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Beta Interferon
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 March 1999, Official Report, column 845, concerning beta interferon, if he will convey to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam the results of his inquiries into the case of Mrs. Josephine Timms. [98275]
Mr. Denham: I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the final version of the Health Service circular on beta interferon. [98381]
Mr. Hutton: The Department is currently considering all comments received during the consultation on a draft circular on beta interferon.
Eastbourne Hospital
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of nursing staff at Eastbourne District General Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [97326]
Mr. Denham: The East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority and Eastbourne Hospitals National Health Service Trust have reviewed nursing levels and it has been agreed that funding will be allocated for an additional 10 nurses at Eastbourne District General Hospital.
Following the recommendation in the South East NHS Executive's recent Review of Nursing at Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust, the East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority, Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust and Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Group are also looking
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 822
to agree a workload measurement tool that will help determine the skill mix and staffing required to deliver appropriate care at Eastbourne District General Hospital.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many electric wheelchairs were issued or paid for by Eastbourne and County Healthcare Trust in each of the last three years. [98195]
Mr. Hutton:
The information requested is given in the table.
| Financial year | Number issued |
|---|---|
| April 1996-March 1997 | 0 |
| April 1997-March 1998 | 22 |
| April 1998-March 1999 | 13 |
Figures given in the table are the number of electric wheelchairs issued by Eastbourne and County Healthcare National Health Service Trust.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase funding for electric wheelchairs in East Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [98196]
Mr. Hutton:
Wheelchair services for residents of East Sussex are provided by Eastbourne and County Healthcare National Health Service Trust and Hastings and Rother NHS Trust.
Eastbourne and County Healthcare NHS Trust are presently discussing with Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Group the possibility of increasing funding for Electrically Powered Indoor Chairs. Hastings and Rother NHS Trust will shortly be considering increasing funding for Electrically Powered Indoor Chairs. Any increases in funding will be dependent on local priorities.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new born babies in each of the last five years have been damaged by the prescribing of benzodiazepine drugs to their mothers. [93726]
Yvette Cooper:
Information on the number of babies born to mothers taking benzodiazepines during pregnancy who have congenital abnormalities or experience complications is not available. The number of congenital abnormalities and neonatal complications reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines through the United Kingdom's spontaneous Adverse Drug Reaction Scheme from 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1997 suspected as associated with benzodiazepines is shown in the table.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 0 |
| 1995 | 0 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 2 |
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 823
A report of a suspected adverse drug reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug as factors such as underlying disease and concomitant medication may be contributory. The level of reporting of adverse drug reactions with particular drugs is influenced by the scale of drug usage, the period of time the drug has been on the market and the publicity about the drug.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to request the Medicines Control Agency to review the use and prescription of benzodiazepine drugs. [93722]
Yvette Cooper:
It is not the role of the Medicines Control Agency to advise on the prescription of medicines. Advice has already been issued in 1998 by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Department of Health.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the advice of the Committee on Review of Medicines that benzodiazepines should not be prescribed to pregnant women. [93724]
Yvette Cooper:
The product information for prescribers states that benzodiazepines should not be given during pregnancy unless there are compelling medical reasons. There are however some medical conditions in pregnancy where the use of these drugs can be life-saving to mother and child, for example when used to control fits in eclampsia. Patient Information Leaflets produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the licensing authority for benzodiazepines carry warnings that patients should not take the medicine if they are pregnant, might become pregnant or are breast feeding.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the advice of the Committee on Review of Medicines on the prescription of benzodiazepine drugs. [93725]
Yvette Cooper:
In 1980, the Committee on Review of Medicines recommended the short-term use only of benzodiazepines, and the addition of warnings about withdrawal reactions and advice on gradual reduction in dosage on cessation of therapy. The licences for benzodiazepines were amended to add these recommendations for use at this time and this was reflected in the product information for health professionals.
Subsequently the Committee on Safety of Medicines has given advice on the use of benzodiazepines. Doctors were informed in the bulletin, "Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance" in 1988. This advice is found in the British National Formulary, which the Department provides to all doctors and pharmacists twice a year.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to carry out research into the effects of long-term use of benzodiazepine drugs. [93723]
Yvette Cooper:
There are no plans to carry out research into the long term use of benzodiazepine drugs. The Medicines Control Agency continually monitors the safety of all medicines in routine clinical practice. Benzodiazepines are currently licensed for short-term use only.
11 Nov 1999 : Column: 824
Ms Julie Morgan:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she expects to publish the bilateral Concordat between the Cabinet Office and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales. [98356]
Marjorie Mowlam:
I am pleased to announce that the First Secretary and I have agreed the text of the Concordat between the Cabinet Office and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales. Copies of the Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the text will be available on the Cabinet Office website.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she expects to publish the bilateral Concordat between the Cabinet Office and the Scottish Administration. [98353]
Marjorie Mowlam:
I am pleased to announce that the First Minister and I have agreed the text of the Concordat between the Cabinet Office and the Scottish Administration. Copies of the Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the text will be available on the Cabinet Office website.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much her Department spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last four financial years. [97423]
Marjorie Mowlam:
My Department's expenditure on external consultants and advisers in each of the last four financial years is given as follows:
| Year | Expenditure on external consultants and advisers |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 5,015,495 |
| 1996-97 | 4,708,290 |
| 1997-98 | 2,820,726 |
| 1998-99 | 5,534,507 |
Note:
The increase from 1997-98 to 1998-99 is largely because of new expenditure in the following areas: GCHQ consultancy services (CESG) by Central IT Unit (£1,483,858); combating the Millennium Bug expenditure by Y2K team (£502,956); and the Peoples Panel by Modernising Public Services Group (£451,812).
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