House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 26 Jun 2002 (pt 26)

Hospital Patients

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place a copy of the Q4 2001–02 (a) emergency re-admissions and (b) delayed discharge figures in the Library, broken down by (i) age, (ii) region, (iii) health authority and (iv) reason. [58846]

Jacqui Smith: All the available information on emergency re-admissions and delayed transfers of care in Q4 2001–02 has been placed in the Library. This includes:

number and rate of emergency re-admissions for patients aged 75 and over,

length of delayed transfers of care for patients of all ages, numbers and rate of delayed transfers of care for patients aged 75 and over, and

reasons for delayed transfers of care.

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

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Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for a second new linear accelerator for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [56187]

Ms Blears: Plans for the future provision of a second new linear accelerator are the subject of on-going discussions by the North-west Midlands Cancer Network, of which the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust plays a key part.

Obesity

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will support the annual National Obesity Awareness Week organised by the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust. [61477]

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Ms Blears: The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust (TOAST) is supported financially by the Department through the section 64 grant scheme. We support the National Obesity Awareness Week, which forms part of their healthy living events outlined in their action plan.

BTE Digital Hearing Aids

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many BTE digital hearing aids have been issued by the NHS in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999, (e) 2000 and (f) 2001; and in each case what proportion of the cost was borne by (i) the NHS and (ii) employers. [61973]

Jacqui Smith: The Department has never collected information separately on the numbers of behind-the-ear (BTE) or in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids provided by the national health service. However, when the NHS issues hearing aids, the cost is borne by the NHS. I understand that the Department for Work and Pensions also issues hearing aids in some circumstances. That would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Children in Care

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of pupils living (a) in a residential care home and (b) with foster parents had special educational needs (i) with and (ii) without statements in the last five years for which figures are available broken down by (A) Government office region and (B) local education authority. [63116]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 June 2002]: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS Budget

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage increase in real terms of the budgets of (a) the NHS and (b) local authority personal social services has been in each year since 1997; and what the projected percentage increases are for each year for which planning assumptions have been made. [64289]

Jacqui Smith: The information is requested is set out in the tables.

Table 1: NHS expenditure, 1996–97 to 2007–08

Year Net NHS expenditure (£ billion) Percentage real terms increase

1996–97 ⁽¹⁷⁾33.0 -0.1

1997–98 ⁽¹⁷⁾34.7 2.0

1998–99 ⁽¹⁷⁾36.6 2.7

1999–2000 ⁽¹⁷⁾39.9 6.4

2000–01 ⁽¹⁷⁾44.2 7.8

2001–02 ⁽¹⁸⁾49.4 8.9

2002–03 ⁽¹⁹⁾53.7 6.1

2003–04 ⁽¹⁹⁾61.3 7.3

2004–05 ⁽¹⁹⁾67.4 7.3

2005–06 ⁽¹⁹⁾74.4 7.6

2006–07 ⁽¹⁹⁾81.8 7.3

2007–08 ⁽¹⁹⁾90.2 7.5

Year	Net NHS expenditure (£ billion)	Percentage real terms increase
1996–97	⁽¹⁷⁾33.0	-0.1
1997–98	⁽¹⁷⁾34.7	2.0
1998–99	⁽¹⁷⁾36.6	2.7
1999–2000	⁽¹⁷⁾39.9	6.4
2000–01	⁽¹⁷⁾44.2	7.8
2001–02	⁽¹⁸⁾49.4	8.9
2002–03	⁽¹⁹⁾53.7	6.1
2003–04	⁽¹⁹⁾61.3	7.3
2004–05	⁽¹⁹⁾67.4	7.3
2005–06	⁽¹⁹⁾74.4	7.6
2006–07	⁽¹⁹⁾81.8	7.3
2007–08	⁽¹⁹⁾90.2	7.5

⁽¹⁷⁾ Outturn

⁽¹⁸⁾ Estimated outturn

⁽¹⁹⁾ Plan

Notes:

1. Expenditure pre 2000–01 is shown on a cash basis.

2. Expenditure figures from 2000–01 to 2002–03 are on a Stage 1 Resource Budgeting basis. This was introduced in April 2001 and introduced accruals accounting, ie accounting for resources consumed against cash paid out.

3. Expenditure figures from 2003–04 to 2007–08 are on a Stage 2 Resource Budgeting basis (to be introduced from April 2003) and include non-cash items such as capital charges and the cost of new provisions.

4. Because of the introduction of Resource Budgeting Stages 1 and 2, the figures are not consistent across the whole period.

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Table 2: Local authority expenditure on personal social services, 1996–97 to 2000–01

Year Outturn⁽²⁰⁾ (£ million) Percentage increase

1996–97 8,991 —

1997–98 9,284 3.3

1998–99 9,677 4.2

1999–2000 10,483 8.3

2000–01⁽²¹⁾ 10,963 4.6

Year	Outturn⁽²⁰⁾ (£ million)	Percentage increase
1996–97	8,991	—
1997–98	9,284	3.3
1998–99	9,677	4.2
1999–2000	10,483	8.3
2000–01⁽²¹⁾	10,963	4.6

⁽²⁰⁾ Outturn figures at 2001–02 prices.

⁽²¹⁾ Latest available figures.

Notes:

No planning figures are available for future years because local authorities set budgets once central Government allocations are announced, and decisions have been taken locally about council tax.

However, following the 2002 Spending Review total personal social service resources (as allocated by central Government) are set to increase by on average 6 per cent. per annum in real terms over the next three years—2003–04 to 2005–06.