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20 Nov 2003 : Column 1354W—continued
State Pension
Mrs. Liddell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners are in receipt of the state retirement pension in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency. [14036]
Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Men | 3,900 |
| Women | 8,300 |
| Total | 12,200 |
Source:IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent sample.Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
2. Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample
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HEALTH
Genetically Modified Food
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what direct tests have been conducted on humans to determine whether the GM foods approved in Europe may be allergenic. [138816]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Each genetically modified food approved to date in Europe has been assessed on a case-by-case basis. The assessment includes an evaluation of allergenicity in accordance with internationally agreed guidelines on testing of novel and genetically modified foods. Direct testing on human subjects is not part of this protocol.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring of groups potentially vulnerable to the effects of consuming GM crops (a) has been undertaken and (b) is planned by the Government. [138817]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Each genetically modified (GM) crop is assessed on a case-by-case basis. This includes a consideration of whether products from the crop, if approved, are suitable to be consumed by all sectors of the population. The Food Standards Agency has not therefore undertaken, nor is planning, any monitoring of groups potentially vulnerable to the effects of consuming GM crops.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from companies on the proposed sale of genetically modified sweetcorn in supermarkets. [138814]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency has not received any such representations on the proposed sale of genetically modified sweetcorn.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out on the safety of genetically modified sweetcorn. [138815]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) funds two extensive research programmes that underpin the safety assessment of genetically modified foods. The FSA does not commission specific research into the safety of individual genetically modified foods that are being proposed for authorisation.
Animal Welfare
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the benefits of medical experiments on primates, particularly in relation to (i) the prediction of side effects, (ii) the alternative of non-invasive techniques, (iii) vitro studies and (iv) computer simulations designed to mimic human metabolism; and if he will make a statement. [138880]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any recent research on the benefits of using non-human primates in scientific procedures. The Animal Procedures Committee, which advises the Home Secretary on matters concerned with
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the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, published a report in July 2003 on the use of primates in scientific research. The report recommends that the Government should convene a stakeholders' forum on the care and use of primates in experiments, to progress the issues raised in the report. The Government have agreed that a forum should be set up. Every effort will continue to be required to minimise primate use and find alternatives where practicable.
"Choice, Responsiveness and Equity"
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which patients' organisations were sent the consultation document, "Choice, Responsiveness and Equity", and when; and if he will make a statement on the time taken from publication to writing to hon. Members on 21 October to inform them of the consultation. [136988]
Mr. Hutton: Dissemination of the consultation support pack to patient organisations, and others, has been ongoing since publication on 1 September 2003. A list of patients' organisations that we have contacted directly has been placed in the Library. When the House returned in October, I sent right hon. and hon. Members a summary of the consultation document that we had developed following requests from local organisations to support their local events.
Accident and Emergency Admissions
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of admissions to accident and emergency is directly related to the individual's use of alcohol. [139247]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government's latest estimate of the proportion of alcohol-related attendances at accident and emergency was prepared by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's strategy unit as part of their project to develop an Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England. This work indicated that 41 per cent. of all accident and emergency attendances were alcohol related, rising to 70 per cent. between midnight and five a.m. on Saturday night.
These estimates were prepared using specially commissioned research, and were published as part of the strategy unit's interim analysis on the harms associated with alcohol misuse on 19 September 2003.Agency Staff
Agency Staff
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of (a) agency nurses and (b) agency doctors has been to the NHS in London in each year since 1997. [133749]
Mr. Hutton: The table shows expenditure for the six financial years, 1997–98 to 2002–03, on agency nurses 1 and agency doctors 2 for the health authorities, national health service trusts and primary care trusts within the London region.
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The NHS is now treating more patients then ever before and this increase in activity is reflected in greater spending on agency staff in the NHS.
| Agency nurses (51) expenditure | Agency doctors (52) expenditure | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 111,628,043 | 22,363,331 |
| 1998–99 | 130,573,228 | 22,900,245 |
| 1999–2000 | 180,665,901 | 22,902,621 |
| 2000–01 | 202,308,850 | 32,234,187 |
| 2001–02 | 229,288,793 | 46,761,800 |
| 2002–03 | 220,780,586 | 66,811,064 |
(51) 'Agency nurses'—non NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff.
(52) 'Agency doctors'—non NHS medical staff.
Note:
2002–03 data are provisional.
Sources:
1. Annual Financial Returns of Health Authorities—1997–98 to 2001–03.
2. Annual Financial Returns of NHS Trusts—1997–98 to 2002–03.
3. Annual Financial Returns of Primary Care Trusts—2000–01 to 2002–03.
Alcohol Strategy
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in respect of the cost of alcohol abuse to the national health service; and when he expects to publish his Alcohol Strategy. [138778]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government's latest estimate of the costs accruing to the national health service as a result of alcohol misuse was prepared by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's strategy unit as part of their project to develop a alcohol harms reduction strategy for England. The strategy unit's interim analytical report on the harms associated with alcohol misuse, which was published on 19 September 2003, indicated that costs to the health service in
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England lay between £1.4 billion and £1.7 billion. These estimates were prepared using both existing and specially commissioned research.
The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England will be published in and implemented from 2004, in line with the commitment given by the Government in the NHS Plan.
Bechtel
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to his Department in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [137882]
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