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30 Jun 2008 : Column 672W—continued
Pressure Sores
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many and what proportion of recorded admissions in each NHS acute trust an assessment for pressure ulcers was undertaken in each of the last three years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [214461]
Ann Keen: Information on the proportion of recorded admissions where an assessment for pressure ulcers was undertaken is not collected centrally.
Radiotherapy: Waiting Lists
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for radiotherapy treatment in Havering Primary Care Trust. [214194]
Ann Keen: Information about average waiting times for different types of cancer treatment, including radiotherapy, is not collected centrally. Cancer waiting times standards were introduced for all cancer patients from December 2005. They are a maximum wait of 31 days from diagnosis to first cancer treatment and a maximum wait of 62 days from urgent referral for suspected cancer to first cancer treatment. In the last quarter (January to March 2008), performance against these standards in England was 99.5 per cent. and 96.8 per cent. respectively.
Waiting Lists: Devon
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in North Devon are waiting for treatment; and how many there were in each month since January 2003. [183085]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Information for former North Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) and current Devon PCT—patients waiting for treatment at the end of the month | ||||||
| North Devon PCT | Devon PCT | |||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| n/a = Not available. Note: On 1 October 2006, Devon PCT was formed from a merger of six previous PCTs—East Devon PCT, Exeter PCT, Mid-Devon PCT, North Devon PCT, South Hams and West Devon PCT, and Teinbridge PCT. This explains the increase in figures from October 2006 onward. Figures for November 2007 are the latest figures available. Source: QFOl, Monthly Monitoring (Commissioner). | ||||||
Abortion: Young People
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake research to evaluate whether the Government's target to reduce the number of teenage mothers has had an effect on the number of teenagers having abortions. [213810]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
The Government's target is to reduce the rate of teenage conceptions, not the rate of teenage motherhood. Once a conception has occurred, the Government do not attempt to influence the outcome of that conception, but rather to ensure that all the advice and support necessary is available.
The first priority of the teenage pregnancy strategy is to encourage all young people to delay sexual activity. However, it recognises that between a quarter and a third of young people have sex before age 16. That is why the strategy also includes measures to improve sexually active young people's access to contraceptive and sexual health advice, so that they can avoid unplanned pregnancies and STIs.
The strategy is working. Between 1998 (the baseline year for the teenage pregnancy strategy) and 2006 (the latest year for which data are available) the under-18 conception rate has fallen by 13.3 per cent to its lowest level for over 20 years. The under-16 rate has fallen by 13.0 per cent. over the same period.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Buildings
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how frequently his Department restates the asset values of its building estate. [213410]
Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) estate is valued for accounting purposes twice a year by FCO chartered surveyors. In line with international accounting standards, external chartered surveyors value the estate over a three year rolling programme.
Diplomatic Service: Crime
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many notifiable offences were committed by British diplomats based abroad in 2007, broken down by (a) offence and (b) country; and if he will make a statement. [214050]
Meg Munn: We are not aware of any notifiable offences committed by our diplomats based abroad in 2007. One former diplomat is currently under investigation by the police regarding a possible offence committed while overseas in 2007. We cannot comment further while that investigation is ongoing.
European External Action Service
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the transfer of (a) relevant European Commission departments and (b) the General Secretariat of the Council to the European External Action Service; when the policy was first determined; when the UK’s position was first communicated to (i) other EU member states and (ii) the European Commission, and in what forum; and if he will make a statement. [210251]
David Miliband [holding answer 13 June 2008]: In light of the Irish referendum result, discussions on the External Action Service at the EU General Affairs Council and the European Council were cancelled. That was the right response to the referendum in Ireland. No further work will be carried out, and the work has stopped in the UK, until such time as there is a new suggestion from the French presidency or a way forward suggested by the Irish Government.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreements were reached at the meetings of the Committee of Permanent Representatives on (a) 7 May and (b) 13 May 2008 on the European External Action Service, with particular reference to (i) the composition of the Service and (ii) the transfer of officials from (A) European Commission directorates-general and (B) the General Secretariat of the Council; and if he will make a statement. [210253]
David Miliband [holding answer 13 June 2008]: No agreements have been reached on the composition of the European External Action Service or the transfer of Commission and Council Secretariat officials to the Service.
In light of the Irish referendum result, discussions on the External Action Service at the EU General Affairs Council and the European Council were cancelled. No further work will be carried out and the work has stopped in the UK until such time as there is a new suggestion from the French presidency or a way forward suggested by the Irish Government.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position was taken by the UK in the COREPER meetings on (a) 7 May and (b) 13 May 2008 on proposals made by the French government on the transfer of relevant (i) European Commission directorates and (ii) bodies of the General Secretariat of the Council to the European External Action Service; who represented the UK at each meeting; what conditions were attached to the UK’s position on the proposals; and if he will make a statement. [213374]
David Miliband [holding answer 23 June 2008]: No agreements have been reached on the composition of the European External Action Service (EEAS) or the transfer of Commission and Council Secretariat officials, bodies or departments to the Service. In light of the Irish referendum result, discussions on the EEAS at the General Affairs Council and the European Council were cancelled. The work has stopped in the UK until such time as there is a new suggestion from the French presidency or a way forward suggested by the Irish Government. The UK Permanent Representative to the EU represents the UK in the Permanent Representatives Committee.
Heads of Government Summit
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what transport provision was made available for use by attendees of the Heads of Government Summit held on 5 April. [212016]
Meg Munn: No transport provision was made by the Government for any Heads of State or government attending the summit, with the exceptions of the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Chile who were following separate Guest of Government programmes.
Shuttle buses for delegates and media to access the venue from either the security check point or media accreditation site were provided. Transport to the venue for Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff supporting the logistics of the event was also provided.
Iran: Export Credit Guarantees
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is UK policy to secure the multilateral withdrawal of export credit provision to Iran by European Union countries. [213476]
David Miliband: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1803, adopted on 3 March 2008, "calls upon all States to exercise vigilance in entering into new commitments for public provided financial support for trade with Iran, including the granting of export credits". The first step will be a new EU Common Position implementing the provisions of UNSCR 1803, including those on export credits. I will inform the House when this has been adopted. We are also discussing with EU partners the scope for further action in this area. The UK's Export Credit Guarantee Department has stopped processing applications for new export credit cover to Iran.
Iran: Sanctions
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2008, Official Report, column 1197W, on Iran: sanctions, what UK policy is on (a) monitoring the activities of Iranian financial institutions and (b) a European ban on the operations of Iranian banks Melli and Meillat; and if he will make a statement. [210478]
David Miliband: The UK has implemented the provisions in previous UN Security Council resolutions that relate to named Iranian banks. HM Treasury and the Financial Services Authority monitor the activities of these and other Iranian institutions closely. Building on UN Security Council Resolution 1803, which was adopted in March, we are pressing for a new Common Position to implement it at EU level, including the provision on increased vigilance over the activities of Iranian financial institutions, including Banks Melli and Meillat. On 23 June the EU listed more Iranian entities, including Bank Melli, which imposed an EU-wide freeze of their funds and other financial assets.
Moldova: Visas
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visitor visas were granted to citizens of Moldova in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [212921]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 20 June 2008]: I have been asked to reply.
The number of visit visas issued to Moldovan nationals in each of the last three years is as follows:
| Number | |
| Note : Date range: 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007. Source: Central Reference System | |
These data are previously unpublished and should be strictly treated as provisional.
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