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18 Apr 2006 : Column 214W—continued
Emergency Contraception
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the retail price of emergency contraception was in each year since 2002; and how much valued-added tax was charged on the price in each year. [63047]
Caroline Flint: Information on the retail price of emergency hormonal contraception since 2002 is not held centrally.
Medication purchased direct from a pharmacy, is a private transaction and is not controlled by the Government. Prices are set competitively by retailers and include value-added tax (VAT).
Currently, the VAT for these items is charged at 17.5 per cent. With effect from 1 July 2006, this will be reduced to 5 per cent.
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Energy Efficiency
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to increase energy efficiency within her Department; and if she will make a statement. [60324]
Mr. Byrne: The Department supports the Government's strategy to reduce carbon emissions and improve the energy efficiency of the Government estate. The Department has rationalised and reduced the size of its estate and by 2004–05 had reduced its overall energy consumption by 10 per cent., relative to 1999–2000.
We have recently taken further action to conserve energy, by reducing the ambient temperature in those buildings where we have control of utilities.
We are working with our information technology (IT) contractors to ensure that the energy used by our IT equipment is minimised.
We intend further to reduce energy consumption with initiatives to replace ageing and energy inefficient equipment, and by implementing new working practices, and by replacing local printers with high capacity multifunction devices.
We have recently signed up with the Carbon Trust for an energy audit of our three main buildings.
Erythropoietin
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the likely impact on (a) patients' quality of life, (b) national blood stocks and (c) demand for blood transfusions of the final appraisal from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on erythropoietin as a treatment for cancer-based anaemia; [61269]
(2) what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the decision to withdraw erythropoietin on the Government's target to bring the care of UK cancer patients up to European standards. [61270]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and we trust it to produce clinical and cost effective guidance to the national health service based on the latest available evidence and having considered comments they receive during consultation.
The recommendations on erythropoietin do not constitute NICE'S final guidance to the NHS as they are subject to a period of appeal.
I understand that NICE is likely to publish its final guidance on the use of erythropoietin for the management of anaemia induced by cancer treatment in May 2006 (subject to appeal). Further information is available from NICE website at www.nice.org.uk.
We have no plans to carry out the assessments referred to.
Mr. Havard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will review the cost assumptions used in the assessment of the efficacy of erythropoietin as a treatment for cancer-induced anaemia by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; [62056]
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(2) what assessment she has made of the relative weighting given to (a) survival and (b) quality of life in the assessment procedures adopted by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, with particular reference to its recent recommendation to withdraw erythropoietin as a treatment for cancer-induced anaemia; [62057]
(3) what assessment she has made of the amount of time spent undergoing blood transfusions by patients with cancer-induced anaemia as a result of the withdrawal of erythropoietin; [62058]
(4) what estimate she has made of the change in cost per patient as a result of the withdrawal of erythropoietin as a treatment for cancer-induced anaemia. [62059]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on Thursday 6 April 2006.
Financial Irregularities
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of financial irregularities have been recorded in her Department in each of the last five financial years; and if she will make a statement. [57548]
Mr. Byrne: The only cases recorded by the Department that can be construed as financial irregularities in each of the last five years are shown in the following table.
| Number of cases | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | 5 |
| 2002–03 | 2 |
| 2003–04 | 3 |
| 2004–05 | 4 |
The suggested reply to the question lists number of cases, as per the statement. The detail is as follows.
2003–04: One travel and subsistence claim, one fraud related to payment process and one investigation at community engagement agency approximate sum involved: £1.16 million brokered; of that £513,000 transferred into a private bank account. Outcome/action: disciplinary action taken against individual; bank accounts closed and monies returned to the Department by the bank.
2004–05: Two travel and subsistence claims, one procurement fraud tendering and one fraud related to payment process.
Fluoridation
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure that the public consultation process strategic health authorities follow in relation to fluoridation gives equal access to information and resources for those against and in favour of artificial fluoridation of water supplies. [62027]
Caroline Flint:
In September 2005, the then chief dental officer issued guidance advising strategic health authorities of the need
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to organise consultations in which both supporters and opponents of fluoridation have the opportunity to participate."
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds she makes available to national groups who disseminate information (a) in favour of and (b) against water fluoridation. [62028]
Caroline Flint: For the 2005–06, financial year we paid grants of £90,000 to the British Fluoridation Society, which promotes the benefits of water fluoridation, and £125,000 to the National Fluoride Information Centre, which provides scientific information on research studies carried out into the effect of adding fluoride to water and other mediums such as milk and table salt.
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) funded on artificial water fluoridation and (i)social inequalities and (ii) thyroid disorders in each year since 2000. [62125]
Caroline Flint: The Department has commissioned and funded two research studies.
A Systematic Review of Public Water Fluoridation" published by the University of York in 2000 concluded that the association between water fluoridation, caries and social class needs further clarification" and identified two studies which found no significant association between thyroid disorders and water fluoridation and one study with a positive association. However, the positive study looked at combined fluoride/iodine intakes and has not been published in a peer review journal.
Water Fluoridation and Health" published by the Medical Research Council in 2002 endorsed the University of York's recommendation on the need for research into fluoridation and social class, but awarded further research on thyroid disorders low priority.
Food Labelling
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have commissioned research to investigate current mineral levels in (a) soils and (b) fresh foods; and if she will consider the merits of labelling fresh foods according to their overall mineral content. [61803]
Caroline Flint: The representative soil sampling scheme shows that overall the nutrient status of soils in England and Wales is satisfactory. The Food Standards Agency funds a rolling programme of analytical surveys that provide information on the nutrient content, including minerals, of all food types, including fresh foods. The nutrition labelling of pre-packed foods is currently under discussion in the European Union.
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