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Xenotransplantation
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the letter from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), of 2 February to the hon. Member for Lewes, on xenotransplantation, what disposal methods are authorised for meat from pigs subject to xenotransplantation procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if such meat is deemed suitable for human consumption. [111049]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 21 February 2000]: The Home Office Code of Practice for the Humane Killing of Animals under Schedule 1 to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 lists appropriate methods for the killing of animals regulated by the Act and advice on disposal of carcases.
Meat from genetically modified animals, such as those used in some xenotransplantation procedures, cannot enter the food chain without approval under the Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulations (258/7). Genetically modified animals would fall within the category of
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified midwives were employed in the NHS (a) in 1979, (b) in 1997 and (c) at the latest available dates. [111316]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 21 February 2000]: Information about numbers of midwives employed by the National Health Service is collected as at 30 September each year. Latest figures are as at 30 September 1998. The information is shown in the table.
22 Feb 2000 : Column: 913W
"foods and food ingredients containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms within the meaning of Directive 90/220/EEC".
Before approval could be granted an application would have to be made within the European Union seeking clearance for meat from such animals to be placed on the market. Any application would have to demonstrate that the meat was safe for human consumption. No applications under the Novel Food Regulations have been made relating to meat from animals used in xenotransplantation procedures.
| Number (headcount) | |
|---|---|
| 1979(28) | 14,620 |
| 1997 | 22,380 |
| 1998 | 22,840 |
(28) State certified midwives in hospital and at area and district. Figures exclude learners and agency staff. 1979 figure not directly comparable with later years.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England (HPSSS)
Voluntary Organisations (Grants)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances he renews a core grant to a voluntary organisation beyond the normal period for which such grants are payable. [110920]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 21 February 2000]: The Section 64 General Scheme of grants is the Department's main channel of support to the voluntary sector. Core grants, as well as project grants, are awarded for up to three years to national voluntary organisations. There is no bar to any voluntary organisation applying for renewal core funding, but a renewal application should concentrate on showing why and how continued funding would help the Department to achieve its aims, and the outputs and achievements that a grant would produce.
Electro-convulsive Treatment
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients (a) under and (b) over the age of 18 years were given electro-convulsive treatment in England and Wales (i) with and (ii) without their consent for each of the last two years. [111416]
Mr. Hutton: The information is not available in the form requested. A one-off survey covering the period from January 1999 to March 1999, England only, was undertaken to provide an up to date and accurate snapshot picture of the use of electro-convulsive treatment (ECT). Prior to this information previously recorded on ECT did not provide an accurate picture on the use of ECT. Any data collected in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
The results of the survey are contained in the Department of Health Statistical bulletin "Electro Convulsive Therapy: Survey covering the period from January 1999 to March 1999, England", a copy of which is in the Library.
Naloxone/Nacran
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake a consultation exercise on extending the categories of health professionals qualified to administer the drug Naloxone/Nacran, to include ambulance technicians. [111166]
Ms Stuart:
Any extension to the groups of professionals who may administer injectable medicines such as Naloxone without a doctor's directions and on their own initiative, would require an amendment to the Prescription Only Medicine (Human Use) Order 1997.
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There is an established process whereby advice is sought from the Committee on Safety of Medicines on an application prior to public consultation. Currently there is no application under consideration and I have no plans to undertake a consultation exercise. Naloxone may be administered by ambulance paramedics as they are one of the groups mentioned above.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the Government initiatives in the primary care system to address coronary heart disease. [110353]
Yvette Cooper:
Primary care initiatives have an important role to play in health promotion and in preventing coronary heart disease (CHD). The main risk factors are smoking, physical inactivity, obesity and poor diet. Since 1990, the terms of services for general practitioners has obliged them to provide opportunistic health promotion services to patients, including advice about the significance of diet, exercise and the use of tobacco. A locally based health promotion programme for GPs was also introduced from October 1996.
The National Priorities Guidance (NPG), which sets the Government's aim and objectives for the National Health Service, highlights CHD and smoking as key priorities for modernisation. The NPG directs health authorities and primary care groups to develop services for smoking cessation. Both primary care groups and individual practices should be working closely with these specialist services.
On 2 February, my hon. Friend the Minister of State announced the launch of the National Primary Care Development Team, a major initiative to enable primary care to cut unnecessary deaths, improve patient access and tackle waiting lists and times. The primary care groups and trusts in this scheme will commit themselves to tackling CHD. In addition, the Government will publish shortly a National Service Framework for CHD, the first ever comprehensive plan to deal with all aspects of this disease. It is an ambitious 10 year strategy that will address both prevention and treatment of CHD, in which primary care teams will be playing a major part.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to increase access to specialists for suspected cancers, with particular reference to the most disadvantaged patients. [110362]
Yvette Cooper:
We have introduced a two week waiting time standard, which will be in place for all cases of suspected cancer by the end of this year, whereby all patients with suspected cancer referred urgently by their general practitioners for a specialist investigation should be seen within two weeks.
We are also developing cancer referral guidelines to help GPs and other members of primary care identify more easily those symptoms that could be cancer and require an urgent appointment with a specialist within two weeks. The final guidelines will be published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in April 2000.
22 Feb 2000 : Column: 915W
We are also increasing the number of cancer specialists. There are currently 400 higher specialist trainees for main cancer specialties--oncology and palliative care. We expect these will emerge from training over the next five years increasing the number of specialists by 60 per cent. Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, is developing a work force strategy and will work with professional bodies and local cancer networks to identify future work force demands and ways in which they could be met.
Mr. Rapson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the outcome was of his consultation on road user charging and the workplace parking levy. [111713]
Mr. Hill:
Our consultation paper "Breaking the Logjam, the Government's consultation paper on fighting traffic congestion and pollution through road user and workplace parking charges" was published on 8 December 1998. It confirmed our intention to legislate on road user charging and on the workplace parking levy and invited comments by 31 March last year on a wide range on mainly practical issues.
Some 8,000 copies of "Breaking the Logjam" were distributed, and we received 665 responses. 75 per cent. of the responses which gave an opinion supported or accepted the need for the new charges. The Transport Bill currently before Parliament implements these policies.
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