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26 Mar 2008 : Column 190W—continued
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints his Department has received from hon. Members on the operation of the Warm Front scheme. [197039]
Mr. Woolas: Since 1 April 2007, DEFRA has received in the region of 340 letters from hon. Members wishing to make representations on behalf of constituents or discuss issues relating to scheme delivery.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Advertising
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on advertising the Warm Front Grant scheme by (a) his Department, (b) EAGA plc and (c) local authorities in the financial years (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06, (iv) 2006-07 and (v) 2007-08. [195127]
Mr. Woolas: Eaga plc has responsibility for generating awareness of Warm Front as part of their contract as Scheme Manager.
DEFRA does not hold information on the amount spent by Eaga plc on advertising the scheme or on the cost of any activities performed by local authorities to advertise Warm Front.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Expenditure
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on measures carried out in households under the Warm Front Scheme in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08, broken down by local authority area. [195119]
Mr. Woolas: I have arranged for the information requested to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Social Security Benefits
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many benefits entitlements checks were carried out under the Warm Front Scheme in each of the last five financial years; and how many households were found to be eligible for a Warm Front qualifying benefit following a benefit entitlement check, broken down by local authority area. [195128]
Mr. Woolas: Data are not recorded in a manner that will allow a breakdown by local authority. The following table illustrates the number of benefit entitlement checks carried out over the last five financial years, and, based on the information provided, how many were subsequently found to be eligible for a Warm Front qualifying benefit.
| Number of benefit entitlement checks carried out | Number subsequently eligible for Warm Front | |
The total number of benefit checks carried out only includes households found to be ineligible for assistance when presented to the scheme.
2007-08 figures cover work completed between 1 June 2007 and 1 March 2008.
Litter
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to reduce the levels of litter on streets. [196168]
Jonathan Shaw
[holding answer 25 March 2008]: The tools available to local authorities were enhanced considerably by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. This provided the ability to
issue notices to tackle litter hotspots on private land as well litter problems attributable to a particular business activity, including the recent extension of street litter control notices to eating and drinking establishments.
In addition, DEFRA continues to support the work of the charity ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns) on awareness raising and behaviour change campaigns; for example, on cigarette, chewing gum and fast food-related litter, as well as a web-based training resource to help drive up standards of street cleansing and environmental services.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Grants
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to double the maximum grant available under the domestic low carbon building programme. [195292]
Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
We have recently reviewed progress on the low carbon buildings programme household stream, consulting key stakeholders on a wide range of issues including grant levels. We are currently finalising plans and will announce shortly how we intend to take the household stream forward.
Recycling: Lancashire
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage businesses in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency to recycle waste in the last 12 months. [194714]
Joan Ruddock: I am not aware of any specific DEFRA initiatives in Morecambe and Lunesdale. However, the Government's Waste Strategy for England 2007 sets out the aim of encouraging local authorities to take on a wider role (in partnerships) to help local (particularly smaller) businesses reduce and recycle their waste with cost savings through more integrated management of different waste streams; and encouraging regional development agencies and other regional bodies to coordinate business waste and resource management in partnership with local authorities and third sector organisations. Small and medium sized enterprises can also get information on recycling from Government and Waste and Recycling Action Programme (WRAP) websites.
DEFRA supports businesses to improve their efficient use of resources and to reduce their carbon emissions. This work forms an important part of the Government's drive towards a sustainable consumption and production economy. By cutting their waste and reducing material use, businesses of all sizes can boost profits and create jobs by reducing environmental impacts.
The Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme has delivered much of the above support to businesses. The programme has returned additional landfill tax to business over three years through resource efficiency and waste minimisation programmes, including recycling projects. Good results have been achieved from the intervention.
Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities have expressed an interest in the pilot scheme for charging for refuse collection; and if he will make a statement. [196694]
Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 10 January 2008, Official Report, column 754W.
Wind Power
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to which wind farm proposals his Department lodged objection in each of the last three years; and for what reasons in each case. [191117]
Mr. Woolas: For onshore windfarms under 50 megawatts, planning decisions are taken by local planning authorities. For windfarms above this threshold, decisions are taken by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform under the Electricity Act 1989. DEFRA is not consulted in either case but Natural England will have a chance to comment as a statutory consultee. Natural England and its founding bodies have objected to three onshore wind farms in three regions, and seven offshore wind farms adjacent to four regions.
The Environment Agency is not a Statutory Consultee for windfarms, but is consulted on some windfarm developments for other statutory reasons. Between 2005 and 2007 (inclusive) the Environment Agency objected to a total of five planning applications for windfarms for reasons including flood risk, impact on biodiversity and groundwater. In all five cases after further work by the developer the Environment Agency were able to withdraw their objections.
The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) has a direct role in licensing offshore renewables under the Food and Environment Protection Act. An application could be rejected if assessment of the detailed environmental statement, submitted with the application, and other information showed that the proposed development would have a negative impact on the marine environment. To date, the MFA has not rejected an application for an offshore wind farm.
Health
Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to accident and emergency departments there were for (a) knife-related injuries and (b) gunshot wounds in each of the last five years, broken down by primary care trust. [195427]
Mr. Bradshaw:
Information is collected on the number of finished admissions to hospital via accident and emergency. Tables have been placed in the Library which provide a breakdown of the data by primary
care trusts (PCT). However, the tables only provide information on those PCTs where the number if admissions is more than five, due to the need to ensure that data remains anonymous.
It is worth noting that finished admission episodes do not represent the number of patients admitted, as a patient may be admitted more than once.
Allergies: Medical Treatments
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to undertake a review of allergy services and treatments. [193348]
Ann Keen: The Department and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are currently working together on some focused proposals for guidance relating to allergy. These proposals will be fed into the NICE topic selection process for consideration alongside other possible topics for NICE's work programme.
Blood Transfusion Services: Greater London
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff posts will be (a) discontinued and (b) moved to other sites from the Tooting Blood Processing and Testing centre as part of the planned consolidation of processing and testing centres following the Review of the National Blood Service Strategy. [195117]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Blood Service (NSB) is an operational division of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). NHSBT plans to move processing and testing services from the Tooting centre during 2009-10. All other services will remain at the centre, including the issue department (from which blood is issued), so that local hospitals will continue to receive blood as and when they need it.
It is anticipated that these changes will result in the reduction of approximately 70 posts at the Tooting centre. NHSBT intend to deliver this reduction through non-compulsory means, such as voluntary redundancy, staff turnover and vacancy control. Staff affected by change will be given a range of support, including training and help with redeployment both within and outside NHSBT.
Breast Cancer: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of breast cancer care facilities in South Essex to respond to changes in demand for services. [193067]
Ann Keen: This is a matter for the local national health service and the Essex Cancer Network. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible within the NHS for commissioning and funding appropriate health services for their resident populations. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue with the chief executives of South East and South West Essex PCTs.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 281W, on breast cancer: Essex, if he will investigate the factors behind the recent increase in breast cancer diagnoses in Essex; and if he will make a statement. [193197]
Ann Keen: This is a matter for the local national health service and the Essex and the North London cancer networks. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible within the NHS to assess the needs and priorities of their local populations and commission health services accordingly. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue with the chief executives of the PCTs in Essex.
Breast Cancer: Health Services
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to (a) promote for the early diagnosis and fast treatment of breast cancer and (b) ensure adequacy of breast cancer services in each primary care trust area. [193068]
Ann Keen: The Cancer Reform Strategy, published last December, contains a number of initiatives under the National Awareness and early Diagnosis initiative to promote early diagnosis and improve the treatment of breast cancer. These include:
patients with breast problems being referred to a cancer specialist within two weeks, whether or not cancer is suspected;
the breast-screening programme being extended to women aged 47 to 73 years;
working at a community level to promote better public awareness of cancer symptoms;
carrying out a regular national survey of cancer symptom awareness to gain a better understanding of the delays in patient diagnosis; and
carrying out a national audit in primary care of all patients diagnosed with cancer.
To ensure equality of treatment of all cancers we are developing a national cancer equality initiative involving key stakeholders.
More detailed information on these initiatives can be found at:
Breast Cancer: Screening
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breast cancer screenings there were in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire in each of the last five years. [193624]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, data for the national health service screening programme: coverage of women aged 53-64 for Staffordshire based primary care trusts (PCTs), at 31 March 2003 to 2007 has been set out in the following table.
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1) Data prior to March 2007 have been mapped to the current PCT structure (2 )This is the number of women in the registered population less those recorded as ineligible Notes: 1. The coverage of the breast screening programme is the proportion of women resident and eligible that have had a test with a recorded result at least once in the previous three years. 2. Coverage of the screening programme is currently best assessed using the 53-64 age group as women may be first called at any time between their 50 and 53 birthdays. 3. The breast screening programme covers women aged 50-64 but it was extended to invite women aged 65-70 in April 2001. 4. The last unit began inviting women aged 65-70 in April 2006 and full coverage should be achieved by 2008-09. Source: KC63, the Information Centre for health and social care. | |||||
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