House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Dec 2005 (pt 62)

12 Dec 2005 : Column 1809W—continued

Modernising Medical Careers

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of the modernising medical careers training structure on (a) junior and (b) middle-ranking doctors; [30312]

(2) how many positions for junior and middle-ranking doctors were available (a) immediately before and (b) immediately after modernising medical careers was introduced. [30313]

12 Dec 2005 : Column 1810W

Mr. Byrne: The launch of the foundation programme as the first phase of modernising medical careers (MMC) in August this year saw some senior house officer (SHO) posts converted to SHO equivalent foundation year two posts but this conversion did not affect the overall number of posts available for doctors working at the SHO level.

The MMC proposals for specialist training have yet to be agreed in detail. The proposals would see the gradual phasing out of the SHO grade to be replaced by structured programmes of training leading to the award of a certificate of completion of training.

Current SHOs will not be disadvantaged in the new training system and MMC will be working closely with the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board and Medical Royal Colleges to ensure that all are treated fairly.

We have consulted widely on these proposals and will continue to engage with stakeholders, including the British Medical Association, to manage transition.

In the September 2004 census, the number of medically qualified SHOs and equivalents was 20,094 in England. This was an increase of 1,882 (10 per cent.) from the previous year and an increase of 5,514 (38 per cent.) since 1997. The census is a count of doctors on particular salary scales or their equivalents, not a count of doctors with a particular job description. These figures therefore include trust doctors, clinical fellows and other such posts.

NHS Bursaries

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many eligible students who applied for NHS bursaries for their courses had not received their bursary by (a) the first week and (b) the first month of their course in 2005–06. [24546]

Mr. Byrne: I am informed by the NHS Pensions Agency who are responsible for the NHS student grants unit that it is not possible to pay bursaries within one week of the start of their course. The other information requested is not available but I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) today.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long on average an individual waited when claiming an NHS bursary from the point of application to the point of receiving the allowance in 2004–05. [26559]

Mr. Byrne: I am informed by the NHS Pensions Agency that for new students in the academic year 2004–05, the average waiting time from claiming a national health service bursary to payment was 53 days.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to reduce the time taken for an individual to receive the NHS bursary. [26560]

Mr. Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron) on 6 December 2005, Official Report, column 1233W.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed to deal with applications for NHS bursaries. [26561]

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Mr. Byrne: The NHS student grants unit is part of the NHS Pensions Agency. The NHS Pensions Agency employs 67 staff (65.71 whole-time equivalent) to deal with applications from national health service bursaries.

NHS Capital Expenditure

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total NHS capital expenditure has been in each year since 1990. [25283]

Mr. Byrne: The table shows public capital expenditure from 1990–91 to 2004–05.

In addition, private sector investment through the private finance initiative in national health service facilities is estimated to have reached £4 billion to date. Of the 139 hospital schemes authorised to go-ahead, 56 are complete with 32 under construction. The estimated total value of schemes authorised to proceed is over £19 billion.

41 NHS local improvement finance trust schemes totalling around £700 million have reached financial close.
NHS public capital expenditure: England—1990–91 to 2004–05

Capital net NHS expenditure
(£ billions) Percentage increase Percentage real terms increase⁽⁵⁰⁾

Cash⁽⁵¹⁾

1990–91 Outturn 1.426 16.7 8.2

1991–92 Outturn 1.524 6.9 0.8

1992–93 Outturn 1.752 15.0 11.4

1993–94 Outturn 1.594 -9.0 -11.3

1994–95 Outturn 1.865 17.0 15.2

1995–96 Outturn 1.736 -6.9 -9.5

1996–97 Outturn 1.341 -22.7 -25.4

1997–98 Outturn 1.089 -18.8 -21.1

1998–99 Outturn 0.808 -25.9 -27.7

Resource budgeting stage 1⁽⁵²⁾

1999–2000 Outturn 0.908 — —

2000–01 Outturn 1.246 37.2 35.4

2001–02 Outturn 1.732 39.0 35.7

2002–03 Outturn 2.107 21.7 17.9

Resource budgeting stage 2⁽⁵³⁾^(5508520054)

2003–04 Outturn 2.451 — —

2004–05 Estimated Outturn
3.396 38.5 35.6

⁽⁵⁰⁾Based on the gross domestic product deflator series as at 29 September 2005.
⁽⁵¹⁾Expenditure pre 1999–2000 is on a cash basis.
⁽⁵²⁾Expenditure figures from 1999–2000 to 2002–03 are on a stage one resource budgeting basis. Cash figures in 1999–2000 were £0.963 billion, a real terms increase of 16.9 per cent. on the previous year.
⁽⁵³⁾Expenditure figures from 2003–04 to 2007–08 are on a stage two resource budgeting basis.
⁽⁵⁴⁾The resource budgeting stage 2 expenditure figures shown for 2003–04 and 2004–05 are consistent with table 3.4 in the 2005 departmental report.

		Capital net NHS expenditure (£ billions)	Percentage increase	Percentage real terms increase⁽⁵⁰⁾
Cash⁽⁵¹⁾
1990–91	Outturn	1.426	16.7	8.2
1991–92	Outturn	1.524	6.9	0.8
1992–93	Outturn	1.752	15.0	11.4
1993–94	Outturn	1.594	-9.0	-11.3
1994–95	Outturn	1.865	17.0	15.2
1995–96	Outturn	1.736	-6.9	-9.5
1996–97	Outturn	1.341	-22.7	-25.4
1997–98	Outturn	1.089	-18.8	-21.1
1998–99	Outturn	0.808	-25.9	-27.7

Resource budgeting stage 1⁽⁵²⁾
1999–2000	Outturn	0.908	—	—
2000–01	Outturn	1.246	37.2	35.4
2001–02	Outturn	1.732	39.0	35.7
2002–03	Outturn	2.107	21.7	17.9

Resource budgeting stage 2⁽⁵³⁾^(5508520054)
2003–04	Outturn	2.451	—	—
2004–05	Estimated Outturn 3.396	38.5	35.6

NHS Executives

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS executives will be paid more than £200,000 in 2005–06. [30672]

Mr. Byrne: This information is not held centrally.

Information on salaries of executives of national health service organisations are published in their annual reports and accounts.

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NHS Finance

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what spending on the NHS in England has been in (a) real terms and (b) nominal terms in each year since 1990; and what estimate she has made of expenditure on the NHS in England in each year until 2007–08. [18378]

Mr. Byrne: The information in the table shows the growth in total net national health service expenditure in nominal and real terms (2004–05 prices).
Net NHS total expenditure: England, 1990–91 to 2007–08 £ billion

A. Net NHS expenditure real in 2004–05 Prices⁽⁵⁵⁾ B. Net NHS expenditure nominal⁽⁵⁵⁾

Cash⁽⁵⁶⁾

1990–91 Outturn 32.74 22.33

1991–92 Outturn 35.06 25.35

1992–93 Outturn 37.49 27.97

1993–94 Outturn 37.83 28.94

1994–95 Outturn 39.38 30.59

1995–96 Outturn 40.05 31.99

1996–97 Outturn 39.91 33.00

1997–98 Outturn 40.72 34.66

1998–99 Outturn 41.91 36.61

1999–2000 Outturn 44.78 39.88

Resource Budgeting Stage 1⁽⁵⁷⁾

1999–2000 Outturn 45.14 40.20

2000–01 Outturn 48.69 43.93

2001–02 Outturn 53.02 49.02

2002–03 Outturn 56.65 54.04

Resource Budgeting Stage 2⁽⁵⁸⁾^(5508520059)

2003–04 Outturn 64.34 63.00

2004–05 Outturn 69.71 69.71

2005–06 Plan 74.52 76.39

2006–07 Plan 80.10 84.32

2007–08 Plan 85.69 92.64

⁽⁵⁵⁾Figures are not consistent over the period (1990–91 to 2007–08), hence no comparisons should be made across different periods.
⁽⁵⁶⁾Expenditure pre 1999–2000 is on a cash basis.
⁽⁵⁷⁾Expenditure figures from 1999–2000 to 2002–03 are on a Stage1 Resource Budgeting basis.
⁽⁵⁸⁾Expenditure figures from 2003–04 to 2007–08 are on a Stage 2 Resource Budgeting basis.
⁽⁵⁹⁾The Resource Budgeting Stage 2 expenditure figures shown for 2004–05 to 2007–08 are consistent with the 2005 Departmental Report and Chief Executive's Report.
Note:
Based on the GDP Deflator series as at 28 September 2005.

		A. Net NHS expenditure real in 2004–05 Prices⁽⁵⁵⁾	B. Net NHS expenditure nominal⁽⁵⁵⁾
Cash⁽⁵⁶⁾
1990–91	Outturn	32.74	22.33
1991–92	Outturn	35.06	25.35
1992–93	Outturn	37.49	27.97
1993–94	Outturn	37.83	28.94
1994–95	Outturn	39.38	30.59
1995–96	Outturn	40.05	31.99
1996–97	Outturn	39.91	33.00
1997–98	Outturn	40.72	34.66
1998–99	Outturn	41.91	36.61
1999–2000	Outturn	44.78	39.88

Resource Budgeting Stage 1⁽⁵⁷⁾
1999–2000	Outturn	45.14	40.20
2000–01	Outturn	48.69	43.93
2001–02	Outturn	53.02	49.02
2002–03	Outturn	56.65	54.04

Resource Budgeting Stage 2⁽⁵⁸⁾^(5508520059)
2003–04	Outturn	64.34	63.00
2004–05	Outturn	69.71	69.71
2005–06	Plan	74.52	76.39
2006–07	Plan	80.10	84.32
2007–08	Plan	85.69	92.64

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria she uses to determine when she intervenes in individual funding decisions taken by (a) primary care trusts and (b) other NHS bodies; and what steps she is taking to ensure NHS organisations are informed of these criteria. [28712]

Mr. Byrne: Revenue allocations are made directly to primary care trusts (PCTs) and it is for PCTs to determine how to use the funding allocated to them to commission services to meet the health care needs of their local populations.

The Secretary of State would only intervene in funding decisions made at a local level in very exceptional circumstances. There are no pre-determined

12 Dec 2005 : Column 1813W

criteria for intervention; rather it is a matter of judgment and full consideration of the issues in any given situation.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library the most recent month's forecast of financial position for each NHS organisation submitted to the Department by each strategic health authority. [29826]

Mr. Byrne: The 2005–06 forecast financial position at month six for all national health service organisations was announced on 1 December and copies placed in the Library. This information is also available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 266W, on NHS finance, whether it is her intention that control totals for each strategic health authority are set so that the net sum of control totals nationally is 0; and from which budgets deficits are met when all the control totals set across England add up to a sum of less than 0. [31118]

Mr. Byrne: Decisions on the individual control totals for all strategic health authorities or their net sum have not been finalised.

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