House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11 Apr 2003 (pt 9)

11 Apr 2003 : Column 444W—continued

Illegal Meat Imports

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role his Department has played in assessing bacteriological samples of illegally imported meat products for the purposes of protecting public health. [108915]

Ms Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that, whilst it does not have a role in assessing bacteriological samples of illegally imported meat, it has advised local authorities, who are responsible for enforcement of imported food and food safety legislation, that all illegally imported food products, including meat, should be removed from the human food chain. Such food is destroyed and there is no requirement for laboratory examination to identify micro-organisms or toxins.

The United Kingdom organisations involved in the collection of foodborne disease data are not aware of any links between illegally imported meat products and outbreaks of foodborne disease in humans.

Infectious Diseases

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the new national strategic action plan to bring (a) TB and (b) other key infectious diseases under control. [105441]

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Ms Blears: The tuberculosis action plan is currently being finalised and will be published shortly. The other key infectious diseases action plans will be published within the next few months.

Local Exercise Activity Pilots

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what decision-making processes were adopted on determining the outcomes of the local exercise activity pilots; [106499]

Ms Blears: The overall aims and objectives of the local exercise action pilots (LEAP) programme were included in the original invitations for 'expressions of interest', sent by regional directors of public health to primary care trusts (PCTs) within neighbourhood renewal fund areas. The criteria regarding target groups, location, partnership working and innovative practice were highlighted throughout the application process and in the assessment guidance to regions. The criteria were applied to the decision-making process, both at the 'expression of interest' stage and, again, once the bids were fully worked up. PCTs completed a structured application form, which asked for further details under the headings of the criteria and some additional contextual information such as the local evidence base and their monitoring and evaluation framework.

Following initial expressions of interest, 31 short-listed PCTs submitted full applications, which were assessed by regional panels, led by public health colleagues and representatives from the funding partners, Sport England and the Countryside Agency.

Central to the assessment process was the involvement and commitment of the regions. The regional panels were best placed to assess the individual applications. Their recommendations were then reviewed by the national management group. This consisted of the Department of Health, Sport England, the Countryside Agency and the Local Government Association. The role of the management group was to ensure the nine pilots selected provided a national cross section, in terms of target audiences, locations, range of partners and innovative interventions.

The management group was in agreement with the recommendations made by the regional panels.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many local exercise activity pilot bids secured private sector partners; and how many secured private sector contributions of over £50,000; [106500]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

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Ms Blears: A list of the successful local exercise activity pilots (LEAP) with the health benefits to be achieved, the number of general practitioner referral schemes created and the main partner organisations engaged, has been placed in the Library.

All of the pilots are located within neighbourhood renewal areas. As such they are among the 50 most deprived on at least one of the six district level measures in the Indices of Deprivation 2000 or on at least one of the four measures of the old Index of Local Deprivation.

Two of the pilots (East of England—Great Yarmouth and Yorkshire and Humber—North Kirklees) secured private sector partners. The private sector contributions in both cases were less than £50,000.

The main focus of the LEAP is upon health objective. However, all of the successful pilots anticipate additional benefits that extend beyond health outcomes. Each pilot site has identified the respective national service framework and planning and priorities framework targets that it will address and the associated health benefits.

NHS Treatments

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed by the national health service in 2002. [108667]

Ms Blears: Data for abortions performed in England and Wales in 2002 will not be available until the autumn.

In 2001, out of the 176,364 abortions performed on residents of England and Wales, 76,166 were performed by the national health service. In addition, 58,445 abortions were performed by the independent sector under NHS contract.

Press Office

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed in his Department's press office; and how many were employed on 2 May 1997. [108393]

Mr. Lammy: The Department employs 30 people in its Media centre. 23 of those employed are press officers, and seven are support staff.

Detailed information on the number of press officers employed by the Department during the financial year 1997–98 was provided in Appendix II of the report "The Government Information and Communications Service" (HC 770) published by the Select Committee on Public Administration on 29 July 1998. Copies are available in the Library. However, no specific figures are kept for the number of support staff within the media centre.

SSRI Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the inquiry into SSRI drugs will recommence; and what measures will be taken to ensure the impartiality of the investigating committee. [108010]

Ms Blears: The appropriate membership of the new Committee on the Safety of Medicines expert group on the safety of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

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(SSRIs) is currently being considered in light of the further work that is required, as well as further legal advice on interests in the particular circumstances of this class review. This review remains a high priority and will recommence as soon as the membership of this expert group has been finalised.

Members of the Medicines Act advisory committees such as the CSM are required to follow a code of practice relating to declarations of interests in the pharmaceutical industry. The code provides for the cases in which interests must be declared and when members with certain interests may not take part in proceedings. The provisions of the code will be taken into account when the new CSM expert group is appointed and the members will be required to comply with the code.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that the new Committee on Safety of Medicine inquiry into selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs takes into account the experience of patients. [108315]

Ms Blears: The new Committee on Safety of Medicines expert group which is being appointed to further review of the safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) will consider the current available evidence relating to the safety of SSRIs, particularly in relation to suicidal behaviour and withdrawal reactions. The panel will be taking into account patients' views and experiences during this review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Records Bureau

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forecasts his Department made of the number of Criminal Records Bureau basic disclosures that would have been sought in the (a) first and (b) subsequent years of operation by members of the public. [102841]

Hilary Benn: In the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Corporate and Business Plan published in April 2001 the forecast was for 2.8 million Disclosures in 2002–03. In the Plan published in April 2002, the forecasts for basic disclosures were 2.8 million in 2002–03 and 3.5 million in 2003–04.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February 2003, Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what estimate he has made of the number of basic disclosures that will not be issued following indefinite postponement of basic disclosures. [101017]

Hilary Benn: No estimate has been made.

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