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HEALTH

NHS Drugs Budget

15. Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reform of the NHS drugs budget. [122876]

Ms Stuart: By introducing unified budgets for health authorities, primary care groups and primary care trusts we have given them the flexibility to manage the growing National Health Service budget, including spending on medicines in the way that they consider best for their patients.

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Elderly People

16. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS treatment of the elderly. [122877]

Mr. Hutton: We are determined that older people should have high standards of care from the National Health Service based on clinical need and no other factor. Our National Service Framework for Older People, to be published in the autumn, will set national standards in health care for older people. Our plans to develop Intermediate Care Services will play an important part in promoting the independence of older people.

Worcester Royal Infirmary

17. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the proposal to transfer services from Kidderminster hospital to Worcester and Redditch prior to the completion of the new Worcester royal infirmary; and if he will make a statement. [122878]

Yvette Cooper: When Worcestershire Health Authority's strategy "Investing in Excellence" was approved, the Secretary of State was satisfied that appropriate evidence and advice had been taken into account. Proposals for the early relocation of services from Kidderminster General Hospital are operational details and as such are the responsibility of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Drug Rehabilitation Programmes

18. Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to improve the delivery of drug rehabilitation programmes. [122879]

Ms Stuart: The Government are committed to a robust strategy to tackle drug misuse and we are backing it with extra resources: more than £200 million over three years. It is one of the Department's 13 key priorities. Through better performance management and guidance on optimum models of care we will ensure that more people benefit from treatment which is effective, including residential rehabilitation.

Skin Cancer

19. Ms Kingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the increasing incidence of skin cancer among young people. [122880]

Yvette Cooper: There are signs of increasing incidence of skin cancer among young people but it seems that any increase may be levelling off. This year the Government will be using posters, factsheets, websites and weather forecasts in a determined effort to provide accessible information enabling young people to make informed choices.

Asthma

20. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are suffering from asthma; what action his Department is taking to combat asthma; and if he will make a statement. [122881]

Yvette Cooper: The estimated prevalence is 4-6 per cent. in children and 4 per cent. in adults; approximately 2-3 million people in the United Kingdom.

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We are supporting a range of initiatives to combat the effects of asthma. Collaboration with the National Asthma Campaign, active involvement of the Chronic Disease Management Programme and over £3.5 million of Government-funded research reflect this.

Diet and Exercise

21. Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the relationship between poverty and diet and exercise. [122882]

Yvette Cooper: The Government fully recognise the links between social deprivation, poor diet and physical inactivity. The Acheson report commissioned by the Government highlighted the phenomenon of food poverty as a very important consideration within public health. The link is confirmed by the recently published National Diet and Nutritional Survey for young people. This shows that, for example, among manual social groups only 22 per cent. of boys consume fruit compared with 39 per cent. in non-manual classes. A similar picture also emerges in the case of girls in manual classes, with only 29 per cent. consuming fruit compared to 43 per cent. among their non-manual counterparts.

The social class patterns for physical activity are less clear. Lower levels of leisure time exercise seem balanced by more active jobs for those on the lowest incomes. Based on these and other indicators like the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for young people, we are examining these issues as part of the development of the National Plan.

Camden and Islington Health Action Zone

22. Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the progress of the Camden and Islington health action zone. [122883]

Mr. Denham: We expect Camden and Islington health action zone to achieve significant results in reducing health inequalities and modernising services over its seven year life. Both the independent evaluation and the performance monitoring process report good early progress in Camden and Islington and the other HAZs. We are due to receive an end of year performance report on the HAZ initiative later in the summer and a national report on progress will be published in the autumn.

Cancer Treatment

23. Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on reducing waiting times for cancer treatment. [122884]

Yvette Cooper: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) today, Official Report, column 141.

HIV/AIDS

24. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the timing of the announcement of special allocations to health authorities for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care. [122885]

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Yvette Cooper: We announced special allocations for HIV/AIDS treatment and care for 2000-01, totalling £184.3 million on 18 May. This is an increase of £21 million over the baseline or 13 per cent.

£54.8 million was allocated last December for HIV Prevention.

Mental Health

25. Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of advocacy to people subject to compulsory treatment under the Mental Health Acts. [122886]

Mr. Hutton: All mentally ill people subject to compulsory care should have access to good advocacy. As we announced in our Green Paper on the reform of the Mental Health Act, we are commissioning work to determine and develop models of good practice. I hope to have the results of the study by early next year.

Primary Care Groups

26. Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the average number of hours per week used by GP members of primary care groups on PCG-related work. [R] [122887]

Mr. Denham: We estimate that on average a typical board member of a Primary Care Group would need to spend between two and 2½ days per month on board business. However, the actual time commitment which each Primary Care Group member makes will depend on his or her role, responsibilities and personal commitment.

Teenage Pregnancies (South Yorkshire)

27. Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the South Yorkshire area. [122889]

Yvette Cooper: All four South Yorkshire districts have comprehensive strategies in place to reduce teenage pregnancy and support teenage parents. They have received funds totalling £345,000 for this financial year, to boost local projects. Each health authority has appointed a co-ordinator to drive forward the strategy in their area. This follows the launch last year by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister of the Government's strategy to halve the rates of conceptions among under-18s by 2010.

CJD

28. Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the assistance offered by the Government to CJD victims and their families. [122890]

Yvette Cooper: We will shortly be publishing some new guidance for health care professionals on caring for CJD patients. Among other things, it will stress the important role a named 'key worker' plays in ensuring the response properly meets the patient's and family's needs.

A national care co-ordinator has recently joined the Government-funded National CJD Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh to provide specialist expertise in CJD for professionals and carers.

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The Department of Health also funds the CJD Support Network, a voluntary organisation providing help and support to patients and families affected by all types of CJD, to employ a case co-ordinator to help local service providers respond appropriately to patients' and families' care needs. In addition, the Human BSE Foundation are funded by the Department to provide help and support specifically to patients and families affected by variant CJD.

Finally, negotiations are underway to ensure the funding of the London Prion Unit at St. Mary's Hospital, which specialises in treating vCJD patients, and also offers information, advice and support for patients, families and professionals on all types of CJD.

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