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Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which items of departmental expenditure fall within the category of miscellaneous services, referred to on page 30 of the 2001 Departmental report. [15251]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
The category contains a wide range of activities including expenditure on certain public health functions such as environmental health, health promotion and support to the voluntary sector. The only common feature is that they receive funding direct from the Department of Health, and not via health authorities.
Individual Learning Accounts
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to public funds in 2001–02 of individual learning accounts to staff in the national health service. [15767]
Mr. Hutton: We are investing up to £10 million in 2001–02 to support the commitment in the "NHS Plan" (a copy of which is available in the Library) that national health service staff who do not have a professional qualification will have access to either a NHS learning account of £150 each or national vocational qualification training to level 2 or 3.
Doctors (Retirement)
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the information he has received from the NHS pensions agency concerning the retirement of general practitioners, which he referred to during the Second Reading debate of the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill. [17418]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 23 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave
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my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 558W. I am advised that the data excluded those who take their pension before the pension scheme's normal retirement age of 60.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics he has collated on the spread of ages at which doctors have retired in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001. [13853]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 12 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Data in the form requested are not readily available. The number of hospital and community doctors, including Principal and Assistant General Medical and Ophthalmic Practitioners, in England and Wales who have received a retirement pension before or after age 60 for each of the financial years 1997 to 2001 is in the table.
| Financial year | Before age 60 | After age 60 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 503 | 959 | 1,462 |
| 1998 | 547 | 957 | 1,504 |
| 1999 | 453 | 866 | 1,319 |
| 2000 | 403 | 694 | 1,097 |
| 2001 | 551 | 978 | 1,529 |
Compulsory Retirement
Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues to NHS authorities and trusts on the practice of compulsory retirement based solely on age. [20486]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer her to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 92W.
Although there is no central guidance on compulsory retirement based solely on age, NHS organisations and their staff are encouraged to explore the available flexibilities and opportunities. The NHS pension scheme allows staff approaching retirement age and beyond to work more flexibly. This will enable the NHS to keep experienced staff, and their invaluable skills and knowledge.
In the case of general practitioners health authorities are required under regulation 7(11) of the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 to remove from their medical list any doctor who has attained the age of 70 years.
Correspondence
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many, and what proportion of letters received by the
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Department from hon. and Right hon. Members between 20 June and 20 July were replied to in (a) under 15, (b) under 20, (c) under 30, (d) under 40 and (e) over 40 working days. [22002]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 December 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
The information is shown in the table.
| Replies sent within | Number of replies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days | 527 | 34 |
| 20 days | 436 | 28 |
| 30 days | 202 | 13 |
| 40 days | 186 | 12 |
| Over 40 days | 202 | 13 |
| Total | (28)1,553 | 100 |
(28) In addition 199 letters were transferred to other Government Departments
Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the handling of the case of Mrs. Violet Christine Mitchell by the Royal Surrey County Hospital in September; and when he will reply to correspondence from (a) Jane Cole of 13 and 28 September and 15 November and (b) the right hon. Member for South West Surrey. [18888]
Ms Blears: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer her to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
I appreciate the considerable distress Mrs. Mitchell has suffered but I am assured that there was no negligence involved in the delay in diagnosing her injury. The nature of the injury could not be fully ascertained at the first examination and all necessary steps were subsequently taken to reach the correct diagnosis.
My officials wrote to Ms Cole on 29 November in response to her letters dated 28 October and 15 November. My Department has no record of receiving any letters sent in September.
My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State replied to the right hon. Member's letter on 4 December 2001.
Nursing Homes
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential and nursing homes have closed because an inspection highlighted inadequacies in their facilities. [23423]
Jacqui Smith: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
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In the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 (the most recent for which information is available) there were 140 closures of residential care homes and nursing homes (including children's homes) through cancellation procedures under the Registered Homes Act 1984.
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of free nursing care on the level of charges to residents of nursing homes. [34856]
Jacqui Smith: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
We expect nursing homes to reduce fees in line with the Registered Nursing Care Contribution received. However, I am aware that a number of national providers have used the opportunity afforded by the introduction of free nursing care to increase fees levied on people funding the costs of their own care. I have written to those providers seeking clarification and justification for the level of increase that they propose. We will take further action if required.
UK Human Tissue Bank
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the work of the UK Human Tissue Bank; if he will make a statement on their work; what advice has been issued to NHS trusts about the collection by the UK Human Tissue Bank of non-transplantable human tissue from hospitals nationwide; what has been done to encourage the use of human tissue by scientists operating within the UK; and what evidence he has collated as to the efficacy of using human tissue rather than animal subjects in tests. [25444]
Ms Blears: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
All Tissue Banks in the public sector supplying human tissues for therapeutic purposes to the NHS are required to be accredited by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) by 31 March 2003. An MCA inspection will determine whether the bank complies with the standards set out in—"A Code of Practice for Tissue Banks: providing tissues of human origin for therapeutic purposes."
The UK Human Tissue Bank (UK HTB) is a not for profit organisation based at De Montfort university, Leicester. They collect, process and distribute non-transplantable human tissue for research purposes to scientists working in universities, medical institutions and the pharmaceutical industry. UK HTB have had discussions with Department officials, the Medical Research Council (MRC), and the MCA seeking clarification of departmental policy. They have not written or met with Ministers.
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The MRC supports the principle of human tissue banks for research, and actively encourages the deposition and use of human tissue samples, where appropriate. The MRC Guidelines 'Human tissue and biological samples for use in research' observes that
- "use of such [human] material can . . . reduce both the research demands on patients and the need to use animals".
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