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Licensed Drugs
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the differences between health authorities regarding funding for the prescribing of certain licensed drugs; to what extent health authorities are free to refuse to prescribe certain drugs on the grounds of cost; and if he will review the disparities. [10106]
Mr. Milburn: Purchasers are responsible for funding those services which are clinically effective and meet the needs of local people in the light of the resources available.
Policy Reviews
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled, (a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10186]
Ms Jowell: The Department of Health has set up the following reviews:
- A review of the law relating to surrogacy, which is expected to report at the end of this year or at the start of next.
- A review of the evidence relating to possible health risks associated with silicone breast implants, which is expected to report to the chief medical officer in late 1997.
- A review of the breast cancer screening service in Devon and its implications for the breast cancer screening programme as a whole, which is expected to report in the next few weeks.
- The independent advisory panel for the review of London's health services, the main elements of whose work are due to be completed by October 1997.
- A review by Sir Donald Acheson into inequalities of health and life expectancy, which is expected to report during 1998.
- An independent review of some key lessons to be drawn from experience of the "Health of the Nation", which is expected to report in the second quarter of 1998.
Health Promotion in Schools
Dr. Ladyman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements he proposes to promote good health in schools. [7956]
22 Jul 1997 : Column: 574
Ms Jowell:
I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Ms Southworth) earlier today.
Mr. Gerrard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to promote cross-departmental co-operation in the development of the Government's public health strategy. [7950]
Ms Jowell:
There is a commitment across Government to improve the overall health of the nation and to share responsibility for the new health strategy for England. We have set up a Cabinet Sub-committee to oversee the new strategy which is chaired by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council and will be attended by Ministers from 13 Government Departments, including myself and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I shall also be meeting a range of ministerial colleagues from other Departments as we develop "Our Healthier Nation".
Mortgage Benefit
Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the cost of introducing a mortgage benefit equivalent to housing benefit for low income owner occupiers in work. [5442]
Mr. Keith Bradley: Our objective is to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to promote work incentives. We will develop a system that supports work, savings and honesty, whilst keeping to our commitment to work within announced spending totals for the first two years of the Government.
Various forms of mortgage benefit for low-income owner-occupiers in employment have been suggested. The cost could be up to £1 billion per year, if the benefit was fully taken up.
Pensions Review
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what timetable has been set for her Department's review of pensions; what areas will be covered in this review; and if she will make a statement. [6846]
Mr. Denham: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. Davidson) on 17 July, Official Report, columns 239-41.
Asthma
Sir Peter Emery:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many registered days of certified incapacity due to sickness and invalidity caused by asthma there were in 1995; and how much this cost in benefits payments. [8858]
22 Jul 1997 : Column: 575
Mr. Denham:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| (16)4 April 1994 to 12 April 1995 | |
|---|---|
| Number of days of certified incapacity due to asthma, excluding days for which statutory sick pay is payable. | (17)17,061,000 |
| Estimated cost of sickness and invalidity benefit | (18)£179 million |
(16) The year ending April 1995 is the latest period for which figures are available.
(17) Source: 1 per cent. sample of all claims in Great Britain. Diagnosis taken from the International Classification of Diseases [1975 edition].
(18) It is not possible to provide figures for other benefits, such as income support which may be payable in addition to or in place of incapacity benefit.
Policy Reviews
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled, (a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10184]
Ms Harman: The major components of this Department's programme are being reviewed as part of the comprehensive spending review, the terms of reference of which will be announced shortly.
As my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary said in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) on 14 July, Official Report, column 3, we expect the comprehensive spending review to last approximately 12 months.
On 17 July I also announced a view of the central areas of insecurity for elderly people including all aspects of the basic pension and its value and second pensions including SERPS. The purpose of the review is to build a sustainable consensus for the long-term future of pensions. It will enable the Government to publish an initial framework for change in the first part of 1998. There will then be a period of further consultation before firm proposals are developed.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will give a breakdown of the compensation applications and awards made to Child Support Agency clients in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97.[5272]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We expect the Child Support Agency to provide an efficient and effective service to all its clients throughout the child support assessment process. We are looking for substantial and sustained operational improvements from the agency, in particular on getting more maintenance paid, reducing the backlog and improving customer service.
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.
22 Jul 1997 : Column: 576
Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 21 July 1997:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency compensatory applications and awards. These are referred to as special payments.
The table attached indicates the number of applications and awards made to customers during the requested periods, against the Agency's live and assessed caseload of over half-a-million.
I hope this is helpful.
| Total awards made | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Special payments applications made | Number of cases | Total amount paid | |
| 1995-96 | 1,013 | 186 | £115,000 |
| 1996-97 | 2,177 | 983 | £656,000 |
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will list for each financial year since the establishment of the Child Support Agency (a) how much the agency has paid out in compensatory payments, (b) in how many case compensatory payments have been made, (c) the average amount paid out in compensatory payments, (d) in what proportion of cases dealt with by the CSA compensatory payments have been made and (e) the total number of maintenance assessments carried out by the CSA in each of these periods; [7213]
- (2) if she will list for each financial year since the establishment of the Child Support Agency in how many instances the CSA has made compensatory payments between (a) £0 and £100, (b) £100 and £500, (c) £500 and £1,000 and £5,000 and (e) in excess of £5,000. [7212]
Mr. Bradley [holding answer 9 July 1997]: We expect the Child Support Agency to provide an efficient and effective service to all its clients throughout the child support assessment process. We are looking for substantial and sustained operational improvements from the agency, in particular on getting more maintenance paid, reducing the backlong and improving customer service.
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mrs Faith Boardman. She will write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 21 July 1997:
22 Jul 1997 : Column: 577
| Amount | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £0-99.99 | -- | Not available | 257 | |
| £100-499.99 | 1 | Not available | 334 | |
| £500-999.99 | -- | Not available | 180 | |
| £1,000+ | -- | Not available | 212 | |
| Total | 1 | 77 | 186 | 983 |
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