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Acute Trusts (Funding)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cash income from (a) non-recurring and (b) recurring finance provided by his Department and primary care trusts to each NHS acute trust in each of the past three years. [96474]

Mr. Lammy: Information on the total income for each national health service trust provided by the Department of Health has been placed in the Library. Almost all the income is received from commissioners rather than directly from the Department. The Department does not identify income as non-recurring or recurring. The variations year-on-year indicate increasing income in most cases, however with the establishment of primary care trusts some services may transfer from continuing NHS trusts resulting in a fall in income.

Audiology Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times are for audiology services in each hospital trust. [97881]

Jacqui Smith: Information on waiting times is published quarterly on the Department's website. The information can be accessed at http://www.doh.qov.uk/waitinqtimes/index.htm

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Care (Elderly People)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government is taking to ensure elderly people are being given the free care to which they are entitled; and if he will make a statement. [100294]

Jacqui Smith: The Department issued guidance on continuing care in June 2001 and this included information on the agreement of eligibility criteria for National Health Service continuing care criteria. Strategic health authorities are currently ensuring that a single set of valid criteria applies across their areas and that everyone is assessed against these.

Since 1 October 2001, the NHS has also been responsible for funding the nursing care of self funding residents of care homes providing nursing care.

Tobacco Sponsorship

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his policy is towards the sponsorship of darts championships by tobacco companies; and if he will make a statement; [97797]

(2) what measures the Government is taking to assist the British Darts Organisation to find alternative sources of sponsorship; [97798]

(3) if the Government will extend the transitional arrangements for the sponsorship by tobacco companies to cover the World Professional Darts Championship; and if he will make a statement. [97796]

Ms Blears [holding answer 13 February 2003]: The Government has looked very carefully at how best to achieve an end to tobacco advertising and promotion including the prohibition of tobacco sponsorship, where the purpose or effect is to promote a tobacco product, whilst at the same time considering those who currently hold tobacco sponsorship agreements. A phased approach has been adopted to the introduction of the prohibition.

All new sponsorship agreements where the purpose or effect is to promote a tobacco product will be prohibited from 14 February 2003. Existing agreements which were in place on 11 July 2001 or have been renewed since then will have until either 30 July 2003 or until 31 July 2005 before being prohibited, so long as they meet criteria specified in The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Sponsorship) Transitional Regulations 2003. One of the criteria for qualifying for the 31 July 2005 extension is that tobacco sponsorship agreements need to have been to the value of £2.5 million in the 12 months ending 11 July 2001. The regulations were drawn up following a public consultation which ended on 15 November 2002. The British Darts Organisation responded to that consultation.

The Government does not intend to amend the regulations relating to tobacco sponsorship, and in particular exceptional global events, but does want to work with those sports that do not qualify for the 2005 extension to seek alternative sources of funding.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has recently met representatives from the English Pool Association and World Snooker Ltd. to discuss the progress those sports have made in their

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efforts to find alternative sponsorship. DCMS will remain available to meet other individual sports to provide advice and discuss any concerns they may have during the transition away from tobacco sponsorship.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to (a) raise awareness of domestic violence in the health profession and (b) provide health services and counselling for victims of domestic violence. [97749]

Ms Blears: The Department of Health published Domestic Violence: A Resource Manual for Health Care Professionals in March 2000. The resource manual provides a solid foundation for local multi-agency work and supports health care professionals and managers in developing their domestic violence policies, protocols and services to ensure victims receive the support they need. The Department is providing funding under the Section 64 Scheme to the Women's Aid Federation of England (WAFE) for their health and domestic violence project to help implement the resource manual in the national health service. As part of this project, WAFE has also published a directory of new health and domestic violence initiatives and undertaken a range of activities to raise awareness of domestic violence among health professionals.

The Government remains absolutely committed to tackling domestic violence, a serious and abhorrent crime and has set up a Ministerial Group working across Government to provide co-ordinated and concerted action on this issue at the highest level. One of the key areas of the Group's work is to develop early and effective health care interventions. As 30 per cent. ¹ of domestic violence is known to start in pregnancy and existing abuse often escalates at that time, the initial focus for this work is in maternity care. The Department of Health is funding an innovative study at the University of the West of England and North Bristol NHS Trust to pilot routine ante-natal questioning about domestic violence. Outcomes from the Bristol pilot will inform the future provision of NHS maternity services.

¹ Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom 1997–99

Drugs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the drugs helpline advertised on the new style cards is (a) confidential and (b) available 24 hours a day. [100032]

Ms Blears [holding answer 28 February 2003]: The National Drugs Helpline is a confidential service that operates 24 hours a day.

Elvy Court Nursing Home

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will take on Southern Cross Healthcare's retention of the NHS funded nursing care element from fees paid by residents at Elvy Court Nursing Home, Sittingbourne. [100245]

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Jacqui Smith [holding answer 3 March 2003]: I understand that local inspectors of the National Care Standards Commission home are currently investigating this issue at Elvy Court. I await the outcome of the investigation with interest.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the West Kent National Care Standards Commission's report on Elvy Court Nursing Home, Sittingbourne will be published. [100246]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 3 March 2003]: Publication of the Elvy Court Nursing Home inspection report is scheduled for 14 April.

Corticosteroid Therapy

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department is giving to doctors following the recent Royal College of Physicians research into glucocorticoids. [99553]

Ms Blears: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is currently consulting on the draft scope of a clinical guideline on the prevention, assessment and treatment of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, which will cover osteoporosis of all origins, including men and women on long-term corticosteroid therapy. The guidance is due to be published in 2005.

The Royal College of Physicians is one of the invited consultees for both the appraisal and guideline. They will be consulted throughout the guideline development process, and will have the opportunity to submit evidence and comment on each draft of the guidance.

Health Care (East Riding)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many job vacancies in the (a) Hull and East Riding Hospitals Trust, (b) Hull and East Riding Community Health Trust, (c) West Hull Primary Care Trust and (d) East Yorkshire Primary Care Trust there were in each year since 1997, broken down by job type; and how many of these vacancies were filled. [97728]

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Health Protection Agency

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the funding allocation for the Health Protection Agency. [95737]

Ms Blears: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has confirmed the overall funding envelope for the Health Protection Agency, the Public Health Laboratory Service and the central support for microbiological diagnostic work, carried out by those laboratories transferring to national health service trust management. The total sum (in round numbers) in £104 million revenue and £10 million capital.

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