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Parliamentary Questions
Mrs. Angela Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of answering questions from the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) since November 1994. [24214]
Mr. Sackville: Between November 1994 and 11 May 1995, the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) has tabled 501 parliamentary questions. The cost of producing the replies cannot be separately identified. However, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993, at column 391, which stated that the average cost of preparing an answer to a written parliamentary question was £97.
Acute Services, Southport and Ormskirk
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she plans to meet the chairmen of the South Lancashire health authority and the Ormskirk hospital trust to discuss the health service review in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire; [23973] (2) what assessment she has made as to whether the health service review in Southport, Formby and West
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Lancashire, conducted by Sir Duncan Nichol, has been objective; [23972](3) when she plans to meet the chairman of the North West regional health authority to discuss the health service review in Southport and Formby and West Lancashire; [23971]
(4) what steps she will take to ensure that the Ormskirk hospital is not closed down by the health service review in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire; [24444]
(5) what considerations led the health service review in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire to come to its decision; and what weight was given to the evidence (a) in support and (b) against the decision making; [24442]
(6) for what reasons the health service review in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire's conclusions are based on current service and not on the proposed service. [24443]
Mr. Malone: The Sefton and South Lancashire health authorities commissioned a review of health services in the Southport and Ormskirk areas. When the health authorities concerned have considered the report and Sir Duncan Nichol's observations on it, their proposals will be the subject of public consultation. As these proposals may be referred eventually to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for decision, it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment at this stage.
Public Bodies
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which non- departmental public bodies within the responsibility of her Department are subject to scrutiny by (a) ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers; which are covered by citizens charters; in which performance indicators apply; and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23962]
Mr. Sackville: The following non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health are:
Subject to scrutiny by the Ombudsmen:
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental
Education.
Public Health Laboratory Service Board.
Subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office:
Public Health Laboratory Service Board.
National Biological Standards Board.
National Radiological Protection Board.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental
Education.
Subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission:
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
Subject to scrutiny by other monitoring officers
The Department of Health's internal auditors have access to all the non- departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health (as listed in Public Bodies, 1994).
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The following non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health are covered by citizens charters:Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental
Education.
Performance indicators apply in the following non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health:
Public Health Laboratory Service Board.
National Biological Standards Board.
National Radiological Protection Board.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
None of the members of non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health are subject to surcharge.
Child Care
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library a copy of her report to the European Commission on child care services and facilities; [23725] (2) if her report for the European Commission on child care services and facilities will have separately identifiable sections on Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions of England. [23727]
Mr. Bowis: At the end of March 1995, the European Commission asked member states to complete a questionnaire on the European Council's recommendation on child care, 92/241/EEC. This requests a response from the United Kingdom as a whole rather than from its constituent parts. This is currently being considered within relevant departments.
Cross Infection (Prevention)
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the guidelines to hospitals to ensure prevention of cross infection; what steps exist to ensure other hospitals are made aware of problems that may arise; and if she will make a statement. [23949]
Mr. Sackville: The Department of Health recognised the need for revised advice on the control of infection in hospitals and issued guidance prepared by a joint Department of Health and Public Health Laboratory Service working group, under cover of HSG(95)10, copies of which are available in the Library. The guidance includes advice on communications with other relevant hospitals.
London Ambulance Service
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will state, subsequent to the demise of the South Thames regional health authority, which body or person other than the national health service executive or herself is responsible for the policy of the London ambulance service. [23870]
Mr. Sackville: This will depend on the outcome on any application for trust status for the London ambulance service.
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Burnley General Hospital Ophthalmology Department
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will call for a report on the recent incident in Burnley General hospital ophthalmology department in which three people lost an eye; and if she will make a statement. [23948]
Mr. Sackville: We are satisfied that Burnley Health Care National Health Service trust took all the necessary measures to deal with this regrettable incident promptly and effectively. An investigation by the Medical Devices Agency is currently taking place.
Research Work Force Capacity
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress her Department is making with its initiative on research work force capacity; when it plans to publish reports of the work it has commissioned; and if she will place copies of relevant reports in the Library when they are completed. [24140]
Mr. Malone: The Department of Health, through the research and development division, has commissioned a number of small-scale projects to provide a systematic description to current problems in ensuring that there is an appropriate research work force to take forward R and D initiatives in the field of health and social care. The information collected is now being used to inform the preparation of a co-ordinated strategy on research work force capacity. The reports of these complementary projects were produced as working documents for discussion at a workshop with the researchers involved. Following the workshop, further work drawing on the reports and the subsequent discussion was undertaken on one particular study. This report by SCPR--social and community policy research--is now being prepared for publication and will be available shortly. A copy will be placed in the Library.
Edgware and Barnet Hospitals
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the joint transport working party dealing with transport links between Edgware and Barnet hospitals first met. [24475]
Mr. Sackville: A meeting of officials from the Departments of Health and Transport is being arranged.
GPs (Out-of-hours Work)
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from what source the proposed offer to GPs for out-of-hours work will be funded. [24141]
Mr. Malone: Our proposals will be funded from moneys voted by Parliament.
Research
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the research programmes funded by her Department which were in progress on 1 January, with (a) the title of the programme, (b) the location of the research team, (c) the name of the director, (d) the start and end dates of the contract for the programme, (e) the actual or planned amount of funding each year and (f) whether the question of renewal of the contract is being
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or has been considered and, if so, the outcome of any decision made or whether negotiations are still underway. [24143]Mr. Malone: The Department of Health has arrangements with 13 universities for long-term research programmes: these are listed in annexe C of the report "Centrally Commissioned Research Programme", copies of which are available in the Library.
Peer review by site visit to all units was completed last year. The outcome of all the visits was favourable and directors have been informed that departmental funding will continue for a further five years after the expiry of their current contracts.
In addition to its long-term funding, the Department currently has in the region of 230 contracts for individual research projects.
Annual Reports
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct (a) the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, (b) the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment and (c) the Clinical Standards Advisory Group to lay an annual report before Parliament. [24177]
Mr. Sackville: There are no plans to introduce legislation to make any of these statutory bodies lay an annual report before Parliament.
The recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are subject to ministerial acceptance and are published biennially in the memorandum, "Immunisation against infectious disease". The memorandum is published by HMSO and provided to all doctors throughout the United Kingdom; copies are placed in the Library. Advice produced by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment is always made available to the public and is available in the Library. The results of studies undertaken by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group are published by HMSO and are available in the Library.
Hospital Building Costs
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth what are the estimated costs of building a new maternity unit at (a) Ormskirk hospital and (b) Southport hospital. [24445]
Mr. Sackville: The cost will depend on proposals for the future pattern of services, as determined by the health service review in South Lancashire and Sefton, which will be the subject of full public consultation.
NHS Failures
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from Sir Donald Acheson calling for a royal commission to investigate failures in the NHS; and if she will make a statement. [24220]
Waiting Times
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to set a maximum time that a patient should wait on a trolley. [24142]
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Mr. Sackville: The patients charter for England sets a new national standard for patients waiting to be admitted to a hospital bed from an accident and emergency department. From 1 April 1995, once a doctor has decided that a patient should be admitted, the patient can expect to be given a bed as soon as possible and certainly within three to four hours. The standard will be improved to two hours from April 1996.
Hospital Closures
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time it has taken in the last year for her to make a decision on the closure of a hospital after the final plans and proposals have been submitted by the regional health authority. [19801]
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 21 April 1995]: Decisions on closure of a hospital have been referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on three occasions in the last year. Plans in Sunderland for the closure of Havelock hospital, the royal infirmary and the Ryhope general hospital and for the transfer of their services to the Sunderland district general hospital and the Sunderland eye infirmary were received from the Northern regional health authority on 15 December 1994 and the decision was announced on 22 February 1995. Plans to close the Brook hospital, change the use of the Greenwich district hospital and develop new services at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital were submitted by South Thames regional health authority on 16 March 1995 and announced on 4 April. Plans to bring together the general and specialist services managed by the Royal Hospitals National Health Service trust on the Royal London Whitechapel site and to close over time the London chest hospital and most of the St. Bartholomew's hospital site were submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 March and the decision was announced on 4 April.
WALES
Telephones
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what representations his Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones; [23474]
(2) what costs his Department has incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being utilised by his Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls. [23483]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 9 May 1995]: None.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of Sate for Wales what steps his Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being utilised by his Department; and if his Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies. [23460]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 9 May 1995]: We are considering the possibility of making greater use of digital phones which are not susceptible to cloning and are discussing this issue with official agencies.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many mobile telephones being utilised by
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his Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23433]Mr. Redwood [holding answer 9 May 1995]: One.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what use his Department makes of hand-held car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23443]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Mobile phones are issued to Ministers and key personnel for urgent business communications. For safety reasons mobile phones are also available to travelling officers.
Total costs for the last three financial years are:
1992 93: £22,289.98
1993 94: £50,353.32
1994 95: £48,664.90
One hundred and forty-eight mobile phones are currently in use.
Surplus Accommodation
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh Office accommodation which is surplus to its needs, identifying for rented properties the remaining length of the lease and the annual rental for each. [23724]
Mr. Redwood: Welsh Office accommodation is part of the common user estate, which is the responsibility of Property Holdings. There may be spare space available within individual buildings but the Welsh Office has no accommodation surplus to its needs. It is my policy to concentrate all of the central Welsh Office staff in Cathays Park. As this happens, other accommodation will be disposed of.
Child Care
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the information relevant to Wales prepared for the European Commission on child care services and facilities in the United Kingdom. [23726]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health.
Public Bodies
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which non- departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by (a) ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers; which are covered by citizens charters; in which performance indicators apply; and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23954]
Mr. Redwood: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Dr. Wright) on 25 April, Official Report , column 514 . None of the members of these bodies is liable to surcharge.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all other non-departmental public bodies set up with effect from the same time as the Countryside Council for Wales; and if he will list which of themhave had financial management and policy reviews (a) commenced and (b) completed. [24386]
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Mr. Redwood: No other executive non-departmental public bodies were established at the same time as the Countryside Council for Wales.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions action plans relating to non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have been published during the course of a bank holiday weekend; and if he will list those NDPBs involved and the dates concerned during the past four years. [24382]
Mr. Redwood: The action plan for the Countryside Council for Wales was published on Saturday 6 May 1995. Action plans are published at the earliest possible opportunity. No other publication date within the past four years has coincided with a public bank holiday.
Countryside Council for Wales
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the grade of the civil servant who carried out financial management and policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales and the department or section to which he is attached, when not carrying out FMPRs. [24383]
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