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16 May 2008 : Column 1815W—continued
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will answer the letter of 31 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mrs. Brohi and Aftab Brohi. [205518]
David Miliband: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 7 May 2008.
Pakistan: Terrorism
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2008, Official Report, column 1105W, on Pakistan: Terrorism, (1) in how many of the six cases British consular access was (a) requested and (b) granted; [206054]
(2) in how many of the six cases the detainee complained of mistreatment. [206055]
Meg Munn: Of these six cases, two were mono British nationals and four were dual British/Pakistani nationals. We sought consular access to the two mono British nationals and were given full consular access in one case. We have also requested, but are yet to be given, consular access to one dual national on exceptional grounds in accordance with our published policy on the death penalty.
Of the six cases mentioned, four have alleged mistreatment whilst in Pakistani custody.
Somalia: Human Rights
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of extrajudicial executions allegedly
committed in Somalia by Transitional Federal Government forces, Ethiopian forces and other armed groups; and if he will make a statement. [204828]
Meg Munn: On 6 May, Amnesty International published a report alleging extrajudicial killing by Transitional Federal Government forces, Ethiopian forces and other armed groups. The Ethiopian Government have categorically denied the claims.
We are very concerned about human rights abuses committed in Somalia. Where breaches of humanitarian law are proved, we will condemn them unreservedly and expect those responsible to be held to account.
We have supported the UN Human Rights Council in renewing the mandate of the international expert for Somalia and have asked the UN to produce a comprehensive plan, and to build capacity to monitor and report on the human rights situation there. To be effective and have a sustainable impact, measures to combat human rights abuses should be part of a broad approach to peace-building.
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of responsibility for the recent attacks on villages, markets and populated areas in Umm Sidir, Ein Bassar and Shegeg Karo in north Darfur; and what representations he has made to the Sudanese Government about the attacks. [204832]
Meg Munn: We strongly condemn the recent aerial bombings by the Government of Sudan in north Darfur, which resulted in the deaths of a number of civilians. We told Government of Sudan representatives, at the Sudan Consortium of 5-7 May, that such actions were unacceptable and in direct violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1591. We will consider farther measures against any party that fails to respect their responsibility under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.
We have also strongly condemned the recent attack by the Justice and Equality Movement rebel group on Omdurman which, on 11 May, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary described as a “shocking further escalation of violence in Sudan”. We have reiterated the UN Secretary-General's call on 10 May for an immediate end to the fighting and for all parties to do everything they can to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Sudan: International Criminal Court
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to promote a United Nations Security Council resolution to respond to Sudan’s failure to comply with warrants issued by the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement. [205214]
Meg Munn:
The UK sponsored UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1593 of March 2005 referred the human rights situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The UK fully supports the ICC and my right hon. Friend the Foreign
Secretary raised the need for Sudan to comply with the ICC in his meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor on 28 April.
The UK continues to press the Government of Sudan, at all levels, to comply with the ICC requirements. We have also raised Sudanese compliance with the ICC with partners, including in the UN Security Council, who have influence over the Government of Sudan.
Health
Arthritis: Health Services
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the particular continuing health and social care needs of people with arthritis are taken into account in (a) Lord Darzi's review of the NHS and (b) the World Class Commissioning initiative. [203934]
Ann Keen: The National Health Service Next Stage Review, Our NHS, our future, led by Lord Darzi, challenges frontline care professionals to examine the way services are organised locally against the best available evidence of what works and with the input of users. In order to make sure that the local review work covers the widest possible variety of specific conditions, it has been arranged in terms of eight broad generic pathways of care. Details can be found at www.ournhs.nhs.uk. Those pathways most relevant to arthritis include staying healthy and long-term conditions.
World-class commissioning is an ambitious initiative that is being rolled out across the entire NHS, with the purpose of strengthening the commissioning of health and wellbeing services across the board. The world class commissioning programme will improve health outcomes for people with arthritis just as it will improve outcomes for people with any health need or condition, through transforming the way that health and care services are commissioned.
Cancer: Health Services
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) data and (b) other evidence were taken into account in formulating Improving Outcomes Guidance for head and neck cancer services. [205398]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its Guidance on Cancer Services: Improving Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancers, in November 2004. The supporting research evidence for this guidance is available on NICE'S website at:
Dental Services: Young People
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental braces were provided for those under the age of 18 years in each of the last five years; and what proportion of the associated costs were funded by the NHS. [205873]
Ann Keen: Patients aged under 18 are exempted from national health service dental charges. If a dental brace is prescribed and fitted as part of an NHS course of treatment for a patient aged under 18, the full cost of that treatment is borne by the NHS.
Information is no longer collected on individual appliances, including dental braces provided as part of NHS treatment. Information is available for the years ending 31 March 2004, 2005 and 2006. The available information is provided in the following table. No information is collected on dental appliances or treatment provided outside the NHS.
| England only | Year ending March | ||
| Description | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
| Source: NHS Business Authority Dental Services Division | |||
Departmental Managers
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regular meetings are held of and among his Department’s national clinical directors. [205242]
Ann Keen: The national clinical directors meet as a group each month.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role his Department’s National Clinical Director for Service Reconfiguration is playing in Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS in England. [205243]
Ann Keen: All of the national clinical directors have been involved in the review, commensurate with their roles as national clinical leaders in their particular fields. For example, they have been available to discuss with the local clinical pathway groups in each national health service region the evidence base in their particular areas of expertise. In his role as National Clinical Director for Emergency Access and National Clinical Director for Service Design, Professor Sir George Alberti has advised on clinical quality and safety and clear patient pathways.
Doctors: Working Hours
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health at what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials have discussed the Working Time Directive with (i) EU officials, (ii) Commission members, (iii) officials from member states and (iv) Ministers from member states in the last 12 months. [205824]
Ann Keen [holding answer 15 May 2008]: Ministers and officials have been regular contact with a wide range of European Union and Commission officials on this dossier in the last 12 months.
The Government will continue to try to secure an acceptable agreement with member states and the European Commission on the European Working Time Directive.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 9 May 2008, Official Report, column 1258W and on 13 May 2008, Official Report, column 1544W.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2008, Official Report, column 1258W, on Doctors: Working hours, if he will publish the dossier to which the answer refers. [205825]
Ann Keen [holding answer 15 May 2008]: The independent research on the impact of the European Working Time Directive on medical training by Sheffield university will be published in summer 2008.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2007, Official Report, column 1514W, on the NHS: Working Hours, which other member states are seeking changes to the European Working Time Directive. [205919]
Ann Keen [holding answer 15 May 2008]: There is consensus among member states regarding changes needed to the European Working Time Directive to address the SiMAP and Jaeger issues.
Foetal Tissue: Blood
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many units collected by the NHS Cord Blood Bank were (a) suitable for and (b) used for transplant purposes in each year since 2005; [205557]
(2) how many units the NHS Cord Blood Bank collected in each year since 2005. [205559]
Dawn Primarolo: The NHS Cord Blood Bank collected 2,543 samples in 2004-05, 2,056 in 2005-06, 2,232 in 2006-07 and 2,632 in 2007-08. This has provided 5,569 suitable samples of which 129 have been issued.
General Practitioners: Finance
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his announcement on 5 May 2008, that 12 new general practitioner practices will be provided in under-doctored areas, whether the allocation of funding to these new practices from the Access Fund will affect earlier allocations from the fund. [205307]
Health Services: Children
Mrs. Maria Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008, Official Report, columns 251-2W, on Children: Health
Services, what estimate he has made of the number of additional health visitors to be recruited for the Child Health Promotion Programme. [205428]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 7 May, Official Report, column 1017W.
Heart Diseases: Waiting Lists
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for cardiac operations was in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Greenwich in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available. [205342]
Ann Keen: The median waiting times for in-patient admission for the specialty cardiothoracic surgery are shown in the following tables.
| Median waiting times for elective cardiothoracic surgery, position at en d of quarter: c ommissioner based | ||
| Median waiting times in weeks | ||
| Quarter 4 1996-97 | Quarter 2 2007-08 | |
| (1) Existing organisation at quarter four 1996-97. (3) Median not provided as the total number of waiters is too small for a statistically meaningful median to be calculated. A breakdown is given by weeks waiting in the following table. Source: Department of Health form QF01. | ||
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