| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
HEALTH
Adoption
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the recommendations of the September report of the British Agencies of Adoption and Fostering; and if he will make a statement. [61028]
Mr. Hutton: We have taken note of the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering Action Plan which will help inform its own strategic plans for adoption, to be taken forward in the "quality protects" programme to improve children's services, announced on 21 September 1998.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to ensure that local authorities implement recent ministerial guidance on adoption practices. [61026]
Mr. Hutton: "Adoption--Achieving the Right Balance" was published on 28 August 1998 under Local Authority Circular (98)20 and addressed to members and directors of local authorities and directors of voluntary adoption societies. The guidance raised a number of important issues for improving the adoption service including better strategic planning, avoiding delay in placing children for adoption and the introduction of measures to avoid children drifting in the care system. This guidance was prepared as part of our initiative "quality protects"; within this context therefore, we will be working closely with local authorities for the improvement of services for children, including adoption. The Department will monitor progress carefully to ensure that effective measures for achieving improvements have been introduced.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department on appropriate maximum charges for home studies for inter-country adoption. [61023]
Mr. Hutton:
Fees charged by local authorities and adoption agencies are expected to cover the cost of preparing and assessing prospective adopters, submitting a report on the applicant concerning their suitability to
2 Dec 1998 : Column: 205
become adoptive parents of children living abroad and any administrative costs. The Department has given no guidance about a maximum fee.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what criteria countries are selected for negotiating bilateral agreements for inter-country adoptions. [61021]
Mr. Hutton:
Bilateral adoption agreements are essentially formal arrangements to enable citizens of the United Kingdom to adopt children from countries overseas meeting the requirements of the United Kingdom and the particular country concerned. Agreements are proposed by the Department in regard to countries which have little experience of intercountry adoption, with the aim of ensuring that the Department submits applications only for prospective adopters approved by the proper authorities in the UK. Also, the UK responds to requests for an adoption agreement where a country makes it a condition absolute before UK citizens are permitted to apply to adopt children from that country.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are employed by the (a) Department of Health and (b) Social Services Inspectorate in cases where they have rejected local authority home study assessments for overseas adoption. [61027]
Mr. Milburn:
In its consideration of overseas adoption applications which are supported by a local authority or approved intercountry adoption agency, the Department, acting on advice of the Social Services Directorate, applies the same standards and criteria as are applied for domestic applications. Since 1993, the Department has been unable to support 6 applications out of a total of approximately 1,100. In addition, the Department will not support applications which do not meet the requirements of the applicants' country of choice.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate available of the number of children entering the UK for adoption following approval by his Department in the financial year 1997-98. [61025]
Mr. Hutton:
Based on the number of adoption applications supported by the Department, the number of children entering the United Kingdom in the financial year 1997-98 for the purposes of adoption was approximately 220.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) have been taken to date and (b) are planned, to involve public interest and advisory groups in discussion of future adoption legislation. [61024]
Mr. Hutton:
A comprehensive review of adoption law culminated in the publication in March 1996 of the consultative document "Adoption--A Service for Children". We will consult widely on any proposed adoption legislation which differs substantially from the 1996 proposals.
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to co-ordinate food provision for, and establish healthy eating initiatives among, homeless people. [61016]
2 Dec 1998 : Column: 206
Ms Jowell:
Local and voluntary schemes are best placed to meet the needs of this vulnerable but very mobile group.
Mr. Michael Jabez Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults are currently suffering from Proteus syndrome; what is their age profile; and what training is given to paediatricians and others in the NHS to recognise and treat the condition. [61619]
Mr. Hutton:
The information requested is not held centrally. Paediatricians are initially in the lead in diagnosing this rare disorder and in working through the options available for treatment--which can range over a number of specialist services depending upon the severity and manifestation of individual cases. Diagnosis and treatment options for Proteus syndrome form part of paediatricians' education and training.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the safety of epilim and other anti-convulsant drugs for use by pregnant women; and if he will make a statement. [61623]
Ms Jowell:
Epilim and other anticonvulsant drugs, as for all marketed medicines, are assessed by the Department to determine their safety for use by pregnant women. Available relevant research is assessed at the time of granting a Marketing Authorisation for a product and continues to be evaluated on an ongoing basis by the Medicines Control Agency. Risks to the foetus are recognised for anticonvulsant therapies and information about whether and how to use medicines in pregnant patients can be found in the authorised product information for health professionals and patients. The risks of loss of epileptic control need to be weighed against the risks to the foetus of these treatments. General prescribing advice on the use of antiepileptic therapy in pregnancy can be found in the British National Formulary.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the health effects of emissions from overhead power lines, with particular reference to (i) electric and (ii) magnetic fields. [61465]
Ms Jowell:
The Department has been supporting, in part, the United Kingdom childhood cancer study, which is expected to report next year. This large study is designed to investigate childhood cancer in relation to various possible causes including exposure to electric and magnetic fields. The Department is also funding a complementary study co-ordinated by the childhood cancer research group, in Oxford, investigating cancer incidence near power lines. Other work being supported by the Department are at Bristol University, on the effect of electric fields on pollutant aerosols, and a laboratory study at Brunel University. The Department is also contributing to the World Health Organisation electromagnetic fields project.
The Department obtains advice on the health implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields primarily from the National Radiological Protection
2 Dec 1998 : Column: 207
Board (NRPB). The NRPB's advisory group on non- ionising radiation conducted an extensive review of the subject in 1992 and concluded that there was no firm evidence of a carcinogenic hazard from exposure that might be associated with residence near major sources of electricity supply. The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment has endorsed the advisory group's report. Supplementary reports in 1993 and 1994 were published by the NRPB to take into account the results of new epidemiological studies from Scandinavia, France and Canada. Copies of the advisory group's report and the supplementary documents are available in the Library. A further comprehensive review by the advisory group is under way and will be published on completion of the UK childhood cancer study.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into aspects of exposure to pollutants under power lines, with particular reference to the work of Professor Henshaw and his colleagues at Bristol University. [61464]
Ms Jowell:
The Department is supporting several studies of the possible health effects of electromagnetic fields. One of these studies by Professor Henshaw, investigating aerosol pollutants under power lines, has been under way for a few months. No evaluation has yet been undertaken.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |