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12 Jun 2007 : Column 987W—continued
Regional Planning and Development: Blackpool
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who is represented on the Blackpool task force she announced on 28 March 2007; what progress has been made in the work of the task force; what additional support has been provided through the task force (a) by her Department and ( b) other Departments; and what the nature is of such support. [142324]
Mr. Woolas: The Blackpool task force comprises representatives from; the North West Development Agency; Government Office for the North West; Blackpool Urban Regeneration Company; North West Business Link, English Partnerships and Blackpool borough council.
The work is progressing well, with a report expected to be presented to Ministers by 28 June. The recommendations within the report will reflect the needs of Blackpool and the Regional Economic and Spatial Strategies. The task force has significant support from Communities and Local Government through the regional agencies.
The task force was set up to reflect regional and local knowledge with staff being drawn from relevant agencies and organisations. Government Ministers will respond to the recommendations within the report as appropriate to their own Departments.
Communities and Local Government has committed £1 million to the task force and has also made up to £2 million available in the current year through English Partnerships, subject to the quality of the proposals made, to enable an early start on housing and other work to regenerate the inner area.
Unitary Councils
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether parish councils are included as partners and stakeholders to be consulted on any proposed unitary structure. [140544]
Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to discourage binge-drinking. [140463]
Caroline Flint: In the Government’s “Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy”, published in 2004, binge drinkers were a key target audience for new messages to be targeted by Government in their communications. This supported a wider programme of action by the Home Office to bear down on alcohol-related antisocial behaviour involving young people.
As a result, the Department launched “Know Your Limits”, the Government’s first national campaign regarding alcohol. It focuses on young people who binge drink because research shows that 18 to 24-year-olds are most likely to drink irresponsibly and cause harm to themselves and others. Evaluation of the campaign demonstrated that it has been highly effective in raising awareness and has had a high level of recall among young people.
The Government’s renewed alcohol strategy, “Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy” was published on 5 June 2007, and contains a detailed programme of work to minimise the health harms, violence and antisocial behaviour associated with alcohol, while ensuring that people are able to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly.
To help deliver this commitment, the Government are committed to continuing its investment in the “Know Your Limits” campaign and will run activity before peak drinking times, such as Christmas and new year. We will also seek ways to broaden and widen the audience reach.
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to address alcohol abuse among (a) children and (b) adults. [140465]
Caroline Flint: We are preventing the sale of alcohol to children by cracking down on irresponsible retailers and working with the alcohol industry to reduce underage sales of alcohol—while continuing to educate youngsters about the harms, both physical and social, of alcohol abuse.
The Government’s renewed alcohol strategy, “Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy” was published on 5 June 2007, and contains a detailed programme of work to minimise the health harms, violence and antisocial behaviour associated with alcohol, while ensuring that people are able to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly.
Blood: Contamination
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department has given to clinicians asked to give evidence assurances to the inquiry chaired by Lord Archer into contaminated blood and blood products; and if she will make a statement. [141005]
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that the revised drug strategy includes a strong commitment to reducing the transmission of blood borne viruses including (a) improved access to testing and treatment and (b) setting clear targets to ensure delivery. [139726]
Caroline Flint: A consultation document on the new Drug Strategy will be launched shortly. A commitment to harm reduction will certainly be an important part of the Strategy. On 22 May this year, I launched the Department’s action plan, Reducing Drug-related Harm, signalling the Government’s continuing commitment to prioritise treatment in tackling the harms of drug misuse.
The action plan sets out the broad stream of action to be taken in England to enhance harm reduction activities within the drug treatment sector, with the aim of progressively reducing the number of drug misusers either dying through a drug-related death or contracting blood-borne virus infections.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many of the documents rediscovered by her Department as referred to in the Review of Documentation relating to the Safety of Blood Products 1970-1985 (a) have yet to be made publicly available and (b) relate to AIDS/HIV; if she will release all such documents to Lord Archer's inquiry into this matter; and if she will make a statement; [140980]
(2) how many of the documents that were rediscovered by her Department as referred to in the Review of Documentation relating to the Safety of Blood Products 1970 to 1985 relate to Non A Non B Hepatitis; and if she will make a statement. [141007]
Caroline Flint: “The Review of Documentation Relating to the Safety of Blood Products 1970-1985 (Non A-Non B Hepatitis)” (NANBH) identified 56 previously unpublished documents that relate to NANBH. These were released with the review on the 22 May 2007.
The review identifies just over 4,600 documents that have yet to be made publicly available, and approximately 42 per cent. of these have been identified as relating to HIV/AIDS. Lord Archer has been advised that we propose to release these documents in line with the Freedom of Information Act.
Blood Transfusions
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to provide (a) ethryropoietins and (b) other alternatives to blood transfusions to appropriate patients. [141103]
Caroline Flint: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 May 2007, Official Report, columns 1771-72W.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 May 2007, Official Report, column 1772W, on blood transfusions, what steps she is taking to provide treatment to patients who cannot have blood transfusions who are suffering from chemotherapy-induced anaemia. [141104]
Caroline Flint: The treatment of individual patients remains a matter for their clinical team who will base the treatment on the most appropriate clinical evidence, and the wishes of the patient.
Bone Diseases: Medical Treatments
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance she has issued to trusts on whether they should continue to fund anti-TNF treatments for ankylosing spondylitis prior to the results of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s appraisal of anti-TNFs being made available; [140400]
(2) for what reasons the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s appraisal of anti-TNFs treatment for ankylosing spondylitis has been delayed. [140402]
Caroline Flint: Funding for licensed treatments should not be withheld because guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is unavailable. In December 2006, we issued good practice guidance which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the treatment or technology first became available.
In February 2007, NICE’s appraisal committee commissioned further analysis to inform its appraisal of adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. NICE are now expecting to publish final guidance to the NHS in June 2007.
Care Homes: Drinking Water
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken since October 2005 to ensure that fresh drinking water is available free of charge to care home residents throughout the day; [141209]
(2) what steps have been taken since October 2006 to ensure that care standards require that fresh drinking water is (a) available and (b) regularly offered to care home residents throughout the day; and if she will make a statement. [141210]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Regulation 16 of the Care Homes Regulations requires care homes to provide, in adequate quantities, suitable, wholesome and nutritious food which is varied and properly prepared and available at such time as may reasonably be required by service users. Food, in the regulations, includes drink.
Standard 15 of the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Care Homes for Older People includes the requirements that:
service users receive a varied, appealing, wholesome and nutritious diet, which is suited to individual assessed and recorded requirements, and that meals are taken in a congenial setting and at flexible times; and
hot and cold drinks and snacks are available at all times and offered regularly.
The NMS for Care Homes for Older People were originally issued in 2002; no changes have been made to them since October 2005.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published nutrient and food based advice for those providing food in care homes in October 2006. Copies are available in the Library. The advice includes guidance on appropriate nutrient intakes, healthy eating, allergy and food hygiene tips. There is also an example menu
plan, to help caterers for care homes follow the guidance, with a technical report showing how the menus follow FSA advice.
The example menus include recommendations to make water available at all eating occasions. Government advice is that we need to drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day. It is therefore implicit that care homes should be making water freely available throughout the day.
The advice documents, “Nutrient and food based Guidelines for UK Institutions” (October 2006), “Food served to Older People in Residential Care” (October 2006) and “Example Menus for Care Homes” (August 2006) are also available on the FSA’s website at
Community Care: Fees and Charges
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made since the introduction of “Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and non-residential Social Services—Guidance for Councils with Social Services Responsibilities” of the impact on home care service users in England of the ability of local authorities with social services responsibilities to set their own charging schemes for home care services. [141435]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department has not made any assessment. It is for councils to decide on how to set charges for non-residential social services. The legal basis is that charges generally should be reasonable, and that no one should be asked to pay more than they reasonably can.
Until the guidance on home care charges, “Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other non-residential Social Services”, was implemented, councils with social services responsibilities operated under few constraints or guidelines on how to charge for home care and practice varied widely. “Fairer Charging Policies” is statutory guidance, issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970; councils must have regard to it.
The guidance, which was issued in 2001 and amended in 2003 to reflect the introduction of pension credit, does not seek to change councils’ power to charge, or not, for services. It seeks to ensure that, where councils do charge, this will be based on fairer, well designed charging policies. In particular, it aims to ensure that service users on low incomes are protected from charging and that any charges levied on disability benefits are subject to an assessment of disability costs, to ensure their reasonableness.
Local authorities have discretion as to whether they charge people receiving benefits for domiciliary care or not. However, if they do decide to do so, the guidance states very clearly that service users should not have their incomes reduced below basic levels of income support or the guarantee credit of pension credit, plus a buffer of 25 per cent., as a result of charges.
Community Hospitals
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals (a) closed and (b) opened in (i) rural and (ii) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [135508]
Andy Burnham: This information is not collected centrally. The Government are committed to ensuring more health services are delivered in community settings and are making an additional £750 million worth of capital funding available to support the development of community hospitals and services.
Dental Services: Cornwall
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2007, Official Report, column 1504W, on dental services: Cornwall, what assessment she has made of the likely effect on dental services should Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust decide not to comply with the NHS Litigation Authority for the determination of contract activity for dental practices in Cornwall; and what preparations she has made. [141747]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 11 June 2007]: Determinations of the National Health Service Litigation Authority are binding on primary care trusts (PCTs). We understand that Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT is discussing with its local dental providers how to give effect to a recent NHS Litigation Authority decision. PCTs are responsible locally for assessing dental service needs and developing services to reflect these needs.
Haemophilia
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Service Level Agreement is for the provision of Recombinant Factor VIII in each strategic health authority in England. [142045]
Caroline Flint: Funding for the provision of Recombinant Factor VIII for each strategic health authority (SHA) is in the SHA bundle, that incorporates a number of budgets formerly managed directly by the Department. The value of the SHA bundle for 2007-08 is £6,945.78 million, and was announced in the NHS Operating Framework that was published on 11 December to the NHS. Allocations are made direct to SHAs, and they manage the distribution of funds among the different programmes, including for Recombinant Factor VIII, taking account of local circumstances.
Health Hazards: Lighting
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of (a) the nature of the medical conditions and (b) the number of people suffering from such medical conditions which can be exacerbated by light emitted from energy saving light bulbs. [140905]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is known that some people living with lupus and epilepsy, and other long-term conditions, may be affected by energy saving light bulbs. We have made no assessment of the number of such people affected.
Health Hazards: Mobile Phones
Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent studies her Department has (a)
commissioned and (b) received on the potential health hazards from (i) mobile phone masts and (ii) handheld mobile phones; and if she will make a statement. [141319]
Caroline Flint: The Stewart Report in 2000 comprehensively reviewed the scientific literature and concluded that
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