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23 May 2005 : Column 29W—continued

Morocco

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Spanish Government concerning its recent decision to supply tanks to the Government of Morocco. [143]

Dr. Howells: There are currently no plans to discuss with the Spanish Government its policy on military exports to Morocco.

North and South Korea

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made on North Korea to each of the six constituent countries of the current talks; and whether he has been briefed on the re-opening of talks between North and South Korea. [59]

 
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Ian Pearson: We are in close contact with all the countries involved in the six party talks through our embassies overseas and through their missions in London. We have made our concerns on the nuclear issue known to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at both ministerial and official level, and have urged them to engage constructively in a fourth round of talks at an early stage. We fully support the inter-Korean reconciliation process, and welcomed the reopening of talks recently. We hope that further rounds of talks will lead to significant progress.

Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the negotiating stance of the UK will be in the current nuclear non-proliferation talks as regards (a) restraining the extension of the number of states in possession of nuclear weapons and (b) persuading those states in possession of nuclear weapons to reduce their stockpiles of such weapons. [76]

Dr. Howells: The United Kingdom will seek an outcome to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) review conference which strengthens all three pillars of the treaty: non-proliferation, the peaceful use of nuclear technology, and disarmament. I am placing in the Library of the House the UK's statement to all NPT states parties on 5 May, which set out in full our priorities for the review conference, including those areas raised by my hon. Friend.

Western Sahara

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN regarding recent military activities by (a) Morocco and (b) the Polisario Front in the disputed countries of the Western Sahara. [142]

Dr. Howells: UK officials hold regular discussions about Western Sahara with UN officials. These focus on ensuring that the UN process leads to a fair and lasting solution to this dispute that provides the people of the Western Sahara with an opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination.

The UN Secretary-General's report on Western Sahara published in April 2005 highlighted increased occurrences, by both parties to the dispute, of non-compliance with military agreements reached with the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The UK supported UN Security Council resolution 1598 adopted on the 28 April 2005, which affirms the need for all parties to respect fully the military agreements reached with MINURSO with regard to the ceasefire.

HEALTH

Beta Interferon

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each health authority area in England are awaiting treatment with beta interferon. [317]

 
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Mr. Byrne: The Department does not collect this information.

NHS Bodies (Review)

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the arm's length NHS bodies
 
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covered by the recent review, indicating in each case their 2005–06 budget, the date on which they were established and what has been decided about their future. [480]

Jane Kennedy: A list of arm's length bodies covered by the recent review is shown in the table.

Department of Health arm's length bodies covered by the 2004 review	Budget for 2005–06 (£000)(12)	Date of establishment	Decisions about future status
Healthcare Commission	78,732	1 April 2004	To merge with the Commission for Social Care Inspection by 2008
Mental Health Act Commission	5,218	Before 1998	To merge with the Healthcare Commission by 1 April 2007
Commission for Social Care Inspection	144,260	1 April 2004	To merge with the Healthcare Commission by 2008
Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts (Monitor)	12,000	1 April 2004	Currently an executive non-departmental public body. Future status to be confirmed
Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health	29,930	1 January 2003	To be dissolved by 1 August 2006
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority	9,421(13)	Before 1998	To merge with Human Tissue Authority by 1 April 2008 to become Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryology, an executive non-departmental public body
Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals	1,950	1 April 2003	Executive non-departmental public body
General Social Care Council	14,310	October 2001	Executive non-departmental public body
Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board	6,742	1 April 2003	Executive non-departmental public body
Dental Vocational Training Authority	281	Before 1998	To merge with the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board by 1 April 2006
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority	62,970	1 April 2003	Executive agency
National Institute for Clinical Excellence	29,894	1 April 1999	Merged on 1 April 2005 to become the National Institute for Health and Clinical
Health Development Agency	—	2000	Excellence, a special health authority
National Patient Safety Agency	28,618	July 2001	Special health authority
National Clinical Assessment Authority	—	2001	Merged with the National Patient Safety Agency on 1 April 2005
Health Protection Agency	228,600	1 April 2003	Executive non-departmental public body
Public Health Laboratory Service	—	Before 1998	Merged with the Health Protection Agency on 1 April 2005
National Radiological Protection Board	—	Before 1998	Merged with the Health Protection Agency on 1 April 2005
National Institute for Biological Standards and Control	19,739	Before 1998	To merge with Health Protection Agency by 1 April 2006
National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse	11,510	1 April 2001	Special health authority
National Blood Authority	401,700	Before 1998	To merge by 1 October 2005 to become NHS Blood and Transplant, a special health
UK Transplant	13,572	2000	authority
NHS Litigation Authority	14,095	1995	Special health authority
Family Health Services Appeal Authority	—	Before 1998	Merged with NHS Litigation Authority on 1 April 2005
NHS Information Authority	HSCIC 42,900	1999	Reformed to become the Health and Social 1/2 Care Information Centre, a special health authority with some functions transferred to 1/2 NHS Connecting for Health, an Executive
	NCFS 115,230		Agency
NHS Modernisation Agency	NILSI 80,000	2001	Some functions to be transferred into the NHS Institute for Learning, Skills and Innovation, a
NHSU		2002	special health authority, by July 2005
NHS Appointments Commission	5,981	1 April 2001	Executive non-departmental public body (subject to primary legislation)
Prescription Pricing Authority	75,606	Before 1998
Dental Practice Board	23,062	Before 1998	To merge by 1 October 2005 to become the
NHS Pensions Agency	22,066	Before 1998	NHS Business Services Authority, a special
NHS Courier Fraud and Security Management	14,897	2003	health authority
Service
NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency	22,081	1 April 2000	Executive agency
NHS Logistics Authority	70,658	2000	Future status subject to market testing exercise
Retained Organs Commission	—	2001	Dissolved in 2004
NHS Direct	161,900	1 April 2004	To move outside the arm's length body sector
NHS Professionals	31,000	1 January 2004	To move outside the arm's length body sector
NHS Estates	1,000	1997	To be dissolved by 1 October 2005
	1,779,923

⁽¹²⁾ The 2005–06 budget figures are based on recurrent operating costs, excluding capital charges but including income from other sources, such as fee income, as well as Department of Health funding.
⁽¹³⁾ Includes the Human Tissue Authority.





 
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