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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1354W—continued
Tobacco Advertising
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations the Government have made to (a) the Belgian Government and (b) the European Commission regarding the Belgian Government's postponement of a complete ban on tobacco advertising. [130162]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government have not made representations to either the Belgian Government or the European Commission regarding the Belgian Government's postponement of a complete ban on tobacco advertising.
UK Biobank
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1)how much funding the Government has put into the creation of the UK Biobank; who the other funders are; and how much they have put in; [130097]
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- (2) what the terms of reference are for the United Kingdom Biobank; and for how long the Government intends to fund the United Kingdom Biobank; [130098]
(3) when the independent oversight body for the United Kingdom Biobank will be set up; and who will sit on the body. [130099]
Dr. Ladyman: The UK Biobank is a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Department of Health and the Wellcome Trust. Initially, the Department will contribute £5 million and the MRC and the Wellcome Trust will each contribute up to £28 million, making a total of £61 million, of which £33 million is from government sources. In addition the Scottish Executive has offered to contribute £0.5 million to the project.
The UK Biobank is being established as a limited company with charitable status. The memorandum and articles of association have been substantially agreed by the funders and are being reviewed by the Charity Commission. The UK Biobank is a long term project and it is envisaged that information on the health of the participants will be collected for at least ten years after recruitment in order to ensure the UK Biobank reaches its full potential as a research resource. Initial funding is for the piloting and recruitment phases (approximately seven years), but the funders recognise that additional funding (at a lower level) will be required for the follow-up phase.
The independent oversight body is now termed the Ethics and Governance Council on the recommendation of the interim advisory group that has developed the draft ethics and governance framework for the UK Biobank. The framework will be published for consultation later this month and will be discussed at the meeting of the Human Genetics Commission on 25 September 2003. Responses to the consultation will inform the exact timescale for the creation of the council and its composition, but the funders want to establish this body as soon as possible.
Vaccines
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the levels of health risk associated with the use of (a) mercury free and (b) mercury based preservatives in vaccines for children. [122715]
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Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 30 June 2003]: The vaccines used in the childhood immunisation programme have been thoroughly assessed for safety prior to being licensed. As with all medicinal products, vaccine safety is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the independent expert advisory Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).
No vaccine or medicinal product is without potential side effects and these are clearly listed in the product information that is available to health professionals and patients. The CSM has reviewed the safety of vaccines containing the preservative thiomersal (which contains ethyl mercury) on a number of occasions. In 2001, the CSM conducted a major review of the available evidence and has considered new data as it has come to light in 2003. A statement was placed on the MHRA website at http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk in February 2003, summarising the latest evidence on this issue.
The advice of the CSM remains that, with the exception of possible hypersensitivity reactions (that typically include skin rashes or local swelling at the site of injection), there is no evidence of harm from thiomersal contained in vaccines and that the benefits of immunisation with thiomersal-containing vaccines outweigh any potential risks of vaccination. This view concurs with that of the World Health Organisation.
Waiting Times
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for patients admitted to Southend General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department to see a doctor in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002. [130957]
Dr. Ladyman: Information on average waiting times in accident and emergency departments is not collected centrally.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for patients admitted to Southend General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department to be admitted to a ward in each year since 1997. [130958]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested for the period from 2001–02 to the present is shown in the table. Prior to 2001–02, data were collected at health authority level.
| Number of patients admitted through | Patients placed in bed ina ward within 2 hours ofa decision to admit | Patients placed in bed ina ward within 2 to4 hours of a decision toadmit | Patients not placed in bedin a ward within 4 hoursof a decision to admit | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qtr | Name | major A&E | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | Southend Hospital NHS Trust | 3,674 | 891 | 24.3 | 2,783 | 75.7 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2002–03 | 4 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 3,549 | 1,189 | 33.5 | 2,357 | 66.4 | 3 | 0.1 |
| 2002–03 | 3 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,784 | 380 | 13.6 | 2,395 | 86.0 | 9 | 0.3 |
| 2002–03 | 2 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,609 | 577 | 22.1 | 2,031 | 77.8 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 2002–03 | 1 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,431 | 1,386 | 57.0 | 1,044 | 42.9 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 2001–02 | 4 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,441 | 984 | 40.3 | 1,454 | 59.6 | 3 | 0.1 |
| 2001–02 | 3 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,561 | 1221 | 47.7 | 1,334 | 52.1 | 6 | 0.2 |
| 2001–02 | 2 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 2,428 | 1068 | 44.0 | 1,350 | 55.6 | 10 | 0.4 |
| 2001–02 | 1 | Southend Health Care NHS Trust | 4,192 | 4,186 | 99.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 6 | 0.1 |
Source:
Department of Health dataset QMAE/AMGN
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Weight Reduction Operations
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many surgeons performed weight reduction operations in the last 12 months; [127088]
(2) if he will state for each hospital trust whether it has established a database to monitor surgery undertaken to aid weight loss for patients; [127091]
(3) how many children in the last year have undergone surgery to aid weight reduction. [127092]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 8 September 2003]: The data collected by Hospital Episode Statistics do not identify individual surgeons, so it is not possible to confirm how many surgeons performed these operations.
The Department does not collect centrally information on whether trusts have developed databases to monitor surgery undertaken to aid weight loss. The decision on whether surgery is the most appropriate option for children to aid weight reduction is for clinical judgement. Hospital Episode Statistics data show that in 2001–02 there were 16 Finished Consultant Episodes for children aged between 0–17 years of age with a primary diagnosis of obesity and which included a main operative procedure.
Whistleblowers
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 230W, on whistleblowers, who in the Department is responsible for examining such cases. [129336]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 15 September 2003]: The Department's policy is that, wherever possible, concerns raised by staff should be dealt with locally in accordance with local policies and procedures on whistleblowing, so that problems can be addressed quickly. However, there have been cases where whistleblowers have considered the local response inadequate, and as a consequence have sought to raise their concerns with the Department. Such cases are examined by the relevant strategic health authorities at the request of the human resources directorate of the Department.
An updated policy pack to support organisations in developing and/or reviewing their whistleblowing policies and procedures was sent by the director of human resources to all National Health Service trusts and health authorities on 25 July 2003. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 234W, on whistleblowers, what steps he has taken in response to the Prime Minister's letter of 23 October 2002 concerning Mark Heyes. [129335]
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Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 15 September 2003]: Officials have looked into the matters which Mr. Heyes raised in his letter to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. These were considered to be a reiteration of previous issues, which have already been investigated by the Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
The Department of Health cannot intervene in individual NHS trust employment issues and Mr. Heyes has been advised to seek independent legal advice.
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