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Xenotransplantation

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has prohibited on ethical grounds the use of primates in xenotransplantation trials. [76501]

Mr. Hutton: We recognise that the use of primates as possible source animals for xenotransplantation is an emotive issue arousing strong feelings. The view taken

16 Mar 1999 : Column: 636

by the Government, as advised by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority, is that there should be a strong presumption against the use of primates as sources for xenotransplantation. The use of great apes in scientific procedures, including xenotransplantation, has already been ruled out.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department assesses the risk of a new viral disease emerging via xenotransplantation procedures. [76503]

Mr. Hutton: The Government are advised on all issues related to xenotransplantation by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA).

The UKXIRA membership provides an excellent balance of medical and scientific expertise with appropriate lay representation. The authority keeps itself fully updated on all developments in the field and has developed extensive networks, both in this country and abroad, through which to obtain additional specialist advice. For example, the UKXIRA last year hosted a workshop on the possible risks posed by porcine endogenous retroviruses, involving fifty leading experts from the UK and the United States of America. A report of the day's proceedings is due to be published shortly.

Heart Attacks and Strokes

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the numbers of (a) heart attacks and (b) strokes in each region in each of the last five years. [75961]

Mr. Hutton: Information on the number of patients admitted to hospital for heart attacks and strokes for the financial years 1993-94 to 1997-98 are shown in the following tables.

16 Mar 1999 : Column: 635

Ordinary admissions and day cases combined: number of completed first order episodes by primary diagnosis and Regional Health Authority (RHA) of treatmentNHS hospitals, England 1993-94 to 1995-96

	Heart attacks			Strokes
Regional health authority	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96
Northern	8,807	7,473	6,987	8,234	7,597	6,387
Yorkshire	8,812	8,132	7,636	8,912	8,535	6,757
Trent	10,119	9,045	9,858	11,150	10,982	8,670
East Anglian	4,625	5,791	4,240	4,844	6,647	4,531
North West Thames	5,269	4,438	3,996	6,453	5,771	4,624
North East Thames	7,208	6,958	6,149	7,980	8,731	6,511
South East Thames	6,464	6,246	5,735	7,780	8,198	6,561
South West Thames	5,106	4,639	4,321	6,386	6,360	5,296
Wessex	6,098	5,604	4,530	6,447	6,783	4,623
Oxford	3,561	4,211	3,504	4,441	5,646	4,059
South Western	7,532	6,713	7,087	8,601	8,237	7,336
West Midlands	11,209	10,377	9,756	13,322	13,499	10,440
Mersey	5,637	5,356	4,780	6,195	6,162	4,579
North Western	9,609	9,429	8,529	10,458	10,705	8,078
SHAs	204	0	0	594	0	0
England	100,261	94,411	87,109	111,798	113,853	88,451

Notes:

ICD 10 replaced ICD 9 in 1995-96.

Heart attack: ICD9 code 410 and ICD10 code 121-122 used.

Stroke: ICD9 code 430-436 and ICD10 code 160-164 used.

Data for 1993-94 to 1995-96 are grossed for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data.

Source:

Hospital Episodes Statistics

16 Mar 1999 : Column: 637

Ordinary admissions and day cases combined: number of completed first order episodes by primary diagnosis and regional office of treatmentNHS hospitals, England 1996-97 and 1997-98

	Heart attacks		Strokes
Regional office of treatment	1996-97	1997-98	1996-97	1997-98
Northern and Yorkshire	12,119	11,237	11,533	10,887
Trent	8,333	8,577	7,979	8,828
Anglia and Oxford	6,061	7,284	7,170	8,267
North Thames	8,647	9,050	10,180	10,811
South Thames	9,799	9,401	11,605	10,991
South and West	10,556	10,174	11,385	12,206
West Midlands	9,084	9,159	9,470	9,409
North West	12,392	12,007	12,140	12,289
Not Known	0	85	0	79
England	76,991	76,974	81,462	83,767

Notes:

Heart attack: ICD10 code 121-122 used.

Stroke: ICD10 code 160-164 used.

Data for 1996-97 and 1997-98 are provisional, no adjustments have yet been made for shortfalls in data, (i.e. the data is ungrossed).

Source:

Hospital Episodes Statistics

Neurological Services

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the current arrangements for consulting on and drawing-up contracts for the provision of neurological services. [72565]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 22 February 1999]: The White Paper, "The new NHS", set out new arrangements for commissioning services through the introduction of long term service agreements. All commissioning in the new National Health Service will take place through service agreements.

Health authorities and primary care groups will be responsible for drawing up service agreements with NHS trusts to deliver improvements in health and health care services which meet the needs of their population.

Increasingly, service agreements will need to reflect the development of long-term relationships between primary care groups and NHS trusts, be based on the shared view of the outcomes of care needed, and cover integrated pathways of care. Guidance on "Commissioning in the new NHS" emphasised that this will apply, in particular, to long-term medical conditions, such as neurological conditions, where, following accurate and timely diagnosis, patient care will largely be managed outside of an acute setting.

A compendium of good practice on the commissioning of neurological services is currently being considered for development in 1999/2000.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Publications

Mr. Burgon: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the latest volume of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom" to be published. [77432]

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Mr. Nick Brown: "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1998" was published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Baby Foods

Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is being taken to control pesticide residues in baby foods. [77433]

Mr. Rooker: Agreement was reached last week on 2 new EC Directives which impose stringent limits on the levels of pesticides in infant formulae and baby foods. These measures will enhance existing controls and provide even greater protection for the health of this vulnerable group of the population.

Abattoir Inspectors

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the number of incidents of harassment of Ministry abattoir inspectors by abattoir staff for each year over the last five years. [66386]

Mr. Rooker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 3 February 1999, Official Report, column 689.

Genetically Modified Crops

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has held with the Minister for Science, about genetically modified crops. [68067]

Mr. Nick Brown: I have not held any discussions with the Minister of Science about genetically modified crops.

Mink Farming

Mr. Heppell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits were made in 1998 to mink factory farms, by county, by Ministry officials (a) for animal welfare inspections and (b) to check compliance with the conditions of the Mink Keeping Regulations 1975 (as amended). [68147]

Mr. Morley: Visits in 1998 were made as follows:

County	Inspections to check compliance with animal welfare legislation	Inspections to check compliance with the Mink Keeping Regulations 1975
Cornwall	5	2
Dorset	2	4
Hampshire	4	8
Isle of Wight	2	2
Lancashire	5	11
Northumberland	4	2
South Yorkshire	1	3
Staffordshire	3	6
West Yorkshire	2	4
Total	28	42

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