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Ambulance Services
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the review of south-east ambulance services in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001. [50708]
Ms Blears: No additional work force costs were incurred as most of the work in connection with the review of ambulance services in the south-east has been carried out by existing civil servants at the Department and staff at health authorities and trusts. Additional costs were incurred for printing and the hire of church halls etc. for public meetings.
The wide ranging nature of the consultation and the number of organisations involved have meant that a central collation of costs has not been possible.
Smallpox Vaccine
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whom he consulted in deciding (a) the number of units of smallpox vaccine required for production in the UK and (b) the number of individuals to be covered; [50791]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the process by which it was decided to use the Lister strain of the smallpox virus for vaccination of the UK population. [50792]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The choice of smallpox vaccine strain, the number of units of vaccine and the number of individuals to be covered, was made on the basis of expert advice, under the auspices of a specially convened sub-group of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
Information concerning quantities of vaccine or deployment are not made public for reasons of national security.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies were asked to tender for the contract to supply smallpox vaccine for the NHS. [51916]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Detailed confidential discussions were held with five major pharmaceutical companies who were known to have vaccine manufacturing capability either in the UK or in Europe. Our requirements for the vaccine strain, timing, and delivery were made clear to each of the companies, who were then given time to submit their responses.
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Medical Compression Tights
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with (a) NHS managers and (b) private companies, about the provision of extra large medical compression tights; and if he will make a statement. [50925]
Ms Blears [holding answer 18 April 2002]: None.
Drug Treatment Centres
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implication of the refusal of planning permission by local authorities in respect of drug treatment centres for the Government's strategy of increasing treatment facilities for drug users; and if he will make a statement. [51294]
Ms Blears: There is currently no evidence that this is a widespread national problem and in fact current data indicate a rise of about 16 per cent. over the past two years of those drug misusers entering treatment. These figures mean that the Government are on track to meet the target of increasing the number of drug misusers in treatment by 100 per cent. by 2008. The Government are of course aware of the negative impact that refusal of planning permission locally could have on the Government's aim of increasing the number of drug misusers accessing treatment.
Local authorities are autonomous bodies, accountable to their electorates, and the Government do not routinely comment on, or intervene in, their day-to-day administration of the planning system. Nor would it be appropriate for a Minister to comment on the merits of an individual planning decision, because of the appellate role of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. It is for the local planning authority to assess each planning proposal on its individual merits, in the light of the authority's development plan and of any other considerations material to planning.
Elderly People (Care Facilities)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of people over (a) 95 and (b) 100 who are being cared for in (i) an NHS hospital and (ii) a nursing home. [51306]
Jacqui Smith: We do not have data available in the form requested. However, there were an estimated 57,910 nursing beds occupied by people aged 85 and over being cared for in private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics in England during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001. This represented 38 per cent. of all occupied beds.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the UK are diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; how many new patients were diagnosed with the condition in each of the last six years; and what the annual mortality rate for children and young adults with the condition was in the last six years. [51142]
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Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the annual rate is of new diagnosis for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the UK; [51813]
- (2) what the mortality rate for children and young adults with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy was in the last 12 months. [51812]
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence has been of new diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in each of the last three years; and what the annual death rate is for children and young adults with this condition. [52051]
Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect statistics on the incidence of individual conditions.
Anti-stab Vests
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce the provision of light-weight anti-stab vests for front line ambulance personnel. [51286]
Ms Blears: There are no national plans to introduce the provision of light-weight anti-stab vests for front line ambulance personnel. The use of anti-stab vests is something local managers in ambulance trusts need to consider after undertaking a thorough assessment of the risk faced by their staff, and the need for this type of protective wear.
The London Ambulance NHS Trust has recently piloted the use of anti-stab vests at two ambulance stations. The evaluation of the pilots was positive, and this information is being shared with all other NHS ambulance trusts.
Spinal Cord Injury
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department has spent on research into spinal cord injury since 1997; what efforts have been made with (a) his European counterparts and (b) the World Health Organisation to increase resources for the treatment of spinal cord injury; and what measures have been introduced to help people suffering from spinal cord injury. [51230]
Jacqui Smith: Since 1997–98 we have spent around £5 million on research of relevance to spinal injuries. We also support a great deal of basic underpinning work on the structure and function of the nervous system; spend on this is not included in the figure above.
We have not been asking either the World Health Organisation or our European counterparts to increase resources for the treatment of spinal cord injury.
In February 2001 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that a national service framework would be developed for long-term conditions, and that this would have a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological disease and brain and spinal injury.
Correspondence
Mr. Cran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 25 July 2001 from RD Fouracre and subsequent correspondence of 6 November 2001 and 7 February 2002. [51400]
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Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 April 2002]: I regret the Department was unable to trace the original correspondence. Following receipt of further information from the hon. Member on 18 April, a reply was sent on 23 April.
Modern Matrons
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the modern matron posts were (a) newly created and (b) redesignated from existing nursing staff posts. [51607]
Mr. Hutton: Trusts were not required to submit information on how many of their modern matrons were newly created or redesignated from existing nursing staff.
All of the 1,895 posts comply with the requirements set out in HSC 2001/010.
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Child Protection
Mrs. Shephard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the increase announced in the Budget for social services departments, will be devoted to child protection. [52246]
Jacqui Smith: Detailed decisions on the allocation of resources will follow in the autumn.
Ambulance Accidents
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries have resulted from road accidents involving ambulances; and how much compensation has been paid out, in each of the last five years. [52248]
Ms Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.