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Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme
Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money had been paid to businesses under the extensions of the small firms loan guarantee scheme announced by the Minister for the Environment on 26 March by 26 April. [159940]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
No loans had been notified to the Small Business Service (SBS) by 26 April, for businesses covered by the extension of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (SFLGS). All loan applications are made direct to one of the approved lenders who will undertake their commercial appraisal and consideration of commercial finance before the SFLGS becomes an option.
Since the details of the Scheme changes were announced on 6 April the SBS and the lenders have undertaken much work. The legal framework of the changes has had to be agreed with the lenders and the lenders have had to put in place, at branch level, the necessary administrative changes. Many inquiries have been received about the changes but it is likely to be a while before this interest translates into new loans.
HEALTH
Walsall and Sandwell
Health Authorities Merger
Mr. Bruce George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had about a merger of the Walsall and Sandwell health authorities. [157334]
Yvette Cooper: The health authorities in Walsall and Sandwell have an established history of successful joint working, and will continue to build on this. On 25 April the Secretary of State for Health announced plans for far-reaching modernisation and reform of the National
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Health Service. The announcement included a statement that by 2004 two-thirds of existing health authorities will disappear as they merge. However the future configuration of health authorities has yet to be determined.
Departmental Policies (Tiverton and Honiton)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Tiverton and Honiton constituency, the effects on Tiverton and Honiton of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [157807]
Ms Stuart: Detailed information on the impact of Department of Health policies nationally is set out in the Department of Health Annual reports. A copy of the most recent report "Department of Health--Government Expenditure Plans 2001-04 and main estimates 2001-02" is available in the Library and on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/dhreport.
The impact of policies is not examined by constituency and statistics collected centrally by the Department are not collected on a constituency basis.
The Tiverton and Honiton constituency falls within the geographical area covered by North and East Devon health authority and Devon social services.
The increases in allocations between 1996-97 and 2000-01 for North and East Devon health authority are set out in the table.
| Increase | |
|---|---|
| £ million (cash) | 84.7 |
| £ million (real terms) | 50.6 |
| Percentage increase (cash) | 33.6 |
| Percentage increase (real terms) | 18.37 |
Note:
Increases for 1999-2000 onwards are for unified allocations which cover hospital and community health services. Those for previous years cover hospital and community health services only.
North and East Devon health authority has received funding for certain policies. This includes:
£1.352 million for accident and emergency modernisation in 2000-01; £157,000, £211,000, £273,000 and £186,000 for improving cancer services (breast, colorectal, lung and cancer outpatients) in 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 respectively; £3.186 million and £3.994 million to reduce waiting lists and times in 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively; £1.333 million to expand critical care services in 2000-01; £804,000 to deal with winter pressures in 2000-01, £368,000 of this went to Devon social services; £1.422 million and £359,000 for developing intermediate care services in 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively; £470,000 and £954,000 for heart disease services 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively; £50,000 invested into dentistry in 2000-01.
Devon local authority's personal social services standard spending assessment (SSA) for 2001-02 compared with 1996-97 is set out in the table.
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| Percentage increase | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ million | Real | Cash | |
| 1996-97 | 138.497 | -- | -- |
| 2001-02 | 110.339 | -29.4 | -20.3 |
Note:
The SSA has decreased because of boundary changes resulting from local government re-organisation.
In addition to the SSAs referred, Devon local authority received additional funding in the form of a number of special and specific grants as set out in the table.
| 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Transitional Grant(12) | 4,890 | -- | -- | -- |
| Partnership grant(13) | -- | 3,407 | 2,917 | 4,140 |
| Prevention grant(13) | -- | 280 | 420 | |
| Carers grant(14) | -- | 289 | 662 | 923 |
| Children's grant(14) | -- | 624 | 986 | 2,471 |
| Mental Health Core grant | 667 | 1,046 | 1,207 | (15)1,408 |
| Training Support Grant | 381 | 450 | 484 | (15)473 |
(12) The special transitional grant ended in 1998-99
(13) The partnership and prevention grants have been combined in 2001-02 and called the promoting independence grant
(14) The carers' and children's grants were introduced in 1999-2000
(15) Indicative allocation
Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department has given to (a) health authorities and (b) NHS trusts about plans to roll out the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening pilot project; and what advice he has given about the time scale for preparing for the roll out; [158647]
- (2) what the timetable is for the national implementation of the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening project. [158648]
Yvette Cooper: In October 2000, the Department issued comprehensive information packs inviting health authorities to bid to join the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) pilot. A national survey of the readiness of National Health Service trusts to deliver the service was also carried out. This is being used to inform decisions on the first phase of implementation.
Close communication has been maintained with all health authorities and NHS trusts taking part in the pilot. In addition, the Institute of Hearing Research has been commissioned to maintain an open access website giving details of the pilot methodology, progress on site and plans for the next stage.
The time scale for the national roll out will depend on the evaluative data from the pilot.
Heathrow
Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the role is of the London borough of Hillingdon in relation to the Health Control Unit at Heathrow Airport; and what funding is provided to the London borough of Hillingdon for its pay and rations functions in relation the Health Control Unit. [158371]
Yvette Cooper: The health control unit at Heathrow Airport is responsible for (i) arranging medical examinations of entrants to the United Kingdom referred
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to it by the Immigration Service and (ii) applying the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1979 at the airport. The medical and radiography staff working in the unit are provided and managed by Hillingdon health authority. The London borough of Hillingdon provides and manages the other staff, and pays the cost of the unit's accommodation. It is reimbursed for its expenditure by the Department.
Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what audit has been undertaken of the funding provided to the London borough of Hillingdon for the management of the Health Control Unit at Heathrow Airport. [158367]
Yvette Cooper: My Department has no powers to carry out formal audits of expenditure by the London borough of Hillingdon, although officials scrutinise both the authority's estimates and claims for reimbursement and ask for an explanation of any changes from previous patterns of expenditure. Audit of Hillingdon's expenditure is a matter for its own internal auditors and for the Audit Commission.
Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of funding was provided by his Department for the Health Control Unit at Heathrow Airport in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98, (d) 1999-2000 and (e) 2000-01. [158372]
Yvette Cooper: The table shows the sums reimbursed by the Department in connection with expenditure on the health control unit by the London borough of Hillingdon. In addition, the Department paid for three new X-ray machines which were installed in the unit in 1999-2000 at a cost of £1.25 million.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1,428 |
| 1996-97 | 1,356 |
| 1997-98 | 1,325 |
| 1998-99 | 1,488 |
| 1999-2000 | 1,547 |
| 2000-01 | 1,577 |
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