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9 Jan 2008 : Column 584W—continued
Chlamydia Infection: Screening
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 17 October 2007, Official Report, columns 1163-64W, on Chlamydia infection: screening, what proportion of 16 to 24 year olds screened for Chlamydia tested positive. [174052]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Clinical Trials
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from (a) the NHS, (b) manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and (c) other interested parties on the suitability of the regulatory system in the UK for conducting Phase III clinical trials; what the content of those representations was; and if he will make a statement. [175089]
Ann Keen: No specific representations have been received from any stakeholders regarding the suitability of the regulatory system in the United Kingdom for the conduct of phase III clinical trials. However, a wide range of stakeholder views were gathered at the October conference on the operation of the Clinical Trial Directive 2001/20/EEC, arranged by the European Medicines Agency on behalf of the European Commission. An action plan is being developed and will be subject to public consultation in due course
Doctors: Housing
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2007, Official Report, column 714W, on doctors: housing, whether he plans to issue new guidance on accommodation for doctors not covered by existing contractual provisions. [172012]
Ann Keen: We have no plans to issue new guidance because all doctors are covered by existing contractual arrangements.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2007, Official Report, column 714W, on doctors: housing, whether (a) current Foundation Year 1 doctors, (b) Foundation Year 1 doctors for the year 2007-08 and (c) Foundation Year 1 doctors for the year 2008-09 will be covered by (i) existing contractual provisions and (ii) the guidance within the terms and conditions for employment for junior doctors on the application of charges for accommodation provided through hospital channels. [172627]
Ann Keen: Junior doctors are no longer statutorily required to be permanently resident for the better performance of their duties. Their terms and conditions for employment have remained the same. With regards to the contractual provisions this is a matter between the junior doctor and their employer.
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting, what assessment he has made of the effect the establishment of an EU-wide organ donation policy will have on regulation in the UK organ donation sector; what effect an EU-wide organ donation policy will have on (a) numbers and (b) types of organs, (i) entering and (ii) leaving the UK; and what steps he is taking to ensure the best outcomes for the UK from an EU-wide organ donation policy. [174519]
Ann Keen: No specific assessment has yet been made in the United Kingdom of the European Union Commission communication on organ donation and transplantation published in May 2007, to increase the number of high quality and safe organs available for transplantation. The ongoing House of Lords EU Sub-Committee G Inquiry will help inform this. In the meantime we continue to work with other member states to examine the need for an EU framework on quality and safety and how we can best work across the European Union to share good practice. We need to ensure that any additional requirements would add value but not significant cost to enable appropriate investment in initiatives to enable the greater identification and procurement of donor organs.
EU Law
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which of his Department's areas of responsibility there is (a) an EU competence and (b) a shared competence between the EU and member states; which Ministers take responsibility for those areas; and what meetings those Ministers have had with (i) European Union officials, (ii) Ministers from other EU member states and (iii) European Commissioners to discuss those issues in the last 12 months. [172298]
Dawn Primarolo: I am responsible for departmental activities in relation to the European Union (EU). Prior to July 2007, these responsibilities were held by the Minister of State for Health Services (Rosie Winterton). The EU has competence under Article 152 of the EC treaty in relation to public health, although its powers in this area are expressly limited. Other treaty articles, such as the free movement provisions, which apply to medical goods, e.g. pharmaceuticals, professionals and services, and provisions on health and safety, also apply in the Department's areas of responsibility. In the past 12 months, Ministers have met on a number of occasions with European Commission officials, European Commissioners and Health Ministers from other EU member states to discuss EU health issues.
Exercise: Elderly
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the promotion of physical activity to older people; and whether his Department is taking the lead on promotion of physical activity to older people. [175442]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department has an important role in promoting the benefits of physical activity for all as set out in the Chief Medical Officers report “At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health”. We have worked closely with other Departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Children, Families and Schools and the Department for Transport to deliver the existing strategy for physical activity set out in “Choosing Activity: a physical activity action plan”.
The Local Exercise Action Pilots, which took place across the English regions between 2003 and 2005, demonstrated that community-based interventions can be effective in promoting physical activity in older people. More recently, the Hull Swim for Health and three of the Everyday Swim pilots are evaluating the promotion of swimming when targeted towards older age groups.
We have also made £60 million ring-fenced funding (£20 million in 2006-07 and £40 million in 2007-08) available to approximately 30 council-led partnerships across the country as part of Partnerships for Older People Projects to evaluate innovative approaches to help older people to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives for as long as possible.
HM Treasury has asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to develop a new strategy for Sport England. Ministers have also agreed to work closely over the next few months to ensure that all relevant Departments are working together to deliver a physical activity strategy for all. Any changes in responsibilities for policy on physical activity, including the promotion of physical activity to older people, would emerge from this work.
Foetal Tissue: Research
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals for legislation to require individuals applying for a licence to undertake embryonic stem cell research to demonstrate that no alternatives exist; what recent representations he has received on the issue; and if he will make a statement. [174048]
Dawn Primarolo: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) may only license embryo research where the use of embryos is necessary for the purpose of that project of research.
In making this assessment, the HFEA takes account of the scope for the research to be undertaken by other means, including by way of stem cells derived from somatic (adult) cells or umbilical cords. The HFEA also refers embryo research applications for peer review, which considers if there are feasible alternatives to the use of embryos.
Genetic Counsellors
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist genetic counsellors there were in each primary care trust in each of the last three years. [175159]
Ann Keen: Genetic counsellors are not identified as a separate professional grouping in the Department’s work force data and so we do not have information on the number of genetic counsellors in primary care trusts. The majority of genetic counsellors work within regional genetic services which are based in tertiary centres.
The Department is funding an additional 50 trainee genetic counsellor posts through the genetics White Paper “Our Inheritance, Our Future: realising the potential of genetics in the NHS” (June 2003).
Genito-Urinary Medicine
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of attenders at genito-urinary medicine clinics was recorded as not having been given an appointment within two weeks in each audit of genito-urinary medicine clinic waiting times undertaken by the Health Protection Agency since May 2004. [174054]
Dawn Primarolo: The genito-urinary clinic (GUM) waiting times audit collected data on waiting times for all GUM clinics in England for a period of one week every quarter. It ran from May 2004 to August 2007. All patients attending a GUM clinic with a new episode or registering for the first time were asked to complete the short questionnaire on waiting times. Data are presented on the proportion of attendees recorded as not having been offered an appointment within two weeks of each audit since May 2004.
Data on waiting times are now collected for all attendances of clinics through the Genito-urinary Medicine Access Monthly Monitoring (GUMAMM) data set. According to the equivalent data for October 2007 there were 4,470 attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting a clinic, 117,744 first attendances and 3.8 per cent. of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting a clinic.
| Number and proportion of attendees recorded as not having been given an appointment within two weeks of contacting the GUM clinic: results from one-week quarterly waiting times audit of GUM clinics in England | |||
| Date of one-week audit | Number of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting clinic | Number of attendees | Percentage of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting clinic |
Haemophilus Influenzae
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the UK is affected by the decision by Merck to recall doses of haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine. [177039]
Dawn Primarolo: No. The recall of haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine produced by Merck does not affect the United Kingdom because the product recalled is not used in our UK national immunisation programme.
Health Education
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement in paragraph 3.52 of his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy that adopting a health-related social marketing campaign is (a) improving people’s health and (b) reducing inequalities. [175131]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department commissioned a review—“It’s our health!”—of social marketing and its potential application in the health arena.
The review was undertaken jointly by the National Consumer Council and the National Social Marketing Centre and reported in June 2006.
The review found examples of initiatives whose impact was enhanced by the systematic application of social marketing core concepts and techniques. Social marketing also helped to achieve behavioural goals and directly supported service development and reduced health inequalities.
Food Dudes (Bangor Food Research Unit at the School of Psychology, University of Wales Bangor, 1992 to present).
The initiative was to promote healthy eating in children.
The initiative greatly increased and sustained the quantity and range of fruit and vegetables consumed by children, especially those who ate least at the outset. Two projects found:
Children in a school in Brixton more than doubled their lunchtime consumption of fruit; and
Children in a school in Salford tripled their lunchtime consumption of vegetables.
Health Services: EU Law
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on the proposed EU Directive on Cross-Border Health Care; and if he will make a statement. [175240]
Dawn Primarolo: The proposals from the European Commission regarding the provision of cross-border health services, which are expected to codify existing case law from the European Court of Justice, have not yet been published. The proposals will be subject to scrutiny by the House of Lords European Union Select Committee and the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee. In future discussions on the proposal, the Government will work to protect the United Kingdom's interests.
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