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24 Jun 2003 : Column 717W—continued
Residential Care
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 700W, on residential care, if he will make a statement on the number of (a) nursing home and (b) residential care places for the elderly in Northern Ireland. [121009]
Angela Smith: My right hon. Friend's written answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 700W, represents the best currently available information on the numbers of places for the elderly in residential care and nursing homes in Northern Ireland. It is not possible to disaggregate the number of nursing home places for the elderly, as the Department does not routinely collect this information.
The reduction in the number of available places for the elderly in residential care over the five year period 1997 to 2002 from 4,965 to 4,596 to some extent may be attributed to a change by home owners to dual registered places in care homes, and to the increase in the provision of both domiciliary care services by the Health and Personal Social Services and in Housing Association sheltered housing for the elderly.
Work-related Deaths/Injuries
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) work-related injuries and (b) work-related deaths were recorded in Northern Ireland in 2002. [120895]
Mr. Pearson: Figures are not readily available for the calendar year 2002 but the number of work-related injuries and deaths reported to enforcing authorities in Northern Ireland under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 during the financial year 2002–03 were 4,119 and 20 respectively.
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HEALTH
Cancer
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the initiative of the National Cancer Research Network to ensure that clinical trials are developed and extended to include adolescents. [118157]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department of Health, which funds the National Cancer Research Network is providing specific funding for a specialised research network on paediatric oncology. The network is led by the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG). At the suggestion of the UKCCSC, this funding includes provision for a trial co-ordinator development post for teenage and young adults. This investment reflects the importance the Department places on the development of clinical trials for adolescents with cancer.
Chemicals
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has conducted into the impact upon human health of the use of (a) bleach and (b) other chemicals in sanitary towels and related items, (c) home cleaning products, (d) detergents and (e) spray furniture polish; what advice has been given to the public relating to their use; and if he will make a statement. [119082]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has not carried out any research into chemicals used in sanitary towels and related items, nor has it provided any advice to the public relating to their use.
Since 1984, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the sanitary protection industry have operated a voluntary prior notification scheme for menstrual tampons. This scheme applies to the entire manufactured product, including the instructions for use. Under the scheme, manufacturers submit to Government specifications for proposed new tampons to which there have been significant changes in the design or materials. The Department scrutinises them to decide whether they pose a health hazard and checks the leaflets to ensure that they give the right health message.
In the case of chemical products such as bleach, home cleaning products, detergents and spray furniture products, their safety is governed by the Health and Safety Commission's Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002. These Regulations require that manufacturers must assess a chemical product for its health effects. If dangerous, the product must be labelled with a warning symbol and phrases indicating the dangers. The particular chemical(s), which cause the product to be classified, must be named on the label. The Regulations also require that all potentially dangerous chemicals supplied to the public must be in packaging that is properly labelled and contains warnings about the potential hazards and giving advice on suitable precautions.
Other regulations for protecting the consumer are the DTI's General Product Safety Regulations 1994 (GPSR), which implement the EC General Product
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Safety Directive (92159/EEC) and apply to all consumer products (or aspects of those products) that are not covered by specific European safety legislation. The GPSR requires manufacturers to ensure that products present no risk or only the minimum risk compatible with the product's use. In other words, producers must first take steps to reduce the hazard as far as possible, then warn about any residual hazard(s) and give advice about the precautions that consumers should take when using the product.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact upon (a) human and (b) animal health of the use of PVC chemicals in consumer products; what advice has been given to the public relating to their use; what restrictions have been placed on their use; and if he will make a statement. [119085]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has provided advice to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the health effects of phthalates, which may be present in PVC used in consumer products. It has not provided any advice on the effects on animal health, nor has it given any advice to the public.
The safety of chemical products, such as those made from PVC, is governed by the Health and Safety Commission's Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002. These regulations require that manufacturers must assess a chemical product for its health effects. If dangerous, the product must be labelled with a warning symbol and phrases indicating the dangers. The particular chemical(s) which cause a product to be classified must be named on the label. The regulations also require that all potentially dangerous chemicals supplied to the public must be in packaging which is properly labelled and contains warnings about the potential hazards and giving advice on sensible precautions.
Other regulations for protecting the consumer are the DTI's General Product Safety Regulations 1994(GPSR), which implement the EC General Product Safety Directive (92159/EEC) and apply to all consumer products (or aspects of those products) that are not covered by specific European safety legislation. The GPSR requires manufacturers to ensure that products present no risks or only minimum risk, compatible with the product's use. In other words, producers must first take steps to reduce the hazard as far as possible, then warn about any residual hazard(s) and give advice about the precautions that consumers should take when using the product.
Community Health Councils/Patients Forums
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether structures to replace community health councils will be in place and fully operational before community health councils are abolished; [120651]
- (2) what plans he has for the smooth transfer of responsibilities from community health councils to patients' forums. [120653]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Patients' forums are just one part of the new system for patient and public involvement being introduced to replace Community Health Councils (CHCs). Already, much of what will
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replace CHCs is in place—Patients' Advice and Liaison Services exist in almost all trusts, Overview and Scrutiny Committees have had the new power to scrutinise health since January 2003, independent complaints advocacy services will be available across England from 1 September 2003 and the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) has been in existence since 1 January 2003. Staff support for patients' forums will be in place by 1 September 2003, and by 1 December 2003 when CHCs will be abolished, all patients' forums will be in place.
Work is under way, with the CPPIH, the Association for Community Health Councils in England and Wales and CHC members and staff, to ensure the smooth transfer of responsibilities where they have not already been picked up elsewhere and to consider how best to transfer local CHC knowledge to the new patients' forums.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether members of community health councils will be (a) given an opportunity to become members of patients forums and (b) invited to form the first tranche of the new membership of patients' forums. [120652]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Recruitment to patients' forums will be conducted by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, through a process of open competition. Community Health Council members will be encouraged to apply to join patients' forums, although they will not be invited specifically to form a first tranche of members of forums.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the patients' forums will enter into effect. [120656]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The intention is to commence the legislation that will give effect to patients' forums on 1 September 2003. From that date, patients' forums will be established and the intention is that members will have been appointed to all forums by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health by 1 December 2003. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Lammy) on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 22–23WS.
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