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15 Dec 2008 : Column 442W—continued
The number of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2008 is available in table G1 of annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007/08” report. Information is available by SHA and by PCT. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006.
Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published work force figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual
arrangements. The revised methodology counts the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
Further work is planned over the next few months to determine whether the new definition used under the new dental contractual arrangements can be applied to the years under the old contractual arrangements to produce a consistent time series.
The dentist numbers published are headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
Dental Services: Greater London
Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the NHS dentist to patient ratio was in the (a) London Strategic Health Authority and (b) Enfield Primary Care Trust area in each year between 1997 and 2008; [242273]
(2) how many NHS dentists there were per 100,000 people in the (a) London Strategic Health Authority and (b) Enfield Primary Care Trust area in each year between 1997 and 2008. [242274]
Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
The number of persons per national health service dentist in England, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 is available in Annex F of the “NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006” report. The information is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA).
This measure relates to the number of NHS dentists recorded on PCT lists as at 31 March each year. This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is also on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
This measure is not available under the new contractual arrangements.
The number of dentists with NHS activity per 100,000 population, during the years ending 31 March, 2007 and 2008 is available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08” report. Information is available by SHA and by PCT. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This measure is not available under the old contractual arrangements.
Following a recent consultation exercise, the count of dentists is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. The revised methodology counts the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August
2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
Further work is planned over the next few months to determine whether the new definition used under the new dental contractual arrangements can be applied to the years under the old contractual arrangements to produce a consistent time series.
The dentist numbers published are headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240983]
Phil Hope: The 2007-08 report on the disability equality duty was produced as part of an updated single equality scheme in June 2008, but this is still to be published. The proposals and conclusions on disability equality in that report are echoed in the Secretary of State for Health triennial disability equality report, which considers progress towards equality for disabled people in the health and social care sector, published on 1 December 2008.
Equality of access to high quality health and care services is key;
There is a need to continue work to break through attitudinal barriers;
Information for disabled people should be fit for purpose;
Consultation and involvement of disabled people needs to be more systematic;
Targets for equality should be set that are clear, consistent and ambitious;
Progressing disability equality requires partnership working at national, regional and local level;
Greater effort is needed to put the evidence of what works into practice; and
We need to build the capacity to support disabled people to live independently.
A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
Departmental Gifts
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what benefits in kind have been recorded as being provided to senior staff in his Department in its resource accounts for (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08. [241154]
Mr. Bradshaw: There were no benefits in kind reported in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 resource accounts. In 2007-08, the benefits-in-kind for David Nicholson and Bill Kirkup were second home allowances. The benefits-in-kind for Chan Wheeler were a relocation package of £41,900 and a second home allowance of £90,600.
Departmental Higher Education
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department undertook courses funded by the Department for (a) undergraduate degrees, (b) postgraduate degrees or diplomas, (c) Masters degrees, (d) MBA degrees and (e) PhD degrees in the last 12 months, broken down by pay band. [242136]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is not held centrally. Decisions about training for qualifications and associated expenditure are arrived upon locally within business directorates. The information requested cannot be established from local sources without incurring disproportionate costs.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on Ministerial hospitality in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08, expressed in current prices. [241243]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is available is in the following table.
| Amount spent on ministerial hospitality per financial year expressed in current prices | |
| £ | |
All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in Managing Public Money.
Departmental Pay
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much members of his Department's departmental board claimed in expenses in each financial year from 2004-05 to 2007-08. [241153]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information about the expenses claimed, and incurred by all members of the Departmental Board during these four financial years is not held in one place. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agencies relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last three years. [240388]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department paid £16.4 million for cancelled in procurement Private Finance Initiative schemes in 2007.
The Department also paid £10.75 million for cancelled in procurement independent sector treatment centre schemes in the last three years.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to page 213 of the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, Cm 7484, what the latest planned capital expenditure is for (a) his Department and (b) the NHS in each year from 2008-09 to 2010-11; [241104]
(2) with reference to page 214 of the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, Cm 7484, which NHS capital programmes will be changed following the change in the NHS capital budget in 2010-11; and what the change will be in each case. [241105]
Mr. Bradshaw: The sums shown in the pre-Budget report represent the capital funding available for the national health service and departmental administration. The Department plans to spend all of the available resources in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Only about £20 million per annum of this capital is used to renew the facilities used for departmental administration. The remainder is either invested in the NHS' asset base or in facilities to support the delivery of NHS services, such as the Connecting for Health programme.
The pre-Budget report brought forward £100 million of capital spending from 2010-11 into 2009-10 to advance the upgrading of up to 600 general practitioner surgeries to training practices. No other specific changes are planned as a result of the pre-Budget report.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, Cm 7484, what contribution his Department is expected to make to the £5 billion efficiency savings in 2010-11; and how he plans to achieve such savings. [241108]
Mr. Bradshaw: As stated in the pre-Budget report, the £5 billion in efficiency savings will be allocated across Departments in Budget 2009.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department submitted to HM Treasury on its potential for efficiency savings in 2010-11 prior to the publication of the 2008 Pre-Budget Report. [241386]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department and the Treasury are in regular contact and work closely on value for money issues including savings in 2010-11.
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [242607]
Mr. Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State uses trains on a regular basis in the course of his official duties. The Secretary of State last travelled by train on 4 December 2008. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Departmental Sick Leave
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of sickness absence of staff in his Department was in each of the last five years. [240380]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information on average working days lost (AWDL) per member of staff due to sickness absence in the Department and its Agencies is presented in the following table:
| Coverage | AWDL | |
| (1) Financial year (2) Calendar year | ||
The change in the figures from calendar years to financial year between 2005 and 2006-07 reflects a change in the annual period covered by the reports. The change between 2004 and 2005 from the Department and its Agencies together to the Department and its Agencies separately reflects a change in the level of aggregation of information in reporting.
Departmental Work Experience
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals have worked in his Department on (a) paid work experience or internship placements and (b) unpaid work experience or internships in each of the past three years; on average how many hours a week were worked by such people in each year; what types of work each was involved in; what proportion were in full-time education; what proportion did not complete their set period of work experience; and how much those who received remuneration were paid on average per week in each year. [242113]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has not, in the past, held any central records of student placements or persons on work experience, and national health service trainees. These have been arranged by local sections and directorates. It would incur disproportionate costs to collect the information requested.
Depressive Illnesses: Drugs
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of prescribing anti-depressant drugs in (a) East Devon constituency, (b) the South West region and (c) England was in the last year for which figures are available. [242076]
Dawn Primarolo: The net ingredient cost (NIC) of prescriptions prescribed and dispensed in the community for anti-depressant drugs as defined in sections 4.3 of the British National Formulary (BNF) is as follows.
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