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7 Feb 2007 : Column 1022W—continued
NHS Continuing Care
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which strategic health authorities have combined their eligibility criteria for NHS continuing care into a single set following the merger of strategic health authorities on 1 July 2006; [112415]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2007, Official Report, column 1594W, on National Framework for Continuing Care, which are the issues which need further consideration. [112554]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We do not know of any strategic health authorities that have already taken the step of combining their eligibility criteria for national health service continuing care.
We cannot comment further about specific issues at this stage. All the relevant issues will be set out in the Government’s response to the consultation, to be published as soon as the collation and analysis process has been completed.
NHS Pensions
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff work for the successor to the NHS Pensions Agency; and what its budget is for 2006-07. [117092]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The NHS Pensions Agency is now a division of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA).
The current baseline 2006-07 revenue budget for the pensions division is £22.3 million. This covers the administration costs and excludes payments made to and from the NHS pensions scheme as well as NHS student bursaries. There is an additional budget of £5 million identified for the pensions modernisation scheme expenditure.
The current staffing is 335 whole-time equivalents, which are staff employed by the NHS BSA. This excludes those staff employed by the main contractor who provides part of the service.
NHS Services: Cumbria
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proposed introduction of Clinical Assessment, Treatment and Support Services in Cumbria will lead to more consultants, nurses and doctors working in (a) West Cumbria and (b) Cumbria. [111635]
Andy Burnham: It is anticipated that the introduction of clinical assessment, treatment and support (CATS) services across Cumbria and Lancashire will lead to an increase in the number of healthcare staff working across the area since additional staff will be required to operate the new services. Detailed work force plans for CATS are still to be developed.
Mr. Jamie Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the introduction of Clinical Assessment,
Treatment and Support Services centres in Cumbria on (a) the review being undertaken by Cumbria Primary Care Trust, (b) services provided by the West Cumberland Hospital and (c) proposals for a new acute hospital to replace the West Cumberland Hospital. [111639]
Andy Burnham: Health services across Cumbria are currently being reviewed to ensure that local services are sustainable, fit for purpose, effective and affordable. Proposals for a new acute hospital in West Cumbria are being developed in the context of this review. Any proposals emerging from this review will be subject to public consultation in due course.
The six primary care trusts (PCTs) in Cumbria and Lancashire are currently carrying out public consultation on the details of the local implementation of the clinical assessment, treatment and support (CATS) services in the two counties. The consultation covers the locations of the CATS sites, the impact on the wider health services, how the CATS can fit seamlessly into the pathway from general practitioner referrer through to local hospitals treatment, and whether the clinical specialties proposed (orthopaedics, rheumatology, ear, nose and throat, general surgery, urology and gynaecology) are the most appropriate. The PCTs are also undertaking a locality impact assessment of the CATS scheme. These pieces of work will be considered as part of the Cumbria whole system review.
North East Ambulance Service
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for the North East Ambulance Service (a) is in 2006-07 and (b) is expected to be in 2007-08. [112276]
Andy Burnham: The information requested, in relation to budgets for national health service trusts, is not available centrally. The Department is able to take total income from the organisations' audited accounts, which can be used as a proxy for budget. However, 2006-07 income figures will not be available until autumn 2007 and 2007-08 data will not be available until autumn of 2008.
Overview and Scrutiny Committees
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the (a) hospital and (b) other NHS service closures which were referred to her by Overview and Scrutiny Committees in each month since January 2003; and what the outcome of the referral was in each case. [112410]
Andy Burnham: To date there have been 19 referrals by overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) to the Secretary of State and are as follows:
1. Wiltshire OSC: Closure of maternity services at two community hospitals
Referred: October 2004.
Outcome: Proposals withdrawn by primary care trust (PCT) in favour of wide-ranging review of community services.
2. Hampshire OSC: Configuration of health services in south-east Hampshire
Referred: January 2005.
Outcome: Ministerial decision to support local national health service without referral to independent reconfiguration panel (IRP).
3. Merton OSC: The choice of location for a new critical care hospital
Referred: March 2005.
Outcome: Ministerial decision for new hospital site at St. Helier (not Sutton as local NHS proposed). Secretary of State decision subsequently withdrawn at request of London Strategic Health Authority who are undertaking a review of the proposals.
4. South Gloucestershire council: Future location of acute hospital
Referred: July 2005.
Outcome: Ministerial decision to support local NHS without referral to IRP.
5. Wirral OSC: closure of two wards at Victoria Central hospital, Wirral
Referred: July 2005.
Outcome: Ministerial decision to support local NHS without referral to IRP.
6. Lincolnshire OSC: Lincolnshire NHS recovery plan
Referred: July 2005.
Outcome: Ministerial decision to refer case back to local NHS for it to reach local agreement with OSC.
7. Surrey OSC: proposed changes to the provision of services provided by Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust
Referred: October 2005.
Outcome: Ministers requested IRP involvement to help broker agreement between OSC and local NHS although case was not formerly referred to the IRP.
8. Cambridgeshire OSC: proposed variation in mental health services in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire
Referred: February 2006.
Outcome: Support the local NHS without referral to the IRP.
9. Suffolk OSC: decision of Suffolk East PCT to close community hospitals, reduce the number of inpatient step down beds, and introduce an intermediate model of care
Referred: March 2006.
Outcome: Support the local NHS with the exception of proposals for Hartismere Hospital where Secretary of Secretary requested local NHS develop further the proposals.
10. Gloucestershire OSC: decision by Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust to close inpatient facilities at Fairford Community Hospital and Tetbury Community Hospital
Referred: March 2006.
Outcome: Ministerial decision to support local NHS without referral to the IRP.
11. Calderdale and Kirklees Joint OSC: Proposed changes to maternity services in Calderdale and Huddersfield
Referred: April 2006.
Outcome: Case referred to the IRP for advice. Ministerial decision to accept IRP’s advice and support the local NHS.
12. Hertfordshire Health Scrutiny Committee: Proposals for Mental Health and Learning Disability Savings by the Hertfordshire Primary Care Trusts
Referred: May 2006.
Outcome: Support the local NHS (proposal to withdraw Early Intervention Services was withdrawn by local NHS) without referral to the IRP.
13. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Health Select Committee: Review of acute services on Teesside
Referred: July 2006.
Outcome: Case referred to the IRP for advice. Secretary of State accepted the IRP’s advice which included the recommendation that until the opening of a new hospital,
consultant-led maternity and paediatric services should be centralised at the University Hospitals of North Tees, not Hartlepool as proposed by the local NHS.
14. Joint OSC representing Durham County, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire County, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees: Review of acute services on Teesside
Referred: July 2006.
Outcome: Case referred to the IRP for advice. Secretary of State accepted the IRP’s advice which included the recommendation that until the opening of a new hospital, consultant-led maternity and paediatric services should be centralised at the University Hospitals of North Tees, not Hartlepool as proposed by the local NHS.
15. Baling Council Health, Housing and Adult Social services Scrutiny Panel: Referral of consultation by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust on the future of the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit
Referred: July 2006.
Outcome: Support the local NHS without referral to the IRP.
16. Hartlepool borough council: Review of acute services on Teesside
Referred: July 2006.
Outcome: Case referred to the IRP for advice. Secretary of State accepted the IRP's advice which included the recommendation that until the opening of a new hospital, consultant-led maternity and paediatric services should be centralised at the University Hospitals of North Tees, not Hartlepool as proposed by the local NHS.
17. Lambeth and Southwark Joint OSC: Proposals to reconfigure local mental health crisis care
Referred: August 2006.
Outcome: Support the local NHS without referral to the IRP.
18. Suffolk OSC: referral of the decisions of Suffolk West PCT to close community hospitals, remove the provision of inpatient step down beds, and rush the introduction of the intermediate model of care
Referred: October 2006.
Outcome: Proposals withdrawn by local NHS.
19. Gloucestershire OSC: decision by Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust to centralise older people’s mental health inpatient services at Charlton Lane, Cheltenham
Referred: November 2006.
Outcome: To be confirmed.
Physiotherapists
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of physiotherapists expected to graduate in each of the next three years. [113744]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is the responsibility of strategic health authorities and local national health service employers to estimate the number of physiotherapy graduates in their localities over the next three years.
Risk Register
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the purpose is of the high-level risk register maintained by the departmental board and referred to in section 8.6 of her annual report 2006; and how many risks are entered on it. [117091]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The purpose of the risk register is to enable the departmental management board to carry out its functions on the basis of a structured analysis of the main risks facing the Department and the health and social care system. It is established good practice for organisations to make themselves aware of the risks and to develop mitigation strategies. It is in line with HM Treasury requirements, as set out in Government Accounting, and Cabinet Office guidance. The risk register is kept under review by the departmental board and scrutinised by the audit committee. The register currently contains 20 risks.
Social Enterprise Pathfinders
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library copies of minutes of meetings of strategic health authorities in the East Midlands on social enterprise pathfinder programmes; [115817]
(2) how many meetings took place between strategic health authorities and the East Midlands Development Agency on determining criteria for social enterprise pathfinder programmes. [115819]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: There were no formal minutes of meetings held by NHS East Midlands strategic health authority (SHA) to discuss Social Enterprise Pathfinder applications. The SHA convened a panel to consider the applications received for the East Midlands. The panel consisted of representation from the SHA, primary care trusts, East Midlands Development Agency, who delegated their responsibility to the Social Enterprise East Midlands representative and the Care Services Improvement Partnership lead for social care. Panel members received copies of all applications to consider in advance of the meeting. During the meeting each application was discussed and considered against the assessment criteria set out by the Department.
Turnaround Teams
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS bodies are in formal turnaround mode. [117688]
Andy Burnham: There are 104 organisations in the turnaround cohort.
Winter Deaths
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the likely number of winter deaths among elderly people in the eastern region in 2006-07; and if she will make a statement. [111788]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally.
Treasury
Airline Passenger Duty
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the implementation date of the proposed increase in airline passenger duty to
ensure that passengers are not charged retrospectively by airlines in respect of flights already booked. [110884]
John Healey [holding answer 23 January 2007]: The announcement made in the 6 December 2006 pre-Budget report applies to the carriage of a passenger on an aircraft which begins on or after 1 February 2007.
Air carriers (i.e. scheduled airlines and other air transport operators) are liable for the duty and responsible for ensuring they pay the correct amount of duty to HM Revenue and Customs. Since the duty was introduced in 1994, how, or whether, they choose to pass that cost on to their customers is a matter for them.
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