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Psychiatric Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric nurses have been recruited to NHS mental health authorities in each year since 1997. [59572]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The national health service does not have mental health authorities. Information on overall numbers of psychiatry nurses is given by health authority. In 2001 there were 41,540 psychiatry nurses compared to 39,110 in 1997, an increase of 2,430 or 6 per cent.

This information has been placed in the Library.

Mental Health

Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the new primary care trusts have a mental health specialist responsible for commissioning mental health services. [60568]

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect information about the qualifications of staff involved following 'Shifting the Balance of Power' in commissioning mental health services. Primary care trusts (PCTs) will provide some services themselves; they will commission service from other providers, both local and non-local; and they will have collaborative arrangements with other PCTs for commissioning highly specialised services. PCTs are accountable to their strategic health authority (StHA) for discharging these functions effectively. In all cases, it will be important to work in partnership with existing stakeholders, pool expertise and ensure sufficient dedicated capacity to develop effective health needs assessments, and plan and secure effective service delivery. We believe that mental health local implementation teams offer a strong and stable platform to continue joint commissioning approaches to mental health service development.

Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recourse is available to people requiring particular mental health services at primary care level, when those services are not accessible (a) through their general practitioner and (b) within the area of their primary care trust. [60564]

Jacqui Smith: Most patients want the best treatment at a convenient place and service agreements will be designed to secure this. It is why we have embarked on a radical programme of modernisation to improve access, reduce unfair variation, raise standards, and provide quicker and more convenient services. Our programme of work includes a national service framework for the delivery of modern mental health and social services, and significant extra investment.

Following 'Shifting the Balance of Power' primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning services for their populations. They are accountable to their strategic health authority (StHA) for discharging this function effectively. PCTs will provide some services themselves and will also commission service from other

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providers, both local and non local. With regard to more specialised services that, by their very nature, are provided from relatively few providers, PCTs will increasingly have collaborative commissioning arrangements with other PCTs. This will enable them to pool expertise and ensure sufficient dedicated capacity to develop effective health needs assessments, and plan and secure delivery of services. In addition, there is the flexibility within the national health service of making referrals into the private sector if, in the judgment of clinicians and commissioners, an individual's needs warrant this, and the service is an appropriate one.

Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have commissioned (a) counselling, (b) cognitive therapy, (c) psychotherapy, (d) complementary therapy and (e) exercise on prescription for people with mental health problems. [60566]

Jacqui Smith: Central records are not kept of commissioning by primary care trusts of the services listed. However, we are well aware that these approaches are of benefit in mental health promotion, and in the treatment of mental illness. Clinical decisions about their use for individual patients are taken locally in the context of national guidance, the evidence base, and the available resources. We have set out seven standards for the delivery of effective mental health services in the mental health national service framework. Standards one, two and three set out the action needed to ensure effective access to assessment and treatment in and through primary care. The Department published an evidence based clinical guideline 'Treatment Choice in Psychological Therapies and Counselling' to help guide referrers. 'Making it happen—A guide to delivering mental health promotion' was published by the Department later in 2001; it contains a section entitled 'Physical activity as treatment', and in March 2001 we published a response to the Lords inquiry on complementary medicine, welcoming the report's recommendations.

Suicide

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources have been allocated for the public relations strategy to reduce suicide. [60532]

Jacqui Smith: We published a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy to prevent suicide for public consultation on 26 April 2002. We are currently developing a strategy to ensure that the final agreed national suicide prevention strategy, which we plan to launch in September 2002, is publicised effectively.

Committee Mandates

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the Transparency of Measures Governing the Pricing of Medicinal Products for Human Use is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55358]

Ms Blears: A consultative committee was established by Council Directive 89/105/EEC to implement the Directive, which relates to the transparency of measures regulating the prices of medicinal products for human use

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and their inclusion in the scope of national health insurance systems. Its task is to examine questions relating to the application of this Directive brought up by the Commission or at the request of a member state.

The Committee last met in early 1999.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the advisory committee on the training of chemists is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [56759]

Ms Blears: The advisory committee on pharmaceutical training (ACPT) is one of a group of committees set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.

The ACPT was set up by Council Decision 85/434/EEC. Its mandate is set down in Article 2, which states that:

1. The task of the Committee shall be to help to ensure a comparably high standard of pharmaceutical training in the Community.

2. It shall carry out this task, in particular, by the following means:

exchange of comprehensive information as to the training methods and the content, level and structure of theoretical and practical courses provided in the member states,

discussion and consultation with the object of developing a common approach to the standard to be attained in the training of pharmacists and, as appropriate, to the structure and content of such training,

keeping under review the adaptation of the pharmaceutical training to developments in pharmaceutical science and teaching methods.

3. The Committee shall communicate to the Commission and the member states its opinions and recommendations including, when it considers it appropriate, suggestions for amendments to be made to the articles relating to pharmaceutical training in Council Directives 85/432/EEC and 85/433/EEC.

4. The Committee shall also advise the Commission on any other matter which the Commission may refer to it in relation to pharmaceutical training.

Each advisory committee has three experts from each member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are also appointed. Members and alternates are nominated by Ministers, following consultation with the relevant professional bodies.

The advisory committee members' expenses fall to be paid by the Commission (or on occasion by the professions concerned). There is thus no direct charge to public funds.

Member states are currently considering Commission proposals for streamlining the directives and processes relating to free movement of professionals. None of the advisory committees has met during the last 12 months; and none of them has any items under consideration.

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In April this year, the issues arising from the Commission's proposals for the future of professional recognition were submitted to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees (Explanatory Memorandum No. 7239/02—COM(2002)119final).

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Committee on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provision of the member states concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [57480]

Ms Blears: Under EU Directive 2001/37/EC on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products, provision is made for a Committee to be set up to assist the European Commission in developing and updating the provisions of the Directive. The Committee is currently in the process of being set up and its first meeting is anticipated to take place before the end of this year. The United Kingdom will be represented by one expert, and the costs associated with it are not yet known. The work programme of the Committee has not been confirmed but is likely to build on Article 11 of the Directive, which highlights a number of areas which should be reviewed or developed in the light of developments in scientific and technical knowledge.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Committee on the Community action programme on injury prevention is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [57475]

Ms Blears: Committee was established under Article 5 of the Decision 372/1999/EC, adopting a programme of community action on injury prevention in the framework for action in the field of public health, to assist the Commission in implementing the programme.

The committee met twice in the last twelve months, on 20 June 2001, and 18 December 2001, when it was formally disbanded.

The UK was generally represented by two officials from the Department and the Department for Trade and Industry. Three officials attended the June meeting.

The travel costs are reimbursed by the commission for two delegates at each meeting. Therefore the cost to public funds was overnight subsistence for all the delegates, in accordance with the policy of individual Departments, and one return airfare to Luxembourg. A record of the individual costs to each Department is not centrally held.

There are currently no items under consideration of the committee, as it was disbanded in December 2001.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line

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with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".

As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).

As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Community action programme on health promotion, information, education and training is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [57477]

Ms Blears: The European Union Committee for the implementation of the Community action programme on health promotion, information, education and training was mandated under Article 5 of Decision 645/96/EC of the European Parliament and the Council. The committee assisted the Commission in taking forward the programme by providing opinions on proposed measures by the Commission. It is due to terminate with the introduction of the new EU action programme on public health.

The committee met twice in the last year, in May 2001 and February 2002. One UK official from the Department attended on each occasion.

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Travel and subsistence claims paid from public funds were £346. The commission reimbursed international airfare costs.

Details about the committee, the programme and funded projects can be found on Europa, the EU online website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/index en.html.

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