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Report on Social Value Judgments

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on recommendations 6, 7 and 14 of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Report on Social Value Judgments: Guidelines for the Institute and its Advisory Bodies. [4179]

Jane Kennedy: The publication in question is a consultation document issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The consultation closes on 30 June.

Respiratory Complaints

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each London health authority have been admitted to hospital with respiratory problems resulting from pollution in each of the last five years. [6403]

Jane Kennedy: Figures for diagnosis of pollution-related conditions are not routinely recorded.

Sexual Health Services

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress of the review of sexual health services; what grants have been agreed to help relevant patients in (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest; and if she will make a statement. [5959]

Jane Kennedy: The two-year national review of genito urinary medicine (GUM) services began in autumn 2004 and is proceeding according to a roll-out plan, which will ensure that all GUM clinics will be visited. The
 
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review is being undertaken on behalf of the Department by the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health, who are working closely with sexual health leads in strategic health authorities. Visits to services have commenced in nine strategic health authority areas to date, including services commissioned by Redbridge and Waltham Forest Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

£300 million new investment over three years has been committed nationally through the public health White Paper to improve sexual health, including £130 million capital and revenue to modernise services. This investment will be part of mainstream allocations and PCTs are responsible for deciding how this money will be used locally. In addition, the Department has provided funding to PCTs to develop services in areas where there is little or no sexual health provision. This includes Waltham Forest, where additional investment has been provided to establish six new clinics covering both specialist and community settings.

Smoking

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consult on proposals to raise the age of sale for tobacco from 16 years to 18 years as part of the consultation process on the smoke free elements of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill. [6642]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 23 June 2005]: Raising the age of sale for tobacco from 16 years to 18 years is opposed by the health lobby and anti-smoking groups like ASH. There is also a lack of good evidence that increasing the age at which tobacco is legally sold has any impact on smoking rates among young people.

For that reason, we have concentrated our effort on ensuring that the existing age limits are effectively enforced. The Choosing Health White Paper set out proposals as follows:

we propose that legislation be brought forward to create new powers to ban retailers from selling tobacco products, on a temporary basis, if they repeatedly flout the law. This complements the work already under way to improve proof of age schemes. We intend to support this measure by looking at higher fines and updated guidance for magistrates, along with education for retailers on better compliance with underage sales law. Before introducing these measures, we will consult with local authorities, the retail industry and other key stakeholders".

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust

Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in funding from the 2005–06 baseline has been determined for South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust for 2006 to 2008. [3965]

Ms Rosie Winterton: South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust will receive allocations of £313.5 million in 2006–07 and £344.3 million in 2007–08. These represent a cash increase of £57.1 million or 19.9 per cent. over the two years.

Stakeholder Consultations (Continuing Care)

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2005, Official Report, column 627W, on continuing care (1) what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with
 
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stakeholders in order to produce a national framework for assessment for continuing care; what topics were discussed at each meeting; on what dates these meetings took place; which stakeholders were present; and what further such meetings she plans to hold with stakeholders; [5788]

(2) what representations she has received from organisations on the development of a national framework for the assessment for continuing care. [5789]

Mr. Byrne: Work to produce the national framework for continuing care is on-going, as is stakeholder communication, engagement and involvement.

My hon. Friend the Member for Thanet South (Dr.Ladyman), the former Under-Secretary, met with the ombudsman specifically to discuss continuing care, and the subject will have come up in numerous visits and meetings. I have met with local authority representatives and also with the Social Care Institute for Excellence, the General Social Care Council and Turning Point, amongst others, when the subject of continuing care was raised.

Officials have studied the evidence given to the recent Health Select Committee inquiry on continuing care. Regular meetings take place with staff from the ombudsman's office to ensure their full participation and involvement in the development of the national framework.

Officials held three national meetings on continuing care, on 17 December, 19 January and 4 March, to start to scope the issues that the national framework is to address and gather suggestions for ways forward. These meetings were attended by representatives from the ombudsman's office and representatives from strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and local authorities, including representatives from the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Social Services.

Meetings and/or discussions have also occurred with numerous organisations, members of the public, researchers and academics, including the Royal College of Nursing, Help the Aged, Age Concern, the Alzheimer's Society and the Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance. A stakeholder event is planned in July to share progress and to gain contributions in particular from organisations with patient/service user and carer networks and professional organisations.

An electronic discussion forum has been established for regular communication and through which staff from across the health and social care community and wider stakeholder groups can contribute to specific parts of the framework.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds in Stoke Mandeville Hospital are available for patients with severe neck trauma; and whether beds are reserved for local patients. [6592]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 23 June 2005]: The information is not available in the format requested. Stoke Mandeville Hospital situated in Aylesbury, is part of the Buckinghamshire Hospitals National Health
 
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Service Trust in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area. Data are only available on the total number of beds at the hospital trust and not by this speciality.

The Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a national centre for spinal injuries and burns, therefore it accepts patients from anywhere in the United Kingdom as well as overseas patients who are diagnosed as suffering with severe neck trauma. Beds are not reserved for local patients.

Tooth Decay

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults in East Yorkshire suffer from (i) tooth decay and (ii) gum disease; and if she will make a statement. [3597]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally. The National Child Dental Health Survey 2003 reported that from a sample of five-year-olds within East Yorkshire Primary Care Trust, 31.3 per cent. had active decay when examined. There is no localised data on gum disease in children.

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