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29 Mar 2007 : Column 1779Wcontinued
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by her Department to raise the issue of Zimbabwe at (a) the United Nations Security Council and (b) other United Nations bodies; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of these efforts; and if she will make a statement. [129484]
Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, condemned the government of Zimbabwe in his speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 13 March. While there, he also discussed the situation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who herself has made a statement. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva also raised Zimbabwe at the Human Rights Council on 14 March. In response to our concerns, the UN High Commissioner agreed to monitor the judicial process directed against Mr. Tsvangarai and his colleagues. We are also pressing for further action in the UN Human Rights Council.
We have welcomed the statement made by the UN Secretary-General. On 16 March, our Permanent Representative to the UN in New York raised Zimbabwe with the Secretary-General and Security Council ambassadors. As a result, the Secretary-General has agreed to arrange an urgent briefing on the humanitarian situation.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has had discussions with the New Partnership for African Development on whether Zimbabwe has been (a) through the Partnerships peer review mechanism and (b) assessed for its human rights record. [130511]
Mr. McCartney: Zimbabwe has not been examined under the New Partnership for African Development peer review process, this is a voluntary process. But the Africa Commission on People and Human Rights has been asked to report on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe at a future session of the African Unions Executive Council.
Mr. Moore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Zimbabwean individuals have been placed on the EU's sanctions list;
which Zimbabwean institution each relevant individual represents; what the estimated value is of each individual's assets frozen under EU sanctions; and if she will make a statement. [128892]
Margaret Beckett: There are currently 125 Zimbabweans named on the EU's assets freeze and travel ban list. A copy of the list will be placed in the Library of the House. Another five will be added as a result of a recent ministerial reshuffle. All members of President Mugabe's Cabinet and ZANU-PF's Politburo are included, together with governors, heads of the security forces, election officials and others associated with abuses. In the United Kingdom, 42 accounts containing a total of £172,000 are currently frozen.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect on levels of demand for the North West Ambulance Service of private sector clinical assessment, treatment and support coming into service. [129071]
Andy Burnham: Primary care trusts in Cumbria and Lancashire will discuss the effect on demand for ambulance services with the North West Ambulance Service over the coming months as detailed specifications for the independent sector clinical assessment, treatment and support (CATS) services are developed.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women over the age of 70 self-referred for breast cancer screening in (a) Surrey Primary Care Trust and (b) England in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [129045]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the table:
Area | Self/general practitioner referral for breast screening for women aged 70 and over in 2005-06 | Self/general practitioner referral for breast screening for women aged 70 and over 2003-04 to 2005-06 |
Source: KC63 The Information Centre |
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in Bolton have been screened for breast cancer over the last five years. [130388]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information has been set out in the table.
Numbers screened | |
Note: Figures refer to women between 60-64 screened in Bolton Primary Care Trust. Source: KC63 The Information Centre for health and social care |
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for recent trends in attendance levels for cervical screening by 25 to 29 year-olds. [124395]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 March 2007, Official Report, column 2094W, to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess).
Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of cervical smears for younger women. [128799]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Research carried out by Cancer Research UK and presented to the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening coupled with 15 years of experience of screening has shown that screening women under the age of 25 may do more harm than good.
The cervix is still developing in women under 25 and during the cervical screening process, this development can look like cervical abnormalities, giving a false positive result and resulting in unnecessary investigations and treatments.
By increasing the starting age of cervical screening to 25, we are reducing the number of these unnecessary investigations and unnecessary treatments, as well as reducing the anxiety they cause.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organisation, endorse the current starting age of 25 and recent evidence has show that treatment with LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone), following an abnormal cervical sample test, can cause premature delivery in later pregnancies.
Women under 25 who are concerned about their risk of developing cervical cancer or about sexual health should contact their general practitioner or genito-urinary medicine clinic.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has any plans to introduce a national human papilloma virus vaccination programme. [129614]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 26 March 2007]: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is in the process of thoroughly examining the vaccine safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness evidence concerning human papilloma virus vaccines. The work is being taken forward by a sub-group of JCVI, with further work ongoing to evaluate whether the vaccine is considered to be a cost-effective prevention of cervical cancer and the impact that HPV vaccine may have on genital warts.
The sub group's advice will be reported to the main JCVI committee for further discussion.
No decisions will be taken on introducing these vaccines into the immunisation programme until JCVI has presented its advice to Ministers for their consideration.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated by her Department on rates of child abuse by women who have previously had an abortion; and if she will make a statement. [129521]
Caroline Flint: The Department has not commissioned any research in this area but child abuse by women who have previously had an abortion is not known to be a factor in the risk of child abuse.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for dental treatment for people in prison. [129895]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In April 2006, primary care trusts (PCTs) took full responsibility for commissioning all prison health services in their area including dental health services. PCTs are now responsible for assessing the oral health care needs of the inmates of local prisons and contracting with suitably trained and experienced dental practitioners to meet all reasonable needs.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Departments outgoing commercial director will be involved in the appointment of his successor; and what Civil Service rules apply. [108712]
Caroline Flint: The appointment process falls under the remit of the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners and the provisions of the Commissioners Recruitment Code. The outgoing Commercial Director will not be involved in the appointment of his successor.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed by her Department on 1 January of each of the last five years; and how many of these staff were (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary staff and (c) contractors. [124003]
Caroline Flint: The numbers of permanent and temporary civil servants (full-time equivalents) employed by the Department on 1 January in each of the last three years are as follows:
1 January 2007: 2,256 permanent, 45 temporary;
1 January 2006: 2,323 permanent, 72 temporary; and
1 January 2005: 2,341 permanent, 73 temporary.
Figures for 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2003 are not available.
The number of contractors and agency staff (full-time equivalents) working for the Department on 1 January 2007 was 230.
Figures for 1 January for the years 2003-06 are not available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people with diabetes who have not gained access to blood testing strips and blood glucose testing equipment; and if she will make a statement. [128716]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected on the numbers of people who have not gained access to blood glucose testing strips and blood glucose testing equipment.
Blood glucose testing strips are available on national health service prescriptions and are available free of charge to people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes whose condition is controlled by insulin or tablets.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetics visited hospitals and clinics in order to get their blood glucose tested in each year since 1997. [129393]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected in the format requested.
The table shows the numbers of people with diabetes who received HbA1c (a marker of long-term control of diabetes) or equivalent test in 2004-05 and 2005-06, the latest years for which figures are available:
Numbers of people aged 17 and over with diagnosed diabetes | Numbers of people who received a HbA1c or equivalent test in the previous 15 months | |
Source: The Quality and Outcomes Framework |
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring food packaging to be tamper proof. [121087]
Caroline Flint: The substance and form of food packaging is the responsibility of food manufacturers.
There are no requirements under food law for packaging to be tamper proof. European Commission General Food Law Regulation 178/2002 requires that food should not be unsafe for consumption. Tamper proof packaging might help meet this requirement but this would be a decision for the business concerned.
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) duration and (b) content will be of the training to be offered to GPs who wish to take on the role of GP with Special Interest; what hospital specialties she expects to be covered by the programme; what estimate she has made of the number of GPs likely to apply; and if she will make a statement. [128735]
Andy Burnham: The appointment general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSIs) is local matter for primary care trusts. The Department supports this process through guidance, including specific advice on the following specialties:
care for older people;
coronary heart disease;
child protection;
dermatology;
diabetes;
drug misuse;
echocardiography;
emergency care;
ear nose and throat;
epilepsy;
genetics;
headaches;
mental health;
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