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Textile Industry
Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the textile trade (a) owners and (b) trade unions concerning problems facing the industry; and if he will make a statement. [76263]
Mr. Battle: My Department has received a number of representations from owners and trade unions involved in the textiles industry. The most significant of these was the presentation of a joint Action Plan to improve the competitiveness of the textiles and clothing sector submitted by the British Apparel and Textile Confederation and the industry's principal trade unions. The industry has now established the Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group, made up of representatives from trade associations, trade unions, academia, manufacturing and Government, to develop a strategy for the long term sustainable development of the industry, building on the work in the Action Plan. My Department provides the secretariat for the group.
HEALTH
Genzyme Corporation
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the licence applications received since 1 May 1997 from the Genzyme Corporation, indicating which (a) involve the injection of cells from pigs into human brains and (b) have been submitted for consideration to UKXIRA. [72571]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 22 February 1999]: Applications to the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) must be submitted in accordance with the requirements set out in "Guidance on making proposals to conduct xenotransplantation on human subjects". Copies of the guidance is available through the Department of Health, PO Box 410, Wetherby, LS23 7LL. The UKXIRA Website (address www.doh.gov.uk/ukxira.htm) also gives details of both of the guidance and the work of the authority.
Information contained in applications is submitted in confidence. The number of applications received has not changed since the answer given on 4 February 1999, Official Report, column 776.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 1999, Official Report, columns 138-39, on waiting times, how many
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patients in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area had been waiting (a) 13 to 25 weeks and (b) more than 26 weeks to see a consultant at the end of December 1998. [73154]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 25 February 1999]: The number of people waiting 13 to 25 weeks to see a consultant was 1,848 at the end of December 1998; the number of people waiting over 26 weeks was 440 at the end of December 1998.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the North Essex Health Authority publishes figures on waiting lists on the same basis as his Department. [73120]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 25 February 1999]: We are content that the waiting list figures North Essex Health Authority publishes are consistent with those collected by the Department and published by the Government Statistical Service.
However, we have asked the North Essex Health Authority to ensure that, when publishing waiting list figures for local trusts, it is made clear that the figures relate only to the health authority's own residents.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will investigate discrepancies between the figures published by the North Essex Health Authority on the total number of people waiting for hospital treatment in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust Area and the figures published by his Department. [73119]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 25 February 1999]: We have compared figures published recently by the North Essex Health Authority with those collected by the Department and published by the Government Statistical Service and identified no discrepancies. However, whereas the Government Statistical Service publishes the health authority total, North Essex Health Authority also publishes the number of its residents waiting at each local National Health Service trust.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that health authorities publish hospital waiting list figures that are compatible with the figures published by his Department. [73118]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 25 February 1999]: National Health Service waiting list figures are collected from health authorities and NHS trusts by the Department and published by the Government Statistical Service. The data are subject to validation and any anomalies are investigated with the health authority or NHS trust concerned. We are not aware of health authorities publishing hospital waiting list figures differing from these figures.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a cost/benefit analysis of a preventive approach to dentistry. [74299]
Mr. Denham:
The most effective oral health promotion measure is the fluoridation of water. A review of the economic benefits of fluoridation by the Health Economics Consortium of the University of York was published last year. Copies are available in the Library.
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Mr. David Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that (a) primary health care groups and (b) future primary care trusts make appropriate provision for dentistry and oral health. [75677]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 10 March 1999]: Health Improvement Programmes will ensure that all stakeholders are actively engaged in developing plans that will address all of the health and health care needs of local communities. All health improvement programmes must include oral health. In addition, we are already taking steps to improve the quality of dental services and ensure easier access, through the Personal Dental Services Pilots which began in October 1998 and through the Investing In Dentistry scheme, which is improving access to the General Dental Services.
Mr. Dorrell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state for the latest available year and the two preceding years the (a) number of residents of registered nursing homes, (b) number of residents of registered care homes, (c) average weekly cost of a place in a registered nursing home, (d) average weekly cost of a place in a registered care home, (e) proportion of residents of nursing homes who receive assistance with the cost of their care from public funds, and the total cost of that assistance and (f) proportion of residents of care homes who receive assistance with the cost of their care from public funds and the total cost of that assistance. [74949]
Mr. Hutton:
The table contains figures on the number of residents in nursing and residential care homes for the last year available (1997) and the two preceding years together with information on the average weekly cost of a placement. We do not have data on the proportion of residents supported from public funds but the table contains data on numbers of supported residents and total expenditure on residential and nursing home care by social services and the number of people receiving help with the cost of their care through Income Support.
Notes:
All expenditure figures are as at 31 March for each year.
Due to poor response from care homes, the residential figures for 1997 have been estimated and are not as reliable as previous years data.
The significant reduction in elderly residents between 1996 and 1997 can be attributed to better assignment of these residents to other client groups such as EMI, Learning Disabilities and Others.
Average weekly cost figures for residential/nursing homes are from Lang and Buisson Income Support expenditure is based on a 5 per cent. sample of all cases and as such is subject to a degree of sampling error.
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