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12 Mar 2007 : Column 144W—continued
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Havering
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) 15 to 19-year-olds and (b) adults over the age of 19 in the Havering Primary Care Trust area were (i) diagnosed with and (ii) tested for sexually transmitted infections in each of the last five years. [123585]
Caroline Flint: Information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in residents in the Havering Primary Care Trust (PCT) area is not available. Information from Barking and Dagenham, which hosts the nearest/adjacent genitorurinary medicine (GUM) clinic has been given in the table.
Specific sexually transmitted infections diagnosed by age group in the GUM clinic in the Barking and Dagenham PCT, London.
| Age group | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Notes: 1. Information by age-group is not available for attendances at GUM clinics, but is available only for the five major STI diagnoses (uncomplicated chlamydia, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, genital warts, genital herpes and infectious syphilis). 2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the KC60 dataset. 3. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. For example, individuals may be diagnosed with several co-infections and each diagnosis will be counted separately. 4. Data on patients PCT of residence is not available. 5. Data on patients tested for STI by age-groups is not available. Source: KC60 returns, England. | |||||
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Young People
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reported cases there were of sexually transmitted infections in each year between 1999 and 2005 in girls (a) under the age of 15 and (b) aged 15 to 18 years. [123936]
Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25 January 2007, Official Report, column 2048W, to the hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Mr. Shepherd).
Skin Cancer
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the proportion of all cancers for which skin cancer will account in 2022; [124256]
(2) what estimate she has made of the rate of change in the number of skin cancer cases over the next 15 years. [124258]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Departmental analysts estimate that skin cancer as a proportion of all cancers in 2022 will be 3.5 per cent. (this excludes all cases of non-malignant melanoma of the skin).
Additionally, we estimate that the number of cases skin cancer will increase by 41 per cent. over the next 15 years, from an estimated 7,484 cases in 2007 to an estimated 10,550 in 2022 (this excludes all cases of non-malignant melanoma of the skin).
Slimming: Drugs
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of (a) the availability of slimming pills online and (b) the effect of online availability on the prevalence of addiction to such pills. [126041]
Caroline Flint: Addictive drugs, including psychostimulants such as amphetamines, may be included as a constituent of slimming pills online. There is no direct evidence of the impact on the prevalence of addiction to such pills of the availability of such products online.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-monitors the online availability of medicines. United Kingdom as based websites which are identified dealing in breach of medicines legislation are referred for appropriate enforcement action. Websites discovered operating illegally outside the European Union are referred to the relevant authority in the country concerned for appropriate action.
The Department continues to ensure that there is access to credible information about the risks of all drugs, including the possible dangers involved in addiction. In particular, the information campaign, FRANK, communicates the known harmful effects of all illegal and harmful drugs, including amphetamines.
Smoking: Shropshire
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many council staff in Shropshire will be trained to enforce the smoking ban in bars, restaurants and shops; and how much money has been allocated for this training. [123050]
Caroline Flint: The local authorities that will be responsible for the enforcement of smoke-free legislation are set out in the Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006. As local authorities will enforce smoke-free legislation in a way that is most appropriate to their local areas, no estimate of the number of enforcement officers can be provided, because these decisions will be taken locally.
The funding allocation to individual local authorities is set out in Local Authority Circular (2006) 17. A copy is available in the Library.
In addition, the Department is funding centralised training on smoke-free legislation for two members of staff from each local authority with enforcement responsibilities. The training will be delivered by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, and will focus on supportive, non-confrontational and consistent methods to build compliance with smoke-free legislation to create an environment where enforcement action will be minimised.
Social Services
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set for local authorities by central Government regarding social care; and when each target was introduced. [124533]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: “National Standards, Local Action; Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005/06-2007-08”, published in July 2004, set out a standard-based planning framework for health and social care and standards for national health service health care to be used in planning, commissioning and delivering services.
The standards set out are focused on the provision of NHS health care, but recognise the need to develop services in a co-ordinated way, taking full account of the responsibilities of other agencies in providing comprehensive care and in particular, the statutory duties of partnership on all NHS bodies and local authorities established under the Health Act 1999 and the Health and Social Care (Community Health and
Standards) Act 2003. This introduced requirements on both the NHS and local authorities to work together to achieve the co-operation needed to bring about improvements in health care.
The following specific targets for 2005 to 2008 were set for local authority social services and social services in partnership with the NHS:
improve the quality of life and independence of vulnerable older people by supporting them to live in their own homes where possible by:
increasing the proportion of older people being supported to live in their own home by 1 per cent. annually in 2007 and 2008; and
increasing by 2008 the proportion of those supported intensively to live at home to 34 per cent. of the total of those being supported at home or in residential care.
increase the participation of problem drug users in drug treatment programmes by 100 per cent. by 2008 (from a 1998 baseline); and increase year-on-year the proportion of users successfully sustaining or completing treatment programmes.
and although measured through NHS indicators, social services provide a major contribution to:
improve health outcomes for people with long-term conditions by offering a personalised care plan for vulnerable people most at risk; and to reduce emergency bed days by 5 per cent. by 2008 (from the expected 2003-04 baseline), through improved care in primary care and community settings for people with long-term conditions.
Turnaround Programme
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Northavon of 15 January 2007, Official Report, column 930W, on the turnaround programme, which organisations were identified as being a category 1 priority requiring urgent intervention. [121856]
Andy Burnham: Between December 2005 and February 2006 KMPG was contracted to undertake an assessment of the financial position of a number of trusts and primary care trusts. It categorised each organisation as follows:
Immediate priority. Need for urgent intervention to drive turnaround.
Additional expertise/resource needed to support the turnaround.
Drive/focus. Maintain high priority of actions.
Regular challenge of management. Encourage to share what works and deliver easy wins.
In the summer of 2006, the national programme office for turnaround reviewed the composition of the turnaround cohort in consultation with SHAs. Thus from August 2006 the turnaround cohort was increased to 143, which became 104 organisations following the PCT reconfiguration in October 2006. The organisations were re-categorised as high priority and priority.
A list of the revised organisations has been placed in the Library.
University Hospital Birmingham: Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has received on the energy performance and use of renewable energy in the
University Hospital Birmingham private finance initiative buildings being erected. [124637]
Andy Burnham: The University Hospital Birmingham private finance initiative buildings which are currently being erected have been designed to be energy efficient. Once completed these buildings will be capable of complying with the Government's new energy efficiency performance target and be at least 20 per cent. more efficient than the current hospital buildings. In addition, the private finance initiative contractors are looking into the possibility of using renewable energy sources at this site.
Varicose Veins: Surgery
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many varicose vein operations were carried out in the NHS in each of the last three years; and what the cost was of such operations in each year. [121414]
Andy Burnham: The number of varicose vein procedures carried out in the national health service in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the cost to the NHS were as follows:
| Number of procedures | Estimated cost to the NHS (£ million) | |
The number of procedures were obtained from the reference costs data 2004, 2005 and 2005-06 and the total costs were calculated using the unit costs from the same source. The estimates:
cover planned, both day case and elective, admissions for services provided by NHS trusts and primary care trusts but do not include non-elective procedures or procedures carried out in the out-patient setting;
include the costs of excess bed days;
exclude any services commissioned or contracted out to non-NHS providers.
West Hertfordshire NHS Trust: Manpower
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from St. Albans City and District Council on financial deficits within West Hertfordshire NHS Trust. [124654]
Andy Burnham: The Department is aware of three letters from St Albans city and district council which have been answered.
Written Questions
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to answer question 112026, tabled on 24 January 2007 by the hon. Member for Twickenham, on representations from professional bodies about proposals in the Foster Review. [123030]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 March 2007, Official Report, column l550W.
Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre: Health Services
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure was incurred by Bedfordshire primary care trust and Bedford primary care trust in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2004-05 in treating detainees from the Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre; and how much has been incurred in 2006-07. [127092]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a local matter. It is for Bedfordshire primary care trust to commission appropriate services for those detained at Yarl’s Wood over and above the primary health care services provided on site by the Home Office.
Communities and Local Government
Departments: St George's Day
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to celebrate St George's Day. [125785]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues the guidance for flying flags on Government buildings. This includes recommending flying the St George's flag on St George's Day, 23 April, on buildings with two or more flag poles, provided it is flown alongside the Union flag with the Union flag in the superior position. Two of DCLG's HQ buildings, Eland House and Ashdown House, have a second flag pole, and the St George's flag will be flown on these to celebrate St George's day.
Discrimination: Sexuality
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the proposed sexual orientation discrimination regulations; and if she will make a statement. [124841]
Mr. Woolas: The Government laid before Parliament the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 on 8 March 2007. The new regulations will protect individuals from discrimination on the grounds of their sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities, services and education, the management and disposal of premises and the exercise of public functions.
Equality Act 2006
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which gay rights organisations she has met in relation to the Equality Act 2006; and how many such meetings she has had. [122248]
Meg Munn: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has had three meetings with Stonewall, a gay rights organisation, regarding the Government's proposals for the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.
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