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4 May 2006 : Column 1767W—continued
Teachers (Preparation Time)
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of progress on the implementation of the scheme for allowing time for all teachers for planning, preparation and assessment. [66279]
Jacqui Smith: We, our partners on the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group and the Training and Development Agency for Schools-Development Directorate (TDA D-formerly the National Remodelling Team) have been working, and continue to work, with schools and local authorities in England to make sure that planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time for teachers is both introduced successfully and sustained.
The latest information we have indicates that almost every school has successfully introduced PPA time, using a range of strategies including greater use of support staff. The TDA-D is actively supporting those schools that have yet to fully implement PPA through its extensive network of local remodelling advisers and is also working to ensure that all schools have sustainable PPA solutions.
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WORK AND PENSIONS
Financial Assistance Scheme
Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much public money the Government estimate, in net present value terms, will be required for the Financial Assistance Scheme over the next 40 years to cover benefits promised to all those within three years of scheme pension age as at May 2004. [63861]
Mr. Timms: We estimate that the Financial Assistance Scheme will cost £280 million in net present value terms over the next 40 years.
Pathways to Work
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Pathways to Work participants have made use of (a) job brokering, (b) the condition management programme and (c) return to work credit. [59801]
Margaret Hodge: The information is in the following table.
Note:
Data is to October 2005.
Source:
Pathways to Work Evaluation Database.
HEALTH
Blood Products
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has carried out an internal review into the use of blood and plasma products infected with HIV and hepatitis C; and if she will make a statement. [65513]
Caroline Flint: The Department has not carried out an internal review into the use of blood and plasma products infected with HIV and hepatitis C. However, on 27 February the Department published a report, 'Self-Sufficiency in Blood Products in England and Wales'. This report was the result of an internal review of papers on self-sufficiency in blood products.
The review was commissioned following suggestions that the policy of self-sufficiency in blood products during the 1970's and early 1980's might have prevented haemophilia patients being treated with infected blood products. The report makes clear that self-sufficiency in blood products would not have prevented the infection of haemophilia patients.
Care Homes
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth what the Government's policy is on care homes. [66682]
Mr. Byrne: The Government believe that care homes provide an important part of the social care service. They are one of a range of options that should be available for supporting people with long-term care needs. The Government recognise that most people want to live in their own home for as long as possible, but that there will always be some whose needs are such that care in a care home will be best for them.
Service users should have a choice about where and how the receive they care they need. No one should be admitted into a care home until all other options have been explored and discussed with the service user, their carers and relatives. To enable people to have real choice about the type of care they receive, the Government have encouraged substantial investment in care settings, such as domiciliary care and extra care housing.
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Under the Care Standards Act 2000 and the Health and Social Care Act 2003, the Government have set up an independent inspection and regulation regime. All care homes in England are registered and inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI).
CSCI regulates care homes in accordance with statutory regulations and national minimum standards. CSCI has strong enforcement powers and will take action to raise the quality of care and ensure a high level of protection for vulnerable people.
Carers (Respite)
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps her Department has taken to provide respite support for carers as set out in paragraph 5.55 of the 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' Health White Paper; [65997]
(2) by what date she expects carers to be able to call upon respite support as set out in paragraph 5.55 of the 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' Health White Paper, broken down by local authority area; and what criteria will be used to allocate such support. [65998]
Mr. Byrne:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1532–33W.
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Chiropody Care
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general hospitals provide free chiropody care for patients who require such treatment other than as part of other clinical treatment. [67972]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts to commission services to meet the needs of their local population.
Continuing Care
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received fully funded NHS continuing care in each year since 2002, broken down by strategic health authority; and if she will make a statement. [64770]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested is not available in the format requested.
A count of the numbers of people receiving national health service continuing care on 31 March of each year is reported in local delivery plan reports, and the available information for each strategic health authority (SHA) is in the table.
Note:
Data are only collected annually in Q4 of each year (LDPR, line 8228)
Later this month we plan to publish for consultation a national framework for NHS continuing care which will give further clarity and consistency on the responsibilities of NHS and social services for long term care. The national framework will include guidance on the processes and considerations to take into account when making decisions on the responsibility of the NHS and social services for long-term care.
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