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Sunflower Oil

Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has evaluated on the health impact of the use of high oleic sunflower oil for frying potato crisps. [21561]

Caroline Flint: The health impact of high oleic sunflower oil for frying potato crisps has not been specifically evaluated. The Food Standards Agency is currently funding a large intervention study investigating the impact of replacing saturated fat with different amounts of monounsaturated fat, such as oleic acid in sunflower oil, on cardiovascular disease risk. Results from this study will be available in January 2008.

Technology Appraisal

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on proposals submitted to the Department in September by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in relation to developing a more rapid process for the appraisal of technologies. [22134]

 
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Jane Kennedy [holding answer 27 October 2005]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made today.

Tonsil/Adenoid Removals

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children aged under 16 years in each strategic health authority area were discharged from hospital after removal of tonsils or adenoids in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the discharge rate was per 10,000 children aged under 16 years in each strategic health authority area; [20193]

(2) how many children aged under 16 years in each strategic health authority area had an operation to remove tonsils or adenoids without parental knowledge or consent in the most recent year for which figures are available. [20194]

Mr. Byrne: The table shows the number of children aged under 16 years who were discharged from national health service hospitals in England following tonsil and/or adenoid operations and the discharge rates per 10,000 children aged under 16 years, by residence in each strategic health authority (SHA) during 2003–04.

Information on parental knowledge, or consent for these procedures is not collected centrally.
Tonsil and adenoid operations and discharge rates per 10,000 children aged under 16 years, by residence in each SHA: 2003–04

SHA of residence	In-year discharge episodes	Rates per 10,000:0— 15 years population
Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire	1,491	35.6
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire	1,563	46.6
Essex	1,816	56.2
North West London	1,085	32.8
North Central London	905	38.8
North East London	1,406	42.2
South East London	1,226	40.9
South West London	888	35.9
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear	1,033	40.3
County Durham and Tees Valley	870	38.9
North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire	1,256	40.4
West Yorkshire	2,312	53.5
Cumbria and Lancashire	1,689	44.9
Greater Manchester	3,028	58.9
Cheshire and Merseyside	1,814	39.5
Thames Valley	1,553	36.1
Hampshire and Isle of Wight	1,148	33.6
Kent and Medway	1,661	50.8
Surrey and Sussex	2,088	43.1
Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire	1,437	33.9
South West Peninsula	1,338	46.4
Dorset and Somerset	695	31.7
South Yorkshire	1,020	41.2
Trent	2,050	40.4
Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland	1,546	48.4
Shropshire and Staffordshire	1,500	51.9
Birmingham and the Black Country	2,064	42.5
West Midlands, South	819	27.5

Sources:
Hospital episode statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre.
Count of in-year discharge episodes: all operations count of episodes, tonsil and adenoid operations (OPCS-4= E20 and F34). Age at start of episode= under 16: NHS hospitals in England, 2003–04. Population data: 2001 census-based resident population estimates for 2004.





 
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West Suffolk NHS Hospital Trust

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial outturn was at West Suffolk NHS hospital trust (a) at its inception and (b) in every year since its inception. [21352]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table. Information relating to the years prior to 1997–98 is not available.
West Suffolk hospitals national health service trust, retained surplus/(deficit) for the year £000

	Retained surplus/(deficit)
1997–98	(32)
1998–99	28
1999–2000	(286)
2000–01	290
2001–02	(936)
2002–03	947
2003–04	(2,501)
2004–05	(7.638)

Source:
Audited summarisation schedules of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the debt inherited by Suffolk West primary care trust was at its inception; and what the financial outturn has been in every year since. [21353]

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
Suffolk West primary care trust, under/(over)spend against revenue resource limit

	Spend (£000)
2002–03	(1,581)
2003–04	(4,423)
2004–05	(12,510)

Source:
Audited summarisation schedules of the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust.

West Sussex Primary Care Trusts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings she anticipates if the proposed merger of the five West Sussex primary care trusts proceeds. [18812]

Caroline Flint: The national health service will save £250 million in the cost of management and administration by 2008. The £250 million savings will be re-invested in front-line NHS services. Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trusts (PCTs) will be contributing £13 million towards the £250 million national savings.

Nationally, savings will be achieved largely through SHA and PCT reconfiguration. Reconfiguration proposals are developed locally by SHAs and PCTs and
 
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these will be subject to public consultation over the coming months. The precise contribution of PCTs to the £13 million Surrey and Sussex savings plan will be determined by the SHA and the PCTs once reconfiguration proposals are agreed in the new year.

CABINET OFFICE

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme. [23720]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office is committed to reducing carbon emissions where practical and is currently working with the Carbon Trust to potentially improve its energy management practices and identify likely areas for potential energy savings.

Once this work has been completed, the Cabinet Office will consider signing up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Skills Development plan. [23875]

Mr. Jim Murphy: A copy of the Cabinet Office Skills Development plan will be placed in the Library today.

Literacy and Numeracy

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department. [23799]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office competence based recruitment system is designed to identify candidates with the most suitable skills and competences for the job. Candidates are asked, on their application form and at interview to give evidence of their ability to communicate effectively. Candidates are assessed on their ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, and where necessary asked to provide evidence of their numeracy levels. There is also scope, within the selection system, for further testing of candidate's communication and numerical skills through verbal and numerical reasoning tests. Specifically, the Department has used the SHL VCC3 verbal evaluation test and the SHL NCC4 numerical evaluation test.

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