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21 Jul 2004 : Column 350W—continued
Public Housing
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of public housing stock was classified at each level of unfitness in each parliamentary constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available. [185117]
Mr. Spellar:
The information is not available in the format requested. The rate of unfitness for all housing at the Northern Ireland level was 4.9 per cent. in 2001. The rate of unfitness in the Housing Executive and housing
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association sectors was around 1 per cent. While it is not possible to provide a robust and precise figure below the Northern Ireland level because of the sample size, it is unlikely that there is any significant variation across parliamentary constituencies.
Traffic Calming Measures
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money has been spent on providing traffic calming measures in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years. [185116]
Mr. Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Gregory Campbell dated 20 July 2004:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how much public money has been spent on providing traffic calming measures in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years. I have been asked to reply as the issue raised falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
The table as follows indicates the actual expenditure spent on Traffic Calming Measures from 1999/2000 to 2003/04.
| Expenditure | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 1,208 |
| 2000–01 | 1,027 |
| 2001–02 | 1,545 |
| 2002–03 | 1,859 |
| 2003–04 | 2,011 |
You may be aware that the Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland, published in July 2002, envisages a large increase in the amount of funding available over the next 10 years for road safety related works. It proposes a doubling of funds for traffic calming and a 50 per cent. increase in funding for collision remedial schemes. The actual funding allocated over the RTS period will, of course, depend on the outcome of the normal budgetary processes.
HEALTH
Drug Treatment Services
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that local partnerships with voluntary sector and drug agencies are not adversely affected under regional commissioning; [184893]
(2) what evidence he has collated on whether regional commissioning of drugs or alcohol services lead to economies of scale. [184892]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The national treatment agency (NTA) for substance misuse is developing guidance on models of regional commissioning, to enable implementation of regional systems for the commissioning of residential drug and alcohol misuse specific services (Tier 4). Clear and concise guidance setting out recommended models for regional commissioning of Tier 4 services will be available
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shortly. This will be used by NTA regional teams to implement local commissioning mechanisms by the end of December 2004.
The regional commissioning implementation is part of the NTA's Tier 4 work programme which has been widely consulted on by key stakeholders in the substance misuse field, including voluntary sector agencies. The consensus in consultation was that regional commissioning would lead to more effective and efficient commissioning of Tier 4 treatment, and would improve client access. Although not directly targeted at alcohol specific services, this work is applicable for all substance misuse services.
The Tier 4 work programme is advised by an advisory group consisting of a broad range of representatives involved in Tier 4 treatment provision, including voluntary and statutory sector service providers, commissioners and service users.
Food Labelling
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions were launched for wrong or inadequate food information labelling over the last year, broken down by local authority. [184441]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I am informed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the latest available information is for the calendar year 2001. Local authority data reported to the FSA shows that, during 2001, 137 premises were prosecuted for food labelling and presentation issues in England. The local authorities which took the prosecutions and the number of premises subject to prosecution by each authority are shown in the table.
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Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Trading Standards Institute on food information labelling. [184442]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Food labelling as part of the enforcement of food law is the responsibility of local authorities. The Food Standards Agency provides advice, information or assistance relating to enforcement of food law generally and liaises regularly with the Trading Standards Institute and its members on such issues.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on progress being made by the European Union on the implementation of a common system of food information labelling; [184443]
(2) what discussions the Food Standards Agency had on the issue of food information labelling, with specific regard to the evolution of a common EU approach. [184444]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Food labelling rules are agreed at European Union level. Directive 2000/13/EC and the Nutrition Labelling Directive 90/46/EC provide the legislative framework. The European Commission is currently carrying out a comprehensive review of both these directives. It has said that it expects to adopt a proposal for amendment of 90/46/EC later this year and has asked member states for views on issues to be tackled in the review. The Food Standards Agency is currently consulting stakeholders before responding to this request.
Lager
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has made of (a) the purity of lager that is sold and (b) additives to lager. [184835]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
There is no specific United Kingdom legislation governing the purity of lager or other beers. Any food must comply with the
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requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990, which makes it an offence to sell food that does not comply with food safety requirements or which is not of the nature or substance or quality demanded by the purchaser.
Only a small number of additives are authorised to be used in lager and these have all been subjected to a rigorous safety assessment. No surveys have been conducted on the use of these additives in lager.
Allergy Services
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on allergy services in England; [183319]
(2) what the average length of time is that a patient has to wait to see a NHS allergy specialist. [183329]
Dr. Ladyman: The national health service improvement programme, "Putting People at the Heart of Public Services", sets out the commitment that the NHS will build a responsive service tailored to people living with long-term conditions including allergies. There are already substantial initiatives which will help patients with long term diseases, including:
The development of standards for better health.
The expert patient programme.
The chronic disease management programme.
Food Standards agency work on food allergy.
The new general practitioner contract.
It is the role of primary care trusts, in partnership with local stakeholders, to decide what services to provide to meet the health needs of their populations, including those with allergies. They are best placed to understand local health care needs and commission services to meet them.
Information on the average length of time a patient waits to see a NHS allergy specialist is not held centrally. This is because a patient with an allergy can be seen by a range of specialists including dermatologists, immunologists and respiratory disease physicians, as well as allergists. We expect that any patient being referred for a first outpatient appointment by their general practitioner should be seen within the national 17 week maximum waiting time.
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