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10 Jan 2005 : Column 103W—continued
General Dental Council
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish a response to the consultation on proposals for strengthening the General Dental Council. [204270]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is expected that the consultation report will be published in the spring.
Healthcare Industry Task Force
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Healthcare Industry Task Force report of November. [205994]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 20 December 2004]: The healthcare industries task force delivered its final report on 17 November 2004. It included nine key outputs. Work to implement these is under way and progress will be reported to a new strategic group to be led by the co-chairs of the task force, my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Lord Warner) and Sir Christopher O'Donnell, Chief Executive of Smith and Nephew. Copies of the report, "Better health through partnership: a programme for action", have been placed in the Library.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (a) has paid and (b) plans to pay to Media Strategy to help them prepare for oral evidence sessions before Parliamentary select committees between October 2003 and April 2005. [205661]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I am informed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that it employed Media Strategy to (a) assist members and senior officials to prepare for the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's inquiry into human reproductive technologies and the law and (b) provide specialist presentation skills training. The fee for this work was £5,600.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what purposes the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority employs consultants; and how much it has paid to consultants since June 2001 and plans to pay up to April 2005. [205662]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) employs consultants to provide specialist knowledge and specific advice that is not available within its existing workforce. The areas covered have included consultation on specific policy work, including advice on consultations with the public and surveys in connection with reviewing existing policies and developing new policies, information technology expertise and assistance with the setting up and design of the HFEA's register project, including advice on centre billing, setting up the audit programme and the minimum data set for the register.
The HFEA has advised me that fees paid to consultants since 2001–02 are as shown in the table.
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Notes:
(5507180018) Consultants work has covered specific policy work and information technology, including work on the HFEA's register.
(5507180019) Expenditure is for the full financial year as information required to establish the proportion of spend made after June 2001 could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
(5507180020) Information covers period 1 April 2004 to 16 December 2004.
Source:
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Identity Cards
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of installing biometric card readers (a) in total and (b) as an average per facility for (i) general practitioner surgeries and (ii) hospitals and other health centres; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost of maintenance for biometric card readers across the NHS; [206196]
(2) what representations he has made to the Home Office regarding the (a) timescale and (b) cost of introducing biometic card readers across the NHS. [206197]
Mr. Hutton: No decisions have yet not been made about whether biometric card readers will be used in the NHS, whether in connection with the national identity cards scheme or for any other purpose. The Home Office have published figures on the cost of biometric card readers. A decision to install biometric card readers in the NHS would only be taken if the benefits outweighed the costs.
Manor Park/Clarendon Park
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his solicitors will confirm the transfer of designated public land at Manor Park and Clarendon Park to Epsom and Ewell borough council. [206158]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 21 December 2004]: Manor Park and Clarendon Park were sold for residential development by the Secretary of State for Health in April 1998 and 1999 respectively and at that time responsibility for both sites passed to the acquiring consortia. The provision of open space within these sites and their transfer to public ownership is a matter for negotiation between the new owners and Epsom and Ewell borough council.
Milk Tokens
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Milk Token Hotline on 7 December had a pre-recorded message informing callers that all outstanding tokens would be issued by 29 November; when he will change the message; how many overdue milk tokens remained to be issued on 7 December; and if he will make a statement. [203976]
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Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 13 December 2004]: On 1 November 2004, responsibility for the distribution of milk tokens to all beneficiaries of income support and income-based job seekers allowance transferred from the Department of Work and Pensions to the Department of Health. However, technical difficulties have led to a high volume of calls to the token distribution unit, which sends out tokens on the Department of Health's behalf.
The message was left on the helpline to inform beneficiaries that they should have received their December tokens by 29 November. Any caller who had not received their milk tokens would then know to stay on the line to seek further assistance. All beneficiaries notified to us by the Inland Revenue (recipients of child tax credit) and the Department for Work and Pensions were mailed by 29 November.
To allow for Christmas, the next mailing was sent out a week early, so the message advises that the next mailing should have been received by 21 December.
MRSA
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies have contracted MRSA in each of the last five years. [203206]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Health Protection Agency's voluntary reporting system is the only national dataset providing information by age. Published data for children aged under one year is shown as follows.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 34 |
| 2000 | 35 |
| 2001 | 39 |
| 2002 | 38 |
Source:
Health Protection Agency
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA have been reported at Northwick Park Hospital in each of the last three years; how many of those cases proved fatal; and if he will make a statement. [203598]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Information on methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (bacteraemias) is collected by National Health Service trust rather than by hospital. Northwick Park is part of North West London Hospitals NHS Trust where reports are given as follows:
| April to March | MRSA bacteraemia reports |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 59 |
| 2002–03 | 44 |
| 2003–04 | 55 |
The mandatory MRSA surveillance does not collect information on deaths.
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