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1 Apr 2004 : Column 1676W—continued
St. Jude Silzone Heart Valve
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information and statistics he has collated about complications experienced by recipients of the St. Jude Silzone heart valve; and if he will make a statement. [163193]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) receives reports of adverse incidents involving medical devices, including heart valves, though a voluntary user
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reporting system and mandatory manufacturer vigilance reporting system as required by the Medical Devices Directive. Information on deaths and valve explantations is also collected by the UK Heart Valve Registry and is made available to clinicians.
Approximately 1,300 Silzone* mechanical heart valves were distributed in the United Kingdom between its introduction in 1997 and its withdrawal from use in January 2000. The main problems associated with Silzone* heart valves were increased risk of blood clotting complications, such as stroke, and leakage around the valve. The MHRA was originally alerted to this problem by a report of seven incidents of such complications among a series of 51 patients implanted with Silzone heart valves at one UK centre. The MHRA has since received only a small number of reports associated with the Silzone* valve. A clinical study sponsored by the manufacturer, St. Jude Medical, confirmed the MHRA's finding that the risk of complications was higher with this valve than in valves without the Silzone* coating, but showed that the increased risk occurred only in the first few months after implantation. Consequently, patients who remain implanted with this valve are now at no greater risk from complications than recipients of uncoated valves.
Suicide Bereavement
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into the costs and benefits of establishing a national suicide bereavement response strategy. [164896]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has commissioned the York Centre for reviews and dissemination to undertake a review of evidence regarding interventions to help people bereaved by suicide. The review is due to report its findings in summer 2004 and will support implementation of objective 2.8 of the national suicide prevention strategy for England.
Tuberculosis
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of TB were reported in England in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by health authority. [161142]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 15 March 2004]: The number of tuberculosis cases, reported by strategic health authority (SHA) in England 2001 through enhanced TB surveillance, is shown in the table.
Note:
85 cases could not be matched from local authority data to SHA data.
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TREASURY
World Debt
14. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Chancellor of Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his policy towards the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries. [164994]
John Healey: The UK Government continues to be absolutely committed to the rapid and full implementation of the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative—to ensuring that it delivers as much debt relief as possible under the current framework.
The UK goes even further than is required under the HIPC initiative and is committed to providing 100 per cent. debt relief to eligible HIPC countries.
But we must ensure that the HIPC initiative is completed, that topping up is provided where necessary for countries to achieve the 150 per cent. debt-to-export ratio, that it is fully funded, and that it has wide participation.
However, debt relief alone is not sufficient. All HIPC countries will need additional aid to meet the MDGS. That is why the UK's proposal for an International finance facility (IFF) is so important. it can provide the much-needed substantial increase in resources—in the form of grants, concessional loans, or further debt relief—needed to attain the MDGS.
18. Mrs. Betty Williams : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries. [164998]
Mr. Boateng : The UK Government continues to be absolutely committed to the rapid and full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and to ensuring that it delivers as much debt relief as possible, to as many eligible countries as possible, under the current framework.
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Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries. [164982]
Mr. Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Swindon (Ms Drown) earlier today.
Millennium Development Goals
15. Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with other Ministers on financing the Millennium Development Goals. [164995]
John Healey: The Chancellor discussed the UK our proposal for an international finance facility with G7 colleagues at their recent meeting in Boca Raton.
The proposal will be considered in detail during the 8 April Ministerial forum on financing for Development in Paris, which the Chancellor will co-chair with the French Finance Minister.
Employment (North-east)
16. Mr. Kevan Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress with his aim to achieve full employment in the north-east. [164996]
Mr. Boateng: Employment has risen in every region since 1997, and in the north-east the employment rate now stands at 69.6 per cent.
Gershon Review
17. Mr. Swire : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with Sir Peter Gershon regarding the total savings in public sector employment within the Department for Transport as a result of his efficiency review. [164997]
Mr. Boateng: The Department for Transport is working closely with Sir Peter Gershon and other key stakeholders to develop efficiency proposals for consideration in the 2004 Spending Review. Details of all departments' agreed efficiency programmes will be published alongside the Spending Review.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in implementing the interim proposals of the Gershon Review since his announcement in the Budget. [165018]
Mr. Boateng: I can now give more details of the specifics of reductions at Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.
Of the 14,000 job reductions by 2007–08 in the new tax department, 8,000 will be made by Inland Revenue, 3,000 by HM Customs and Excise and 3,000 will result from the merger.
Ministers have met all the relevant trades unions. And yesterday the Chancellor met the TUC general council.
As the Chancellor announced, following the Lyons review, of the 27,000 public sector jobs to be moved out of London and the south east, 7,000 will not be replaced.
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National Insurance
19. Paul Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expected cost to the National Insurance Fund is in 2003–04 of reductions in contributions by employers to compensate them for the cost of environmental taxes. [164999]
Dawn Primarolo: In 2003–04 the climate change levy is expected to raise £0.8 billion. The deduction in contributions to the National Insurance Fund for 2003–04 to Compensate for the Climate Change levy is around £1.2 billion.
In 2003–04 the aggregates levy is expected to raise £0.3 billion. The deduction in contributions to the National Insurance Fund for 2003–04 to Compensate for the aggregates levy is around £0.4 billion.
It is not possible to calculate the effect of the reduction in employer NICs in respect of landfill tax due to the structural changes to secondary NICs in 1999.
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