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30 Jun 2004 : Column 323W—continued

Peace Process

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process. [180485]

Mr. Paul Murphy: As the Prime Minister said on Friday, it is time to end the negotiations with a conclusive agreement or find another way forward. The Prime Minister made clear that there will be intensive talks in early September. Our position is clear: we need to see an end now to all forms of paramilitary activity, and it is imperative that we restore as soon as possible a stable and inclusive partnership Government in Northern Ireland.

Tyrone County Hospital/Erne Hospital

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources will be made available to maintain and develop services at (a) the Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh and (b) the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen; and what plans are in place for (i) service improvements in staffing and (ii) other investment for both sites over the next three years. [180299]

Angela Smith: I am fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of the new configuration of services set out in "Developing Better Services" (DBS). Until these changes can be effected, I will do everything I can to sustain services on existing sites.

Both Sperrin Lakeland Trust and the Western Health and Social Services Board are committed to this policy and with the Department's support are engaged in an extensive on-going programme of investment in staffing and infrastructure aimed at sustaining key services at Tyrone County and Erne Hospitals in the interim period. This programme of investment will continue over the next three years and beyond.

HEALTH

Amyl Nitrate

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health advice is given to young people about the use and side effects of inhaling poppers containing amyl nitrate, with particular reference to the products (a) Liquid Gold, (b) Pure Gold and (c) TNT. [178803]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has published two guidance leaflets specifically aimed at young people, which give advice about the use and side effects of a number of drugs, including poppers containing amyl nitrite.

The FRANK website, www.talktofrank.com, aims to inform young people and their parents, carers and families about the effects and risks of taking illicit drugs, including poppers containing amyl nitrite.

Barbeque Food

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2004, Official Report, column 1005W, on barbeque food, if he will set out the reasons for the comment made in the comment column for 2001. [179674]


 
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Miss Melanie Johnson: For completeness the previous answer provided information on outbreaks reported as being associated with barbecues or with barbecued food. The "salmonella" enteritidis outbreak in 2001 was associated with tiramisu served as a dessert at a private barbecue.

Beauty Parlour Stroke Syndrome

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of beauty parlour stroke syndrome have been recorded over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [180639]

Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available centrally.

Blind and Deaf People

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered as (a) blind and (b) deaf in (i) Chorley, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the north-west. [180431]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Information is collected not on a constituency level, but on a local authority basis. The table shows the number of people who are registered blind at 31 March 2003 and those registered as deaf at 31 March 2001 in Lancashire and the north-west.
Rounded numbers

Number of people registered as:
Blind (March 2003)Deaf (March 2001)
Lancashire(13)3,920915
North-west24,215n/a




n/a = data are not available for all councils within the north-west region.
(13) Data refer to Lancashire council with social services responsibilities.
Source:
SSDA902 and SSDA910.



Dentistry

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Gloucestershire are waiting to be registered with a NHS dentist. [180659]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the demand for NHS dentistry in Gloucestershire is met. [180660]

Ms Rosie Winterton: We have provided new investment totalling £90 million to national health service dentistry over the last year. £59 million will support access and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been advised of their shares and are working with their primary care trusts (PCTs), including those in Gloucestershire, to address access issues. £30 million is to support information technology and the balance of £1 million will support organisational development locally.
 
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In Gloucestershire, the existing dental access centres offer emergency and routine dental treatment—this is prioritised according to patients' needs and the demands placed on the service.

All the PCTs in Gloucestershire have been invited by Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA to submit proposals to improve access to dental care, funded through the SHA's £2 million share of the access funding. They are also exploring the possibility of establishing an outreach-teaching pilot for dental and dental therapy students with Bristol University.

West Gloucestershire PCT is one of the 16 PCTs in England with which the shadow NHS dentistry support team is working. The support team has made several visits to Gloucestershire towards the end of 2003, and an action plan to establish new dental practices in Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean and Gloucester City will be agreed by the end of April 2004. Additionally, work is under way to explore the potential for overseas recruitment in Gloucestershire.

Cheltenham and Tewkesbury and Cotswold and Vale PCTs are taking similar action and are inviting all dental practices to participate and submit proposals for use of the extra resources available from 2004–05.

Departmental Administrative Budget

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total administrative budget of the Department was in each year since 1997. [180320]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Detailed information on administration costs for the Department back to 1998–99 and with projections to 2005–06, is set out in Figure 8.1 of the 2004 Departmental Report (CM 6204). Copies are available in the Library. Data for years before 1998–99 are not available on the same basis.

Departmental Policies (Hull)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact his Department's policies have had on the Hull North constituency since 1997. [174794]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 24 May 2004]: The Government has put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Hull North constituency.

For example:


 
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