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Travel Immunisation
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposed privatisation of the travel immunisation service. [24183]
Mr. Horam: There is no proposal to privatise travel immunisation.
The Department is reviewing the arrangements for travel vaccines. Inconsistencies and ambiguities have arisen over the years and we are seeking to resolve any anomalies which may exist at present.
Contraceptive Advice (Minors)
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance (a) he has issued and (b) he plans to issue to general practitioners concerning information which can be given about patients who are minors to health clinics from whom such patients seek advice on contraception; what are the established procedures for the supply of such information; and if he will review their adequacy. [24364]
Mr. Horam: In March 1986, HC(86)1 was issued to health authorities giving guidance on the provision of contraceptive advice and treatment to young people under 16, exceptionally without their parents' knowledge or consent. It sets out the criteria on which a doctor or health professional must be satisfied before prescribing contraception. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
There are no plans to revise this guidance.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 March, Official Report, column 189, how many people have been removed from waiting lists by district in each region in each quarter since 1992. [24379]
Mr. Horam: Reliable information on removals by district is not available centrally.
Spongiform Encephalopathy Research
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the levels of expenditure in 1996 prices on Government-sponsored research into the incidence of (a) scrapie in sheep, (b) bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and (c) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans for each five-yearly period since 1970 with regard to micro-biological studies. [24439]
Mr. Horam: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 28 March, Official Report, columns 748-49.
Training Expenditure
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 383, what has been the expenditure on (a) non-medical education and training and (b) medical and dental postgraduate education and training in each of the years since 1989-90 by region. [24381]
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Mr. Malone: The available information will be placed in the Library.
Newbury Hospital
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects construction of the Newbury hospital to begin; and when the hospital will open. [24275]
Mr. Horam: The West Berkshire priority care service national health service trust is in the process of producing plans for a new hospital. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Jim Kerevon, chairman of the trust, for details.
NHS Trusts (Insurance Policies)
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy in respect of national health service trusts offering branded insurance policies. [24394]
Mr. Malone: National health service trusts are empowered to generate additional income of NHS patient care by undertaking a range of commercial services activities. There is no objection to NHS trusts offering branded insurance policies provided that:
- (a) there is no detriment to NHS services, which must be the top priority for every NHS trust.
(b) there is no unacceptable risk to public funds.
(c) the services make a positive financial contribution which benefits the NHS trust's work for NHS patients.
(d) it is made entirely clear that any insurance policy is in relation to future private treatment and does not confer any advantage whatsoever in relation to NHS treatment.
Mr. Malone: Treatment of national health service patients is determined by clinical priority alone. NHS trusts must not offer preferential treatment under the NHS to patients participating in any insurance policy or club scheme they offer.
NHS Trusts (Deficits)
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 27 March, Official Report, columns 658-60, about the deficits recorded by NHS trusts in 1994-95, what factors led to the deficits experienced by (a) the East Anglian Ambulance NHS trust, (b) the Mid-Anglia Community Health NHS trust, (c) the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS trust, (d) the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital NHS trust, (e) the Crawley and Horsham NHS trust, (f) the Swindon and Marlborough NHS trust, (g) the Worcester Royal Infirmary NHS trust, (h) the Wolverley NHS trust, (i) the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS trust, (j) the Frimley Park Hospital NHS trust, (k) the Bath Mental Health Care NHS trust and (1) the Premier Health NHS trust. [24429]
Mr. Horam: Further information on the factors which led to the deficits in the trusts are matters for the
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individual trusts concerned. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of the respective trusts for details.
General Practitioners
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the whole-time equivalent number of NHS general medical practitioners working in each family health services association area in England at the latest date for which figures are available. [24382]
Mr. Malone: The information will be placed in the Library.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Hamburger Meat
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current regulations applying to the supply of beef and meat products to hamburger chains and related outlets. [23072]
Mrs. Browning: Premises engaged in the supply of raw beef hamburgers and meat products are covered by the Minced Meat and Meat Preparation (Hygiene) Regulations 1995 and the Meat Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1994, unless they supply exclusively caterers and/or the final consumer, in which case they are covered by the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995.
Organophosphates
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department provides to farmers on the disposal of organophosphate dips; and if he will make a statement. [23190]
Mrs. Browning: Advice on disposal of organophosphorus sheep dips is given in the "Sheep dipping" booklet, AS29, published by the Health and Safety Executive, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Department of the Environment. In 1994, copies of this leaflet were sent to all known sheep farmers in England and, in a Welsh language edition, in Wales. My Department's "code of good agricultural practice for the protection of water," published in 1991, also contains a section on sheep dips. Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House.
Advice on disposal is also included on the labels and product literature of organophosphorus sheep dips as part of the authorisation procedures for veterinary medicines.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions his Department has had with the organophosphate information network; and if he will make a statement. [23172]
Mrs. Browning:
As part of a series of meetings I have been holding with sufferers and sufferers groups this year, I met the leader of the organophosphate information
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network--OPIN--on 23 February and discussed with her a number of matters relating to OP sheep dips. My officials are also in regular and frequent contact with OPIN on all aspects of the OP sheep dip issue.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce a system of compensation for farmers suffering from organophosphate poisoning who cannot apply for industrial injury benefit; and if he will make a statement. [23175]
Mrs. Browning:
I have no plans to introduce such a system. Questions of compensation are a matter between the individual and the company concerned.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance his Department provides to farmers on the wearing of protective suits when using organophosphate dips; and if he will make a statement. [23191]
Mrs. Browning:
Advice on the wearing of personal protective equipment, including protective suits, when using sheep dips, is contained in the "Sheep dipping" booklet, AS29 published jointly by the Health and Safety Executive, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Department of the Environment. The labels and product literature for organophosphorus sheep dips include advice on the precautions to be taken when using the products, including the wearing of protective clothing.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department's advice on the disposal of organophosphate dips conforms with the EC groundwater directive, and if he will make a statement. [23189]
Mrs. Browning:
One of the purposes of the "Sheep dipping" booklet, AS29, published jointly by my Department with the Health and Safety Executive, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Department of the Environment, is to provide guidance to users of organophosphate sheep dips on the safe handling, use and disposal of these veterinary medicines.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what arrangements his Department
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has made since 1992 to ensure that guidance note MS17 from the Health and Safety Executive is circulated to farmers; and if he will make a statement; [23186]
Sir Paul Beresford:
I have been asked to reply.
(2) is circulated to doctors; and if he will make a statement. [23528]
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