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Prisoners

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have a severe and enduring illness; and if he will make a statement. [58215]

Fiona Mactaggart: The NHS Plan (Department of Health, 2000) estimated that, at any one time, 5,000 of the prison population will have a severe mental illness, although not all of the 5,000 will be acutely ill at the same time.

Source:

This figure was derived from the survey Psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics (ONS), 1998.

Prisons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many laptop computers the Prison Service has purchased for use by prisoners in each of the last eight years. [58564]

Fiona Mactaggart: 73 laptop computers were purchased in 2005–06 for prisoner legal work under Prison Service Instruction 20/2005, Access to Justice. Data on the number of laptops purchased before 2005–06 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Security Industry Authority

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those who have been accepted for a licence by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), but who have yet to receive their licence from the SIA, will be able to work as security guards after 20 March; and if he will make a statement. [55177]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 2 March 2006]: The issue of compliance with the requirements of the Private Security Industry Act is a matter for the Security Industry Authority (SIA) who retain operational responsibility. They continue to work with their partners and law enforcement agencies such as the police, and local authorities on matters of compliance. Any individual undertaking licensable activity without a licence from 20 March will be committing a criminal offence and be liable to prosecution.
 
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On 7 March, the SIA made an announcement regarding its enforcement policy. The SIA have stated that they will take a proportionate and reasoned approach to enforcement. Information about the SIA's enforcement policy can be found at www.the-sia.org.uk

Skills for Justice

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the work of Skills for Justice; and if he will make a statement. [58222]

Hazel Blears: Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and are subject to twice-yearly comprehensive performance reviews to assess their ongoing capacity and capability to deliver their objectives.

The work of Skills for Justice is overseen by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) which, in conjunction with the relevant department for each sector, funds, supports and monitors the performance of all SSCs in order to ensure quality and consistent standards across the network. Furthermore, the agency seeks to promote best practice through the sharing of findings between different sectors.

The Home Office has made no formal assessment of the work of Skills for Justice.

Young Offenders

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) support services and (b) training are available to help children of school age who have been convicted of a crime in (i) West Lancashire constituency and (ii) England. [58521]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood on 16 January 2006, Official Report column 1152W.

Youth Justice

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of youth recidivism; and if he will make a statement. [58650]

Fiona Mactaggart: The most recent information on the re-offending of juveniles was published in February 2005 as 'Juvenile reconviction: results from the 2003 cohort'. Home Office On Line Report 08/05. The report is available on line at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/onlinepubs1.html.

Results for the 2004 cohort will be published in spring, 2006.

HEALTH

A and E Targets

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the accident and emergency waiting time target. [54255]

 
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Jane Kennedy: At the end of 2002, almost a quarter of patients spent more than four hours in accident and emergency (A&E) departments. Latest published figures show that over 98 per cent. of people are now seen and treated in less than four hours, with well over half in and out in less than two hours.

The target that patients should be seen, treated and discharged, admitted or transferred within four hours has been met. Since the end of March 2005, 98 per cent. has been achieved or slightly exceeded. From 2005, the target became an ongoing operational standard.

Information on the total time patients spend in A&E departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge is routinely published on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data_requests/index.html.

Benzene Contamination

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions (a) her Department and (b) the Food Standards Agency has had with the Food and Drug Administration in the United States on the levels of benzene in soft drinks; and if she will make a statement. [58566]

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency contacted the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) following reports that they were investigating levels of benzene in soft drinks. The FDA confirmed that they are conducting a survey of soft drinks containing benzoate and ascorbic acid and will be assessing the results to determine whether there is a need for further action.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the financial position of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. [58161]

Caroline Flint: It is the responsibility of strategic health authorities (SHAs) to deliver overall financial balance for their local health communities.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals National Health Service Trust was forecasting, at month six, a deficit of £13.6 million for the financial year 2005–06.

Surrey and Sussex SHA continues to work closely with the trust in order to achieve financial balance.

In order to assist the NHS organisations that have the greatest financial problems, the Secretary of State announced turnaround teams in a written ministerial statement on 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 37WS.

Cancer Treatment (Waiting Times)

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the average waiting times for (a) cancer surgery and (b) chemotherapy. [58955]

Ms Rosie Winterton: We do not collect separate data on waiting times for cancer surgery or chemotherapy. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time
 
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targets of two months from urgent referral to first treatment and one month from diagnosis to first treatment to be achieved for all patients treated from 1 January 2006. These targets apply to surgery and chemotherapy where they are the first definitive cancer treatment.

Data showing progress towards the achievement of these targets show that from October to December 2005, 96.8 per cent. of patients received their first treatment within one month of diagnosis with cancer and 83.9 per cent. of patients received their first treatment within two months of urgent referral by their general practitioner.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the NHS to meet the two-month target for cancer patients in respect of minimum waiting time from urgent GP referral to first episode of treatment. [58956]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The target of a maximum two-month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for all cancer patients was put into place at the end of December 2005 and should be met for all cancer patients treated from 1 January 2006. The first quarter's data, for the period January to March 2006, will be used to assess performance against these targets and will be available in June 2006.

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