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10 Oct 2007 : Column 667W—continued
Religion
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations the Government has received on the activities of (a) The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, (b) The New Kadampa Tradition and (c) Soka Gakkai International; and when such representations were received. [156701]
Mr. Dhanda: Communities and Local Government has received correspondence from a member of the public regarding the alleged cultish behaviour of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, New Kadampa Tradition and Soka Gakkai International, and the recommendation of funding to these organisations under Round 2 of the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund. This representation was received on 1 May 2007. As far as we are aware, no other representation has been received.
Stakeholder Advisory Panel on Home Buying and Selling: Public Appointments
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who the members are of the Stakeholder Advisory Panel on home buying and selling; and what criteria were used to appoint its members. [153818]
Yvette Cooper: The Stakeholder Advisory Panel on home buying and selling consists of:
Yvette Cooper (chair CLG)
Mike Ockenden (AHIPP)
Peter Bollon-King (NAEA)
Nick Stace (Which?)
Fiona Hoyle (CoPSO)
Michael Coogan (CML)
Simon McWhirter (WWF)
Jeremy Leaf (RICS)
Ted Beardsall (Land Registry)
Paul Marsh (Law Society)
Heather Clayton (OFT)
David Saunders (BERR)
Matthew Symes (Non-executive director)
Jeremy Stanyard (Non-executive director)
Unitary Councils
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many councils she expects to be permitted to move ahead with a unitary bid in the initial stage following the prioritisation process outlined in the latest consultation paper on unitary bids. [155695]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my statement on 25 July 2007, Official Report, column 68WS.
Health
Breast Cancer: Screening
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the breast cancer re-screening rate, within 36 months is in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Wakefield; [156379]
(2) what proportion of eligible women in the Leeds/Wakefield breast screening area are receiving scans within the 36 month national standard. [156380]
Ann Keen: 36-month breast cancer screening interval rates for England and Leeds Wakefield and Bradford Pennine, the two screening centres which cover West Yorkshire, are shown in the following table. 38-month interval rates are also given as an indicator of how close intervals are to the national standard of 36 months. Figures are not available for Wakefield alone.
| Percentage | ||
| 36 month breast cancer screening interval rate—April to June 2007 | 38 month breast cancer screening interval rate—April to June 2007 | |
| Source: NHS Cancer Screening Programme | ||
The Government take the issue of the 36-month standard between screens very seriously and that is why Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, wrote to the chief executives of all 10 strategic health authorities in England on 9 February 2007 highlighting the importance of maintaining the 36-month interval.
Broomfield Hospital: PFI
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations the Department received (a) supporting and (b) against the Broomfield private finance initiative scheme; what meetings were organised on this scheme and with whom; and what other consultation was conducted and what the balance of opinion was arising therefrom. [156526]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 8 October 2007]: The former Minister of State (Andy Burnham), met with the hon. Members for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns), Maldon and East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale), the right hon. Member for Saffron Walden (Sir Alan Haselhurst), the hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newmark), Chair of the Trust David Bullock, Chief Executive of the Trust Andrew Pike, Helen Davis (from the strategic health authority (SHA)) and Peter Coates, Deputy Director of Finance-Investment, from the Department on Monday 20 November 2006 to discuss progress of the Broomfield private finance initiative scheme.
The full business case, which is supported by local commissioners, the trust and the SHA has been submitted to the Department for approval.
Chronically Sick
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions; and when the framework will be reviewed. [155949]
Ann Keen: The National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term conditions has a 10-year implementation programme from its publication in March 2005, with flexibility for organisations to set the pace of change locally to take account of local priorities and needs. The “NSF Good Practice Guide” demonstrates that that a number of organisations have successfully addressed aspects of service delivery outlined in the NSF.
The Department has no plans to review the NSF.
Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the documents rediscovered by his Department in 2007 relating to the safety of blood products have (a) been and (b) not been (i) publicly released and (ii) released to the Archer inquiry to date; and if he will make a statement. [156290]
Dawn Primarolo: Two sets of documents related to blood safety, previously believed to be missing, were recovered in 2006:
some 4,500 documents located in storage in unregistered files. These are now held in 101 registered files.
some 600 documents returned by a firm of private solicitors who acted for claimants in HIV litigation in 1989. These are now held in 20 registered files.
These documents in 121 files are being reviewed and issued in line with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
Documents from 100 files, comprising 80 of the 101 files in category 1 and the 20 files in category 2, have been supplied to the Archer inquiry. Documents from the remaining 21 files will be issued this month, within the timetable agreed with the inquiry team.
The documents are being scanned and placed on the Department’s website for public access. So far the documents in 60 of the 101 previously unregistered files have been placed on the Department’s website. It is anticipated that documents from all 121 files will be on the Department’s website by the end of November.
Dental Services
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards full provision of dentistry on the NHS. [155427]
Ann Keen: The fundamental reforms introduced last year have provided for the first time a stable foundation for the national health service to develop dental services that meet local needs.
The recent Departmental report “NHS Dental Reforms: One year on” sets out the progress already made in developing new services and the further action being taken to support the NHS in improving access. This report has been placed in the Library.
Departments: Training
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by his Department on (a) staff training and (b) communication training in the last 12 months. [153077]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally and to collect it would be at disproportionate cost.
General Medical Services Contract
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to provide NHS employers with a mandate to negotiate the arrangements for the new General Medical Services contract in 2008-08. [156412]
Mr. Bradshaw: NHS employers have already begun negotiations with the British Medical Association's General Practitioners' Committee on possible changes to the General Medical Services contract for 2008-09, based on a mandate provided to them by the Department.
General Practitioners: Foreigners
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department collects information on the number of foreign nationals in England registered with general practitioners. [156397]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 8 October 2007]: The Department does not hold this information centrally.
The Department is currently undertaking a review of access to the national health service by foreign nationals, the review is being conducted jointly with the Home Office Border and Immigration Agency and will cover access to both primary and secondary care.
Health Hazards: Electric Cables
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received from the Health Protection Agency to the Stakeholder Advisory Group on ELF EMF’s report; if he will place a copy of the advice in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [156852]
Dawn Primarolo: Following the publication of the Stakeholder Advisory Group on extremely low frequency and electromagnetic fields (SAGE) report, the former Minister of State (Caroline Flint) at the time, wrote to the Health Protection Agency to ask for its considered view and advice to Government. We are currently awaiting a reply.
Health Hazards: Mercury
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on public health of mercury in (a) vaccinations, (b) dental amalgams and (c) low energy light bulbs. [156823]
Dawn Primarolo:
As with all medicinal products, vaccine safety is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
with advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM). The CHM has thoroughly reviewed the safety of vaccines containing mercury (thiomersal).
Several large studies have found no evidence of a link between thiomersal-containing vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders. MHRA and CHM advice, available on the MHRA website, is that there is no evidence of harm from the very small quantities of thiomersal contained in some vaccines, with the exception of possible allergic reactions such as skin rashes or local swelling at the site of injection. This view concurs with that of the World Health Organisation, the United States Institute of Medicine and the European Medicines Agency.
The use of dental amalgam is declining in the United Kingdom as a result of increased application of alternatives, changes in the commissioning of primary dental care and a general improvement in dental health. We expect this decline to continue. However it remains an effective direct restorative option and there is no evidence to suggest that its use poses any significant health risk.
No formal assessment has been made in respect of the potential effect on public health of mercury in low energy light bulbs.
Health Services: Per Capita Costs
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent per head of population on health services in 2006-07 in each (a) primary care trust and (b) local authority area ranked in order. [155904]
Mr. Bradshaw: Tables showing the spend by head of population in primary care trusts for 2006-07 and social services spending in 2005-06 for each council in ranked order have been placed in the Library. These are for the latest years for which data are available.
Injuries: Offensive Weapons
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) gun shot and (b) knife wounds the NHS has treated in the last 12 months. [156834]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information is not collected on the number of gun shot and knife wounds the national health service has treated.
Information is available however on those patients who were actually admitted to hospital for gun shot and knife injuries (these figures do not include patients who were treated in accident and emergency departments for gun shot/knife injuries and not admitted). Those cause codes that appear relevant are presented in the following table.
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