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5 Jun 2006 : Column 17W—continued
Drug Strategy
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government have spent on the Drug Strategy in each year since it was introduced; and how much of that sum was spent on (a) purchasing programmes of treatment and (b) staff systems and other costs relating to overseeing its expenditure in each year. [71993]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Annual direct expenditure for tackling drugs for the last five years for which figures are available is shown in the second column of table 1. We are unable to provide information regarding monies spent on purchasing programmes of treatment and staff systems in the format requested. However, the pooled drug treatment budget (PTB) since 2001, including yearly local mainstream spend, is shown in total in table 1. This money is spent directly on delivery treatment, as well as improving access to treatment, for example for offenders via drug intervention programmes, and supporting drug misusers after they come out of treatment.
| Table 1 | ||
| £ million | ||
| PTB and local funding | Annual direct expenditure for tackling drugs | |
Emergency Treatment
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what working definitions are used for (a) accident and emergency departments, (b) walk-in centres and (c) minor injuries units for the purposes of determining which procedures are carried out in each. [68791]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Accident and emergency (A&E) departments are officially classified into three types. The types include major departments (type one), single-specialty departments (type two) and non consultant-led services (type three). Type three services are mainly minor injury and illness and include minor injury units (MIUs) and walk-in centres (WiCs).
The services which it is clinically appropriate for any individual A&E department, MIU or WiC to provide are a matter for local clinical judgement according to local skills and competencies.
Enzyme Replacement Therapy
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2006, Official Report, column 217W, on enzyme replacement therapy, when she expects a decision to be made on whether the funding of enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal storage diseases will continue under the present National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group arrangements after 31 May 2007. [72351]
Andy Burnham: It has not yet been decided when a decision will be made on whether the funding of enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal storage disorders will continue under the present national specialist commissioning advisory group arrangements after 31 May 2007.
Fairer Charging Policy
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the implementation of the Fairer Charging Policy for care payments; [73765]
(2) what mechanisms exist to ensure that social care charges to individuals do not exceed the income they receive. [73766]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
It is for councils to decide how to set charges for non-residential social services. The legal basis is that charges generally should be 'reasonable' and that no one should be asked to pay more than they
reasonably can. The position contrasts with that on charges for residential care, where regulations prescribe a national means test, which councils must follow.
The Department of Health issued statutory guidance, “Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other Non-residential Social Services—Guidance for Councils with Social Services Responsibilities”, which is available in the Library, to all local councils in November 2001. It was amended in September 2003 to reflect the introduction of pension credits. It does not seek to change councils' power to charge, or not, for these services.
The guidance aims to ensure in particular that service users on low incomes are protected from charging and that any charges levied on disability benefits are subject to an assessment of disability costs, to ensure their reasonableness. Councils are required to ensure that charges do not put any users' incomes below basic income support levels or the guarantee credit of pension credit, plus a buffer of 25 per cent. This can lead to real improvements in the position of many users, who will cease to pay charges or pay a smaller charge.
Folic Acid
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of high levels of folic acid on the incidence of twins following in vitro fertilisation; and if she will make a statement. [71975]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The effects of folic acid on multiple births, including effects following in vitro fertilisation, is currently being considered by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition as part of its report on “Folate and Disease Prevention”. The report is expected to be published later this year.
Food Supplements Directive
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether officials in her Department have held discussions with the Better Regulation Task Force on a regulatory impact assessment in relation to setting maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the food supplements directive; and if she will make a statement; [70011]
(2) when she last met the EU Commissioner responsible for implementation of the food supplements directive to discuss its potential impact on the choice of products available to British consumers; and what progress was made at the meeting; [70012]
(3) what progress is being made by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in meeting counterparts from competent authorities in each other member state of the EU to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the food supplements directive; and what further action the FSA is planning to promote her objectives; [70013]
(4) when she expects member states to receive from the European Commission the consultation document on setting the maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the food supplements directive; [70014]
(5) with which other EU member states she has held recent meetings to discuss setting the maximum
permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the food supplements directive; and with which other member states she plans to hold discussions. [70015]
Caroline Flint: The issue of obtaining data for a regulatory impact assessment in relation to setting maximum levels for vitamin and minerals under the food supplements directive has been discussed with the Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF). The BRTF has agreed in principle to this and officials will discuss this further with the BRTF.
I spoke with the European Union Commissioner responsible for implementation of the food supplements directive to discuss its potential impact on the choice of products available to British consumers on 7 and 12 July 2005.
To date, Food Standards Agency (FSA) officials have met counterparts from other competent authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Finland, France and Italy. These meetings have provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on the setting of maximum safe levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The FSA will seek further opportunities for meetings with officials from other member states and interested parties.
The European Commission has indicated that it will present discussion documents in autumn 2006 to gain views from member states about the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.
The Public Health Minister has written to her counterparts in other member states and members of the European Parliament informing them of the United Kingdom's position on setting maximum permitted levels, and that FSA officials will be visiting certain member states to discuss this issue and vitamins and vitamins and minerals in food supplements.
General Practitioners
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per 100,000 population there were in (a) the Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust area and (b) England in each year since 2003. [71390]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The requested information is shown in the table.
Health Services (Cornwall)
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nursing and (b) residential care beds there are in Cornwall; and how many there were in (i) 1996, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2005. [72799]
Caroline Flint: Table 1 shows the number of residential and nursing care home places in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, as at 31 March in 1996 and 2001.
| Table 1: Numbers of residential and nursing care home places in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | ||
| Rounded data | ||
| At 31 March: | ||
| 1996 | 2001 | |
| (1) Residential data are for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly unitary authorities. (2 )Nursing data are for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority. (3 )Nursing data include places in general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics. (4 )Totals may not equal the sum of parts due to rounding. | ||
I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), which took over the responsibility for the regulation and inspection of care homes in England on 1 April 2004, that the number of nursing and residential care homes and beds in Cornwall Local Authority, as at 31 March 2005, was as shown in Table 2. There are some definitional differences between these data and those for years up to 2001.
| Table 2: Numbers of care homes and places for Cornwall Local Authority at 31 March 2005 | ||
| Care home type | Homes | Places |
| Source: CSCI registration and inspection database. | ||
Hospital Alerts
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will define (a) red, (b) black and (c) all other hospital alerts. [68042]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department is aware that some national health service trusts and ambulance trusts operate local bed capacity management systems which incorporate coloured alerts. However, these are local arrangements and there is no national definition of particular colour alerts.
Hospital Cleanliness
Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in improving hospital cleanliness. [73565]
Andy Burnham: Hospital cleanliness is measured annually as part of the patient environment action team (PEAT) assessment. The first inspections in 2000 found around one-third of trusts to have poor or unacceptable standards. Since then there has been a steady improvement and in 2004-05, fewer than 5 per cent. were classified as poor or unacceptable. The latest PEAT inspections have recently been completed, and the results will be published in due course.
The Department has a comprehensive and multi-faceted programme of work on cleaner hospitals covering a wide range of issues, including:
setting standards that are monitored by the Healthcare Commission;
increased investment;
involving ward sisters and charge nurses;
inspecting hospitals;
issuing guidance;
raising awareness; and
research into alternative cleaning and monitoring technologies.
Hospital Transportation
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 13 March 2006, Official Report, column 2029W, if she will collect data in respect of the frequency of transportation between hospitals of infants requiring treatment in special care baby units; and if she will make a statement. [73209]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: No. In line with the principles of shifting the balance of power to local national health service organisations, we wish to minimise the burden of all central information requirements on the health service.
It is for local neonatal networks and hospital trusts to determine the appropriate number of special care baby cots to ensure there is provision for babies requiring such care. Strategic health authority areas will increase or decrease cots to reflect demand.
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