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HEALTH
Polio Vaccine (CJD)
Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many doses of polio vaccine which breached the 1989 guidelines banning UK-sourced bovine materials have been administered since 1989; for what reason the use of the Medeva polio vaccine was not suspended in June; and how many doses of Medeva polio vaccine have now been recalled; [135759]
- (2) if Medeva has been able to establish that the batch of polio vaccine manufactured using UK bovine serum was BSE-free; [135761]
(3) what penalties the polio vaccine manufacturer Medeva has incurred for being in breach of UK and European guidelines. [135760]
Yvette Cooper: I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to review all the advice given to Ministers on vaccines in relation to public health and vCJD. This review will include the circumstances leading to the withdrawal of the Medeva manufactured oral polio vaccine and advice to Ministers on withdrawal or recall of vaccines more generally.
When the report of the CMO is available, I will respond to the specific points raised.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what NHS provision is planned for the diagnosis of and research into Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome after the closure of MRC Connective Tissue Genetics Group in Cardiff; and where a practitioner who suspects Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in a patient will refer the patient after November; [137202]
- (2) what representations he has received on the non-provision of those suffering from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome from clinical genetic diagnosis, counselling and screening care under the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement. [137203]
Mr. Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Berwick- upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) and the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 14 November 2000, Official Report, columns 602-03W.
Research Spending
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available the amount spent on research into (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) stem cell therapy; and if he will make a statement. [139280]
Mr. Denham: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that takes place in the NHS.
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The estimated expenditure figures available for directly commissioned research into Parkinson's disease and stem cell therapy are as shown. They include Medical Research Council and Department of Health support:
| Parkinson's disease | Stem cell therapy and related basic research | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1.7 | 2.5 |
| 1996-97 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| 1997-98 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| 1998-99 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| 1999-2000 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
The stem cell research undertaken by the MRC involves mainly projects relating to stem cell transfer involving adult stem cells, for example in the treatment of leukaemia using bone marrow transplantation, which the MRC have been undertaking successfully for many years.
In addition, the MRC has funded basic research into the development of animal embryos and the properties of stem cells--involving mostly mouse embryos--which, along with studies of human reproduction, informs current assessments of the potential for new stem cell therapies. None of this work involves specially created human embryos or the use of human cells for cell nuclear transfer.
In addition, the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council has a diverse programme of research in the basic science of stem cells, potentially underpinning therapeutic applications, which has involved about £15 million of expenditure over the last 10 years.
Fluoridation
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to provide for the fluoridation of the water supply in areas where this does not happen; and if he will make a statement. [139450]
Mr. Denham: We will be discussing the report of the systematic review of water fluoridation undertaken by the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York with representatives of the water industry. The Medical Research Council is establishing a working group to advise on whether further research in the area of water fluoridation and human health is required. We will review the need for legislation when this action is complete.
Bone Marrow Donors
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 July 2000, Official Report, column 226W, on bone marrow donors, what further steps have been taken by the National Blood Service to recruit more blood and bone marrow donors from the Asian community. [139711]
Mr. Denham: The Department recently had a productive meeting with "Friends of Life", an organisation whose aim is to increase the number of Asian
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bone marrow donors. The Department and the National Blood Service are continuing to look at how bone marrow donors are recruited in the United Kingdom and how the systems already in place could be improved to meet the needs of ethnic communities.
NHS Lithotriptor Machines
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS Lithotriptor machines are available per head of population in each region of England and Wales; and where they are located. [140161]
Mr. Denham: We do not maintain an inventory of medical equipment. Central records show that in England in 1998-99 a total of 147 National Health Service trusts reported carrying out at least one lithotripsy procedure for kidney stones and of these 37 NHS trusts reported 100 or more procedures. These figures can only be used as an indication of the facilities available. Some trusts may use mobile lithotriptors to provide a local service.
The provision of health services in Wales is a matter for the devolved Assembly.
Acute Hospital Beds
Mrs. Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds in each regional health authority have been closed as a direct result of staff shortages in each of the last five years. [140335]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is not available centrally.
MRSA
Ms Jenny Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus incidents have occurred in hospitals in the (a) West Midlands and (b) London regions between July 1997 and June 2000. [140455]
Mr. Denham: The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) compiles aggregate data on the numbers of incidents of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which are voluntarily submitted by trusts for specialist microbiological tests. The PHLS also compiles data on blood stream and other serious infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in hospitals and the community, reported by microbiology laboratories.
(13) Data for 2000 are incomplete, therefore the rate per 100,000 cannot be calculated
Notes:
1. An incident is three or more patients infected or colonised by the same strain of MRSA in the same month from the same hospital.
2. The criteria for submission of isolates of MRSA to the PHLS for specialist tests have been revised twice since 1997 (in January 1998 and January 2000)
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NHS Trust Liability
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the legislation governing the liability of NHS trusts in cases where a death is caused by management failure within the trust. [140451]
Ms Stuart: The Home Office has just completed a consultation exercise on reforming the law on involuntary manslaughter. This includes changes to the offence of corporate killing which, if implemented, would continue to include National Health Service bodies. The Department has responded to the consultation exercise, and we have no plans to make any other changes outside that process.
NHS Treatments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that additional funds allocated to health authorities to meet the cost of treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence are used solely for that purpose. [140580]
Mr. Denham: We do not separately identify funding to meet the cost of National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations. Our spending plans announced in this year's Budget mean that the National Health Service will receive the largest level of sustained real-term growth over any four-year period in its history. This will enable the NHS to implement NICE recommendations.
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