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20 Oct 2006 : Column 1481W—continued
Patient and Public Involvement Forums
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of patient and public involvement forums and the level of public engagement achieved by each trust. [92800]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There has been no formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the patient and public involvement forums. However, each year the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) produces a report detailing their activities and achievements. A copy of their report is available in the Library and on their website at:www.cppih.org/documents/AnnualReport 2006_000.pdf
As part of the annual health check, the process by which the Healthcare Commission assesses trust performance, each trust’s performance is assessed against ‘Standards for Better Health’, a copy of which is also available in the Library. Core standard 17 of those standards requires public engagement and consultation by all trusts.
Pfizer Products
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the supply of medicines of Pfizer's decision to distribute their medicines using a single pharmaceutical wholesaler. [93841]
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guarantees Pfizer and Unichem have given the Department concerning the availability of Pfizer products to the NHS from early 2007; [94519]
(2) what assessment the Department has made of the impact on the NHS of the decision by Pfizer to sell its products through a single distribution channel from early 2007. [94520]
Andy Burnham: This is a commercial matter for Pfizer. Pfizer have assured the Department that it will make every effort to ensure that these new arrangements will not result in any disruptions in the supply of its United Kingdom-sourced branded medicines to national health service patients. The Department will monitor these new arrangements with a view to taking corrective action if appropriate.
Self-Care
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in developing an accreditation scheme for information providers as set out in the Supporting People with Long Term Conditions to Self Care guide. [92285]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Departmental officials have been working with stakeholders to develop proposals for the information accreditation scheme (IAS). A decision on the implementation of the IAS will be taken later this year.
Wanless Review
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the proposals contained in the Wanless social care review; [92273]
(2) whether she plans to have a public consultation on the proposals contained in the Wanless social care review; and if she will make a statement; [92274]
(3) what progress her Department’s working group on social care funding has made; and if she will make a statement. [92275]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Departmental officials have regular discussions with their counterparts at HM Treasury about the broad range of policy and funding options for adult social care in preparation for the comprehensive spending review 2007. They draw upon the best range of available evidence to support these discussions.
The Wanless social care review, “Securing Good Care for Older People”, has been an important—but not exclusive—addition to the evidence base about the long term funding of adult social care. There are no current plans to consult the public on the proposals in the report.
The comprehensive spending review working group continues to have discussions about funding for adult social care. It is due to meet finally this autumn. The outcome of these discussions will be added to the wider evidence base required for the Department’s preparation for the 2007 comprehensive spending review.
Defence
Agency Staff
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average hourly rate was paid by his Department to each employment agency for staff employed through agencies in 2005-06. [81499]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence currently uses a range of suppliers providing both local and national coverage for a wide range of grades and specialists. Information on hourly rates is not currently held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average hourly rate his Department paid to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by agency. [89564]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Temporary staff are generally used as an interim measure to fill posts that cannot be filled conventionally in the required timescale or to cover short-term peaks in workload.
Aircraft Sales (Saudi Arabia)
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the sale of 72 Eurofighter aircraft by BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia on political and military stability in (a) the region and (b) Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement; [92375]
(2) what assessment he has made of the financial effects on the UK of the recent sale of Eurofighter aircraft by BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement; [92376]
(3) what the total costs to the UK incurred by the Defence Export Services Organisation and other Government Departments and individuals were in promoting the sale of Eurofighter aircraft by BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement. [92377]
Mr. Ingram:
The sale of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to Saudi Arabia is fully consistent with our policy of supporting the efforts of the Gulf Co-operation Council States, of which Saudi Arabia is the biggest, in promoting regional stability. It also meets the legitimate defence requirements of the Saudi armed forces. Negotiations on the commercial arrangements for the sale are continuing and a full assessment of the financial effects would not be possible until their conclusion. However, as the then
Secretary of State for Defence stated in December last year, the deal represents good news for both UK and Saudi industry and will help sustain several thousand UK jobs over the next 10 years.
The negotiations on the Understanding Document signed last December, which set out the intention to establish greater partnership in modernising the Saudi armed forces, and on the subsequent commercial arrangements for the sale of Typhoon aircraft have been led by this Department. The costs associated with these activities have been recovered from a management fee received from the Saudi Arabian Government. No record has been kept of that element of the management fees used to cover the above costs and one could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many previous occasions, and to whom, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross has been awarded. [93986]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 16 October 2006]: Since its institution in February 1995 16 awards of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross have been made to members of the armed forces. They were announced in the London Gazette at the time. The first recipient was a Corporal in the Balkans in May 1995. Since then there have been a further one in the Balkans, two in Sierra Leone, four in Afghanistan and eight in Iraq. With the recent award to the Royal Irish Regiment the number has increased to 17.
Departmental Expenditure
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on taxis in the last 12 months. [93119]
Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 227W.
Energy Consumption
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Department’s annual consumption of (a) electricity, (b) gas, (c) oil and (d) vehicle fuel was in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on each in each year. [90318]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence’s annual expenditure on and consumption of electricity, gas, heating oil and vehicle fuel in each of the last five years are detailed in the following tables.
| Expenditure | |||||
| £ million | |||||
| Description | |||||
| Electricity | Gas | Heating oil | Vehicle fuel | Unites States forces—utilities consumption | |
| Consumption | ||||
| kWh (weather corrected) | ||||
| Electricity | Gas | Heating Oil | Vehicle Fuel | |
Defence Fuels Group only holds financial information for vehicle fuel for the last financial year and does not hold consumption figures for 2001-02 and 2002-03.
The finalised 2005-06 consumption figures for electricity, gas and heating oil are not yet available. However, they will be published later this year in the Sustainable Development Commission’s Sustainable Development in Government Report, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House.
Exertional Heat Illness
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice is given to (a) soldiers, (b) officers, (c) trainers and (d) medics regarding the prevention, recognition and treatment of exertional heat illness. [91726]
Derek Twigg: Joint Service Publication (JSP) 539 contains the advice given to Service personnel regarding the prevention, recognition and treatment of exertional heat illness (EHI). The JSP aims to educate all Service personnel in the prevention and treatment of cases of heat and cold injury in order to minimise the risks of morbidity or mortality associated with these preventable conditions. It also sets out the procedures to minimise the risk of developing heat and cold illness and describes the immediate management of anyone who develops a thermal injury.
The Annexes to chapter 2 of the JSP provide detailed guidance on the assessment of risk of heat illness and the water requirements for personnel during exercise in the heat. They also provide guidance for medical staff on the treatment of heat illness and a detailed schedule for heat acclimatisation prior to and during deployment to hot climates.
I have placed a copy of JSP 539 in the Library of the House.
Joint Personnel Administration System
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints he received from RAF personnel stationed in Afghanistan about the Joint Personnel Administration system in (a) April, (b) May, (c) June and (d) July. [91627]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
MOD Estate
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his timetable is for (a) land disposals and (b) re-development positions relating to (i) Aldershot Urban Extension, (ii) Deepcut and (iii) Aborfield; and if he will make a statement. [93333]
Derek Twigg: In respect of the Aldershot Urban Extension, the Defence Estates Agency is promoting the site for a residential led mixed use development and are seeking to agree a Master Plan for the redevelopment with the local planning authority. It is possible that the land will be disposed of in phases as it becomes vacant.
On Deepcut and Arborfield, the disposal of these sites is subject to the outcome of the Defence Training Review Rationalisation Programme. An announcement about this Programme is anticipated later this year.
Open Prison (Dover)
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what measures are being taken to separate Connaught Barracks, Dover from the Duke of York’s Military School prior to the barracks becoming an open prison; [92968]
(2) on what date Connaught Barracks, Dover changes its function to that of an open prison. [92969]
Derek Twigg: The future use of Connaught Barracks is still to be determined and an announcement will be made in due course.
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