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Medical Negligence
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many medical negligence cases have been (a) commenced and (b) finalised under the Birmingham county court medical negligence cases pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement. [8586]
Mr. Hoon: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Andrew Dismore, dated 21 July 1997:
- The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the medical negligence cases pilot scheme at Birmingham County Court.
- Since the scheme began on 1 October 1996 one case has commenced and none has been finalised.
Divorce Settlements, Scotland
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Ancillary Relief has made of the applicability to England and Wales of the system of divorce settlements, which currently operates in Scotland. [8790]
Mr. Hoon: The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Group on Ancillary Relief discussed the extension of the Scottish system of financial provision on divorce to England and Wales at a meeting at the end of May 1996. At that meeting, the group concluded that it was not in a position to undertake a more comprehensive review. The Lord Chancellor's Department is assessing how further consideration can now most effectively be given to this matter.
HEALTH
Primary Care Legislation
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement setting out the timetable he will now be following to introduce the pilot schemes under primary care legislation. [6748]
Mr. Milburn:
We propose to establish a range of pilots concerned with improving the direct provision of personal medical services from 1 April 1998. In order to give everyone equal opportunity to consider how local
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initiatives can be best taken forward, we have extended the closing date by which formal applications have to be with health authorities by one month. We also propose to establish a number of personal dental services pilots in October 1998 to test new ways of delivering primary care dentistry and addressing local oral health priorities.
| Closing date | |
|---|---|
| Formal applications for salaried service employment and practice based contracts, which have been consulted on, to be with health authorities by | 1 November 1997 |
| Notification of approval from the Secretary of State | December 1997 |
| Negotiations of local contracts | December- March 1998 |
| Pilots for salaried service employment and practice based contracts to begin | 1 April 1998 |
GP Fundholding
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collates on the sums of money held at the year end by each fundholding practice. [7725]
Mr. Milburn: Fundholding practices' saving balances are published in their fund accounts. The Department draws on this information as necessary, but does not routinely collate it at practice level.
Benzodiazepines
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will carry out an inquiry into the number of people in England and Wales involuntarily addicted to benzodiazepines; and if he will make a statement. [8498]
Mr. Milburn: There are currently no plans to carry out such an inquiry. The principal focus of the Department's action in this area has been to try to prevent addiction occurring by warning general practitioners and other prescribers of the dangers of involuntary addiction to benzodiazepines. The Department funds a number of publications that are available to general practitioners, pharmacists and other health professionals--for instance, the British National Formulary and a Medicines Resource Centre monthly bulletin, which give information on the treatment of various conditions and the drugs involved in such treatment.
In 1994, the Department agreed to fund a helpline run by the Council for Involuntary Tranquilliser Addiction, a voluntary organisation which aims to support those who wish to withdraw from tranquillisers and sleeping tablets. CITA was provided with funding of £10,000 in 1994-95, £10,000 in 1995-96 and £10,000 in 1996-97. In addition, the Department continues to fund the mental health charity MIND, which operates local self-help groups for people dependent on tranquillisers.
Family Planning
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each health authority's expenditure
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plans in respect of family planning for the current financial year, indicating the percentage difference from expenditure in the previous financial year. [8848]
Ms Jowell:
Information on the detail of health authority expenditure plans is not collected centrally. Information on expenditure by trusts and directly managed units is available and figures for 1994-95 and 1995-96, the latest years for which data are available, have been placed in the Library.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the public health initiatives planned by his Department (a) in Stoke-on-Trent, North and (b) nationally. [8877]
Ms Jowell:
In Stoke-on-Trent, North, the health authority has established a locality approach to developing healthy communities through involving a wide range of statutory and local community organisations. The report of the director of public health this year will focus on "determinants of health". A wide range of public health initiatives is already under way in North Staffordshire, and many more have been identified as priorities by the health authority for 1997-98.
Key priorities include:
Additional points include:
Nationally, the Government will be taking forward the public health agenda across a broad front. I outlined the scope of our new health strategy "Our Healthier Nation" on 7 July; copies of my speech are available in the Library. In the autumn, we shall publish a Green Paper setting out the strategy in detail. Many Government policies will contribute to improving public health, such as welfare to work, education policies and the integrated
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 409
transport strategy. The Department of Health is working closely with the other Departments involved, as it is in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on developing the food standards agency. In the autumn, we shall publish a White Paper on measures to reduce smoking and draft Bill to ban tobacco advertising. Healthy living centres and health action zones will also address public health issues.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the submissions made to him under the quinquennial review from the Microbiological Research Authority Board and the management of the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research; and if he will make a statement. [9096]
Ms Jowell:
The management of the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research will send a copy of the final submission to the hon. Member when it is ready. This may take another week or so.
My announcement of the review of the centre mentioned that the views of the key organisations and individuals would be sought. Letters of consultation have now been sent out. A scientific team including expert external members will visit the centre at the end of this month to assess the research work commissioned by the
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 410
Department at the centre. The main research funding bodies have also been invited to comment. A number of management consultancy organisations have submitted tenders for the work of assessing options for the future of the centre. Those tenders are currently being evaluated and consultants will be commissioned to begin work by the end of this month.
Implementation of the coronary heart disease strategy--a priority for 1997-98 as identified in the Health Authority's health strategy and investment plan;
Continuation of the Aspirin project, to reduce stroke and heart attacks, in primary care--which has already achieved 60 per cent. coverage of eligible practice populations in 1996-97;
Strategy for healthy eating--December 1997;
Review of existing initiatives aimed at helping people to stop/not take up smoking, and identifying action to meet any "gaps";
Development and implementation of a stroke action plan to be based on GRIP kits--getting research into practice--to provide cost-effective care and to maximise clinical effectiveness, planned for autumn 1997;
Strategy for promotion of physical exercise;
Action plan to develop drug and alcohol services--review and agree action to co-ordinate use of HIV and substance misuse funds;
Multi-agency action plan to promote sexual health, especially for young people;
Multi-agency accident prevention steering group which is developing a strategy--autumn 1997.
The appointment of a healthy cities co-ordinator--a joint appointment between the health and local authority through their "healthy alliances" links--who will look at public health initiatives across the board;
Single regeneration bid-funded initiatives--for instance, in 1997-98: community development worker for Biddulph, citizens advice bureau youth advice worker for Bentilee and Berryhill, urban villages community partnership based at Newcastle under Lyme.
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