| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
17 Jul 2003 : Column 589W—continued
Sickness Absence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years. [115849]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 3 June 2003]: The information is as follows:
The number of staff in the Department who have had periods of long-term sick leave in each of the last two years are listed in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 886 |
| 2002 | 915 |
17 Jul 2003 : Column 590W
Number of staff absent due to long-term sick leave. In calculating the figure, 'long-term' was defined as a continuous spell of sick absence lasting four weeks or more.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 8 |
Treasury Solicitor's Department and Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service
The number of staff taking long-term sick leave in the Treasury Solicitor's Department, Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service Directorate (defined as one month or more) in the last two years was:
HOME DEPARTMENT
Animal Testing
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2003, Official Report, column 548W, on animal testing, what factors underlay the underspend in the budget available for the development and promotion of alternatives to animal use in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [125282]
Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 4 July 2003, Official Report, column 548W.
The information in the previous answer relating to the spend in financial years 2000–01 to 2002–03 is shown in resource accounting terms. Resource accounting measures the actual value of goods and services received. Previously, the spend was measured in cash accounting terms—this measured the actual money leaving the Home Office's account.
At the end of each of the first of the two years in question there was a certain amount of expenditure for which the goods and services had not been received (termed a "pre-payment"), which was not recorded in the figures provided in resource accounting terms, but would have been recorded in cash accounting terms. The figures, including these pre-payments, are as follows.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 591W
| Financial year | Budget | Actual spend in resource terms | Underspend | Prepayments at end of year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 265,000 | 170,203 | 94,797 | 108,718 |
| 2001–02 | 280,000 | 173,906 | 106,094 | 1 12,038 |
| 2002–03 | 280,000 | 272,104 | 7,896 | 6,797 |
These prepayments affected the situation in 2000–01 and in 2001–02, but by the end of 2002–03 they were minimal, and the spend in resource terms for that year was only £7,896 below the budget. There are several reasons why the projects which constituted pre-payments did not start early enough in the financial year to be counted in resource accounting terms. The start of a research project is often delayed. That might be, for example, because the principal researcher takes longer than predicted to identify research assistants. These delays in turn can mean that potential underspends are identified too late for additional projects to be identified, and the work started, before the end of the financial year.
British Overseas Territories
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities his Department undertakes in connection with British overseas territories. [123991]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 16 July 2003]: Under British nationality legislation my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is responsible for nationality issues in the British overseas territories. He delegates a proportion of his certain functions under the Act to the Governors of the territories. The Home Office nevertheless retains an interest in the proper administration of all aspects of the nationality legislation and, in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, provides instructions, guidance and training on nationality matters to Governors and their staff in the territories. Through the United Kingdom Passport Service my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is also responsible currently for the issue of British citizen passports for some of the territories.
Carlile Report
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the Carlile report. [125454]
Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 15 July 2003]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath), on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 199W. The Government response, outlining progress on recommendations made in the Carlile report, is available in the Library.
Contingency Planning
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) the Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator and (c) the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee to discuss the UK's preparedness to cope with a terrorist attack; and if he will make a statement. [125031]
17 Jul 2003 : Column 592W
Mr. Blunkett: The Government keeps all aspects of the security of the UK under constant review and I am in regular contact with various elements of the intelligence community to assess the terrorist threat to the UK.
The threat from terrorist attack remains real as it has done for some time. However the intelligence and law enforcement agencies of the UK are constantly reviewing procedures to be taken in the event of a terrorist attack and the Government has provided significant funding to continue the vital improvements they have been made in this area since the tragic events of September 11th.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training and instructions have been issued to (a) ambulance crews, (b) paramedics, (c) GPs, (d) accident and emergency staff, (e) fire services and (f) police forces about the identification of radioisotopes in the event of the release of a radiological bomb; and if he will make a statement. [125155]
Mr. Blunkett: With funding of £2.7 million from the Department of Health, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is currently delivering a wide ranging programme of training on CBRN which encompasses responding to the release of radioisotopes from a radiological devise.
The radiological component is being delivered in conjunction with the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) which has significant experience of such training. NRPB are the body responsible for providing formal advice to Government on radiological protection issues and provided a significant input to the guidance to the NHS.
The national health service (NHS) has long-standing plans for responding to incidents involving radioactivity and these have been well exercised. The NHS has practical experience of responding to accidental releases of radioactive material. This experience provides a basic platform for dealing with radiological contamination, however caused. Advice to NHS personnel on responding to incidents, such as radioactivity released from radiological bombs, is given in a detailed annex "Practical guidance on planning for incidents involving radioactivity" (www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/chp9/rad.htm) within the document "Planning for Major Incidents: the NHS Guidance" (1998). This guidance contains advice on the provision of facilities and equipment for monitoring for radioactivity for people who might have been contaminated. The document "Deliberate Release of Biological and Chemical Guidance" (2000) also gives generic advice on dealing with a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) incident (www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/cbr/intro.htm).
On the Fire Service, the Fire Service has always had procedures and training to deal with radiation incidents. All firefighters receive training as part of their normal development. Enhanced by officers who attend the Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection course at the Fire Service College, and are mobilised to any radiation incident.
On police force training and instructions, to date a total of approximately 3,800 police officers have been trained with 2,862 of these having been trained at the
17 Jul 2003 : Column 593W
Police National CBRN Centre since August 2002. All of the police officers trained by the PNCBRNC (Police National CBRN Centre) have received training regarding a possible radiological incident.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what equipment has been issued to (a) ambulance crews, (b) paramedics, (c) GPs, (d) accident and emergency staff, (e) fire services and (f) police forces for the identification of radioisotopes in the event of the release of a radiological bomb; and if he will make a statement. [125156]
Mr. Blunkett: Initial detection of any chemical or radiological hazard at the scene of an incident normally falls to the fire service—although the police may also contribute and this is well understood amongst the emergency services. In conjunction with the police, the fire service will also decide the extent of the cordon required and provide advice to ambulance and other NHS staff attending. Expert advice is also quickly available from the Health Protection Agency and other agencies.
Fire and Rescue services have detection (survey meters) and monitoring (Dosimeter) equipment to enable them to both detect a source and monitor the doses received by firefighters.
It is not possible to give details publicly of police equipment which is used solely to respond to a CBRN terrorist incident for security reasons.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the optimum treatment time for radioisotope contamination in the event of a radiological bomb. [125157]
Mr. Blunkett: In the event of radioactive contamination following a radiological bomb the immediate danger is still from any injuries sustained. Therefore, the basic principle is that treatment of serious or life-threatening injuries must take priority over radiation monitoring or decontamination.
Health risks from radioactive contamination are less immediate and there is therefore time to assess the level of contamination before decontamination and any further treatment.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |