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Volatile Substance Abuse
Mr. Merchant: To ask the Secretary of State Health what assessment he has made of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in its report on volatile substance abuse. [14208]
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Mr. Burns: The Government welcome this thoughtful and thorough report and its recommendations. A copy of the Government's response has been placed in the Library.
The Government share the advisory council's view that although volatile substance abuse has characteristics in common with other types of drug misuse, it has particular problems of its own which merit specific attention.
While the number of deaths associated with VSA has fallen from 151 in 1990 to 57 in 1994, the Government are committed to continuing the pressure to reduce and ultimately eliminate such deaths. Since the advisory council's report was presented to Ministers, a wide range of action which broadly reflects the ACMD's recommendations has been taken, including:
Mr. Hall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list those regions of the NHS for which he has requested reports on emergency care and intensive care; and if he will place copies in the Library; [13884]
Mr. Horam:
All regional offices of the National Health Services Executive were asked to report to the chief executive of the NHS on intensive care in their regions. We regard these reports as internal discussion and advice and do not intend to publish them.
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Mr. Chris Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the size of the resident-leased waiting list for elective admission at the second quarter of 1995-96 for (a) ordinary admission, (b) day care admission and (c) all admissions; and how many patients have been awaiting admission for (i) 0 to five months, (ii) six to 11 months, (iii) 12 to 17 months and (iv) more than 18 months, for each specialty and for each health authority separately. [13701]
Mr. Horam:
This information is contained in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England (Resident Based)--at 30 September 1995", copies of which will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Timms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the proposal to develop St. Thomas's hospital under the private finance initiative was included in the calculation of the Departmental total in table 5.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report"; what was the value of that proposal; and if he will make a statement on its current status. [13807]
Mr. Horam:
The figure in table 5.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" does not represent a control total--it represents an estimate of the anticipated spend on private finance schemes. In deciding the level of the estimate my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health took account of all private finance initiative schemes being prepared within the national health service including the St. Thomas's scheme. Approval has just been given for the trust to draw up a revised outline business case in the light of changed purchaser requirements.
Mr. Chris Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the life expectancy in each region for (a) men and (b) women in each year since 1992. [13704]
Mr. Burns:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 23 January 1997, Official Report, columns 703-4. The reply referred to figures for 1992, which is the most recent year for which regional analyses are available.
Ms Jowell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees there were in the NHS in England by (a) NHS trust, (b) health authority and (c) general practice surgeries in the last year for which figures are available. [8491]
Mr. Malone
[holding answer 12 December 1996]: Information on the number of staff employed by each national health service trust and health authority, and the number of general medical services practice staff by each family health service authority, will be placed in the Library. Information on the number of staff employed by individual general practice surgeries is not available centrally.
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the Department of Health has agreed a contract with St. George's hospital medical school to produce an annual report on the number of VSA-associated deaths;
the Department funded the Health Education authority 1995 national drugs campaign survey which brought to light new information on the prevalence of VSA. The HEA has extended the 1996 survey to include items about prevalence and behaviour patterns associated with VSA;
the Department has funded the National Children's Bureau solvent misuse project to become a national resource for the collection and dissemination of information on VSA, including details of education and training materials;
the National Children's bureau has surveyed drug action teams to establish the extent of their involvement in VSA work at local level;
the Department for Education and Employment has issued guidance to schools on VSA. The Department of health and the British Manufacturers Association have jointly funded the Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drug Education--TACADE--to produce a resource pack to facilitate VSA education in primary schools;
the Department also funded an HEA advertising campaign in autumn 1996, targeted at parents to raise awareness of the dangers of VSA;
a VSA Industry Forum has been established to examine the advisory council's recommendations specific to industry. The Department of Trade and Industry has sponsored research on behalf of the forum into the effectiveness of product labelling. The forum is considering the introduction of voluntary product labelling;
manufacturers and retailers of cigarette lighter gas refills have voluntarily introduced 25 ml refill cans and emphasis has shifted from larger cans.
(2) when he intends to publish the report to Alan Langlands on intensive care provision in the North West region of the NHS. [13883]
Organophosphates
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of illnesses connected with organophosphate toxicity have been reported to his Department in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [13872]
Mrs. Browning: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to him of 10 December 1996, Official Report, column 107. Numbers of incidents of human suspected adverse reactions to all veterinary medicines are contained in the annual reports of the appraisal panel for human suspected adverse reactions, all of which have been published and are available in the Library of the House. Since 1 January 1992 there have been 516 reports of human suspected adverse reactions to organophosphate veterinary medicines, of which 416 related to sheep dips.
Newcastle Disease
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the reasons behind the recent outbreaks of Newcastle disease in (a) Ross on Wye and (b) Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [13607]
Mrs. Browning: The State Veterinary Service is actively investigating the current outbreaks of Newcastle disease, but no source of infection has yet been identified.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out his policy on compensation for farmers whose poultry are slaughtered for (a) contracting and (b) coming into contact with birds affected with Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13611]
Mrs. Browning: The Animal Health Act 1981 makes provision for the slaughter of diseased or suspected poultry or poultry exposed to the infection of disease. The Act requires the Minister to pay compensation for poultry, other than diseased poultry, at the value of the bird immediately before it was slaughtered.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how long a vaccine against Newcastle disease has been available; for what periods it has been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement. [13610]
Mrs. Browning: Newcastle disease vaccines have been available in the UK for more than 30 years. Both live and inactivated vaccines are currently available. However, on the advice of the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee, which advises the Government on all matters relating to the authorisation of veterinary medicines, live La Sota and Clone 30 vaccines were suspended in 1981. This was because of concerns that high virulence strains of these vaccines could interfere with the diagnosis of disease and could spread to non-vaccinated flocks. In 1993 the VPC reviewed the suspension in the light of Commission decision 93/152/EEC on the criteria for vaccines in the EU. Vaccines containing low-virulence strains of live Clone 30 were re-authorised on the basis of the VPC advice and are therefore also currently available.
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Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of (a) chickens and (b) turkeys on farms in England are currently vaccinated against Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13600]
Mrs. Browning: There is no statutory requirement for routine vaccination against Newcastle disease and the information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the vaccine against Newcastle disease on (a) farmed poultry and (b) other captive birds; and if he will make a statement. [13604]
Mrs. Browning: All veterinary medicines marketed in the UK must satisfy statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. The licensing authority is advised on this by the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee. Newcastle disease vaccines currently marketed in the UK are authorised for use in fowls, whether farmed or otherwise kept. Veterinary surgeons have discretion to use such vaccines on other captive birds under their care in accordance with the provisions of the Medicines (Restrictions on the Administration of Veterinary Medicinal Products) Regulations 1994. Veterinary surgeons may wish to consult the manufacturer of the product on the dose to be administered and whether there is any information on the safety and efficacy of the product in captive birds other than fowls.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recommendations his Department makes to farmers with regard to the vaccination of poultry against Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13609]
Mrs. Browning: Poultry farmers are advised to vaccinate their flocks against Newcastle disease. This advice has been confirmed in the recent press releases concerning the current outbreaks of the disease.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any of the birds involved in the (a) Ross on Wye and (b) sussex outbreak of Newcastle disease had been given the vaccine prior to contamination; and if he will make a statement. [13605]
Mrs. Browning: Of the five cases identified up to 29 January, in only one involving turkeys had the birds been vaccinated. It is not yet known whether or not the vaccination took place before contamination with Newcastle disease, but in any event the vaccine would not have had sufficient time to develop protection in the birds.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the risks to farmed ostriches from Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13620]
Mrs. Browning: Ostriches are susceptible to Newcastle disease, as are other birds. The risk to ostriches will depend on the virulence of the strain of the disease concerned.
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