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1 Mar 2006 : Column 761W—continued
Heroin
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have died from illness related to taking heroin in each of the last five years. [51758]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 14 February 2006]: Two deaths of children aged under 16 in which heroin has been implicated have been recorded in England during the last five years for which figures are available. The breakdown for each year as requested is shown in the table.
| Number of deaths | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
The figures are those reported to St. George's University of London. Figures on deaths in children due to the longer-term consequences of heroin abuse are not available centrally.
Influenza
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to question 15379, on influenza, what assessment she has made of the relationship between the influenza virus and the rise of the angiotensin II chemical in the lung. [41092]
Caroline Flint: Following the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, it was reported that this infection led to raised levels of angiotensin II in the lungs.
However, we are not aware of any relationship between a rise of angiotensin II chemical in the lung and influenza virus.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to question 15379, on influenza, what assessment she has made of whether the angiotenism II chemical caused by the body's response to acute respiratory distress syndrome could be triggered by the influenza virus. [41094]
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Caroline Flint: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not a specific disease but rather an acute lung dysfunction, a type of lung failure that is associated with a variety of conditions such as pneumonia, shock and trauma. Influenza infection in its most severe form could result in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The production of angiotenism II chemical would be a normal body reaction in such a situation.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to question 15379, on influenza, if the Department will (a) commission and (b) evaluate research on the relationship between (i) angiotensin-blocking drugs used to treat high blood pressure, (ii) angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and (iii) the prevention of acute respiratory disease syndrome. [41817]
Caroline Flint: Some preliminary international research in this area has already taken place and has produced some findings that may have implications for the treatment of any disease that generates an immune mediated response leading to lung failure. However, the work is laboratory based, the body of evidence small, and the findings not conclusive. Additional work and scientific scrutiny will be required before any possible impact on clinical practice.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to question 15379, on influenza, on what (a) advice and (b) evidential basis the Department decided that there was no logical basis for examining the effect of blood pressure treatments on influenza. [41818]
Caroline Flint: Opinions were sought from members of the flu subgroup of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI). They were not aware of any current research, specifically involving patients, in this area. However, the JCVI Flu sub-group continue to keep under review any new developments in the treatment of influenza.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the percentage of pensioners who received an NHS influenza injection in 2004–05 who subsequently contracted influenza in that year. [52531]
Caroline Flint: Data on the occurrence of influenza-like illness in vaccinated individuals have not been collected, therefore it is not possible to say what proportion of vaccinated individuals in this age group subsequently developed influenza.
Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents of Wansdyke constituency have received free influenza vaccinations in each of the last 10 years. [54392]
Caroline Flint:
Influenza vaccine uptake data is collected by primary care trusts (PCT), and are not broken down by constituencies. As Bath and North East Somerset PCT commissions health services for Wansdyke, the number of people aged 65 and over, who received their free influenza vaccinations in this PCT, from 2000 is shown in the table. Earlier data is not available as data collection for influenza vaccinations only started in 2000.
1 Mar 2006 : Column 763W
| Rate of uptake (percentage) | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | (4)67 |
| 2001–02 | (4)65 |
| 2002–03 | 70 |
| 2003–04 | 74 |
| 2004–05 | 71 |
| 2005–06 | (5)74 |
(4) Data for Somerset health authority. PCTs set up from 2002.
(5) Provisional 2005–06 data.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral statement of 22 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1371–72, on seasonal influenza vaccine supplies, what form the review of the seasonal influenza vaccination programme will take; who will undertake the review; what the time scale for the review will be; and what options for changing the seasonal influenza vaccination programme are being considered. [33275]
Caroline Flint: We are in the process of appointing independent assessors to carry out the review. Once complete, the review will submit its recommendations to the Department, which will consider and approve the findings for publication.
MMR Vaccine
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment she has made of the take-up of the MMR vaccine in (a) Hampshire and (b) England; and if she will make a statement; [51564]
(2) what percentage of children have received the MMR vaccination in each (a) primary care trust,
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(b) local authority and (c) electoral ward in Hampshire in each of the last three years. [51616]
Caroline Flint: Immunisation data by primary care trust, strategic health authorities and nationally are published annually in the statistical bulletin, NHS Immunisation Statistics, England", copies of which are available in the Library and on the Department's website. Data is not available by local authority or by electoral ward. Data for the last three years is available on the Department's website at:
MSRA
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MSRA cases there were in each hospital in (a) Hampshire and (b) out-of-county hospitals which receive significant numbers of patients from Hampshire in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement. [53653]
Caroline Flint: The best available information is from the mandatory methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections surveillance which started in April 2001 and covers acute trusts in England. The number of reported MRSA blood stream infections for acute trusts within Hampshire is shown in the table. The table also includes the Salisbury Healthcare National Health Service Trust which receives out-of-county patients from Hampshire.
Source:
Health Protection Agency
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