House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Feb 2003 (pt 26)

10 Feb 2003 : Column 588W—continued

External Consultancy

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [92238]

Mr. Lammy: Expenditure by the Department, each agency and non-departmental public body (NBPB) on external consultancy each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03, is shown in the table.

£million

Financial year

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Department 19.363 14.699 12.694 7.332 8.132 6.531 6.800 ⁽⁴³⁾2.943

Agencies

MDA 0.077 0.054 0.149 0.075 0.182 0.151 0.088 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.130

MCA 0.154 0.229 0.330 0.515 0.001 0.411 0.449 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.204

NHS Estates 1.692 1.149 1.025 0.926 1.705 3.064 4.339 ⁽⁴⁴⁾4.588

NHS PA ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0.008 0.022 0.003 0.47 0.007 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.005

NHS PASA ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0.865 1.127 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.581

Exec NDPBs

CHI ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0.969 0.976 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.631

GSCC ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0.035 ⁽⁴⁴⁾1.513

HFEA 0.028 0.072 0.005 0.019 0.033 0.005 0.451 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.565

NCSC ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 0.631 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.905

NRPB 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.050

NBSB 0.059 0.061 0.063 0.074 0.404 0.562 0.305 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.202

PHLSB 0.076 0.684 0.555 0.843 0.856 0.911 0.495 ⁽⁴⁴⁾0.440

	Financial year
	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Department	19.363	14.699	12.694	7.332	8.132	6.531	6.800	⁽⁴³⁾2.943

Agencies
MDA	0.077	0.054	0.149	0.075	0.182	0.151	0.088	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.130
MCA	0.154	0.229	0.330	0.515	0.001	0.411	0.449	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.204
NHS Estates	1.692	1.149	1.025	0.926	1.705	3.064	4.339	⁽⁴⁴⁾4.588
NHS PA	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0.008	0.022	0.003	0.47	0.007	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.005
NHS PASA	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0.865	1.127	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.581

Exec NDPBs
CHI	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0.969	0.976	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.631
GSCC	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0.035	⁽⁴⁴⁾1.513
HFEA	0.028	0.072	0.005	0.019	0.033	0.005	0.451	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.565
NCSC	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	0.631	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.905
NRPB	0.025	0.025	0.025	0.025	0.025	0.025	0.025	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.050
NBSB	0.059	0.061	0.063	0.074	0.404	0.562	0.305	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.202
PHLSB	0.076	0.684	0.555	0.843	0.856	0.911	0.495	⁽⁴⁴⁾0.440

⁽⁴³⁾ Spend to December 2002

⁽⁴⁴⁾ Planned spend

⁽⁴⁵⁾ Organisation not established

Notes:

MDA—Medical Devices Agency

MCA—Medicines Control Agency

NHS Estates—Estates Agency

NHS PA—Pensions Agency

NHS PASA—Purchasing & Supply Agency

CHI—Commission for Health Improvement

GSCC—General Social Care Council

HFEA—Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

NCSC—National Care Standards Commission

NRPB—National Radiological Protection Board

NBSB—National Biological Standards Board

PHLSB—Public Health Laboratory Service Board

Figures have only been provided for Executive NDPBs as advisory NDPBs are non spending bodies and therefore do not hold budgets.

10 Feb 2003 : Column 589W

Food Standards Agency

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of annual public opinion polls conducted by the Food Standards Agency on its effectiveness in gaining public trust; what plans he has to commission an independent appraisal from (a) the National Audit Office and (b) other bodies; and if he will make a statement. [96130]

Ms Blears: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissions an annual survey of public attitudes to food safety and standards issues that also examines levels of consumer confidence in the FSA. The surveys were undertaken by an independent research company, following a competitive tendering exercise carried out under Government procurement guidelines. The first Consumer Attitudes Survey was conducted during the first year of the FSA's establishment and was published in February 2001. The second survey was published in February 2002 and the third will be published shortly. Copies of the surveys are available on the FSA's website at www.food.gov.uk or on request from the FSA.

Therefore I see no reason to commission an independent study to measure levels of public trust in the FSA. It is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General, as head of the National Audit Office, to determine which subjects to review and whether or not to report to Parliament on them. I understand the NAO currently has an examination of service delivery under way, one part of which is reviewing aspects of the performance achieved by the FSA. The Comptroller and Auditor General will report to Parliament on this in due course.

Free Eye Tests

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests were given to (a) pensioners and (b) other people in (i) West Sussex and (ii) England in each year since 1997. [96099]

Mr. Lammy: The table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority for 1997–98 to 2001–02. Figures for the number of sight tests by age are not collected centrally. The nearest eligibility category for pensioners is those aged 60 and over.

Eligibility to NHS sight tests was extended to those aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. There was an increase of 2.4 million sight tests between 1998–99 and 1999–2000. It is fair to assume that the vast majority of this increase was due to newly eligible people aged 60 or over obtaining NHS sight tests.

10 Feb 2003 : Column 590W

General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority and England for the year 1997–98 to 2001–02Thousand

Year Sight tests for those aged under 60 Sight tests for those aged 60 and over Total number of sight tests

West Sussex

1997–98 — — 95.4

1998–99 — — 97.3

1999–2000 75.6 73.7 149.3

2000–01 77.0 77.4 154.4

2001–02 68.1 84.2 152.3

England

1997–98 — — 6,991.3

1998–99 — — 6,992.3

1999–2000 6,038.0 3,301.4 9,399.4

2000–01 5,813.8 3,753.3 9,567.1

2001–02 5,794.4 4,013.0 9,807.4

Year	Sight tests for those aged under 60	Sight tests for those aged 60 and over	Total number of sight tests
West Sussex
1997–98	—	—	95.4
1998–99	—	—	97.3
1999–2000	75.6	73.7	149.3
2000–01	77.0	77.4	154.4
2001–02	68.1	84.2	152.3

England
1997–98	—	—	6,991.3
1998–99	—	—	6,992.3
1999–2000	6,038.0	3,301.4	9,399.4
2000–01	5,813.8	3,753.3	9,567.1
2001–02	5,794.4	4,013.0	9,807.4

GPs

Diana Organ : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner vacancies there are in the Forest of Dean constituency. [96543]

Ms Blears [holding answer 7 February 2003]: The information requested is not available centrally. Statistics on general practitioner vacancies were collected by health authority area. For the twelve months between 1 March 2001 and 28 February 2002, the number of GP vacancies within the former Gloucestershire health authority area was 28.

Health Centre (Rossendale)

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the LIFT funding for a new health centre in Stacksteads, Rossendale is (a) time limited and (b) dependent on the site chosen for the project; and who is responsible for imposing such conditions. [95594]

Jacqui Smith: The central funding provided by the Department to support the East Lancashire local investment finance trust (LIFT) is being made available during the financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Prioritised LIFT schemes for the East Lancashire LIFT were published in their strategic service development plan in August 2002, all of which have been agreed by local stakeholders.

Herbal Medicines

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse reactions to (a) herbal medicines and (b) vitamins and minerals there have been in each year since October 1996. [94225]

10 Feb 2003 : Column 591W

Ms Blears: The Yellow Card Scheme provides for voluntary reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions by general practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists, coroners, pharmacists and nurses. As the scheme is voluntary, not all adverse reactions are reported. The Yellow Card Scheme was extended to include unlicensed herbal remedies in October 1996.

The table provides a breakdown of the number of reports of suspected adverse reactions received through the Yellow Card Scheme in association with products containing herbal ingredients or vitamin and minerals.

Number of reports of suspected adverse reactions

Received year Herbals Vitamins and minerals

1996 36 106

1997 46 106

1998 40 129

1999 64 159

2000 139 129

2001 74 90

2002 63 47

	Number of reports of suspected adverse reactions
Received year	Herbals	Vitamins and minerals
1996	36	106
1997	46	106
1998	40	129
1999	64	159
2000	139	129
2001	74	90
2002	63	47

It is important to remember that a report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that the herbal product, vitamin or mineral caused it.

Herbal medicines and vitamin and mineral products are often supplied without prescription, and are often taken without advice from doctors or pharmacists. It is generally recognised that the reporting rate for medicines supplied over the counter (OTC) is lower than that of suspected adverse reactions associated with prescription medicines. To encourage reporting of suspected adverse reactions with OTC medicines, the Yellow Card Scheme was recently extended to include nurses as reporters, and will be extended to include patient reporting via NHS Direct in the near future.

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