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7 Mar 2006 : Column 1253W—continued
Social Services
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of outturn against budgets for local authority social services in the 2005–06 financial year; and if she will make a statement. [52550]
Mr. Byrne: As the Department does not hold 2005–06 forecast outturn information in respect of the 150 local authorities with social services responsibilities, it is not possible to make any assessment of spend against social services' budgets for the current financial year. 2005–06 outturn data will not be available for publication until early in 2007. The most recently available outturn data, published on 2 February 2006, relates to the 2004–05 financial year.
Social Work (Recruitment)
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated for the National Social Work and Social Care recruitment drive, launched on 15 February, including the amount allocated for (a) national and local television, (b) press and (c) radio advertising. [54043]
Mr. Byrne: A total budget of £2.72 million was allocated to the two recruitment campaigns. The social work campaign launched on 15 February and will be followed by a campaign for social care workers commencing 6 March.
Television will be used for the social care campaign only. Total planned media costs £1.09 million.
Press advertising will support both campaigns. Total planned media costs are £570,000.
Radio advertising will also be used for both campaigns. Total planned media costs are
The balance of the expenditure consists of production costs for the above, public relations agency costs, website development and brochure production.
Sterile Services
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why her Department does not allow contractors bidding for the sterile service supercentres to consult directly with the trusts they wish to supply. [53184]
Jane Kennedy: These are local contracts, which are being established through a structured bidding process. Bidders are encouraged to consult freely with national health service trusts.
The only instance when they are not actively encouraged to meet NHS trusts is whilst tender documentation is issued for completion; any discussion during this period must be only to seek clarification of questions contained within the tender documentation. This is to ensure that all bidders are given an equal opportunity, treated fairly and equitably and we maintain compliance with European Union procurement guidelines.
7 Mar 2006 : Column 1254W
Vandalism
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the acts of vandalism which have been perpetrated (a) inside and (b) on the outside of her Department's buildings in the last 12 months. [49504]
Mr. Byrne: In the last 12 months, there were nil acts of vandalism perpetuated inside the Department's buildings. However, pink paint was thrown outside at one of the Department's buildings, Richmond House, causing damage to brickwork, signage and forecourt.
Waiting Lists/Times
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written answer of 11 January 2006, Official Report, columns 725–6W, on Health Committee evidence, how many patients were waiting over (a) six months for in-patient treatment and (b) 13 weeks for out-patient treatment in each week between 4 December 2005 and the first week of January 2006. [45480]
Jane Kennedy: The data requested for the weeks in December 2005 are shown in the table. These figures include Welsh patients waiting at English hospitals, who are not covered by the English waiting time targets. As from January 2006, national figures are no longer centrally available, as weekly data are now only collected on a voluntary basis
Monthly data, published on 3 February 2006, showed that the number of inpatients waiting over six months on 31 December 2005 was 48, including 36 patients waiting at Welsh hospitals, and the number of out-patients waiting over 13 weeks was 171, including 153 patients waiting in Welsh hospitals.
This contrasts with the position in June 1997 when there were around 370,000 more patients waiting for treatment; 283,000 more in-patients waiting over six months; and 338,000 more out-patients waiting over 13 weeks.
Note:
Figures included Welsh patients waiting at English hospitals
Source:
Provider based weekly monitoring data
PRIME MINISTER
Meetings
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings he has had with (a) representatives of UK Muslim communities and (b) Muslim youth groups in each of the last three years. [54622]
The Prime Minister:
I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects. I have met representatives of UK Muslim communities and Muslim youth groups on a number of occasions.
7 Mar 2006 : Column 1255W
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings he has held with representatives of (a) Iraqi and (b) Afghan communities living in the UK in each of the last three years. [54623]
The Prime Minister: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects. I have met representatives of both the Iraqi and Afghani communities living in the UK.
Special Advisers
Frank Dobson: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how much was paid to Professor Julian Le Grand during his period of employment as a Downing Street adviser; [56828]
(2) what estimate he has made of the total sum to be paid to Downing Street advisers in 2005–06. [56829]
The Prime Minister: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. I refer my right hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158–61WS. Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information is available in the Libraries of the House.
Information on special advisers for 2005–06 will be published in the normal way once it has been completed.
Frank Dobson: To ask the Prime Minister what methods he uses to assess the value for money of the employment of Downing Street advisers (a) in general and (b) individually. [56830]
The Prime Minister: Special advisers are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers" and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers". Individual posts are subject to standardised job evaluation.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Burma
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the policy of her Department regarding sourcing goods from Burma. [52221]
Mr. Morley: There are no current economic sanctions or restrictions on sourcing goods from Burma and so it would be inappropriate for my Department to set special contract terms for goods made in Burma.
Government policy on trade with Burma is to offer no support to British companies who want to trade there, informing those who inquire about trade with Burma of the grave political situation, the regime's atrocious record on human rights and record of economic mismanagement. This is in line with the common position on Burma adopted by the EU in 1996 and renewed in 2005.
As far as I am aware there is no evidence to suggest that my Department has purchased any goods from Burma recently.
7 Mar 2006 : Column 1256W
As far as policy on forestry is concerned, the Government are working closely with the NGO Global Witness on how best to protect Burma's forests. Their recent report, A Choice for China" calls for a ban on illegally logged timber. It did not, however, support a ban on all timber from Burma in recognition of the complexity of the problem. Instead, Global Witness called for timber companies not to import illegally logged timber, and for the Chinese Government to suspend importation of logs and processed timber across the China-Burma border. This is pending a review of the legality of all logging operations in Kachin state. Global Witness's work has had a significant impact in Burma, and as a result of their highlighting this problem, the State Peace and Development Council and the Chinese Government have taken steps to clamp down on the illegal trade. According to Global Witness, the destructive logging and vast timber trade on the China-Burma border have come to a near halt over the past four months although it is not clear how permanent such moves will be.
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the quantity of timber imported from Burma in each of the last 10 years; and which companies are the main importers of timber into the UK from Burma over this period. [55660]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
| Netmass (tonnes) | |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 464 |
| 1997 | 214 |
| 1998 | 81 |
| 1999 | 2,899 |
| 2000 | 11,344 |
| 2001 | 6,877 |
| 2002 | 5,538 |
| 2003 | 4,776 |
| 2004 | 440 |
| 2005 | 4,176 |
Note:
Figures include timber and processed wood products such as plywood, but exclude made up articles of wood (in keeping with previous answers).
Source:
HM Revenue and Customs, Overseas Trade Statistics
Information on individual importers and consignments is recorded from customs documents submitted at import. For reasons of confidentiality, HM Revenue and Customs do not publish company information at the level of detail required by this question.
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