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Motor Racing (Tobacco Sponsorship)

Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's policy is on the European Commission's draft proposals relating to tobacco sponsorship of Formula 1 motor racing. [20166]

Jacqui Smith: The current text of the European Commission's proposals for a directive on tobacco advertising and sponsorship includes a provision prohibiting the sponsorship of events taking place in

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several member states or having similar cross-border effects if such sponsorship is with the aim of promoting a tobacco product.

The current text provides for implementation up to two years after a directive is adopted. The date for adoption is at present uncertain.

In 1998 we agreed with our European partners that global sporting events should have until 1 October 2006 to phase out tobacco sponsorship, provided first that they do not sign new contracts with tobacco companies and secondly that they phase out the current sponsorship that they receive. This remains our view.

NICE Review

Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards establishing the review of NICE; when the review will commence; who will conduct the review; what the terms of reference are; what arrangements there will be for consulting interested parties; and when he expects the review to be concluded. [20161]

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to conduct a fundamental review of NICE; and if he will make a statement. [20287]

Jacqui Smith: The report of the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry makes some far-reaching recommendations on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). We are therefore considering how these will affect the review of NICE. We will also need to take into account the recent announcement that the Health Select Committee is to hold a short inquiry into the progress NICE has made in achieving the key goals envisaged in A First Class Service.

Non-tobacco Goods

Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the value of the UK market for non-tobacco goods which share tobacco branding. [20164]

Jacqui Smith: We have not made any such assessment.

Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry

Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Government's response to the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry; and if he will make a statement. [20163]

Jacqui Smith: The Government's response to the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry will be published shortly.

NHS Direct

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), 27 November Ref 19267 2001, Official Report, Columns 859-60W, how many inquiries have been received by NHS Direct since its inception; what proportion of those inquiries come from rural areas; and what proportion of those inquiries required (a) a visit to the doctor and (b) treatment in a hospital. [20032]

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Ms Blears: Since NHS Direct was launched in March 1998 it has handled over 8,000,000 calls. This calendar year alone it has handled over 4,500,000 calls, averaging 90,000–100,000 calls a week. NHS Direct call volume data are collected as a figure for the total population area covered by a particular site and not by rural/urban split. Out of the 4,500,000 calls made to NHS Direct this calendar year, 38 per cent. of callers were advised to see their general practitioner, and 11 per cent. advised to visit a hospital.

NHS Direct has not been set up to merely reduce demand on other health services. It is about making sure that patients get to the right service at the right time, and giving people reassuring clinical advice so that they can look after themselves if that is the appropriate thing to do.

Preserved Rights

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated to local authorities in England for 2002–03 in relation to the transfer of responsibility for preserved rights cases from 8 April 2002; of that sum, how much relates (a) to the sum that is transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions relating to what would have been paid through income support and (b) to the costs of the shortfall between the preserved rights income support rates and existing care homes as stated in the draft guidance to local authorities regarding the abolition of preserved rights; on what basis the sum allocated to cover the shortfall referred to in (b) has been allocated between local authorities; and whether the basis for the sum allocated to cover the shortfall referred to in (b) reflects the variations in shortfall between local authorities. [17250]

Jacqui Smith: Local authorities in England will receive additional funding of £614 million in 2002–03 because of the transfer to them from 8 April next year of responsibility for people with preserved rights. Of this sum, £528 million is a transfer from the Department for Work and Pensions. It represents the difference between what the DWP estimate they would have spent on income support, attendance allowance and disability living allowance on preserved rights residents under the current arrangements and what they estimate will be spent on Income Support for such residents under the new system. The remaining £86 million is intended to meet the cost to authorities of carrying out care assessments and the estimated shortfall between preserved rights income support rates and the care home fees of the residents concerned. We shall announce as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement how we intend to allocate these resources between individual local authorities.

Older People

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to implement the National Service Framework for Older People, with particular reference to Standard Six on falls and osteoporosis. [20183]

Jacqui Smith: The National Service Framework for Older People sets a standard and associated milestones for the development and introduction of integrated falls services across all health and social care systems by April 2005. Annual milestones are set from April 2003. Early planning and supporting work has begun on implementation and the National Institute for Clinical

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Excellence has been asked to develop clinical guidelines for the assessment and prevention of falls including recurrent falls in older people, with an associated clinical audit dataset, database and methodology.

Carers

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance he plans to give to people who take the responsibility of looking after elderly family members and are not able to work. [19358]

Jacqui Smith: Through the National Strategy for Carers, we are making resources available to help carers. We introduced the Carers Grant in 1999, the sole purpose of which is to enable local councils to enhance provision of community care and children's services and in particular to enable carers to take a break from their caring role. To reach the NHS Plan target of ensuring that 75,000 more carers receive a break by 2004, the Carers Grant will increase from £70 million this year to £100 million in financial year 2003–04.

The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, which came into force in April, gives local councils further duties and powers to help carers.

In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced a package of measures last Autumn that will provide over £500 million extra support for carers over three years, from which more than 300,000 carers could benefit financially.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance he will give pensioners to help with the costs of long-term care. [19354]

Jacqui Smith: The NHS Plan announced that an additional £1.4 billion a year would be made available for improving services and standards of care for older people by 2003–04. Over £400 million of the £1.4 billion represents funds for a range of reforms to the long-term care system which we have introduced. These reforms will assist pensioners with the costs of long-term care and many of them have already been enacted. Free nursing care in nursing homes for current self-funders was introduced from October, as has a system of deferred payments to avoid people having to sell their homes when they first enter residential care. Since April the value of a property has been disregarded for 12 weeks when undertaking the residential care means test.

Care for the Elderly

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the costs of home care for the elderly and what choice old people have in what service they receive. [19357]

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Jacqui Smith: Councils have discretion under the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983 whether to charge for home care or other non-residential social services. The Department issued statutory guidance, "Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other non-residential Social Services", to councils on 23 November 2001.

The Department published for consultation draft National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care on 31 October 2001. Standards 7 and 9 concern the need to respect service users' choices.

Local "Better Care, Higher Standards" charters for long-term care are expected to set out the ways in which individuals' views about their care will be sought and respected.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) primary and (b) intermediate care for the aged. [19356]

Jacqui Smith: Older people can expect the same rights of access to primary care as any other patient group. In addition, in recognition of the specific health needs of older people, patients over 75 are entitled to an annual health check from their general practitioners on request and, since 2000, all people aged 65 and over have been offered free immunisation against influenza.

The NHS Plan makes clear that intermediate care is a priority service for older people. This was reinforced in the National Service Framework for Older People. Intermediate care has an important role to play in tackling delayed transfers of care. A recent survey indicates that good progress is being made towards meeting the NHS Plan targets for intermediate care—by 2004 an extra 5,000 intermediate care beds and 1,700 supported places, together benefiting an additional 150,000 older people.

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