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Primary Care Trusts

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average budget deficit or surplus is for a primary care trust in (a) the area covered by the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority and (b) England and Wales. [199542]

Dr. Ladyman: Information provided by primary care trusts (PCTs) in the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority area shows they are forecasting an average year-end deficit in 2004–05 of £1.82 million. In 2003–04, the latest year for which audited information is available, PCTs in England made an average surplus of £12,769. Information on matters relating to Wales is a matter for the devolved Administration.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that pulmonary rehabilitation is made available to all appropriate patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in line with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on the management of COPD in primary and secondary care. [199432]

Dr. Ladyman: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with local stakeholders, to commission local services, taking account of National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines and subject to independent inspection.

The national health service is currently receiving the largest sustained increase in funding in its history. The total of PCT allocations is £45 billion for 2003–04, £49.3 billion for 2004–05 and £53.9 billion for 2005–06. This represents an increase of £12.7 billion, or an average of 30.8 per cent. over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06.

Smoking-related Illness

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of treating patients with medical conditions deemed to have been linked to the use of tobacco products was in the last 12 months for which records are available. [199613]

 
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Miss Johnson: Treating illness and disease caused by smoking has been estimated to cost the national health service up to £1.7 billion every year in terms of general practitioner visits, prescriptions, treatment and operations.

Source:

Buck D, Godfrey C, Parrott S, Raw M, University of York Centre for Health Economics: Cost Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Interventions, London: Health Education Authority, 1997.

HOME

Community Support Officers (Detention Powers)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the detentions of 31 people under the Metropolitan Police Community Support Officer detention power pilot resulted in release after the arrival of a police officer; and if he will make a statement. [200357]

Ms Blears: This information is not available because the data were not sought during the evaluation of the use of the detention power in the six pilot forces.

The report "Community Support Officer (Detention Power) Pilot: Evaluation Results" published on 29 September concluded that the evidence collected and analysed in evaluation indicated that the power to detain did not have an adverse effect either on the Community Support Officer or the detainee.

A decision to arrest or take alternative action is at the discretion of the constable who attends the scene. A decision by a constable not to make an arrest does not imply that the decision by the Community Support Officer to detain was incorrect, particularly if the decision to detain results from an individual's failure to comply with a lawful direction by a Community Support Officer.

The Association of Chief Police Officers is developing guidance on the power to detain and how it should be exercised. The guidance will be issued shortly.

National Offender Management Service

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether budgets for the National Offender Management Service will be held (a) regionally, (b) nationally and (c) locally. [199983]

Paul Goggins: Different elements of the budget for the National Offender Management Service will be held at national, regional and local level. Individual budgets will operate within the system according to where they will be most effective in helping to reduce reoffending. Most of the funding for offender services will be held by Regional Offender Managers (ROMs), who will be responsible for planning and commissioning those services.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Departmental Websites

Paul Holmes: To ask the Solicitor-General whether her Department's .gov.uk websites comply with the
 
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World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the Government in 2001; and if she will make a statement. [199685]

The Solicitor-General: The Websites for the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers comply with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines' Priority 1 checkpoints. The SFO will be updating its website shortly and will be making improvements to the overall structure.

For the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the website dealing with the Department's bona vacantia matters currently complies with the guidelines, although the website for the Department generally has some minor issues which need to be addressed. These are being addressed as part of the current website development.

The Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate website conforms with the majority of the requirements and a full compliance review will be conducted next year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Broadband National Aggregation Board

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on (a) the work and (b) the future of the regional broadband aggregation organisations. [200894]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: In the light of the significantly changed market conditions for broadband since the set up of the broadband aggregation bodies, the original central co-ordination mechanism is no longer appropriate. In practice the opportunities are regionally based and broadband aggregation will continue to operate at the regional level. Delivery mechanisms will vary across regions, as is the case now. While there will be some cost cutting over the next year, in line with the changed business environment, the specific operations and organisation of each of the individual Regional Aggregation Bodies are governed by their boards, and decisions will be based on their regional needs and opportunities.

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will make a statement on her plans for the Broadband National Aggregation Board; [200896]

(2) what funding was provided for the Broadband National Aggregation Board in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement on its future funding. [200895]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: To date, the funding provided to the National Aggregation Body amounts to £571,000. Any future funding will be a collective matter for the National Aggregation Body Executive Board, as will any decisions on its future as a trading entity.

Concessionary Coal

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former mineworkers or
 
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beneficiaries are in receipt of concessionary coal in (a) Midlothian, (b) Scotland and (c) the United Kingdom. [200207]

Nigel Griffiths: There are 32,434 beneficiaries (as at 1 November 2004) who are in receipt of Concessionary Fuel in the UK. Of these some 1,331 reside in Scotland and, included in that number, are 605 beneficiaries taking solid fuel that live within the Midlothian constituency.

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former mineworkers or beneficiaries are in receipt of cash in lieu in (a) Midlothian, (b) Scotland and (c) United Kingdom. [200210]

Nigel Griffiths: There are 78,440 beneficiaries (as at 1 November 2004) who are in receipt of Cash in lieu of Concessionary Fuel in the UK. Of these some 6,120 reside in Scotland and, included in that number, are 2,532 beneficiaries taking the cash alternative to fuel that live within the Midlothian constituency.

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