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17 Apr 2007 : Column 586W—continued

Legal Advice

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the Department on external legal advice in each of the past five years. [109109]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, Department figures for the cost of external legal services procured by the Department’s own lawyers is set out in the table.

£
Net VAT Total

2002-03

1,407,890.39

163,040.69

1,570,958.01

2003-04

1,540,718.46

244,872.77

1,785,590.23

2004-05

1,145,224.50

133,346.73

1,278,162.10

2005-06

1,631,254.29

165,638.80

1,816,955.84

Source:
Department of Health Solicitors Unit

Medicine

Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much it costs to provide all medical students with copies of each edition of the British National Formulary in each of the past three years; and what the forecast cost is for 2007-08. [130349]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 27 March 2007]: The following table shows the amount allocated to fund the provision of a copy of the British National Formulary in each of the years from 2004-05 to 2006-07.

Funding for the provision of the British National Formulary to medical students
Allocation ( £000 )

2004-05

100

2005-06

110

2006-07

125


There is no allocation to fund the provision of the British National Formulary in 2007-08.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will reply to the letter of 29 January 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester Gorton with regards to Ms. E. Waite. [128681]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend replied on 30 March 2007.

MRSA

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the potential incidence of MRSA and like infections in GPs' surgeries. [129575]


17 Apr 2007 : Column 587W

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department is not at present funding studies that relate specifically to methicillin resistant s taphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and general practitioners’ premises. Much of the current research aimed at improving our understanding of environmental influences on infection spread, and on cleaning and decontamination methods, will however be relevant to that setting. Additionally, the increasing recognition of the need to improve our understanding of spread of MRSA within the community will influence future research priorities.

NHS: Finance

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) projects were successfully completed in each year since the scheme was introduced; what the (a) shortest and (b) longest period of time has been for completion of a LIFT project from commissioning phase to operational opening; what lessons her Department has learned to achieve better value for money and effectiveness for future LIFT schemes; and how best practice is disseminated to partners within LIFT schemes. [131396]

Andy Burnham: The first National Health Service Local Improvement Finance Trusts (LIFT) schemes became operational in 2004. The following table provides information on schemes successfully completed from 2004, broken down by year.

Number of new LIFT facilities open to patients

2004

4

2005

46

2006

56

2007(1)

57

(1) This is total number of buildings that are expected to open in 2007. This includes those opened by 31 March and those expected to open in the remainder of the year.

Information is not collected centrally on the time scale from the commissioning phase of construction to the building opening to patients.

Individual LIFT schemes currently demonstrate that they are value for money through two routes: the LIFT company being established as a result of a competitive procurement, as a result of which an initial tranche of schemes are priced; and on an on-going basis, through the annual lease plus payment for each scheme being signed off by the district valuer as value for money in comparison with other similar facilities in the locality.

The Committee of Public Accounts report of 2006 made the point that value for money of both the LIFT programme and its schemes needed to be measured more effectively. The Department is currently addressing this by developing a database to benchmark the constituent costs of LIFT schemes and also by introducing the use of a public sector comparator in the business case for any single LIFT facility with a capital value in excess of £20 million.

Partnerships for Health, working with the Department, has developed a network for the public sector procurement teams to share learning, best practice and drive continuous improvement.


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NHS: ICT

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the lifetime contract value is of the National Programme for Information Technology, broken down by major cost area; and how much has been spent in each cost area. [123183]

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table

£ million
Programme area Lifetime contract value Expenditure to 31 December 2006

Spine

620

310.7

N3 broadband network

530

228.2

Choose and Book core contract

64.5

33.2

London local service provider (LSP)

996

39.1

North East LSP

1,099

82.8

North-west/West Midlands LSP

973

184.8

Eastern LSP

934

94.8

Southern LSP

986

27.9

Total

6,202.5

1001.5


Nutrition: EC Law

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department holds a definitive list of when each EU member state intends to close its list for receiving health claims made under article 13 of regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods. [131775]

Caroline Flint: The regulation allows member states until 31 January 2008 to submit their lists of health claims under article 13. The Food Standards Agency opened the United Kingdom list in October, prior to the publication of the regulation, and intends to close the UK list in September in order to allow time for claims to be assessed for eligibility and put into a format that can be submitted to the Commission. The agency does not hold a definitive list of when each European Union member state will close its list.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures her Department is considering to support small and medium-sized enterprises to comply with the requirements of regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods; and if she will make a statement. [131776]

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency has worked closely with the Small Business Service and in consultation with small businesses to find ways to help them comply with the regulation. The Agency is currently out to consultation on detailed guidance on compliance, which it has sought to tailor to the needs of small businesses. In addition, the Agency has decided to make public the developing list of United
17 Apr 2007 : Column 589W
Kingdom health claims on its website, which should help small businesses monitor what claims are available for general use and help them co-ordinate efforts to register missing claims.

The regulation refers to the importance of small businesses in the European food industry, and makes it a requirement for the Commission, in close co-operation with the European Food Safety Authority, to make available technical guidance and tools to assist them in the preparation and presentation of an application for authorisation of a claim. The UK is pressing for early publication of this guidance.

Ophthalmic Services: Children

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve ophthalmic services for children; and if she will make a statement. [130845]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Free sight tests are available under the national health service for children under 16 and those aged 16-18 in full time education. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease.

The National Service Framework (NSF) for Children, Young People and Maternity Services set out a 10-year programme to improve children’s services. The NSF highlighted a need for an orthoptist-led programme for pre-school vision screening. Local agencies have the flexibility to plan and prioritise how the NSF standards should be met.

Radiography: Manpower

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many radiographers there were in the NHS in January (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) 2007 in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England. [131121]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number of radiographers in the specified areas are shown in the table for 1997, 2001 and 2005 as these are the latest data available.


17 Apr 2007 : Column 590W
National health service hospital and community health services: qualified radiography staff in England and each specified strategic health authority (SHA) area by area of work as at 30 September each specified year
Headcount
1997 2001 2005

England

11,771

12,706

14,539

Diagnostic radiography staff

10,364

11,163

12,700

Therapeutic radiography staff

1,407

1,543

1,839

Of which:

Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area

1,278

1,396

1,610

Diagnostic radiography staff

1,154

1,246

1,444

Therapeutic radiography staff

124

150

166

Of which:

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

309

313

425

Diagnostic radiography staff

287

289

399

Therapeutic radiography staff

22

24

26

Note:
North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire figures are for the old SHA area.
Source:
The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical work force census.

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations her Department has received about possible closure of the Royal Surrey County hospital. [116254]

Caroline Flint: The Department is aware of approximately 2,017 letters about the future of the Royal Surrey County hospital.


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