---

25 Oct 2004 : Column 1044W—continued

Dermatology (Treatment Costs)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on (a) patients and (b) trusts of setting up a single episode tariff for dermatology. [192816]

Mr. Hutton: A single episode tariff applies to dermatology in the current financial year. It was derived following evidence of a uniform distribution of the ratio of first to follow-up appointments throughout the country. Use of the tariff is currently limited to a small number of payment by results pilots and we will be working with them to assess the impact. From 1 April 2005, the tariff will apply to all national health service providers and, to ensure uniformity of approach and data flows, the single episode is being replaced with a dual tariff for first attendance and follow up attendance.

Healthy Living Blueprint

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the healthy living blueprint will promote healthier lifestyles for children. [189666]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 12 October 2004]: The healthy living blueprint provides support for head teachers, governors and teachers to help children and young people lead healthy lifestyles. A supporting healthy living web portal offers information, advice, guidance and sources of help. The blueprint brings together the range of government and non-government initiatives and support which contribute to healthy living into one resource for schools.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority fees for research licences. [190793]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Research that involves the use of human embryos requires a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA charges a fee of £200 for a research licence application. It costs the HFEA an average of £6,000 to consider and process a research licence application and, if awarded, regulate it. Earlier this year, the HFEA undertook a public consultation exercise on proposals to increase the fee to make it more representative of the cost to the Authority of considering and processing research licence applications and regulating the licence once awarded. Following the consultation, the HFEA proposes to increase the fee to £500 for small research projects, rising to £750 for more substantial projects. Although a significant increase, it would not cover the full cost to the HFEA of handling the licence applications, as to do so might jeopardise research in the United Kingdom, including important stem cell research. The proposed fee increase would therefore continue to require subsidisation from the funding that the HFEA receives from the Department.

In accordance with section 16 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, the proposed fee increase was submitted to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and Her Majesty's Treasury for approval. Approval for the increase has been

given.

Information Technology

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of EMIS. [192806]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 21 October 2004]: Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS) are suppliers of significant numbers of medical information systems to primary care practitioners. Currently around 55 per cent. of general practitioner practices use the EMIS suite of software products on annually renewed contracts.
 
25 Oct 2004 : Column 1045W
 

The position in relation to the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) in England is that EMIS are working co-operatively with NPfIT to make their systems compliant for the programme's electronic booking service. EMIS also co-operated with the recent upgrade to GP IT systems to support the quality and outcomes framework introduced under the new general medical services contract.

In terms of commercial arrangements, EMIS have told NPfIT that they have not been able to reach a satisfactory contractual arrangement with any of the programme's local service providers who are responsible for delivering NPfIT applications at a local level. They have indicated that for the time being they intend to continue managing their business on the current basis. The NPfIT would prefer that EMIS were participating more directly in its on-going programme. However, there are certain contractual and operational conditions that come with direct participation, which EMIS have, to date, had difficulty in accepting.

It is a matter for EMIS to decide whether the company will contract with one or more local service provider. If they are unable or unwilling to do this, it is open to them to continue to supply their systems as long as GPs choose to buy them.

NHS Professionals Special Health Authority

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what calculations were made by his Department to reach the figure of £26.6 million allocated to the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority for 2004–05. [193577]

Mr. Hutton: The budget of £26.6 million represents transition funding for 2004–05, based on the requirements of NHS Professionals' business plan. This is available in the Library.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the budget of the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority is allocated to the task of acting in a regulatory role for independent recruitment agencies in the health sector. [193586]

Mr. Hutton: NHS Professionals does not have any regulatory role for independent recruitment agencies in the health sector.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down the budget allocated to the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority for 2004–05 by main budget heading. [193587]

Mr. Hutton: The budget provided by the Department represents a contribution to the wider running costs and activities of NHS Professionals and is therefore not directly attributable to specific budget headings.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the decrease in the monies allocated to the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority between 2002–03 and 2004–05. [193588]

 
25 Oct 2004 : Column 1046W
 

Mr. Hutton: NHS Professionals special health authority (SHA) did not receive funding in 2002–03 as it was established as a SHA in shadow form from 1 January 2004 and formally established from 1 April 2004. It received funding for the final quarter of the financial year 2003–04 and is receiving funding for the full year 2004–05.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential for conflict of interest between the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority's role as a regulator of independent recruitment agencies in the health sector and its own role in recruiting NHS staff. [193615]

Mr. Hutton: There is no potential for conflict of interest as NHS Professionals does not have a role as a regulator of independent recruitment agencies in the health sector.

Nursing Bursaries

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on bursaries available for those wanting to train as a nurse, with particular reference to entitlement to student childcare. [193142]

Mr. Hutton: Student nurses attending pre-registration courses are eligible for national health service bursaries. For students on degree courses, the bursaries are means-tested in line with the published NHS bursary scheme. On diploma courses, students get a basic rate of bursary that is not means-tested; any extra allowances on top of the basic rate are means tested. We introduced, from 1 September 2004, a new allowance that pays up to 85 per cent. of actual child care costs; subject to a maximum of £170 a week for those with two or more children who are getting registered or approved child care.

Psychiatry (Human Rights)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the United Kingdom reserving the right not to comply with the recommendation of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Psychiatry; and if he will make a statement. [192751]

Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynn Jones) on 20 October, Official Report, column. 796W.

---