| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1335W—continued
Queen's Festival
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the benefit of the Queen's Festival to the Northern Ireland tourist industry. [178526]
Mr. Gardiner: The Government do not collect this information and are therefore not in a position to assess the benefit of the Queen's Festival to the Northern Ireland tourism industry.
School Leavers
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of pupils left school in Northern Ireland with no formal qualifications in each of the last 10 years; and what the figures are for the UK. [179787]
Mr. Gardiner: The information requested is only available for Northern Ireland and Scotland and is as follows:
| Northern Ireland | Scotland | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number and percentage of leavers from grant aided post-primary schools who obtained no formal qualifications | Number and percentage of leavers from publicly funded schools who obtained no National Qualifications at SCQF level 3 or better | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| 1992–93 | 1,099 | 4.9 | n/a | n/a |
| 1993–94 | 878 | 3.8 | n/a | n/a |
| 1994–95 | 823 | 3.4 | n/a | n/a |
| 1995–96 | 397 | (3)1.5 | n/a | n/a |
| 1996–97 | 929 | 3.6 | n/a | n/a |
| 1997–98 | 797 | 3.1 | n/a | n/a |
| 1998–99 | 683 | 2.7 | 3,189 | 5.5 |
| 1999–2000 | 899 | 3.6 | 3,069 | 5.4 |
| 2000–01 | 1,220 | 4.8 | 3,319 | 5.7 |
| 2001–02 | 1,308 | 5.2 | 3,085 | 5.4 |
n/a=not available.
(3) Qualification data were missing for 3 per cent. of school leavers in 1995–96.
HEALTH
Alert Letter System
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to date has been of the alert letter system to warn trusts about NHS staff who have caused concern. [179157]
Mr. Hutton:
The alert letter system is administered by the regional directors of public health. The Department does not collect information on the costs involved.
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1336W
Allergies
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist doctors and clinicians there are in the NHS dealing specifically with the care and treatment of allergies. [179000]
Mr. Hutton: The number of hospital medical staff specialising in allergy is shown in the table.
| England at 30 September 2003 | Number | Whole-time equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| All staff | 24 | 15 |
| Of which: | ||
| Consultant | 20 | 13 |
| Registrar group | 2 | 1 |
| Hospital practitioner/clinical assistant | 2 | 1 |
Source:
Department of Health 2003 medical and dental workforce census.
The number of general practitioners and other healthcare professionals specialising in the care and treatment of allergies is not collected centrally.
Anti-depressants
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the drugs (a) mirtazapine and (b) bupropion are included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors anti-depressants and related drugs; and whether either carries a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour comparable with that of the drugs now under review. [178295]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Mirtazapine (Zispin) is included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and related antidepressants. The risks and benefits of mirtazapine in children and adolescents have been considered by the expert working group on SSRIs and the committee on safety of medicines. Analysis of controlled clinical trials did not find an increased risk of suicidal behaviour or self harm in the mirtazapine treated group compared to those treated with a placebo. A summary of the paediatric clinical trial data for mirtazapine was published on the website of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in April 2004. The review of a possible risk of suicidal behaviour in adults treated with mirtazapine is ongoing.
Bupropion (Zyban) has not been included in the review by the expert working group as it is licensed in the United Kingdom as an aid to smoking cessation. Bupropion has recently undergone a Europe wide review of its risks and benefits. The product information for prescribers states that, depression, rarely including suicidal ideation, has been reported in patients undergoing a smoking cessation attempt. These symptoms have also been reported during Zyban treatment and generally occurred early during the treatment course. Clinicians should be aware of the possible emergence of significant depressive symptoms in patients undergoing a smoking cessation attempt and should advise patients accordingly.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the current review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related anti-depressants includes investigation of the risk of such drugs inducing violent and dangerous behaviour in some users. [178300]
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1337W
Ms Rosie Winterton: Part of the remit of the Committee on Safety of Medicines' expert working group on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is to consider the currently available evidence with regard to behavioural disorders, which includes violent behaviour, with a particular focus on suicidal behaviour, suicide attempt and suicide and a possible causal association with SSRIs.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related anti-depressants includes an assessment of possible risks that such drugs may induce violent and dangerous behaviour in some users; [178441]
(2) whether mirtazapine and bupropion are included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related drugs; [178469]
(3) what advice he has received on whether mirtazapine and buproprion carry a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour. [178567]
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and related anti-depressants includes investigation of whether such drugs may induce violent and dangerous behaviour in some users; [178337]
(2) whether the drugs (a) mirtazapine and (b) bupropion were included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressants and related drugs; and if he will conduct an assessment of whether each drug carries a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour. [178338]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn) today.
Arm's Length Bodies
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation is taking place between the Department and representatives of patients and the public about the current review of arm's length bodies. [178446]
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation is taking place as part of his Department's review of arms' length bodies on the future of (a) the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare and (b) patients' forums; and if he will make a statement. [178877]
Ms Rosie Winterton: A report on the review of the Department's arm's length bodies will be published in the near future and following this detailed discussions with interested parties will take place on implementation.
Cancer Treatment
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for cancer radiotherapy (a) in England and (b) across Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust was during (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii) 2003–04. [179426]
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1338W
Miss Melanie Johnson: Data on waiting times for radiotherapy are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which may include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. From December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's cancers, testicular cancer and acute leukaemia. From 2002, there is a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment and a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.
To tackle radiotherapy waiting times we are increasing the numbers of therapy radiographers in post and in training, making better use of existing staff, making unprecedented investment in new radiotherapy equipment, and streamlining the patient journey.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |