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GP Fundholding
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the total financial surpluses held by general practitioner fundholders on 1 April 1997. [13175]
Mr. Milburn: Information on the balance of general practitioner fundholder savings on 1 April 1997 is not yet available. I therefore refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 26 June 1997 at column 620.
Health Authority Budgets
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely pressures on health authority budgets arising from the High Court ruling in R v. North Derbyshire health authority ex parte Fisher. [13474]
Mr. Milburn: We do not expect the ruling in the recent judicial review to have any impact on health authority budgets. The ruling requires health authorities, in deciding how best to allocate their available resources to meet the health needs of their population, to have regard to Departmental guidance. It does not require them to give any particular degree of priority to any particular treatment.
Crime Victims (Guidance)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to issue guidance to social services and NHS staff on procedures they should adopt in relation to the advice and support they should offer to people with learning difficulties within their care who have been a victim of a crime. [13383]
Mr. Boateng:
We have no plans to do so at present. However, we will be considering what, if any, guidance should be issued in the light of a substantial programme of projects the Department of Health has funded on the
4 Nov 1997 : Column: 182
issue of abuse of people with learning disabilities, a forthcoming consultation seminar on abuse of vulnerable adults in residential services and the work of the Home Office's inter-departmental group on vulnerable and intimidated witnesses. The group is seeking to identify measures that will help vulnerable people including people with learning disabilities who come in contact with the criminal justice system as a result of being a victim of, or a witness to, a crime.
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults and children in Great Britain were registered with a dentist on 30 September. [13329]
Mr. Milburn:
In England and Wales 20,558,282 adults and 7,804,254 child patients were registered with a General Dental Service dentist on 30 September 1997.
For Scotland the latest available data are for 1 September 1997 when 2,098,734 adults and 754,012 child patients were registered.
Mr. White:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has funded into chronic fatigue syndrome; what plans he has to commission further research; and what steps have been taken to inform doctors of the results of such research. [13919]
Mr. Boateng:
The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. The Council currently supports one project grant in the area of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This is being undertaken by Dr. R. K. Morriss at the University of Manchester and is entitled "The role of noradrenaline in the neuropsychological pathogenesis of the chronic fatigue syndrome". The total amount awarded is £37,000. The Council is always willing to consider new ideas for research and will consider applications on their scientific merits.
The Department of Health has also funded a research project through the National Health Service Research and Development programme called "Should GPs manage chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled trial", the report of which is expected shortly. Comprehensive information is not available centrally on all expenditure in the NHS on research into chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the present research projects funded by the Government into the causes and effects of ME, indicating the Government's research objectives in this area. [13965]
Mr. Boateng:
The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. The Council currently supports one project grant in the area of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This is being undertaken by Dr. R. K. Morriss at the
4 Nov 1997 : Column: 183
University of Manchester and is entitled "The role of noradrenaline in the neuropsychological pathogenesis of the chronic fatigue syndrome".
The Department of Health is also funding a research project through the National Health Service Research and Development programme called "Should GPs manage chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled trial", the report of which is expected shortly. Comprehensive information is not available centrally on all the activity in the NHS on research into chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Mr. Leslie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the sixth annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to be published; and if he will announce changes in the membership of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [14542]
Ms Jowell:
We have received the report and copies have today been laid before both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the requirements of section 7(3) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. Copies have also been placed in the Library.
I am pleased to announce the following appointments made on behalf of the United Kingdom Health Ministers:
I am very grateful to Lady Brittan, CBE, Mrs Angela Mays and the right Rev. Richard Holloway who are retiring on 6 November having served with the Authority since its inception in 1990. I also wish to thank Professor Rory Nicol who has asked to leave the Authority on 6 November.
The new appointments and re-appointments have been made in accordance with guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Three vacancies remain, about which we shall make an announcement in due course.
Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure uniformity of treatment for multiple sclerosis sufferers across the United Kingdom. [13785]
Mr. Boateng:
We are keen to ensure a greater degree of equity in the availability of treatment for people with multiple sclerosis, wherever they may live. Existing guidance requires all health authorities to develop policies which allow the prescribing of beta interferon, in relation to alternative uses of available resources, in suitable cases.
4 Nov 1997 : Column: 184
Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients suffering from multiple sclerosis were offered beta interferon by each heath authority in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. [13807]
Mr. Milburn:
We do not know how many patients were offered beta-interferon, but the number of prescription items for beta-interferon products dispensed in the community in England is shown in the table. In order not to disclose information that may relate to an individual patient, information is only provided where 50 items or more have been dispensed. In no health authority in 1995 were 50 or more items dispensed.
Mrs. Ruth Deech, Principal of St Anne's College, Oxford, re-appointed as Chairman until 6 November 2000.
Mrs. Jane Denton, Nursing Director of the Multiple Births Foundation and currently a member of the HFEA, appointed as Deputy Chairman until 27 October 1998, when her existing term of membership ends.
Professor Allan Templeton, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Aberdeen, re-appointed as a member until 6 November 2000.
Professor Andrew Grubb, Professor of Health Care Law, King's College, London, appointed as a member until 6 November 2000.
| 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | -- | 75 |
| West Surrey | -- | 142 |
| East Surrey | -- | 81 |
| Ealing Hammersmith and Hounslow | -- | 85 |
| England | 182 | 806 |
Comparable data for 1997 are not yet available.
The cost of prescribing beta interferon in hospitals is not available.
Departmental Budget
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total real level of his Department's budget, in 1995-96 prices, in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99; and if he will estimate what such figures were for (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 1998-99 following the November 1996 Budget on the basis of the estimates of the GDP deflator contained in the Budget. [13232]
Mr. Milburn: The figures requested for the Department's spending plans within the Control Total are as follows: (a) £33,306 million, (b) £33,516 million, (1) £33,422 million and (2) £33,174 million. (Source: Treasury).
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