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Community Health Councils
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the money allocated in 2000-01 by the Northern and Yorkshire National Health Service Regional Office was allocated to (a) the South Tyneside Community Health Council and (b) each other community health council in the Northern and Yorkshire Region; and what guidelines were used in the allocation of the money. [148616]
Ms Stuart: The moneys allocated by the Northern and Yorkshire National Health Service Executive Regional Office to South Tyneside Community Health Council and each other community health council in the Northern and Yorkshire Region in 2000-01 are detailed in the table.
The allocation to each community health council is calculated using the following formula:
- 1. "Common requirement"--60 per cent. of the disposable budget to be divided equally between all 28 community health councils in region.
7 Feb 2001 : Column: 570W
- 2. Population--32 per cent. of the disposable budget to be allocated to all community health councils based on their proportion of the overall population of the region.
- 3. Land area--5 per cent. of the disposable budget to be allocated based on overall land area in region.
- 4. Ethnicity project money--3 per cent. to be held in central reserve managed by a nominated group.
| 2000-01 allocations | Revised initial budgets |
|---|---|
| Airedale | 101,299 |
| Bradford | 118,968 |
| East Yorkshire | 111,659 |
| Hull | 96,246 |
| Leeds | 165,076 |
| Harrogate | 108,538 |
| Northallerton | 97,690 |
| Scarborough | 91,892 |
| York | 109,425 |
| Calderdale | 106,571 |
| Dewsbury | 94,358 |
| Huddersfield | 94,869 |
| North Durham | 107,943 |
| Pontefract | 110,728 |
| Wakefield | 121,519 |
| Newcastle | 106,225 |
| North Tyneside | 97,001 |
| East Cumbria | 107,244 |
| West Cumbria | 93,042 |
| Northumberland | 114,000 |
| Darlington and Teesdale | 98,574 |
| South Durham and Weardale | 101,617 |
| Gateshead | 101,107 |
| South Tyneside | 96,999 |
| Sunderland | 102,811 |
| Hartlepool | 94,426 |
| North Tees | 108,501 |
| South Tees | 114,713 |
| Sub total | 2,973,040 |
Food Safety (Fish)
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action officials from his Department take to (a) monitor and (b) receive information about the levels of (i) polybrominated diphenyl ethers and (ii) dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals in fish; and if he will publish information obtained for each of the last 10 years. [148820]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 5 February 2001]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the Government have been monitoring and releasing information for dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals in food, including fish, for over 10 years. Information on fish has been published in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Food Surveillance Paper No. 31, and Food Surveillance Information Sheets Nos. 71, 89, 105, 145 and 184. The most recent information has been collected by the Agency and published in FSA Food Surveillance Information Sheet No. 4. Copies of all the above documents are available in the Library of the House.
Similar information on polybrominated diphenyl ethers is not yet available. However, the FSA is intending to start a programme of surveys on polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other related compounds in the near future. The results of this programme will also be publicly released.
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Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on human health of the consumption of more than one (i) 100g and (ii) 130g portion of farmed salmon per week, with particular reference to (a) pregnant women and (b) children under the age of four years; and if he will make a statement. [148819]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 5 February 2001]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the health benefits of eating moderate amounts of fish, including farmed salmon, as part of a well-balanced diet outweigh any possible risk to health associated with dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in food. The FSA recommends that as part of a balanced diet people should eat two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily. Pregnant women and small children are advised to follow the same general advice on fish consumption. Consumption of more than a large portion (i.e. a 130g portion) of salmon per week is unlikely to be harmful, provided that it is consistent with a balanced diet.
Health and Social Care Bill
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the costs of (a) setting up and (b) running patient forums, overview and scrutiny Committees, ILAF and PALS. [148566]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 5 February 2001]: At this stage of the Bill, it would be inappropriate to go into detail about the cost of the new systems and structures for patient and public involvement until the legislation covering some of the new arrangements has been passed by parliamentary process.
Aerosol Addiction
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people (a) under and (b) over 16 years were addicted to aerosols in each of the last five years. [148836]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 6 February 2001]: The information requested is not available in the form requested. However, information about the use of drugs (including volatile substances) by young people in 1998 and 1999 is included in the Statistical Bulletin "Statistics on young people and drug misuse: England, 1998". This is available in the Library. Relevant information from this is shown in the table.
| Drug | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Glue or Solvents | 1 | 2 |
| Gas (Butane, lighter refills) | -- | 2 |
| Drug | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Glue etc | 1 |
Information on people presenting to drug misuse services for the first time, or for the first time for six months or more is published in the statistical bulletins "Statistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases for six months ending . .". This is available in the Library. Relevant information from this is shown is in the table.
7 Feb 2001 : Column: 572W
| All ages | Under 20 | Over 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1996 to March 1997 | 158 | 95 | 63 |
| April 1997 to September 1997 | 148 | 95 | 53 |
| October 1997 to March 1998 | 167 | 116 | 51 |
| April 1998 to September 1998 | 157 | 104 | 53 |
| October 1998 to March 1999 | 139 | 91 | 48 |
| April 1999 to September 1999 | 165 | 116 | 49 |
| October 1999 to March 2000 | 176 | 113 | 63 |
Prescription Charges
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the average cost of medicine the prescription charge represented in the latest year for which figures are available. [149338]
Ms Stuart: For the 12 months January to December 1999, the prescription charge represented 44 per cent. of the net ingredient cost of chargeable items.
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of all prescriptions are provided free. [149333]
Ms Stuart: Around 85 per cent. of all prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors are dispensed free of charge.
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the income profile of people who purchased pre-payment certificates. [149332]
Ms Stuart: No such estimates have been made.
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the adult under 60 years old population do not have to pay prescription charges. [149334]
Ms Stuart: It is estimated that around 20 per cent. of the population aged between 18 and 60 do not have to pay prescription charges.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Class Sizes
Paddy Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) primary school and (b) secondary school pupils were in classes of 30 or more in (i) Somerset and (ii) Yeovil constituency in each of the years 1994-95 to 2000-01. [144604]
Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 18 January 2001]: The available information for Somerset local education authority area and the parliamentary constituency of Yeovil on class sizes collected in January is shown in the following table. Information on class sizes by parliamentary constituency is not available prior to 1997.
7 Feb 2001 : Column: 573W
Provisional estimates for the year 2000-01 are expected to be published later this year.
We have secured early delivery of our infant class size pledge in Yeovil. The most recent figures show that in September 2000 there were no infant classes in the constituency with more than 30 pupils.
The size of the average secondary class nationally, at 22, is still five below the average primary class. Secondary headteachers are receiving up to £50,000 in direct grant to spend as they choose. If this were spent on recruiting teachers, the average secondary class size could be reduced by up to 0.8.
| Primary | Secondary | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Number of pupils in classes of 30 or more | Number of KS1 pupils in classes of 30 or more | Number of pupils in classes of 30 or more |
| Somerset local education authority | |||
| 2000 | 16,579 | 4,209 | 37,313 |
| 1999 | 19,092 | 6,036 | 38,294 |
| 1998 | 18,818 | 6,537 | 37,549 |
| 1997 | 17,786 | 6,507 | 37,256 |
| 1996 | 17,039 | 5,649 | 36,587 |
| 1995 | 13,866 | (28)-- | 35,800 |
| Yeovil constituency | |||
| 2000 | 3,357 | 881 | 7,331 |
| 1999 | 3,709 | 1,417 | 7,455 |
| 1998 | 3,399 | 1,378 | 7,467 |
| 1997 | 2,919 | 1,350 | 7,409 |
| 1996 | (28)-- | (28)-- | (28)-- |
| 1995 | (28)-- | (28)-- | (28)-- |
(28) Not available
| September | Less than 30 | 30 | 31+ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset | ||||
| 2000 | 12,919 | 2,610 | 443 | 15,972 |
| 1999 | 11,998 | 3,000 | 1,545 | 16,543 |
| Yeovil | ||||
| 2000 | 2,522 | 720 | 0 | 3,242 |
| 1999 | 2,220 | 720 | 1,003 | 3,943 |
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