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Oxaliplatin
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to assess the effectiveness of the cancer drug Oxaliplatin. [116129]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 24 March 2000]: We are considering a number of possible additional topics for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence during the year 2000-01, including a number of anti-cancer drugs. An announcement will be made shortly.
Prozac
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the prescription of Prozac to children under 10 years; and what guidelines in respect of the prescription of Prozac his Department has issued. [116102]
Ms Stuart: Prozac is not licensed for treatment of children. Doctors prescribe medicines outside their licensed indications in the knowledge that they then bear the full legal and clinical responsibility for the patient's condition in relation to that treatment.
Doctors are advised of the clinical considerations which are relevant to their prescribing decisions in publications such as the British National Formulary (BNF). The BNF advises that Prozac is not recommended for children.
Broomfield Hospital
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 2000, Official Report, column 304W, and the appeal by the Mid-Essex CHC
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 63W
against the closure of wards at Broomfield Hospital, if he will order the three wards to be (a) kept open or (b) reopened until he has determined the appeal. [116027]
Mr. Denham:
Following detailed discussions between North Essex health authority, Mid Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust and local primary care groups as part of the Service and Financial Framework for 2000-01, an agreement has been reached to reopen the remaining beds at Broomfield Hospital which had been taken out of use.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of 20 March 2000, Official Report, column 430W, on long-term care, how many of the representations received were critical of the recommendation of the majority report of the Royal Commission on Long-term Care. [116273]
Mr. Hutton:
A minority of the representations which we have received have preferred an alternative approach from that recommended by the Royal Commission on long-term care.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on the health implications of very high concentrations of technetium in seafood; and if he will make a statement. [115529]
Yvette Cooper:
No specific research is currently carried out into the health effect of technetium-99 in seafood as the effects of ingested radioactivity have been studied for many years. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food carries out a comprehensive monitoring programme around the British Isles, which shows the most exposed seafood consumer received only 2 per cent. of the annual dose limit from exposure to technetium-99.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to implement the national confidential inquiry into perioperative deaths; and if he will make a statement. [110434]
Ms Stuart:
The recommendations of the National Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Deaths (NCEPOD) are primarily for the professions who need to re-evaluate their practice in the light of the evidence found. Other recommendations are concerned with organisational issues and are for local National Health Service management to address. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is undertaking a review of all four confidential inquiries which will include an assessment of the impact of NCEPOD and the other inquiries.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the system used to assess annual increases in NHS funding. [116011]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
I have been asked to reply.
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 64W
The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget medium-term plans for the NHS, involving average annual real terms increases of over 6 per cent. for the NHS.
12. Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the eventual total cost to public funds of the Millennium Dome. [114865]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The Millennium Experience has a cash-limited budget of £758 million for the Dome at Greenwich and its associated national programme of events and activities. The budget is made up of grant from the Millennium Commission, private sector sponsorship and commercial income. The New Millennium Experience Company aims to stay within that budget. The project is receiving no funds from the Exchequer.
13. Mr. Efford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the most recent attendance figures for the Millennium Dome. [114866]
Janet Anderson:
The Government are extremely encouraged by the continuing upward trend in visitor numbers to the Millennium Experience at Greenwich-- 10 million paying visitors will enable the company to deliver a break-even operating budget. NMEC's target remains higher than that but its focus at this stage is achieving 10 million.
Over 1.25 million people have visited the Dome so far, which is remarkable in itself given that January, February and March are traditionally low season periods for visitor attractions.
14. Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the future of the British film industry. [114867]
Janet Anderson:
Britain's world-class facilities continue to attract very substantial inward investment and we continue to turn out world-class talent, both in front of and behind the camera. But these great strengths are vulnerable without the commercial infrastructure, particularly in terms of film distribution, that would allow the UK film industry to realise the full economic potential of its talent and skills.
The Government's objective is to create the right conditions for a sustainable UK film industry, through the use of well-targeted tax incentives and the creation of a strategic body, the Film Council, which will provide support in key areas.
15. Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he is taking to assist regional theatres in attracting young audiences. [114868]
27 Mar 2000 : Column: 65W
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The Arts Council's Theatre Review will address the ways in which regional theatres can meet the needs of young people. Despite the recent misinformation in the press, classic texts are currently and will continue to be one of the most important ways of meeting the needs of young people.
19. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice the Arts Council's theatre review has issued to regional theatres about the use of classic texts. [114872]
20. Mr. Beard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice the Arts Council's theatre review has issued to regional theatres about the use of classic texts. [114873]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The Arts Council's theatre review is about ensuring the best possible access to the best possible theatre across the country. Classic texts are currently, and will continue to be, one of the most important strands of programming by regional theatres and especially popular with young people. Reports in the press suggesting that the ACE wants to downgrade classic theatre, or only favour lasers, acrobats or video technology, have absolutely no foundation in fact.
16. Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance he is issuing about applications for support in sport action zones. [114869]
Kate Hoey:
Sport action zones are a direct response to the need to address sporting deprivation in some of the most socially and economically deprived areas of the country. Sport England is now discussing with all the local interests the production of a plan for each zone to ensure they meet the needs of the area. Those plans will form the basis of bids for lottery funding.
17. Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance he provides to local authorities on the minimum level of service that public libraries should provide to their local communities. [114870]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
There is currently no defined minimum level of public library service, but all library authorities must meet the requirement of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a "comprehensive and efficient" service. In order to assist them, I will be issuing a draft set of public library standards for consultation later in the spring, and will be bringing the final version into force from 1 April 2001.
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