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Charge Income

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 620W, on Charge Income, if he will break down the forecast increase received from each type of charge in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06. [104871]

Mr. Hutton: The forecasts for charge income provided in my answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 620W, were calculated by assuming that total charge income in 2002–03 of £923 million would grow in line with inflation. They were not built up from estimates of the individual charge elements which, in practice, will be subject to a number of factors, including future decisions on charge levels and volume trends in the services in question, some of which are demand led. The forecasts are subject to regular review and revision and we now have more details about forecasts for

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2003–04, which take account of new prescription charges as of 1 April 2003, announced on 10 March. These are shown in the table. We do not have a breakdown of the charges for 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Forecasts for charge income 2003–04

	£ million
Dental Charge income(14)	499
Prescription charges income	446
Welfare food sales of subsidised dried milk(15)	2
NHS Pensions Agency data on review of pension mis-selling(15)	1
Total	948

⁽¹⁴⁾ Includes an estimated £90 million of charge income which may be generated within Personal Dental Service pilot, dependant upon the scale of new pilots to be approved.

⁽¹⁵⁾ 2002–03 forecasts uplifted by the December 2002 GDP deflator of 2.25 per cent.

Food Standards

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the standards imposed on the importation of chicken into the United Kingdom. [103877]

Ms Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the import of chicken from countries outside the European Union is the subject of strict legislation. Chicken must be slaughtered and processed in countries and premises to meet food safety standards at least equivalent to those required within the EU. In addition, it has to meet quality standards required by European Community Marketing Regulations. Third countries must carry out checks on premises to ensure that the required standards are maintained, and take action to deal with failing establishments. The EU also monitors establishments in third countries and can take action to deal with individual establishments or a country that fails to exert appropriate checks and controls.

Chicken from third countries can only be imported into the EU through designated border inspection posts following prior notification. It is subject to 100 per cent., documentary and identity checks and prescribed levels of physical checks, according to the type of product and country of origin.

Chicken produced in another EU member states can be traded freely with other member states and is not subject to routine checks at United Kingdom ports. However, the hygiene and quality standards are enforced by each member state. In the UK, these checks are carried out by local authorities.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he will take to ensure that all imported foodstuffs meet United Kingdom food standard regulations. [103879]

Ms Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which has responsibility for food safety matters, that the European Union operates a strict system of controls on imports of products of animal origin from countries outside the EU. All products of animal origin must be pre-notified and presented to a border inspection post. Consignments are subject to

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100 per cent., documentary and identity checks and physical checks at a level prescribed by the EU, according to the country of origin and type of product. Products not of animal origin can enter the United Kingdom from third countries, through any sea or airport and are subject to checks, according to the type of product and the country of origin and any rules in place in the EU.

The FSA is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on imported food issues, as part of a cross-government action plan to further improve enforcement and control of illegal imports. Co-ordination arrangements between the FSA, HM Customs and Excise and Defra are being strengthened to achieve a step-change improvement in controls on the illegal import of meat. HM Customs and Excise is taking the lead responsibility for detection of smuggled imports of meat.

Community Care (Direct Payments) Act

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend regulation 3 of the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 to allow the spouse of the payee and a person who lives with the payee as his or her spouse to act as paid carer for a disabled person. [105650]

Jacqui Smith: The 1996 regulations state that direct payments cannot be used to employ spouses or certain other close relatives. The Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (England) Regulations 2003, which, subject to Parliamentary approval, will come into force on 8 April, have relaxed this rule by permitting the employment of close relatives in exceptional circumstances.

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Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 13 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Dr. M. Gibbs and Dr. S. Hudson. [103747]

Mr. Milburn: A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 28 March.

Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available for cosmesis in prosthetic services at Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre at Harold Wood Hospital in each of the last three years. [104374]

Mr. Hutton: Funding for the Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre is drawn from a large number of primary care trusts (PCTs) in London and Essex. Funding for the provision of silicone cosmesis for prosthetic limbs is incorporated in the general revenue allocations to PCTs and not separately identified. Funding levels are reviewed annually between the Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre and the PCT commissioners.

Health Care Funds

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will list the financial size of each centrally administered health care fund into which health authorities and primary care trusts can bid; and if he will make a statement. [103703]

Mr. Hutton: Information on central funding against which national health service organisations can bid over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 is shown in the table.

Figures in £000

Budget	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	Comment
Revenue funding
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMHE)	2,000	2,000	2,000	Bids may be invited from private organisations or development centres of NIMHE
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Development	200	200	200	No national bidding process is expected but bids for specific schemes may be requested
Older People National Service Framework Development	0	2,830	2,850	A bidding process for particular projects may take place
Teaching Primary Care Trusts	4,000	3,972	4,000	Targeted invitations to PCTs will be issued
Child care	15,000	14,895	15,000	Initially allocated to Workforce Development Confederations on the basis of a formula—some of whom may then invite bids locally
Equal Opportunities	250	250	250	Bidding for staff support networks
Community Services for people with severe personality disorder (DSPD)	0	2,000	0	Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector
DSPD service development	0	3,900	6,800	Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector
Long term low secure accommodation	0	2,790	5,000	Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector
Minimise experience of out of area treatment	0	900	0	Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE
Reduce suicide in relation to prevention strategy	0	4,400	4,400	Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE
Support the re-engineering of services—waiting times	0	2,029	2,700	Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE
Sexual health (including chlamydia screening)	17,500	12,395	12,500	DoH policy leads will be inviting expressions of interest from PCTs
Rare conditions—pathology	0	300	600	Bidding for development of three histopathology training schools
Sub-total (revenue)	38,950	52,861	56,300
Capital funding
Improving the provision of decontamination services in the NHS	26,000	13,000	43,000	NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids
Modernising hospital manufacturing of medicines	4,000	24,000	14,000	NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids
Pathology modernisation	150	500	0	NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids
Sub-total (capital)	30,150	37,500	57,000
Total	69,100	90,361	113,300

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