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Ritalin
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for Ritalin were issued in each year since 1991; and at what cost. [129959]
Ms Stuart: The information requested is shown in the table.
| England | Prescription items (thousand) | Net ingredient cost (£000) |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.0 | 11.7 |
| 1992 | 2.6 | 16.5 |
| 1993 | 3.5 | 25.7 |
| 1994 | 6.0 | 52.3 |
| 1995 | 14.7 | 253.0 |
| 1996 | 47.9 | 811.7 |
| 1997 | 92.1 | 1,636.5 |
| 1998 | 126.6 | 2,402.8 |
| 1999 | 158.0 | 3,100.3 |
Notes:
1. The data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.
2. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.
3. The net ingredient costs is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.
Capital Charges
Mr. Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the capital charges regime for new NHS buildings. [130097]
Mr. Denham: There are currently no plans to review the capital charges regime in the National Health Service.
The NHS, in common with the Department and other Government Departments, is required to meet a cost of capital charge. This is currently set by Her Majesty's Treasury at 6 per cent. of the net value of relevant assets employed. New buildings are included in the calculation of net assets, and depreciation (the other component of capital charges) continues to be charged on all operational NHS buildings.
The Valuation Office Agency is carrying out a review of the technique for calculating the value of specialist NHS buildings. Any consequent change in valuation techniques could be expected to impact on the absolute level of capital charges (through adjustments to new and existing building valuations), but not in the operation of the capital charges regime.
Osteopathy
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of osteopaths required in the NHS over the next 10 years. [130012]
12 Jul 2000 : Column: 579W
Mr. Denham [holding answer 11 July 2000]: The Department does not make central estimates of the number of osteopaths required in the National Health Service. However, health authorities, NHS trusts and primary care groups may employ or contract with osteopaths if they consider it appropriate to do so.
Nurse Consultants (Newcastle)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received the business case for an additional nurse consultant in intermediate care from a Newcastle consortium of primary care, acute care, health authority and the city council; and when he will make a decision. [129137]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 11 July 2000]: On 16 June 2000 we announced the second wave of nurse consultant posts. A nurse consultant in intermediate care at the Northumbria Healthcare National Health Service Trust was 1 of the 91 posts that we approved. Details of the new posts are set out in "Making a Difference: Strengthening the nursing, midwifery and health visiting contribution to health and health care", copies of which are available in the Library.
Cataract Operations
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in the improvement of biometry equipment and techniques to enhance the accuracy of cataract operations. [130121]
Mr. Denham: There has been an encouraging improvement in the efficiency of cataract operations as a result of the introduction of the phacoemulsification technique whereby ultrasound is used to break up the opacified lens so that it can be removed through a thin cannula. We have allocated £20 million over two years to the modernisation of the equipment and facilities used in cataract operations.
Glenthorne Youth Treatment Centre
Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if a decision has been taken on when Glenthorne Youth Treatment Centre, Erdington, will close; and if he will make a statement. [130429]
Mr. Hutton: In my reply to my hon. Friend on 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 329-30W, I announced that, while I had concluded that it was no longer appropriate for the Department to run such a child care facility as Glenthorne Youth Treatment Centre, no decision would be taken on when the centre would finally close until suitable alternative placements had been found for the 12 children accommodated in the centre at that time.
The Department and the management of the centre have worked closely with the local authorities and the Prison Service to identify the most appropriate alternative places. Suitable arrangements have now been made for all 12 children. The last child has now left the centre.
I therefore propose to close the centre on 13 July 2000.
12 Jul 2000 : Column: 580W
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Orders in Council
Mr. Ivan Henderson: To ask the President of the Council what arrangements are in hand to improve the accessibility of Orders in Council to hon. Members; and if she will make a statement. [130394]
Mrs. Beckett: Arrangements have been made for copies of Orders in Council approved since the beginning of the year 2000 to be made available to hon. Members in the House Library.
Copies of the Orders approved at the Privy Council meetings in February, March, April and May 2000 have already been sent to the Library. Copies of the Orders approved in June 2000 will be available later this month. Thereafter, copies of the Orders approved at monthly Privy Councils will be available during the succeeding month.
Copies of individual Orders will also continue to be available on request from the Privy Council Office.
Government Bills
Mr. Brady: To ask the President of the Council how many amendments to Government bills tabled during the present Parliament by (a) Opposition spokesmen, (b) Opposition backbench hon. Members and (c) Government backbench hon. Members which had been selected were not debated on the floor of the House as a result of timetabling of the report Stage of Bills. [127857]
Mrs. Beckett [pursuant to her reply, 6 July 2000, c. 292W]: The information contained in the table for the Financial Services and Markets Bill: Further consideration, 9 February 2000 should have read:
| Financial Services and Markets Bill: Further consideration, 9 February 2000 | |
|---|---|
| Amendments tabled by Opposition spokesmen but not debated | 0 |
| Amendments tabled by Opposition backbenchers but not debated | 1 |
| Amendments tabled by Government backbenchers but not debated | 0 |
(5) Up to 30 June 2000
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 12 July. [129788]
The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I will have further such meetings later today.
12 Jul 2000 : Column: 581W
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Beef on the Bone
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Solicitor-General what the cost was of the prosecution of Christopher Bowman for selling beef on the bone. [126790]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 19 June 2000]: I have been asked to reply.
This prosecution was taken by North Yorkshire county council as the enforcement body under the Beef Bones Regulations 1997. The information requested is not available centrally.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Qinghai Project
Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the independent Inspection Panel's findings that the World bank was not in compliance with its policies on environmental assessment in respect of the Qinghai Project. [128732]
Mr. Foulkes: We agreed with the World bank management's proposal to carry out further environmental studies following the findings of the Inspection Panel.
Following board discussions on 6 and 7 July, the Chinese Government withdrew its application for funding for the Qinghai component of the project. It now plans to fund those activities itself. There will now be no international involvement in ensuring environmental--and social--standards are adequately met.
Street Children
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries her Department is working on the issue of street children. [130106]
Mr. Foulkes: My Department supports work which benefits the lives of street children in many countries, including programmes in Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Bangladesh, India, Tanzania, Zambia and Uzbekistan. In addition to these initiatives, street children in many countries also benefit from our support provided both bilaterally and multilaterally through the United Nations Children's Fund, the ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour, and Save the Children Fund Programmes.
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