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HEALTH

Hepatitis C

Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people with haemophilia infected with hepatitis C by contaminated blood products who are now suffering (a) chronic liver disease and (b) other significant health problems as a result of their infection; [80909]

Mr. Hutton: We estimate that 4,000 people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C through their National Health Service treatment with blood products before the introduction of viral inactivation processes in 1985. The Haemophilia Society assesses that more than ninety patients have died. We do not have information on the number of people with chronic liver disease or other significant health problems, but all identified cases of hepatitis C infection through blood or blood products are referred to a specialist for further assessment, and drug therapy as appropriate. We believe that 6 or 7 people with haemophilia are on the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority's list of people awaiting liver transplants.

Dentistry

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the amount of unspent Investing in Dentistry funds for 1997-98; and whether that balance was re-allocated to the 1998-99 funds. [81911]

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Mr. Denham: The investing in dentistry scheme was announced in September 1997 and up to £9 million was made available to meet expenditure in that financial year, 1997-98. Grants to the value of £3,836,408 had been approved by the end of March 1998, although by that point grant payments dispensed, and the estimated cost of the additional treatment fees generated by the extra patients registered, had together totalled about £175,000. This is because there is often a period of several months after the approval stage before the additional staff or facilities are in place to receive patients, when the grant becomes payable. Under the current annuality conventions, any money which has been voted by Parliament for a particular year, but which is not needed to meet expenditure chargeable to that year, cannot be carried forward into the next financial year. However, in 1998-99, a further £10 million was made available for the investing in dentistry scheme.

Breast Cancer Units

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist breast cancer units in hospitals cover the Greater London area. [81887]

Mr. Hutton: The 36 specialist breast cancer units in hospitals covering the Greater London area are:



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Cystic Fibrosis

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the average survival age for sufferers of cystic fibrosis in (a) 1998, (b) 1988 and (c) 1978; [81753]

Mr. Hutton: The information is not available in the form requested. The United Kingdom Cystic Fibrosis Survey can provide survival data based on three year cohorts. According to the Survey's current data (which include 1997 data for deaths from the Office for National Statistics) of people with cystic fibrosis born in the three year period 1986-88, 93 per cent. survived to age 12; of those born in 1977-79, 63 per cent. survived to age 21; of those born in 1968-70, the median survival was 16 years 8 months and 47 per cent. survived to age 18. For the 1986-88 cohort, 90 per cent. might be expected to survive to age 18. Recent trends for children indicate that the upper limit of survival to age 18 might be about 95 per cent.

444 people with cystic fibrosis were aged 18 or more at the start of 1978 and 94 reached their 18 birthday in that year; 2,357 people with cystic fibrosis were aged 18 or more at the start of 1997 and 216 reached their 18 birthday in that year. Equivalent figures for the years before 1978 are not available and nor yet are those for 1998.

A summary of information from the Survey up to 1997 is available from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Copies are available in the Library.

Health Authorities and Trust Financial Plans

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities and trusts have finalised their financial plans for the financial year 1999-2000. [82670]

Mr. Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 April 1999, Official Report, columns 28-29.

The financial plans of all health authorities and trusts for the financial year 1999-2000 are due to be submitted to the National Health Service Executive headquarters by the end of May.

HIV/AIDS

Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the membership of the Steering Group convened to develop the HIV/AIDS strategy; and if he will set out the interests of each member. [82452]

Ms Jowell: The membership of the Steering Group convened to develop the HIV/AIDS Strategy is listed, as are their areas of interest in the HIV/AIDS field.



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    Members:


    Dr. David Hawkins--HIV/AIDS and genito-urinary medicine--clinical care


    (Consultant in Genito-urinary medicine; Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and member of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA);


    Ms Carolyn Roth--HIV/AIDS nursing care


    (Senior lecturer in Midwifery Studies, City University; and member of EAGA)


    Mrs. Diana Kloss--the law in relation to HIV/AIDS


    (Barrister, University of Manchester and member of EAGA)


    Dr. Lindsey Davies--public health


    (Regional director of public health; Trent National Health Service Regional Office)


    Dr. Sian Griffiths--public health


    (Director of public health, Oxfordshire Health Authority)


    Professor Michael Adler--HIV/AIDS and Genito-urinary medicine--clinical care


    (Professor of Gentio-urinary Medicine at University College London Medical School)


    Professor Anthony Pinching--HIV/AIDS medicine--clinical care


    (HIV specialist physician, Professor of Immunology at St. Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry; Director of Association of NHS Providers of AIDS Care and Treatment).

Nomination to be sought from the Royal College of General Practitioners:



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Observers from Department for International Development, Prisons Medical Service, Scottish Home and Health Department, Welsh Office, Department of Health and Social Service--Northern Ireland.

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