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Departmental Legal Business
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy when (a) conducting legal proceedings and (b) seeking legal advice as to the circumstances in which Queen's Counsel should be instructed; and for each of the last three years (i) on how many occasions his Department instructed Queen's Counsel and (ii) what was the total cost of instructing Queen's Counsel. [81762]
Mr. Denham: The Department does use Queen's Counsel in the conduct of its litigation. They are used for important and complex cases. For the remaining cases the Department's position would be as stated in the reply given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General on 26 April 1999, Official Report, columns 1-2. Approval for off panel counsel is sought from the Attorney-General as necessary.
Information on the number of occasions in the last three years on which the Department has instructed Queen's Counsel could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Buprenorphine
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the methadone substitute buprenorphine will be available on prescription in the UK. [82556]
Mr. Denham:
Three medicinal products, Subutex 0.4mg sublingual tablets, Subutex 2mg sublingual tablets and Subutex 8mg sublingual tablets, containing
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buprenorphine were granted marketing authorisations on 21 December 1998. The indications for these authorisations are
"Substitution treatment for opioid dependence, within a framework of medical, social and psychological treatment".
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has (i) commissioned and (ii) evaluated on sufferers from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, with particular reference to the proportion who eventually return to (a) full-time employment and (b) part-time employment. [82653]
Mr. Hutton: We have not commissioned or evaluated any studies that specifically look at the proportion of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis who eventually return to full-time or part-time employment. The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The Council is always willing to consider new ideas for research and will consider applications on their scientific merits.
The CFS/ME Working Group which began meeting in January this year will also look at the need to identify and commission further research.
Housing Conditions
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many press releases his Department has issued publicising action taken by health authorities to prevent illness caused by cold and damp housing; and on what dates they were issued; [82748]
- (2) what guidance he has issued to health authorities on ways in which they may promote or assist with schemes to prevent illness caused by cold and damp housing; [82747]
(3) if he will list the health authorities which are currently assisting or promoting schemes to prevent illness caused by cold and damp homes; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards such schemes. [82753]
Ms Jowell:
The Department has issued no such press releases. In terms of guidance in this area, the Department has issued a joint Health Service/Local Authority Circular to the National Health Service and local government on the introduction of Health Improvement Programmes (HImPs). HImPs provide the framework for health authorities to bring together all local players to assess local health needs, identify what needs to be done to address national and local priorities and agree how each can contribute. Through this process, health authorities will develop comprehensive local programmes to tackle the wider determinants of ill health, of which cold and damp housing is one. The Department is aware of a number of projects where health authorities and local agencies have taken joint action to tackle ill health exacerbated by cold and damp housing, although no
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central record is kept of all such schemes. The Government welcome such projects as positive examples of the kind of joint working at the local level that HImPs are designed to establish.
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the community hospitals where one or more wards have closed since 1 May 1997, indicating the date of each closure; [82758]
(3) if he will list each community hospital where closure of one or more wards has been agreed but has not yet taken place, indicating the proposed date of closure in each instance; [82759]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 30 April 1999]: Information is not collected centrally about beds or wards at hospital level. Data on beds by ward type are collected annually from National Health Service trusts and are published in Bed Availability and Occupancy, 1997-98, copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will reply to the letter of 23 March from the hon. Member for Westbury concerning Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82760]
(3) if he will list the representations he has received from (a) public bodies and (b) members of the public concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82764]
(4) what representations he has received from (a) officials of the General and Municipal Boilerworkers Union and (b) Bath and District Community Health Council concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82761]
(5) what discussions he has had with the Wiltshire Health Authority concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82763]
(6) if he will meet the hon. Member for Westbury and representatives of Warminster Hospital to discuss the proposed closure of Ward 2. [82765]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 30 April 1999]: I will be replying to the hon. Member shortly and am giving consideration to his request for a meeting. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 52 letters concerning the closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital. One of these was from Warminster Town Council, the remainder were from members of the public. No representations have been received from the General, Municipal and Boilerworkers Union or the Bath and District Community Health Council. In addition there have been 319 standard letters received on this matter from members of the public.
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My right hon. Friend has had no discussions with Wiltshire Health Authority about the closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital.
My right hon. Friend's Parliamentary Private Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ann Keen), met with a GMB sponsored delegation in her capacity as Secretary to the GMB group of members.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the percentage of the settlement for Gloucestershire health authority which will be used to fund the pay award for 1999-2000. [82766]
Mr. Denham:
[holding answer 30 April 1999]: 35.8 per cent. of the 1999-2000 increase in financial allocation for Gloucestershire health authority will be required to fund the pay review body awards for 1999-2000.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the recent report, commissioned by the Government, on the potential health risks of genetically modified foods; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [83136]
Ms Jowell:
The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser were commissioned to prepare a paper on the public health implications of genetically modified foods and this was considered by a recent meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Biotechnology and Genetic Modification. The paper considers how genetic modification is used in the production of food; the theoretical risks that may arise from the introduction of GM foods in the diet and an assessment of the likelihood that these may become real problems.
The draft paper is not yet completed. Work is still being undertaken on it, including the recommendations.
When the paper has been finalised it will be published and copies will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the expenditure plans for each health authority in the south west region, indicating those authorities that are making reductions in service; and by how much. [82776]
Mr. Denham:
The financial plans of health authorities for the financial year 1999-2000 have not yet been finalised.
(2) if he will list the community hospitals where there have been bed closures since 1 May 1997, indicating the date and number of beds closed in each instance; [82757]
(2) in what official capacity his Parliamentary Private Secretary met representatives of Warminster Hospital on 21 April; and if he will make a statement; [82762]
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