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Oxford and Cambridge Universities
Mr. Wickes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the combined asset value of Oxford and Cambridge Universities, including constituent colleges; and what percentage this represents of the equivalent asset values of all other British universities. [16490]
Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Tamworth (Mr. Jenkins) on 10 November 1997, Official Report, column 448.
Mr. Wickes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of student entrants at (a) Oxford and (b) Cambridge University attended state secondary schools in each year since 1975. [16489]
Dr. Howells:
The information requested is not held centrally. I understand that the Admissions Offices of both universities do produce annual statistics along these lines and my hon. Friend may care to speak to them directly.
26 Nov 1997 : Column: 591
Accident and Emergency
Mr. Lock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned to study the relationship between clinical outcomes and the distance patients have to travel to accident and emergency departments at district hospitals; and if he will make a statement on its conclusions. [16956]
Mr. Boateng: In January 1996 the Department published a review of Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments as part of the Health Care Needs Assessment series. In addition in May 1995 the Department published the "Review of Literature on Accident and Emergency Departments and Clinical Outcomes". Copies are available in the Library.
Health authorities and National Health Service trusts should provide an accident and emergency service which meets the needs of local people. The distance people have to travel to accident and emergency departments will therefore vary according to local circumstances.
There is evidence that seriously ill and injured patients do better in larger departments where a high proportion of care is offered by consultant staff, with access to backup from a range of specialist departments.
Mr. John Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into alternatives to the use of Ritalin in the treatment of children. [17053]
Ms Jowell:
Ritalin can be used as a treatment for attention deficit disorder (ADD) in cases when medication is considered to be appropriate. Ritalin has been subjected to controlled trials and can be effective when given to the right children. Other types of medication can also be used as alternative or complementary treatment but Ritalin is the most comprehensively researched medication and is usually considered to be the drug of choice. It should be used under the supervision of a specialist in childhood behavioural disorders as part of a comprehensive treatment programme, which also includes psychological, educational and social measures, to stabilise children with a behavioural syndrome.
The Department of Health has not commissioned any research into alternatives to the use of Ritalin in the treatment of children. The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC supports a number of studies into the causes and treatment of ADD, but is not currently supporting any research into pharmacological interventions. However, the MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of attention deficit disorder and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were accommodated by local
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authorities other than under care orders in (a) Staffordshire, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England and Wales in 1996. [17162]
Mr. Boateng:
As published in Table 3 of "Children Looked After by Local Authorities, year Ending 31 March 1996, England" the figures for children looked after at 31 March not under a care order were (a) 350 for Staffordshire, (b) 2,300 for West Midlands (excluding Solihull, for which no data are available), and (c) 22,300 for England.
These figures exclude children who were looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
Questions relating to Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care orders were made in (a) Staffordshire, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England and Wales in 1996. [17165]
Mr. Boateng:
Figures for care orders made during the year ending 31 March 1996, the latest year for which information is available, were (a) 170 for Staffordshire, (b) 1,070 for West Midlands (excluding Solihull, for which no data are available), and (c) 10,100 for England.
Figures include both interim and full care orders, excluding renewals.
Questions relating to Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children (a) in care under care orders and (b) otherwise accommodated by local authorities left the care of local authorities in (i) Staffordshire, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) England and Wales in 1996; for what reasons; and where they went. [17163]
Mr. Boateng:
The latest available figures for children at the point of leaving care are given in the table. Statistics are not collected centrally on the subsequent history of such children after they have left care, but a Department of Health funded research project published in 1995 looked at the experiences of a small sample of care leavers. About half moved first to some form of transitional accommodation (e.g. hostel, lodgings, or to stay with friends); 20 per cent. moved directly into independent tenancies in the public, voluntary or private sector; 12 per cent. returned to live with parents or relatives; and 15 per cent. made no move when they first ceased to be "looked after", choosing to remain with parents, relatives or foster carers.
As the research sample was very small (74 individuals), care must be taken in drawing any general conclusions from these figures.
Questions relating to Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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| England | West Midlands | Staffordshire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All children | 31,600 | 3,340 | 390 |
| Reason ceased to be looked after: | |||
| Children under care orders | |||
| All children under care orders | 5,350 | 570 | 90 |
| Reached maximum age | 1,800 | 180 | 20 |
| Care order discharged or expired | 1,900 | 220 | 50 |
| Care order replaced by supervision order | 170 | 20 | -- |
| Adopted | 880 | 70 | 10 |
| Other reason ceased to be looked after | 600 | 70 | 10 |
| Other legal status | |||
| All children who were looked after under other legal statuses | 26,250 | 2,740 | 300 |
| Reached maximum age | 1,270 | 110 | 30 |
| Adopted | 830 | 90 | 20 |
| Placement ceased in accordance with plan | 14,020 | 1,280 | 120 |
| Placement ceased at request of parents | 4,700 | 610 | 50 |
| Placement ceased at request of child | 1,600 | 170 | 20 |
| Police protection order expired | 430 | 50 | -- |
| Accommodation on remand ceased | 1,030 | 80 | 20 |
| Other reason ceased to be looked after | 2,400 | 340 | 50 |
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; totals may not sum due to rounding. Figures for care orders include both Interim, full and deemed Care Orders, and relate to the latest recorded legal status when the child ceased to be looked after.
Figures exclude children who are accommodated under an agreed series of short-term placements.
Where a child already looked after moved into respite care, that child is regarded as having ceased to be looked after for the purposes of this statistical analysis.
These figures include estimates for missing data. The West Midlands figure covers the Government Office Region, excluding Solihull for which no data are available.
Kidderminster Hospital
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what medical services are provided at Kidderminster hospital. [17177]
Mr. Milburn: The following medical services are currently provided at Kidderminster General Hospital:
Accident and Emergency Services
General Surgery
Urology
Trauma and Orthopaedics
Ophthalmology
Oral Surgery
Anaesthetics/Pain Relief
Gynaecology
Orthodontics (Outpatients only)
ENT
General Medicine
Haematology
Dermatology
Rheumatology
Gastroenterology
Chest Medicine
Cardiology (Outpatients only)
26 Nov 1997 : Column: 594
- Neurology (Outpatients only)
Geriatrics
Paediatrics (except in-patient medical)
Psychiatry
Psychology
Radiotherapy (Outpatients only)
Obstetrics (Midwifery led)
Radiology
Pathology
Audiology
Source:
Finance Department, Kidderminster General Hospital.
Mr. Milburn: The strategic review of services in Worcestershire is considering a number of options.
Decisions about the future of accident and emergency services will reflect carefully researched evidence on staffing issues and the effect they will have on clinical effectiveness and safety at each site. The evidence is currently being collated and tested and will be made available as part of the public consultation process which will commence in December.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much capital has been expended on Kidderminster hospital in each of the past 10 years. [17179]
Mr. Milburn:
The information requested is not collected centrally, but the Kidderminster General Hospital Finance department reports capital expended on Kidderminster hospital in the last 10 years; approximately £25 million has been spent in the last 10 years; £20 million on buildings and £5 million on equipment.
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