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Diet
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effects on human health of hydrogenated fats in processed foods. [111830]
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Ms Blears: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) considered trans ("hydrogenated") fatty acids in the report Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease (1994).
COMA concluded that trans fatty acids may have undesirable effects on plasma cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality. COMA therefore recommended that
"on average trans fatty acids should provide no more than the current average of about 2 per cent, of dietary energy and that consideration should be given to ways of decreasing the amount present in the diet."
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy to increase public awareness of the effects of hydrogenated fats on human health. [111831]
Ms Blears: The Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are engaged with stakeholders in a wide range of activities aimed at promoting a healthy balanced diet, including increasing people's awareness of the overall quantity and balance of different types of fats in the diet. The FSA also produces a consumer leaflet on the place of fats within a healthy diet.
There is NHS Plan commitment to work with industry to address the overall balance of the diet, including fat, sugar and salt, working with industry. The Department and the FSA are currently in discussion with the food industry on levels of salt in foods; action on fats and added sugars will follow through 2003–04.
Wider initiatives, such as the five-a day programme, reform of the Welfare Food Scheme and various programmes in schools to improve the diets of children are also likely to help reduce intakes of fats, including hydrogenated fats. The forthcoming food and health action plan will pull together all the issues that influence what we eat and will address healthy eating at all stages of the life course. The plan will build on a comprehensive on-going programme of work already underway across Government on healthy eating.
Food Safety
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what food safety checks are in place on eggs and egg products originating from (a) the European Community and (b) the United States. [112504]
Ms Blears: Under European Union single market rules, food products such as eggs originating from other EU member states are in free circulation in the United Kingdom and are not subject to checks at UK ports.
Eggs imported from countries outside the EU, such as the United States, are subject to veterinary checks at designated border inspection posts, where they undergo documentary and identity checks and a proportion are subject to physical checks.
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All food, whether imported into or produced in the UK, may be subject to checks "inland" at food premises by local authorities.
Food Standards Agency
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans the Food Standards Agency has to publish literature in support of its Balance of Good Health initiative; [111209]
- (2) how much the Food Standards Agency spent on the Balance of Good Health campaign. [111207]
Ms Blears: Since it was formed, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has spent £80,000 on the printing and distribution of the Balance of Good Health leaflet and poster. The FSA keeps the nutrition promotional material under ongoing review to ensure its relevance to consumers and health professionals. The FSA has no plans at present to publish new literature based on the Balance of Good Health concept.
Framework Convention for Tobacco Control
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department is having with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on (a) the contents of and (b) international support for the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control. [113110]
Ms Blears: The Government have participated in negotiations on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and have sought views on the content of this Convention from other Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, throughout the negotiating process. Officials are in contact with those in Brussels and Geneva and with embassies in those countries which have concerns with the text, to work towards satisfactory adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control at the World Health Assembly later this month.
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he is having with (a) the British Medical Association, (b) his European counterparts and (c) others regarding international measures to reduce smoking. [113109]
Ms Blears: The Department has received representations from the British Medical Association and others in support of international measures to reduce smoking. In particular, recent representations have focused on the draft Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which is due to be adopted at the World Health Assembly later this month. Discussions within the European Union are focused on preparing a common position in support of the adoption of the Convention at the World Health Assembly. As part of this, my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Health, has discussed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control with a German Health Minister. The Government have been firmly supportive of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as have most other EU countries.
Fuel Poverty
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on how many
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(a) women aged 60 and over and (b) men aged 65 and over, in each year since 1997, have died due to the effects of fuel poverty; and if he will make a statement. [113404]
Ms Blears: Causes of death in older people are complex and multi-factorial. It is not possible to isolate the possible contributory role of fuel poverty from other potential contributory factors in the deaths of older people. However, links have been established between damp, cold housing and deaths and the physiological effects of cold and increased ill health are well documented. It is recognised that older people are particularly vulnerable but given the lack of scientific evidence and the complexity of other possible contributory factors, it is not possible to provide accurate figures relating to deaths due to fuel poverty.
The Department of Health, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are supporting a two-year research project into the impact of fuel poverty interventions on health. The project is evaluating the impact of Warm Front initiatives on mental and physical health and the risk of cold-related death. It is also identifying the potential of energy efficient measures to improve the health and quality of life of householders and assessing the impact of fuel poverty interventions on the use of health care services. A report is expected later this year.
GPs
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of patients allocated to GP practice lists in the Havering primary care trust area is; how many GP practices have list sizes higher than the national average; which practices these are; and what the size of the list is in each case. [85077]
Mr. Hutton: Information on the average number of patients allocated to general practitioner practice lists in the Havering primary care trust area are shown in the table.
Overall, 44 of the 54 GP partnerships in Havering PCT have an average list size greater than the England average of 1,841. We are not able to provide information on which individual practices have list sizes higher than the national average and what the size of the list is in each case. The GP census data held by the Department are collected for the purposes of research and statistics, as defined by section 33 of the Data Protection Act 1998. As such, we are unable to release identifiable data on GPs where it is possible the data could be used for purposes other than research and statistics.
Hepatology Services
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to identify and treat individuals who are Hepatitis C positive. [112524]
Ms Blears: Our consultation paper, "Hepatitis C Strategy for England", proposes that patients at increased risk of infection or with otherwise unexplained liver disease should be offered testing for hepatitis C. The strategy also recognises the need to
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strengthen services for assessing and treating patients with hepatitis C, in accordance with guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
We shall be publishing an action plan in the next few months to take forward implementation of the strategy.
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority is given to hepatology services under the NHS Plan. [112525]
Ms Blears: The NHS Plan sets out a framework for the provision of comprehensive and high quality services to tackle a wide range of conditions and diseases, including liver disease, backed up by a sustained programme of investment and reform.
In line with Shifting the Balance of Power, it is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to determine the local priority given to hepatology services according to local needs. We have published a national specialised services definitions set for hepatology services to assist PCT commissioners. Our consultation paper, 'Hepatitis C Strategy for England', proposes the development of managed clinical networks to assess and treat patients with hepatitis C, in accordance with guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. We will publish an action plan to take forward implementation of the strategy in the next few months.
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets he has to (a) increase awareness of liver disease and (b) reduce the impact of liver disease. [112526]
Ms Blears: Our consultation paper, 'Hepatitis C Strategy for England', proposes increasing professional and public awareness of hepatitis C to underpin improvements in services for its prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The strategy suggests national outcome indicators that will be used to track progress, along with enhanced epidemiological surveillance.
In the next few months, we will be publishing an action plan on blood-borne viruses, as proposed in the Chief Medical Officer's infectious disease strategy, 'Getting Ahead of the Curve', to take forward implementation of the hepatitis C strategy and to identify action needed to strengthen measures to prevent and control hepatitis B.
Alcohol misuse is linked to cirrhosis of the liver. The Government are committed to tackling the harm caused by alcohol misuse, and will be implementing the national alcohol harm reduction strategy by 2004.
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of regional disparities in the delivery of hepatology services. [112527]
Ms Blears: We have not made such an assessment. However, we are aware that the University of Southampton has recently carried out a survey of the organisation and delivery of services for hepatitis C on behalf of the British Association for the Study of the Liver, the British Society for Gastroenterology (Liver Section) and the British Liver Trust. We understand that the results of the study will be published in due course.
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Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the relative costs of a health policy of (a) applying treatment to hepatitis C positive cohorts as they present to health services and (b) applying treatment to the hepatitis C positive population actively identified by mass screening. [112528]
Ms Blears: We have not made such an assessment. Our consultation paper, 'Hepatitis C Strategy for England', recognises the need to improve diagnosis of hepatitis C in those at risk of infection so that they are referred for specialist assessment and treatment in accordance with guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Mass population screening for hepatitis C is not justified because of the relatively low prevalence of infection in this country, which is concentrated in groups at increased risk of infection, such as injecting drug users. Targeted screening of individuals at increased risk of infection is in line with international consensus statements from the World Health Organisation and the European Association for the Study of the Liver.
We will be publishing an action plan to underpin implementation of the strategy in the next few months.
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