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23 Feb 2009 : Column 241W—continued
achieve a target of 55-65 Gj/100 cubic metres (cu.m) for all existing facilities.
The Department monitors progress towards achievement using the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system and monitors progress towards the mandatory targets. Although significant progress was being made against the targets there remained scope for the NHS to maintain progress. To assist an Energy and Sustainability Capital Fund has been provided and is anticipated to generate significant carbon and revenue savings.
In January 2009, the newly formed NHS Sustainable Development Unit published their NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy, which supports the Government's Climate Change Act 2008 target of 80 per cent. greenhouse gas reduction by 2050 with 26 per cent. carbon dioxide reduction by 2020. It goes further by challenging the NHS to aim for an interim reduction of 10 per cent. from 2007 to 2015.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total amount of energy used by (a) his Department and (b) the NHS in each of the last five years. [257578]
Phil Hope: The following table shows the total energy consumption for the Department in each of the last five years.
| Total energy consumption (MWh) | |
The following table shows the total energy consumption reported by the national health service in each of the last five years. The data relating to total energy consumption and occupied floor area have been extracted from the Department's Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system.
| Total energy consumption (MWh) | Occupied floor area (m( 2) ) | Average Energy Consumption (KWh/m( 2) ) | |
The occupied floor area has increased by 517,180 m(2) over this time period while total energy consumption has decreased by 62,888 MWh indicating an improvement in how energy is utilised within the NHS.
NHS: Equality
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he has established a working party to examine the implications of age discrimination legislation for the NHS; what the (a) remit, (b) membership and
(c) timetable of the group is; and if he will make a statement. [257179]
Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement issued on 11 November 2008, Official Report, columns 46-48WS.
Radiology Reports
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of radiology investigation reports which include consultants advice that are returned to patients’ GPs within (a) two, (b) three, (c) four, (d) six, (e) 10 and (f) 12 weeks of the test in (i) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, (ii) Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust area and (iii) England. [258147]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not collect these data.
From 1 January 2009 no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their hospital treatment, unless this is clinically appropriate or they choose to wait longer. This commitment includes all appointments and diagnostic tests between referral and start of consultant led treatment.
NHS: Parking
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parking spaces were available in each NHS trust in 2007-08; what average fee was charged per hour for patient or visitor parking; how many disabled parking spaces were available; how many parking spaces were available for patients or visitors; what average hourly fee was charged for staff parking; how many parking spaces were available for staff; and what income was received from (a) staff and (b) patient parking. [257736]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information available has been placed in the Library.
The information has been supplied by the national health service and had not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
The provision of hospital car parking and any associated charges are decided locally by individual NHS trusts to help cover the cost of running, maintaining and securing a car park. All trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parking spaces for (a) staff and (b) patients were available in the NHS in England in each financial year since 1997-98; and how much was received from (i) staff and (ii) patients in parking charges in each such year. [257740]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested.
Since 2001-02, the Department has collected annual data from national health service trusts on car parking provision and any associated charges, through the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC). The available data for each year since 2001-02 have been placed in the Library.
The information provided has been supplied by the NHS and had not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
The provision of hospital car parking and any associated charges are decided locally by individual trusts to help cover the cost of running, maintaining and securing a car park. All NHS trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors.
NHS: Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which private contractors have withdrawn from NHS private finance initiative contracts in the last 12 months; what the contract was in each case; and what the monetary value of the contract was in each case; [255300]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the economic downturn on hospital private finance initiative projects; [255336]
(3) what hospital building projects are planned to be completed in each of the next 10 financial years; [255337]
(4) which hospital private finance initiative projects are waiting for approval from HM Treasury; and on what date each was first submitted to the Treasury for approval; [255338]
(5) what data his Department collects to monitor progress on hospital building projects; [255339]
(6) what new hospitals have been built since 1997; when each was opened; how each was funded; and what the current capital asset value of each is; [255340]
(7) how many of the 100 new hospitals referred to in the NHS Plan have opened; on what date each opened; and how much capital expenditure there was on each; [255342]
(8) how many of the 100 new hospitals referred to in the NHS Plan have not yet opened; when each is expected to be opened; and how much capital expenditure there will be on each. [255343]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information on the hospital schemes which have opened or begun construction (with their expected opening date) since 1997, with the capital construction cost of each, has been placed in the Library.
The private finance initiative (PFI) schemes in the list are currently accounted for as off balance sheet and are not therefore accounted as an asset by trusts. The national health service is in the process of determining the value these assets which will be disclosed in their 2009-10 accounts under the new international financial reporting standards (IFRS) which apply to public sector accounts with effect from 2009-10. In respect of the public capital funded schemes, the total asset value of
land and buildings for each trust is held centrally, but these are aggregate values which do not separately identify individual capital investment projects.
The 2000 NHS Plan set a target of opening 100 new hospital schemes by 2010. At the time of the NHS Plan, 69 schemes had already been given the go ahead—all but three of these schemes have opened (these three are currently under construction). The NHS Plan identified another 18 schemes to go ahead in the next two years under the PFI, bringing the total at the time to 87 schemes; the target of 100 was set in anticipation of more schemes being given the go ahead in future years. For example in addition to the 18 future PFI schemes identified in the NHS Plan, another 11 PFI schemes were given the go ahead shortly afterwards. Since then a number of other PFI and public capital funded projects have also proceeded and opened, which means that the NHS Plan target of opening 100 new hospital schemes was achieved in October 2008.
The information placed in the Library identifies both PFI and public capital schemes currently under construction and which are due to be completed (open) in the next 10 years. Schemes developing PFI proposals and actively preparing an initial outline business case (OBC) or currently in procurement, are shown in the following table.
Proceeding to financial close and construction for these schemes is dependent on business cases being submitted and approved. It is too early to provide financial close and opening milestone dates for these schemes apart from the most advanced, North Bristol/South Gloucestershire primary care trusts (PCTs), where an expected financial close date is given.
The Government's policy continues to be that PFI and other public private partnerships should be used to deliver public services when this offers value for money. This is assessed on a case by case basis at the appropriate approval point for each scheme. The North Bristol/South Gloucestershire PCTs is the only health sector PFI scheme in the market at the moment and the two consortiums competing to be appointed preferred bidder
have held discussions about current economic conditions and have factored this into their bids as part of the competitive process. No bidding consortium (which includes the prime contractor) has withdrawn from competition on an NHS PFI scheme in the last 12 months.
None of these schemes is awaiting approval from Treasury. The business case for the appointment of the preferred bidder at North Bristol/South Gloucestershire PCTs is expected to be submitted to the Department in April or May this year; it will need subsequent approval by Treasury.
There are a further four public capital hospital building schemes timetabled to begin construction in the next financial year (2009-10), subject to approval of their full business cases. No information is held centrally on the expected pipeline of public capital funded schemes for 2010-11 or later years.
The Department monitors the progress of all hospital building schemes (i.e. both PFI and public capital) in terms of the major project milestone dates (business case approval dates, financial close and opening) and collects and collates the appropriate information as it becomes available.
Nurses: Training
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of student nurses working 10 or more hours a week in addition to their placements and lectures; and what assessment he has made of the impact of external paid work on the performance of students of nursing and allied health professions in their studies. [253607]
Ann Keen: The Department is currently undertaking a review of NHS student support as part of Lord Darzi’s NHS Next Stage Review. The information requested is not held centrally.
Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will reconstitute the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board as one of the Department's standing advisory bodies, with a remit covering all age groups and all care settings; and if he will make a statement; [257074]
(2) what plans he has to evaluate the implementation of the nutrition action plan. [257180]
Phil Hope: I expect to receive the report of the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board by the end of spring 2009. Decisions on these issues will be made in light of that report.
Nutrition: Screening
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include the conduct of nutritional screening in the next version of the Quality and Outcomes Framework; and if he will make a statement. [257182]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to oversee a new independent and transparent process for developing and reviewing Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) clinical and health improvement indicators for England from 1 April 2009 as part of their role in providing guidance for the NHS based on evidence of clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness. We launched a public consultation on the proposed new process on 30 October 2008. The consultation ended on 2 February. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, any proposal for further changes to QOF indicators would need to be considered under that new process. The Department has no current plans to ask NICE to consider the conduct of nutritional screening by general practice within the QOF.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department last issued guidance to health and social care organisations on the details of weight and height measuring equipment used for nutritional screening. [257183]
Dawn Primarolo: On 4 August 2008, the Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families published “The National Child Measurement Programme Guidance for PCTs: 2008/09 school year”. This guidance included information on measuring the height and weight of children in reception (aged four to five years) and year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years). Guidance was also issued in July 2008 on “Weighing Scales for the National Child Measurement Programme”.
Both documents are available at:
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