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7 May 2003 : Column 764W—continued

Scans (Waiting Times)

Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of current waiting times for (a) CT scans, (b) MRI scans, (c) ultrasound scans and (d) X-ray tests; [109655]

(2) what guidance he has issued on the maximum length of time a patient should wait for (a) a CT scan, (b) an MRI scan, (c) an ultrasound scan, (d) X-ray tests and (e) audiology tests; [109659]

(3) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of data collection concerning waiting times for (a) CT scans, (b) MRI scans, (c) ultrasound scans and (d) X-ray tests. [109654]

Ms Blears: Data are not collected centrally on waiting times for diagnostic scans nor has any central guidance been issued. The length of time that a patient may have to wait for any scan is dependent on their clinical condition. Emergency cases need to be seen immediately. Other cases will be carried out as quickly as possible, dependent on the clinical priority of all patients waiting to be scanned.

Where a scan forms part of the diagnostic process for a patient urgently referred with suspected cancer, this will be covered by the target of a maximum two months wait from urgent referral to first treatment, which will be in place for all cancers by the end of 2005.

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To increase the capacity of diagnostic services, funding has been made available for the provision of new and replacement scanners. The New Opportunities Fund has provided funding for 57 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and the NHS Cancer Plan has provided funding for a further 50 MRI and 50 computed tomography scanners through central purchasing programmes by 2004.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been given to medical professionals on the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome. [108471]

Ms Blears: The Department issued information and advice on the diagnosis and treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to all general practitioners, trusts and public health professionals on Friday 14 March and Monday 7 April via the Chief Medical Officer's public health link system.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Housing Development

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 11 April, Official Report, column 429W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the summary of the responses to the consultation document, The Way Forward for Housing Capital Finance, on which he relied in reaching the decisions reflected in Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future and the Local Government Bill. [110476]

Mr. McNulty: A copy of the summary of responses to the consultation document 'The Way Forward for Housing Capital Finance' has been placed in the library of the House.

The consultation paper included proposals on the abolition of the Local Authority Housing Grant (LASHG), capital receipts pooling and reform of the housing capital finance regime.

Views were evenly balanced on the proposal to pool capital receipts. There was greater concern about the proposal to abolish LASHG, but many of those responding were under the impression that the resources currently used for LASHG would no longer be available. That was not the intention, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister therefore determined to abolish LASHG from 1 April this year so as to be able to target the resources more effectively. The resources have been taken fully into account in the Communities Plan, with transitional arrangements to ensure that the most advanced LASHG schemes in the pipeline can continue.

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the £230 million transitional fund for housing was calculated; what assessment he has made of whether it will cover outstanding projects; and whether it is ringfenced. [110357]

Mr. McNulty: The transitional funding figure was an estimate made on the basis of information provided by the Housing Corporation as to normal levels of commitments by authorities at yearend. The

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transitional arrangements have since been extended to support investment in housing of up to £550 million in 2003–04, which is higher than in any previous year. The money will be ring-fenced to schemes that could have gone ahead in 2003–04 if LASHG had continued. Details are set out in the statement given on 5 March 2003, Official Report, column. 82WS.

Exhibitions

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list events at which his Department and each agency and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have exhibited in each of the past three years, stating for each (a) the purpose of exhibiting, (b) the cost of exhibiting and (c) the number of staff attending for the exhibition. [107612]

Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002.

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Firefighters' Dispute

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many man-hours have been lost in the Fire Service in the London Borough of Havering as a result of strike action in the past 12 months. [110586]

Mr. Raynsford: Information on the exact number of man-hours lost in Havering due to the strikes in the Fire Service is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

However, there are two shifts in a 24-hour period. Twenty shifts were severely affected by strike action by members of the Fire Brigades Union in November 2002, six in January 2003 and four in February 2003.

Gifts

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list gifts made by his Department to (a) governments and officials of overseas countries, (b) foreign companies and (c) other persons, in each year since 1997. [103226]

Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002. Since then, gifts purchased by the Office for presentation to governments and officials of overseas countries comprise two alarm clocks, six ornamental candles, two ornamental boxes, two trays and one photo frame. There are no gifts recorded as being given to foreign companies or other persons.

Local Plan (Tewksbury)

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will instruct his inspectors to speed up the dispatch of their Report on Tewkesbury Borough Council's Local Plan; and if he will make a statement. [111643]

Mr. McNulty: The Inspector's report on objections to the Tewkesbury Local Plan is expected to be issued to Tewkesbury Borough Council during December 2003, as requested by the Council. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, to write to the hon. Member.

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Ministerial Costs

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the costs have been in (a) salary, (b) administrative support and (c) travel of the (i) Deputy Prime Minister, (ii) Minister of State for Housing, (iii) Minister of State for Local Government, (iv) Minister of State for Social Exclusion, (v) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Planning and (vi) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government, since May 2002. [91622]

Mr. Leslie: Since 1 June 2002 to 31 March 2003 the total costs to public funds in (a) salary, (b) administrative support and (c) travel of the Ministers specified were as follows:

(a) £191,790


(b) £638,309


(c) £27,357.61

National Insurance

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost will be to public funds in 2003–04 of the rise in national insurance contributions on the salary bill of his Department. [107901]

Mr. Leslie: It is estimated the changes to employers' National Insurance contributions will increase pay costs on average by 0.7 per cent. next year.

National Minimum Wage

Mr. John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour. [110436]

Mr. Leslie: No additional costs for staff will be incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, it's agencies and the non-departmental public bodies as a result of the increase in the national minimum wage.

Nominated Insurance

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on nominated insurance relating to leaseholders. [111195]

Mr. McNulty: Section 164 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 will allow leaseholders of houses who are subject to a nominated insurer clause to be able to insure the property with the insurer of their choice provided that certain conditions are met.

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In order to implement this provision, the form of the notice of cover must be prescribed by regulation. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published a consultation paper on 6 May that seeks views on draft regulations that prescribe the form of the notice of cover and also seeks views on additional information to be included in the notice.

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