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6 Feb 2008 : Column 1266W—continued
Shropshire
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value was of each grant provided by his Department, its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies to (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, (b) Shropshire county council and (c) Telford and the Wrekin borough council in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and what grants have been planned for 2008-09. [184102]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: No grants have been made from the Department to district councils (Shrewsbury or Atcham borough councils). A table showing the grants paid to Shropshire county council and Telford and Wrekin borough council in 2006-07 and for 2007-08 to 2008-09 is shown as follows. The local authorities were notified of these grants in LASSL(2006)1 and LASSL(DH)(2007)2.
| Table of grants from the Department to Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin | |||||||
| £ million | |||||||
| Shropshire | Telford and Wrekin | ||||||
| Grant | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |||
| £ million | ||
| Grant | Shropshire | Telford and Wrekin |
| (1) Denotes grant did not exist | ||
Smoking
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to initiate a warning on tobacco products that smoking can cause blindness. [184062]
Dawn Primarolo: There are currently no plans to initiate a warning on tobacco products that smoking can cause blindness.
Social Services: Complaints
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to review the need for an independent complaints body for social care. [183903]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: For social care services arranged through local authorities, there is recourse to the local authority social services complaints procedure and to independent review by the Local Government Ombudsman.
The Department’s recent consultation, Making Experiences Count, which set out proposals for a single, comprehensive complaints process across health and social care, made no proposals to change the arrangements relating to the Local Government Ombudsman. The Department’s response to the consultation will be published shortly.
We are also considering the particular issue of the independent resolution of complaints by people who arrange and finance their own social care services.
Surgery
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancelled (a) operations and (b) other appointments in NHS hospitals there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [183304]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Department collects information on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons. Data for 2005-06 to 2007-08 are shown in the following table.
The Government’s cancelled operations policy introduced in April 2002 provides an incentive for hospitals to avoid cancellations by giving patients the right to move to the hospital of their choice if they are not treated within 28 days. Since this came into force the number of patients cancelled at the last minute, has fallen from 1.5 per cent. to 0.8 per cent. of elective activity.
| Number of operations cancelled at the last minute in each quarter | |||
| Quarter ending | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
| Source: Department of Health dataset QMCO | |||
Tobacco
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the code of practice governing the sale of cigarettes from vending machines to ensure that only those aged over 18 are able to buy cigarettes from such machines. [183746]
Dawn Primarolo: Vending machines are a source of tobacco for many children and young people. The Department has undertaken in the “Cancer Reform Strategy”, published in December 2007, to consult on the next steps of tobacco control and the further regulation of tobacco products, including access to tobacco from vending machines. This consultation will take place in spring 2008.
No action on vending machines is planned until the consultation has been completed.
Treatment Centres
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost has been of (a) the procurement process and (b) any compensation payments to relevant parties for those phase 2 independent sector treatment centres which will now not proceed. [180041]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 7 January 2008, Official Report, columns 107-8W.
Waiting Lists: Greater London
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for an operation in each London borough at the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps the Government plan to take to reduce these figures in 2008. [179728]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information about the number of people waiting for an operation is collected at trust level and the information provided for the 31 primary care trusts (PCTs) in London is shown in the following table. The latest figures available are for people waiting as at the end of November 2007.
Today waiting times are at a record low; patients can expect a maximum 13 week wait for their first out-patient appointment and a maximum six month wait for an operation.
Latest data show that over half of admitted patients (patients who require admission to hospital for treatment) and over three quarters of non-admitted patients are treated within 18 weeks.
| Primary care trust | Total waiting |
| Notes: 1. Figures relate to patients within PCTs in London. 2. Figures by London borough are not available. Source: Department of Health MMRCOMM | |
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