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Public Services
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his Department has done in the last 12 months to fulfil its role as a Department improving the quality of and people's confidence in public services. [192656]
Mr. Leslie: Public service delivery is at the heart of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Putting people at the centre of the Department's work is a vital component in our vision for better quality service. Justice for all is as central to the objectives of this Government as is education for all and health care for all. So since the creation of the Department for Constitutional Affairs in June 2003 we have been working to make sure that the Department delivers for the people who use its services—especially in our justice system, where people seeking redress either against crime or against civil injustices are at the centre of what the system exists to achieve.
That means offering particular support to victims, to witnesses and to jurors. It means improving and reforming our justice system and our legal system to make sure that they offer the best possible help to those who make use of them. It means making our courts work better so that the public's confidence can be raised. A vital part of that will be the creation in April next year of a unified courts administration—for the first time,
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bringing all courts together administratively. It means making sure, for example, that the market for legal services is working as well as it should be. It was for this reason we established a far-reaching review of legal services headed by Sir David Clementi, which will report shortly. It is also why we have established a fundamental review of our legal aid system. The new consumer strategy review within the DCA will also help to make sure that we put people first in all that we do.
We believe that these and a range of other steps are contributing to the quality of public service, which this Department is committed to deliver, and to people's confidence in those services. There is a great deal more to do. But we believe that we have made a good start.
HEALTH
Agenda for Change
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the total cost of implementing "Agenda for Change"; and if he will ensure that these costs are fully funded by central Government. [195144]
Mr. Hutton: The latest estimate of costs for implementing "Agenda for Change" is that expected costs nationally represent 1.8 per cent. of the non-medical pay bill in 2004–05 and 3.7 per cent. of non-medical pay bill in 2005–06. The corresponding total levels of funding for "Agenda for Change" in each of those years, expressed as percentage of non-medical pay bill, are 2.1 per cent. and 3.8 per cent. respectively.
Aimspro
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has made of the current trials of the use of Aimspro for multiple sclerosis sufferers; and if he will make a statement. [195107]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The treatment Aimspro is not licensed for use in the United Kingdom and has not been referred to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for assessment.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been done into the effects of Aimspro on MS sufferers. [195648]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Aimspro is a product being developed by Daval International, a United Kingdom company, for a number of indications, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The company is conducting or planning to conduct a number of trials in these disease areas. The only clinical data available currently to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency comes from individual patient case reports and we are not aware of any formal clinical trial data or scientific publications on Aimspro.
Available Beds
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in the Hull and East Yorkshire hospitals NHS trust in the last two quarters for which figures are available. [194974]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of beds is collected and published on an annual basis. In 2003–04, the average daily number of open and staffed beds in the Hull and East Yorkshire hospitals national health service trust was 1,425, including 1,332 general and acute beds.
Breast Cancer Units
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breast cancer units there are at NHS hospitals within the Greater London area. [195899]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Bus Service
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of the Tilley bus service between Edgware and Barnet hospitals. [196361]
Dr. Ladyman: This is an operational matter for Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
Children's Wards
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals covering the Greater London area which have children's wards. [195925]
Dr. Ladyman: Information on the national health service bodies within the five London strategic health authorities (SHAs) who have reported on wards open in the day and overnight relating to children is shown in the tables.
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