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15 Dec 2004 : Column 1155W—continued
Out-of-hours Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what problems have been encountered by primary care trusts which have not yet been able to finalise their arrangements for out-of-hours care under the new general medical services contract; [204957]
(2) what steps he will take after the end of the year in respect of primary care trusts that have not yet finalised their arrangements for out-of-hours care under the new general medical services contract; [204958]
(3) how many primary care trusts his Department estimated would have finalised their arrangements for out-of-hours care under the new general medical services contract by the current month; [204982]
(4) how many primary care trusts (a) have finalised their arrangements for out-of-hours care under the new general medical services contract, (b) are in the process of finalising their arrangements and (c) have indicated that they will have problems implementing new arrangements by the end of the current year. [204983]
Mr. Hutton: Under the new primary care contracts, general practitioner practices may choose to transfer responsibility for out-of-hours services to their primary care trust (PCT), with the agreement of their PCTs. From 1 January 2005, this will become a right.
Strategic health authorities (SHAs) have responsibility for performance managing PCTs to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place and, if the transition is delayed, that appropriate action is taken to ensure a quality out-of-hours service is available.
The information requested is not collected centrally. However, unvalidated information volunteered by SHAs indicates that some 275 PCTs have finalised arrangements for out-of-hours services and that 21 are in the process of doing so, or have yet formally to commence their commissioning role. No PCTs have indicated that they will have problems implementing their new roles.
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Private Finance Initiative
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts with his Department have been won by subsidiaries of Halliburton in each year from 1997; what the terms were of each contract; and if he will make a statement. [205079]
Mr. Hutton: No private finance initiative or public private partnership contracts with the Department have been won by subsidiaries of Halliburton.
Public Bodies
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the membership is of the (a) Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs, (b) the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, (c) the Advisory Committee on Research, (d) the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, (e) the Beef Assurance Scheme Membership Panel, (f) the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, (g) the Consumer Committee, (h) the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals and (i) the Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee; what the (i) cost of salaries and expenses to members and (ii) running cost was of each body in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff are employed to service each body. [203748]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The membership of the Food Standards Agency's Committees is as follows:
Membership of the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs is:
Membership of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes is:
Professor Mike Gasson (Chairman)
Professor John Warner
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Membership of the Advisory Committee on Research is:
Professor Michael Lean (Chairman)
Membership of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food is:
The Beef Assurance Scheme membership Panel was not convened during 2003–04.
Membership of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is:
Professor IA Hughes (Chairman)
Membership of the Consumer Committee is:
Nancy Robson (Chair)
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The Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals was formally wound up in May 2003.
The Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee was formally wound up in October 2004.
Members of these committees do not receive salaries but are paid an attendance fee, a preparation fee and expenses for each meeting they attend. The costs and staff numbers are shown in the table.
(16) All figures are for 2003–04 except the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, which is for 2002–03.
(17) Collated from total costs of £78,000 for three years (includes fees and expenses)
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