| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
2 Dec 2005 : Column 854W—continued
Pesticides
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the working group within her Department has made in producing a module of toxicology for use by general practitioners in relation to
2 Dec 2005 : Column 855W
the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report, with particular reference to the impact on the health of residents and bystanders of crop spraying of pesticides. [32298]
Caroline Flint: Meetings between the Department and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have been held and it has been agreed that a working group comprising representatives of the RCGP and senior clinical toxicologists should be set up. The terms of reference of the working group will include reporting on the need to provide improved training in toxicology as part of the RCGP training syllabus. If this is agreed and considered feasible, a draft module in toxicology will be defined. It is expected that the group will report during 2006.
Prescriptions (Pre-payment Certificates)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pre-payment certificates for prescriptions have been issued in Lancashire in each of the last 12 months. [21896]
Jane Kennedy [pursuant to the reply, 27 October 2005, Official Report, c. 507W]: I regret my previous reply was incorrect. It should read:
Information on the number of pre-payment certificates (PPCs) issued for Lancashire is not separately identifiable. However, the number of PPCs issued for England, by month for each of the last 12 months is as follows:
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pre-payment certificates for prescriptions have been issued in London in each of the last 12 months. [16905]
Jane Kennedy [pursuant to the reply, 17 October 2005, Official Report, c. 777W]: I regret my previous reply was incorrect. It should read:
Information on the number of pre-payment certificates (PPCs) issued for London is not separately identifiable. However, the number of PPCs issued for England, by month for each of the last 12 months is as follows.
2 Dec 2005 : Column 856W
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why her Department has used three year averages to measure performance against 2004 public service agreement target number one; [29203]
(2) why her Department has used three year averages to measure performance against 2004 public service agreement target number two. [29204]
Caroline Flint: Three-year rolling average rates are generally used for monitoring purposes, in preference to single year rates, in order to produce a smoothed trend from the data and to ensure the underlying trend is captured rather than year-on-year fluctuations. The resulting trend is more statistically robust than that produced by using single year rates. This approach has been successfully used in monitoring many of the national targets from current and previous public health strategies, for example, Our Healthier Nation (1999) and Health of the Nation (1992).
The Department's public service agreement targets, agreed as part of the 2004 spending review, are published on the Department's website and full technical details for each target, including target dates and how they are measured are included in the associated technical notes. The full website address containing the relevant details is: http://www.dh.gov.uk/AboutUs/HowDHWorks/ServiceStandardsAndCommitments/DHPublicService Agreement/fs/en.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhether the Government have set a time scale for bringing the guidelines for preventative treatment against respiratory syncytial virus up to EU recommended standards. [30158]
Caroline Flint: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently reviewed all the available evidence on the use of palivizumab for theprevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The minutes to this meeting (22 June 2005) are available on the Department's website: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/JCVI/minutes.htm.
Any recommendation on immunisation made by the Department will be based on the advice of JCVI.
2 Dec 2005 : Column 857W
SANELINE
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking for the continued provision of the services provided by SANELINE. [31069]
Ms. Rosie Winterton: SANE, in common with other voluntary and community sector organisations, is eligible to apply for funding from Government funding streams aimed at the voluntary and community sector—including the Department's section 64 general scheme of grants, or to tender for specific pieces of work commissioned by the Department.
In terms of overall provision of helpline services for people with mental health issues, NHS Direct provides a 24 hour, seven day a week service telephone helpline service and its fully-trained staff respond to about 325,000 calls per year from people with mental health issues. NHS Direct works in close partnership with the member organisations of the Mental Health Helpline Partnership (MHHP) of which SANELINE is a member, which, jointly, handles over five million telephone calls or contracts per year. MHHP member organisations jointly, respond to 99 per cent. of all calls made to mental health helplines.
The MHHP is currently in the procurement stage of purchasing a telecommunications solutions package that will enable MHHP members to work more efficiently in terms of call-switching between MHHP members and to work towards overall 24-hour provision of MHHP helpline services and, therefore, improve the overall level of service provision to people with mental health issues.
Seasonal Adjustment Disorder
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat NHS treatment is available for seasonal adjustment disorder. [29539]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Although seasonal adjustment (affective) disorder is not listed in the international classification of mental and behavioural disorders (ICD-10), it is generally accepted that there are people who appear to be affected in this way. Whatever the causes, which are not fully understood, depression is a matter of concern to those delivering mental health services. People suffering from depression that varies seasonally can access the full range of mental health services available in primary and secondary care.
Thames Valley SHA
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital allocations she expects to be made available to the Thames Valley strategic health authority over the next three years; and for what purpose each allocation will be made. [30643]
Caroline Flint: No decisions have yet been made on national health service capital allocations for 2006–07 onwards.
The last round of capital allocations was announced in January 2003, covering 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06.
2 Dec 2005 : Column 858W
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Bournemouth Schools
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional funding has been made available for schools in Bournemouth which are unable to remain within their financial budgets in 2005–06. [33425]
Jacqui Smith: Bournemouth local authority received transitional support grant (TSG) of £670,000 in 2004–05, and is due to draw down a further £335,000 in 2005–06. Distribution to schools will be in accordance with the authority's agreed transitional support plan which was approved by the Secretary of State.
Authorities, generally, are free under the LEA budget regulations to support schools in financial difficulty through sums held centrally by the authority, or by extending licensed deficit facilities under the terms of the local financial scheme.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |