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18 Sep 2006 : Column 2498W—continued
Computing Equipment
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks, (b) compact discs, (c) DVD-ROM discs, (d) laptop computers, (e) external computer hard drives, (f) internal computer hard drives and (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in her Department in each month since March 2005. [88759]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information provided does not cover executive agencies, other arms length bodies or NHS Connecting for Health.
The information requested is contained in the following table.
| Universal serial bus Memory stick/flash drives | (d) Laptop computers | (e) External computer hard drives | (f) Internal computer hard drives | (g) Desktop computers | |
The Department’s purchasing records do not differentiate between flash drives and memory sticks and therefore the figures provided are a combination of both.
Purchases of Compact Discs (CD) and DVD-ROM discs are made from stationery suppliers and are regarded as consumable items and not as assets. Therefore these figures are not available.
Criminal Offences
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many criminal offences her Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88471]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: There is power in section 60 of the Health Act 1999 to make provision in relation to the regulation of the health care professions by Order in Council, including an implicit power, under paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 to that Act, to create a criminal offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding the amount specified as level 5 on the standard scale. However, such an Order may only be made after a draft of the Order has been subject to a period of three months public consultation and then approved by a vote of each House of Parliament and, if the Order covers matters within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, of the Scottish Parliament.
This power has been exercised, using the procedure described above, to create 13 new criminal offences. The years in which this was done are shown as follows:
| Number | |
| (1 )The power was not in existence (2 )One of which is not yet in force | |
Of the 13 provisions containing new offences, seven were expressed in similar terms to earlier offences in legislation that the Orders in Council revoked. In addition, the Orders in Council under section 60 contained a further eight modifications to existing offences.
Dentistry
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the availability of NHS dentists in Wirral South. [91142]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has received 11 letters from hon. Members and members of the public relating to access to NHS dental services in the Wirral in the last 12 months.
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the role of Denplan in relation to the availability of NHS dentists in (a) Wirral South, (b) the North West and (c) England. [91143]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not keep data on the precise number of representations received on a specific issue.
Departmental Initiatives
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the departmental initiatives for each year since 2000 which required bids for funding from (a) voluntary organisations and (b) local authorities together with the total resource allocated to each initiative in each year; how many successful bids there were in each year; what proportion this figure represents of the total bids received; and what assessment she has made of the costs of (i) preparing bids for each initiative and (ii) assessing those bids. [66018]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: For 2006-07, the Department will make available a total of just over £1,590 million of revenue funding through specific formula grants. Of this, £1,583 million will be allocated directly by the Department, and £7.5 million by other Government Departments.
The vast majority of personal social services grants are allocated on a formula basis to local authorities. The table sets out those revenue grants for which the Department has responsibility which have required
bids for funding from local authorities with social service responsibilities. There are only two, both of which started in 2006-07:
| £ million | ||
| Grant | ||
| Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) | Individual budget pilots | |
| (1) 144 applicants, 19 successful. (2) 75 applicants, 13 successful. (3) Of which £21,291,195 already announced to be allocated to the 19 round 1 POPP local authorities for the second year of 2-year projects. (4) Allocation tbc. Note: No formal assessment has been made of either the cost of submitting or assessment of these bids. | ||
The information for the voluntary sector is not readily available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs. The only information that is readily available since 2000 is the annual total value of approved section 64 General Scheme of Grants and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire (Mr. Vara) on 3 May 2006, Official Report, column 1710W.
Departmental Staff (Criminal Activity)
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of her Department’s employees have been (a) dismissed, (b) suspended and (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity in each year since 1997. [88462]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally.
Disability Equality
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what (a) information gathering and (b) other actions (i) her Department and (ii) other bodies are taking to inform the production of the report on progress towards disability equality within the health policy sector; [91181]
(2) whether she has made an assessment of which policy areas will be considered in her report on progress towards disability equality within the health policy sector due to be published in December 2008; [91182]
(3) what steps were taken to involve disabled people in the production of her Department's disability equality scheme. [91183]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Department will publish its disability equality scheme in December this year, and disabled members of staff will be involved as it is
prepared. We are considering the policy areas that will be considered in the report on progress towards disability equality that will be published in 2008, and the information-gathering and other actions the Department or other bodies will take to inform the content of that report.
Disabled Staff
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid to her Department from the access to work scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget she plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of access to work funding for central Government Departments; and if she will make a statement. [89007]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect the numbers of disabled staff receiving adaptations and equipment paid for by access to work.
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