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5 Mar 2007 : Column 1679W—continued
8.1 per cent. of total NHS trust (comprising acute, mental health, and ambulance trusts and foundation trusts), and 18.6 per cent. of total PCT capital expenditure; and
1.8 per cent. of total NHS trust, and 1.6 per cent. of total PCT revenue expenditure.
Based on the returns from the 2006 survey, the average percentage of:
total capital expenditure which NHS bodies as a whole spent on IT in 2005-06 was 10.42 per cent.; and
total revenue expenditure which NHS bodies as a whole spent on IT in 2005-06 was 1.63 per cent.
Based on the returns from the 2006 survey, the average percentage of combined capital and revenue expenditure which NHS bodies as a whole spent on IT in 2005-06 was 1.92 per cent, equivalent to 2.02 per cent. if extrapolated across all 598 NHS organisations.
Full information from the 2006 survey will be available in the near future. A breakdown of the returns by each strategic health authority, PCT and NHS Trust has been placed in the Library.
Notes:
1. Figures for PCT expenditure relate mainly to their functions as commissioning bodies.
2. With effect from 2004-05, NHS Foundation Trusts (FTs) have not been required to submit financial returns to the Department, and consequently FT data is only included where such data has been reported voluntarily through the national survey of NHS IT expenditure.
3. Percentage expenditure derives from returns provided in 2005-06 by 565 out of 598 NHS organisations in response to the national survey, supplemented with data on capital expenditure from NHS accounts where returns were not submitted.
4. The total revenue expenditure on IT is the sum of returns provided by 565 out of 598 NHS organisations in response to the national survey. However, if this figure were to be extrapolated across all 598 surveyed NHS organisations, it is estimated this would give an overall nationwide total of over £1,160 million. (Note: the survey data has not been subject to independent audit so this figure needs to be treated with a degree of caution).
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the overall cost to NHS trusts of upgrading older versions of the software for the Connecting for Health IT System. [119200]
Caroline Flint: Information about local national health service spending by primary care trusts, NHS trusts and other NHS organisations on the national programme for information technology, to complement the investment from central funding, is not collected centrally. NHS organisations have always been responsible for paying for and maintaining their existing information systems, and funding for this is built into general allocations.
What we do know is that any costs associated with implementation of the national programme locally are very significantly outweighed by the savings accrued from participation in the programme. Most notably, some £4.5 billion has been saved by central rather than local procurement, a figure confirmed by independent industry analysts. In addition, savings have been achieved in the prices paid by the NHS for information technology goods and services due to the central buying power of NHS Connecting for Health, as well as in NHS staff time saved through using the programme's systems and services. For example, the National Audit Office has acknowledged savings of £860 million achieved through centrally negotiated enterprise wide arrangements.
In addition, primary care trusts (PCTs) have been specifically reimbursed for funds spent on upgrading existing general practitioner practice systems to make them “choose and book compliant”, and funding support has also been made available to support NHS trusts deploying a choose and book compliant patient administration system.
The commercial and organisational models employed in delivering the national programme continue to produce exceptional value for the taxpayer by avoiding multiple procurements and significantly reducing unit costs for applications and systems.
NHS: Training
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that staff in the lowest pay bands and career grades in the NHS are able to take advantage of work-related learning. [123559]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 26 February 2007]: For those staff on agenda for change terms and conditions of service, the knowledge and skills framework provides staff at all levels with a cyclical review process linked to pay progression which enables knowledge and skills gaps to be identified. This process underpins training and development activity.
We also gave £180 million pump-priming funding to strategic health authorities (SHAs) over three years from 2002-03 to 2005-06 to support staff in the lowest pay bands and career grades to take-up of National Vocational Qualifications and Learning Accounts. Following this pump-priming we devolved further funding responsibility to SHAs in 2006-07.
Orthoptics: Manpower
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthoptists are employed by each (a) acute trust, (b) foundation trust and (c) primary care trust. [121471]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information has been placed in the Library.
Overseas Patients
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been invoiced by the NHS to other countries in the European Union for services received by those countries’ citizens in England and Wales for the last financial period for which figures are available, broken down by country. [115184]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department is the Competent Institution for the United Kingdom matters with the European Union for implementing Regulations 1408/71 and 572/72 in the UK. Under the terms of these regulation reimbursements are settled for the whole UK rather than the constituent parts.
The following table shows, in resource terms, the estimated costs of treatment provided by the national health service for persons insured in other European Economic Area (EEA) member states under the terms of Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72, which the UK
would reclaim from the states concerned. These are estimated claims in accordance with existing arrangements under Regulation 574/72. During 2005-06 the UK charged £56.7 million for the treatment provided up to March 2006 by the NHS.
Estimated claims against other EEA member states 2005-06
:| £000 | |
| Country | 2005-06 |
| Notes: 1. The information is compiled in line with the requirements of “Government Accounting 2000” and National Audit Office (NAO) and used for Resource Accounting and Budging (RAB) purpose during 2005-06. 2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. Claims against new member states would be included in future years. 4. We have a waiver arrangements with a number of member states which means they have agreed to bear the costs of each other insured persons. | |
PCT Staff
Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in each primary care trust in England were (a) made redundant and (b) given early retirement in the three months ending (i) 30 September 2006 and (ii) 31 December 2006. [111287]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 26 January 2007]: Information on redundancies in the three months to September 2006 was not collected centrally.
Information on the number of staff made redundant in each primary care trust (PCT) in the six months up to 30 September 2006 was placed in the Library on 8 November 2006.
The number of redundancies in each primary care trust in the nine months up to 31 December 2006 has been placed in the Library. In total 77 per cent. of redundancies in PCTs were non-clinical staff.
The Department does not collect centrally the number of staff are who are given early retirement.
Prescriptions
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) paid-for and (b) free prescriptions were issued in each primary care trust in (i) Essex, (ii) Herefordshire, (iii) Inner London and (iv) Greater London in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [120496]
Caroline Flint: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact of the human papillomavirus vaccination on the incidence of genital warts. [120477]
Caroline Flint: Clinical trials carried out in the United States, South America and other countries in Europe on the efficacy of human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent vaccine in the protection against genital warts has been published. In addition, studies are being carried out to determine the incidence of genital warts and the potential impact of HPV vaccination in the United Kingdom.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Vaccination
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department is scheduled to meet the Department of Education and Skills to discuss implementing a school-based human papilloma virus immunisation programme. [121616]
Caroline Flint: The Department is seeking advice on the new human papilloma virus vaccine from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which is an independent expert advisory committee. Ministers will consider advice from JCVI when it is forthcoming, and will consider issues regarding implementation.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations with patient groups have been undertaken to discuss the implementation of a national human papilloma virus immunisation programme. [121617]
Caroline Flint: Qualitative research has been conducted by the Department and other health behaviour research groups to explore the response of parents to the introduction of human papilloma virus vaccine for young girls and boys and adolescents. This work has been published (Noakes et al, “Human Vaccines” 2006).
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the agenda for the JCVI human papilloma virus sub-group meeting on 28 February. [121618]
Caroline Flint: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings have been held with the makers of human papilloma virus vaccines to discuss availability. [121619]
Caroline Flint: Officials have not had meetings with manufacturers to discuss vaccine availability.
Smoking: Public Places
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra funding is being provided to local authorities to support (a) the introduction of the smoking ban to be implemented in July and (b) on-going costs related to it under the New Burdens principle. [119525]
Caroline Flint: Full details of the funding for local authorities for delivery of smoke-free legislation in 2006-07 and 2007-08 were set out in Local Authority Circular 2006(17), published by the Department on 21 December 2006. A copy has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/LettersAnd Circulars/LocalAuthorityCirculars/AllLocalAuthority Circulars/LocalAuthorityCircularsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT _ID=4141151&chk=R0c5pt
Following the introduction of smoke-free legislation, the Department will assess on-going cost requirements to inform funding for local authorities in future years.
Sunbeds
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will (a) issue guidance on the maximum strength of tanning beds available for hire or sale and (b) propose legislation prohibiting the use of tanning beds by under 16s. [120490]
Caroline Flint: At a recent meeting between the European Commission and representatives of member states enforcement authorities (commonly known as the LVD ADCO) for electrical equipment safety it was agreed to accept a report from the scientific committee on consumer products which among other recommendations suggested the limit value for the maximum effective radiance for tanning appliances should be 0.3 Watts/m(2).
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidelines for customers and operators of tanning beds, which recommends that tanning beds should not be used by young people under 16 years. The Department and the HSE are in discussion about whether this guidance needs to be strengthened.
Tomography
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many PET-CT scanners there are in the UK; and where are they sited; [121620]
(2) how many PET-CT scanners are in clinical use and routinely available to NHS patients; and how many are used for research purposes only; [121621]
(3) how many PET-CT scanners are provided by the NHS; how many by private providers of services to the NHS; and where such scanners are sited in each category; [121622]
(4) what provision has been made for the expansion of PET-CT scanning services in England. [121623]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not routinely collect this data.
However, in October 2005 the Department published “A Framework for the Development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Services in England” on its website. Annex C (pages 24-27) of this publication identified the various types of PET-CT provision available in England in August 2005 and the location of those scanners. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Library.
Since this publication, an additional £10 million capital funding has been made available to the national health service for the next two years (2006-08) to support the development of the NHS PET-CT facilities.
A further 25,000 scans will be made available from the independent sector via the phase 2 diagnostics procurement on the independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme, It is anticipated that on completion of this programme the contracts will provide additional mobile PET-CT scanning facilities over 24 sites initially with two of these becoming static sites.
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