---

HEALTH

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has collated on the relative mental health status of young (a) men and (b) women. [38096]

Jacqui Smith: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for compiling, analysing and disseminating information relating to United Kingdom economic, social and demographic statistics. Their report "Psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households, 2000" is available on the website at www.statistics.gov.uk. The report contains valuable information about the prevalence of mental disorders

18 Mar 2002 : Column 157W

among young adults over the age of 16 in private households. Guidelines are attached to the PQ reference guide.

Cancer Awareness

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to increase cancer awareness in schools; and if he will make a statement. [38082]

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton), on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 125W.

Relatives and Residents Association

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the organisations undertaking functions similar to those provided by the Relatives and Residents Association which are supported by his Department; [37728]

(2) for what reason his Department has not granted further funding to the Relatives and Residents Association. [37760]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 27 February 2002]: Of the organisations that take a particular interest in the care of older people in residential care or nursing homes, three were successful in bidding for funding through the 2001–02 round of the Department's section 64 General Scheme of Grants. They are Action on Elder Abuse, Counsel and Care and Help the Aged.

The Department has not refused the Relatives and Residents Association further section 64 funding for 2002–03 as applications from the association are currently being considered.

Since 1996–97, the association has received over £500,000 of section 64 funding. The association's application for section 64 funding in 2001–02 was unsuccessful principally because of competition from other high quality applications.

Care Standards Act

Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection residents of care homes will have against rises in charges following the implementation of the Care Standards Act 2000. [38638]

Jacqui Smith: Publicly funded residents' resources will continue to be assessed under the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992. These regulations are unaffected by the Care Standards Act. Differences between residents' assessed contributions and the fees set by homes should be met by the council.

In addition on 11 March, I announced a package of measures to stop some care home providers taking advantage of the Government's national health service funded nursing care initiative to artificially raise fees for residents. Amendments to the care home regulations will be made, subject to consultation, to oblige homes to provide a breakdown of their fees. This will make it clear to residents which aspect of their fees relate to nursing care and which to residential care. A central core contract has been issued that NHS bodies should use as a basis for spelling out how any nursing contribution received by a

18 Mar 2002 : Column 158W

care home is accounted for by them. I have also asked the National Care Standards Commission that standard two of the national minimum standards for care homes for older people should be enforced. The standard states that any contribution to fees by the NHS or a local authority is recorded separately from other contributions from the service user, a relative or other third party.

Bed Blocking

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place a copy of the delayed discharge figures for Q3 2001–02 in the Library; [39166]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 549, to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley), regarding bed blocking, if he will place in the Library the figures referred to for each trust and health authority. [40510]

Jacqui Smith: All the available information on delayed discharge in December 2001 has been placed in the Library. This covers:

(a) the number and proportion of patients of all ages occupying an acute hospital bed whose discharge was delayed;

(b) the number and proportion of patients aged 75 and over occupying an acute hospital bed whose discharge was delayed;

(c) the main reasons for delay and the numbers and proportion of patients of all ages who are delayed for each of the reasons;

(d) the numbers and proportions of patients who have been delayed (i) one to eight days, (ii) eight to 14 days, (iii) 14 to 28 days (iv) over 28 days.

Each set of figures is provided on a national, regional and health authority basis.

No other information (or breakdown of information) is collected centrally on delayed discharges.

Hospital Discharges

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) of 27 February 2002, Official Report, column 1418W, on hospital discharges, if he will provide information on the same basis for the Isle of Wight. [43368]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 14 March 2002]: The information provided in my previous answer of 27 February was provided on the basis of health authority, including Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire health authority. No other breakdown of information is available centrally.

Breast Cancer Screening

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage take-up is of breast cancer screening among the relevant population in the Redbridge and Waltham Forest area; how this compares to the national average; what activities and extra resources are being allocated to increase take-up; and if he will make a statement. [39002]

Yvette Cooper: Breast cancer screening services are provided by Epping Primary Care Trust for Redbridge and Whipps Cross hospital for Waltham Forest. The national target for women accepting their invitations for screening is 70 per cent. In 2000–01 nationally, 75.3 per cent. of

18 Mar 2002 : Column 159W

women aged 50 to 64 invited for screening were screened. The figure for Epping was 70.5 per cent. The figure for Whipps Cross hospital was 66.7 per cent. Both figures for Epping and Whipps Cross hospital are higher than the regional average of 62.4 per cent.

Whipps Cross hospital recognises that health education remains a high priority. The service regularly visits general practitioners' practices to promote screening and has given talks to women's groups in the community. Epping PCT is considering an advertising campaign among younger Asian women to encourage older family members to be screened.

Social Services

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to the judgment in the case of R v. London borough of Lambeth ex parte A EWCA Civ 1624; and what assessment he has made of the effects of the judgment on (a) families with children who are being supported by social services departments and (b) children being cared for by social services departments. [38472]

Jacqui Smith: Since the issue was first brought to the attention of the Department a considerable amount of work has been undertaken to assess the nature of the impact of the judgment in A v. London borough of Lambeth and the best way to respond to it. Consideration of these issues has taken place across Government and in consultation with key stakeholders.

The decision of the Court of Appeal in the recent case of A v. London borough of Lambeth, which considered the provision of accommodation under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, casts doubt upon the ability of councils with social services responsibilities to provide accommodation to children in need and their families. This judgment does not affect local authorities' powers to provide other services under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 that they deem appropriate in order to meet a child's needs, for example day care, nor does it have any impact on children being looked after by local authorities.

It is, and has long been, our policy that councils with social services responsibilities should have the power to provide accommodation under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 where they feel that this is the appropriate way to meet the child's needs and where no other support is available. We therefore wish to restore the position so that this important safety net is available for all families. I announced on 17 January 2002 during the special standing committee on the Adoption and Children Bill that we intend to introduce amendments to the Children Act 1989 by way of the Adoption and Children Bill to make clear that accommodation may be provided by councils with social services responsibilities under section 17. In the meantime, another recent case (J v. London borough of Enfield) has made clear that local authorities are able to provide assistance, including assistance towards the securing of accommodation, to children and their families utilising the powers contained within section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000.

---