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20 Nov 2007 : Column 816W—continued
Taxis
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent by his Department and its predecessor on taxis in the last 12 months. [163210]
Kevin Brennan: Details of expenditure on taxis incurred by the Department over the last 12 months are as follows:
1 October 2006 to 31 October 2007: £309,765.
The expenditure is based on staff travel claims and approved invoices received from taxi companies paid via the Department's Integrated Financial Information System. The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007 as a result of a Machinery of Government change and the costs identified above include those of the predecessor department (Department for Education and Skills) and also those costs incurred by the newly created Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills where these costs relate to areas formerly the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills.
Teachers: Special Educational Needs
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what professional in-service training sessions his Department provides to teachers and head teachers on (a) tackling bullying of children with special educational needs and (b) the academic attainment and attendance of children with special educational needs. [164459]
Kevin Brennan: Continuing professional development plays an important role in improving the knowledge, understanding and skills of teachers and other staff in schools. Training in special educational needs (SEN) and disability is a national CPD priority, and schools may use their School Development Grant to secure appropriate training geared to identified needs, either in relation to individual members of staff or the school’s work force as a whole.
We have asked the Anti-Bullying Alliance and National Strategies to work with schools and local authorities to embed effective anti-bullying practice on the ground. We have flagged up with them that the bullying of children with SEN and disability is a key priority and asked them to work with local authorities and schools to identify any training needs in this area. We have also commissioned the Council for Disabled Children to provide specific guidance for schools on tackling the bullying of children with SEN and disabilities, and will publish this next spring. This will include information and material which local authorities and schools will be able to draw on for training purposes.
In addition, the Department has funded a number of programmes which help develop children's and young people's pro-social skills and tackle poor behaviour, including bullying, such as the Living for Sport programme and the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) curriculum resource, as well as delivering targeted support to the most vulnerable children and young people through the Targeted Youth Support programme.
All local authorities and schools must have regard to the SEN code of practice which provides advice on
carrying out statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for pupils' special educational needs. Schools’ responsibilities include ensuring that teachers and other staff receive appropriate professional development to support them in performing their responsibilities effectively.
To help teachers and other staff in building their confidence in working to raise the attainment, attendance and emotional well-being of children with SEN and disabilities the Department launched, on 17 October, the Inclusion Development programme. The opening round focuses on training in relation to children's communication difficulties, including dyslexia.
Health
St. Helier Hospital: Nurses
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed at St. Helier Hospital, Surrey in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [164053]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested can be found in the following table.
| National health service hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the specified organisations as at 30 September each specified year | ||||||||||
| Headcount | ||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006( 1) | |
| (1 )More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total workforce figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years’ figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures. This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time. (2 )Not applicable. Note: In April 1999, Epsom Health Care NHS Trust and St. Helier NHS Trust merged to form Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census. | ||||||||||
Asperger’s Syndrome
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in England have been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in each of the last five years; [162837]
(2) how many people in England have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in each of the last five years; [162838]
(3) how many people in each county of England diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder are receiving support for that condition; [162839]
(4) how many people in each county of England diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome are receiving support specifically for that condition; [162840]
(5) what funds have been provided by the Government to support those diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and their carers in each of the last five years. [162841]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally. The Government provide money to local councils and national health service trusts each year and it is for primary care trusts and councils with social services responsibilities to plan and commission appropriate services such as respite care for their local population including people with autistic spectrum conditions, this includes Asperger’s syndrome. This should be in line with good practice guidance: “Better services for people with an autistic spectrum disorder: A note clarifying current Government policy and describing good practice” is available in the Library and also at:
The National Directors of Learning Disability and Mental Health published this document on 16 November 2006 to assist those working with people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). It clarifies how existing policies apply to people with ASD and how these may best be delivered to this group.
There have been substantial increases in the level of government funding provided for social services and NHS trusts in recent years. For 2007-08 the Government will provide £65 billion to local authorities which includes giving money to personal social services. We gave almost £93 billion to the NHS in 2007-08.
Breast Feeding
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the health benefits of breastfeeding for (i) babies and (ii) mothers. [164701]
Ann Keen: The most recent research commissioned from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is the “Public Health Guidance to improve the nutrition of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children in low-income households”. This guidance focuses on low-income and other disadvantaged groups. The draft guidance was published for consultation in August 2007 with the expected date of issue being March 2008.
Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust: KPMG
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of KPMG’s consultancy for Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust. [164206]
Mr. Bradshaw: This is a matter for the local national health service.
I have asked the chair of Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust to write to the hon. Member regarding this matter.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Government funding for biomedical research in ME/chronic fatigue syndrome is ring-fenced. [164079]
Dawn Primarolo: The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and of the Medical Research Council (MRC) is not to ring fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Both organisations welcome applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.
The research concerned with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis that the MRC and the NIHR are currently funding has been subject to these transparent and rigorous processes.
Cochlear Implants
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cochlear (a) unilateral and (b) bilateral implants have been performed on (i) children and (ii) adults in each NHS trust in each year since 2002-03. [162833]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Data from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for bilateral and unilateral cochlear implants from 2002-03 to 2005-06 is shown in the following table.
Consent to Medical Treatment
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) he has taken and (b) he is planning to take to ensure that healthcare professionals comply with a patient’s advance decision to refuse treatment in certain circumstances; and if he will make a statement. [165447]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Mental Capacity Act (MCA), which applies in England and Wales, came fully into force in October 2007 and puts advance decisions to refuse treatment onto a statutory footing. The MCA Code of Practice, issued in April 2007 gives details of the Act’s provisions on advance decisions and sets out health professionals’ responsibilities. The Code and the training materials we have issued make clear that healthcare professionals must follow an advance decision to refuse treatment if it is valid and applies to the particular circumstances. If they do not, they could face civil liability or criminal prosecution.
It is for individual trusts to put in place procedures for implementing the MCA locally. The Act requires the Public Guardian to produce an annual report on the implementation of the MCA.
[Official Report, 15 January 2008; Vol. 470, c. 9MC.]| Next Section | Index | Home Page |