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Cystic Fibrosis

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from cystic fibrosis in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear, (d) the North East and (e) the United Kingdom. [47639]

Jacqui Smith: Data is not available in the form requested. Data on finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for cystic fibrosis by health authority area of residence is shown in the table. As of 1 April 2002, Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority, Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority, Sunderland health authority and Northumberland health authority became the new Northumberland and Tyne & Wear health authority; and County Durham and Darlington health authority and Tees health authority became the new County Durham and Tees Valley health authority.

Health authority area	FCEs
County Durham and Darlington	139
Gateshead and South Tyneside	71
Newcastle and North Tyneside	148
Northumberland	56
Sunderland	51
Tees	122
All areas of residence	7,939

Source:

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

Climate Change Levy

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the change in costs incurred by NHS trusts and health authorities as a result of the introduction of the climate change levy. [47566]

Yvette Cooper: The estimated cost of the climate change levy, paid by the national health service on national contracts, is almost £24.5 million inclusive of VAT.

The effects of the climate change levy were designed to be offset by a reduction in the employers' national insurance contributions.

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Tuberculosis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reported cases there were of TB in (a) London and (b) West Sussex in each year since 1997. [47552]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The number of reported cases of human tuberculosis in the London region and to West Sussex health authority from 1997 to 2000 is shown in the table.

Year	Number of tuberculosis notifications in London (by region)	Number of tuberculosis notifications to West Sussex health authority
1997	2,411	36
1998	2,444	29
1999	2,493	32
2000	2,834	42
2001(27)	2,917	62

⁽²⁷⁾ Provisional

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the screening process for TB in children. [47537]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Children are not routinely screened for TB unless they are in a high-risk group such as a close contact of a new TB case.

A tuberculin skin test is carried out before BCG immunisation. The test assesses the individuals sensitivity to tuberculin protein. Those with a positive test are not given BCG. Those with strongly positive tests are referred to a chest clinic for assessment of the need for further investigation and treatment.

South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefits of the establishment of a South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust. [47619]

Jacqui Smith: I considered the application made to establish the South West Yorkshire Mental Health National Health Service Trust and approved it on the expectation that it will improve the quality of services provided to the people of Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield districts.

Mental Health

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place for involving people with mental health problems in decisions about their care and treatment. [47627]

Jacqui Smith: People of working age in contact with specialist mental health and social care services have their care and treatment co-ordinated under the care programme approach (CPA). The key principles of the CPA are applicable to all service users: they have a right to the thorough assessment of all their needs, the development of a care plan and a review of the care by the professionals involved in their care. It is envisaged that written care plans should be drawn up with the involvement of the

18 Apr 2002 : Column 1183W

service users, and where appropriate their carer. Any refusal to accept treatment or medication should be noted in the care plan along with the service user's reasons for refusal. Service users should be given the opportunity to sign the agreed care plan and then receive a copy. Users or carers must also be able to ask for a review of care at any time and annual audit should ensure that reviews are carried out.

Further, any local audit of quality will need to include the views of service users, who should be given the opportunity to contribute to the setting of quality standards and measures. The views of service users are an effective indicator of the quality of services and must be included in any audit of service delivery.

Inquiries (Costs)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of the (a) Ashworth high security hospital and (b) Victoria Climbié inquiries was. [48029]

Jacqui Smith: The direct cost to the Department of the inquiry into the personality disorder unit at Ashworth high security hospital was £2.3 million. This does not include the costs incurred by other statutory bodies involved in the inquiry, for example Ashworth hospital itself.

The Victoria Climbié inquiry is ongoing and final costs will not be known until the end of the year.

Residential Care Homes

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money he estimates will be required by local authorities to meet the demand for residential care homes in the next 10 years. [47621]

Jacqui Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Andrew Lidington) on 1 February 2002, Official Report, columns 626–27W. Gross expenditure by councils in England on residential care for adults was £3,557 million in 2000–01. Future expenditure will depend on changes in costs as well as in demand.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of elderly people in care are living in state-funded residential care homes. [47620]

Jacqui Smith: At 31 March 2001, there were 34,380 residents aged 65 and over supported by local authorities in local authority homes.

Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to revise the guidelines used by local authorities to determine charges for residential care in order to make the charges more reflective of the services provided. [48553]

Jacqui Smith: Government guidance on charges for residential accommodation is updated regularly. It is based on the principle that those people who are able to pay for their care should do so, while those who have limited income and assets contribute according to a fair financial assessment. Advice on the fees which local authorities should negotiate with care home owners is contained in "Building Capacity and Partnership in Care", an agreement between central government and the statutory and independent social and health care and housing sectors. The agreement states that fee setting

18 Apr 2002 : Column 1184W

should take into account the legitimate current and future costs faced by providers, the factors that affect these costs and the potential for improving performance and more effective ways of working.

Nursing Staff

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 931W, on nursing staff, how many posts have been filled in April. [50501]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 17 April 2002]: Available information was published in a report, 'Modern Matrons in the NHS: a progress report', on 15 April 2002, showing that there are 1,895 nurses in modern matron posts across the NHS in England.

Social Services

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authority social services are in special measures. [47625]

Jacqui Smith: There are now 10 councils with social services responsibilities subject to special measures by the social services inspectorate: Coventry, Hackney, Haringey, Lambeth, Lancashire, Merton, Newham, North East Lincolnshire, Peterborough and Sheffield.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of social services staff posts are (a) filled by permanent staff, (b) filled by agency staff and (c) vacant. [47623]

Jacqui Smith: This information requested is not collected centrally.

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