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Cardiac Services

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to NHS trusts on prioritising young people for treatment when they have been diagnosed with cardiac abnormalities. [R] [118524]

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Jacqui Smith: Young people diagnosed with cardiac abnormalities should be prioritised for treatment according to their medical need. This is a matter for the medical professionals involved in their care.

The report of the paediatric and congenital cardiac services review group, which was published for consultation in November 2002, contains proposed quality standards for paediatric and congenital cardiac services. Ministers are currently considering the responses received to the consultation before determining the best way forward. A copy of the consultation report is available at www.doh.gov.uk/childcardiac/reviewnov02.htm and in the Library.

Cataracts

Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned to indicate that the imaging of the iris would aggravate existing cataracts or accelerate their formation. [117876]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 9 June 2003]: The Department is not aware of any research that has been carried out that shows that the imaging of the iris can aggravate existing cataracts or accelerate their formation.

Chicken (Beef Protein)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on hospitals to which chicken adulterated with beef protein has been supplied. [116852]

Mr. Lammy: None of the chickens on the national contract negotiated by the NHS Purchasing and Supply was supplied by those companies identified by the Food Standards Agency as supplying products adulterated by pork or beef DNA.

As a condition of the contract, suppliers agree to be independently audited. Quality assurance inspectors from the Meat and Livestock Commission make unannounced visits to suppliers' premises, inspect the products destined for the national health service and verify the chemical content in comparison with specifications laid out in the contract. The analysis also identifies water content and the DNA present. There have been no reports of pork or beef DNA being found in any sample.

As an additional safeguard, if the inspectors find any implicated brand on a supplier's premises, suppliers are now required to provide evidence that the product is not going to be supplied to the national health service.

Information about whether NHS trusts have purchased chickens from sources other than those suppliers on national contract is not available centrally.

Civil Contingencies

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional expenditure over and above that identified prior to 1 April 2002 (a) was spent in 2002–03 and (b) will be spent in 2003–04 on national and regional resilience work for (i) essential services, (ii) treatment of mass casualties and (iii) treatment of infectious disease; whether arrangements exist to release

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expenditure during the current financial year for resilience projects under consideration for (A) essential services, (B) treatment of mass casualties and (C) treatment of infectious disease; and if he will make a statement. [113928]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 16 May 2003]: The Government's Civil Contingencies Capabilities Programme has identified broad areas of activity under which Departments group specific projects, activity and programme expenditure. The purpose is to deliver broad generic capabilities which allow the United Kingdom to respond effectively to a wide range of disruptive challenges.

In 2002–03 the Department of Health allocated some £85 million to strengthen national and regional resilience to ensure that the national health service is prepared and equipped to meet the demands of chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological threats to the public. This figure is £69 million over and above the £16 million spent in 2001–02. Through this funding, medical countermeasures, including vaccines, antibiotics, antidotes and respiratory support equipment, and personal protective equipment are now in place in the NHS. Although it is not possible to apportion specific expenditure to each area, this funding has served to strengthen overall capability and resilience to threats to essential services, the treatment of mass casualties and the treatment of infectious disease. For 2003–04, the Department of Health has allocated £98.5 million to this on-going programme of work, which is £82.5 million over and above the £16 million spent in 2001–02.

The capabilities that we are working to deliver have been developed to allow the Government to deal with the fullest range of scenarios. Should a specific additional urgent operational need arise, at any point of the spending cycle, action would be taken to meet it. The public expenditure framework the Government have put in place provides the flexibility to deal with unexpected pressures.

Community Health Councils

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department had with community health councils regarding redundancy notices being issued before 4 June. [118547]

Mr. Lammy: The Department has had regular discussions with the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales and the Community Health Council (CHC) unions about redundancy matters. There have also been regular meetings between the CHC leads and CHCs to discuss issues arising out of the abolition of CHCs. In addition, the Department has worked in partnership with the unions to produce the human resources framework which will support CHC staff to seek new employment and avoid redundancies.

Dental Health

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been undertaken to increase awareness of the importance of teeth brushing and reducing sugar in the diet to dental hygiene. [114702]

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Mr. Lammy: In England, primary care trusts are responsible for oral health promotion and currently they attach particular importance to ensuring that oral health is covered in initiatives such as Sure Start, health action zones and healthy living centres. In August 2001, to complement this work, we launched our Brushing for Life scheme, which targets families with young children in the 31 areas where dental decay is highest. There are currently 32 schemes running nationally. When carrying out developmental checks, health visitors demonstrate good tooth brushing practice and give the families a free pack containing a tube of fluoridated toothpaste, a toothbrush and a leaflet on oral hygiene.

Dentistry

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the recommended period is after which patients should be recalled for a dental check-up for (a) people under 18 and (b) people over 18; and what proportion of the population attended such a check-up on time in (i) England, (ii) each NHS region and (iii) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [116946]

Mr. Lammy: While it is accepted that oral examinations at appropriate intervals are of value in maintaining oral health, there is little direct evidence to support a specific interval or to quantify the benefit. There is, therefore, a requirement for the practitioner to undertake a needs assessment exercise for each individual patient. Individual recall intervals result from a balanced consideration of the risks to maintaining oral health. General dental services remuneration arrangements do not normally permit payment for a recall examination where the same dentist received an examination fee in the previous five complete calendar months.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been asked to prepare guidance for the national health service in England and Wales, on the clinical and cost effectiveness of a dental recall examination for all patients at an interval based on the risk from oral disease.

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the need for a new school of dentistry in the UK. [117821]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 9 June 2003]: We are undertaking the first dental work force review since 1987, in consultation with the dental profession. We hope to publish a report later this year, together with work force planning assumptions for national health service work force development confederations and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. This will include any expansion in facilities for training for dental undergraduates if considered necessary by the review.

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the Dental Workforce Review. [118184]

Mr. Lammy: We plan to publish a review of the primary care dental workforce for England later this year, which will inform workforce planning assumptions of the national health service workforce development confederations and the Higher Education

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Funding Council for England. This review is being undertaken in consultation with the dental profession. We will also ensure the review is regularly updated, to take account of our programme for the modernisation of NHS dentistry.

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