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23 Jun 2008 : Column 120W—continued
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance and advice his Department gave to London primary care trusts in the event of exceeding their budget control targets for 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [212342]
Mr. Bradshaw: Based on national health service projections, the Department agreed financial performance ranges with each of the strategic health authorities (SHAs). It did not agree individual control totals with organisations below the SHA tier.
NHS: ICT
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to replace Fujitsu with an (a) existing and (b) new Local Service Provider. [212277]
Mr. Bradshaw: A decision will be taken in due course. Meanwhile, work is underway to ensure a smooth transition to alternative arrangements. Fujitsu will continue to support information technology systems and services already provided to the national health service. New systems and services will be delivered either through existing suppliers or through a new framework contract that has been set up to deal with such situations. Final decisions will take into account the preferences and business cases of local NHS bodies.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons a contractual termination notice was issued to Fujitsu. [212280]
Mr. Bradshaw: The contractual termination notice was issued because of failure to meet key contractual milestones and to provide an acceptable remediation plan. Since payment for systems and services is only made when they are delivered and are deemed to be satisfactory, the taxpayer's interests have been protected in this case.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he expects the total annual (a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure on NHS information technology to be once the National Programme for IT in the NHS is complete. [212297]
Mr. Bradshaw: National health service budgets for years beyond 2010-11 are dependent on the outcome of future spending reviews. It is therefore not possible to make meaningful estimates of the kind requested.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he expects the annual recurrent (a) capital and (b) revenue costs of (i) the National Network for the NHS (N3), (ii) the National Data Spine, (iii) the Care Records Service, (iv) HealthSpace, (v) Choose and Book, (vi) the Electronic Prescription Service, (vii) NHSmail, (viii) the Quality Management and Analysis System, (ix) the NHS Connecting for Health Service Desk and (x) the Picture Archiving and Communications Systems to be once the current contracts have been completed. [212299]
Mr. Bradshaw: These costs will depend on the outcome of future procurement decisions and contract negotiations, and for that reason it is not possible to make meaningful estimates of the kind requested.
NHS: Performance Appraisal
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems and procedures are in place for the performance management of NHS local commissioners. [212078]
Mr. Bradshaw: Primary care trusts (PCTs) commission health services on behalf of their local population, and are performance managed by strategic health authorities (SHAs). The Department launched a nationally consistent commissioning assurance system in June 2008 to strengthen performance management of PCT commissioning. This system will be managed locally by the SHAs, and will hold PCTs to account for commissioning and reward improved performance against three areas of commissioning—health outcomes, commissioning competencies and board governance. Detailed information about commissioning assurance is provided in the ‘Commissioning Assurance Handbook’. Copies of the handbook have been placed in the Library.
Personal Care Services: Health Hazards
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the health risks of (a) botox treatment, (b) dental whitening, (c) spray tanning, (d) ultra-violet tanning, (e) tattooing, (f) piercing, (g) acupuncture and (h) electrolysis for (i) staff and (ii) customers of establishments carrying out such treatments. [210156]
Mr. Bradshaw: Very occasionally patients who receive botulinum toxin injections in the forehead experience a drooping of the eyelids or eyebrows, although this is temporary and will resolve itself when the effects of botulinum toxin wear off. Double vision or blurred vision can occur in rare cases.
In respect of dental whitening, the use of tooth whitening products containing over 0.1 per cent. hydrogen peroxide may carry risks to health these are the irritation of the soft tissues in the mouth and in the gastric tract if swallowed. Conditions such as a pre-existing tissue injury or the concurrent use of alcohol and/or tobacco, may exacerbate the toxic effect of hydrogen peroxide.
The use of fake tanning sprays may cause allergic reactions for some people and their use is not advised during pregnancy when the skin can become more sensitive. The Government strongly discourage the use of ultra-violet tanning for cosmetic purposes because of the increased risk of skin cancer.
Health complications for clients arising from tattooing, piercing, acupuncture and electrolysis are usually minor and self-limiting, such as local wound infections and swelling. Serious complications appear rare. There is a risk of blood-borne virus infection for staff and customers, if the procedures are not carried out hygienically. Customers with certain health conditions, such as for example a heart condition, should seek medical advice before having such procedures undertaken.
No professional assessment has been made regarding the effects on staff who carry out these treatments.
Prostate Cancer: Health Services
David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage change there has been in Government funding for treatment for prostate cancer in the last 10 years; and how many nurses specialising in prostate problems have been recruited. [213171]
Ann Keen: The information on funding is not available. In 2006-07, the national health service spent approximately £4.35 billion on cancer services in England, of which £414 million was spent on urological cancer services. NHS expenditure on prostate cancer cannot be separately identified.
Information on the number of prostate nurses is not held centrally. It is for cancer networks to work in partnership with strategic health authorities and work force development directorates to assess, plan and review their work force needs.
Skin Piercing: Standards
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to address the trend in people purchasing home piercing kits rather than approaching regulated clinics following the recent report by the Health Protection Agency. [212305]
Dawn Primarolo:
The research by the Health Protection Agency, which the Department funded, indicates that nearly 90 per cent. of cosmetic piercings were carried out in specialist piercing shops, other shops or by mobile piercers. Cosmetic piercing that is carried out
for gain on domestic premises is subject to local authority regulation. We keep the issue of home cosmetic piercing kits under review.
Warfarin
Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many primary care trust areas doctors have decided to discontinue the provision of Warfarin testing facilities. [211640]
Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally. Specific services provided in general practice for patients on Warfarin, are commissioned locally and it is for local national health service providers to decide how to deliver services to patients.
Welsh Language
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of demand for the services provided by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental bodies to be provided in the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement. [210543]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has made no assessment of the level of demand for its services to be provided in the Welsh language. Agencies, non-departmental bodies and national health service organisations should take into account the demand for language and translation services when planning the needs and circumstances of their local populations.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departmental Freedom of Information
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests to the Cabinet Office have not yet received a substantive decision owing to an on-going consideration of public interest issues, where the original request was made (a) 20 or more working days, (b) six or more months and (c) 12 or more months ago. [210942]
Edward Miliband: The Ministry of Justice has published three annual reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests received by monitored bodies (including central Government Departments) in 2005 2006 and 2007. All the reports are available on the Ministry of Justice's website. The 2005 and 2006 reports are at the following address:
The 2007 report is at this address:
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires public bodies to respond to written requests within 20 working days of receipt, but allows additional time for the consideration of the public interest in disclosing the requested information.
Departmental Furniture
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many (a) chairs, (b) desks and (c) other office furnishings have been purchased by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years; and at what cost in each case. [211757]
Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 23 October 2007, Official Report, columns 295-6W and on 29 March 2006, Official Report, column 1031W.
Information about expenditure on other office furnishings is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Employment: Lincolnshire
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time jobs there were in (i) Cleethorpes, (ii) Great Grimsby, (iii) Brigg and Goole and (iv) Scunthorpe constituency in each year since 1997. [211850]
Mr. Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 June 2008:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time jobs there were in (i) Cleethorpes, (ii) Great Grimsby, (iii) Brigg and Goole and (iv) Scunthorpe constituency in each year since 1997. [211850].
The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. This is the preferred source for estimates at the detailed level requested. Employment estimates are distinct from the number of jobs, which come from the Annual Business Inquiry.
Table 1, attached, provides estimates based on people aged 16 and over, in full and part-time employment, resident in Cleethorpes, Great Grimsby, Brigg and Goole and Scunthorpe.
Estimates based on the most recent parliamentary constituency boundaries are only available from 2001. Figures for 2001-2004 are for the twelve months ending February that year. Figures for 2005-2007 are for the twelve months ending March the same year.
As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
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