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12 Feb 2003 : Column 819W—continued
Mobile Phones
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mobile phones were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in his Department in each year since 1997; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; and what their cost was. [95980]
Mr. Lammy: Historical data on the users and numbers of central Department of Health mobile phones are not retained. Detailed information is available only for the current financial year. In financial year 2002–03 there are currently 978 mobile phones in use, of which nine are used by Ministers and special advisers.
The costs of purchasing mobile phones for use by Ministers, special advisers and officials in the Department in each financial year since 1997 are shown in the table.
| Financial year | Costs (£) |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 9,578 |
| 1998–99 | 6,740 |
| 1999–2000 | 6,254 |
| 2000–01 | 5,063 |
| 2001–02 | 4,891 |
| 2002–03 | (22)5,730 |
(22) To date
The Department takes very seriously the protection of all its assets, including mobile phones. All users are made aware of their obligation to safeguard Departmental property. We investigate all losses and our security procedures are kept under constant review. Departmental records do not differentiate between lost and stolen mobile phones.
Figures for the numbers of lost or stolen mobile phones for the financial years 1997–98 to 2002–03 are shown in the table.
| Financial year | Numbers lost/stolen | Replacement cost (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 19 | 769 |
| 1998–99 | 19 | 691 |
| 1999–2000 | 26 | 557 |
| 2000–01 | 43 | 1,332 |
| 2001–02 | 37 | 987 |
| 2002–03 | 34 | 2,426 |
(23) To date
Costs for lost or stolen mobile phones in 2002–03 are higher than for previous years, as most of these phones were lost or stolen within the first two years of purchase and therefore incur higher replacement costs.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department takes to ensure that medical devices which are due to be appraised by NICE have been assessed by clinicians; [95688]
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- (2) whether his Department provides extra funds for clinicians to assess new medical technologies before they are appraised by NICE. [95683]
Ms Blears: Manufacturers of new medical technologies are responsible for developing the clinical evidence base to demonstrate safety and efficacy for regulatory purposes and to promote their introduction into general clinical practice.
In selecting topics for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, one factor which Ministers take into account is the adequacy of the evidence base to support an appraisal.
NHS Bodies
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the combined allocated budgets are for (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06 for the Medicines Control Agency and the Medical Devices Agency (i) in cash terms and (ii) on a full resource budgeting basis. [95774]
Mr. Lammy: Subject to parliamentary approval, the Medicines Control Agency and the Medical Devices Agency will combine to form the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with effect from 1 April 2003.
The new Agency will operate as a trading fund and its expenditure will be financed mainly by income from charges for the services it provides to the pharmaceutical industry and other customers. The Department will, however, purchase medical devices services from the MHRA and may also, from time to time, issue medium term loans to support capital expenditure or other developments.
The level of Departmental funding for medical devices services in 2003–04 and subsequent years has yet to be finalised. The Department's main estimate for 2003–04 will include provision for the necessary funding in the MHRA's first year.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the allocated budgets are for (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06 for (i) the combined internal directorates of the Department of Health, (ii) NHS Estates Agency, (iii) NHS Pensions Agency and (iv) NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (A) in cash terms and (B) on a full resource budgeting basis. [95773]
Mr. Lammy: Budgets for financial years covered by the 2002 Spending Review have not yet been finalised for the Department's internal directorates, the NHS Pensions Agency or the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. As a trading fund, most of the expenditure of NHS Estates falls outside the Department's budgets. The future budget for services the Department purchases from NHS Estates has also not yet been finalised.
NHS Dentistry
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with an NHS dentist in (a) the East Worthing and Shoreham
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constituency, (b) West Sussex and (c) the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 1997. [96101]
Ms Blears: The available information is for the period 1997 to 2001 for health authorities (HA). For 2002, the information is at primary care trust (PCT) level. These are shown in the tables together with the totals for Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (StHA).
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Table 1 shows the number of registrations in East Surrey, West Surrey, East Sussex, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex HA area at 30 September in each of the years 1997 to 2001.
Table 2 shows the number of registrations in Surrey and Sussex StHA area by PCT at 30 September 2002.
| Thousand | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health authority | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
| Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority | 1,344 | 1,185 | 1,167 | 1,169 | 1,166 |
| East Surrey | 205 | 182 | 166 | 176 | 173 |
| West Surrey | 315 | 279 | 278 | 274 | 359 |
| East Sussex, Brighton and Hove | 413 | 364 | 356 | 362 | 271 |
| West Sussex | 410 | 359 | 367 | 357 | 363 |
(24) The registration number for September 1997 is not comparable with the later figures because of the change in the registration periods.
| Primary care trust | Thousand |
|---|---|
| Surrey and Sussex StHA | 1,151 |
| Bexhill and Rother | 35 |
| Hastings and St. Leonards | 49 |
| Mid-Sussex | 71 |
| East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey | 99 |
| East Surrey | 72 |
| Guildford and Waverley | 88 |
| North Surrey | 86 |
| Woking | 88 |
| Adur, Arun and Worthing | 104 |
| Western Sussex | 97 |
| Brighton and Hove City | 120 |
| Eastbourne Downs | 78 |
| Sussex Downs and Weald | 77 |
| Crawley | 37 |
| Horsham and Chanctonbury | 49 |
Notes:
1. Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentists within 15 months. Registration rates will exclude patients who have not been to their GDS dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other NHS dental services.
2. During the period 1997 to 2002, the registration numbers are affected by the change in the registration periods for adults and children. Also, the figures do not include patients attending the Dental Access Centres, which opened during the period, and whose patients are not registered.
3. Registrations are included in the area of the dentist. The registration rates for some areas may be affected by some patients receiving their dental treatment in a different area from the one in which they live.
4. Patients wishing to register with a GDS dentist can obtain details of dentists accepting new patients in their area by contacting NHS Direct.
NHS Trusts (Accommodation Sales)
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those hospital trusts which have sold accommodation on their sites to housing associations; and on what terms. [96094]
Mr. Lammy: We do not collect this information. The Department encourages the national health service to work with housing associations and other registered social landlords to provide a range of affordable, suitably located staff accommodation.
Trusts are encouraged to lease their residential accommodation to housing associations on condition that they maintain it and let to staff on agreed terms, often through legally binding nomination rights which benefit staff.
NICE
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each appraisal and guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and its cost to the NHS. [89651]
Ms Blears: Information of all appraisal guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) with estimates of its cost to the NHS in England, distinguishing between one-off costs and annual recurrent costs has been placed in the Library. These estimates are based on those published by NICE itself; where the original estimate takes the form of a range, a mid-range value has been given.
Similar estimates for clinical guidelines and other forms of guidance from NICE are not available.
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