b) 1990-91.
Mr. Scott : Details of local office budget allocations and expenditure are available in the Library.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will show for (1) Leeds West and (2) Leeds metropolitan district council area the number of applicants for and awards of (a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans and (i) the amounts awarded, (ii) the percentage refused and (iii) the average award.
Mr. Scott [holding answer 4 March 1991] : Information on average awards and the percentage of refusals for the period April 1990 to January 1991 is given in the tables. Other information requested by the hon. Member is available in the Library.
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Average awards
|Budgeting |Community
|loans |care grants
|£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------
Leeds West |211.80 |373.64
Leeds Metropolitan |207.00 |315.60
Percentage refused
|Budgeting |Community |Crisis
loans |care grants|loans
|per cent. |per cent. |per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Leeds West |36.1 |64.9 |2.1
Leeds Metropolitan |34.7 |63.2 |4.1
Independent Living Fund
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what relationship and liaison will be established between the independent living fund and the benefits agency upon the inception of the latter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Discussions are now taking place between the director of the independent living fund and officers of the shadow benefits agency to draw up a service agreement. The aim is to reflect existing arrangements in the most sensible way without causing disruption either to the independent living fund or to the agency. The agreement will mainly cover personnel and administrative matters.
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications to the independent living fund have been submitted since 1 August 1990 (a) per calendar month and (b) in total.
Mr. Scott : The figures requested are :
Month
--------------------------
1990
August
September
October
November
December
1991
January
February
Total since 1 August 1990
Residential Care
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his latest estimate of the number of claimants in receipt of income support payments towards the cost of care in (a) voluntary care homes, (b) private residential homes, (c) private nursing homes and (d) private homes with joint registration from each of his local offices ;
(2) what is his latest estimate of the number of claimants in private homes with joint registration who receive income support payments towards the cost of (a) residential care and (b) nursing care.
Miss Widdecombe : This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on the continued payment of income support towards the cost of residential or nursing care to residents in homes which have been deregistered under the Registered Homes Act 1984 and where the management of the home concerned has been taken over by either (a) a local authority social services department or (b) a health authority.Miss Widdecombe : Residents of a home managed by a local authority social services department would be treated as accommodated under part III of the National Assistance Act 1948 and residents of a home managed by a health authority would be treated as hospital in-patients ; such people who were entitled to income support would receive the appropriate rates of benefit.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of claimants in receipt of income support payments towards the cost of care in (a) voluntary care homes, (b) private residential homes, (c) private nursing homes and (d) private homes with joint registration.
Miss Widdecombe : Numbers are available only for all residential care homes and nursing homes.
|Number
---------------------------------
Residential care |128,000
Nursing homes |71,000
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the full annual cost of income support payments to residents in (a) voluntary care homes, (b) private residential homes, (c) private nursing homes and (d) private homes with joint registration.
Miss Widdecombe : Costs are available only for all residential care homes and nursing homes.
|£ million
-----------------------------------------
Residential care |772
Nursing homes |618
Social Security Acts
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when it is his intention to introduce a Bill to consolidate the Social Security Acts 1975 to 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
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