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National Insurance
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced
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rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129486]
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Mr. Denham: The Department employs a small minority of women who pay reduced rate National Insurance contributions. The Department writes periodically to these staff reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates and whom they need to notify if their circumstances have changed.
Hernia Operations
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hernia operations have taken place in NHS hospitals in the Greater London area in the last 12 months. [129791]
Mr. Denham: The London Region was created on 1 January 1999 and the latest available data are for 1998-99 when London was covered by the North Thames and South Thames Regions. The numbers of hernia operations performed in National Health Service trusts in these regions are shown in the table for 1998-99.
Notes:
1. The figures for 1998-99 are provisional, no adjustment has as yet been made for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).
2. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.
3. Hernia has been defined as OPCS codes T19-T21 inclusive.
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health
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Ritalin
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the use of Ritalin. [129960]
Ms Stuart: We have received a number of representations, mainly from parents, expressing concern over the clinical evidence for using Ritalin. I am pleased that given this concern the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is appraising the drug as part of its 2000 work programme. It will issue authoritative advice, which should ensure that professionals treating children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural disorders have an evidence-based approach to using Ritalin. NICE is scheduled to report its findings in October.
Continence Services
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people receive continence pads through the NHS. [130093]
Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 10 November 1999, Official Report, column 654W.
Circular Implementation
Mrs. Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports he has received from the Social Services Inspectorate about the implementation of Circular HSC1999/162:LAC(99)28; and how many of them indicate that the circular is not being properly implemented. [130403]
Mr. Hutton: No formal reports have been received. However, the Social Services Inspectorate regularly undertakes detailed assessment of local social service
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authorities' performance including services for learning disabled people. In addition a survey of the use of the Direction on Choice to which the circular refers was carried out in 1998 and this was followed up by a series of regional seminars in the summer of 1999 to disseminate the lessons learnt. We are also developing a national learning disability strategy to be launched later this year which will aim to eliminate inconsistencies in service delivery.
Labelling
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the meeting between the Minister of State and the hon. Member for Linlithgow on 19 June, what discussion he has had with EU trade organisations concerning the labelling of medicines tested on animals. [128966]
Yvette Cooper: Pursuant to the meeting between the Minister for Trade and my hon. Friend, I can confirm that I have held no discussions with European Union trade associations concerning the labelling of medicines tested on animals.
Beta Interferon
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many EU countries do not publicly fund the treatment by beta interferon of people with MS. [128938]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is not available centrally.
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Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK with MS currently receive beta interferon; what this represents as a percentage of MS sufferers; and what the equivalent figure is in (a) France, (b) Germany and (c) the US. [128939]
Mr. Denham: We estimate that between 1,700 and 1,800 people in England are currently receiving beta interferon on the National Health Service, equivalent to around 3 per cent. of all patients with multiple sclerosis in England.
We understand that the percentage of patients with multiple sclerosis receiving beta interferon in France and Germany respectively is 12 per cent. and 13 per cent.
We do not held information for the United States of America.
PFI Contracts
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time is between (a) the completion of the outline business case and the signing of the final contract and (b) the publication in the Official Journal of the European Community and the signing of the final contract, where applicable, of private finance initiative contracts for hospitals. [130254]
Mr. Denham: The dates for approval of the outline business case, the notice in the Official Journal of the European Community and the signing of the final contract for the major private finance initiative hospital schemes (capital value over £25 million) are shown in the table.
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| NHS trust | OBC approval date | OJEC notice date | Signing of final contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bromley | March 1995 | September 1995 | November 1998 |
| Norfolk and Norwich | January 1995 | February 1995 | January 1998 |
| Hereford | January 1995 | June 1995 | April 1999 |
| Greenwich | April 1995 | March 1995 | July 1998 |
| South Manchester | March 1994 | April 1995 | December 1998 |
| Barnet and Chase Farm (Wellhouse) | December 1995 | February 1995 | February 1999 |
| Carlisle | January 1994 | January 1996 | November 1997 |
| Calderdale | December 1994 | July 1995 | July 1998 |
| Dartford and Gravesham | March 1995 | September 1995 | July 1997 |
| South Buckinghamshire | September 1994 | January 1995 | December 1997 |
| North Durham | January 1994 | December 1994 | March 1998 |
| South Tees | October 1994 | March 1995 | August 1998 |
| South Durham (Bishop Auckland) | January 1994 | December 1994 | May 1999 |
| Worcester | June 1995 | July 1995 | March 1999 |
| Swindon and Marlborough | December 1993 | October 1994 | October 1999 |
| King's | July 1995 | September 1995 | December 1999 |
| St. George's | December 1995 | March 1996 | March 2000 |
| Leeds Community | January 1996 | October 1996 | March 2000 |
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Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if private finance initiative was considered for the Rochdale, Royal Berkshire, Central Sheffield and the Guys and St. Thomas hospital projects. [130249]
Mr. Denham: The private finance initiative was considered for each of the above hospital projects. In each case it was found that the publicly funded option offered the better solution.
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