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Head Lice
Dr. Brand: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a list of those health authorities that provide bug-busting kits for head lice free of charge. [97648]
Mr. Hutton: This information requested is not collected centrally.
Long-Term Care
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 752, on residential accommodation for elderly people, what representations his Department has received on the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care for the Elderly; and if he will make public a summary of representations received. [97563]
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations from (a) organisations and (b) individuals he has received on the subject of long-term care since the publication of the Royal Commission's report. [97382]
Mr. Hutton: A large number of representations to Ministers on a variety of issues make reference to long-term care. Some representations specifically focus on the Royal Commission's report: around 250 letters have been received from hon. Members and around 70 letters have been received from organisations since the report was published earlier this year. Around a further 430 letters have been received direct from members of the public. Many of the representations have been broadly in support of the main recommendations in the Royal Commission's majority report; others have criticised the recommendations and some have put forward alternative proposals.
Diabetic Screening
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the advice of the UK Screening Committee on the feasibility of introducing high risk type 2 diabetic screening. [97649]
Mr. Hutton: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee is considering the case for introducing a screening programme targeted at people at high risk of type 2 diabetes. We expect to receive the Committee's advice later next year. In England, this work will be linked in to the National Service Framework for diabetes.
Acne
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if laser treatment to deal with acne scarring is currently available on the NHS. [97952]
Mr. Hutton: Laser treatment to deal with acne scarring is a new procedure which is currently being clinically evaluated. It is not yet therefore generally available in the United Kingdom.
NHS Laboratory Technicians
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the career structure for laboratory technicians in the NHS. [97818]
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 819
Mr. Denham:
On 15 February 1999, the Health Departments published proposals for modernising the National Health Service pay system in "Agenda for Change". Initial discussions with NHS trade unions on pay modernisation resulted in a Joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the Way Forward which was published on 8 October. Negotiations continue, aiming for a pay system which pays fairly for work done, with career progression based on responsibility, competence and satisfactory performance.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of funding targeted by his Department on (a) the treatment of motor neurone disease and (b) research into motor neurone disease during 1999. [97790]
Mr. Hutton:
The information is not available in the format requested. It is for health authorities and Primary Care Groups to plan and arrange the services available to people in their care.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base.
The MRC funding for grants relating to motor neurone disease or to the function of motor neurones in general was almost £640,000 in 1998-99. The MRC also fund a considerable amount of basic underpinning research in the area such as nerve function and damage which is not included in this figure.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of funding targeted by his Department on (a) the treatment of multiple sclerosis and (b) research into multiple sclerosis during 1999. [97788]
Mr. Hutton:
The information is not available in the format requested. It is for health authorities and Primary Care Groups to plan and arrange the services available to people in their care. However, complex multiple sclerosis is included in the comprehensive list of specialised services in the Health Service Commissioning in the new National Health Service. This means that regional offices will need to give special consideration to commissioning services for people with complex multiple sclerosis.
The Medical Research Council (MRC)--which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry--funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base. The MRC spent approximately £640,000 in 1998-99. The MRC also fund a considerable amount of basic underpinning research in the area such as nerve function and damage which is not included in this figure.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the incidence of multiple sclerosis (a) among those aged (i) under 16 years, (ii) 16 to 60 years and (iii) over 60 years, and (b) in total, in the most recent years for which figures are available. [97789]
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 820
Mr. Hutton:
The information is not available in the form requested. However, the Multiple Sclerosis Society states that multiple sclerosis is estimated to affect between 80-90,000 people in the United Kingdom.
| Population | New cases per year (incidence) | Total number of cases (prevalence) |
|---|---|---|
| England (approx. 50m) | 4 per 100,000 (2,000) | 100 per 100,000 (50,000) |
| Under 16 | 2.5 per cent. of all new cases (50) | 50 |
| Over 60 | 2.5 per cent. of all new cases (50) | 12,500 |
| Over 70 | Very few | 3,750 |
These figures are derived from epidemiological research studies. These studies all give slightly different figures. The table provides current best estimates for England. NHS figures do not provide accurate estimates of the epidemiology of MS. This is because many patients are not admitted to hospital and outpatient diagnostic data is not comprehensive.
Appointments
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS Trust and Health Authority appointments which were not made by the due date and which remained outstanding on 1 November. [98110]
Ms Stuart: The appointment terms of 265 National Health Service trust non-executives and Chairs came to an end on 31 October 1999. Appointments were made to 257 or 97 per cent. of these vacancies at least four weeks before the due date. Fourteen of these appointments were short-term reappointments until January 2000. Eight vacancies were outstanding on 1 November 1999. They were:
| Body | Number of Chairs | Number of non-executives |
|---|---|---|
| Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust | 0 | 1 |
| Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust | 0 | 2 |
| Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare | 0 | 1 |
| Queen Victoria Hospital | 0 | 1 |
| Two Shires Ambulance | 0 | 1 |
| Medway | 0 | 1 |
| Stoke Mandeville Hospital NHS Trust | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 8 |
Departmental Waste
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set targets for the recycling of waste (a) paper, (b) cardboard, (c) glass, (d) metal, (e) plastic and (f) other products created by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. [98217]
Yvette Cooper:
I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 821
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the health authority inquiry into the discharge, supervision and later conviction for murder of Dominic McKilligan to be complete; what were the terms of reference of that inquiry; and whether those conducting that inquiry can insist on the cooperation of local authority social services departments. [98133]
Mr. Hutton:
The Health authority has commissioned under Health Service Guidance 94/27, an inquiry into the services which Dominic McKilligan received from the National Health Service. That inquiry has an independent panel and work is underway. Although the inquiry cannot insist on the co-operation of the social services departments, information has been sought from involved local authorities. The inquiry aims to complete its work early in the new year.
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