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9 Jun 2004 : Column 401W—continued
Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's recent rejection of a Section 64 Grant Application by the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust. [171407]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has supported the work of The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust (TOAST) for two years (2001–02 to 2002–03) through the Department's Section 64 Grant Scheme.
Due to an administrative oversight, they did not apply for funding for 2003–04 but made an application for 2004–05 for three years. A large number of applications were received for funding from April 2004 which resulted in intense competition for limited funds. This has resulted in a number of applications being rejected, including the applications from TOAST.
Playing Safe
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research has been carried out into the effectiveness of www.playingsafe.co.uk in altering the sexual behaviour of young people; [175797]
(2) what the total cost has been to public funds of www.playingsafe.co.uk. [175798]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The website www.playingsafely.co.uk supports the Government's "Sex Lottery" sexual health campaign, which aims to raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and promote safer sex among young adults. The website has had over 1.5 million visitors and a recent online survey to evaluate its success showed that 87 per cent., of users said the site had increased their knowledge of STIs.
The total cost to public funds of the website since its launch (December 2002 to May 2004) is £119,000.
Public Meetings
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the guidance given to NHS organisations concerning arrangements for holding meetings in public. [172345]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The contents of the Health Service Circular on open board meetings (HSC 1998/999) are currently being reviewed. Revised guidance will be issued in due course.
9 Jun 2004 : Column 402W
School Vending Machines
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Education and Skills on the implications for healthy eating of the use of vending machines in schools. [176126]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 27 May 2004]: My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills meet regularly on a range of issues, including healthy eating in schools. There are a number of pieces of work currently under way that are considering the implications of vending machines, which will feed into the Public Health White Paper to be published in autumn:
The healthier vending machine project is currently being piloted as part of the food in schools programme, which is jointly led by the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills.
The Secretary of State for Education and Skills is working with other Ministers—including myself—to develop a "Healthy Living Blueprint", to bring a whole school approach to food and nutrition.
The Department has been working with other Government Departments on "Choosing a Better Diet" which forms part of the overall "Choosing Health?" consultation.
Sexual Health
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176928]
(2) what the prevalence rate of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years was in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex. [176929]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 25 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1610–11W.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many attendances at family planning clinics by people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by sex. [176930]
9 Jun 2004 : Column 403W
Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 7 June 2004, Official Report, columns 34–36W.
Smoking
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the Government have made of the impact of people smoking on television and in films upon young people's decision on whether or not to start smoking. [176288]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 27 May 2004]: The Government are taking steps to reduce the impact of smoking on young people. The glamourising of tobacco products through advertising, promotion and sponsorship as well as through their depiction in the media is linked to smoking rates.
That is why the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 provides for a comprehensive ban on advertising of tobacco products. There is also an Office of Communications code covering the portrayal of smoking in television programmes. This code specifically requires that the portrayal of smoking should be avoided in children's programmes, and included only when there is a strong editorial case for inclusion. In other programmes likely to be widely seen by young people, smoking should be included only where context or dramatic veracity requires it. In such programmes smoking should not be prominently featured as a normal and attractive activity.
The independent British Board of Film Classification is currently undertaking a consultation exercise to update its guidelines on granting classifications for films which can be seen by children. The consultation seeks comments on whether smoking in a film should have an impact on classification and what that impact should be. The new guidelines will be published at the end of the year.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact the NHS smoking cessation services have had on the number of people who have stopped smoking in each year since 1999. [176103]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 29 May 2004]: The number of people who have stopped smoking at the four week follow-up stage in each year since 1999 is given in the table.
| Numbers | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 5,761 |
| 2000–01 | 64,554 |
| 2001–02 | 119,834 |
| 2002–03 | 124,082 |
| Total April to December 2003 | 112,174 |
| Total April 1999 to December 2003 | 426,405 |
Note:
1. In 1999–2000 smoking cessation services were set up in Health Action Zones (HAZ), with services rolled out across the NHS to all health authorities in 2000–01.
2. Data for 2003 are provisional.
9 Jun 2004 : Column 404W
Social Care
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the time taken for Criminal Records Bureau checks to be completed in respect of social care workers; and what representations he has received about problems caused by delays in this regard. [173951]
Ms Blears: I have been asked to reply.
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) continually assesses its performance against its published service levels across all sectors and employment categories. I am unable to provide my hon. Friend with an answer to his specific question relating to the completion of checks for social care workers, because the Criminal Records Bureau's computer system does not hold this information centrally.
However, since June 2003 the CRB has been issuing on average 93 per cent. of all Standard and Enhanced Disclosures within two and four weeks respectively, against published service standards of 90 per cent. The bureau is processing over 50,000 Disclosures per week. On 12 May, the CRB issued its four millionth Disclosure.
The CRB has received a number of representations from individuals and organisations across all groups about the effects of delays in completing Disclosures. Again, the bureau does not currently record centrally the number of representations received from or concerning social care workers. The bureau aims to resolve any issues in the shortest time possible in order to minimise disruption to people who require the clearance to occupy an employment position.
In addition, and in accordance with the Agency's Framework Document, the CRB has both formal and informal consultative arrangements for all employment sectors to help identify and resolve emerging issues affecting the delivery of the Disclosure service.
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