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8 Jul 2004 : Column 807W—continued
Mersey Regional Ambulance Service
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has taken following Mersey Regional Ambulance Service's failure to respond within 14 minutes to 80 calls between 26 and 28 March; and what discussions he has had with (a) Mersey Regional Ambulance Service and (b) Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority on this matter; [176933]
(2) what steps he has taken following the shortfalls in ambulance provision which occurred in the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service area between 26 and
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28 March; and what discussions he has had with (a) Mersey Regional Ambulance Service and (b) Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority on these shortfalls. [176993]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 7 June 2004]: Where local ambulance service performance is below required standards, the Department continues to work with strategic health authorities, the improvement partnership for ambulance services and the modernisation agency, to share learning and best practice.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken following the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary and the hon. Member for Warrington, North to discuss the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service (MRAS); and what discussions have been held with (a) the MRAS and (b) Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority on the matter since then. [180097]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 22 June 2004]: Departmental officials continue to have discussions with all strategic health authorities (SHAs), including the Cheshire and Merseyside SHA, as part of a regular review of performance across a full range of issues. The responsibility for performance management of national health service trusts lies with the SHAs.
NHS Card
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proposed NHS Card referred to in 2.21 of the NHS Improvement Plan will take the form of an entitlement card; and if he will make a statement. [181652]
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Mr. Hutton: The proposal we are exploring is for a card which would support smart access to personal data and speed confirmation of access to appropriate care. No decision has yet been made as to whether such a card might in future be used as an entitlement card.
Osteoporosis
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of people living with osteoporosis in England. [181760]
Dr. Ladyman: An estimated 3 million people in the United Kingdom suffer from osteoporosis. One in three women and one in 12 men over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis.
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure that patients who have had an osteoporotic fracture, but who have not fallen, receive adequate treatment and management in the NHS. [181761]
Dr. Ladyman: All patients who suffer an osteoporotic fracture should receive adequate treatment and management. To ensure this, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is producing a clinical guideline on the assessment of fracture risk and prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk. The guideline will refer to, update and extend the evidence base of previously published guidelines and technology appraisals and those currently under development. NICE is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on treatments and care for those using the national health service in England and Wales. Its guidance is for healthcare professionals and patients and their carers to help them make decisions about treatment and healthcare.
Primary Care Trusts
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will release the findings of the review of primary care trusts undertaken by the Medicines Partnership task force. [182639]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The results of the survey carried out by the Joint Medicines Partnership task force to determine the extent to which primary care trusts have implemented medication reviews in accordance with the older people's national service framework are being analysed and are due to be announced in the autumn.
Pulmonary Disease
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his Answer of 9 March 2004, Official Report, columns 1453–4W, on pulmonary disease, how he had told primary care trusts to interpret the term aspirational; [181666]
(2) pursuant to his Answer of 9 March 2004, Official Report, columns 1453–4W, on pulmonary disease, what timescale he expects to be used in meeting aspirational development standards, with particular reference to the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary and secondary care. [182401]
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Dr. Ladyman: Even though primary care trusts have not specifically been told how to interpret the term aspirational, it would be assumed that they would try their hardest to implement any guidance when asked by the Secretary of State.
The consultation document, "Standards for better health", which set out the draft standards, was launched on 10 February 2004. The consultation ended on 4 May 2004. The standards will be published later in the year once responses from the consultation have been collated.
It is the responsibility of the Healthcare Commission, taking into account the healthcare standards, to develop criteria to review the national health service. Exactly how this will involve an assessment of the implementation of National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance is for the Healthcare Commission and NICE to liaise upon and determine.
TREASURY
Accounting Officers (Ministerial Directions)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 1 October 2003 he has been informed of a Minister issuing a direction to an accounting officer as set out in paragraphs 14–17 of the Treasury document, 'The Responsibilities of an Accounting Officer'; on which grounds the note of dissent was issued in each case; and if he will make a statement. [182749]
Ruth Kelly: The Treasury has not been informed of any directions issued by Ministers to Accounting Officers under this guidance, since the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 369W.
Child Care Tax Credit
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families with equivalised income of less than 60 per cent. of median will benefit from the extension of the child care tax credit to the provision of child care in the family home announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May; [182118]
Andrew Selous: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families with equivalised income of less than 60 per cent. of median he estimates will benefit from the extension of the child care tax credit to the provision of child care in the family home announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May; [181839]
(2) what the latest estimate is of the annual cost of child care credit; and what the additional cost is of the changes announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May; [182119]
(3) what his latest estimate is of the cost of the child care credit; and what estimate he has made of the additional cost of the changes announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May. [181840]
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Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. Goodman) on 30 June 2004, Official Report, column 290W.
Deaths
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total number of deaths recorded was in each year since 1992. [182137]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Willetts, dated 5 July 2004:
The National-Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the total number of deaths recorded was in each year since 1992. I am replying in his absence.(182137)
The latest year for which data are available on deaths registered in each year is 2003. Figures are shown in the table below for each year from 1992 to 2003.
| Calendar year | Number of deaths |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 558,313 |
| 1993 | 578,512 |
| 1994 | 551,780 |
| 1995 | 565,902 |
| 1996 | 563,007 |
| 1997 | 558,052 |
| 1998 | 553,435 |
| 1999 | 553,532 |
| 2000 | 537,877 |
| 2001 | 532,498 |
| 2002 | 535,356 |
| 2003 | 539,151 |
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