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16 Oct 2008 : Column 1460W—continued
Midwives
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS consultant midwives there were in each region of England in 2007. [225889]
Ann Keen: The number of NHS consultant midwives there are in each region of England is shown in the following table.
| NHS hospital and community health services: nurse consultants in the Maternity Services area of work in England by strategic health authority area as at 30 September 2007. | |
| Headcount | |
| Note: Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. | |
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS workforce in England comprised midwives in each of the last two years for which figures are available, expressed in terms of (a) headcount and (b) full-time equivalent. [225892]
Ann Keen: The 2006 national health service workforce census showed that there were 24,469 midwives or 18,862 full-time equivalent.
The 2007 NHS workforce census showed that there were 25,093 midwives or 19,298 full-time equivalent.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average annual cost to public funds was of training a student midwife in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) tuition, (b) bursary and (c) other costs. [225894]
Ann Keen: The average national benchmark price for the tuition fee for a student midwife in 2007-08 was £7,968.
The average NHS Bursary paid to a student midwife in 2007-08 was £5,796. This includes the basic award, all supplementary allowances and one off payments.
a reduced rate loan for living costs from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Student midwives in receipt of a means tested NHS Bursary can apply for this reduced rate loan. Information is not held centrally on the cost of these loans for student midwives.
Access to Learning Funds which is the extra financial support provided by colleges and universities to students in financial hardship. Information is not held centrally on the cost of Access to Learning Funds for student midwives; and
Salary support funding for student midwives who are seconded onto midwifery courses. Information is not held centrally on the salary support costs for student midwives.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student midwives were in receipt of a bursary in each academic year since 1996-97; what average bursary was paid to a student midwife in each year; and what the total cost was of all bursaries paid to student midwives in each year. [225895]
Ann Keen: The number of student midwives in receipt of an NHS bursary in each year since 1996-97, the average bursary paid to a student midwife in each year and the total cost of all bursaries paid to student midwives in each year is shown in the following table.
| Bursaries paid to NHS funded midwifery students for academic years 1996/97 to 2007/08 | ||||||
| Number of bursary holders( 1) | Bursary—amount paid( 2) (£) | Average bursary amount (£) | Additions—amount paid( 3) (£) | Total—amount paid (£) | Average amount paid per bursary holder (£) | |
| (1) Includes nil award holders (European Union fees only students and students whose living allowance element of the bursary has been reduced to nil after income assessment). Phased uptake. Prior to 1997 local education authorities were primarily responsible for the administration of HE maintenance grants under Department for Education and Skills (mandatory awards) regulation to degree level students. From 1999 Student Bursaries became responsible for the payment of bursaries to new diploma level students, formally the responsibility of higher education institutions. (2) Includes the basic award and all supplementary allowances. Excludes one-off payments e.g. re-imbursement of practice placement costs. (3) Includes one-off payments e.g. disabled students allowance, reimbursement of practice placement costs etc. Source: NHS Business Services Authority Student Bursaries Unit | ||||||
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2008, Official Report, columns 513-4W, on midwives, how many live births per full-time equivalent NHS midwife there were in (a) England and (b) each region of England in 2007. [225947]
Ann Keen: The information will be available in December 2008.
Naomi House
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to assist Naomi House in recovering the funds it invested in Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander Limited. [227363]
Mr. Bradshaw: The investment of funds by charitable organisations are governed by investment and accountability rules set by the Charities Commission, and are beyond the scope of the Department.
The Charity Commission has published guidance concerning the principles to be applied in the investment of charitable funds (its leaflet CC14) and has recently published guidance to charities concerning the Financial Compensation Scheme. Queries relating to charitable funds should be directed to the Charity Commission in the first instance.
Naomi House
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has provided to Naomi House in each of the last four years. [227364]
Ann Keen: The Department has provided Naomi House with payments under the Children's Hospice and Children's Hospice at Home scheme only for the past three years. Details of that funding is shown in the following table.
| £ | |
NHS Foundation Trusts: Bank Services
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what deposits foundation trusts held with commercial banks in the latest period for which figures are available; [227457]
(2) whether any foundation trusts have deposits in Icelandic banks. [227546]
Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement issued on 14 October 2008, Official Report, column 38-39WS.
We have been advised by the Chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS foundation trusts) that as at 31 March 2008 the aggregated cash balances and investments of 89 NHS foundation trusts (authorised as at 31 March 2008) amounted to £2.3 billion. The cash and investment balance is broken down as follows:
| £ million | |
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rules govern foundation trusts depositing funds other than with the Paymaster General. [227458]
Mr. Bradshaw: National health service foundation trusts are autonomous organisations, free from central Government control. As high performing organisations, NHS Foundation Trusts have wide discretion to invest money. The boards of NHS Foundation Trusts are responsible for ensuring that surplus cash is invested in accordance with their duty to safeguard and properly account for the use of public money. Monitor, the independent regulator, has issued best practice guidance on how NHS Foundation Trusts should mange their cash. This guidance reflects prudent practice, and is designed to promote fiscal responsibility and prudent investments that do not compromise effective, efficient and economic delivery of services.
NHS: Bank Services
Norman Lamb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which (a) primary care trusts, (b) strategic health authorities, (c) NHS trusts, (d) foundation trusts and
(e) the NHS bank hold deposits in commercial banks; what advice he has given to such NHS organisations on the exposure of such investments to bank collapse; and if he will make such a statement. [227456]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not collect in-year data for the cash balances of commercial bank accounts held by strategic health authorities (SHAs), primary care trusts (PCTs), NHS trusts or NHS foundation trusts. However this information is reported at the end of the financial year and forms part of an NHS organisation's annual accounts.
For indicative purposes, the following table shows the amount held on deposit in commercial banks or held as cash at the 31 March 2008.
| Organisation type | Commercial cash at bank and in hand (£000s) |
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