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11 Mar 2008 : Column 277W—continued
Prostate Cancer: Health Services
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has assessed randomised control trials on prostate cancer comparing active monitoring with radical treatment (a) inside and (b) outside the UK. [192646]
Ann Keen: The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research health technology assessment programme, is funding a major study—the ProtecT trial—that aims to evaluate the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of treatments for men with localised prostate cancer. The study began in 2001 and is comparing three treatments (active monitoring, radical prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy).
The Department's Prostate Cancer Advisory Group will keep under review outputs from the trial, and any relevant evidence from similar, high quality studies undertaken elsewhere in the world.
Prostate Cancer: Lancashire
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on treating prostate cancer in hospitals in Lancashire in each of the last five years. [193339]
Ann Keen: It is for individual primary care trusts to decide the level of funding they allocate locally for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients within their local population. Information on this funding is not collected centrally.
Nationally, data on national health service expenditure on cancer are not collected by cancer type. In 2006-07, £4.35 billion was spent by the NHS on cancer services, approximately 5.2 per cent. of all NHS spending for that year.
Prostate Cancer: Research
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government spent on prostate cancer research in each financial year since 1997-98; and how much of such expenditure was drawn from (a) his Department's and (b) the Medical Research Council's budget in each such year. [192218]
Dawn Primarolo: The information available is shown in the following table.
| Expenditure on prostate cancer research | ||
| £ million | ||
| Department | Medical Research Council( 1, 2) | |
| (1 )These figures include total expenditure on some large studies of which only a proportion relates directly to prostate cancer. (2 )Expenditure on fellowships is not available for 1997-98 and 1998-99. Note: Includes some estimated spend figures. | ||
The Department is additionally making a contribution of £6.4 million over eight years to meet the cost of the National Cancer Research Institute's centres of research excellence in prostate cancer (the Prostate Cancer Collaboratives).
The departmental figures relate to national research programmes. They do not include expenditure on prostate cancer research from the research and development allocations made over the period concerned to national health service organisations. That information is not held centrally.
Prostate Cancer: Screening
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage the provision of information on the effects of prostate specific antigen testing to men who request such a test. [192644]
Ann Keen:
The Prostate Cancer Risk Management programme (PCRMP) was introduced in 2002 to help general practitioners and practice nurses in advising men without symptoms of prostate cancer on the implications of having a prostate specific antigen
(PSA) test. This empowers men to make an informed choice on whether or not to have a test based on their own lifestyles and values. An evaluation of the PCRMP was funded by the Department to help inform the future direction of the programme and the PCRMP information pack is currently being reviewed. A consultation will be published in the spring, with the intention of launching the revised PCRMP packs in the summer of 2008. Full consideration will be given to ensuring primary care teams are aware of the revised PCRMP.
Smoking: Finance
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was allocated to smoking cessation services in the most recent period for which figures are available. [192361]
Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows funding allocated to the national health service stop smoking services from 2003-04 to 2007-08.
| Financial allocations to the national health service for stop smoking services | |
| Financial year | £ million |
Smoking: Public Houses
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the financial impact of the ban on smoking in public places on public houses in England. [192611]
Dawn Primarolo: An assessment of the costs and benefits of smokefree legislation is set out in the final regulatory impact assessment (RIA) that was published by the Department in December 2006.
A copy of the RIA is in the Library.
Testicular Cancer
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's strategy is for raising the profile of testicular cancer; and if he will make a statement. [193069]
Ann Keen:
The awareness of the early signs and symptoms of testicular cancer should be encouraged. Men should be aware of any unusual changes and consult doctors early in order to ensure the maximum chance of a cure. That is why we have collaborated with Cancer Research UK in the production of a testicular
self-awareness leaflet, “Testicular Cancer: Spot The Symptoms Early” which is available at:
In addition, the “Cancer Reform Strategy” set out that we will establish a new National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative. Led by the National Cancer Director, this initiative will bring together the national health service, representatives of local authorities, the Department, the National Cancer Research Institute and the research community, cancer charities and patients to coordinate a programme of activity to support local interventions to increase cancer symptom awareness and encourage earlier presentation.
Urological Cancer
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates his Department has conducted risk assessments of strategic health authorities' implementation action plans on the Improving Outcomes for Urological Cancers; what the outcome was of the most recent risk assessment undertaken in respect of each strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement. [192217]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 26 February 2008, Official Report, columns 1454-55W.
International Development
Africa: Foreign Exchange
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what currency transactions over the value of £25,000 were made by his Department where pounds sterling were changed into local currency in (a) (i) Uganda, (ii) Ghana and (iii) Mozambique between 1 January and 30 June 2007 and (b) Ethiopia between 1 July and 31 December 2006. [192562]
Gillian Merron: Between 1 January and 30 June 2007 the following transactions above the value of £25,000 were made for Uganda, Ghana and Mozambique. Funds were received in the respective countries from the Department’s headquarters in the UK and converted to local currency in-country. Transactions are made as and when local currency is needed for local expenditure. DFID does not pay commission on any of these transactions.
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia makes no charge for overseas deposits into their sterling account, but levies a service charge of 0.0025 per cent. for converting sterling to Ethiopian birr and transferring to their local currency account.
| Uganda | ||||
| Equivalent in £ | Exchange rate (£ to shs.) | Uganda shilling equivalent | Commission | |
| Source: Barclays Bank Uganda Ltd. | ||||
| Ghana | ||||
| Sterling value (£) | Exchange rate (£ to cedi) | New Ghana cedis equivalent | Commission | |
| Source: Standard Chartered Bank | ||||
| Mozambique | |||||
| Equivalent in £ | US dollars ($) transformed to meticais | Exchange rate ($ to meticais) | Meticais equivalent | Commission | |
| Source: Standard Bank in Maputo | |||||
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