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HEALTH
Brachial Plexus Injuries
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if all health authorities record the incidence of brachial plexus injuries. [4047]
Ms Jowell: Information is collected on the number of babies admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of brachial plexus injuries. The number of babies with brachial plexus injuries diagnosed at birth who are not readmitted to hospital is not known.
Smoking
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the 1996 smoking prevalence data.[4507]
Ms Jowell: It is planned to publish as follows:
- (i) preliminary results from the 1996-97 General Household Survey including smoking prevalence for adults, during autumn 1997;
(ii) "Smoking Among Secondary Schoolchildren in 1996", later this year.
Dental Services (Wiltshire)
Mr. Gray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the money allocated to the Wiltshire health authority from the general dental service access fund 1996-97 has been
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allocated to dental practices in the health authority region; how it has been distributed; and to what extent this funding has satisfied the criteria set out in the bid. [4790]
Mr. Milburn:
Yes. The funding is being used to meet the aims identified in the health authority's bid.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on NHS (a) costs and (b) receipts from private medical insurers if tax relief on private medical insurance for the over-60s were removed; [5081]
Mr. Truswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the market forces factor in the NHS funding allocation formula; and what weight he will attach to representations submitted to his Department by (a) Leeds Community Health Council and (b) others.[5291]
Mr. Milburn:
We will look at how resources are distributed across both secondary and primary care, to ensure that these fully reflect local population needs and operate as fairly as possible.
We will consider all representations received.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average waiting times at accident and emergency departments at the Royal Free Hospital, Whittington, Homerton, Royal London and the North Middlesex; and if he will make a statement. [4410]
Mr. Milburn:
The Department does not currently collect information on average waiting times in accident and emergency departments.
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential impact on NHS waiting lists as a result of increased demand if tax relief on private medical insurance for the over 60s were removed. [5108]
| Hospital | Percentage of patients admitted within two hours | Percentage of patients admitted within four hours |
|---|---|---|
| The Royal Free Hospital | 56.8 | 83.9 |
| Whittington | 32.0 | 69.0 |
| Homerton | 77.5 | 95.0 |
| Royal London | 87.2 | 98.5 |
| North Middlesex | 79.0 | 100.0 |
Source:
Health authorities' unpublished information.
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Northwick Park and St. Mark's Hospital Trust
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific proposals have been put forward by the Northwick Park and St. Mark's Hospital Trust to recover from its deficit; what targets his Department has set; and what progress has been made towards them. [4619]
Mr. Milburn: The trust has in place a recovery plan, jointly agreed with Brent and Harrow Health Authority and the NHS Executive, which includes a variety of measures to ensure that it achieves financial balance within a 2-year time scale. Progress has been made on this with the trust having identified just under £6 million savings for this year, predominately from non-clinical budgets. The NHS Executive will continue to monitor the situation.
Drugs and Medicines Spending
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent in real terms on drugs and medicines by the NHS in each of the last 10 years. [5076]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Year | Family Health Services drugs | Hospital and Community Health service drugs | Total (Cash) | Total (Real) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 1,378 | 318 | 1,696 | 2,619 |
| 1987-88 | 1,536 | 352 | 1,888 | 2,768 |
| 1988-89 | 1,744 | 380 | 2,124 | 2,919 |
| 1989-90 | 1,942 | 414 | 2,356 | 3,026 |
| 1990-91 | 2,080 | 460 | 2,540 | 3,021 |
| 1991-92 | 2,317 | 591 | 2,908 | 3,251 |
| 1992-93 | 2,641 | 643 | 3,284 | 3,523 |
| 1993-94 | 2,951 | 710 | 3,661 | 3,817 |
| 1994-95 | 3,230 | 764 | 3,994 | 4,091 |
| 1995-96 | 3,498 | 874 | 4,372 | 4,372 |
Please note that the real figures are given to a 1995-96 baseline.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Profession (Recruitment)
33. Mr. Barnes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his Department's policy concerning the recruitment of people to the legal profession from a wider variety of social backgrounds; and if he will make a statement. [3121]
Mr. Hoon:
Recruitment to the legal profession is primarily a matter for the profession itself. Both the Bar Council and the Law Society have adopted policies designed to ensure that entrance to the profession is based on merit alone. The Government believes that opportunities in the legal profession should be open to those from the widest possible variety of social backgrounds.
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34. Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the current rights of a non-assisted third party to challenge the issue of a civil aid certificate to a party in a proceeding; and if he will make a statement. [3122]
Mr. Hoon:
It is open to anyone to make representations to the Legal Aid Board about the issue of a legal aid certificate in civil proceedings, in relation either the merits of the case or the financial eligibility of the applicant.
35. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the administration of the Crown courts. [3123]
Mr. Hoon:
Since April 1995, the administration of the Crown courts has been the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Court Service under the terms of the Framework Document for the Agency.
36. Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to ensure that the magistracy is representative of political opinions and ethnic balance. [3124]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor requires his Advisory Committees to draw candidates for the lay magistracy from a broad a spectrum of the community so as to ensure, as far as is possible, that those recommended for appointment broadly reflect the communities which they will serve. Both political affiliation and ethnic origin are taken into account.
37. Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of Chepstow and Monmouth court house. [3125]
Mr. Hoon:
I would refer my Hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to his question, on 12 June this year, Official Report, 12 June 1997, column 548.
38. Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department by what mechanism local magistrates courts committees consult (a) local authorities and (b) local hon. Members on proposals to merge benches of magistrates. [3127]
Mr. Hoon:
Section 33 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 provides that a magistrates courts committee may submit to the Lord Chancellor a draft order proposing changes to the petty sessional divisions, or PSDs, in its area. Section 34 of the Act requires a magistrates courts committee to consult all the magistrates of the affected benches and the relevant paying authority, before the Lord Chancellor may consider any application for change under section 33.
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