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Correspondence
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to provide a substantive reply to the letter of 2 August 2001 from the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire. [48248]
Ms Blears: The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit is seeking a copy of this correspondence.
Mrs. Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of (a) 21 January, (b) 21 February, (c) 19 March and (d) 18 April relating to her constituent, Mr. R. Merkitt of Wormley. [51802]
Mr. Hutton: A reply was sent on 23 April.
Essex Heart Centre
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received over the proposal to establish the Essex Heart Centre at Basildon instead of Broomfield, Chelmsford; and if he will make a statement. [48571]
Jacqui Smith: Essex Health Authority is about to start the public consultation exercise on this proposal. All relevant and interested parties will have the opportunity
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to make their concerns known during this period and as such it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further at this stage.
GP Vacancies
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP vacancies there were in Bedfordshire (a) in each of the last three years and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [47629]
Jacqui Smith: The Department first carried out a survey into general practitioners recruitment, retention and vacancies in 2000.
In the 2000 survey Bedfordshire health authority reported that they had 25 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12 month period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000.
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In the 2001 survey they reported that they had 20 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12 month period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.
Results from the 2002 survey should be available later in the year. We have no data prior to 2000.
Medicines Control Agency
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times officials from the Medicines Control Agency have held meetings with officials of the United States Food and Drug Administration since 1 April 2001; when and where each of these meetings took place; and what the subject was of each of these meetings. [48610]
Ms Blears: There have been 21 meetings between officials of the Medicines Control Agency and officials of the United States Food and Drug Administration since 1 April 2001. The details of the meetings are shown in the table.
| Date | Venue | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 21 to 22 May 2001 4 to 6 February 2002 | Tokyo Brussels | Possible pharmacovigilance topics for the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) process |
| April 2001 June 2001 | ||
| July 2001 | Videoconference/teleconference held between | To discuss current safety issues with the FDA and other |
| September 2001 | London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) | EU member-states |
| November 2001 | ||
| January 2002 | ||
| March 2002 | ||
| 27 August 2001 28 August 2001 | FDA, Rockville Pike | FDA use of General Practice Research Database (GPRD) |
| 22 to 24 May 2001 | International Laboratory Forum of Counterfeit Medicines (ILFCM), Washington, USA | Collaboration and knowledge sharing of illegal and counterfeit medicines |
| 22 to 24 May 2001 | Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC), Washington, USA | Pharmaceutical crime including counterfeits and fraudulent diversion |
| 8 June 2001 | Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) | Equivalence between UK and USA systems for assessing compliance by inspection |
| 28 July to 23 August 2001 | FDA, Cincinnati, USA | Series of meetings on collaborative procedures for the analysis of illegal steroid creams |
| 17 September 2001 | Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) | Proposed Mutual Recognition Agreement on Inspection |
| 29 October to 1 November 2001 | International Laboratory Forum of Counterfeit Medicines (ILFCM), Canberra, Australia | Collaboration and knowledge sharing of illegal and counterfeit medicines |
| 15 to 16 November 2001 | London | FDA observation of MCA medicines inspection |
| 26 to 30 November 2001 | London, Hitchin and York | FDA observation of MCA inspectorate quality system |
| 12 December 2001 | Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) | General progress on the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) |
| March 2002 | Houston, USA | Criminal investigations on the supply of prescription-only medicines and an unlicensed product |
New Deal
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseeker's allowance or other benefits. [49600]
Mr. Hutton: This information is not available. Neither the Department nor the individual non-departmental public bodies concerned monitor people who have left those organisations.
Mental Health
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in provision since 1997, there has been of (a) acute beds, (b) residential places staffed 24 hours a day and (c) low support residential places in mental health in London. [48864]
Mr. Hutton: The change in provision since 1997 for acute beds, residential places staffed 24 hours a day and low support residential places in London is given in the table.
Source:
KH03—Bed availability and occupancy
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| Number of residential care places | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 30,062 |
| 1998 | 30,201 |
| 1999 | 29,525 |
| 2000 | 30,140 |
| 2001 | 29,342 |
Thiomersal
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the replacement of thiomersal as a preservative in vaccines. [48832]
Ms Blears: The European Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) has developed regulatory guidance entitled "Points to Consider on the Reduction, Elimination or Substitution of Thiomersal in Vaccines". This regulatory guidance has come into operation since May 2001. It sets out recommendations and strategy for reducing, eliminating and substituting thiomersal as a preservative in vaccines. As indicated in this regulatory guidance, in an initial stage, a manufacturer may choose to reduce the amount of thiomersal while developing a thiomersal-free formulation with or without a substitute preservative. Since reducing or eliminating thiomersal could have an impact on microbiological quality, antigenicity, immunogenicity, reactogenicity and stability of vaccines, substantial developmental and validation work is necessary before such modifications can be implemented.
Better Quality Services Initiative
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50312]
Ms Blears: Between September 1999 and February 2001, the Department had largely undertaken Better Quality Services reviews of its support services and the functions and activities of its agencies. The Department was working with Cabinet Office to develop a rigorous approach for the review of policy.
Since March 2001 specific Better Quality Services activity has been incorporated into a fundamental review of the Department's services and activities, including policy areas. This fundamental review was carried out in the spirit of the Better Quality Services Initiative in line with Government policy. It has generated a programme of change that focuses on the Department's delivery contract and which aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
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