| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
French Beef
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the volume of French beef imported into the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [140852]
Ms Quin: The volume of beef imported into the UK from France in the 12-month period from September 1999 to August 2000, as recorded by the Overseas Trade Statistics, is approximately 5,500 tonnes. The country from which these imports originated is not recorded in the Overseas Trade Statistics; therefore not necessarily all beef shown as being imported from France will be of French origin. Similarly, this figure will exclude any beef of French origin imported from other member states.
Salmon
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what levels of (a) dichlorvos, (b) carithaxanthin and (c) oxytetracycline have been found in salmon in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months. [141183]
Ms Quin: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) operates a statutory national surveillance scheme, which implements Directive 96/23. Under the scheme a wide range of home-produced animals and animal products, including farmed fish, are analysed to monitor residue levels for a large number of veterinary medicines and environmental contaminants. These include dichlorvos and oxytetracycline.
In 1999, 22 samples of farmed salmon were tests for organophosphates and 160 samples were tested for tetracyclines. Up to 11 September 2000, 16 samples of farmed salmon have been tested for organophosphates and 122 samples tested for tetracyclines. No residues of organophosphates or tetracyclines were detected. Results of completed analyses are published on a quarterly basis in the VMD's Medicines Act Veterinary Information Service (MAVIS) and in the VMD's annual report.
Canthaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment permitted as an additive in feed for salmon and trout. We do not have data for levels of canthaxanthin found in salmon in the United Kingdom for the last 12 months. However, in its report of June 1997 the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food stated that a representative level of the substance in salmon would be 0.1mg canthaxanthin per 100g of fish.
HEALTH
Flu Vaccine
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority (a) the number of people eligible for the flu vaccine, (b) the number of shots
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 885W
of vaccine available, (c) whether it has reported a shortage in supply and (d) the take-up of vaccine to date. [135153]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 30 October 2000]: The number of people over 65 eligible for flu vaccine is shown in table 1. The number of shots of vaccine available to each health authority is not held centrally. Health authorities are currently collating the latest information on uptake rates so far to submit to the Department and we will release these figures in due course.
General practitioners order their supply of flu vaccine direct from manufacturers. This year there are five suppliers of flu vaccine. Unfortunately one of the manufacturers, Solvay, has encountered problems in growing a strain of the vaccine which has led to delays in some deliveries. Solvay have been in touch with the affected GPs to tell them details of any delays, but have confirmed that all ordered vaccine will be delivered by the end of November, in time to protect people this winter. Table 2 shows the main health authorities affected, all of which will receive the full supplies by the end of November.
(37) Population data taken from mid-year resident population estimates for 1999 by health authorities, for 65 and over
Note:
Uptake data taken from flu co-ordinators monitoring returns
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 887W
| Region | Health authority |
|---|---|
| Northern and Yorkshire Region | North Cumbria |
| South East Region | East Sussex, Brighton/Hove |
| North West Region | Salford and Trafford |
| London | Brent and Harrow |
| Croydon | |
| East London and City | |
| Hillingdon | |
| Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster | |
| West Midlands | Walsall |
Meat Inspection Charges
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was (a) the cost of and (b) the length of time taken to produce the Maclean report on meat inspection charges. [137565]
Ms Stuart: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the total cost of the Meat Inspection Charges Task Force was approximately £44,250. The Task Force's deliberations took approximately two and a half months. The initial meeting of the Task Force took place on 6 April 2000 and its final report and recommendations were published by the Food Standards Agency on 26 June.
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the organisations that have made representations regarding meat inspection charges within the past 12 months. [137566]
Ms Stuart: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that a large number of organisations have made representations regarding meat inspection charges within the past twelve months. A full list is being placed in the Library.
Care Homes
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received over the last six months from local authorities and health authorities regarding (a) capacity in nursing homes and residential care homes, (b) changes in time taken to find suitable care home spaces for patients discharged from hospital and (c) local and regional variations in (i) care home capacity and (ii) hospital discharge times. [137121]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 9 November 2000]: National Statistics, relating to 31 March 2000, on the number of residential care and nursing home places/ registered beds were published in the Statistical Bulletin "Community Care Statistics 2000: Residential Personal
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 888W
Social Services for Adults, England" on 28 November. As part of securing effective planning for the coming winter the social services inspectorate has asked directors of social services for an indication of changes in the supply of residential care and nursing home places available in their areas.
Information on the length of delay in discharging patients to care homes is not collected centrally. Information is collected for England on the percentage of over-75s whose discharge is delayed awaiting a care home placement, some of whom will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice. For the second quarter of 2000 (the latest figures available) this was 3.8 per cent., a total of 1757 individuals.
The community care statistics 2000 referred to show the breakdown of residential care and nursing home places/registered beds at health and local authority level. Laing and Buisson's Care of Elderly People Market Survey 2000 shows the occupancy rate in private nursing and residential homes, by region, in March 2000.
Information on hospital discharge times is not collected centrally.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |