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30 Jun 2003 : Column 139W—continued
Diagnostic and Treatment Centres
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conditions he will include in the contracts for management boards of diagnostic and treatment centres relating to the quality of care for patients. [119676]
Mr. Hutton: The providers of independent sector Diagnosis and Treatment Centres (DTCs) will be required to deliver high clinical standards and quality of care for patients. They will be required to meet current independent sector standards and will be regulated and inspected by the National Care Standards Commission. Bidders and National Health Service commissioners will agree, as part of the contract process, appropriate and effective arrangements for quality assurance and continuous quality improvement and meet the clinical service requirements. NHS sponsors subsequently manage these contracts, monitoring performance across a range of indicators, including clinical standards and quality of care.
The arrangements for how project agreements will be monitored have yet to be finalised, but there will be a local management group and a central co-ordinating team, to monitor the performance of independent sector DTC providers for each contract.
Donor Cards
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been taken since 1997 to increase the numbers of people with donor cards; and if he will make a statement on the role of donors within the NHS. [121131]
Ann Winterton: People are encouraged to join the national health service organ donor register through a number of initiatives, including when they apply for a driving licence, register with a new general practitioner, apply for a new passport or, where available, complete the organ donor registration form sent out by their local authorities annually when they check the electoral register. Additionally, UK Transplant runs publicity campaigns and targets action to raise the profile of organ donation, including specific advertising and information campaigns to increase organ donation from the South Asian and black African and Caribbean populations.
Since the beginning of 1997, more than seven million names have been added to the organ donor register.
Dr.Visnjevac (Chichester)
Mr. David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Directorate of Health and Social Care South was first informed that Dr Visnjevac was working at a hospital in Chichester; and by whom. [120046]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Directorate of Health and Social Care South was first informed that Dr Visnjevac was working at a hospital in Chichester on 13 September 2002 by the Medical Director of the Commission for Health Improvement.
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Drug Addiction Treatment
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs are permitted to prescribe (a) heroin and (b) methadone. [121840]
Miss Melanie Johnson: There are currently 112 general practitioners who are licensed to prescribe diamorphine in the United Kingdom.
Methadone can be prescribed by any doctor. This is subject to a doctor applying his/her professional judgment for a particular individual and his/her willingness to prescribe within the context in which he/she practices. The Department of Health's "Drug misuse and dependence—guidelines on clinical management" (1999) provides information about prescribing that doctors are expected to refer to.
Drug Rehabilitation Centres
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug rehabilitation centres there were in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002; what funding they received; and what measures have been taken since 1997 to improve drug rehabilitation rates. [121128]
Miss Melanie Johnson: For the purposes of this answer, drug rehabilitation centres are referred to as drug treatment services.
Drugscope's "Drug Problems: where to get help" (2002), estimates that there are around 715 drug treatment services in England, an increase of over one-third since 1997.
The National Treatment Agency oversees the pooled drug treatment budget, which was first introduced in 2001–02. Prior to this, mainstream health funds were spent on drug treatment, so it is not possible to provide figures. The pooled budget stands at £236 million this year, an increase of 23 per cent. on last year's allocation of £195 million. This money is allocated to drug action teams, who make the decisions on how funding is spent at a local level. Thus, it is not possible to identify exactly how much money was spent on drug rehabilitation centres specifically.
We are not only committed to increasing the numbers entering treatment, but to ensuring that we increase the numbers of drug misusers sustained and completing treatment programmes.
Drugs
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support is provided by the NHS to voluntary drug support groups. [113019]
Miss Melanie Johnson: In 2003–04, the pooled drug treatment budget stands at £236 million, an average increase of 23 per cent. on last year's allocation of £195 million. This money is allocated to drug action teams, which make the decisions on how funding is spent at a local level. As services are commissioned from both the statutory and voluntary sector, it is not possible to identify exactly how much is spent on voluntary drug support groups.
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Eczema
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffered from atopic eczema in each year since 1997. [122414]
Dr. Ladyman: That information is not available centrally, however it is estimated that eczema affects around one in 12 adults and up to one fifth of children.
The table shows the number of prescription items and the net ingredient cost (thousands) of products for treatment of eczema dispensed in the community in England from 1997 to 2002.
| Year | Number of prescription items (thousands) | Net ingredient cost (£ thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 313.02 | 6,622.1 |
| 1998 | 298.7 | 6,356.2 |
| 1999 | 289.7 | 6,277.3 |
| 2000 | 282.4 | 5,998.4 |
| 2001 | 279.8 | 6,026.1 |
| 2002 | 280.7 | 6,725.7 |
Ethnic Minority Staff
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ethnic minority consultants and associated specialists have been suspended by hospital trusts in each of the past five years, broken down by trust; and what percentage (a) all consultants and associated specialists and (b) all non-ethnic minority consultants and associated specialists. [119229]
Mr. Hutton: National Health Service trusts routinely report suspensions of hospital and community medical and hospital dental staff lasting six months or longer to the Department of Health. This does not include information by ethnic group.
EU Regulations
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by his Department over each of the last five years. [120842]
Mr. Hutton: The Department of Health has led on the implementation of 11 Directives and in the last five years has been responsible for six Regulations, which have a direct effect in UK law. The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which deals with issues of food safety, has led with the implementation of 13 Directives. It has also been responsible for eight Regulations, which have a direct effect in UK law.
A full list of these Directives and Regulations has been placed in the Library.
Food Supplements
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason (a) boron, (b) silicon and (c) sulphur have been omitted from the list of permitted nutrients for use in food supplements after July 2005 under the provisions of the Food Supplements (England) Regulations; and what steps he is taking to have them added to the list. [119833]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: The list of permitted nutrients in Schedule 1 to the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 is drawn directly from the list of permitted vitamins and minerals in Annex I to the Food Supplements Directive. This list was drawn directly from established lists in existing European Community food legislation.
The lists of permitted nutrients and nutrient sources in Annexes I and II to the Food Supplements Directive remain open pending safety assessment of additional substances. Industry is currently working to compile safety dossiers for certain substances currently omitted from the Annexes. The Food Standards Agency, in recognition of the difficulties associated with dossier production and the time-scale for dossier submission, is pressing the European Food Safety Authority for an urgent, substantive meeting with relevant parties to discuss dossier requirements.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received about the method of handling by the Food Standards Agency press office of the publication of the recent report by the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals; and what action he intends to take as a result of such representations. [120084]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has received some representations on this publication. The FSA supports a safety-based approach to regulation of food supplements and is committed to promoting informed choice. Prior to the publication of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals' (EVM) report, the FSA held two press conferences to brief the media with the Chairman of the EVM. The FSA was careful to present balanced information on the risks associated with some high dose vitamin and mineral supplements and is satisfied that this will have contributed significantly to helping consumers to make informed choices about the food supplement products they buy.
Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he plans to take to secure the addition to the schedules to the Food Supplements (England) Regulations prior to July 2005 of each nutrient or nutrient source permitted for sale on the UK market but omitted from the list of nutrients permitted for use in food supplements under the provisions of the Regulations. [120638]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 20 June 2003]: The lists of permitted nutrients and nutrient sources in the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 can be extended if additions are made to the permitted lists in the annexes to the Food Supplements Directive 2002/46/EC on which the Regulations are based. These annexes remain open pending safety assessment of additional substances. Industry is currently working to compile safety dossiers for some of the substances currently omitted from the Annexes.
The Food Standards Agency, in recognition of the difficulties associated with dossier production, and the time-scale for dossier submission, is pressing the European Food Safety Authority for an urgent, substantive meeting with relevant parties to discuss dossier requirements.
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Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those minerals which are permitted for sale on the UK market but which are omitted from the list of nutrients permitted for use in food supplements under the provisions of Annex 1 of the Food Supplements Directive. [120639]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 20 June 2003]: Food supplements, like other foods, are not required to demonstrate their efficacy before marketing, nor are they subject to prior approval unless they are genetically modified or are "novel". Therefore, the Food Standards Agency does not hold detailed information about food supplements on the United Kingdom market.
According to information provided by industry, Annex I of the Food Supplements Directive currently omits six minerals (boron, nickel, silicon, cobalt, tin, vanadium) currently used in food supplements on the UK market.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake a view of the recommendations put forward in the Report by the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals on the EU Food Supplements Directive following representations made to him by trade associations; and if he will make a statement. [120767]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 20 June 2003]: The expert group on vitamins and minerals (EVM) consulted widely on a draft of its report in 2002. It carefully considered all responses before finalising its report. Although the Government have no plans to review the report of the EVM at this stage, the evidence base on issues relating to vitamin and mineral supplements will be monitored closely as it develops.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died as a result of (a) boron, (b) sulphur and (c) silicon poisoning from food supplements in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what his reasons are for proposing that boron be prohibited for use in such supplements from July 2005. [121255]
Miss Melanie Johnson: There are no data available on fatalities associated with consumption of boron, silicon or sulphur in food supplements.
The list of permitted nutrients in Schedule 1 to the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 is drawn directly from the list of permitted vitamins and minerals in Annex I to the Food Supplements Directive. This list was drawn directly from established lists in existing European Community food legislation, which do not include boron.
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further steps he is taking to amend the draft Directive on food supplements to preserve choice for UK consumers. [119543]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 18 June 2003]: Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements was adopted and came into force on 12 July 2002.
30 Jun 2003 : Column 144W
The Government are not seeking amendments to the Directive, which it considers represents the best achievable deal for United Kingdom consumers and industry, given the pressure from many other member states for a more restrictive regulatory regime.
The Government recognise the concerns of many consumers and industry representatives about the implications of the omission from the lists of permitted substances in the Annexes to the Directive of substances currently used in food supplements on the UK market.
The Government have secured provisions which enable member states to allow the continued sale of products which do not comply with the Directive's compositional requirements up to 31 December 2009, provided certain criteria are met. In addition, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is urgently seeking a meeting with the European Food Safety Authority and relevant interest groups to discuss the content of safety dossiers for those vitamins and minerals and their sources currently excluded from the permitted lists.
The Government also recognise concerns over the future setting of maximum permitted limits of nutrients in food supplements. While the Directive establishes principles for setting maximum permitted limits, no such levels have yet been set. The Government's view is that these maximum limits should be based on consideration of safety rather than supposed nutritional need so as to neither unnecessarily limit consumer choice nor unduly restrict trade. To this end, the FSA, which will be responsible for future negotiations on this issue, takes every opportunity to press this case bilaterally with member states and with other interested parties.
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