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Chinook Crash
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Defence Research Agency's report on the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre supports the RAF Board of Inquiry's verdict that the pilots were guilty of gross negligence. [158907]
Mr. Spellar: The RAF Board of Inquiry analysed the information provided by the Defence Research Agency's report to help build up a picture of the aircraft's flight path shortly before impact. This report was a part of the evidence available to the Board of Inquiry, against which the determination of the reviewing officers was made.
Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the partners in the consortia bidding for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft project. [158862]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 26 April 2001]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
HEALTH
Osteoporosis
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a screening programme to identify those at risk from osteoporosis. [158766]
Yvette Cooper: Screening for osteoporosis was considered by the United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) in June 1999. The NSC recommended that screening should not be offered as there was no simple, reliable test for osteoporosis that would meet its criteria for a screening programme. At present there is a comprehensive approach for the prevention and treatment of this disease (hormone replacement therapy, diet, exercise and the use of specific drugs) which can be directed towards the general population.
Matrons
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to reintroduce matrons into the NHS. [159373]
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Mr. Denham: Guidance was issued to the National Health Service on 4 April. Health Service Circular 2001/10, "Implementing the NHS Plan--Modern Matrons", sets out the action required to establish matron posts by April 2002. Copies are available in the Library.
TB Vaccine
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of tuberculosis vaccine shortages in England in each of the last 10 years. [158964]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 26 April 2001]: BCG vaccine has been in limited supply for some time due to severe manufacturing problems encountered by the sole United Kingdom licensed source. As a result, we had no alternative but to request that health authorities suspend their routine schools immunisation programme for 10 to 14-year-olds from September 1999. This allowed us to maintain supplies of the vaccine for all those at a higher risk of tuberculosis (TB).
In July 2000, we advised that there was a sufficient supply of vaccine to initially restart the routine schools programme in the London area, where the highest rate of TB in the country currently occurs, in addition to the continued use for those in higher risk categories.
On 24 March, we announced that the routine schools BCG programme could begin again in schools across the country.
The 1994-95 school BCG programme was delayed in some areas because of the measles/rubella campaign.
Information about BCG vaccinations is contained in the statistical bulletin "National Health Service immunisation statistics, England: 1999-2000". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0026.htm.
Correspondence
Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 19 February on behalf of his constitutent Mr. R. Cawood; [159222]
- (2) when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 19 February on behalf of his constituent, Mrs. J. Wort; [159213]
(3) when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 19 February on behalf of his constituent, Dr S. A. Steel; [159215]
(4) when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 19 February on behalf of the British Organ Donor Society; [159208]
(5) when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 19 February on behalf of his constitutent Mr. S. O'Keeffe. [159217]
Mr. Denham: Replies to the right hon. Member's letters were sent on 23 April 2001.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
IT Workers
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate he has made of the impact of allowing a maximum four week quarantine period for (a) temp to temp fees and (b) temp to third party fees for specialist IT employment businesses; and if he will include that estimate in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; [159485]
(2) for what reasons an assessment of the impact of a four week quarantine period for (a) temp to temp fees and (b) temp to third party fees was not included in the draft regulatory impact assessment for the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [159486]
Mr. Alan Johnson: It was not possible to identify quantifiable costs for most of the measures in the Regulations, since they are likely to lead to changes in the behaviour of the organisations and workers in the private recruitment industry. Moreover, statistical information on the industry is limited. The draft regulatory impact assessment presents the available information.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of the temporary workforce that specialised in IT in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; and if he will include that estimate in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; [159482]
- (2) what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of IT workers in the UK that worked on temporary contracts rather than permanent employment in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c), 1999 and (d) 2000; and if he will include that estimate in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; [159481]
(3) what estimate his Department has made of the total number of IT workers who sought work through employment businesses in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; and if he will include that estimate in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; [159480]
(4) what assessment his Department has made of the importance to the UK economy of IT workers seeking work through employment businesses; and if he will make a statement. [159483]
Mr. Alan Johnson: Detailed information on specific occupational groups of agency workers is not available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the ability of employment businesses to continue to offer internet services to work-seekers in the light of Clauses 2 and 14 of the proposed Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [159487]
Mr. Alan Johnson: The Regulations have been designed to cover internet-based services, and will allow most dealings between employment businesses and
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work-seekers to be conducted electronically. The Regulations should therefore improve the ability of employment businesses to offer services to work-seekers via the internet.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the average cost of a specialist IT employment business placing a specialist IT worker in a six month temporary contract; what proportion of these costs relate to (a) placement fees and (b) payroll costs; and if he will make a statement. [159484]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I have made no such estimate. Our draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2001 are designed to benefit recruitment agencies, employment businesses, their clients and those seeking employment through them. They will remove unnecessary restrictions on organisations in the recruitment industry, including the IT sector, and the services they can offer, while protecting the interests of work seekers and vulnerable groups. I recognise that the IT sector plays an increasingly important role in the recruitment industry.
British Nuclear Fuels
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from British Nuclear Fuels regarding the future of new nuclear power plant development in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK. [159443]
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