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7 Jun 2004 : Column 170W—continued

Prussian Blue

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stocks of Prussian blue are available to the Government; and what number of people this would allow to be treated in the event of leaks from radioactive material. [174366]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 May 2004]: Prussian blue is effective in the treatment of people exposed to caesium-137. It is also effective in treating poisoning with non-radioactive metals, such as thallium. In view of this, the Government have ensured that sufficient stocks of Prussian blue are available for use in the event of a release of caesium-137 or thallium. For security reasons, details of what stocks are held are not disclosed.
 
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Public Bodies

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the Dental Practice Board in the last financial year for which figures are available; how many times the Board has met; and when it last met. [175265]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The net cost of the Dental Practice Board (DPB) in the financial year 2003–04 was £23.8million. The cost is shared proportionally between the Department and the National Assembly for Wales as the DPB provides a dental payment and information service for England and Wales.

The DPB board meets four times a year and last met on 21 April 2004.

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) actual and (b) predicted funding of (i) community health councils, (ii) the Commission for Public Patient Involvement in Health, (iii) the Independent Complaint and Advocacy Service and (iv) patients' forums was in each year since 1997. [175271]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table. The data relating to the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) and patients' forums are shown as a single amount because the there is no separate budget for patients' forums and the CPPIH is responsible for allocating funds to them. The data relating to expenditure up to 2004–05 is actual spend—figures for 2004–05 are predicted spend.
£ million

	Community health councils	CPPIH and patients' forums	Independent complaints advocacy services
1997–98	22.561	n/a	n/a
1998–99	22.561	n/a	n/a
1999–2000	23	n/a	n/a
2000–01	23	n/a	n/a
2001–02	23	n/a	n/a
2002–03	23	3.27	n/a
2003–04	15	30.192	4.4
2004–05	n/a	33.3	6.8

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times a year the Board of the Health Development Agency is scheduled to meet; and on what dates. [175344]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Board of the Health Development Agency meets six times per year alternately in London and in regional locations. The remaining dates for 2004 are 14 July in the north-west region, 7 October in London and 1 December in the south-east region.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the relationship between the work of the National Biological Standards Board and the Health Protection Agency; and what plans he has to merge the two bodies. [175318]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The National Biological Standards Board (NBSB) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) work closely together on areas of
 
7 Jun 2004 : Column 172W
 
common interest and the Department has actively encouraged them to do so. The NBSB's executive body, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, also acts as the official testing and release body for some of the HPA's vaccine products. We have no plans at present to merge these two bodies.

Both bodies are part of the ongoing review of the Department's arms length bodies, which was the subject of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's announcement on 20 May.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the (a) Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee and (b) the Advisory Board on Registration of Homoeopathic Products last met. [175319]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The administration of adioactive substances advisory committee last met on 21 January 2004.

The advisory board on registration of homeopathic medicines last met on 23 March 2004.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the Committees on (a) medical aspects of radiation in the environment, (b) the safety of devices, (c) the safety of medicines and (d) carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment are scheduled to convene; and on what date each last met. [175338]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) currently meets four times a year. It last met on 18 March 2004.

The Committee on the Safety of Devices was set up in April 2001 and meets up to three times a year. The last meeting was held on 20 November 2003.

The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) meets twice a month and once in December. No meetings are held in August. The CSM last met on 5 May 2004.

The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) meets three times a year. The COC last met on 1 April 2004.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the Advisory Committees on (a) dangerous pathogens, (b) distinction awards, (c) hepatitis and (d) borderline substances are scheduled to convene; and on what date each last met. [175340]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Meetings of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens are convened quarterly; the last meeting was on 22 March 2004. The last meeting of the Advisory Committee on distinction awards was on 7 October 2003. It has since been succeeded by the Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards, which convenes annually. Meetings of the Advisory Committee on Hepatitis are convened two to three times per year; the last meeting was on 18 February 2004. Meetings of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances are convened three times a year; the last meeting was on 23 March 2004.
 
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Royal Liverpool Children's Litigation

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements the NHS Litigation Authority has made concerning the Royal Liverpool children's litigation; and how the implementation of these arrangements is being monitored. [177275]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Litigation Authority agreed settlement terms for the Royal Liverpool children's litigation (RLCL) in a mediation, which took place in September 2002. Lump sum compensation of £5 million was made to a trust fund set up by the RLCL claimants. The payment was approved by the court.

The Royal Liverpool NHS Trust has completed all but one of the terms of the settlement that were agreed with the claimants at the mediation. The parents were unable to reach a consensus on the type of memorial to be developed, and have therefore agreed among them that the £5,000 should be donated to five children's charities. This final action is being taken forward.

A review meeting at the trust, attended by claimants, took place on 29 January 2004 to confirm implementation of the mediation agreement.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of sexually transmitted diseases were reported for those between 11 and 19 in each year since 2000 in the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon Strategic Health Authority, broken down by age. [176123]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 25 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1610–11W.

Skin Clinics

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he is doing to encourage the development of skin clinics in primary care comparable to those provided for asthma and diabetes. [173923]

Mr. Hutton: Primary care trusts, in partnership with local stakeholders, have the responsibility for deciding what services to provide for their populations, including those with skin disease. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.

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