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North Staffordshire Health Authority
Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the allocation per weighted head of population for the North Staffordshire health authority for each year from 1996-97 to date. [149638]
Mr. Denham: Revenue allocation per weighted head of population for North Staffordshire health authority is shown in the table.
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| Allocation | Population | Allocation per weighted head of population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 202,568 | 484,138 | 418 |
| 1997-98 | 210,721 | 480,270 | 439 |
| 1998-99 | 221,771 | 491,270 | 451 |
| 1999-2000 | 304,458 | 496,215 | 614 |
| 2000-01 | 335,037 | 494,419 | 678 |
| 2001-02 | 362,936 | 496,124 | 732 |
Organ Retention
Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the reasons why NHS hospital trusts have been prevented from telling members of the public how many adult and children's organs they have retained in their hospitals; [149824]
- (2) when he will tell NHS hospitals trusts the form in which he will require them to set out for public information the numbers of adult and children's organs which are being retained in their hospitals; [149820]
(3) by what means NHS hospital trusts are required to obtain his permission to tell members of the public how many adult and children's organs are being retained in their hospitals; [149822]
(4) for what reason NHS hospital trusts have to obtain his permission before they can tell members of the public how many adult and children's organs are being retained in their hospitals; [149821]
(5) if he will appoint counsellors to support members of the public who may be distraught after not being given information, on his guidance, by NHS hospital trusts on how many adult and children's organs are being held by their hospitals; [149818]
(6) for what reason NHS hospital trusts have been told that they can inform the public about how many adult and children's organs are retained in their hospitals only in a form that he approves. [149823]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 9 February 2001]: Following the publication of the Royal Liverpool Children's inquiry report last week, a special Commission, under the chairmanship of Professor Margot Brazier, has been established to oversee the cataloguing and return of organs and tissue by National Health Service trusts in England.
The Commission has issued comprehensive guidance to trusts on the sensitive and sympathetic handling of inquiries from relatives. This includes establishing dedicated telephone helplines and teams, maintaining contact, and providing bereavement support and counselling where necessary.
The Commission has asked trusts not to provide specific information or begin the process of returning organs and tissue until comprehensive and accurate catalogues of organs and tissue have been completed, and approved by the Commission. This is aimed to avoid repeating the problems of misleading information and multiple burials criticised in the inquiry report.
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Transplant Centres
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to announce a final decision on whether Manchester, Sheffield or Birmingham will be the fourth transplant centre to remain in operation following the proposed rationalisation of services. [150074]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 12 February 2001]: We will issue a document in due course setting out proposals for the future of the National Cardiothoracic Transplant Service. The document will invite views on the proposals from patients, the public and appropriate organisations. A decision will be made following careful consideration of those views.
Health and Social Services Expenditure
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected funding is of (a) the NHS and (b) personal social services in England per head of population in 2000-01. [150224]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is set out in the table.
| Spend per head in 2000-01 | |
|---|---|
| Net NHS expenditure(1) | 890 |
| Personal Social Services(2) | 190 |
(1) 2000-01 planned expenditure
(2) 2000-01 planned provision for PSS. Includes resources made available to local councils in England for social services through Standard Spending Assessments and special and specific grants.
General Medical Council
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring he undertakes of the handling by the General Medical Council of complaints raised against medical practitioners practising in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [149503]
Mr. Denham: Although no specific monitoring of complaints is undertaken, there are regular liaison meetings between departmental officials and the General Medical Council, where both policy and specific cases are discussed. In order to better address the concerns of patients, the GMC is currently carrying out a fundamental review of its structure.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the appeal structure for claimants dissatisfied by the decision of the General Medical Council. [149504]
Mr. Denham: Currently, the only legal course of action open to complainants is to seek leave for the decision to be judicially reviewed. However, my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor has stated in another place on 20 July 2000, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA 103, that there are strong arguments for dealing with these cases at a lower judicial level. I understand a number of organisations, including the General Medical Council, are examining alternative models for new appeals arrangements. I shall expect them to consider whether these should include a legal appeals route for complainants.
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Private Hospital Referrals
Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have been redirected to private hospitals under his recently announced scheme; and what the position of such patients is in cases where treatment received proves defective (a) at the time of treatment and (b) subsequently. [150424]
Ms Stuart: There are no centrally held figures for the numbers of patients treated under the terms of the concordat. Health authorities have allocated funds to local commissioning bodies to make local arrangements as the concordat does not set out detailed contractual arrangements; these are left to be secured locally according to local need.
Any patient treated making use of the private or voluntary sector under the terms of the concordat remains a National Health Service patient and their treatment remains NHS treatment. Such patients remain the responsibility of the NHS and continue to have full access to the NHS complaints procedure should they have any need to complain about treatment received.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Low-sulphur Petrol
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he estimates that all filling stations in the UK will have replaced standard unleaded petrol with low-sulphur petrol. [150227]
Mr. Hain: This is a matter currently under discussion between my Department and petrol retailers.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of filling stations had replaced standard unleaded petrol with low-sulphur petrol by December 2000; and how many he estimates will have done so by April 2001. [150226]
Mr. Hain: According to HM Customs and Excise's "Hydrocarbons Oils Bulletin", in mid-December 2000, ultra-low sulphur petrol constituted around 46 per cent. of petrol released for consumption in the UK. We are monitoring the continued roll out of ULSP across the country.
General Mediterranean Holdings (Export Credits)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which projects involving General Mediterranean Holdings (UK) or its subsidiary companies the ECGD extended credit cover to (a) between 1992 and 1997 and (b) since 1997. [150235]
Mr. Caborn: ECGD has no record of any dealings with this company or any other of its listed subsidiaries.
Steel Industry (Wales)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the cost of the climate change levy on each steel factory in England and Wales; if he will list the estimated cost for each of the factories; and if he will make a statement. [150256]
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Mr. Alan Johnson: The climate change levy has been designed to safeguard the competitiveness of manufacturing industry as a whole. It recognises the special position of energy intensive industries exposed to international competition, including the steel sector. Sites in these sectors which meet eligibility criteria will, subject to EU state aid clearance, get an 80 per cent. levy discount provided they deliver energy saving targets in negotiated agreements with the Government.
The final impact of the levy on individual steel industry sites will depend on whether they participate in the steel sector's energy saving agreement to get the levy discount; and also on the extent to which they benefit from or take advantage of the various levy exemptions, and also the new scheme of enhanced capital allowances for investments in energy efficiency.
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