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Targets

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the inequalities between the level of development achieved by children in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged areas and the rest of England by 2008 will be met. [220137]

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.

The target for 50 per cent. of children to reach a good level of development was set in July 2004. It is based on the 2003 Foundation Stage Profile (FSP) results and data from Sure Start local programmes. It is provisional as the 2003 FSP data were published as 'experimental statistics'. FSP data for 2004 will be published on 17 March , and for 2005 later this year. At this point we will be able to confirm the target and establish the baseline against which progress towards the target can be assessed.

Vibration White Finger

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the implications for claims for (a) disablement benefit and (b) reduced earnings allowance from those suffering from vibration white finger of proposals for changes in the prescription of the disease made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. [219282]

 
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Jane Kennedy: The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) published its report on Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome in July 2004. The principal recommendation was that the terms of prescription for PD A11 (Vibration White Finger) be extended to include sensorineural symptoms, in addition to the existing vascular symptoms. The recommendations in that report were fully accepted. Revised regulations to implement the report should be introduced this summer.

It is hard to be accurate about how many claims will be made, or how many people will benefit, as a result of the changes. Provisional estimates are that over 60,000 new claims may be made, though the number who will actually receive benefit may be small in relation to the total number of claims.

People claiming as a result of this extension to prescription will not be entitled to reduced earnings allowance (REA). This is because a person cannot be entitled to REA where the prescription for that disease is extended on or after 10 October 1994. This is the effect of The Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, Schedule 7, paragraph 11(1).

Winter Fuel Payment

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many people became newly entitled for the 2004–05 winter fuel payment who would need to claim the payment; and how many claims have been received from such people. [220574]

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that approximately 700,000 individuals in Great Britain reached age 60 in the qualifying period for the 2004–05 winter fuel payment. About half of these have been paid automatically but others, who are not in receipt of certain benefits, will need to make a claim. By 25 February, 351,894 claim forms had been received.

HEALTH

Asian Bird Influenza

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which streams of Asian bird influenza pose a threat to the UK; and which vaccines he is stockpiling to protect against possible outbreaks of flu. [219808]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Highly pathogenic forms of avian influenza type A viruses are of most concern as these are known to have caused infections in people. Of these, A/H5N1, A/H7N7 and A/H9N2 have caused outbreaks of infection in the past five years. Because of their potential to adapt to become more transmissable to humans, or to exchange genes with a human influenza virus to produce a completely novel virus capable of pandemic spread, all pose a threat.

There is as yet no vaccine available for the prevention of the disease. The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control has secured an isolate of the current avian influenza virus strain and has produced a
 
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candidate vaccine virus using reverse genetics" technology for use should this be required. We are working closely with other countries, the World Health Organisation, the European Commission and manufacturers to ensure that a vaccine can be developed as quickly as possible once a pandemic flu strain emerges.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to prepare for a possible outbreak of avian flu; and if he will make a statement. [218016]

Miss Melanie Johnson: On 1 March, we published the United Kingdom health departments' influenza pandemic contingency plan, together with an announcement of our plans for procurement of antivirals. This puts the UK in the forefront of international preparedness for a possible flu pandemic. The document is on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by his Department to protect against possible mutations of the avian flu virus; and if he will make a statement. [218063]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 28 February 2005]: There is no confirmed evidence of person-to-person spread of avian influenza in South-East Asia. Guidance for the national health service on the detection, diagnosis and treatment of potential cases of avian flu has been prepared by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), in collaboration with the Department, and is published on the HPA's website at www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/avianinfluenza/menu.htm.

In response to outbreaks of avian influenza in South-East Asia, the European Commission has imposed a ban on the importation of birds of all species from affected areas until December 2005.

On 1 March, we published the United Kingdom health departments' influenza pandemic contingency plan, together with an announcement of our plans for procurement of antivirals. This puts the UK in the forefront of international preparedness for a possible flu pandemic. The document is on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu.

Breast Cancer Screening

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of women aged (a) 50 to 64 and (b) 65 to 70 years have been screened for breast cancer on the NHS in (i) England, (ii) each strategic health authority and (iii) each primary care trust in each year since 1997. [218174]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Information requested since strategic health authorities and primary care trusts were established in 2002 has been placed in Library.

Courses (Transport Costs)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the provision of assistance with transport costs to mature students attending NHS sponsored courses at university; what other support is available to those who live outside areas identified for assistance with transport costs; and if he will list for each
 
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midwifery course sponsored by the NHS the areas within which assistance with transport costs is available. [216931]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 21 February 2005]: The provision of travelling expenses for mature students attending courses at university is a matter for national health service employers locally. Information about travelling costs is not held centrally.

Defibrillators

Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is per usage of NHS defibrillators located in non-NHS premises, including capital cost amortisation over the estimated useful lifetime of the equipment. [216531]

Miss Melanie Johnson: It is difficult to give an accurate estimated cost per usage, as the total life expectancy of the automated external defibrillators that are currently in use is not known.

The current cost, with 303 defibrillator deployments, works out at accrued cost of £4,950 per deployment, but this does not take account of the lifespan of the defibrillators.

Therefore:

For five years life expectancy, current data suggests there would be 440 deployments at a cost of £3,409 per deployment.

For seven years life expectancy, current data suggests there would be 616 deployments at a cost of £2,435 per deployment.

For 10 years life expectancy, current data suggests there would be 881 deployments at a cost of £1,702 per deployment.

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