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4 Mar 2008 : Column 2399W—continued
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) responsible managers and (b) registered persons were (i) cautioned and (ii) prosecuted by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in each year since the Commission was established. [190330]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested, which has been provided by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), is shown in the following table. We have been informed by the CSCI that it is unable to differentiate from its records whether the figures relate to cautions or prosecutions of registered managers or registered providers.
| Cautions | Prosecutions | |
| (1) Numbers to date. Source: CSCI registration and inspection database | ||
Tranquillisers
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether tranquillisers are used by (a) the National Treatment Agency and (b) drug action teams as treatments for substance misusers for a period of more than two weeks. [190207]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Treatment Agency (NTA) is a special health authority, created by the Government in 2001 to ensure that local drug partnerships improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for the drug misusers in their area and does not directly provide treatment.
Drug action teams are local partnerships responsible for the commissioning of local treatment systems in their respective areas and do not directly provide treatment.
Treatment providers may, based on clinical assessment choose to prescribe tranquillisers in the treatment of dependence to illegal drugs. To support them in their decision making the Department published in 2007 the “Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management”.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients who are addicted only to tranquillisers prescribed by their doctors were treated by the National Treatment Agency Service in each year from 1999 to 2006. [190345]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Treatment Agency is a special health authority, created by the Government in 2001 to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for drug misuse in England and does not directly provide drug treatment. Drug treatment which involves prescribing is provided by appropriately qualified clinicians within the national health service.
Transplant Surgery: Finance
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated to (a) liver transplant units, (b) pancreas transplant centres and (c) cardiothoracic transplant centres in each year since 1997. [188619]
Ann Keen: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| £ million | |||
| Heart and lung transplant services | Liver transplant services | Pancreas transplant services | |
| (1 )Not nationally commissioned. | |||
Wheelchairs
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information was requested from wheelchair services as part of the Transforming Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services Programme data gathering exercise; and if he will place the results in the Library; [189873]
(2) when he expects to announce a decision on the new model for wheelchair services; and if he will make a statement. [189874]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Consideration is being given to the findings and recommendations of the Transforming Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services programme in relation to wheelchair services with a view to confirming the next steps in due course.
The request for information was submitted using the Review of Central Returns process. The data collection templates have been placed in the Library. The results of the data gathering exercise, some of which is commercially sensitive and is not currently available, will form part of the business case which is currently under consideration by Ministers.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Broadband
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many and what percentage of rural households in Yorkshire and the Humber have access to (a) dial-up, (b) broadband and (c) high speed broadband internet connections; and if he will make a statement. [190806]
Malcolm Wicks: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Broadband: Rural Areas
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken to ensure the availability of high speed broadband service to those living in rural and remote areas. [188928]
Malcolm Wicks: This remains an important issue which Government are engaged with and has been working with the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) and Ofcom to look at the future barriers of high speed broadband access to those living in cities, towns, rural and remote areas.
Business and Competitiveness Minister (Baroness Vadera) announced on 22 February, an independent review to look at a set of focused questions around the potential barriers to deployment of high speed broadband.
The review, led by Francesco Caio, will look at whether there are steps the Government might take to facilitate market investment in high speed networks.
More information on the review can be found at:
Companies: Regulation
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his policy is on reducing the burden of regulation for small and medium-sized companies; and what regional considerations apply. [190495]
Mr. McFadden: Government undertook an exercise, supported by industry, to measure the administrative burdens that impact businesses of all sizes as a result of complying with regulations. Upon the completion of this exercise, 25 per cent. net targets were set to reduce this burden.
In December 2007, 19 simplification plans were published, showing more than 700 measures to reduce the burdens of complying with regulations. Over 280 of these measures have already been delivered saving businesses £800 million per year.
Simpler law for smaller businesses (BERR):
Smaller businesses stand to benefit from substantial rewrite of Company Law. Coupled with better guidance, new provisions are expected to lower third party costs and make compliance easier. Conservative estimate of £2 million annual savings delivered.
Changes to Small Business Rate Relief (Communities):
Small firms eligible for Small Business Rate Relief no longer have to register for relief annually. £3 million annual savings delivered, and expected to rise to £11 million by 2010.
Small Firms audit requirements (Financial Services Authority):
Removed the need for 3,400 small firms to have a statutory audit, saving £12.9 million per year.
Copies of these plans are available online at:
Consultants
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Stroud of 30 January 2008, Official Report, column 418W, on consultants, on what projects consultants were engaged by the East of England Development Agency in each of the last three years; and what the fee paid for each project was. [188826]
Mr. McFadden: The figures supplied in the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 30 January 2008, Official Report, column 418W, were concerned with consultants engaged by EEDA for corporate projects and corporate areas of work and the following information provides a further breakdown of these consultancy costs and project areas for the years 2004-07.
| £ | ||||
| Project | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | Total for project |
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