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13 Jan 2009 : Column 687W—continued
Regional Innovation Hubs
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding is given from the public purse to regional innovation hubs in the last year for which figures are available. [245968]
Dawn Primarolo: The innovation hubs have historically received funding from four different sources.
Funding for this financial year (2008-09) is as follows:
The Department—circa £4.7 million
The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (NHSI) channels Department-derived funds to the innovation hubs, under the terms of an annual service level agreement between the hubs and the National Innovation Centre (as the agent of the NHSI). The amount allocated to each individual hub is on a capitation basis.
Department for Trade and Industry (now Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) Public Sector Research Establishment (PSRE)—£2.7 million
On behalf of their trust membership, each hub has the opportunity to competitively bid for funding for specific “pump-priming” activities in the region. Examples of “pump-priming” are to build local networks or conduct informative workshops to assist regional innovators, basically to initiate some activity, which would otherwise not occur. PSRE funding is also contingent on the hubs demonstrating that they have a source of matched funding.
Local regional development agencies (RDAs)—£1.9 million
The RDAs have tapped into the specialist NHS knowledge base of the hubs to effectively use them in what may be described as “the Business Link function for Healthcare” and assist the RDAs in achieving their own targets and objectives.
The hubs also received income from other sources, which are generated by their own local activities. Examples of such sources include membership fees, specific consultancy assignments and income revenue from licensing agreements.
Smoking
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to provide (a) extra support for and (b) incentives to those attempting to give up smoking since the entry into force of the smoking ban. [245862]
Dawn Primarolo: A wide of range of support is available from the national health service for smokers who wish to give up smoking. Options are available on the NHS ‘Go Smokefree’ website at:
or from the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0169.
Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for the provision of NHS local stop smoking services. Within communities, PCTs make free support available in a range of innovative ways to support smokers who wish to quit.
Smokers who use NHS support to quit are up to four times more likely to do so successfully than those trying to go it alone “cold turkey”.
The Department also has a marketing strategy aimed at encouraging smokers to quit, particularly with the support of the NHS.
Sunbeds
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has commissioned on the regulation of the sunbed industry in other countries for benchmarking purposes in the last two years; [246160]
(2) what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on (a) the use of sunbeds in the health and fitness facilities operated by local authorities and (b) the risks associated with such use; [246161]
(3) what representations he has received on (a) the health risks associated with sunbeds and (b) the regulation of the sunbed industry in the last 12 months; [246162]
(4) what recent meetings his Department has had with representatives of the sunbed industry on options for sunbed regulation; [246163]
(5) what options are being considered for regulation of (a) the sunbed industry and (b) sunbed usage by persons under 18 years of age; [246209]
(6) what progress has been made since the Cancer Reform Strategy was published in December 2007 on (a) reviewing options for regulation of the sunbed industry, (b) gathering information on the number and distribution of sunbeds and (c) gathering information on the scale of sunbed use by minors. [246210]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department regularly receives Parliamentary questions and correspondence from hon. Members and other interested parties regarding the health risks of sunbeds including, in some cases, requests for the regulation of the sunbed industry. Such requests are considered in the context of the ongoing review of options for possible regulation of the sunbed industry, including access to sunbeds by young people. The review has been broad-ranging in its scope and, as part of it, officials from the Department and other Government departments, including Communities and Local Government, have discussed issues concerning the use of sunbeds in different types of facilities and settings.
Since the publication of the Cancer Reform Strategy, the Department has also worked with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other stakeholders (including some representatives of the sunbed industry) on the HSE's review of its guidance for users and operators of sunbeds. HSE expect to publish the guidance and a summary of the consultation responses early in 2009.
In conducting its review of options, the Department has drawn on a range of evidence from this country and abroad. For example, in 2007, the Welsh Assembly Government, supported by the Scottish Executive, National Health Service NI and the English Department of Health have requested that the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment update their advice regarding the safety of ultra violet sunbeds in the United Kingdom. A report is expected in 2009.
The Department has also taken steps to gather further information on the number and distribution of sunbeds, and on the extent of sunbed use by young people, as mentioned in the Cancer Reform Strategy.
All of these will inform considerations on options for the possible regulation of the sunbed industry.
Tobacco: Public Consultation
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the responses to his Department's consultation on the future of tobacco control were from (a) retailers or shop owners and (b) organisations funded wholly or in part by his Department. [245508]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department received 10,586 responses from small retailers (including pre-prepared postcards or emails made available to respondents by third parties), 11 responses from larger retailers and 21 responses from retail industry representative organisations, including trade associations.
The Department received seven responses from organisations that receive funding directly from the Department for programmes of work related to smoking. Identification of respondents that receive funding from the Department for other purposes could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
The Department received 85,565 responses from members of the public (including pre-prepared postcards or emails made available to respondents by third parties).
Tobacco: Regulation
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the address of each regional tobacco control manager is; and whether they are classified as public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [245970]
Dawn Primarolo: The addresses of Regional Tobacco Policy Managers (RTPMs) are as follows and are published on the Department's website at:
Smoke Free, North East Office
Civic Centre,
Chester-le-Street District Council
Newcastle Road
Chester-le-Street
County Durham, DH3 3UT
North West Public Health Team
Government Office North West
18th Floor, City Tower
Piccadilly Plaza
Manchester, Ml 4BE
Government Office For Yorkshire and Humber
6th Floor West Wing,
PO Box 213
City House,
New Station Street
Leeds
Government Office East Midlands
The Belgrave Centre
Stanley Place
Talbot Street
Nottingham, NG1 5GG
5 St. Philips Place
Colmore Row
Birmingham B3 2PW
East of England Public Health Group
Government Office for the East of England
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge, CB2 2DF
Regional Public Health Group: London
5th Floor Riverwalk House
157-161 Millbank
London SW1P 4RR
Government Office for the South East
Bridge House
1 Walnut Tree Close
Guildford, GUI 4GA
Regional Public Health Group
Government Office for the South West
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol, BS1 6ED
As RTPMs are based in Government offices for the regions, the national health service or local authorities, they are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c.36).
Tuberculosis: Hertfordshire
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of tuberculosis have been recorded in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire in each quarter of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [246562]
Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table gives the number of Tuberculosis cases in the area of Dacorum borough council as the closest measure for Hemel Hempstead, and for Hertfordshire, for the calendar years 2000-06.
| Cases of Tuberculosis | |||||||
| Area | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Notes: 1. Hertforshire comprises: Broxbourne, Dacorum, East Hertfordshire, Hertsmere, North Hertfordshire, St Albans, Stevenage, Three Rivers, Watford, and Welwyn Hatfield Local Authorities 2. Data by local authority are not yet available for 2007 3. Data are not provided by quarters because of the risk of deductive disclosure due to low numbers. 4. In years when there have been less than five cases, the exact number of cases is not given because of the risk of deductive disclosure. Source: Health Protection Agency - Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance (ETS) system | |||||||
User-led Organisations
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many user-led organisations have become user-led action and learning sites; [245733]
(2) how much has been allocated to the User-led Organisations Development Fund for 2008-09; and if he will make a statement. [245734]
Phil Hope: £750,000 of the User-led Organisations Development Fund was made available in 2007-08 to support 12 user-led action and learning sites from March 2008. Over 100 user-led organisations applied.
A further £900,000 for the User-led Organisations Development Fund has been made available in 2008-09 to support the development of up to 14 additional action and learning sites from January 2009. Over 70 organisations applied. We will announce shortly how that funding is to be allocated.
Home Department
Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff the Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration employs; what its running costs are expected to be in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and if she will make a statement. [245690]
Mr. Woolas: The Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration does not employ any staff. Until it ceased to operate on 20 November 2008, two UK Border Agency staff provided Secretariat support to the Board.
It is not possible to separately identify its running costs for 2008-09 in the UK Border Agency accounts. As it has now ceased to operate, its running costs in 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be nil.
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