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3 Mar 2003 : Column 830W—continued
Office of Fair Trading Report
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what representations he has received from his policy directorate concerned with consumer affairs on the implications for community-based pharmacists in Northern Ireland, the publication
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of the Office of Fair Trading report on "The Control of Entry of Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK"; and if he will make a statement; [99349]
- (2) whether he has plans to make Beta Interferon more widely available in Northern Ireland for treatment of multiple sclerosis; [99317]
(3) whether he has made representations to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the recent report by the Office of Fair Trading on "The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK"; and if he will make a statement; [99302]
(4) what assessment he has made of the impact on the recommendations in Investing for Health 2002 of the report by the Office of Fair Trading on "The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK"; [99301]
(5) what discussions he has held with the General Consumer Council (Northern Ireland) on the implications of the report by the Office of Fair Trading on "The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK" for a balanced and sustainable provision of state services; and if he will make a statement; [99299]
(6) how many representations he has received on the Office of Fair Trading report on "The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK"; and if he will make a statement; [99303]
(7) if he will commission a study into the economic impact of the Office of Fair Trading report on "The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy in the UK", with particular reference to the effects upon the rural economy; and if he will make a statement. [99300]
Mr. Browne: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is considering the report of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) carefully, together with the implications the report has for patients and users in both rural and urban areas, for the pharmacy profession and for Health Service policy as a whole.
The Department has invited views and is meeting key interests to hear their reactions to the report in order to help inform the Government response. As of 27 February, 14 written responses have been received. In addition, the Department sought the views of key interests, including community pharmacy, the Health Service, patient groups and the General Consumer Council, at a seminar on 20 February 2003. A written submission from the General Consumer Council is expected shortly.
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is responsible for co-ordinating a response across Government to reports of this type. Competition and consumer matters are reserved to the United Kingdom Government in Westminster. However, Health Service pharmacy policy is a devolved matter and the regulations imposing controls on pharmacies are a matter for Ministers in each country. They will consider and determine how they wish to respond. That will be reflected in the overall Government response. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is therefore working closely with Health Departments and other Government Departments to make sure that
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Government's response to the report takes account not only of competition and consumer interests, but wider public policy objectives.
In considering the OFT report and its recommendations, the Department will take fully into account the views of all interests. It is too early to say what further economic or other information might be required.
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how frequently PSNI officers have to undergo sessions to re-classify in relation to firearms; how often Belfast International Airport police officers have to re-classify; and if he will make a statement. [98567]
Jane Kennedy: PSNI officers attend at least twice, preferably three times, a year for refresher firearms training on each respective weapon in which they are qualified.
Following the Key Point Survey at Belfast International Airport in 1993, RUC/PSNI Training Branch recommended that Belfast International Airport police should re-classify in relation to firearms on a basis similar to that of RUC/PSNI officers.
TREASURY
Advertising Campaigns
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 603W, on advertising campaigns, what the costs within the publicity campaign were of (a) advertising, (b) national and regional public relations and promotions, (c) the soaps, (d) partnerships, (e) the Census and (f) Wales counts; and if he will make a statement. [96200]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from L. Cook to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 3 March 2003:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question, pursuant to the answer of 27th January, Official Report, column 603W, on advertising campaigns, what the costs within the publicity campaign were of (a) advertising, (b) national and regional public relations and promotions, (c) the soaps, (d) partnerships, (e) the Census and (f) Wales counts. (96200)
- For the Office for National Statistics to answer the question above, the costs are not readily available by the categories requested and can only be supplied at disproportionate cost. Please find below the publicity costs for 1997–2003.
| 1997/1998 | 3,000 |
| 1998/1999 | 3,00 |
| 1999/2000 | 3,000 |
| 2000/2001 | *1,272,000 |
| 2001/2002 | *1,770,000 |
| 2002/2003 | (estimated) *140,000 |
Source:Office for National Statistics
* The large increase in expenditure since 2000/01 is a result of costs associated with the census of population in 2001.
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For National Savings and Investments, parts c, d, e and f of the question are not applicable. Information on advertising and national and regional public relations and promotions costs are given in the tables below.
| 1997/1998 | 6,186,272 |
| 1998/1999 | 3,922,000 |
| 1999/2000 | 9,962,000 |
| 2000/2001 | 6,191,592 |
| 2001/2002 | 7,779,000 |
| 2002/2003 | (estimated) 8,174,000 |
Source:National Savings and Investments
| 1997/1998 | 135,897 |
| 1998/1999 | 166,340 |
| 1999/2000 | 268,060 |
| 2000/2001 | 243,014 |
| 2001/2002 | 369,449 |
| 2002/2003 | (estimated) 470,000 |
Source:National Savings and Investments
Asbestos
Mr. Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the compatibility of the arrangements for tax relief on work done to remove asbestos with the EU state aid rules. [98658]
Dawn Primarolo: Tax relief for work done to remove asbestos falls within the rules on relief for remediation of contaminated land. It is a general measure as it is available to all payers of Corporation tax and it is not therefore a state aid.
Bank of International Settlements
Mr. David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the governance of the Bank of International Settlements, with particular reference to (a) member control and (b) access to information. [99987]
Ruth Kelly: The Treasury has no formal responsibilities with respect to the governance of the Bank for International Settlements. The membership is comprised mainly of Central Banks. The Bank of England is a shareholder and the Governor of the Bank of England is on the Board of the BIS. Further information about the BIS is publicly available on its website (www.bis.org), in the annual report (published on 8 July) and from the BIS library and archive.
Centenarians (Independent Living)
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged 100 and over are living independently in the UK. [100558]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
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Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John MacDougall dated 3 March 2003:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the number of persons aged 100 and over who are living independently in the UK. (100558)
- The number of persons aged 100 and over living in the United Kingdom in mid-2001 was estimated to be 8,100. It is not possible to say what proportion of these persons are living independently.
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