---

19 Jul 2004 : Column 109W—continued

Museums and Heritage Review

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the recommendations contained in the Northern Ireland Museums and Heritage Review. [183065]

Angela Smith: Since the publication of the Joint Departmental Response to the Local Museum and Heritage Review there have been three liaison meetings between representatives of DCAL and EHS, as recommended in the Response. A Heritage Sub-Group of the Cultural Forum was formed in December 2003 to take forward the recommendations of the Review and there have been three meetings held to date. The Sub-Group is currently working its way through the recommendations and has agreed to hold a planning
 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 110W
 
day, focusing on the priorities and outcomes required, in the autumn. In addition, work is ongoing to develop a comprehensive statistical picture of the sector.

Nexus Institute

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been provided to the Nexus Institute in each of the last 10 years. [183024]

Angela Smith: A full and complete breakdown of all sources of funding (for example, funding from individual Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts and Education and Library Boards) over the period of 10 years, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has awarded the Nexus Institute recurrent core funding in the support of central administration costs over the last 10 years. This is shown in the following table:

	£
1994–95	34,556
1995–96	50,668
1996–97	52,000
1997–98	52,304
1998–99	55,794
1999–2000	57,244
2000–01	58,672
2001–02	60,140
2002–03	61,644
2003–04	64,085

In addition, the organisation has been awarded several one off payments to assist in the purchase of office equipment, development of business plans and conference expenses etc. This amounts to £96,360.

In April 2002 the Department awarded the Nexus Institute a further £104,718 over a three year period, towards a Double Trauma project assisting those affected by sexual abuse.

The Northern Ireland Office began funding the Nexus Institute in August 2000 and the amounts of award are shown in the following table:

	£
2000–01	39,256
2001–02	56,830
2002–03	58,494
2003–04	65,290

Sexual Abuse Victims

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the (a) availability of services for and (b) level of need of victims of sexual abuse in Northern Ireland. [183016]

Angela Smith: No such assessment has been completed to date in relation to services provided directly, or funded by, HSS boards and trusts. However, key preliminary research to inform the development of a regional strategy to address sexual abuse is now under way. This will include compiling baseline information
 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 111W
 
on the current availability of services for victims and work on assessing the level of need. In co-operation with other Departments and agencies whose responsibilities also encompass matters relating to sexual abuse, it is the Department of Health, Social Service's and Public Safety's intention to develop and publish the draft strategy for consultation by late summer 2005. In terms of services provided by the PSNI, there are currently 11 Child Abuse and Rape Enquiry (CARE) units and four CARE suites. Each CARE unit is staffed by five to eight Detective Constables and one Detective Sergeant, with one Detective Inspector responsible for two to three CARE units.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research he has collated on the percentage of those with mental illness who report having suffered sexual abuse. [183025]

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

Terrorism Victims

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money has been spent in each of the last five years on organisations to help the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland. [166642]

Angela Smith: There is no definitive list of organisations that help the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland. Any organisation may help victims of terrorism as part of its own aims and objectives.

The following table shows details of how much money has been spent by the 11 Northern Ireland Departments and Northern Ireland Office in each of the last five years on organisations whose primary aim is to help the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

	Total (£)
1999–2000	2,777,930
2000–01	2,662,617
2001–02	3,035,359
2002–03	5,504,884
2003–04(65)	(65)5,691,585

⁽⁶⁵⁾ These figures are only provisional spending totals for the year, as final outturn figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

Waiting Times

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate how many patients with trigeminal neuralgia are awaiting surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. [182627]

Angela Smith: A total of seven patients with trigeminal neuralgia are currently waiting for surgery at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast.

HEALTH

Anti-cancer Drugs

Mr. Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the take up of new anti-cancer drugs authorised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; [180496]
 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 112W
 

(2) what measures may be taken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to encourage a more uniform use of anti-cancer drugs across the country. [180497]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Last autumn, we asked Professor Mike Richards, the national cancer director, to report on the implementation of National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance on drugs for cancer.

Professor Richards' report was published on 14 June. It shows that NICE guidance has been effective in increasing the uptake of recommended new treatments and in reducing variations. Nevertheless, the report finds that there are still unacceptable variations in uptake. The reasons are complex but do not appear to be associated with restrictions in funding. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

In parallel with the publication of this report, my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lord Warner) issued a statement setting out the responsibilities of the national health service in responding to guidance from NICE and a range of actions to support the NHS in these tasks. NICE can play a key part in promoting its guidance and in providing costing templates and other tools to help the NHS with implementation.

Bed Occupancy

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the number of extra hospital beds required to reduce bed occupancy rates to 85 per cent. of their current level in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement; [184099]

(2) what plans he has to reduce bed occupancy in NHS hospitals. [184224]

Ms Rosie Winterton: It is not possible to make an estimate of this kind at either a national or strategic health authority level. Bed occupancy depends not only on the number of beds provided, but on the level of demand for those beds and the way flow through beds is managed.

Average or snap shot weekly bed occupancy is often not the critical factor for bed availability: rather it is the hourly levels of bed occupancy and the temporary mis-match between admissions and discharges that influence the ability of trusts to admit emergency patients without delay and avoid the cancellation of electives. Much bed capacity can be released through simply reducing the current, often substantial, temporary peaks and troughs in bed occupancy.

Trusts have identified improving the way they use their bed capacity as a top priority and significant support is being delivered through the national programme to improve throughput in accident and emergency. Improved use of beds is critical to delivering this priority alongside the priorities on electives.

---