Previous Section Index Home Page

9 Sept 2004 : Column 1365W—continued

Out of Hours GP Cover

Mr. Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS Litigation Authority will be liable in cases of clinical negligence where the negligent treatment was provided by a private or foreign healthcare provider under contract for the NHS. [187382]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The NHS Litigation Authority administers the clinical negligence scheme for trusts (CNST) in England. The CNST provides indemnity against claims for clinical negligence for member organisations, which include national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs).

Indemnity for cases arising from clinical negligence is as follows:

9 Sept 2004 : Column 1366W
 

Variant CJD

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has commissioned on the treatment of variant CJD. [186670]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department is currently funding a £3.5 million research programme designed to identify and evaluate potential treatment for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Potential therapies arising from that research will be assessed using a clinical trial protocol the Medical Research Council has developed in conjunction with the Department.

Waiting Lists

Mr. Anthony D. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for residents of Great Yarmouth in the last seven years. [186703]

Dr. Ladyman: The changes to national health service waiting times for the residents of Great Yarmouth over the past seven years, the latest data available, are shown in the following table.
Count of elective in-year admissions (waiting list and booked cases) with mean and median time waited, 1996–97 to 2002–03 primary care trust (PCT) code (PCT of residence) = 5GT (Great Yarmouth)—NHS hospitals, England

Days
In-year admissionsMean time waitedMedian time waited
1996–9710,1717028
1997–989,9337828
1998–9910,2807933
1999–20009,7926831
2000–019,5637133
2001–027,5017833
2002–038,2119336




Note:
1. An in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1April at the start of the datayear. Periods of care ongoing at the end of the datayear (unfinished admission episodes) are included. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
3. Time waited statistics from hospital episode statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
Source:
HES, Department of Health.




 
9 Sept 2004 : Column 1367W
 

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Magistrates Court Cells (Aberystwyth)

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the minimum health and safety requirements are for magistrates court cells. [187076]

Mr. Leslie: Health and safety requirements of cell areas are not measured in a way that an overall minimum standard could be determined.

Each aspect of a cell area (e.g. the custody suite, interview rooms and vehicle access) is individually assessed and rated. From this an overall risk assessment is compiled and the consequent recommendations are made.

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the basis was for the decision to stop using Aberystwyth Magistrates Court cells for the holding of offenders; and if he will make a statement. [187077]

Mr. Leslie: Aberystwyth Magistrates Court is still used for custodial cases, but on a limited basis (for cases for trial or sentence only).

Following the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) audit on 2 June 2004, an agreement was reached to keep the cells open. This was on the basis that occupation of the custody accommodation can be controlled in respect of numbers and length of time held and that potential risk can be assessed in each individual case.

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate has been made of the cost of bringing the cells in Aberystwyth Magistrates Court up to the health and safety standard required to allow them to be used to hold offenders. [187078]

Mr. Leslie: Aberystwyth Magistrates Court is still used for custodial cases, but on a limited basis (for cases for trial or sentence only).

The local authority has responsibility for Aberystwyth Magistrates Court until it is transferred to my Department on 1 April 2005. An assessment of the cell area has been made by the Magistrates Court Committee, which concluded that the cell area could not be adapted to the extent that it would meet all the standards. This is due to structural issues, which prevent the required level of work. Consequently, no estimate has been prepared.

My Department is currently considering proposals to provide alternative facilities in the Aberystwyth area.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

University Examinations

12. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the integrity of the results of university examinations. [187706]


 
9 Sept 2004 : Column 1368W
 

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department has made no such assessment. As autonomous, independent bodies, universities are responsible for ensuring the integrity of their assessment processes and outcomes. Institutions are assisted in this by guidance from the Quality Assurance Agency, and by independent external examiners who verify the standards of assessments and of the results achieved by students. The Quality Assurance Agency audits the management of quality in universities, and from this year onwards, the judgments of External Examiners will be published.

School Security

13. Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on security in schools. [187707]

Margaret Hodge: Schools should be both secure and open for community use. Balancing these needs can be difficult, so we issued guidance with the Home Office to advise schools and local authorities on how to deal with intruders and prevent intrusion in the first place. The Government also provided funds—£10 million in 2002–03—and evaluation of that programme shows schools are improving their security and getting the balance right.

Education Maintenance Allowances

14. Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the take-up of education maintenance allowances. [187708]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: At the start of September, around 150,000 young people in England had already applied for an EMA. This already represents around 50 per cent. of young people eligible for the scheme and we expect more applications over the coming weeks. The EMA scheme has proved its effectiveness in the pilots we have run, and it will allow young people from poorer households to succeed in a wide variety of vocational and academic courses.


Next Section Index Home Page