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Advisory Committee on NHS Drugs
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names and main appointments of each of the members of each of the selected list catetgory sub-committees which have been advising the Advisory Committee on NHS Drugs ; and if she will make public the details of the advice which each of the selected list category asub-committees advising the Advisory Committee on NHS Drugs have offered to the committee.
Dr. Mawhinney : Sub-committee members are drawn from the membership of the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs whose names and main appointments have been announced. The main committee and its sub- committees are independent and we do not intend to publish their advice.
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Drugs (Calendar Packs)
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of how much money is lost to the NHS through doctors prescribing extra calendar packs of drugs, to make up for shortfalls because calendar packs are issued in 28 day units ; (2) what considerations underline the policy of supplying calendar packs of drugs produced for the NHS in 28 day units rather than 30 day units.
Dr. Mawhinney : Pharmaceutical companies are responsible for determining what size calendar packs of drugs they produce. These are usually in 28 or 30 day units. General practitioners prescribe the amount needed by their patients by indicating, for example, the number of days, weeks or months of treatment or the number of calendar packs they wish to be supplied. There is no information to suggest that money is lost to the national health service because doctors find it necessary to prescribe extra quantities of drugs which are produced in calendar packs of 28 day units.
German Measles
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of cases of German measles in (a) each complete year since 1980 and (b) in 1993 to date.
Mr. Sackville : The information is shown in the table.
Notifications of
Rubella<1> (German
measles) 1989-93
|Number
---------------------------
1989 |24,570
1990 |11,491
1991 |7,174
1992 |6,212
1993 |<2>4,977
<1> Rubella (German
measles) only became a
notifiable disease in
October 1988 and therefore
the first complete year
for which there are
statistics is 1989.
<2> Provisional figure for
1993, up to and including
7 May.
Wellhouse Trust
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total number of (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) laboratory technicians employed by the Wellhouse trust in each year since 1980 ; and what has been the total number of beds in the hospital of the trust in each such year.
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Tony Orton, the chairman of the Wellhouse Trust, for details.
Sight Impairment
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the North West regional health authority are registered blind ; and what is the total number of people with severe sight impairment.
Mr. Yeo : This information is not available centrally.
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Research and Development
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will set up a pilot multidisciplinary based centre for research and development ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : We have decided to establish a university based research and development centre in the field of primary health care. The increasing importance of this sector means that it is now opportune to develop a capacity to carry out long-term high quality research and development. The delivery of primary care is vital both to the health and well-being of the population and to the effective and efficient delivery of health care services and, increasingly, innovative forms of service delivery and new initiatives in care and treatment are emerging within this sector. Primary care leads the demand for a range of services and, at the present time, is especially significant in inner cities in general and in London in particular. In the coming years, primary care will continue to be a source of exciting developments for the health service.
The establishment of a dedicated long-term research centre will ensure that these developments are linked to research-based information, while taking into account likely changes in organisation and delivery of care. Both primary care and the programme of research will be defined broadly, to take into account not only the general medical service and general practice but also the flow of patients between primary and secondary care and the nature of the interface between the sectors.
The centre will be established by selective competitive tender from universities in England and Wales. This process will be led by Professor Michael Peckham, the director of research and development. A key consideration in selecting the successful bid will be the extent to which universities show that they can harnesss a significant contribution to this research field from other funders, including the private sector. Advertisements, and letters to universities inviting expressions of interest in tendering for the centre, will be published shortly.
Multiple Disabilities
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to place a duty on social services departments to draw up a specific policy for meeting the needs of young people and adults with multiple disabilities, under the responsibility of a named officer, and to include this within community care plans and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : Local authorities are already required to prepare plans for the provision of community care services in their area. We expect these plans to set out how the authority intends to meet the needs of the whole of its population, including disabled people. Plans must be published and available to the public.
Diethylstilboestrol
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what abnormalities, other than vaginal cancer, have been identified amongst daughters of women who were prescribed the drug diethylstilboestrol ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Daughters of women given diethylstilboestrol (DES) in pregnancy may have a small
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increased risk of developing minor benign lesions of the cervix, and of complications of pregnancy such as premature labour. Congenital abnormalities of the vagina and uteris, infertility and psychological problems have also been identified as possible complications of DES exposure.Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incidence of testicular cancer has been discovered among sons whose mothers were prescribed the drug diethylstilboestrol ; and if she will make a statement
Dr. Mawhinney : Accurate information is not available. An association with testicular cancer has been claimed but not conclusively proven. Recent research on this issue is currently being evaluated by the Department.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what attempts have been made by her Department to track down those women, together with their sons and daughters, who were prescribed the drug diethylstilboestrol.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Ms Nicholson) on 5 June 1990 at columns 589-90.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what continuing research into the long-term effects of the drug diethylstilboestrol is being carried out in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : We are not aware of any such research.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women she estimates to have been prescribed the drug
diethylstilboestrol in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : It has been estimated that around 7,500 women were prescribed diethylstilboestrol (DES) during pregnancy in the United Kingdom. A small number of post-menopausal women have received oral DES for the treatment of breast cancer, and in the form of a vaginal pessary for the treatment of post-menopausal vaginitis.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when and for what reason the decision was taken for the drug
diethylstilboestrol no longer to be made available for general prescription in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : Diethylstilboestrol (DES) may still be prescribed in the United Kingdom for certain restricted indications. DES is currently licensed for use in the management of prostatic cancer and breast cancer in post-menopausal women. A vaginal pessary containing DES is also licensed for use in the treatment of post-menopausal vaginitis due to oestrogen deficiency. DES is contra-indicated in pregnancy and pre-menopausal women.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence of vaginal cancers have emerged among those women who were prescribed diethylstilboestrol.
Dr. Mawhinney : There is no evidence to suggest that women prescribed diethylstilboestrol (DES) are more likely to develop vaginal cancers. An increased risk of clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina or cervix applies to the daughters of women prescribed DES during pregnancy.
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Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what brand names the drug diethylstilboestrol was marketed and made available in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mawhinney : Diethylstilboestrol has been marketed under the following brand names : Stilboestrol, Stilboestrol B.P., Tampovagan stilboestrol and lactic acid pessary, Honvan, Menopax, Sedestran, Merven and Pabestrol.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of research carried out in other countries about the long-term effects of the drug diethylstilboestrol on those women for whom it was prescribed and on their sons and daughters.
Dr. Mawhinney : The United Kingdom Licensing Authority and its advisory committees carefully monitor the safety of all licensed medicines, including diethylistilboestrol (DES). Information relating to the safety of DES is monitored and assessed as and when it becomes available.
The Licensing Authority liaises with other EC member states on this issue.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information her Department has received about planned or actual litigation against the manufacturers and suppliers of the drug diethylstilboestrol (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) overseas.
Prescriptions
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many items of prescription are dispensed each day (a) to those exempt from charges and (b) to those paying for prescriptions ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : In 1992, an average of 1.06 million prescribed items were dispensed each day by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, of which about 858,000 went to patients exempt from charges or entitled to charge remission and some 202,000 went to patients who paid charges or held prescription prepayment certificates.
Drugs
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date she received the research report from Durham university, prepared for her Department, on the prevalence of drug use among young people.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Department has not commissioned such research.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given to NHS trusts on how to handle requests from hon. Members for information.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 27 April at column 350.
Ms Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing the earnings of day
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nursery assistants under the age of 19 years, day nursery assistants over the age of 19 years and staff nursery nurses and special school nurses group A in real terms at January 1993 prices for each year since 1990-91 ; and if she will provide estimates for the years 1993-94 and 1994-95.Mr. Sackville : This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Prescriptions
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate savings to the Exchequer in a full year of ending exemptions for prescriptions for (a) pregnant women, (b) pensioners and (c) children ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : No firm figures are available. Any savings which might accrue from ending universal charge exemption from the groups cited by the hon. Member would be abated by the cost of income-related charge remission under the national health service low-income scheme, exemption on medical grounds, and by the take-up of prescription prepayment certificates.
Manchester and Trafford Electorates
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will state the total parliamentary electorates of, respectively, the City of Manchester and the borough of Trafford.
Mr. Sackville : There are 311,274 and 168,132 parliamentary electors on the registers, which came into use on 16 February 1993, for the City of Manchester and the borough of Trafford respectively.
DEFENCE
Nuclear Safety Audits
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the results of the most recent nuclear safety audits carried out at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards ; what accreditations were given as a result of these safety audits ; and what were the changes in these accreditations relative to previous nuclear safety audits carried out at the two dockyards.
Mr. Aitken : The most recent nuclear and radiation safety audits of the royal dockyards confirm the continuing improvement in safety standards and awareness, already very high, throughout the naval nuclear propulsion programme.
Nuclear Submarine Refits
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government have spent to date in assisting the preparation by contractors at (a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport dockyards of proposals for the new nuclear submarine refitting facility in respect of (i) the upgrade of existing docks and (ii) the development of new build facilities.
Mr. Aitken : Individual payments to contractors are commercially confidential and therefore cannot be publicly disclosed.
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Armaments and Explosives (Shipping)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which ports are used by his Department for shipping abroad armaments and explosives.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : For routine movements the Department uses the ports or Marchwood military port, Ridham, Liverpool, Felixstowe, Poole, Hull and Colchester. During the Gulf crisis, the ports of Southampton, RNAD Crombie, Cliffe Jetty (River Thames) and Newport were also used. Cliffe Jetty and Newport are routinely used for movement of United States forces equipment, the arrangements for which are made by my Department.
Options for Change"
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those significant buildings which have become or are likely to become redundant as a consequence of the "Options for Change" programme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Defence Exhibition, Abu Dhabi
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representatives of the United Kingdom Government and of what rank, civil or military, attended the 1993 international defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi ; and at what cost.
Mr. Aitken : Some 24 civilian and uniformed members of my Department attended some part of this important exhibition, including the Head of Defence Exports Services and myself. Officers and men from HMS Nottingham also participated. Details of the extra costs of all those attending are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Maritime Defence Exhibition, Brighton
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representatives of the United Kingdom Government and of what rank, civil or military, attended the 1993 international maritime defence exhibition and conference in Brighton ; and at what cost.
Mr. Aitken : This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. A. R. Chisholm to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 25 May 1993.
In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying to your question about the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference. The event which took place at Brighton between 31 March and 2 April was organised by a private company, Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd. and sponsored by the Defence Research Agency. It was intended for those with a close professional interest in current and future maritime operations and procurement related issues and attracted around 2,500 visitors from 47 countries.
Some 350 Ministry of Defence representatives, civil and military, attended the exhibition and conference, the majority coming from those staffs concerned with maritime operations sea systems procurement and defence sales. There was no
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charge for attending the exhibition but a fee of £295 was levied for attending the conference. Of the 350 MOD visitors, some 50 attended the conference although half of these were either VIP guests or speakers and consequently were not required to pay the fee. A breakdown of paying visitors by grade is set out below :Grades/Ranks |Numbers --------------------------------------- 3 |1 5 |2 6 |3 7 |7 "S" |3 "H" |3 PTO |2 Capt RN |1 Cdr RN |2 There were also about 150 fee paying delegates from industry attending the conference. I hope you will find this helpful.
Aerospace Equipment
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 May, Official Report, column 523, to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on the defence industrial base, what discussions he has held about the planned merger of the missile divisions of British Aerospace and Matra-Hachette.
Mr. Aitken : Representatives of British Aerospace have informed me and my officials about their discussions with Matra-Hachette on a proposed joint venture between the two companies' missile businesses.
Helicopter Landing Platform
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the evaluation of the tender from VSEL for the LPH included a comparison of the overhead rates for the LPH contract and those for the Trident submarine contracts.
Mr. Aitken : Both LPH bids were assessed against our normal criteria for competitive contracts.
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the engines specified by VSEL in their tender for the LPH satisfy the captive shock requirements ;
(2) what assurances he has received that the LPH constructed according to the successful tender will satisfy the requirements for a Panama canal certificate.
Mr. Aitken : VSEL has contracted to meet all our requirements.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his statement of 20 April, Official Report, column 165, if he has decided whether to withdraw 4 Armoured Field Ambulance from Croatia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Four armoured field ambulance will be withdrawn from UNPROFOR in Croatia on 6 June, and will be replaced by 5 Field Ambulance, which will deploy with UNPROFOR for three months.
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Defence Animal Centre
Mr. Duncan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about defence agency status for the Defence Animal Centre.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Defence Animal Centre (DAC) will be launched as a defence agency on 1 June 1993. The DAC is located at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire and employs 195 service personnel and 43 civilians. Part of the joint service dog training wing is at RAF Newton and this is also included within the boundaries of the agency, as is the subsidiary site at Syerston. The full cost budget for the DAC for 1992-93 is around £10 million.
The role of the DAC is to procure, train and issue dogs and horses, to train personnel in their handling and care, and to provide supporting veterinary services. The high professional standards of the DAC will be maintained and agency status will provide the chief executive with new opportunities to improve the efficiency and value for money of his organisation. Colonel Paul Jepson has been appointed as the agency's chief executive. The corporate strategy of the DAC will be pursued in the context of the following first year key targets :
1. Trained output
Agreed numbers to be trained :
|Percentage
--------------------------------------
Dogs |39
Horses |10
Dog handlers |5
Equine managers |10
2. Success rate
To achieve trained output within in-training wastage rates of :
|Percentage
--------------------------------------
Dogs |39
Horses |10
Dog handlers |5
Equine managers |10
3. Cost
To achieve programmed output within budget.
4. Efficiency
To produce agreed costs proposals, by 1 April 1994, to reduce the cost per animal/handler through improved efficiency in the management and training of animals and personnel, and by collocation and rationalisation of resources.
5. Management systems
To install a financial accounting and management information system package to enable operation of a full cost accruals accounting system by 1 April 1994.
6. Market testing
To evaluate the impact in value-for-money terms of market testing all agency functions which do not have a direct war role ; to identify in order of priority agency functions to be market tested in a programme which will begin by 1 April 1994.
7. Customer satisfaction
To conduct a customer satisfaction survey of quality and, by 1 April 1994, set targets for improvement.
I have placed a copy of the framework document in the Library of the House.
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