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12 Oct 2005 : Column 550W—continued
Mental Health
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her estimate is of the number of 11 to 19-year-olds who are suffering from a mental illness. [16440]
Mr. Byrne: Information is not available in the format requested. In a 2004 survey of children and adolescents by the Office for National Statistics, "Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain, August 2005", it was found that among 11 to 16-year-olds, the prevalence of mental disorders was 11.5 per cent.
Prevalence rates for individual disorders are shown in the report, which is available in the Library.
In addition the report, "Psychiatric Morbidity among adults in private households", which was published in 2000, gave the prevalence of neurotic disorders among 16 to 19-year-olds as 133 per thousand of population.
Nutrition and Health (EU Regulation)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what benefits for public health are anticipated from the EU regulation of nutrition and health claims made on foods (2003/0165 COM). [15523]
Caroline Flint: The proposed regulation seeks to address the use in the labelling and advertising of foods of nutrition claims, such as "low fat" and "sugar free", and health claims such as "helps maintain a healthy heart" and "good for your bones". Such claims can be useful in helping consumers make healthy eating choices, but only if the claims are true and not presented in a way which undermines advice on healthy diets and lifestyles. At a time when there is increased concern over obesity and diet related diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, an appropriate level of control over nutrition and health claims is of clear public health benefit.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria will be used to assess whether a brand name or trademark on a food product will be permitted under the proposed EU regulation of nutrition and health claims (2003/0165 COM). [15524]
Caroline Flint:
The proposed regulation would affect those brand names or trademarks which are also nutrition or health claims, based on the definitions in the
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proposal. However, the regulation, as proposed by the European Union, would exempt such trademarks and brand names from undergoing a specific assessment and authorisation if the food product also carries an approved and relevant nutrition or health claim.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to produce a full regulatory impact assessment for the regulation of nutrition and health claims made on foods (EU 2003/0165 COM). [15525]
Caroline Flint: In line with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultations, regulatory impact assessments are published with our consultations on regulatory proposals. In the case of European Union regulations, which are directly applicable in the law of all member states, a regulatory impact assessment is produced to aid negotiations in Brussels and is developed as the policy process continues. For the regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods we expect to produce the full regulatory impact assessment when the final text has been agreed. This is expected in the summer of next year.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the EU regulation of health claims and nutrition (2003/0165 COM) on endorsements of health food products by doctors and other health care professionals. [15526]
Caroline Flint: The proposed regulation would prohibit health claims made in the labelling, presentation or advertising of foods by individual doctors and health professionals, but not their national medical associations. The regulation does not apply to other advice, such as recommendations made orally, given by such doctors or other health professionals.
Primary Care Trusts (Hampshire/Isle of Wight)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial position of each primary care trust in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is; and if she will make a statement. [16864]
Caroline Flint: The figures for each primary care trust (PCT) in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority are shown in the table. The figures have been taken from the 2004–05 final accounts.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what her policy is on the provision of secure funding for a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation
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programme in (a) Birmingham, (b) Birmingham and the Black Country strategic health authority area and (c) England; [16390]
(2) how many people in Birmingham are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; and what percentage of those people have access to pulmonary rehabilitation; [16391]
(3) what progress has been made on the implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in primary and secondary care in (a) Birmingham, (b) Birmingham and the Black Country strategic health authority area and (c) England. [16392]
Mr. Byrne: In England, primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for determining which health services their local population requires, and ensuring the provision of these services. It is therefore the responsibility of individual PCTs to decide the level of funding they allocate to services for pulmonary rehabilitation.
Data on the prevalence of individual medical conditions are not collected centrally, nor does the Department collect figures on the number of people treated for a particular condition in a way that enables an estimate to be made.
Clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are reflected in the standards published by the Department, which provide a framework for continuous improvement in the overall quality of care people receive. Clinical guidelines are covered by the developmental standards, standards which the national health service is expected to achieve over time. The Healthcare Commission has responsibility for assessing progress towards achieving these standards.
Sub-standard Housing
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating physical and psychological illness arising from sub-standard housing in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [15646]
Caroline Flint: No such assessment has been made.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will discuss with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs joint action to tackle adverse health effects resulting from poorly heated and poorly insulated housing; and if she will make a statement. [15647]
Caroline Flint:
The United Kingdom fuel poverty strategy is a cross-Government strategy. Although the lead Departments are the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health, along with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Work and Pensions, are closely involved in its implementation. There is regular contact between Ministers and officials of all these Departments to
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ensure this. This Department of Health takes its contribution very seriously; its specific policies and actions include:
Flu and pneumococcal immunisation programmes. The UK has the highest uptake of" 'flu immunisation among eligible groups of any in Europe.
The "Keep Warm Keep Well" campaign, launched this year with the "flu immunisation campaign, and comprising leaflet and helpline-based advice on what simple measures older people can take to preserve their health in winter time. How to access "Warm Front" and other fuel poverty reducing agencies is part of this.
Direct encouragement to the national health service to increase further the many fuel poverty reduction partnerships between the NHS, local authorities and, for example, Eaga Partnership Ltd. These lead to primary care staff being trained and supported, simplified referral routes—sometimes including a single telephone number, and rapid response from "Warm Front" and others. It is worth noting that the overwhelming majority of referrals to "Warm Front" originate from the NHS.
In 2003, collaborating with the Health Development Agency in commissioning from the National Heart Forum, Eaga, the Faculty of Public Health, Help the Aged, and the Met. Office the "Fuel Poverty and Health Toolkit".
Funding the evaluation of an important collaboration between the NHS and the Met. Office, testing the value of health forecasting in the management and self-management of those with chronic chest disease,
Helping to set up the health, housing and fuel poverty forum in March 2005, to raise the profile of cold, damp homes and to mainstream the many innovative activities the NHS is engaged in to address this issue.
Establishing the £60 million "Partnerships for Older People Projects" fund, against which local authorities and their partners have been bidding this year. The focus of these projects is on improving outcomes for older people through preventive interventions. Fuel poverty reduction forms a part in several of the short-listed bids.
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