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18 Jun 2004 : Column 1130W—continued
NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Government's conclusions on proposals to amend the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992. [179248]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government have considered the report of the expert advisory group set up to advise how best to implement the proposals and we will come forward with further announcements as soon as possible.
The Government remain fully committed to reforming the current regulatory regime.
Smoking
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of smoking-related diseases as they affect each social class. [178934]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Smoking has been identified as the principal reason for the inequalities in death rates between rich and poor in the United Kingdom. We commissioned the then Heath Education Authority to undertake research into the effects of smoking related diseases. "The UK Smoking Epidemic: Deaths in 1995", published in 1998, provides information on the estimated number and percentage of deaths attributable to smoking related diseases and includes some information on deaths by social class. A copy is available in the Library.
We have now commissioned the Health Development Agency to undertake a similar study estimating the number and percentage of smoking attributable deaths by primary care trust and strategic health authority which should be available later this year.
There is also a larger proportion of smokers in lower socio-economic groups, therefore a disproportionately high proportion of people in those groups are likely to suffer from smoking related diseases. In England in 2002, 19 per cent. of those in managerial and professional occupations were smokers, compared with 31 per cent. of those in routine and manual groups.
Wheelchairs
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to (a) NHS trusts and (b) social services departments on the expected safe lifetime of electric wheelchairs. [178497]
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Dr. Ladyman: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has specific responsibility on behalf of the Secretary of State to safeguard public health where medical devices are involved. Electric powered wheelchairs come within this overall remit.
MHRA has issued guidance which is available to health and social services. This guidance relates to the management, purchase, repair and maintenance of medical devices. This guidance has also been incorporated into the NHS controls assurance standards for medical devices.
The wheelchair manufacturer should provide information on the expected safe lifetime of his product. This is dependent on the use, repair and maintenance being carried out in line with the manufacturer's instructions.
Many manufacturers base their lifetime information on the results that they obtain from the international standards for impact and fatigue testing of wheelchairs during their product development. This standard is generally taken to equate to approximately five years of moderate use of an occupied wheelchair.
Infrequent light usage of a wheelchair combined with appropriate maintenance may allow the lifetime to be extended. A lower quality wheelchair and inappropriate or heavy usage combined with inadequate maintenance will shorten the expected safe lifetime of the wheelchair.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to (a) NHS trusts and (b) social services departments about the use of reconditioned motors in electric wheelchairs. [178498]
Dr. Ladyman: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has specific responsibility on behalf of the Secretary of State to safeguard public health where medical devices are involved. Electric powered wheelchairs come within this overall remit.
MHRA has issued guidance, which is available to, health and social services. This guidance relates to the management, repair and maintenance of medical devices. This guidance has also been incorporated into the NHS Controls Assurance Standards for medical devices.
Within this guidance the use of reconditioned parts such as motors for electric wheelchairs is acknowledged as an option that can be cost effective. However, the source and specification of the reconditioning process is a critical element. It is generally recommended that reconditioning is carried out by the original equipment manufacturer. If it is to be carried out by another source then it is essential that the reconditioner can prove that the process has produced the same level of safety, technical specification and performance as the original equipment. The fitting of the reconditioned motor and
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any subsequent changes that are required to the maintenance process for the wheelchair itself will also need to be recorded in the equipment records for the wheelchairs.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Carers Allowance
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to reach a decision on the effect on the entitlement to carers allowance of receipt by carers of supporting people payments. [179353]
Mr. Pond: Supporting People payments made to carers contracted to Supporting People service providers count as earnings for the purpose of entitlement to carers' allowance.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people were committed to prison because they had committed offences relating to the work of the Child Support Agency in each year since the Agency was established; [177532]
(2) how many parents have failed to pay Child Support in each year since 1997; and of these how many have (a) received a driving ban and (b) received a jail sentence in each year; [177539]
(3) if he will estimate the number of non-resident parents who have had their driving licences removed by the courts in each year since April 2001 as a result of the provisions introduced under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000; [177540]
Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Willets, dated 18 June 2004:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on your behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were committed to prison because they had committed offences relating to the work of the Child Support Agency in each year since the Agency was established.
You then asked two further related questions, which requested information on the removal of driving licences:
How many parents have failed to provide Child Support in each year since 1997: and of these how many have (a) received a driving ban and (b) received a jail sentence in each year; and
The number of non-resident parents who have had their driving licences removed by the courts in each year since April 2001 as a result of the provisions introduced under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000.
The number of non-resident parents that have failed to make child maintenance payments since 1997 are shown as follows. The figures are taken from the 5 per cent. quarterly samples of the Child Support Computer System from March 1997 to February 2003. The data looks at compliance in every quarter of the year therefore those who are nil compliant will have been nil compliant within every quarter of the year.
| Total cases with full maintenance Assessment | Number of non-resident parents that are nil compliant | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–1998 | 674.3 | 45.3 |
| 1998–1999 | 854.2 | 57.7 |
| 1999–2000 | 967.2 | 63.8 |
| 2000–2001 | 1,052.6 | 63.9 |
| 2001–2002 | 1,075.6 | 59.0 |
| 2002–2003 | 1,116.4 | 53.2 |
Notes:
Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.
Committal action:
From March 1999 to May 2004 there have been 171 suspended committal sentences. The first specific reference we have to a non-resident parent serving a prison sentence is in 2002–2003. Information pre dating 2001–2002 does not specify whether the non-resident parent served a prison sentence; the records only show whether a warrant for committal was issued.
2001–2002—0 sentences served.
2002–2003—4 sentences served.
2003–2004—8 sentences served.
Removal of driving licences:
The power to withdraw driving licences was brought into effect on 2 April 2001 (under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000).
2001–2002—3 suspended licence sentences issued.
2002–2003—1 driving licence removed and 7 suspended licence sentences issued.
2003–2004—1 driving licence removed and 9 suspended licence sentences issued.
Please note committal to prison or disqualification from driving is only considered after all other enforcement options have been attempted or discounted. We use these ultimate sanctions as the final lever to achieve compliance rather than as a punitive measure for those non-resident parents who will not pay. This explains the huge difference between the number of warrants we obtain and the number of driving licences withdrawn or prison sentences actually served.
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