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E. Coli
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research, by whom and at what cost, his Department has commissioned into E. coli in (a) cow's milk, (b) sheep's milk and (c) goat's milk. [45016]
Mr. Rooker [holding answer 9 June 1998]: The Department has recently undertaken a survey of the microbiological quality of unpasteurised sheep and goats' drinking milk on sale in England and Wales, at a cost of £11,926. It is also in the process of carrying out a more general survey of the microbiological quality of unpasteurised sheep and goat's milk, at an expected cost of £35,700. The analyses carried out in the surveys include testing for the presence of E. coli in the milk. ADAS was commissioned by the Department to undertake both surveys.
My Department has also commissioned a significant amount of other research on E. coli much of which will be of relevance to the presence of the organism in milk.
Coastal Erosion
Mr. Prior: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on protecting areas of environmental importance from coastal erosion. [44464]
Mr. Morley: The Department expects coastal authorities to make the potential impact on habitats, and the environment generally, a key consideration when planning works to prevent or reduce coastal erosion. They should start from the presumption that natural river and coastal processes should not be disrupted except where life or important man-made or natural assets are at risk. Schemes which are not environmentally acceptable are not eligible for grant aid.
Last year the Department introduced a priority scoring system (taking account of Ministerial priorities, urgency and benefit:cost ratio) with a view to optimising the allocation of available funds. Sites of environmental significance are specifically identified within Ministerial priorities, with particular priority being given to sites of international importance.
Toxocariasis
Mr. Levitt: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the incidence of toxocariasis in rural areas compared to urban areas. [44443]
Ms Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
The data available on numbers of cases of human toxocariasis are based on laboratory reports received by the Public Health Laboratory Service's Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC). However, reporting of cases is not a statutory requirement and therefore not all laboratory diagnosed cases are necessarily reported to the CDSC.
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From the data received by CDSC in recent years no significant change has been noted in the number of reports (1993--25; 1994--25; 1995--38; 1996--19; 1997--18).
The location of the laboratory reporting an infection does not necessarily indicate the area of residence of the patient, or whether this is urban or rural, or the country (United Kingdom or overseas) in which infection was acquired.
Angela Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the final version of the recent report on chiropody service levels. [44124]
Mr. Boateng:
I understand that the report referred to is entitled "On Your Feet: Older People and NHS Chiropody Services" and was published by Age Concern in March 1998. Copies are available in the Library.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names of agencies which have supplied contract labour from outside the United Kingdom to the NHS in the last 10 years and the total amount paid in commission fees by the NHS to such firms in each of the last 10 years. [44500]
Mr. Milburn:
This information is not available centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. Each National Health Service trust is responsible for recruiting its own staff and may choose to use a recruitment agency to help it do so.
Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received about the possibility of privatising the provision of travel vaccinations; [44701]
Ms Jowell:
Inconsistencies and ambiguities have arisen over the years in the arrangements for travel vaccines and the prescribing of medicines for overseas travel and there are differences in the way that the various vaccines are dealt with. The Department, as part of an ongoing internal review, is seeking to resolve the anomalies which exist at present in the arrangements for travel vaccines. Once we have recommendations to present we will consult the relevant professional bodies.
As a routine, Ministers and officials of the Department receive a number of letters from interested hon. Members and members of the public about the arrangements for travel vaccines and the prescribing of medicines for overseas travel. These letters express a range of views. In particular, letters have been received from the Patients' Association, the Overseas Doctors' Association, various student unions, the Primary Care Virology Group, Pasteur Merieux MSD and the Royal College of Nursing.
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Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of travel vaccinations in each of the last three years. [44702]
Ms Jowell:
It is not possible to say how much is spent in total on travel immunisation each year. The net ingredient costs for vaccines which may be given for the purposes of travel were:
(2) what consultation he is undertaking on proposals for the future provision of travel vaccinations. [44703]
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 40.5 |
| 1995 | 47.0 |
| 1996 | (7)49.1 |
(7) The vaccines are those preparations in the British National Formulary (issue 30, September 1995) section 14.6--International travel: Bacille-Calmette-Guerin, cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis A, meningococcal A&C, normal immunoglobulin, poliomyelitis, typhoid, typhoid-paratyphoid A&B and yellow fever. Some of these vaccines will have been prescribed for reasons other than travel.
Note:
The net ingredient cost refers to the costs of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees.
However, these costs include some vaccines which will have been prescribed for reasons other than travel. It is not possible to identify separately the cost of vaccinating patients in general practice.
Fatal Diseases (Overseas Travel)
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate how many NHS patients are currently suffering from potentially fatal diseases caught while travelling overseas; [44689]
- (2) what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating United Kingdom citizens for potentially fatal diseases caught while travelling overseas in the last year for which figures are available. [44699]
Ms Jowell: Estimates are not available of the cost to the National Health Service of treating United Kingdom citizens for potentially fatal diseases caught while travelling overseas. It is not possible to estimate reliably how many NHS patients are currently suffering from potentially fatal diseases actually caught while travelling overseas, since many diseases which could be caught overseas can also be caught in the UK and it is often impossible to identify where a patient contracted an illness.
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's estimate of the number of United Kingdom citizens making overseas trips in 1997 to areas at risk to potentially fatal diseases. [44700]
Ms Jowell: The Office for National Statistics advise that, during 1997, 46.8 million United Kingdom residents made visits abroad, of which 5.4 million were to areas outside North America and Western Europe (preliminary figures).
There is the risk of contracting a potentially fatal disease anywhere in the world.
Ongar War Memorial Hospital
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce his decision on the proposed closure of the Ongar War Memorial Hospital. [44883]
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Mr. Milburn:
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State will announce his decision when he has given full and proper consideration to the proposals once they have been put forward by North Essex Health Authority.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what pathogens were sold and at what price to the American Type Culture Collection in Rockville, Maryland, by his Department's installations between (a) 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1984 and (b) 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1997. [44184]
Ms Jowell:
The Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR) has not sold or supplied any pathogens to the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1984, and 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1997.
The National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC), Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) does not have complete records for the whole period 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1984. From the records it does have relating to this period and to the period between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1997, the NCTC has not sold or supplied to the ATCC pathogens categorised as Hazard Group 3 (pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis belong to this group). A wide range of biological agents which are less hazardous are categorised as Hazard Group 2 and, although information on which strains have been supplied to the ATCC can be provided, this will take considerable time to compile. I will write to the hon and learned Member with details as soon as possible.
The National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi, PHLS, has supplied as follows:
| Date | Strain number | Species |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | NCPF 2109 | Aspergillus fumigatus |
| 1984 | NCPF 2140 | Aspergillus fumigatus |
| 1993 | NCPF 2808 | Ramichloridium mackenziei |
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