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Public Interest Immunity Certificates
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public interest immunity certificates his Department has issued in each year since 1986. [36689]
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 19 July, column 1286 .
Deaths
Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly, over 65 years of age, people died last year in their homes in (a) Lancashire and (b) each other county in England. [36453]
Mr. Sackville: The information is shown in the table.
Deaths at home for over 65s in 1994 for each
county in England
|65 and over
-----------------------------------------------
Greater London |9,785
Greater Manchester |4,449
Merseyside |2,564
South Yorkshire |2,309
Tyne and Wear |2,270
West Midlands |4,705
West Yorkshire |3,343
Avon |1,786
Bedfordshire |674
Berkshire |971
Buckinghamshire |957
Cambridgeshire |1,282
Cheshire |1,587
Cleveland |1,082
Cornwall |1,186
Cumbria |1,108
Derbyshire |1,825
Devon |2,268
Dorset |1,531
Durham |1,273
East Sussex |1,703
Essex |2,988
Gloucestershire |1,125
Hampshire |2,720
Hereford and Worcester |1,407
Herefordshire |1,454
Humberside |1,562
Isle of Wight |329
Kent |2,816
Lancashire |2,715
Leicestershire |1,523
Lincolnshire |1,173
Norfolk |1,674
Northamptonshire |834
Northumberland |644
North Yorkshire |1,361
Nottinghamshire |1,472
Oxfordshire |948
Shropshire |805
Somerset |979
Staffordshire |1,919
Suffolk |1,375
Surrey |1,605
Warwickshire |932
West Sussex |1,315
Wiltshire |992
Total |85,325
Children Act 1989
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will remove public schools from the provisions of the Children Act 1989. [36556]
Mr. Bowis: The Children Act covers the welfare of children in England and Wales wherever they are. There are no plans to amend its provisions to exclude the welfare of children in independent boarding schools.
Chlamydia
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has concerning the
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incidence of chlamydia; and what measures his Department is taking to combat the spread of infection among the population with particular reference to women. [36952]Mr. Sackville: Information about chlamydia is published in the statistical bulletin entitled "Sexually Transmitted Diseases, England 1994", copies of which are available in the Library. The Health Education Authority and other organisations issue materials on sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, to help people understand what bacterial and viral infections exist and how they should be treated. People who think they may have been at risk can make use of the network of open-access genito-urinary medicine clinics which offer confidential advice and treatment. In addition, the Department plans to set up, in parallel with on -going research, an expert group to consider the practical implications that might arise if any screening programme for chlamydia was to be introduced for different population groups and in different settings.
Mental Health Services
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the real increases and real reductions in spending on mental health services for (a) hospital, (b) community services and (c) health authorities, for each year since 1979, taking 1979 as the base line. [36898]
Mr. Bowis: The information is shown in the table.
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Expenditure on mental health services 1978-79 to 1992-93<1>
|Percentage |Percentage |Percentage
|Hospital |change year |Community |change year |Health authority |change year
|expenditure |on year |expenditure<2> <3>|on year<3> |expenditure |on year
Year |£ million |£ million |£ million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 |489.8 |- |20.7 |- |489.8 |-
1979-80 |507.9 |3.7 |- |- |507.9 |3.7
1980-81 |560.9 |10.4 |- |- |560.9 |10.4
1981-82 |567.9 |1.2 |- |- |567.9 |1.2
1982-83 |564.6 |-0.6 |- |- |564.6 |-0.6
1983-84 |568.5 |0.7 |- |- |568.5 |0.6
1984-85 |577.0 |1.5 |- |- |577.0 |1.5
1985-86 |572.9 |-0.7 |- |- |572.9 |-0.7
1986-87 |593.2 |3.5 |28.6 |- |593.2 |3.5
1987-88 |638.2 |7.6 |29.3 |2.4 |638.2 |7.6
1988-89 |659.8 |3.4 |87.3 |- |715.1 |<3>-
1989-90 |647.5 |-1.9 |103.8 |18.9 |713.6 |-0.2
1990-91 |636.4 |-1.7 |113.9 |9.7 |709.6 |-0.6
1991-92 |739.9 |<4>- |140.4 |<4>- |817.7 |<4>-
1992-93 |754.0 |1.9 |165.9 |18.2 |845.0 |3.3
<1> All figures are expressed at 1978-79 prices. The mental health expenditure is made up of the following:
(a) Hospital: in-patient and out-patient expenditure-the consultant specialities of mental health, child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry,
psychotherapy and old age psychiatry; day patient expenditure-in the categories mental health (alcoholism, drug abuse, psychogeriatrics and general),
child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.
(b) Community: community mental health nursing expenditure and local authority personal social services for people with mental health problems.
(c) Health authority: hospital expenditure and community mental health nursing expenditure.
<2> Local authority personal social services data are not available for the years 1979-80 to 1985-86.
<3> Figures for 1978-79, 1986-87 and 1987-88 are local authority personal social services expenditure only. The percentage change figure for 1987-88 on
1986-87 reflects this. Community mental health nursing expenditure was not collected separately in years before 1988-89. It was included with other
community expenditure.
<4> Figures for 1991-92 cannot be compared with those for 1990-91 for the following reasons:
(a) The introduction of the NHS reforms in 1991-92 and changes to accountancy practices; and
(b) The revision of the local authority personal social services expenditure return meaning that information on client group spend was provided
directly by local authorities rather than being apportioned by the Department of Health.
Note:
1. Increases in local authority personal social services expenditure data in 1992-93 are, in part, due to refinement of the basis for Department of
Health apportionment.
NHS (Private Patients)
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of the recent decision by BUPA to withdraw automatic cover for intensive care treatment for patients who undergo routine surgery. [36623]
Mr. Sackville: This will depend on factors which are not predictable, including future patients' individual circumstances and unexpected complications during treatment. People who have a right to national health service treatment retain their right whether or not they are receiving, or have received, private treatment.
Private Finance Initiative
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the projected capital spending within the NHS for (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1996 97; and how much of that total he estimates will be funded through the private finance initiative; [36787]
(2) what is the projected capital spending on family and community health services within the NHS for (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1996 97; and what proportion will be funded through the private finance initiative. [36789]
Mr. Sackville: Gross capital spending within the National Health Service for 1995 96 is estimated to be £2,028 million. The Government's spending plans for 1996 97 will be announced in the Budget.
Spending on family health services and on community health services is not separately identified.
These figures are additional to capital arising from the private finance initiative. At present, capital projects with a total value of approximately £1 billion are being tested for private finance.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the rights of individual members of the public to make complaints to any of the appropriate ombudsmen about services or projects funded through the private finance initiative in his Department. [36831]
Mr. Sackville: The rights of complaint of members of the public about NHS services are unaffected by the private finance initiative.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many capital expenditure bids have been exempted from normal private finance initiative rules. [36981]
Mr. Sackville: The potential for private finance is always thoroughly investigated before public funding is made available. This rule applies to all capital investment projects submitted for approval since the issue of the capital investment manual to the national health service in June 1994.
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he proposes to offer to trusts negotiating contracts under the private finance initiative in relation to foreclosure in the event of default on obligations. [36796.]
Mr. Sackville: Guidance on the general principles to be applied in contracting with construction companies is
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set out in the National Health Service Estates publication "Contracts and Commissions for the NHS Estate", issued to all NHS trusts. Trusts, in consultation with the NHS executive headquarters, are responsible for ensuring that contracts with the private sector cover the eventuality of default by the private sector partner. Trusts are therefore urged to take legal advice at all stages of negotiating such contracts.NHS Clinical Contracts
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value of NHS clinical contracts placed with independent sector providers by district and region for (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94 and (c) 1994 95; and what proportion this represented of the total NHS budget for each of those years. [36793]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Infant Formula Advertising
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ban the advertising of formula milk products in hospitals and clinics. [36805]
Mr. Sackville: The advertising and promotion of baby milks are restricted by the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations which came into force on 1 March 1995.
Private Companies (Advice)
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private companies that have advised his Department during the past five years. [36991]
Mr. Sackville: No central record is kept and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Acute Beds
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department classifies as an acceptable level of occupancy for acute beds in respect of (a) the district general hospitals and (b) teaching hospitals. [36791]
Mr. Sackville: The Department of Health has not attempted to set-a definitive level for bed occupancy rates. Optimum levels are dependent on an examination of local factors and are not therefore suitable or capable of being the subject of central advice.
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's target remains to reduce the number of acute beds, by 40 per cent. by 2005 in England and Wales. [36790]
Mr. Sackville: There is no national target for reducing acute beds in England. The number of acute beds needed has to be decided at local level, based on contracted work loads and taking account of local circumstances, such the local rate for emergency admissions, the level of day case treatments and the availability of alternative services, such as hospital at home schemes.
Responsibility for hospital services in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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Breastfeeding
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount spent by his Department on the promotion of breastfeeding for each year since 1991; and what is the projected budget for (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1996 97. [36801]
Mr. Sackville: The expenditure by the Department on publicity materials to promote breastfeeding is as follows:
Financial year |£ ------------------------------------------------------------ 1991-92 |Nil 1992-93 |30,000 1993-94 |28,000 1994-95 |58,000 1995-96 |51,000 (estimated) 1996-97 | not yet determined
Total expenditure, through section 64 grant aid programme, to voluntary bodies concerned with the promotion and support of breastfeeding, is as follows:
1991 92: 66,000
1992 93: 58,000
1993 94: 70,000
1994 95: 55,500
1995 96: 57,000 (provisional)
1996 97: not yet determined
In addition, we have contributed £38,000--paid over the financial years 1994 95 and 1995 96--of the £50,600 funding from the United Kingdom Health Departments towards the costs of the "Invest in Breast" training programme introduced jointly by the Royal College of Midwives and the Health Visitors Association which was launched last May.
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the potential savings to the NHS of encouraging more mothers to breastfeed their babies in the last
five years
Mr. Sackville: Publicly funded research studies have shown that there are substantial health benefits for babies who are breastfed rather than bottle fed.
The Department's "Breastfeeding: good practice guidance to the NHS" provides an estimate, based on the research findings on the benefits of breastfeeding and of the potential savings to the national health service that could be achieved from increased breastfeeding. The guidance was issued in May and copies are available in the Library.
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make training on breastfeeding mandatory for general practitioners and other health service professionals. [36804]
Mr. Sackville: The body responsible for general practice vocational training--the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice --expects general practitioners to be skilled in recognising and making appropriate decisions about all health problems presented by their patients. The specific curricular arrangements to achieve these attributes are the responsibility of regional postgraduate organisations.
The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting is responsible for approving--to standards set by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting--institutions to provide courses for these three professions. Midwifery and health visiting courses include breastfeeding.
Hospital waiting Lists
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the waiting times for in-patient admission and day surgery by (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months and (d) 12 months by region. [36798]
Mr. Malone: Information in the form requested is not available. The numbers of patients waiting, by regions, for in-patient and day case treatment as at 31 March 1995 are shown in the table.
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Numbers of patients on waiting lists on 31 March 1995 who had been waiting for:
Region 0-2 months 3-5 months 6-8 months 9-11 months
|In-patients|Day cases |In-patients|Day cases |In-patients|Day cases |In-patients|Day cases
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern and Yorkshire |36,356 |37,550 |20,677 |14,110 |12,879 |7,028 |7,969 |3,265
|(45.8%) |(60.3%) |(26.1%) |(22.7%) |(16.2%) |(11.3%) |(10.0%) |(5.2%)
Trent |26,908 |23,728 |14,086 |8,192 |8,538 |3,737 |4,614 |1,674
|(48.5%) |(63.3%) |(25.4%) |(21.9%) |(15.4%) |(10.0%) |(8.3%) |(4.5%)
Anglia and Oxford |29,759 |24,662 |16,414 |9,517 |9,797 |4,461 |5,742 |2,263
|(46.7%) |(59.2%) |(25.7%) |(22.8%) |(15.4%) |(10.7%) |(9.0%) |(5.4%)
North Thames |40,708 |39,115 |22,467 |16,148 |15,817 |9,020 |11,673 |5,935
|(40.5%) |(51.8%) |(22.4%) |(21.4%) |(15.7%) |(11.9%) |(11.6%) |(7.9%)
South Thames |35,628 |39,348 |19,694 |15,369 |13,181 |8,685 |8,791 |5,065
|(42.2%) |(54.4%) |(23.3%) |(21.2%) |(15.6%) |(12.0%) |(10.4%) |(7.0%)
South and West |37,479 |34,739 |19,207 |12,057 |8,362 |4,489 |2,105 |1,043
|(55.8%) |(66.4%) |(28.6%) |(23.0%) |(12.4%) |(8.6%) |(3.1%) |(2.0%)
West Midlands |25,861 |27,933 |14,265 |11,340 |6,877 |4,834 |128 |24
|(54.8%) |(63.3%) |(30.2%) |(25.7%) |(14.6%) |(11.0%) |(0.3%) |(0.1%)
North West |42,891 |48,113 |21,309 |15,679 |12,822 |7,674 |6,692 |3,640
|(51.2%) |(64.1%) |(25.5%) |(20.9%) |(15.3%) |(10.2%) |(8.0%) |(4.8%)
Note:
Figures in brackets represent proportion of all in-patient or day case patients waiting on 31 March 1995 at each region.
Source:
Provider based Korner returns.
GP Surgeries
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many administrative and clerical staff have been employed in general practitioners' surgeries by region, including London, since 1990 91; [36989]
(2) what has been the total of practice managers located in general practitioners' surgeries employed by GP fundholders or
non-fundholders by region, including London, since 1990 91. [36988]
Mr. Malone: Information on the type and number of general practitioner practice staff is contained in the publication "GMS Basic Statistics--England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library. The fundholding status of GPs is not separately identified.
Baby Friendly Initiative
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many hospitals have been awarded UNICEF/WHO baby friendly awards; [36807] (2) what support his Department intends to give to hospitals working towards baby friendly status; and if he will make baby friendly status a mandatory requirement for NHS trusts. [36803]
Mr. Sackville: Two hospitals in England have been awarded the WHO/UNICEF/UK baby friendly initiative status which indicates an international standard in the promotion of breastfeeding. Others are working towards this.
The Department's "Breastfeeding Good Practice Guidance to the NHS" was issued to the national health service, including trusts, in May this year. It was prepared in consultation with the national breastfeeding working group on which the UNICEF/UK baby friendly initiative were represented. The guidance gives some prominence to the baby friendly initiative "10 steps to successful breastfeeding" and asks purchasers to incorporate its principles within their purchasing plans. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
Consultants
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) management, (b) medical and (c) other consultants employed by his Department during the past five years. [36993]
Mr. Sackville: No central record is kept and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Medicines Act 1968
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cases in which information has been withheld by his Department under section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968. [36757]
Mr. Sackville: Except where disclosure would be in performance of duties placed upon holders of information, including public safety, the Medicines Act 1968 protects information obtained, furnished or gathered as a
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requirement of the Act. This would include trade secrets and manufacturing processes.Fluoridation
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that water companies comply with requests from local health authorities for water fluoridation other than when technical considerations prevent them from doing. [36817]
Mr. Malone: Fluoridation of water supplies is a matter for local decision. Local health authorities have no power to compel water suppliers to fluoridate.
NHS Pension Scheme
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if men and women in the NHS pension scheme have contributed the same percentage contributions since 1972; [36800]
(2) what representations he has received regarding discrimination against women doctors in the NHS pension scheme in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [36799]
Mr. Malone: The contribution level of both men and women in the national health service pension scheme has been at 5 per cent. of pensionable earnings for manual workers, 6 per cent. of pensionable earnings for other staff, since 1972. Widower benefits were introduced into the scheme at no extra cost in April 1988. A voluntary purchase scheme was available until June 1989 to enable those members who wished to have additional widowers benefits cover to buy past service, costs being shared by NHS employers. On 6 April the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville), met representatives of the British Medical Association seeking retrospective improvements of widowers benefits. Since 1 July 1994, 29 right hon. and hon. Members have written on the same subject.
Outsourcing Contracts
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outsourcing contracts were granted by his Department or agencies in each year since 1990, indicating the nature and value of each contract; and if any additional work was added and of what value to (a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti, (b) AT and T Istel, (c) EDS, (d) Sema Group, (e) Datasolve, (f) ITN Net, (g) Andersen Consulting, (h) Centre Files, (i) Centre Files, (j) Telecom Capita, (k) ICL, (l) Digital equipment, (m) CFM, (n) Siemens, (o) Nixdorf, (p) CMG and (q) Logica. [36955]
Mr. Sackville: No central record is kept and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
GP Premises
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected capital spending by region on GP premises for (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1996 97. [36788]
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Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 25 January, column 259 .
Formula Milk
Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to limit the use of formula milk products by the NHS. [36806]
Mr. Sackville: While recognising and promoting breast feeding as the best start to life for infants the Government recognise some women will choose not to, or will not be able to, breastfeed. The use of formula milk products will reflect the choice mothers make about how to feed their babies.
Wellhouse Trust
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the Wellhouse Trust will be exempted from the private finance initiative rules in raising funds for the new Barnet hospital project; [36980] (2) what factors underlay his decision regarding capital expenditure by the Wellhouse Trust; and if he will make a statement. [36982]
Mr. Sackville: No. The trust is pursuing private finance initiative procedures for phase 1b of the redevelopment of Barnet general hospital. Phase 1a is under construction at a cost of £29 million. The new hospital will help to ensure local people have access to comprehensive and high quality acute services.
Private Contracts
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private companies that have been awarded contracts by his Department during the past five years. [36992]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Senior Registrars and Registrars
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received relating to his proposal to remove the contract of small registrars and small senior registrars from the regional health authority to national health service trusts. [36742]
Mr. Malone: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received letters from representatives of senior and junior doctors about our plans for junior doctors' contracts. He met with them on 13 July and emphasised Ministers' commitment to ensuring that the high standards of medical education and training are maintained. A package of safeguards has been developed that will protect the continuity and high quality of training programmes. Guidance to the service is now being worked up in conjunction with the medical profession.
GP Paperwork
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amount of time GPs devote to paperwork on
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average, by fundholder and non-fundholder, (a) now and (b) for whichever dates information is conveniently available in each of the last five years. [36990]Mr. Malone: The information is not available.
Personal Social Services Standard Spending Assessments
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the social services standard spending assessment in each English and Welsh county for the current financial year. [36714]
Mr. Bowis: Personal social services standard spending assessments for 1995 96 for English county councils are set out in the standard spending assessment handbook 1995 96, copies of which are available in the Library.
Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Variations in Health
Ms. Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the sub- group of the chief medical officer's health of the nation working group, variations in health is due to report; and when the report will be published. [36792]
Mr. Sackville: The variations sub-group of the chief medical officer's health of the nation working group has now reported. Its report will be published shortly.
Health Advisory Council
Ms. Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the reinstatement of the Health Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement. [36808]
Mr. Sackville: I am not aware of a body of that name.
Community Care
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of total national spending the Department of Social Security was spending in each English and Welsh county in the financial year prior to transfer of responsibility for care in the community to local authorities; and what proportion of funds allocated by his Department for care in the community are distributed in each English and Welsh county. [36713]
Mr. Bowis: I assume the hon. Gentleman is referring to community care and not the mental health care in the community. The Department of Social Security figures for 1992 93 relate to the amount paid in income support to residents of the independent sector residential homes. All other community care, residential, domiciliary and day services, were provided by social services departments. The information for England will be placed in the Library. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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