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Meningitis Vaccinations

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) babies and (b) school children aged 15 to 17 years have been vaccinated with meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine under the current immunisation programme. [117637]

Yvette Cooper: Information on uptake of the new meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine in babies and in school children aged 15 to 17 years will not be available till later this year, but anecdotal evidence suggests that between 80 and 95 per cent. of 15 to 17-year-olds have been immunised, with uptake in babies even higher.

Breast Screening

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide funding within the allocation for the breast screening service for self-referrals for women above the age of 65 years. [117634]

Yvette Cooper: Funding for the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme is included in health authority allocations and is not separately earmarked. The Forrest report, on which the programme is based, assumed that 10 per cent. of screens would be carried out on women who self-refer. In 1998-99, 88,119 women aged 65 and over were screened within the programme, representing 7.2 per cent. of all screens.

Women aged 65 and over are offered free three yearly screening on request. Women who have already participated in the programme are informed of this entitlement.

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NHS Aids

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) walking sticks, (b) wigs, (c) crutches, (d) zimmer frames and (e) other aids were issued to NHS patients in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many, and what percentage, were returned to the NHS following the patients' recovery or death. [117605]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on monitoring the suitability of disability equipment after it has been issued. [117830]

Mr. Hutton: In 1998 the Department of Health sponsored the Disabled Living Centres Council to produce 'Community Equipment Services . . . why should we Care?', a guide to good practice in disability equipment services, which was distributed to councils and the NHS. This recommends that there should be effective arrangements to review the suitability of disability equipment after it has been issued. The Department is funding the Council to promote this guidance through conferences and the development of an internet website.

We recognise that review arrangements are often unsatisfactory. Our guidance on Fair Access to Care Services (to be issued for consultation in May) will stress the importance of local authorities reviewing services, including disability equipment to ensure its continued suitability.

Morning-after Pill

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the pilot scheme in the Manchester, Salford and Trafford

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Health Action Zone, for provision of the morning-after pill, with the preconditions laid down in Gillick v. West Norfolk and Wisbech area health authority. [118017]

Yvette Cooper: Any young woman, aged under 16, seeking emergency contraception without parental knowledge or consent from one of the pharmacists operating in the pilot must be assessed by the pharmacist in relation to the criteria set out in the Gillick judgment. This covers the young person's understanding, maturity and their best interests including physical and mental health. It is for the pharmacist to use his or her judgment as to whether the criteria are satisfied. If necessary, the pharmacist can seek further advice from a doctor and refer the young person on to specialist contraceptive services.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the pilot scheme in the Manchester, Salford and Trafford Health Action Zone; under which pharmacists provide the morning-after pill to girls under 16 years. [118014]

Yvette Cooper: This scheme is being closely monitored by the Project Steering Group, Manchester, Salford and Trafford Health Authorities along with the Health Action Zone. The North West Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive is being kept fully informed of developments.

In total there are 16 community pharmacies currently participating in this scheme. Nine are from Manchester and the remaining six are from Salford and Trafford.

Therapeutic Cloning

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the appointment of the members of the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Working Group on Therapeutic Cloning. [118015]

Yvette Cooper: Appointments to the Expert Group on Therapeutic Cloning were made by the Chief Medical Officer in consultation with Sir Robert May, the Chief Scientific Adviser, taking into account the guidance paper "Use of Scientific Advice in Policy Making", and after consultation with the Royal Society and Royal Society of Medicine.

Water Fluoridation

Mr. Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which water companies in the United Kingdom add fluoride to water; what notification his Department has received of the reasons why other companies have refused to add fluoride; and what steps are being taken to overcome obstacles to fluoridation. [118006]

Yvette Cooper: Fluoridated water is currently provided by Anglian Water Services Ltd., Northumbrian Water Ltd., North West Water Ltd., Severn Trent Water Ltd. and South Staffordshire Water plc. No water company has acceded to a request from a health authority to fluoridate its water supply since 1985. We understand that the water companies are reluctant to disregard the views of a minority of people opposed to water fluoridation. The National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York is undertaking a review into fluoride and health. If it finds that there are

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significant benefits and no risks we will consider if water companies can be put under an obligation to fluoridate where there is strong local support for doing so.

Dental Services

Mr. Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage practising dentists to take part in postgraduate training. [117944]

Mr. Hutton: Dentists practising in the general dental services are already required by their terms of service to take reasonable steps to develop professional knowledge and skills to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of dental science and practice. Principal dentists are entitled to claim postgraduate education allowance for up to two sessions of approved postgraduate activity each year to help meet that requirement. The General Dental Council is to introduce a recertification scheme that will make the continued registration of all dentists dependent upon their regular participation in continuing education. In the first instance, the scheme will be voluntary, but the Council has asked the Department if, in due course, it could be made mandatory by amendment to the Dentists Act 1984. We support the principle of the scheme and will be responding on the detail shortly.

Laming Inquiry

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (1) representations he has received from relatives of victims of Dr. Shipman on the rules under which the Laming Inquiry will be held; and if he will make a statement; [117951]

(2) if relatives of victims giving evidence to the Laming Inquiry will be allowed legal representation. [117952]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 6 April 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from a firm of solicitors, Alexander Harris, representing a number of the relatives and friends of the victims of Dr. Shipman.

The Inquiry was established under the powers of the Secretary of State as defined in section 2 of the NHS Act 1977. A letter from my right hon. Friend addressed to Lord Laming of Tewin detailing the rules under which the Inquiry is to be conducted has been placed in the Library. It is within the gift of the chairman of the Inquiry to determine whether or not those making representations to the Inquiry are legally represented.

It is important that the independent Inquiry offers the relatives of the victims of Harold Shipman, including the relatives of people whose cases may not have been brought to trial, the opportunity to make their views known to the Inquiry. In addition, the Inquiry has now written to the families and friends of all the victims identified by the police, inviting them--within the scope of the Inquiry--to inform the Inquiry of their particular circumstances surrounding the death of their relative or friend.

Waiting Lists (Mid-Essex)

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) total number of patients waiting for

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hospital treatment and (b) number of patients waiting 12 months or more for treatment, in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area. [118079]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 7 April 2000]: The total number of patients waiting and the number of patients waiting over 12 months for hospital treatment at Mid-Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust in February 2000 is:

February 2000	Patients
Total waiting	10,416
Number waiting over 12 months	1,060

Source:

Monthly waiting list return

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