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21 May 2007 : Column 1136W—continued
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust: Surgery
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of people in Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust area waited more than (a) three months, (b) six months and (c) a year for an NHS operation in the most recent year for which figures are available. [136705]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, data on the number and percentage of finished admission episodes for selected admission methods (valid waiting list and booked cases) for an operation by time waited grouping are shown in the following table. The data relate to treatment provided by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust and are for 2005-06.
| Time waited grouping | Number of finished admission episodes | Percentage of finished admission episodes |
| Notes: 1. Admission Methods ‘11 Elective: from waiting list’ and ‘12 Elective: booked’ 2. OPCS4.2 main operative procedure codes between A01 and X59 3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 4. The time waited groupings are mutually exclusive. To calculate the total or percentage for e.g. those waiting over three months, the values for ‘Over three to six months’, ‘Over six months to one year’ and ‘Over one year’ should be added together. 5. A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 6. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but the figures for “all operations count of episodes” give a more complete count of episodes with an operation. 7. Time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension. 8. HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care | ||
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust: Nurses
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many epilepsy specialist nurses were employed by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in each of the last three years. [136709]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Government have supported the development of a range of specialist roles within nursing. However, it is for local trusts to deploy specialist nurses in accordance with their local needs and to determine the skill mix within the nursing work force including specialist epilepsy nurses.
Social Services
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will set a direction of travel for the social care strategy referred to in paragraph 4.9 of her Department’s 2007-08 business plan, published on 30 March; and if she will make a statement. [135868]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Social care is currently facing a number of major challenges, particularly around demographic change and rising public expectations. As a result, the Chancellor announced in the pre-Budget report 2006 that the Treasury would be assessing proposals for the future of social care put forward by Derek Wanless for the King’s Fund, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and others. The criteria for assessing these proposals are whether they are affordable, whether they are consistent with progressive universalism and whether they promote independence, dignity, well-being and control. The Treasury is currently assessing the proposals and the Department will continue to work with them to take this work forward and consider the strategic direction of social care.
Strokes: Health Services
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Director for Heart Disease and Stroke will be responsible for implementing the National Stroke Strategy for England; and whether additional financial resources will be allocated to the strategy. [136526]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Director for Heart Disease and Stroke assumed clinical leadership for stroke in February 2006. He provides the clinical direction and will lead the development of the National Stroke Strategy, but the national health service and social care services will have the responsibility for delivering the stroke strategy.
The Department will shortly be launching a wide-ranging consultation on the strategy. The strategy’s further development will take into account the responses to the consultation. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the resource implications of the strategy in its final form.
Justice
Administration of Justice: Interpreters
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many people were translating through the National Agreement on arrangements for the use of interpreters, translators and language services professionals in investigations and proceedings within the Criminal Justice System (a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which the figure is available. [138224]
Ms Harman: The information requested is not collected centrally by criminal justice agencies. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Her Majesty’s Courts Service is giving consideration to the routine collection of data relating to interpreting and translation services used in court.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what support her Department is providing to the National Register of Public Service Interpreters through the National Agreement on arrangements for the use of interpreters, translators and language services professionals in investigations and proceedings within the Criminal Justice System. [138225]
Ms Harman: The Ministry of Justice, among other agencies involved in the criminal justice system, has reaffirmed, through the revised National Agreement issued in January this year, that the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) is the preferred source of interpreters for non-English speaking defendants and witnesses in criminal investigations and proceedings. All Crown and magistrates’ courts that require it have licensed access to the NRPSI directory of interpreters and have been directed that the standard requirement is to use this list wherever possible.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what steps her Department plans to take to ensure the availability of interpreters and translators for individuals of all ethnic backgrounds taking part in court proceedings in rural areas. [138169]
Ms Harman: The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is leading a project to improve the supply of suitable, security-checked interpreters across the whole criminal justice system. The measures under consideration include the increased use of technology, such as video conferencing and increasing the pool of qualified interpreters through targeted training and targeted advertising campaigns. In January this year the OCJR issued a revised National Agreement on Arrangements for the use of Interpreters and Translators in the criminal justice system, to help ensure that only suitably qualified interpreters and translators are used in criminal proceedings. I have placed a copy of the Agreement in the Library.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what percentage of interpreters employed by the courts in the last period for which figures are available were sourced from the recommended register of the National Register of Public Service Interpreters. [138286]
Ms Harman: The information requested is not collected centrally or as a matter of routine by the courts. Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) is giving consideration to the routine collection of data relating to interpreting and translation services used in court.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the cost to her Department is for each interpreter employed (a) directly by her Department, (b) through outsourcing arrangements and (c) through agencies. [138168]
Ms Harman: Interpreters employed to interpret in court proceedings are paid in accordance with the Terms and Conditions for Individuals providing Face-to-Face Interpretation Services, which were introduced on 28 February 2007 and can be located on the website of the Home Office Commercial Directorate. There are no outsourcing arrangements for interpreter provision operating within the courts at this time.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how much the Department for Constitutional Affairs spent on (a) interpreters and (b) translators in each of the last 10 years. [138231]
Ms Harman: Information on how much the Department for Constitutional Affairs spent on interpreters and translators in each of the last 10 years can be provided only by gathering information held locally. This would take longer than the time available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many people were employed as (a) interpreters and (b) translators by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in each of the last 10 years. [138232]
Ms Harman: The information requested is not collected centrally by the agencies of the Department for Constitutional Affairs (now part of the Ministry of Justice). Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Contact Orders
Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice when she plans to bring into force those sections of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 which provide for more sanctions to be available to the courts when a contact order is not complied with. [137608]
Ms Harman: The Government expect that provisions in Part 1 of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 in relation to family assistance orders and risk assessments will be implemented from October 2007. The timetable for the implementation of the remaining provisions of part 1 of the Act, including the provisions relating to enforcement of contact orders, is currently under consideration. The Government will be making a written ministerial statement shortly outlining the timetable for implementation of the remaining provisions in Part 1 of the Act.
Custodial Treatment: Courts
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2007, Official Report, column 75W, on custodial treatment: courts, what the cost of scoping studies has been since 1 January 2007. [137573]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Since 1 January NOMS has paid £120,000 (excluding VAT) to a single contractor. This does not include any costs for scoping studies.
Departments: Consultants
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how much the Department for Constitutional Affairs spent on consultancy and professional services in 2005-06. [138233]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In 2005-06, the Department for Constitutional Affairs spent £15.6 million—0.43 per cent. of its budget on consultancy. This included expenditure by its executive agencies as follows:
| £ | |
While details of expenditure on other professional services were held by individual business managers, they were not collected centrally for this period. The Department for Constitutional Affairs bought a range of such services across its many business areas. An exercise to identify and collate such expenditure could be conducted only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Costs
Mrs. May: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the estimated total cost is of establishing the Ministry of Justice. [136837]
Vera Baird: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 8 May 2007 to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois), Official Report, column 129W, which provides the estimated total cost of establishing the Ministry of Justice.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the cost has been of establishing the Ministry of Justice. [137716]
Vera Baird: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 8 May 2007 to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois), Official Report, column 129W, which provides the estimated total cost of establishing the Ministry of Justice.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how much the formation of the Ministry of Justice (a) cost the Department for Constitutional Affairs and (b) has cost the Ministry of Justice. [138288]
Vera Baird: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to the hon. Member for Rayleigh, of 8 May 2007, Official Report, column 129W, which provides the estimated total cost of establishing the Ministry of Justice.
Departments: Netmums Website
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice whether her Department has provided funding for the netmums website. [138392]
Ms Harman: My Department has not provided funding to the netmums website.
Electoral Register
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice if she will make a statement on progress towards the Co-ordinated Online Register of Electors. [137629]
Bridget Prentice: The first phase of the CORE project is almost complete and all local authorities are now able to output their electoral register data in a consistent format. Planning work for the second phase is under way, and the CORE team is now considering options for developing the CORE information system.
The operational provider of the CORE services, the CORE keeper, has not yet been appointed and the Ministry of Justice is currently in discussion with the Electoral Commission about the role. In parallel, the Ministry is considering other suitable organisations in the event that the Electoral Commission decides not to take on the role of CORE keeper.
After the CORE keeper is appointed, the Ministry will have more details on the overall timescales for the delivery of CORE services as the keeper will need to be involved in future planning.
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