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3 Mar 2005 : Column 1366W—continued
Mobile Phones
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on research programmes on the possible health effects of mobile phone technologies in each of the last five years. [217700]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has contributed the following amounts directly to mobile phones and health research through its radiation protection research programme and (after 2001) the mobile telecommunications and health research (MTHR) programme (www.mthr.org.uk).
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 42,061 |
| 2001–02 | 101,320 |
| 2002–03 | 373,404 |
| 2003–04 | (34)378,052 |
| 2004–05 | 390,625 |
(34)Includes part estimate to end of March 2005
The total value of the MTHR programme and its adjunct funding arrangements is currently £8.8 million.
The Department supports other mobile phone health research through its contributions to the National Radiological Protection Board (www.nrpb.org) and the World Health organisation electromagnetic fields project (www.who.int/peh-emf).
NHS Injury Cost Recovery Scheme
Mr. Mole: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposed expansion of the NHS Injury Cost Recovery Scheme. [219864]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department recently completed a public consultation exercise on draft regulations to govern the operation of the expanded national health service injury costs recovery (ISR) scheme. Although the full analysis of the responses to the consultation is still under way, one of the key messages to come out of our initial scrutiny was that high levels of concern remain about the insurance market's ability to cope with the new changes. After further discussions, I have decided that now is not the right time to introduce the expanded scheme. However, we remain committed to the principle of polluter pays" that underpins the ICR Scheme, and the expanded scheme will be introduced by October 2006.
Nursing Homes (Essex)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated for the improvement and renovation of nursing homes in the Romford and Havering constituencies in 2004–05. [219378]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not collected by the Department. Care homes are private businesses and any improvements and renovations they make are a matter for them to decide on and fund out of their own resources.
Open Mind (Chorley)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding Open Mind in Chorley received in the last year for which figures are available. [218925]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department does not provide funding directly to Open Mind in Chorley. Over 80 per cent. of national health service resources are allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) which are responsible for commissioning health services to meet the needs of their local population. In the current financial year, Chorley and South Ribble PCT received a resource revenue allocation of £171.7 million, this will increase to £266.7 million in 2007–08.
Physical Activity
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on advertising the benefits of physical activity in each of the last seven years. [217501]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department and the national health service promote the benefits of physical activity in many ways to professionals, the public and other stakeholders. In particular, primary care trusts are required to have systematic and managed health promotion programmes, including action on exercise, that are responsive to local needs.
In support of local delivery, we published a national quality assurance framework for exercise referral systems in 2001 and a report from the Chief Medical Officer, At least five a week" in 2004 setting out evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health.
The public health White Paper Choosing health, making healthier choices easier" includes a commitment for a new cross-government campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of overweight and obesity, and the steps people can take through diet and physical activity to prevent obesity.
Self-harming
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people who commit suicide he estimates have previously self-harmed. [216169]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally. However, research suggests that around 50 per cent. of people who commit suicide have previously self-harmed.
As part of the implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy, three centres have been established to monitor deliberate self-harm and provide accurate data on national trends and patterns to help inform suicide prevention interventions and detect changing patterns or local variations. Through monitoring, it will be possible to estimate the number of suicides by people who have self-harmed in the year prior to death.
Sunlight Exposure
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent research he has examined concerning (a) the effects of lifetime exposure to sunlight on the risk of melanoma and (b) the effect of sun exposure on survival rates for melanoma; [217717]
(2) what recent research he has examined concerning the effect of exposure to UV light on the risk of lymphoma;
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(3) what recent research he has examined concerning the effect of exposure to vitamin D from sunlight in the months immediately after birth on the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. [217719]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The most recent review of the research evidence about the health effects of UV radiation was published in 2002 by the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR).
The review gives clear evidence that exposure to ultra-violet radiation (UVR) is a risk factor for developing melanoma and other skin cancers. There is less certainty about the relative roles of cumulative (lifetime) exposure or burning episodes in the genesis of the different types of skin cancer. Chronic exposure to solar radiation also causes photo-ageing of the skin. The risk of developing melanoma has increased substantially in white populations in the United Kingdom and Europe for several decades. The review did not consider clinical issues such as the effect of sun exposure on survival rates for melanoma.
The review noted that the possibility has been raised that the immunosuppressive effects of UVR might be involved in causing lymphoma. The review concluded that overall the results are not-consistent with a major role for solar UVR in the aetiology of non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL), but they leave open the possibility of a minor role, or an aetiological relation for a particular subtype of NHL.
The review also contains a chapter on vitamin D, which considers the amount of vitamin D needed from UV exposure or the diet to sustain adequate vitamin D levels. It considers the role of vicarious sun exposure in vitamin D synthesis. It notes that infant formula milks are fortified with vitamin D. There is no information in the review on vitamin D and multiple sclerosis, or on any relationship between vitamin D levels in early childhood and illness in adulthood.
The European skin cancer society, Euroskin, is hosting an international meeting to look at the whole issue of UV exposure, vitamin D levels and health later this year. This meeting will include consideration of hypotheses of a wider role for vitamin D in long-term health.
Surrey and Sussex (Health Inspection Bodies)
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the bodies which inspect (a) the East Surrey hospital and (b) the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. [218042]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The specific information requested is not held by the Department.
However, 31 bodies have the right to inspect and regulate national health service hospital trusts in England. Of these, 18 are regulators of the professions and only have a role in inspecting training.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority* (This will be incorporated into the Regulatory Authority for Fertility and Tissue by 2007–08, along with the Human Tissue Authority),
Bodies indicated with a * will no longer exist in 2007–08.
The Better Regulation Task Force defines an independent regulator as: A body which has been established by Act of Parliament, but which operates at arm's length from Government and which has one or more of the following powers: inspection; referral; advice to a third party; licensing; accreditation; or enforcement."
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