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9 Jun 2004 : Column 389W—continued
Children (Common Conditions)
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the 10 most common conditions in children are. [173287]
Dr. Ladyman: Hospital episode statistics record reasons for hospital admission. The table shows the primary diagnosis for the 10 most common conditions, by broad classification, as cause of admission in the age range 0 to 16 years in 2002–03.
| Condition | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter X | Diseases of the respiratory system (JOO-J99) | 179,357 |
| Chapter XVI | Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (POO-P96) | 150,402 |
| Chapter XIX | Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (SOO-T98) | 139,107 |
| Chapter XI | Diseases of the digestive system (KOO-K93) | 135,705 |
| Chapter XVII | Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (QOO-Q99) | 74,976 |
| Chapter I | Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (AOO-B99) | 72,213 |
| Chapter II | Neoplasms (COO-D48) | 53,782 |
| Chapter VIII | Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95) | 47,994 |
| Chapter XIV | Diseases of the genitourinary system (NOO-N99) | 47,548 |
| Chapter XIII | Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (MOO-M99) | 30,091 |
Notes:
1. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
2. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
Source:
Hospital episode statistics, Department of Health.
Dentists
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered with an NHS dentist in Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust. [173855]
Miss Melanie Johnson: 96,800 patients were registered with a general dental service dentist in the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust area on 31 March 2004.
Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentists within 15 months. Registration rates will exclude patients who have not been to their general dental service dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services.
Registrations are included in the area of the dentist. The registration rates for some areas may be affected by some patients receiving their dental treatment in a different area from the one in which they live.
NHS dental services are also provided by the community dental service, personal dental service, salaried service of the GDS and hospital dental service. These services do not require the patient to be registered with a dentist before treatment.
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Dermatology
Mr. Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are on waiting lists for secondary dermatology treatment in the North West of England. [175054]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Diagnostic and Treatment Centres
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the nearest diagnostic and treatment centre available for use by residents in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood is located. [175331]
Miss Melanie Johnson: There are two national health service treatment centres within the Liverpool area close to Blackpool and Fleetwood. One is at Clatterbridge, part of Wirral NHS Trust and the other is at Aintree, part of Aintree NHS Trust. Both opened in 2003 and provide care for orthopaedics and other mixed specialty patients.
Food Labelling
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to introduce a system of food labelling which is more easily understood by consumers. [176403]
Miss Melanie Johnson: To help achieve clearer and more informative food labelling, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has adopted an action plan on food labelling, tackling the issues identified by consumers as priority concerns. Progress on implementation of this plan is discussed regularly at open meetings hosted by the FSA.
Food Supplements Directive
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health last met Consumers for Health Choice and other stakeholders to discuss their concerns about the Food Supplements Directive; what actions arose from that meeting; and what progress has subsequently been made in addressing the issues raised; [176534]
(2) when he next expects that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health will meet Consumers for Health Choice and other stakeholders to discuss interpretation and implementation in the UK of the Food Supplements Directive; [176535]
(3) when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health last met Commissioner Byrne to discuss the Food Supplements Directive; what was agreed at that meeting; and if he will make a statement. [176537]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 27 May 2004, Official Report, column 1835W.
9 Jun 2004 : Column 391W
Free Eye Tests
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior citizens in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood have access to free eye tests. [175337]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens are not collected centrally.
The total number of sight tests paid for by Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority in the year 2002–03 for those aged 60 and over was 189,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the number of patients.
GM Micro-organisms
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 25, on GM micro-organisms, (1) whether a date has been set for the proposed Working Group of the Standing Committee to discuss issues relating to the labelling of products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms prior to the next Standing Committee in June; by whom the United Kingdom will be represented in those discussions; what specific policy objectives will be pursued in those discussions; and if he will make a statement; [177160]
(2) if he will list those organisations that responded to the recent consultation exercise undertaken by his Department and the Food Standards Agency in relation to the traceability and labelling regulations; what specific information has been (a) requested and (b) sought about the impact of the regulations on the fermentation industry and those of its products which are made with but do not contain genetically modified micro-organisms; and if he will make a statement;. [177162]
(3) whether his Department has (a) evaluated and (b) commented on the Statement of the Council and the Commission of 28 February 2003 in relation to the labelling of products made with but not containing genetically modified micro-organisms; [177163]
(4) whether he intends to make it his policy for the current discussions in Standing Committee that products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms, but which do not contain any GM material, should not need to be labelled under the provisions of the new traceability and labelling regulations;. [177161]
(5) what guidance he gives to industry about whether products made with but not containing genetically modified micro-organisms are within the scope of those elements of the new traceability and labelling regulations which require labelling of products as genetically modified; and if he will make a statement. [177164]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Commission has not set a date for the proposed genetic modification (GM) working group of the standing committee on the food chain and animal health and therefore no agenda or papers for the meeting are available yet.
The Government's position on GM labelling is that the relevant legislation should be practical, proportionate and enforceable. The Government will continue to maintain this position in discussions on the labelling of GM
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products, which fall within the scope of the European Commission GM food and feed regulation (No. 1829/2003).
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation exercise on the new EC GM regulations will end on 25 June. Responses to the consultation will be made publicly available in due course. Comment on the impact of the regulations from all stakeholders, including the fermentation industry, has been requested to contribute to the regulatory impact assessment.
The Commission has indicated in a statement to the European Parliament dated 25 March 2003 that a decision on the labelling of products from genetically modified micro-organisms will be made no later than 7 November 2005. The FSA has raised the issue regarding the labelling of these products and asked for clarification on their statuswith the EC in bi-lateral meetings.
The FSA and DEFRA have published draft guidance notes on the new EC GM regulations. This includes information on the labelling of products from genetically modified micro-organisms. This information is based on the current position of the EC and is consistent with information provided to other Member States.
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