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HEALTH
AAT Deficiency
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether sperm donors are tested for AAT Deficiency. [106604]
Ms Blears: Sperm donation is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA code of practice expects clinics recruiting donors to take all reasonable steps to prevent the transmission of serious genetic disorders by taking a thorough medical history from the prospective donor. Where the medical history of a prospective donor indicates there may be a risk of the transmission of alpha-antitrpsin (AAT) deficiency, screening for the disorder will usually be carried out.
Guidelines on appropriate genetic tests for sperm donors have been produced by the British Andrology Society and incorporated into the HFEA code of practice.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into AAT Deficiency; and what funds he makes available for research. [106609]
Ms Blears: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its
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funding from the Department of Trade and Industry, via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRCs total expenditure in 2001–02 was £413 million. The MRC has supported a number of research projects looking into the genetics and function of alpha-lantitrypsin (AAT) in the past few years and is currently providing a programme grant to examine new therapies for AAT deficiency and associated diseases. This is "Strategies to prevent cirrhosis and dementia by blocking serpin polymerisation in vivo", by Professor David Lomas at the University of Cambridge.
The Department funds research to support policy and delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department is not currently funding any research into AAT deficiency. The Department also provides funding to support research commissioned by the research councils and the charities that is undertaken in the National Health Service, and invested more than £500 million on research in 2001–02. The Department has a programme of research on genetics and has recently funded the creation of five genetics knowledge parks in England.
Agency Social Workers
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent last year by local authorities' social services departments in London on agency social workers. [106547]
Jacqui Smith: The information is not collected centrally by the Department.
Air Quality
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on health of (a) passive smoking and (b) poor air quality. [105422]
Ms Blears: The independent Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health concluded in its 1998 Report that:
- Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of lung cancer and, in those with long-term exposure, the increased risk is in the order of 20–30 per cent.
Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of ischaemic heart disease and if current published estimates of magnitude of relative risk are validated, such exposures represents a substantial public hazard.
Smoking in the presence of infants and children is a cause of serious respiratory illness and asthmatic attacks.
Sudden infant death syndrome, the main cause of post-neonatal death in the first year of life, is associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The association is judged to be one of cause and effect.
Middle ear disease in children is linked with parental smoking and this association is likely to be causal.
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The report on the quantification of the effects of air pollution on health in the United Kingdom, published in 1998, concluded that the levels of air pollution in 1996 contributed to the earlier deaths of up to 24,000 people. Air pollution is thought to worsen the condition of those that are already ill with heart and lung disease and to bring forward the dates of their deaths. The average loss of life expectancy is unknown but is thought to be days, weeks or months rather than years. The report also concluded that air pollution could contribute to a similar number of respiratory hospital admissions. Levels of air pollution have declined since 1996.
In its report published in 2001, the committee concluded that it was more likely than not that a causal association exists between long-term exposure to particulate air pollution and mortality although the Committee also emphasised the uncertainties. It was also concluded that the effect of long-term exposure on life expectancy was greater than the effects of short-term exposure described in the 1998 report.
The Department of Health has commissioned a research programme on the effects of air pollution on health. The relevant research projects are listed on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/airpollution/index.htm.
ALT Testing
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Government Department or agency holds (a) reports of the Blood Transfusion Service Working Group on ALT testing, (b) minutes of meetings of regional transfusion directors, (c) minutes of meetings of the governing body of the (i) National Blood Transfusion Service and (ii) Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, (d) minutes of meetings of the (i) National Directorate of the National Blood Transfusion Service and (ii) its National Management Committee, (e) minutes of meetings of the UK Advisory Committee on Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, (f) minutes of meetings of the Advisory Committee on the Virological Safety of Blood and (g) minutes of meetings of the National Blood Transfusion Service and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Liaison committees, (h) minutes of meetings of Blood Transfusion Service consultants, (i) minutes of meetings of regional health authorities, (j) minutes of meetings of the governing body of the North London Blood Transfusion Centre and (k) minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors of the National Blood Authority, for the period from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 1991 inclusive; and which of these records are available for public inspection. [100940]
Ms Blears: The request covers a 21 year period and would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to retrieve the information. In accordance with section 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information we are, therefore, unable to provide this information.
Ambulances
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the issue of cross-infection from ambulances or
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ambulance equipment; what guidance has been issued to ambulance trusts on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [106600]
Mr. Lammy: I have received no representation on the issue of cross infection from ambulances or ambulance equipment.
In 2000, the Department of Health issued advice on the management and control of hospital infection (Health Service Circular 2000/02). All National Health Service trusts, including ambulance trusts were required to take action to:
- strengthen prevention and control of infection
secure appropriate health care services for patients with infection
improve surveillance of infection
Assisted Conception
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigation his Department is carrying out into procedures at Leeds General Infirmary Assisted Conception Unit; and whether the results of the inquiry will be made public. [106853]
Ms Blears: An independent investigation has been commissioned by the Department into events at Leeds General Infirmary. This followed reports of the birth of twins who had been conceived by in-vitro fertilisation using the wrong sperm. We are expecting to receive the report of the investigation during the summer. These matters are now the subject of proceedings in the High Court as well as an injunction preventing identification of the parties. For these reasons we have not yet made a decision about publication of the investigation report or any part of it.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is responsible for regulating and inspecting clinics that offer assisted conception treatment. The HFEA has revised its guidelines to clinics in the light of this incident to ensure that they have robust systems in place to prevent similar errors. They have issued guidance on "double witnessing", requiring licensed clinics to have in place procedures to double check the identification of the people undergoing treatment and of the sperm and eggs being used.
Beta Interferon and Glatiramer
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collects from the
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School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield regarding the risk sharing agreement for beta interferon and glatiramer. [107569]
Mr. Lammy: The Sheffield University School for Health and Related Research (ScHARR) is responsible for collecting and analysing information on health outcomes for patients who receive disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) under the United Kingdom risk sharing scheme. Information relating to progress in setting up the network of centres who will be providing data to ScHARR is routinely provided to members of the project monitoring group representing the parties to the scheme, including professional bodies, the MS Society and MS Trust, the companies marketing the four products, and UK health departments. ScHARR is not responsible for wider aspects of implementation of the scheme.
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