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6 Mar 2006 : Column 1193W—continued
Thermobaric and Air/Fuel Weapons
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned on (i) thermobaric and (ii) air fuel weapons in the past five years. [53696]
Mr. Ingram: The term thermobaric" has no agreed definition and is not used by the Ministry of Defence. The Department conducts or commissions research aimed at developing a scientific and military understanding of all appropriate weapon technologies. The knowledge generated is employed to assess the threat to UK Forces posed by these technologies, to consider appropriate countermeasures and to assess their potential applicability for use in our own weapon systems.
In the case of fuel air weapons MOD commissioned research tasks aimed at improving our scientific understanding and ability to model the critical parameters and effects of fuel air systems in order to undertake a more detailed analysis of the potential threat they represent. Research into Force Protection engineering measures conducted during the course of the last five years has taken fuel air weapons into account as one of the potential threats.
Warships
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what revenue has been (a) received from and (b) agreed with buyers as a result of the sale or scrapping of each major Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel disposed of since 1997; and how long each had been in service. [48822]
Mr. Ingram: Question 48822 requires input from various sources and the correlation of data that is not easily accessible. I expect to reply to the hon. Member as soon as officials have completed the necessary work.
I replied to the hon. Member today in respect of question 50184.
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HEALTH
Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her reply of 8 February 2006, Official Report, column 1304W, on abortion, on what grounds each abortion was performed; and what the (a) age of the woman, (b) gestation of the pregnancy and (c) prison at which the abortion was performed was in each case. [52494]
Caroline Flint: The information for age and gestation is shown in the table. The majority of the abortions were performed under Section l(l) (a) 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 and under the act, treatment for termination of pregnancy can only be carried out in a national health service hospital or an approved independent sector place.
For confidentiality reasons, we are unable to release any further data.
1 that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children of her family."
Acute Accident and Emergency Cover
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what acute clinical services need to be available at an NHS hospital in order for it to qualify as offering acute accident and emergency cover; and if she will make a statement; [52469]
(2) what are the differences in medical cover offered by (a) a minor injuries unit and (b) an acute accident and emergency department; and if she will make a statement. [52470]
Mr. Byrne:
To qualify as a major (type one) accident and emergency (A&E) department a service must be, among other requirements, consultant led, open 24 hours a day and have full resuscitation facilities. All major A&E departments are on acute hospital sites. Services on the hospital site usually include critical care and diagnostic radiology comprising x-ray, ultrasound and computerised tomography scan.
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The key difference in medical cover offered by a major A&E department, compared with a minor injuries unit (MIU), is that it is required to be consultant-led. MIUs can be general practitioner or nurse-led.
Alzheimer's Disease
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what treatments are available for moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease: [51626]
(2) what treatments are available for (a) Alzheimer's disease patients scoring lower than 10 in the mini-mental state examination and (b) behavioural disturbances arising in Alzheimer's disease patients. [51687]
Mr. Byrne: The drug Ebixa (memantine) is licensed for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia in Alzheimer's disease.
All four of the licensed drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are used to help treat behavioural disturbances. In addition, a range of social and psychological interventions may be used. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence are currently working on a guideline on health and social care interventions in dementia which is due to be published in draft form in April 2006. Many of the interventions are likely to be useful for behavioural disturbances.
Antiretroviral Drugs
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnant women have been prescribed with anti-retroviral drugs since 1997 in each health authority in England; and if she will make a statement. [48478]
Mr. Byrne: This information is not collected centrally. Our policy of offering and recommending an HIV test to every pregnant woman as part of their antenatal care, along with associated measures, including use of anti-retroviral drugs, has resulted in a significant reduction of mother-to-baby transmission of HIV infection. In 2004, approximately 92 per cent. of HIV infected pregnant women were diagnosed before delivery. Detection of maternal HIV infections is estimated to have prevented the transmission of HIV to around 190 babies in the United Kingdom in 2004.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent steps her Department has taken to increase awareness of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; [47449]
(2) what treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on the NHS; [47450]
(3) how many patients were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in each of the last three years. [47451]
Mr. Byrne: Information on the numbers of people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not collected centrally.
The assessment and treatment of ADHD is usually undertaken by child psychiatrists. However, it is increasingly common for paediatricians to diagnose and manage ADHD in children.
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A treatment programme should not rely on medication alone and psychological interventions which focus on the behaviour of the child, family interactions, classroom problems and learning difficulties should be offered. A comprehensive assessment involving more than one professional perspective will highlight the various problems that need to be addressed.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) appraisal on the use of methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin, recommended that methylphenidate should only be used as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for children with diagnosis of severe ADHD, Methylphenidate is not the only medication option with atomoxetine and dexamfetamine also available. NICE will be issuing guidance on the use of all three shortly. NICE will also be commencing work later this year on a guideline on the management and identification of ADHD in children, young people and adults.
As part of the children's national service framework, we are publishing a series of exemplar patient journeys. This series will be an exemplar on ADHD. We anticipate this being published later this year.
Care Homes
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps the Commission for Social Care Inspection takes to ensure that the national minimum standards of nutrition for older people in care homes are properly implemented; [50171]
(2) what steps her Department is taking to ensure that staff providing meals for older people living in care homes have received sufficient catering training; [50179]
(3) how many care homes in (a) Leeds North West and (b) the Leeds metropolitan area have been deemed as failing to meet standard 15 of the national minimum standards in each year for which figures are available. [50787]
Mr. Byrne [holding answers 9 February and 13 February 2006]: Nutritional needs are an important area of care provision. They are embedded in Care Homes for Older People—National Minimum Standards and Care Homes for Adults—National Minimum Standards. Copies are available in the Library. Food and nutrition is extensively covered in the national minimum standards (NMS), which the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) inspects care homes against The NMS address food and nutrition from various perspectives, including nutritional content, religious or cultural requirements, preparation and hygiene, training of catering staff and the social value of meals and mealtimes.
CSCI inspects against standard 30 of the NMS, which relates to staff training, to ensure that staff providing meals for older people living in care homes have sufficient catering training. Standard 30 states that the registered manager of a care home needs to ensure that there is a staff training and development programme which meets national training organisation (NTO) workforce training targets and ensures staff fulfil the aims of the home and meet the changing needs of service users.
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Information about the number of care homes in Leeds North West and the Leeds metropolitan area which have been deemed as failing standard 15 of the NMS is not collected in the format requested.
Figures on the performance against standard 15 of Care Homes for Older People—National Minimum Standards and standard 17 of Care Homes for Adults—National Minimum Standards in Leeds local authority for 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 is shown in the tables.
| 1 April to 31 March | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| 1—not met | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2—almost met | 19 | 13 | 10 |
| 3—met | 76 | 92 | 92 |
| 4—exceeded | 9 | 10 | 13 |
| Grand total | 105 | 116 | 118 |
| 1 April to 31 March | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| 1—not met | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2—almost met | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 3—met | 30 | 35 | 52 |
| 4—exceeded | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Grand total | 40 | 43 | 57 |
(48) Aged 18–65
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