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7 Jun 2004 : Column 177W—continued
Waiting Lists/Times
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases patients waiting longer than six months for a NHS operation were removed from the list on the grounds that they are not fit, willing or able to attend for surgery in the latest year for which figures are available. [175691]
Mr. Hutton:
Data on removals are published on the Department's website at www.performance.doh.gov. uk/waitingtimes.
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The data do not identify the length of wait of patients removed from the list.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times were for a routine scan in each year since 1997; and what procedures are included in his definition of a routine scan. [174585]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Data on waiting times for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not collected centrally.
The word 'routine' is describing the urgency with which the scan referral should be acted upon and this is affected by such things as the severity of the patients symptoms, the likely diagnosis and the speed at which treatment for that condition should be started to optimise the best chance of a good outcome.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for the residents of Wirral, South in each of the last seven years. [172687]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Wirral health authority | Bebington and West Wirral PCT | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | |
| Total | 6,354 | 6,661 | 5,489 | 4,890 | 4,887 | 5,705 | 1,841 | 1,657 |
| 0 to 2 not seen | 3,634 | 4,047 | 3,466 | 2,677 | 3,014 | 3,294 | 1,061 | 1,165 |
| 3 to 5 not seen | 1,469 | 1,553 | 1101 | 1,066 | 1,072 | 1,282 | 428 | 381 |
| 6 to 8 not seen | 726 | 670 | 529 | 576 | 472 | 665 | 263 | 111 |
| 9 to 11 not seen | 412 | 337 | 291 | 311 | 201 | 394 | 89 | 0 |
| 12 to 14 not seen | 97 | 46 | 79 | 197 | 89 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 to 17 not seen | 15 | 8 | 23 | 63 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 to 20 not seen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 to 23 not seen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
Source:
Department of Health QF01
| Wirral health authority | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | |
| Not seen 13 to 25 | 1,443 | 1,781 | 4,130 | 1,644 | 1,684 |
| Not seen 26 plus | 654 | 1,351 | 3,261 | 2,464 | 1 |
| Bebington and West Wirral PCT | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | |
| Not seen 13 to 17 | 204 | 117 |
| Not seen 17 to 21 | 137 | 2 |
| Not seen 21 to 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Not seen 26+ | 0 | 0 |
Source:
Department of Health QM08R
Work-related Stress
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of (a) work-related stress and (b) accidents at work. [174657]
Miss Melanie Johnson: It is not possible to estimate in either case on the basis of the available data.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Fines
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to link the level of fines to a convicted individual's income. [173120]
Paul Goggins:
Fines are currently imposed on the basis of the seriousness of the offence and the offender's ability to pay. The Carter Review, "Managing Offender, Reducing Crime", recommended the introduction of a 'day fines' system, which would offer a transparent link with the ability to pay. The Government is currently considering this proposal, which would require primary legislation.
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UK Citizens (Marriage)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to record the English language proficiency of spouses who have been given entry clearance to come to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [176280]
Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
UKvisas do not record the English language proficiency of spouses as part of the visa application process. There is no policy or requirement in the UK Immigration Rules for spouse's proficiency in English to be recorded. The Home Office is responsible for the contents of the Immigration Rules, and have no plans to introduce language proficiency as a prerequisite of granting entry clearance to spouses.
Alcohol Reduction Strategy
Mr. Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of a timetable for implementing the alcohol reduction strategy. [171749]
Ms Blears: We have already begun to implement the Alcohol Harm Strategy for England. Home Office officials are working with officials at the Department of Health and others across Government to make sure that it is implemented on time.
We will be measuring progress regularly against clearly defined indicators, and there will be an independent review early in the next Parliament to assess whether enough progress has been made on working with the industry to develop a voluntary social responsibility scheme.
Army Personnel
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations have been conducted by the North Yorkshire police in each of the last five years into (a) deaths and (b) violent incidents (i) at army barracks and (ii) involving military personnel associated with Catterick Barracks; and how many of these resulted in papers being sent to the Crown Prosecution Service. [176043]
Ms Blears: In the last five years, North Yorkshire Police, on behalf of Her Majesty's Coroner, have been involved in the investigation of eight separate sudden deaths of military personnel at Catterick Garrison. The deaths occurred in 1999 (two sudden deaths), 2000 (two sudden deaths), 2001 (one sudden death), 2002 (two sudden deaths) and 2003 (one sudden death). None of these investigations were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
In the same period, North Yorkshire Police have been involved in dealing with three violent incidents at Catterick Garrison that involved military personnel, of which one resulted in papers being submitted to the CPS. The incidents took place in 2000, 2002 and 2003.
To obtain the same information for the other army bases that are covered by North Yorkshire Police could be done only at a disproportionate cost.
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Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average response time of the North Yorkshire Police has been to incidents at Catterick Barracks in the last three years; and what rules govern the relations of civilian and military investigators. [176044]
Ms Blears: North Yorkshire Police advised that it would be improper to release figures for the Catterick Garrison area due to the sensitive nature of the garrison and potential terrorist threat. North Yorkshire Police, however, advised that they have an urban response time target of 15 minutes. For August 2002, their average urban response time was 9.4 minutes, for 2003–04 it was 16 minutes and for 2004 to date their average is 8.23 minutes. Their rural response target is 20 minutes and for the respective periods the average response times are 15.25 minutes, 15.5 minutes and 13.53 minutes.
The position under legislation is that both the civilian and military police in England and Wales are governed by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and its Codes of Practice. Section 113 of the Act provides that:
". . . any provision of the Act which relates to investigations of offences conducted by police officers or to persons detained by the police shall apply, subject to such modifications as [the Secretary of State] may specify, to investigations of offences conducted under the Army Act 1957 . . ."
The rules which govern the relations of civilian and military investigators, are set out in:
"Protocol between the Ministry of Defence police and Home Office police forces", Home Office Circular 17/1999
"Army Land Standing Order 3203"
"Defence Council Instruction document of April 2003: The Reporting and Investigation of Criminal and other Disciplinary Offences in the Ministry Of Defence, Armed Forces and Defence estate in the UK"
"The Defence Policing Protocol", which outlines the protocol between the defence police forces.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the legal basis is of Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines on the investigation of deaths on Army property; and if he will place a copy of the guidelines in the Library. [176045]
Ms Blears: At present, there are no Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidelines on the investigation of deaths on military property. An ACPO working party to look into deaths on military establishments has, however, been established.
ACPO guidelines have no statutory basis; they are guidelines for the Police Service.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances military authorities in the United Kingdom may deny police officers acting in performance of their duties access to Army premises. [176046]
Ms Blears:
There are no circumstances where military authorities may deny police officers who are acting in performance of their duty access to Army premises. If a police officer knows or has good reason to believe that a serious crime is being committed on army premises, he or she is entitled under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to enter such premises with or without a warrant. The Military Police, who provide law
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enforcement on army premises, have a good working relationship with the civilian police. The Military Police would investigate and deal with any of the less serious infringements of the law occurring on army bases, but would expect the civilian police to deal with any serious crime committed there.
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