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5 July 2007 : Column 1146W—continued


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Poland

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Poland. [147673]

Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary’s overseas engagements are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce such visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel.

Robert Tweyambe

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the (a) health and (b) ability to access medical treatment of the detained Uganda Forum for Democratic Change supporter Robert Tweyambe; and if he will make a statement. [147538]

Meg Munn: We have not received any specific reports on the health of Mr Robert Tweyambe, or his ability to access medical treatment.

However, we continue to raise our concerns about the detention of the Peoples’ Redemption Army suspects with the Government of Uganda. Most recently our High Commissioner in Kampala raised this with President Museveni on 10 May.

We understand that Mr Tweyambe is due to appear before Mbarara High Court on 9 July to hear the outcome of his bail application on murder charges. We will continue to make further representations to the Government of Uganda calling for court proceedings to be expedited in a fair and just manner.

Uganda: Oppression

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the deaths in Makindye military barracks of three Forum for Democratic Change members, Denis Nabilema, Moses Dramani and David Oboma; and if he will make a statement. [147539]

Meg Munn: We are aware of reports in Uganda, including by the media, and the claims by the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, Dr Kizza Besigye, that three of his party’s supporters died in detention; and the comment by the Ugandan People’s Defence Force spokesman confirming that David Oboma died recently at Mbuya Military hospital. However, we have not yet received information to confirm this. We will seek further clarification from the Government of Uganda and I shall write to the hon. Member once we have received further information. I will also place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Health

Accident and Emergency Departments: Bishop Auckland Hospital

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the accident and emergency unit at Bishop Auckland General Hospital. [147020]


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Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 2 July 2007]: It is a matter for the local national health service to ensure that there is appropriate provision of urgent and emergency care services to meet the needs of local people. In planning local provision of urgent and emergency care services, health communities are expected to observe the general principle that all urgent and emergency care should be delivered as close to home as is compatible with clinical safety. There is a requirement for trusts to involve and consult the public on the planning for provision of health services.

Bishop Auckland has a consultant led accident and emergency department and there are currently no plans to change this provision.

Colorectal Cancer

Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were diagnosed with cancer of the bowel in each year since 2001, broken down by acute trust; and if he will make a statement. [147438]

Ann Keen [holding answer 4 July 2007]: The information requested by acute trust is not held centrally. Figures of the number of newly diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer for England, broken down by Government Office of the Region, are published in ‘Cancer Registration Statistics Series MB1’, which can be found at:

Additionally, the number of colorectal cancer cases broken down by strategic health authority for the years 1993 to 2003 provided by the Office for National Statistics are available on the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development website at:

Health Services

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) patient and public interest groups and (b) professional healthcare regulators have met (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from his Department to discuss the White Paper “Trust, Assurance and Safety”; and if he will publish written representations made. [146197]

Mr. Bradshaw: There has been extensive consultation leading up to the publication of the White Paper ‘Trust, Assurance and Safety’. The response to the consultation was published in February.

Further involvement in the implementation of the White Paper will be through the working groups which we announced at the stakeholder conference for the professional regulation reform implementation on 5 June. The conference was attended by over 200 stakeholders and my noble Friend the Minister of State for Health (Lord Hunt) and officials from the Department were able to discuss aspects of the White Paper with most of them during the day. We will be publishing the terms of reference and membership of the working groups shortly.


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Health Services: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department expects to allocate to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (a) for communication purposes and (b) to promote public engagement in their four country business plan, with particular reference to his Department's priority work themes arising from the White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety. [146202]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Department of Health and the Council of Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) have not made any final decisions on the allocation to CHRE, in relation to the additional work set out in the White Paper ‘Trust, Assurance and Safety’. CHRE’s Business Plan will be agreed soon.

Health Services: Private Sector

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budgetary allocation is for expenditure by the Government on healthcare from private sector providers in 2007-08. [146191]

Mr. Bradshaw: National health service spend on private healthcare providers will be determined by the choices made by patients and those who commission services locally on their behalf.

As financial plans for 2007-08 are still subject to final validation and sign-off, it is not yet possible to provide a robust estimate for this category of expenditure in 2007-08.

Patient Choice Schemes

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the rules governing the choose and book system allow for the names of individual clinicians within a particular service and their indicative waiting times to be passed on to GPs and their patients. [146963]

Mr. Bradshaw: Yes.

United Health Group

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007, Official Report, column 2199W, on United Health Group, in which salary band Mr Channing Wheeler's salary falls; whether his employment contract allows for performance bonuses; and what period the contract covers. [147830]

Dawn Primarolo: The post of director general for the commercial directorate falls within Senior Civil Service (SCS) payband 3, and performance bonuses will be payable in line with the Department's SCS pay strategy. The contract is a fixed term for three years.

Written Questions

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 1 May to the Minister of State about Nexavar. [146709]

Ann Keen [holding answer 29 June 2007]: A reply was sent on 25 June 2007.


5 July 2007 : Column 1150W

Home Department

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders imposed at magistrates' courts in each of the last three years were overturned on appeal. [146972]

Mr. Coaker: The data are not available yet but will be published shortly, once their quality has been assured.

Children: Abuse

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions she has had with those hosting social networking sites on adopting mechanisms to prevent child abuse; [147381]

(2) what discussions she has had with those hosting social networking sites on child protection issues. [147383]

Mr. Coaker: The Government are aware of the wider concerns that social networking websites have raised. Although they enable young people to share their interests with other young people, clearly there is a potential for misuse.

Some of the major social networking services have been invited to join the Home Secretary's taskforce for child protection on the internet. In addition, a sub-group of the taskforce, which includes representatives from social network providers, law enforcement and children's charities, has been set up to look at the safety issues for children caused by the development and growth of social networking sites and develop good practice guidelines.

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely impact of serious crime prevention orders proposed in the Serious Crime Bill, if enacted, on the posting of child abuse images on social networking sites. [147384]

Mr. Coaker: We believe that serious crime prevention orders will make a significant impact in the fight against all types of serious crime. They will allow law enforcement to apply for orders which will put in place reasonable and proportionate conditions upon those who have been involved in serious crime, in order to prevent any future involvement.

We have ensured that contained within the list of serious crimes set out in schedule 1 is, among other similar offences, the offence under section 50 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography). This will mean that it will be open to the applicant authorities to seek an order to prevent such criminal activity where an order would be effective and appropriate. This will not, of course, alter in any way our commitment to investigate and prosecute those who have already been involved in this criminal activity. These orders will be a means of preventing future harm before it takes place.


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Homicide: Religion

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of so-called honour killings in each of the last 10 years, broken down by nationality. [147445]

Mr. Coaker: This information is not held centrally.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions for so-called honour killings there were in each of the last 10 years. [147446]

Mr. Coaker: This information is not held centrally.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what strategy her Department has in place to tackle so-called honour killings; and how long it has been in existence. [147447]

Mr. Coaker: The National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence, which was issued in 2005, includes workstreams to tackle honour based violence, including homicide. In addition, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) national working group on honour based violence will shortly publish for consultation its proposals for a national action plan to respond to honour based violence.

Innovation, Universities and Skills

Apprentices: Females

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans the Government have to increase the number of disadvantaged young women entering apprenticeships. [146389]


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Mr. Lammy: We want to expand the apprenticeships programme so that in 2013 any suitably qualified young person will be entitled to an apprenticeship place. We are therefore working with partners including the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), sector bodies and employers to address the needs of learners who are typically under-represented in apprenticeships, either generally or in particular occupational sectors and whether by gender, ethnicity or disability. We aim to attract apprentices from a wide range of backgrounds through targeted marketing activity, by creating more flexible apprenticeship opportunities and by improving careers advice and guidance, including by offering opportunities for non-stereotypical “tasters” from the age of 14.

Foundation Degrees: Public Sector

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) how many and what proportion of those qualifying with foundation degrees were employed by local authorities in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority area; [146409]

(2) how many and what percentage of students who completed foundation degrees went on to employment in (a) schools, (b) hospitals, (c) the police or armed forces and (d) the public sector in the last five years for which figures are available. [146410]

Bill Rammell: The available information on employment of graduates is taken from the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey which is carried out annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The DLHE survey records the activity of the student six months after qualifying.

The latest available figures are given in the table and show the full list of occupations for those students who obtained employment. The destinations data do not allow identification of qualifiers employed in individual local authorities. Figures for 2005-06 will be available in mid-July.


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5 July 2007 : Column 1154W
First destinations of foundation degree qualifiers at English Higher Education Institutions , academic years 2002/03 to 2004/05
Number Percentage
Destination 6 months after qualifying 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05

Number of known destination

760

1,850

3,955

Of which in employment(1)

420

1,165

2,465

55

63

62

Broken down by Standard Industrial Classification:

Agriculture and Forestry

5

25

25

1

1

1

Fishing

0

0

0

0

0

0

Mining and Quarrying

0

0

0

0

0

0

Manufacturing

40

100

125

5

5

3

Electricity, Gas and Water Supply

0

5

10

0

0

0

Construction

5

10

20

1

1

1

Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and Goods

80

135

215

10

7

5

Hotels and Restaurants

10

55

75

2

3

2

Transport, Storage and Communication

20

40

55

2

2

1

Financial Activities

5

25

20

1

1

1

Property Development, Renting, Business and Research Activity

25

75

140

4

4

3

Public Administration and Defence

20

50

375

3

3

9

Of which:

Police officers (all ranks)

0

0

0

0

2

Armed forces (Officers, NCOs and other ranks)

0

0

15

0

0

0

Education(2)

5

5

115

1

0

3

Local Government(3)

5

5

20

0

0

0

Others

15

35

155

2

2

4

Education

130

400

940

17

22

24

Health and social work

20

135

315

2

7

8

Other community, social and personal service activities

55

110

145

7

6

4

Private households with employed persons

0

5

10

0

0

0

International Organisations and Bodies

0

0

0

0

0

0

Not known/Not applicable

0

5

0

0

0

0

Response rate (percentage)

80

74

81

?

?

?

(1 )includes those in employment and further study
(2) includes education officers, education assistants and support workers, primary, nursery and secondary teachers, and those employed in special educational needs, adult and vocational education
(3) includes area, divisional, clerical, associate professional and senior officials.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (Higher Education Statistics Agency)

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