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Diet and Nutrition

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the most recent National Diet and Nutrition Survey was published; what percentage of women aged 35 to 49 it found had a total daily folic acid intake of less than 400 microgrammes; and what his Department's recommended total daily folic acid intake is from (a) the normal diet and (b) supplemental sources for women in that age group. [137053]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey, published in July 2003, showed that 84 per cent. of women aged 35 to 49 had folate intakes below 400 micrograms per day. The recommended intake for folate from diet for these women is 200 micrograms per day. The Department recommends that all women planning a pregnancy should take

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400 micrograms per day of folic acid (a synthetic form of folate) as a daily supplement to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

EU Clinical Trial Directive

Mr. Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has made of the long term effects of the EU Clinical Trial Directive on clinical research in the UK. [132585]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 20 October 2003]: The European Directive on the conduct of clinical trials was adopted in February 2001. The main aim of the Directive is to simplify and harmonise procedures across the Community whilst ensuring the protection of trial subjects and providing a safe environment for the development of new medicines. Member states are required to implement the Directive fully by 1 May 2004.

The scope of the Directive is wide and the UK Regulations will apply to all clinical trials on medicinal products for human use conducted in the UK, including academic and healthy volunteer studies, with the exception of non-interventional trials.

The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, invited the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Academy of Medical Sciences to co-ordinate a report on the impact of the Directive on academic studies. The impact assessment, prepared by the MRC with the active support of others including Cancer Research UK, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment and a number of academic experts formed the basis for a response to the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) consultation on the draft regulations to implement the Directive into UK law earlier this year.

In responding to concerns, and to provide an environment in which patients are protected but high quality research is not inhibited, the Government have taken steps to attempt to influence the Commission in its consideration of a Commission Directive on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and also in reviewing guidance that the Commission published earlier this year.

In another initiative, the Department and the MRC have announced a joint project to work with experts to find practical solutions to the issues identified in the impact assessment. Details of the project can be found on www.ncchta.org/eudirective/index.asp.

With our careful exploration of the impact on publicly-funded research and organisations that support it and delays in the Commission finalising the GCP Directive and other guidance, the United Kingdom's implementing regulations are not expected to be made until early in 2004.

Further information on the scope of the Directive and the proposed UK implementing regulations is available on the MHRA's website www.mhra.gov.uk on the Clinical Trials Directive pages.

Food Supplements

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will compensate manufacturers and

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retailers for the cost of destroying products which will become illegal in July 2005 under the provisions of the Food Supplements (England) Regulations on the basis that they contain ingredients missing from the list of permitted nutrients and nutrient sources. [136627]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government have no such plans.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have waited (a) up to three months, (b) up to six months and (c) up to nine months for an appointment at a genito-urinary management clinic in (i) Chesham and Amersham and (ii) Buckinghamshire in each year since 1996. [136573]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 5 November 2003]: No patients have been reported by provider trusts for the Chesham, Amersham and Buckinghamshire area as waiting up to three months, six months or nine months for an outpatient appointment for genito-urinary medicine.

Health Care (Gloucestershire)

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with (a) Gloucestershire primary care trusts and (b) Gloucestershire hospital trusts about their budgetary shortfalls for 2003–04; and if he will make a statement; [134045]

(2) if he will make a statement on the proposed cuts in services (a) at Tewkesbury Hospital and (b) in Gloucestershire. [134046]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answser 23 October 2003]: In line with the Government's policy of shifting the balance of power, responsibility for performance and financial management of local national health servie organisations now rests with strategic health authorities (SHAs).

The Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA is working closely with all organisations within the local health community to ensure that robust plans are in place to achieve year end financial balance and achievement of NHS plan targets. The SHA is having regular meetings with all three local primary care trusts (PCTs) and the hospital trust to monitor progress.

The PCTs and the hospital trust are reviewing service provision and are currently considering a range of measures, including the utilisation of community hospital beds.

Health Care (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS revenue funding (a) in cash terms and (b) at current prices was provided for (i) York NHS Trust services and (ii) York Primary Care Trust for community and mental health services transferred to it from the NHS Trust, in each year since 1992. [135959]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.

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£

	York Hospitals NationalHealth Service Trust		Selby and York PrimaryCare Trust
	Net expenditure		Net expenditure
Year	Cash terms	Current prices	Cash terms	Current prices
1992–93	30,756,432	39,493,094	—	—
1993–94	28,891,523	35,980,377	—	—
1994–95	26,341,022	32,195,441	—	—
1995–96	26,461,149	31,560,732	—	—
1996–97	14,143,552	16,374,779	—	—
1997–98	32,203,315	36,152,222	—	—
1998–99	35,164,130	38,427,803	—	—
1999–2000	34,538,617	37,060,192	—	—
2000–01	36,566,218	38,571,146	—	—
2001–02	24,336,434	25,030,016	12,392,798	12,745,989

Notes:

1. It is not possible to provide information on funding to NHS Trusts and PCTs for Community and Mental Health Services (including Learning Disabilities). Expenditure information by providers is included in financial returns, which are submitted on an annual basis. This expenditure information provides the closest to that required in the question.

2. The figures contain expenditure on Learning Disability services which cannot be disaggregated from certain mental health services.

3. In 1996–97, York Health Services NHS Trust submitted no information on Community Health Services and services commissioned through Royal Colleges. Therefore, information for 1996–97 is incomplete.

4. Current prices have been calculated using the gross domestic product deflator at market prices.

Sources:

1. York Health Services NHS Trust Financial returns 1992–2003.

2. Selby and York Primary Care Trust Financial Returns 2001 to 2003 (Selby and York is the closest geographic match to "York PCT" in the question).

Health Visitors

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of health visitors at Grade G due to retire in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years; and what efforts his Department has made to maintain or improve numbers of health visitors. [136294]

Mr. Hutton: Information on the number of health visitors at Grade G due to retire in the next five and 10 years is not available.

The total number of qualified health visitors broken down by gender in age bands 50–54 and 55 or over are shown in the table.

NHS health visitors, by gender in the specified age bands in England as at 30 September each yearheadcount

	1999	2000	2001	2002
Total health visitors	12,800	12,827	13,053	12,774
Of which:
All staff aged 50–54	2,355	2,361	2,271	2,163
Male	21	32	29	20
Female	2,334	2,329	2,242	2,143
All staff aged 55 or over	1,717	1,725	1,910	2,054
Male	14	13	11	10
Female	1,703	1,712	1,899	2,044

Note:

Figures consist of NHS health visitors employed by health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts in England.

Source:

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

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The Government is implementing a range of measures to recruit and retain more healthcare professionals, including health visitors. These include improving pay and conditions, encouraging the National Health Service to become a better, more flexible and diverse employer, increasing training, investing in childcare and continuing professional development, attracting back returners and running national recruitment campaigns.

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