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Zimbabwe

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent discussions
 
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he has had with the Government of Zimbabwe regarding the legal case against the MDC Deputy Chief Whip, Thoko Khupe; [220224]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Zimbabwe about the responsible use of powers under the Public Order and Security Act. [220225]

Mr. Mullin: A meeting attended by Thoko Khupe was broken up by the Zimbabwean authorities. Opposition MPs and candidates are frequently arrested for holding meetings deemed to be illegal under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). We are clear that selective application by the Government of Zimbabwe of restrictive legislation is intolerable. I made these points firmly when I met the Zimbabwean ambassador on 22 February.

HEALTH

A and E Waiting Times

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the success of implementing a four hour target for waiting time in accident and emergency departments; [220685]

(2) what plans he has to review the four hour waiting target in accident and emergency departments. [220686]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department's autumn performance report, published in December 2004, sets out the latest assessment for delivery of targets agreed as part of the Department's spending review 2002 public service agreement. This report is available in the Library. Latest published figures show that, by October to December, 96.8 per cent. of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged from accident and emergency within four hours. This compares with just 78 per cent. between October and December 2002. Over 19 out of 20 patients are now in and out of A&E within four hours.

From 1 January 2005, 98 per cent. became the ongoing minimum operational standard for total time in A&E. Data on performance for the first period following this, January to March 2005, will be available in mid May.

Asthma

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will re-examine the level of NHS prescriptions charges in respect of asthma medication. [220622]

Ms Rosie Winterton: We have no plans to add asthma to the existing list of medical conditions that give exemption from prescription charges. The list has been reviewed on a number of occasions, but no clear-cut case for extending it has emerged. There is no consensus on what additional conditions might be included in any revised list of medical exemptions, or how distinctions could be drawn between one condition and another.

Body Mass Index

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average body mass index in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust was in each year since 1997. [217058]

 
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Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 23 March 2005]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average body mass index was in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997. [216390]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures available from the Health Survey for England have been placed in the Library.

Botox

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken to ensure that the botox which is used for cosmetic purposes in the UK has been safety-tested; and if he will make a statement; [216114]

(2) if he will ban the (a) prescribing and (b) use of botulinum toxin for cosmetic purposes. [216464]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The uses approved for licensed botulinum products are limited to the treatment of certain kinds of muscular spasms and disabling spasticities. For those uses we are satisfied that the products meet all of the safety requirements laid down in European legislation and guidance and these together with standards for quality and efficacy are a prerequisite for the licensing of medicinal products.

If these products are being used for cosmetic purposes then they are being used outside the terms of the product licenses the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted. However, doctors may prescribe and use a licensed medicine for unlicensed purposes to meet the need of an individual patient, on their own responsibility, where they judge the benefit to the patient is justified.

The Chief Medical Officer established the Expert Group on the Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery to provide advice on whether the current regulation of cosmetic surgery was sufficient to ensure patient safety. The expert group published its report on 28 January 2005. It recommended that the current law relating to the prescription of botulinum toxin—which allows for its prescription by a doctor and its administration by a doctor or nurses—should be more consistently adhered to, and that facilities where botulinum toxin is injected should be licensed by the Healthcare Commission and subject to its regulations. The Government accept these recommendations, and will work with the Healthcare Commission, professional bodies and other key stakeholders to formulate an implementation programme.

Community Pharmaceutical Services

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the new contract for NHS community pharmaceutical services on primary care trusts; [220509]

(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the new contract for NHS community pharmaceutical services on general practitioners; [220510]
 
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(3) what assessment he has made of the effect of the new contract for NHS community pharmaceutical services on rural general practitioner surgeries; [220511]

(4) what recent progress has been made regarding control of entry regulations for primary care trusts; [220701]

(5) what recent progress has been made regarding the publication of regulations for primary care trusts involved with the new contract for NHS community pharmaceutical services; and if he will make a statement on the regulatory frameworks for the new NHS contract for community pharmaceutical services. [220702]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The new contractual framework for community pharmacy gives primary care trusts (PCTs) the opportunity to work with local pharmacists to develop a range of high quality community pharmacy services. This will make them an integral part of local primary care provision. PCTs should be able to exploit fully the opportunities in order to maximise the benefits to patients.

The framework offers considerable benefits for general practitioners (GPs) and the opportunity to work closer with community pharmacists whether in rural or non-rural areas. This includes support for self-care, the management of common ailments and helping patients get the best from their medicines. The introduction of repeat dispensing in every pharmacy will mean that patients will be able to get a prescription from their GP to be dispensed in instalments by their pharmacy for up to a year without patients having to make repeat visits to the surgery for their prescriptions. This will help reduce GP workloads, offer opportunities for pharmacists to review patient medication and minimise waste by not dispensing medicines that patients no longer require. Repeat dispensing is especially of benefit to people with long-term conditions.

We have recently finished consulting representative organisations on the regulatory changes needed to bring in the new framework and the reforms to the control of entry system. We will shortly lay these before Parliament together with the final regulatory impact assessment. We will also publish directions to PCTs, concerning how they are to implement some of the aspects of the new framework and a determination regarding the remuneration to be paid to national health service community pharmacy contractors.

The regulations will ensure the new framework and the balanced package of control of entry reform measures broaden the range and quality of services for patients, encouraging innovation and excellence in service provision.

Counselling and Psychotherapy Profession

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on current and planned future regulation of the counselling and psychotherapy profession in England; and what discussions he has held with (a) the Health Minister in the Scottish Executive, (b) the National Assembly for Wales Secretary for Health and (c) the Northern Ireland Office on current and future regulation of the counselling and psychotherapy profession across the UK. [220307]

 
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Mr. Hutton: Counsellors and psychotherapists are not currently subject to statutory regulation. Some are subject to partial voluntary regulation through membership of professional organisations.

Departmental officials in England are working towards the statutory regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists via the Health Professions Council (HPC). The HPC is a United Kingdom-wide regulator. However, since regulation of currently unregulated professions is a devolved matter it is for the health department of the Scottish Executive (SEHD), the National Assembly of Wales (NAW) and the Northern Ireland Office (NOI) to decide whether or not they wish to regulate counsellors and psychotherapists in this way. Departmental officials keep their counterparts in the SEHD, NAW and NIO informed regularly about progress in this area.

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