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Meningitis C Injections
Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of epilepsy have been recorded between 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001 related to yellow cards submitted in connection with meningitis C injections; [157552]
(2) what research is being conducted into the incidence of cases of epilepsy which may be related to meningitis C injections. [157549]
Yvette Cooper: On 1 November 1999, a national immunisation campaign commenced to vaccinate all children under 18 years with one of the new meningococcal C conjugate vaccines. The campaign finished at the end of January 2001. As of 16 February 2001, 18.5 million doses of meningitis C vaccine had been distributed.
The Medicines Control Agency and the Committee on Safety of Medicine (CSM) has received three Yellow Card reports of suspected epilepsy following vaccination with the meningococcal C conjugate vaccines. A total of 291 reports of suspected seizures have been reported in association with the meningococcal C conjugate vaccines. CSM has concluded that there have been very rare reports of seizures following meningitis C vaccination and individuals have usually rapidly recovered. A significant number of the reported seizures are thought to have been faints.
A report of a particular suspected adverse drug reaction does not necessarily mean that it has been caused by the drug. The Yellow Card data can not be used to calculate the incidence rate of a particular suspected adverse reaction, nor can it be used to measure changes in the rate against time.
The Medical Research Council has research programmes looking into epilepsy and meningitis, but no program that is examining the incidence of epilepsy after meningococcal C conjugate vaccination.
Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he is conducting into the incidence of cases of attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome which may be related to meningitis C injections; [157550]
- (2) what change there has been in recorded cases of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder between 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001; [157554]
(3) how many cases of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder have been recorded between 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001, which are related to yellow cards submitted in connection with meningitis C injections. [157551]
Yvette Cooper: The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicine (CSM) has received one report through the Yellow Card Scheme of hyperactivity aggravated in a child with a history of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in association with the meningitis C vaccines. There have been no reports of Hyperkinetic Disorder or any other term related to ADHD.
ADHD is being increasingly recognised in the United Kingdom as a significant mental health problem among children and adolescents and to a lesser extent, among
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adults. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has estimated that approximately 1 per cent. of all school-aged children (about 69,000 six to 16-year-olds in England) met the diagnostic criteria for Hyperkinetic Disorder, the more severe type of ADHD. The prevalence of all types of ADHD is considerably higher, around 5 per cent. of school-aged children (345,000 six to 16-year-olds in England). There are no data on the change in recorded cases of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder between 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001 as this information is not collected centrally.
No research is currently being conducted into the incidence of cases of attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome which may be related to meningitis C injections.
Correspondence
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (a) dated 6 February and 19 March regarding Miss Holland of Doveridge in Derbyshire, (b) dated 26 February regarding the treatment and diagnosis of bowel cancer, (c) dated 5 February and 7 March regarding the funding of hospices and (d) dated 26 February and 20 March regarding synthetic treatment for haemophiliac patients. [158074]
Yvette Cooper [holding 23 April 2001]: A reply to the hon. Member's letter of 26 February regarding the treatment and diagnosis of bowel cancer was sent on 11 April. Replies to the hon. Member's letters of 5 February and 7 March regarding the funding of hospices was sent on 11 April. A reply to the hon. Member's letters of 26 February and 20 March regarding synthetic treatment of haemophiliac patients was sent on 9 April.
Unfortunately, the Department did not receive the original copies of the hon. Member's letters of 6 and 19 February regarding his constituent Miss Holland. Copies have been requested and a reply will be provided as a matter of urgency.
Test Purchasing
Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the use of children of compulsory school age in undertaking test purchasing on behalf of local trading standards departments during school hours; and if he will make a statement. [158491]
Mr. Hutton: Children below the minimum school leaving age who may be asked to assist trading standards officers in the execution of their statutory duties are deemed not to be employed, and child employment legislation does not apply.
Nicotine Replacement Therapies
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on sustained and co-ordinated health education campaigns aimed at reducing smoking in England in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1999-2000 and (c) 2000-01; what the figure will be for 2001-02; and if he will reconcile these figures with those in paragraph 6.38 of the 1998 White Paper, "Smoking Kills". [158351]
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Yvette Cooper [holding answer 23 April 2001]: The information requested is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 6.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 15.9 |
| 2000-01 | 13.73 |
| 2001-02 | (5)-- |
(5) Yet to be finally determined
The 1998 White Paper "Smoking Kills" set out an overall strategy on tobacco control including expenditure of some £50 million on health education and up to £60 million on cessation services.
Since "Smoking Kills" the Government have made first Buproprion (Zyban) and more recently all nicotine replacement therapy products available on National Health Service prescription and appropriate increases have been made in the unified budgets to meet the expected cost of these developments.
The overall sums devoted to tackling tobacco will comfortably exceed the sums committed in "Smoking Kills".
Viagra
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the list of medical conditions for which Viagra is prescribable on the National Health Service. [158474]
Ms Stuart: On 11 December 2000 we commenced an eight-week period of consultation about the operation of the current policy. We are now considering carefully all comments and views received during the consultation period and will make a decision about the operation of the current policy in due course.
Appointments (Age Limit)
Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what age limit is placed on appointments to public bodies in his Department; if this limit is mentioned in advertisements for such posts; and what the basis for this limit is. [158106]
Ms Stuart: We are committed to equality of opportunity and to increasing the diversity of those appointed to public bodies. There are no age limits for public appointments to National Health Service trusts, health authorities, primary care trusts, special health authorities or Department of Health executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies. Currently the youngest board member is aged 26, and the oldest 86.
Appointments to the Mental Health Review Tribunal, the National Health Service Tribunal, the Protection of Children Act Tribunal and the Registered Homes Tribunal are subject normally to a lower age limit of 35 and an upper age limit of 62. The age limits are applied flexibly and are based on advice from the Lord Chancellor. They are made clear in any advertisements for such posts. The lower age limit is intended to give the public the confidence that those appointed have sufficient experience and maturity to fill the different roles involved appropriately.
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Hospices
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made as to the additional costs for hospices arising from extra regulations his Department has introduced for palliative care; [159042]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the reluctance of public bodies to fund the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice; [159041]
(3) if he will estimate the savings to health and social services budgets arising from the service provided by the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice; [159043]
(4) what is the level of public funding for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice as a percentage of its revenue costs; [159040]
(5) what funding is available to hospices from his Department; and what guidelines he has issued concerning the percentage of revenue costs that should be met by local health authorities. [159039]
Yvette Cooper: It is for the National Health Service locally to make arrangements for financial support for hospices, given the extent of local diversity both of the services provided and of alternative sources of local support. Accordingly, we have issued no guidance specifying a set percentage of hospice revenue costs that individual health authorities and primary care groups should meet.
We are, however, committed to increased investment in palliative care services overall. The NHS Cancer Plan set out one commitment to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care by £50 million by 2004, to end inequalities in access to care and enable the NHS to make a realistic contribution to the cost hospices incur in providing agreed levels of service. As a first step, the NHS Plan Implementation Programme for 2001-02 requires all cancer networks, in partnership with voluntary organisations, to develop and begin implementing costed strategic plans for palliative care. This is the context within which the NHS contribution to individual hospices such as the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice will be considered.
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