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Medical Staff (CRB Checks)

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much her Department spent on Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks for (a) physiotherapists, (b) speech and language therapists, (c) occupational therapists, (d) nursing staff, (e) doctors and (f) other staff employed by the NHS in each year since the CRB was established; how many checks were carried out; and what percentage were cleared; [20847]
 
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(2) how much her Department spent on Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) police checks for (a) locum staff and (b) permanent staff employed by the NHS in each year since the CRB was established; [20848]

(3) what percentage of staff employed by the NHS who were subject to Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks had already been subject to a CRB police check within the last (a) year, (b) two years and (c) five years; [20849]

(4) how much her Department spent on Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks for staff working for the NHS in each year since the CRB was established; how many checks have been conducted; and what percentage were cleared. [20850]

Mr. Byrne: National health service employers are responsible for paying for Criminal Records Bureau checks on their employees and prospective employees. Information about the amount spent and the number of checks carried out is not collected centrally by the Department.

Medicine Reviews (Older People)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the target for medicine reviews in the National Service Framework for Older People has been superseded. [23067]

Mr. Byrne: Although good progress has been made, the target for medicine reviews in the national service framework for older people has not been superseded.

Mental Health

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to ensure that local protocols and pathways are established to deliver services to people who have a learning disability with mental health problems. [22981]

Mr. Byrne: Adults with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities, are covered by the mental health national service framework (NSF) in respect of their mental health problems.

Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" (2001), the first White Paper for people with learning disabilities for 30 years, requires clear local protocols to be in place for collaboration between specialist learning disability services and specialist mental health services.

In order to promote the development of such local protocols, a learning disabilities dimension was added to the NSF local implementation planning group in 2002 and again in 2004.

The National Institute for Mental Health in England and the valuing people support team published a service improvement toolkit called Green Light: How Good Are Your Mental Health Services for People with Learning Disabilities?" in 2004. This guidance is designed to help local services to work together to ensure that the delivery of the NSF is working for people with mental health problems who also have a learning disability.
 
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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has commissioned into (a) stress, (b) depression and (c) other mental health problems among carers. [22982]

Mr. Byrne: The Department has not commissioned any specific research in this area. However, we are aware of the potential pressures of caring on a carer's mental health. This is why, through recent guidance, we refer to a carer centred approach to assessment and encourage local authorities to take the mental health needs of carers fully into account when they carry out carers assessments.

Midwives

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the extent of financial support to be offered to student midwives. [23151]

Mr. Byrne: Diploma level midwifery students receive a non-means tested bursary of up to £6,859 per year. Additional allowances can supplement the bursary if a student is for example: aged over 26; a single parent; disabled; has dependants or on maternity leave. All midwifery students on national health service funded courses have their personal tuition fees, currently £1,175 per year, paid on their behalf.

MRI Scanners

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in establishing a national database of MRI scanners held by each hospital trust; what assessment has been made of (a) the extent of capacity utilisation and (b) waiting times for (i) urgent and (ii) non-urgent cases; and where available data is published. [16940]

Mr. Byrne: As part of the cancer plan central capital funded programme, an informal database of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and their locations has been maintained to facilitate the procurement process and monitor deliveries.

Data on waiting times for MRI scans is not currently collected centrally, but a new data collection is under active review. It is for national health service trusts in partnership with their primary care trusts to assess their MRI scanner utilisation and capacity and that they are using their diagnostic capacity to the full.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis; [22194]

(2) how much funding her Department committed for (a) 2005–06 and (b) the previous four years for research into the (i) biological causes, (ii) effects and (iii) treatments for myalgic encephalomyelitis. [22193]

Mr. Byrne: In May 2003, the Medical Research Council (MRC) announced funding for a major trial into various treatment options for those with myalgic encephalomyelitis. Known as PACE—pacing, activity and cognitive behavioural therapy: a randomised evaluation—this trial is ongoing.
 
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The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body, funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC is currently funding two complementary trials into various treatment options for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) that aim to improve quality of life for those who are ill. The Department is meeting part of the cost of the trials, to which in total £4.2 million has been allocated. Patient recruitment began toward the end of last year.

Over 75 per cent. of the Department's total expenditure on health research is, however, devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual projects, including some concerned with myalgic encephalomyelitis, can be found on the national research register on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/research.

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding she has made available for research into the physical causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis. [22747]

Mr. Byrne: The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body, funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology.

The MRC does not normally allocate funds to particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. When appropriate, high quality research in particular areas of strategic importance may be given priority in competition for funds, but research excellence and importance to health continues to be the primary considerations in funding decisions. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding.

The MRC is currently funding two complementary trials into various treatment options for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) that aim to improve quality of life for those who are ill. The Department is meeting part of the cost of the trials, to which in total £4.2 million has been allocated. Patient recruitment began towards the end of last year.

The Department has, since 1998, separately commissioned and funded a number of small-scale research projects related to aspects of CFS/ME at a total cost of £293,000.

Over 75 per cent. of the Department's total expenditure on health research is, however, devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual projects, including some concerned with myalgic encephalomyelitis, can be found on the national research register on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/research

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