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14 May 2004 : Column 625W—continued
Modern Apprenticeships
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the 2004–05 budget for Modern Apprenticeships is allocated to large businesses to convert their existing training for young employees into Modern Apprenticeship qualifications; and what proportion this represents of the total Modern Apprenticeship training budget allocation. [169467]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
Truancy
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in the East Riding of Yorkshire played truant from school in each of the last five years. [171791]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
| Academic year(13) | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,844 | 3,853 |
| 1999 | 1,419 | 3,643 |
| 2000 | 2,013 | 4,171 |
| 2001 | 1,766 | 2,875 |
| 2002 | 1,956 | 3,805 |
| 2003 | 1,725 | 4,025 |
(13) September to May
| Academic year(14) | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7.67 | 20.36 |
| 1999 | 6.07 | 18.84 |
| 2000 | 8.31 | 20.97 |
| 2001 | 7.21 | 14.26 |
| 2002 | 8.07 | 18.34 |
| 2003 | 7.62 | 19.20 |
(14) September to May
HEALTH
Anti-psychotic Drugs
Mrs. Helen Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many items of (a) anti-psychotic drugs
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excluding atypicals and (b) atypical anti-psychotic drugs were prescribed in (i) January to March 2000 and (ii) January to March 2003; [172417]
(2) how many anti-psychotic drug items were prescribed in (a) January to March 2000 and (b) January to March 2003. [172418]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table. The data covers prescription items dispensed in the community in England only. It does not cover prescription items dispensed in hospitals/mental health trusts or private prescriptions.
| January to March 2000 | January to March 2003 | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-psychotics excluding atypicals | 953.5 | 574.4 |
| Atypical anti-psychotics | 244.5 | 701.2 |
| Total anti-psychotics | 1,198.1 | 1,275.6 |
Notes:
1. The prescription information is from the Prescription Cost Analysis system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.
2. Antipsychotics are defined in the table as British National Formulary paragraph 4.2.1 "Antipsychotic drugs". Antipsychotic depot injections (BNF paragraph 4.2.2) are not included in this data.
Asylum Seekers (Health Screening)
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many asylum claimants refused the offer of basic health screening in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [171856]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available on a national basis. Data collected locally shows that health screening was refused by around one per cent. (28 of 2,406) of asylum claimants who were received at the East Kent induction centre during the last six months. A new system of collating data was introduced in autumn 2003, and local information for a 12-month period could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Clinical Negligence
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to bring forward a bill on clinical negligence; and if he will make a statement; [171761]
(2) which of the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer's report, Making Amends into Medical Negligence, have been implemented. [171762]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
The Department is reviewing the responses to the consultation document 'Making Amends'. It is intended to publish a statement of policy later this year, setting out how the National Health Service response to clinical negligence will change in the
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future. Following this, the Department intends to introduce the changes which require primary legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Competent Authorities (EU Accession States)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1222W, on competent authorities (EU accession states), when he expects to receive from the European Commission a list of competent authorities operating in the accession countries in respect of the health and social care profession. [172101]
Mr. Hutton: The European Commission has undertaken to provide this information within the next month. Meanwhile, it has advised that the competent authorities are the Health Ministries of the Member States concerned.
Correspondence
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will respond to the letter he has received from Mr. C.J. Ray of Ash Vale, Surrey, a constituent. [172796]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 13 May 2004]: A reply was sent to Mr. Ray on 10 May 2004.
Dentistry
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that NHS dentists understand the detail of the new NHS contract. [169817]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 4 May 2004]: This Government is committed to rebuilding and restoring National Health Service dentistry to improve the oral health of the Nation. The proposals in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 represent the most radical reform of NHS dentistry since 1948. Our proposals for NHS dentistry will underpin a modernised, high-quality primary dental service provided through contracts between primary care trusts (PCTs) and dental practices. The service will be properly integrated with the rest of the NHS providing better access to services and an improved patient experience.
We have made considerable progress on implementation. We have consulted widely with representatives of stakeholders on the framework proposed for the new primary dental services. The consultation period ended on 30 April and we are considering the responses received and will use them to inform implementation plans.
The Department, supported by the special health authority shadow arrangements we put in place last year, will ensure that the NHS, both strategic health authorities and their PCTs, have the information they need to open meaningful discussion with their potential local providers of primary dental services to establish contracts for the provision of NHS dentistry in the new world. PCTs will be supported in this through the national primary and care trust development programme (NatPaCT) and by the shadow special health authority.
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The underpinning principles on which we are working were set out in a letter from the Chief Dental Officer to all dentists in England in January 2004, copies of this letter have been placed in the Library. Now that the consultation on the framework proposals is over, the Department plans to communicate directly with dentists in England on a regular basis to keep them informed of developments.
Eating Disorders
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional funding his Department has made available to support the implementation of the new National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines relating to the treatment of eating disorders. [172477]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Funding to meet recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been included in the allocations notified to primary care trusts for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06. This funding is not separately identified.
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