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Foundation Hospitals

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the appointment of the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Hospitals. [R] [121869]

Mr. Hutton: The advert for the post of Independent Regulator was advertised on 14 May 2003. Candidates were asked to respond by 3 June 2003. The recruitment

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process is on-going and I expect to announce the appointment later this year. The appointment process is in line with best practice in the public sector and includes independent assessment.

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation he proposes to make of the first wave of NHS foundation trusts prior to deciding whether (a) to support the creation of more such trusts and (b) to expand foundation trusts beyond the hospital sector. [R] [121870]

Mr. Hutton: All national health service trusts will have the opportunity to apply for NHS foundation trust status within the next five years. It has also already been agreed that the NHS foundation trust model will be extended to NHS mental health trusts.

The experience gained from the first wave NHS foundation trusts will be applied as implementation progresses and in exploring whether this model could be adapted for other NHS organisations.

The process for establishing NHS foundation trusts will be kept under capital review.

Genetically Modified Food

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned, (b) undertaken itself, (c) reviewed, (d) completed, (e) published or received and (f) ensured the appropriate peer review of in respect of the impact of genetically modified foods consumed by humans upon their health, in the last five years. [122491]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) funds two extensive research programmes, which underpin the safety assessment of genetically modified foods. This research is undertaken by independent research scientists. The work is peer reviewed before the reports of the research are made publicly available through the FSA's library. Details of the research programme are published in the FSA's research and surveys programmes annual report and are available on the FSA web site at www.food.gov/ukscience/research/researchannualreports/.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will put in place safeguards to ensure that vital equipment is not removed without prior agreement under clause 63(1)(b) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. [121178]

Ms Rosie Winterton: We expect that the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) will normally obtain any information or other material, such as medical equipment, it may need by agreement. The power to remove equipment may be necessary where inspectors suspect, for example, that tampering of either data or equipment has taken place or that patient safety is being put at risk. It is right in such circumstances that CHAI is able to remove such equipment for examination without having to negotiate first for its release.

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Health Insurance Cards

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the introduction of the common European health insurance card from June 2004. [116467]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 June 2003]: As part of the action plan for improving geographical mobility by 2005, the Barcelona European Council agreed to create a European health insurance card. In February 2003 the European Commission published a communication document COM(2003)13, which is available in the Library.

This card is intended to replace the current paper forms needed to obtain health treatment during temporary stays in another member state of the European Union. The initial stage will replace the emergency health care form E111.

Existing national cards may be adapted to conform to a European standard or member states which so wish may introduce a completely new card.

The United Kingdom is generally supportive of the proposal to replace E111 if it simplifies bureaucracy for patients and administrations. Detailed consideration has been given to the practicalities of production of a UK card. It is likely that the UK will wish to take advantage of the transitional period of up to the end of 2005 proposed by the European Commission before card issue to the UK public begins.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the implications are for (a) British NHS patients and (b) European patients using the NHS of the introduction of the common European health insurance card from June 2004. [116468]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 June 2003]: The intention of the card is to simplify procedures, but not to change existing rights and obligations. The European Commission's proposal for a health insurance card is intended primarily for the benefit of citizens. It is hoped to eliminate as many formalities as possible in providing documentation showing entitlement to care in other member states. A European Union wide standard health card should facilitate temporary stays abroad for United Kingdom visitors, both outwards and incoming.

Heathrow

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what occasions in the past 12 months his officials have met those from the Department of Transport to discuss the implications for public health of a third runway at Heathrow. [122169]

Miss Melanie Johnson: No meetings to discuss, specifically, the possible impacts on health of a third runway at Heathrow have been held. Discussion between officials is on how the health impacts of any airport development should be handled by the Department for Transport following its present consultation on the future development of air transport. Department of Health officials are involved in an integrated policy appraisal of the proposed expansion.

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Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of implications for public health of the construction of terminal five at Heathrow, with particular reference to levels of air pollution. [122170]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department of Health has made no assessment on the possible impacts on health of construction of a fifth terminal at Heathrow airport. All impacts, including health were fully considered in the planning inquiry, to which local primary care trusts gave evidence.

Hospital Food

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 687W, on hospital food, what methods his Department will use to monitor the effectiveness of phase II of the Better Hospital Food Programme. [121595]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Standards of service provision will be monitored through patient environment action team inspections.

Hospital Acquired Infections

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of hospital acquired infections have been reported in the last 12 months for which records are available, broken down by hospital. [121087]

Miss Melanie Johnson: National data on hospital infections are limited. This is one reason why we are developing a new national mandatory surveillance system for health care associated infection. This started with reporting of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections (bacteraemias), in April 2001. All acute trusts in England now collect this information and results for the first year of this scheme (April 2001 to March 2002) were published by individual trust in the Communicable Disease Report Weekly on 20 June 2002. They are available at www.phls.co.uk/publications/cdr/PDFfiles/2002/cdr2502.pdf. Results by individual trust for the second year will be published shortly.

The Health Protection Agency has a number of voluntary reporting systems for a range of other pathogenic organisms but these do not provide data by trust.

Human Organ Sales

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with other European Union member states on the sale of human organs within the European Union. [118928]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department of Health, together with the Home Office, is negotiating a draft European Union Framework Decision on the prevention and control of trafficking in human organs and tissues.

In addition, the Department has been working with the 45 member states of the Council of Europe, which includes the member states of the EU, to develop a recommendation on steps to be taken to minimise the risk of organ trafficking throughout the area.

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Insulin Pump Therapy

Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 431W, on insulin pump therapy, what research he has undertaken into the medical advantages of the provision of insulin pump therapy for type I diabetics; [122921]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 431W, on insulin pump therapy, if he will make insulin pumps and infusion kits free of charge for diabetics who require them for medical reasons; [122922]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 431W, on insulin pump therapy, if he will list the health authorities which provide insulin pump therapy at no cost; [122923]

(4) if he will compile statistics on (a) the numbers of type I diabetics who require insulin pump therapy and (b) the costs of providing this service free of charge. [122924]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Guidance on current best practice in clinical care is provided by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE issued its guidance, which takes account of all existing research, on insulin pump therapy in February 2003. Insulin pump therapy is recommended as one option for people with type 1 diabetes, provided that multiple dose insulin therapy, including insulin glargine, has failed and those receiving the treatment are willing and able to use the therapy effectively. Once NICE guidance is published, health professionals are expected to take it fully into account when exercising their clinical judgement. As national health service staff are trained, by February 2004, new users—where clinically indicated—will receive insulin pumps from the NHS. Information on those health authorities that currently provide insulin pump therapy at no cost is not collected centrally.

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