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Microwave Transmissions
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has commissioned into the non-thermal effects of microwave transmissions associated with (a) telecommunication masts, (b) mobile telephones and (c) cordless telephones; and if he will make a statement. [93913]
Yvette Cooper: The Department's Radiation Protection Research Programme has funded a study of the effect of mobile phone frequency radiation (microwaves) on memory and reaction times in humans. The work was carried out at Bristol University and the results were published on 8 April in the International Journal of Radiation Biology. A further study on the effects of radiofrequency radiation on behaviour patterns is being carried out at Chemical and Biological Defence Porton Down. This work is not yet complete.
In addition, the National Radiological Protection Board, which is sponsored by the Department, is carrying out biological investigations into possible behavioural effects of mobile phone radiation.
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government have
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(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into any correlation between cattle-associated occupations and bovine tuberculosis in people; and if the recent increase in bovine tuberculosis in cattle has caused an increase in bovine tuberculosis in the local human population. [94537]
Yvette Cooper:
There is no evidence at present that the increase in bovine tuberculosis in cattle has led to an increase in bovine tuberculosis in the local human population.
The number of isolates of M.bovis from human cases of bovine tuberculosis in England and Wales has varied from 22 to 37 per year between 1993 and 1998 with no trend to increase or decrease. The numbers of cases arising in those regions of England and Wales with the greatest increase in bovine tuberculosis in cattle (South West, Wales and West Midlands) have remained low and have also varied from year to year with no increasing or decreasing trend.
If the risk of tuberculosis due to M.bovis infection was increasing in the population generally as a result of bovine tuberculosis in cattle, an increase in tuberculosis notifications in young children (the group least likely to have other explanations for tuberculous infection) might be expected in the part of the country most affected by bovine tuberculosis. The number of cases of tuberculosis notified in children (less than 15 years of age) in the South West Region has remained low between 1993 and 1998.
At the request of the Department of Health, the Public Health Laboratory Service has looked at existing data to investigate whether there is a correlation between cattle-associated occupations and bovine tuberculosis. The Department has not commissioned additional research.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students who had requested meningitis vaccine had not received it before returning to college this autumn; and what action is being taken to make it available to them as quickly as practicable. [94722]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 19 October 1999]: Meningococcal A + C vaccine was recommended for higher education students starting their first year at university or college. It was recommended that first year students receive the vaccine either before the start of term or when they begin at university/college. Around 550,000 doses of meningococcal A & C vaccine were issued from the end of August, throughout September and into October. This quantity is well in excess of the target population.
The Department wrote direct to all universities and colleges asking them to ensure that arrangements were in place for the vaccine to be offered to all first year students who had not been immunised. The Department also contacted direct those health centres and general practitioner practices which serve universities and colleges to see how best the vaccine could be delivered to them. The Health Education Authority sent packs of information, including special leaflets, to all universities and colleges so that they could target those first year students who had not been immunised. Publicity was also
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provided through student-focused media. Local implementation of the immunisation programme is managed by the local immunisation co-ordinator.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if an action plan for increasing the representation of women in public life has been (a) prepared by his Department and (b) published since November 1998. [94849]
Yvette Cooper:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 682.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of patients who left the NHS waiting list for acute surgery because they opted to pay for an operation using private funds in each of the last three years. [95332]
Yvette Cooper:
The Information requested is not available centrally.
Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the issuing of national guidance for fertility treatment available on the NHS. [95165]
Yvette Cooper:
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists intend to publish their third, and final, set of evidence based clinical guidelines on infertility in January 2000.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for further allocation of resources to improve pathology services from the modernisation fund. [95708]
Mr. Denham:
Ministers are considering the allocation process and amounts for future years. An announcement about 2000-2001 will be made in due course.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the process and what criteria are used to determine successful bids for resources to improve pathology services under the modernisation fund. [95694]
Mr. Denham:
The process and criteria for the 1999-2000 Pathology Modernisation Fund are set out in Health Service Circular 1999-170. The criteria for judging the probity of bids for capital investment purposes were taken from the NHS Executive guidance issued in accordance with the Capital Investment Manual.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of recorded MRSA patients in NHS hospitals in each of the last five years; how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals recorded MRSA outbreaks; and how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals have full-time staff dedicated to the prevention and control of MRSA and related infections. [95661]
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Yvette Cooper:
MRSA infection is not a notifiable disease and therefore the total number of patients in National Health Service hospitals who have MRSA is not recorded centrally. The Public Health Laboratory Service compiles aggregate data on numbers of incidents of MRSA which are reported by trusts. The available data on the incidents of MRSA are given in the table. The number of NHS acute trusts recording MRSA outbreaks are not collected centrally. All NHS acute trusts should have an infection control team which has primary responsibility for, and reports to the chief executive on, all aspects of surveillance, prevention and control of infection, including MRSA. The structure of infection control teams is a matter for local management discretion. Details of the number of whole time equivalent staff dedicated to the prevention and control of MRSA and related infections are not available centrally.
| Year | Total |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 1,064 |
| 1995 | 1,616 |
| 1996 | 2,107 |
| 1997 | (12)2,364 |
| 1998 | (13)1,597 |
(11) An incident is three or more patients infected or colonised by the same strain of MRSA in the same month from the same hospital
(12) The figures for 1997 and 1998 reflect the new NHS
(13) The criteria for submission of isolates for specialist tests were revised in December 1997
Public Health White Paper
Mr. Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have for the implementation of the proposals contained in the Public Health White Paper. [95706]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 25 October 1999]: We are working across Government and at regional and local levels to implement the wide range of initiatives in the White Paper "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation" published on 6 July 1999. We are committed to the achievement of the targets for reducing deaths in the priority areas of cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, accidents and mental illness and to the establishment of local targets for reducing health inequalities.
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