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28 Mar 2006 : Column 947W—continued
HEALTH
Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the medical profession about interpretation by them of section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended); and if she will make a statement. [60851]
Caroline Flint: No such discussions have recently taken place. We have not been approached by leaders of the medical profession about any issues arising from section 1 of the Act.
Advertising Expenditure
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10230]
Mr. Byrne [pursuant to the reply, 13 July 2005, Official Report, c.1126W]: I regret that the previous reply was incorrect. It should read as follows:
The table shows the expenditure on major information campaigns and advertising commissioned by the Department's communications directorate for the past five years 2000–01 to 2004–05. The figures include the costs of campaign-related publishing, television, radio, poster, newspaper and magazine advertising.
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| Financial years | Advertising expenditure (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 20.80 |
| 2001–02 | 20.41 |
| 2002–03 | 23.13 |
| 2003–04 | 38.98 |
| 2004–05 | 37.80 |
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on advertising by (a) her Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which her Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by her Department in each year since May 1997. [39070]
Mr. Byrne [pursuant to the reply, 23 January 2006, Official Report, c. 1848W]: I regret that the previous reply was incorrect. It should read as follows:
The table shows the expenditure on major information campaigns and advertising commissioned by the Department's communications directorate in each year since 1997.
| Financial year | Advertising expenditure (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 2.04 |
| 1998–99 | 8.53 |
| 1999–2000 | 15.17 |
| 2000–01 | 20.80 |
| 2001–02 | 20.41 |
| 2002–03 | 23.13 |
| 2003–04 | 38.98 |
| 2004–05 | 37.80 |
| 2005–06 estimate | 23.00 |
28 Mar 2006 : Column 949W
We have no central record of advertising spend by non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies or independent statutory bodies or organisations financially sponsored by the Department and could not obtain these without incurring disproportionate costs.
Agenda for Change
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts in England have implemented the pay aspects agenda for change; how many plan to do so; and when such trusts will backdate payments to. [58927]
Mr. Byrne: Just over 97 per cent. of national health service staff in England have been assimilated to agenda for change, excluding foundation trusts. It is anticipated that this figure will rise to 99 per cent. by the end of March. All NHS trusts in England have been working towards full assimilation by the end of March and it is outlined in the final agreement that back pay will be to October 2004, or the start date of employment for staff who were appointed after October 2004.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the mechanism for paying ambulance trust personnel will change under Agenda for Change. [57522]
Mr. Byrne: Under agenda for change, ambulance staff will be paid like all other national health service staff with basic pay based on job evaluation using the NHS job evaluation scheme, unsocial hours payments for work outside of normal hours and high cost area payments for those working in the London area. There is a harmonised system for hours, overtime payments and annual leave and the full agenda for change NHS terms and conditions of service will apply. Copies of relevant documents are available in the Library.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance personnel she expects to receive (a) a lower basic rate of pay and (b) a lower gross rate of pay under Agenda for Change, broken down by (i) pay grade, (ii) job and (iii) trust. [57523]
Mr. Byrne:
This information is not held centrally. Under the agenda for change pay system the majority of frontline ambulance staff are moving from basic pay inclusive of an allowance for shift working, to arrangements in which basic pay and shift payments are separate. Taking these elements into account, it is estimated that almost all front-line ambulance staff will receive substantially higher earnings under agenda for change, in addition to longer holiday and shorter hours.
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Alcohol (Labelling)
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations the Government have made (a) at the Council of Ministers, (b) to the European Commission and (c) to the European Parliament on the adoption of clear unit labelling of alcohol drinks; and if she will make a statement. [36917]
Caroline Flint: As part of discussions on the planned European Commission communication on an alcohol strategy for the European Union, departmental officials have sought clarification from the European Commission of the legal and practical feasibility of compulsory labelling of alcoholic beverage containers, as set out in the Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy for England, in the event that voluntary arrangements, currently under discussion with United Kingdom industry, should prove ineffective. No recent discussions have taken place on this subject in the Council of Ministers or the European Parliament.
Asperger's Syndrome
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that children diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome receive appropriate support and intervention from child and adolescent mental health services. [16889]
Mr. Byrne: The diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome in itself does not necessarily mean that a mental health service is required unless there is an associated mental health problem.
Standard 8 of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity deals with disabled children and young people. It recognised that children and young people with an autistic disorder, such as Asperger's, have particular needs and that they have often found it difficult to access child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) if they were needed. The framework states
primary care trusts, local authorities and CAMHS ensure that disabled children have equal access to CAMHS".
In addition, an exemplar has been published for children with an autistic spectrum disorder. It seeks to illustrate a care pathway for children with this disability and includes an assessment for mental health problems.
Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Ambulance Trust
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the financial situation of the merged Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Ambulance Trust; and what her assessment is of the impact of the Trust's financial situation on ambulance services in Gloucestershire. [61632]
Caroline Flint: Following ministerial approval, a new ambulance trust, Great Western Ambulance Service will be established from 1 April 2006.
The new trust will be established from a merger of the three existing trusts—Avon Ambulance National Health Service Trust, Gloucestershire Ambulance National
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Health Service Trust and Wiltshire Ambulance National Health Service Trust.
28 Mar 2006 : Column 952W
The table shows the financial position of the three trusts.
Source:
2005–06 monthly financial monitoring returns and 2004–05 audited summarisation schedule.
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