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Euro

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been received by the Assistant Director of her Department's Economics and Statistics Directorate concerning the exchange rate at which the UK could join the euro. [840]

Ms Hewitt: My Department regularly receives published material from analysts on a range of subjects.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 30 April regarding a constituent. [846]

Ms Hewitt: I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy replied to this letter on 19 June.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Rural Schools and Colleges

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools and colleges in rural areas have closed in each of the last five years. [64]

Mr. Timms: The table shows the number of schools in rural areas approved for closure in each of the last five years.

	Number
1997	4
1998	5
1999	2
2000	2
2001	0

Although a number of governing bodies of further education colleges in rural areas have been dissolved, in

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each case the educational provision has continued by arrangement with another institution in the further or higher education sector.

Student Discount Card

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements her Department has made for the issue of a student's discount card; and on what terms. [10]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Following a competitive procurement process, on 8 May 2001 the Department announced that Capita is the preferred bidder to develop and deliver the Connexions Card through a public-private partnership.

The aim of the Connexions Card is to encourage wider participation and attainment. It will offer substantial discounts and other benefits to young people aged 16-19 who are in learning. It will use smart card technology to record their attendance, which will earn 'reward points'. These will be redeemable for discounts on goods and services on the High Street, on public transport and at leisure facilities.

Vocational GCSE Courses

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional resources will be made available to schools which decide to offer vocational GCSE courses. [931]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department will fund an extensive programme of support for schools and colleges, planned to begin in autumn 2001. Vocational GCSEs will build on the best of existing Part One GNVQs. The support programme will help all those offering the new qualification to prepare for its introduction. This will include staff training and support materials. In addition, a general programme aimed at increasing work related learning opportunities at Key Stage 4, with funding of £38 million, will be made available in 2002-04.

Key Stage Three

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if funding for the new Key Stage Three strategy will be paid directly to schools. [844]

Mr. Timms: In 2001-02 £85 million has been allocated through the Standards Fund programme to support the implementation of the first phase of the Key Stage Three National Strategy. £60 million of this will be directly delegated to schools to access training and professional development of teachers. £25 million will be used by local education authorities to support their schools' implementation of the Strategy.

Departmental Title Change Costs

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the expenditure incurred in introducing the title of her Department. [394]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The total expenditure incurred to date in introducing the title of the Department for Education and Skills is approximately £6,997.

This refers to changing external signage, website and e-mail registration and some limited stationery, to reflect the Department's new title.

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AS Level Examinations

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will establish an independent inquiry into how the new system of AS level examinations was introduced this year and the lessons for the future. [771]

Mr. Timms: The fundamental principles of the advanced level reforms are based on extensive consultations and rigorous development. The Secretary of State has asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to review the new qualifications. An interim report is due by the middle of July.

HEALTH

Mental Health Services

15. Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of mental health services in London. [496]

Jacqui Smith: In London and, indeed, elsewhere in the country, we have embarked on a radical programme of modernisation to improve access to effective treatment and care, reduce unfair variation, raise standards and provide quicker and more convenient mental health services.

Beta Interferon

16. Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the NICE report on beta interferon. [497]

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the decision by NICE on the availability of beta interferon for multiple sclerosis sufferers. [490]

Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) earlier today, Official Report, column 507.

GPs

17. Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding early retirements and resignations by general practitioners. [498]

Mr. Hutton: We intend to announce further initiatives following the Primary Care Workforce Review.

General practitioners do an immensely valuable job under great pressure. Their work is very demanding and some early retirements and resignations are inevitable. However, the retention of experienced and skilled GPs is crucial to the successful delivery of a modernised NHS. In April, we therefore announced a £135 million package of measures to help recruitment and retention of GPs and nurses.

19. Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the recruitment and retention of general practitioners. [500]

Mr. Hutton: Recruitment and retention of experienced and skilled general practitioners is crucial to successful delivery of the NHS Plan and to a modernised NHS.

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We have announced a package of measures, including financial incentives and plans to enhance the career opportunities open to established GPs, to help improve the recruitment and retention of new and experienced GPs.

Heart Disease

18. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle heart disease. [499]

Yvette Cooper: Coronary heart disease is one of our key priority areas for action. The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease sets standards for prevention, treatment and care. We are making available significant extra investment in programmes to prevent heart disease and services for treatment and care.

31. Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will fund the provision of the Cardionetics CNET 2000 heart monitor in all general practitioners' surgeries. [512]

Yvette Cooper: The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease was published on 6 March 2000 setting out national standards for the provision of services for coronary heart disease. We have provided substantial increased funding for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and by 2003 we will be investing an extra £230 million a year in heart services. An additional £120 million of capital funding has also been provided over the two years to 2002. It is a matter for health authorities and primary care trusts working with their local networks of cardiac care to commission services including equipment using the best available evidence to meet the NSF. At this time there is insufficient data to recommend the widespread use of Cadionetics CNET 2000 in primary care.

The Department will continue to monitor all research.

Strokes

21. Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he proposes to make treatment of strokes an additional priority for the NHS. [502]

Mr. Hutton: The National Service Framework for Older People, published in March, confirmed the high priority given to the reduction of stroke in the population and effective treatment and rehabilitation of those who have had a stroke. Based on evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness it describes a service model for integrated stroke services and sets milestones for every general hospital which cares for older people with stroke to have made plans by April 2002 to introduce a specialist stroke service from 2004.

34. Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on stroke services. [515]

Jacqui Smith: Stroke has a major impact on people's lives and affects thousands of people every year. It is essential that we provide better services for those people who have had a stroke, that is why there are key proposals within the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People published on 27 March 2001.

It spells out what good clinical care is; how to prevent stroke and what forms relevant treatment, care and rehabilitation for those who have had a stroke.

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