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Human Embryos
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many human embryos have been created since the passage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1991; how many have been destroyed; how many have been frozen; and how many have been used to secure live births. [19528]
Mr. Horam: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 25 March 1996, columns 421-23. These remain the latest available figures.
The number of babies born from IVF treatments between 1 August 1991 and 31 December 1994 was 12,743, which includes 1,339 from frozen embryo replacement.
Diabetics (Prescription on Needles)
Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent consideration he has given to providing needles used in conjunction with a pen injection device on prescription to patients with diabetes; [19620]
- (2) if he will estimate the cost to public funds of making needles used in conjunction with a pen injection device available on prescription to patients with diabetes. [19621]
Mr. Malone: We are currently considering whether insulin injection pen needles should be prescribable by general practitioners on the national health service and we are considering evidence of cost to public funds.
Royal London Hospital Air Ambulance
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) greatest, (b) lowest and (c) average call-out cost of the Royal London hospital air ambulance since it became operational; and if he will make a statement. [19861]
Mr. Horam: Information on the helicopter emergency medical service's call-out costs is not collected centrally.
It is for health authorities to decide the most effective way of providing emergency services for local people.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Macdonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will fund further research into the possible link between the incidence of ME in rural communities and the use of organophosphate sheep dips. [19110]
Mrs. Browning: I have been asked to reply.
Following a recommendation of the Veterinary Products Committee, the Government set up the medical and scientific panel as a sub-committee of the VPC to advise, among other matters, on any additional work that may be needed to elucidate the potential long-term effects on humans of organophosphorus sheep dips. With the advice of the panel, the Government awarded £500,000 to the Institute of Occupational Health in Edinburgh for such research. The results of that study are expected to be completed in April 1999. Meanwhile my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health will study any reports he receives on possible higher than average levels of ME in rural communities.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 172
South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning funding of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee; and if he will make a statement. [19044]
Mr. Hague: I have received a number of representations about the funding of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee; I have also met representatives of the committee.
Sea fisheries committees are committees of local government, and their funding arrangements are a matter for member authorities of each committee.
Oral Cancer
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients received hospital in-patient or day care for oral cancer in each of the last five years. [19319]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 566 |
| 1992-93 | 580 |
| 1993-94 | 574 |
| 1994-95 | 505 |
| 1995-96(5) | 561 |
(4) Spells in hospital are counted separately, so an individual may be included in the figures more than once.
(5) Provisional.
Cataracts
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients received hospital in-patient or day care for cataracts in each of the last five years. [19320]
Mr. Gwilyn Jones: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 7,739 |
| 1992-93 | 10,651 |
| 1993-94 | 10,367 |
| 1994-95 | 11,699 |
| 1995-96(7) | 12,722 |
(6) Spells in hospital are counted separately, so an individual may be included in the figures more than once.
(7) Provisional.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost to the NHS of treating those infected with MRSA in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [19870]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The information requested is not held centrally.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 173
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many registered cases of MRSA there have been in each NHS trust area in each of the last five years; how many of these resulted in death; and if he will make a statement. [19873]
Mr. Jones:
Information on the number of registered cases in each NHS trust is not available centrally. The available data on the number of reported cases for Wales as a whole are shown in the following table. Reliable information on deaths is not centrally available.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 535 |
| 1995 | 443 |
| 1996(9) | 2,667 |
Source:
CDSC Welsh Unit MRSA Surveillance Programme in Wales.
Notes:
(8) Completeness of reporting by laboratory is variable. Data may include some GP referrals. The number indicated are patients identified with MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus). Only a proportion of these will have clinical illness (estimated at 50 per cent.) due to MRSA infection. The remainder will be carriers of the organism.
(9) Provisional. In 1996, increased emphasis was placed on reporting and additional features were requested.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the last outbreak of MRSA occurred in a Welsh hospital; how many people (a) were affected and (b) died; and if he will make a statement. [19871]
Mr. Jones: The most recent information reported to the Welsh nosocomial infection study/hospital outbreak reporting scheme indicates that three hospitals recorded MRSA outbreaks in January 1997 affecting a total of 11 patients. It should be noted that participation by laboratories is voluntary and that not all returns for January have been received. Data on deaths are not collected centrally under this scheme.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment his Department has made of the cause of the recent MRSA outbreaks in Welsh hospitals; what proposals he has to reduce the number of cases; and if he will make a statement. [19872]
Mr. Jones: Information on the source of outbreaks of hospital acquired infections is not held centrally. Extensive guidance on infection control procedures has already been issued to the NHS in Wales. Initiatives underway, to ensure that cases of hospital acquired infection, including MRSA, are kept to a minimum, include a three-year study on nosocomial infections being undertaken by the Public Health Laboratory Service (Wales) and the MRSA surveillance project being undertaken by the communicable disease surveillance centre (Welsh unit).
These studies will provide valuable information for use in determining future action to reduce the incidence of MRSA.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 174
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what percentage of children (a) sat and (b) achieved a grade A to C in (i) one and (ii) two or more live foreign language GCSEs in 1996; and if he will make a statement. [19865]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The breakdown requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information for pupils--at school, aged 15 to 31 August 1996--entering at least one modern foreign language GCSE in 1996 is as follows:
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what percentage of children (a) sat and (b) achieved a grade A to C in (i) one and (ii) two or more science GCSEs in 1996; and if he will make a statement. [19863]
Mr. Evans:
The breakdown requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information for pupils (in school, aged 15 at 31 August 1995) entering at least one science GCSE in 1996 is as follows:
Pupils entered for at least one modern foreign language GCSE: 17,075
Pupils achieving at least one grade A* to C in a modern foreign language: 9,289
Number who achieved grade A*-C as a percentage of the number entered: 54 per cent.
Pupils entered for at least one science GCSE: 31,744
Pupils achieving at least one grade A* to C in science: 15,666
Number who achieved grade A*-C as a percentage of the number entered: 49 per cent.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what percentage of children (a) sat and (b) achieved grade A to C in (i) history; (ii) geography and (iii) Latin (1) GCSEs and (2) A-levels in 1996; and if he will make a statement. [19867]
Mr. Evans: The information requested is, in respect of children at school, as follows:
| Subject | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| History | Geography | Latin | |
| GCSEs | |||
| Number of 15 year olds entered(10) | 11,058 | 16,596 | 188 |
| Number who achieved grade A*-C | 6,516 | 8,849 | 165 |
| Number who achieved grade A*-C as a percentage of the total number entered | 59 | 53 | 88 |
| A levels | |||
| Number of 16, 17 and 18 year olds entered(10) | 1,717 | 1,741 | 13 |
| Number who achieved grade A-C | 1,004 | 986 | 11 |
| Number who achieved grade A-C as a percentage of the total number entered | 58 | 57 | 85 |
(10) Ages are as at 31 August 1995.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 175
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many and what percentage of children (a) sat and (b) achieved a grade A to C in (i) one (ii) two and (iii) three or more live foreign language A-levels in 1996; and if he will make a statement; [19866]
- (2) how many and what percentage of children (a) sat and (b) achieved a grade A to C in (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three or more science A-levels in 1996; and if he will make a statement. [19864]
Mr. Evans:
The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 176
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what percentage of (a) comprehensive and (b) grant-maintained schools in Wales offer (i) Latin and (ii) ancient Greek as a (A) GCSE and (B) A-level option; and if he will make a statement. [19868]
Mr. Evans:
The available information is given in the following table and relates to the number and percentage of schools entering pupils for examinations in Latin in 1996. There were no entries for ancient Greek from LEA maintained or grant-maintained secondary schools at GCSE or A-level in 1996.
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 175
| LEA-maintained secondary schools | Grant-maintained secondary schools | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Number of schools with entries in 1996 | Number of schools with entries for Latin as a percentage of all LEA-maintained secondary schools with entries in any subject at the relevant level | Number of schools with entries in 1996 | Number of schools with entries for Latin as a percentage of all grant-maintained secondary schools with entries in any subject at the relevant level |
| Latin | ||||
| GCSE | 10 | 4.7 | 1 | 9.1 |
| A-level | 1 | 0.6 | -- | -- |
11 Mar 1997 : Column: 175
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