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Ministerial Travel
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [92661]
Ms Jowell [holding answer 23 July 1999]: In accordance with the terms of the Ministerial code, Ministers are required always to make efficient and cost effective travel arrangements. Trips in and around London, which account for the majority of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's working week, will normally be made by Government car. The last time he used a train in the course of his official duties was on 23 July 1999 when visiting the National Health Service Executive Headquarters in Leeds.
Psychiatric Hospitals
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) men and (b) women were detained in psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales on 1 July. [92921]
Mr. Hutton: The information available is contained in the Department of Health's Statistical Bulletin "In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1987-88 and 1992-93 to 1997-98". My hon. Friend may wish to refer to this Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Library.
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Mr. Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a national strategy on sexual and reproductive health; and if he will make a statement. [93441]
Ms Jowell: I announced on 23 March that the Department will, over the coming year, be developing an integrated strategy on sexual health. Professor Michael Adler will, be joining the Department in September to lead work on the strategy and ensure that it is co-ordinated with work on the HIV/AIDS strategy and teenage pregnancy. We will be in a position to announce the membership of the External Reference Group to assist him in this work shortly.
Medical Devices Agency
Mr. Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will report the findings of the Quinquennial Review of the Medical Devices Agency, which the Minister for Public Health announced on 2 May; and if he will make a statement about the future status of the Medical Devices Agency and the Medicines Control Agency. [93798]
Mr. Denham: We are publishing today the report of the Medical Devices Agency quinquennial review. Copies have been placed in the Library. The review concludes that the Agency is well respected in the medical device field both in the United Kingdom and Europe and has performed consistently well against its key targets. It finds that Executive Agency status has been beneficial and recommends that the MDA should remain as an Agency.
In light of the recommendation of the report we announced on 9 December 1998 and the more recent conclusions of the quinquennial reviews respectively of the MDA and the Medicines Control Agency, we have
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decided that the two Agencies should not be merged and that both should retain their status as separate Agencies for the time being.
Mr. Alan Keen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the 12 Annual report of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship. [93820]
Mr. Dobson:
I have today published the 12 Annual Report of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of the NHS Estates Agency. [93888]
Mr. Denham:
A quinquennial review of the Agency falls to be completed by the end of this year. This will address the performance of the Agency and will re-examine all the options ("Prior Options") which were considered before the Agency was launched.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has established a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [93459]
Mr. Denham:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much in each of the last three years his Department has spent on dementia research; and how much is allocated in the Comprehensive Spending Review for the next two years. [93309]
Mr. Hutton:
With regard to the Department's spending on dementia research in the last three years I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Mr. Soames) on 21 June 1999, Official Report, column 289.
Comprehensive Spending Review settlements are given to Government Departments and do not include allocations to particular research programmes. Ministers are currently reviewing planned expenditure for 2000-01.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities in the United Kingdom provide IVF treatment to women whose spouses have children by a previous marriage; and what was the cost of such provision to each authority in the last two financial years. [92581]
Ms Jowell:
Information is not currently available in the form requested. However, a College of Health survey of health authorities (commissioned by the
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National Infertility Awareness Campaign in 1998) lists 70 health authorities which had formal eligibility criteria for assisted conception. Details can be found in the survey report, copies of which are available in the Library.
Information on the cost of providing National Health Service infertility treatment to individuals with existing children is not collected.
The Department is currently conducting a survey of health authority provision of infertility services in England. This should provide information on eligibility criteria used by all health authorities. The results of the survey are likely to be available later in the year.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the planned date for publication of the Government's pharmacy strategy review document; and when he expects it to be published. [92966]
Mr. Denham:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish updated guidance on continence services following the Review of Continence Services published on 2 September 1988. [93557]
Mr. Hutton:
We hope to issue shortly updated guidance which has been developed in the light of the current review of continence policy.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have reported shortages of (a) DTP, (b) haemophilus, (c) polio, (d) MMR and (e) BCG vaccines over the last 12 months. [93222]
Ms Jowell:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children over one year of age have received (a) polio vaccine, (b) haemophilus B vaccine and (c) DTP immunisation; [93217]
(3) how many children at school entry age have not received (a) full DTP immunisation, (b) polio vaccine and (c) MUR immunisation. [93218]
Ms Jowell:
I shall write to the hon. Member.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children over the age of 14 years have not received BCG immunisation. [93220]
Ms Jowell:
Information is not held centrally in the form requested. The latest figures on number of BCG immunisations given are published in the Statistical Bulletin National Health Service Immunisation Statistical, England: 1997-98, copies of which are available in the Library.
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Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 1998, Official Report, column 257, on councillors, if he will list the percentage of (a) men and (b) women councillors in each local authority at the latest available date. [93520]
Ms Jowell:
The Women's Unit collated and analysed information on the gender breakdown of councillors during 1998. This information was made public on 10 December 1998 (copies placed in the Library). The tables break down the results by region and by local authority. This information is not routinely collected by any department.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the legal advice pertaining to the Medicines (Advertising and Monitoring of Advertising) Amendment Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 267) referred to by the Minister for Public Health on 28 April 1999, Official Report, Ninth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, column 23. [93447]
Ms Jowell:
I shall write to the hon. Member.
(2) how many children over the age of two years have not received MMR immunisation; [93221]
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