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4 Sep 2006 : Column 2174W—continued
Swimming Pools (Asthma)
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken by her Department on whether there is a link between chlorine in swimming pools and asthma. [88633]
Caroline Flint: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Air Pollution made a statement on swimming pools and asthma in August 2003. The committee was examining a paper that had been published in the Journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2003; 60:385-394.
The committee felt that the study was of interest and that further focused research in this area was advisable to take further these preliminary findings. Members accepted that exposure to airway irritants such as chloramines could trigger the symptoms of asthma. It was argued that it was important to distinguish clearly between induction of asthma as a disease and the triggering of symptoms. The primary cause of most cases of asthma is unknown as are the reasons for the increase in asthma in the United Kingdom over the past 20 years. That exposure to chlorine and associated reaction products had played a significant part in causing this increase was felt to be unlikely.
Syringe Drivers
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from where the NHS sources its syringe drivers; what the cost was in 2005-06; and how the NHS ensures it pays a competitive price. [88877]
Andy Burnham: Syringe drivers are contracted for at a local level and the cost is not held centrally. Price is generally dependant on the quantity purchased. The price is competitive because trusts are given guidelines to follow under competitive purchasing procedures, which take into account the price of the product over the contract duration.
Teeth-whitening Treatments
Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department has (a) conducted and (b) evaluated research into the safe level of hydrogen peroxide in teeth-whitening treatments; [88052]
(2) what discussions she has had with interested parties on proposals from the European Commission to raise the safe level of hydrogen peroxide in over-the-counter teeth-whitening treatments from 0.1 per cent. to 6 per cent. [88053]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The European Union scientific committee on cosmetics and consumer products (SCCP) was asked to review the safety of increasing the percentage of hydrogen peroxide in over the counter tooth whitening products from 0.1 per cent. to 6 per cent. This report published in March 2005 outlined and reviewed all the relevant research into the safe levels hydrogen peroxide used in tooth whitening and concluded that in the opinion of SCCP:
the use of tooth whitening products up to 0.1 per cent, hydrogen peroxide is safe;
the proper use of tooth whitening products containing greater than 0.1 per cent, to 6 per cent, hydrogen peroxide, or equivalent for hydrogen peroxide releasing substances, is considered safe after consultation with and approval of the consumer's dentist. Tooth whitening is not recommended prior to or immediately after dental restoration and care should be taken by persons with gingivitis and other periodontal diseases or defective restorations;
there is an absence of good clinical data and long-term epidmiological studies that assess possible adverse effects within the oral cavity; and
new additional data supplied does not provide the necessary reassurance in terms of risk assessment to support that safety of hydrogen peroxide up to 6 per cent. in tooth whitening products freely and directly available to the consumer.
The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department have noted and support the outcome of the committee's findings.
Tooth whitening products are cosmetic products and are therefore not provided as part of the national health service in meeting patients' reasonable clinical needs.
Tooth whitening products, along with other oral hygiene products are regulated by the Cosmetics Directive, implemented in the United Kingdom in the Cosmetic Product (Safety) Regulations. The European Commission and member states are currently considering how the SCCP opinion can be implemented to allow consumers to buy products containing up to 6 per cent. hydrogen peroxide. Any proposal will address the concerns of the SCCP including requiring industry to conduct epidemiological studies to assess the long-term effects of usage of this type of product.
Telephones (Hospitals)
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what authority NHS hospitals prohibit the use of mobile phones within their premises on grounds of potential interference with (a) medical equipment, (b) patients' privacy and (c) patients' peace and quiet. [87859]
Andy Burnham: Every national health service trust has responsibility for the safe use of medical equipment within their hospitals and should undertake a local risk assessment to determine those areas where it is safe to permit mobile telephone usage and those areas where usage should be prohibited, due to the presence of electrically sensitive medical devices. For example, this risk assessment should cover not only the public's use of mobile telephones and other radio equipment, but also the use of communication equipment by hospital staff and the emergency services.
Restrictions in other areas of the hospital premises may be introduced for reasons other than their impact on the safety of medical equipment, such as the desire to reduce the disruption caused by the uncontrolled use of mobile telephones and the possible invasion of patients' privacy from phones with built in cameras, for example. Mobile telephone ring tones may be confused with medical device alarm signals by hospital staff, which could have a direct impact on patient safety.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has recently published “Frequently asked
questions on the use of mobile phones in hospitals on its website at www.mhra.gov.uk.” This has links to other MHRA publications on the effects of mobile telephones on medical equipment.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to the conclusions of the review group on the costs to users of bedside television and telephone systems in NHS hospitals. [87943]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 20 July 2006, Official Report, column 43WS.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the NHS decided to allow the subsidy of patients’ bedside telephone and entertainment services from charges for incoming calls. [87951]
Andy Burnham: The telephone service is primarily a service for the patients, while in hospital.
Three private companies are licensed to provide bedside televisions and telephones to major hospitals in England. The incoming call charges range from 35 pence per minute to 49p per minute.
At the time of setting up the licensing procedure the Department specified that the outgoing call rate should be set at less than the national call rate and that free television should be made available for children.
The private companies set charges for all the other services to ensure the commercial viability of the initiative.
Transfats
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations govern acceptable levels of transfats in food products specifically marketed to children; and if she will make a statement. [89088]
Caroline Flint: There are no specific regulations that govern levels of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in any food products. The average consumption of TFAs is below the maximum level recommended by the committee on medical aspects of food policy in 1994.
Trust Deficits
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the relative contribution of (a) management failure, (b) inaccurate resource allocation and (c) other factors to the deficits in trusts in 2005-06; [87448]
(2) how many trusts experienced account deficits in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06; and what assessment she has made of the factors causing differences in the level of deficit. [87449]
Andy Burnham: The information requested on the number of trusts in deficit for 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 has been placed in the Library.
A report by the Department's director of finance, “NHS financial performance 2005-06”, was placed in the Library on 7 June 2006. The provisional analysis set out in the report indicates both that there is no single, simple cause of deficits and no single simple solution, and that there are no strong relationships between deficits and a range of funding factors.
Further detailed analysis on the causes of deficits has been commissioned from the Department's chief economic advisor.
Trust Surpluses
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether strategic health authorities (SHAs) were provided with an incentive by her Department to retain surpluses generated by constituent trusts and primary care trusts in the 2005-06 financial year at the SHA level; and whether they are provided with an incentive to do so in the 2006-07 financial year. [85787]
Andy Burnham: In 2005-06, a strategic health authority (SHA) incentive scheme was introduced and managed by the NHS Bank. The main aim of the scheme was to encourage good financial management. Any SHA taking advantage of the incentive scheme needed to demonstrate satisfactory delivery of key performance targets.
In 2006-07, SHAs will take the lead locally in developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. This will include creating local reserves. The size of the reserves and any contribution from each primary care trust (PCT) will vary according to local circumstances, but the underlying principle will be fairness. We expect SHAs to maintain the integrity of the allocations system with PCTs entitled to repayment of any contributions over a reasonable period not normally exceeding the three-year allocation cycle.
Tuberculosis
Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of tuberculosis was in each region in each year for which figures are available. [83840]
Caroline Flint: Details of tuberculosis case reports and rates per 100,000 population by region, in England and Wales, are shown in the following tables which are also available on Health Protection Agency website at www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/tb/epidemiology/tablel5.htm.
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