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Statins

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much on average primary care trusts charged their prescription of statins during 2002; and at what cost. [114588]

Mr. Lammy: The average cost of prescribing statins by primary care trust for 2002 was £181,492, representing an increase of 31 per cent over the equivalent figure for 2001.

Waiting Lists/Times

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people on NHS waiting lists died before receiving treatment in the past 12 months. [111020]

Mr. Hutton: Information is collected on the number of people removed from NHS lists. This covers a number of categories, including those who have died. These categories are not separately identifiable.

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area were waiting for in-patient treatment in each of the last two months for which figures are available. [112378]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 19 May 2003]: There were 9,174 patients waiting for in-patient treatment at Mid Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust at the end of February 2003 and 8,577 at the end of March 2003.

Source:

QM08 Quarterly Return

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area were waiting over 13 weeks for an outpatient appointment for the latest available quarter. [112379]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 19 May 2003]: There were 450 patients waiting 13 weeks or more for an outpatient appointment at Mid Essex Hospital Services National Health Services Trust at Quarter 4 as at 31 March 2003.

Source:

QM08 Quarterly Return

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 9 April 2003, Official Report, column 334W, on waiting times, whether any of the figures for waits in the table were in excess of national targets. [111725]

Mr. Hutton: Waiting time statistics from hospital episode statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. It is therefore not possible to identify any 'breaches' of the waiting time targets using the data from the answer given on Wednesday 9 April 2003, Official Report, column 334W. HES provides counts and waiting times for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period, whereas the

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published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment at a given point in time and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the waiting time as the difference between the admission and decision-to-admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Central America

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will publish the outcome of the study commissioned on violence in the Central American region; and what action is proposed based on the study's findings. [114712]

Hilary Benn: The DFID funded Study on Violence in the Central America Region (by Caroline Moser and Alisa Winton) has been published by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) as Working Paper 171. A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library. We are in discussion with the Government of Nicaragua about how we may support their efforts to reduce the cycle of violence and social exclusion.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the killing of two UN observers in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo. [115417]

Hilary Benn: The Government condemn the killing last week of two unarmed military observers from Malawi and Jordan in the Ituri District of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their bodies were recovered on 18 May 2003. We express our condolences both to their families and the Malawian Government and the King of Jordan.

We are very concerned about the situation in the Ituri region and are monitoring developments closely. The UN has asked the UK and others to participate in an emergency multinational peacekeeping force to stabilise the security situation. We are considering this request urgently. We have asked for more details of the proposed deployment to enable us to look at possible options for providing assistance.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with particular reference to Ituri. [115451]

Hilary Benn: Recent data from the NGO International Rescue Committee and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) continues to provide evidence of a very serious humanitarian situation in DRC. Ituri is particularly badly affected. Militia commanders have agreed to allow overland access but want food for troops, which is not acceptable to the UN. The UN is planning a joint assessment. Access and the operating environment are the main constraints rather than funding at this stage.

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In March 2003 we provided funding of £1 million through UN OCHA for emergency humanitarian interventions in DRC including in Ituri. We remain willing to support agencies able to address urgent humanitarian needs in Ituri.

Our total funding support to DRC has increased considerably in recent years. In 2000–01 our total funding was £3.09 million; in 2001–02 our total funding came to £5.56 million; in 2002–03 our total funding was £12.9 million. The allocation for 2003–04 is £16 million of which £4.26 million has already been committed.

We continue to play our part alongside our international partners in seeking to change the situation through our support to the peace process in the DRC. It is only through this that the prospects of a real improvement in the situation in the long term can be achieved.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and (b) the UN concerning the humanitarian situation in the DRC with particular reference to Ituri. [115452]

Hilary Benn: We are liaison closely with the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) on the situation in Ituri. UN OCHA is Concerned to ensure that the immediate needs of civilians at the airport and at the MONUC camp are met. Militia commanders have agreed to allow overland access but want food for troops, which is not acceptable to the UN. The UN is planning a joint assessment. Access and the operating environment are the main constraints rather than funding at this stage.

We continuously monitor the humanitarian situation in the DRC. We have increased our total funding to DRC in recent years. In 2001–2002 our total funding was £5.56 million, of which £5.18 million was humanitarian assistance. In 2002–03 our total funding was £12.9 million, of which £10.89 million was humanitarian assistance. In March 2003 we provided funding of £1 million UN OCHA for humanitarian emergency interventions in DRC including in Ituri. The Head of UN OCHA has recently visited and assessed the situation in the area and will be funding those humanitarian agencies that are currently active and effective. The UN OCHA Deputy Head for New York will also be visiting Ituri at the end of this week. DFID will shortly be sending its Humanitarian Adviser to visit the region to assess the situation and look at how DFID can effectively assist further alongside other international donors.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the possibility of deploying a rapid reaction force to the area of Ituri, Democratic Repubic of the Congo, and the possibility of humanitarian aid entering that area. [115453]

Hilary Benn: We are very concerned about the situation in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and are monitoring developments closely. The UN has asked the UK and others to participate in an emergency multinational peacekeeping force to stabilise the security situation and we are considering this request

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urgently. We have asked for more details of the proposed deployment to enable us to look at possible options for providing assistance.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) continues to confirm a very serious humanitarian situation in Ituri. Militia commanders have agreed to allow overland access but want food for troops which is not acceptable to the UN. The UN is planning ah urgent joint assessment. Access and the operating environment are the main constraints rather than funding at this stage.

Departmental Annual Report

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what the estimated cost was of the reprinting of the Department's 2003 Annual Report following the resignation of the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) as Secretary of State. [114700]

Hilary Benn: The printer's estimate for the reprint of the DFID 2003 Departmental Report is £29,340.

The total estimated cost of printing the 2003 Departmental Report, including the reprint cost, is £76,480. This compares with £61,236 for the 2002 Departmental Report, and £81,577 for the 2001 Departmental Report.

Llew Smith: To ask the Minister of State for International Development how much it cost to pulp the original edition of the 2003 Departmental Report; and for what reason the decision was taken. [115671]

Hilary Benn: The printers estimate for reprinting the DFID 2003 Departmental Report is £29,340. Copies of the original edition were recycled at a cost of £40.

The relevant Secretary of State presents Departmental Reports formally to Parliament, and if that person changes after printing but before presentation, we have to change the Departmental Report to reflect the fact.

DFID's Secretary of State changed the day before publication. The Departmental Report produced for the former Secretary of State had already been printed ready for the presentation to Parliament. The report was therefore amended and reprinted to reflect the change in Secretary of State.

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