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13 Nov 2008 : Column 1388W—continued
Performance Appraisal
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report in the latest reporting year for which figures are available. [235223]
Mr. Bradshaw: In 2007-08, the performance of staff in the Department up to Grade 6 was assessed as Excellent, Good or Unsatisfactory. With a small number of assessments still to be confirmed, 10 staff were assessed as Unsatisfactory, representing 0.5 per cent. of the total. Performance arrangements for staff in the Senior Civil Service are common across all Departments. In 2007-08 there was no one in the Department whose performance was assessed as unacceptable.
Tuberculosis: Vaccination
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on administering BCG vaccines to children in education but not resident in high tuberculosis incidence areas in the last 12 months; how many of these supported such an extension to the BCG vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement. [235548]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department has received very low levels of correspondence on this issue. Of the letters that the Department did receive, most supported an extension to the BCG programme.
However, the Department moved to a selective policy following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Having reviewed all available scientific and epidemiological evidence, the JCVI recommended from September 2005 that a targeted approach to vaccination should be introduced to replace the national schools BCG programme.
The key reasons behind this decision were:
the primary role of the BCG vaccination is to protect individuals at high risk of exposure to tuberculosis (TB);
since the introduction of the schools based BGC programme the epidemiology of TB has changed from a disease of the general population in tine 1950s to one of predominately high-risk groups;
targeted BCG vaccination means that the majority of children at high risk of TB exposure will now be vaccinated earlier in life than under the previous policy;
the BCG is most effective at preventing severe forms of TB in infants and young children; and
protection decreases with time but repeated vaccination does not appear to offer any additional protection.
JCVI reviewed its advice in 2007 and concluded that the evidence continued to support the Department of Health policy. A copy of the JCVI advice on this issue is available at:
Tysabri
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for Tysabri have been issued in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) NHS region and (b) age of recipient. [234829]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not hold information on the number of prescriptions that are issued, only those that are issued and then dispensed. Information is not collected on which patients are prescribed drugs, so it is not possible to determine the age of a patient. There have been no prescriptions for Tysabri (natalizumab) dispensed in the community in England in the period requested.
The Intercontinental Marketing Service hospital pharmacy audit index indicates that for all strategic health authorities (SHAs) in England, there were 0.2 thousand packs of the drug administered in 2007 and 0.3 thousand packs in the period January to March 2008. There is no recorded use of the drug prior to 2007. Due to the disclosive nature of the data, it is not possible to present it by individual SHA.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departmental Older Workers
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people recruited by his Department in 2007-08 were aged over (a) 55 years and (b) 60 years; and what percentage this represented of the number of new recruits in each case. [235234]
Mr. Watson: I refer the hon. Member to the response given to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 22W.
Government Departments: Absenteeism
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance the Cabinet Office provides to other Government departments on statistics to be collected on absenteeism levels of their staff and staff of the public bodies for which they are responsible. [233369]
Mr. Watson: Cabinet Office guidance is that Government Departments should collect sickness absence statistics on a quarterly basis.
Government Departments: Internet
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what websites government communications jobs are advertised to the public. [233364]
Mr. Watson: Individual Departments are responsible for advertising their jobs.
The Government Communication Network (GCN) advises that Government communications jobs which are open to the public are advertised on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway.
Higher Civil Servants
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance is provided to senior civil servants on holding shares in companies from which they procure services. [233381]
Mr. Watson: The rules and guidelines for civil servants on holding shares and other investments are set out in the “Civil Service Code” and the “Civil Service Management Code”.
Copies of the codes are available in the Libraries of the House.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Adult Education
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when the response to the consultation on informal adult learning will be published. [229003]
Mr. Simon: “Informal Adult Learning—Shaping the Way Ahead” started an important debate about the role and nature of informal adult learning in the 21st century. The response to the consultation exceeded expectations, with around 5,500 responses. We published the Central Office for Information’s consultation report and the DIUS response on our website on Thursday 9 October.
Informal adult learning is highly valued by Government. We recognise the significant contribution it makes to the quality of life, health and well-being of individuals, neighbourhoods and wider society. We have made an unequivocal commitment to sustain its funding, with £210 million available every year until the end of the comprehensive spending review period.
DIUS officials are now developing the proposals arising from the consultation, working closely with a wide range of stakeholders. These policy proposals will pave the way towards a new informal adult learning strategy to be published early next year.
Construction: Education
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people in each region enrolled on courses for each level of qualification in construction at further education colleges in each of the last 10 years. [234932]
Mr. Simon: Table 1 shows the number of enrolments on construction courses in further education colleges by level of course and region, for 2002-03 to 2006-07, the latest year for which fully audited data is available. Comparable information is not available prior to the formation of the Learning and Skills Council in 2001.
| Table 1: Enrolments on construction courses in FE colleges by notional level of course and region of learner: 2002-03 | ||||||
| Notional Level of Aim | ||||||
| Region | Level 1 and Entry Level | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4, 5 o r Higher | Other | Total |
| Enrolments on construction courses at FE colleges in 2003-04 | ||||||
| Notional Level of Aim | ||||||
| Region | Level 1 and Entry Level | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4, 5 o r Higher | Other | Total |
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