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25 Feb 2009 : Column 869W—continued
Surveillance: EU Action
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police forces of other EU member states are authorised to conduct surveillance operations of private property in the UK, including but not limited to personal computers, without a warrant; and if she will make a statement. [250873]
Mr. Coaker: Pursuant to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 26 January 2009, Official Report, column 94W, I can confirm that no police forces of other EU member states are authorised to conduct remote or covert surveillance of private property in the UK.
Vetting
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disclosure applications the Criminal Records Bureau (a) received in 2007-08 and (b) has received in 2008-09 to date; and what steps she is taking to enable the Bureau to deal with any increases in such numbers. [254285]
Meg Hillier: The number of disclosure applications received by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in 2007-08 and 2008-09 to date is detailed in the following table:
| Financial year | Disclosure applications received (million) |
The CRB has continued to receive a higher than anticipated volume of disclosure applications. There are a number of reasons for this, but the volumes have put a great deal of pressure on both the CRB and the police forces. Forces have been responding effectively and positively to these high intakes and this has enabled record numbers of disclosures to be issued in recent months.
Unfortunately, it is taking more time for some local police forces to recruit and train the extra staff that they need to be operating at full capacity. Consequently, some applications are taking longer to deal with. That said, over 85 per cent. of all disclosure applications received by the CRB are being completed within the 28 day target figure.
For those forces which, for a variety of reasons, have been having greater difficulty with the increased demand, the CRB has been working very closely with them to address what additional help and support they may
need. The CRB has provided assistance and support to them in the form of IT and workflow management expertise, accommodation and a 10 per cent. increase in staff resources. The CRB has also increased its own staff resources by 11 per cent. to provide support for the police disclosure units and the bureau continues to monitor their performance regularly.
Energy and Climate Change
Mineworkers' Pension Scheme
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will hold discussions with the trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme on ways to improve benefits for scheme members. [245425]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: An actuarial valuation of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme is being conducted at present. Should any surplus emerge, Ministers will discuss with the scheme trustees how they might use their share to improve members' benefits.
Nuclear Power: Consultants
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1431-2W, on nuclear power: consultants, what role (a) Mr David Hughes, (b) Professor John Raine, (c) Mr Bernard Whittle and (d) Mr Phillip Woodward have in the generic design assessment. [255963]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
Professor David Hughes, Professor John Raine, Mr. Bernard Whittle and Mr. Phillip Woodward are members of the independent Process Review Board set up by the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations. The purpose of this board is to provide additional assurance to him that appropriate governance processes have been applied during the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for new nuclear power stations. The full terms of reference for the board can be seen at:
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Inland Waterways: Repairs and Maintenance
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the sum required to clear the maintenance backlog experienced by British Waterways; and if he will make a statement. [256164]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
The KPMG report commissioned by British Waterways concluded that there is a significant gap between current expenditure and that required under steady state to maintain its waterways. However, British Waterways have advised that current expenditure is sufficient to maintain the network in a reasonable and safe condition for this comprehensive spending review (CSR) period. In this context, there is no safety backlog
though British Waterways estimates that it would cost around £200 million to bring all principal and non principal assets up to steady state condition.
Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people (a) were in structured care-planned treatment and (b) discharged from an alcohol treatment programme in each strategic health authority area in each month since the commencement of national alcohol treatment monitoring. [257173]
Dawn Primarolo: Since 1 April 2008, the National Treatment Agency has collected data on individuals who receive specialist care-planned alcohol treatment, through the National Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System. As this is a new system, and services’ reporting compliance is still being improved, data are not yet robust. The information can however be found at:
Aortic Aneurysms: Screening
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bolton South East of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 343W, on aortic aneurysm: screening, when he expects the second stage of the phased implementation of the NHS abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme to begin; and which NHS trusts will participate in that stage. [256898]
Ann Keen: It is anticipated that the next phase of implementation will begin in autumn 2009.
At this stage no decisions have been made about which national health service trusts will take part in the next phase.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bolton South East of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 343W, on aortic aneurysm: screening, how many NHS trusts (a) applied to participate in the early implementation phase of the abdominal aortic aneurysms screening programme and (b) have applied to participate in subsequent phases of the programme. [256899]
Ann Keen: 16 national health service trusts applied to take part in the early implementation phase.
36 trusts have applied to be considered for the next phase of implementation.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts (a) have a screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms and (b) have ever operated such a screening programme. [256978]
Ann Keen:
In addition to the following six early implementation sites: West Sussex (Royal West Sussex NHS Trust), Leicester (University Hospitals of Leicester
NHS Trust), Gloucester (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), South Manchester (University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust), South Devon and Exeter (South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust) and South West London (St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust), we are aware that abdominal aortic aneurysms screening has also taken place in:
Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust; and
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
However these are not part of a national coordinated screening programme at this stage.
Apprentices
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 21 May 2008, Official Report, column 364W, on apprentices, how many apprentices his Department employs. [252084]
Mr. Bradshaw: Government Skills is planning to prepare a central response based on the numbers participating in the National Apprenticeship Pathfinder in 2008-09. This will be in the form of a table showing participating Departments and number of apprentices on the programme.
The Department does not employ apprentices as part of the National Apprenticeship Pathfinder scheme. However, three staff are participating in the scheme in 2008-09 as part of their personal development.
We have also made a commitment in the Next Stage Review to double our investment in apprenticeships by 2012-13, but we aim to go further and faster and we are starting with an additional 5,000 apprenticeships across health and social care next year.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 21 May 2008, Official Report, column 364W, on apprentices, what progress his Department has made towards meeting its share of the Government’s commitment to employ over 1,000 apprentices in central Government Departments and agencies in 2008-09. [256255]
Mr. Bradshaw: Government Skills is planning to prepare a central response based on the number participating in the National Apprenticeship Pathfinder in 2008-09. This will be in the form of a table showing participating Departments and number of apprentices on the programme.
The Department is working with Government Skills on this initiative and three staff are participating in the National Apprenticeships Pathfinder during 2008-09 as part of their personal development.
We have also made a commitment in the Next Stage Review to double our investment in apprenticeships by 2012-13, but we aim to go further and faster and we are starting with an additional 5,000 apprenticeships across health and social care next year.
Cancer: Research
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has allocated to research into renal cancer in each of the last three financial years; how much he plans to allocate for that purpose in each of the next three financial years; and if he will make a statement. [257364]
Dawn Primarolo: Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department’s research and development budget has been allocated to and managed by national health service organisations. Those organisations have accounted for their use of the allocations they have received from the Department in an annual research and development report. The reports identify total, aggregated expenditure on national priority areas, including cancer. They do not provide details of research into particular cancer sites.
The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), a United Kingdom wide partnership between Government, charities and industry, makes cancer research information available online via the international cancer research portfolio database at
The NCRI’s 2004 strategic analysis of the directly funded cancer research supported by Government and charities showed that 62 per cent. of total funding was dedicated to supporting research that could be applicable to all cancers.
The usual practice of the Department’s National Institute for Health Research and of the Medical Research Council is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Future levels of expenditure on renal cancer research will be determined by the success of relevant bids for funding.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the progress of ongoing clinical trials of treatments for renal cancer; and if he will make a statement. [257413]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network (NCRN) provides the health service infrastructure to support clinical trials for people with cancer. One of the aims of the NCRN is to improve the quality, speed and co-ordination of clinical research by removing the barriers to research in the national health service.
The NCRN is currently supporting eight clinical trials for people with renal cancer. Four of these trials have completed patient recruitment and patients are being followed up. One trial is in the process of being set up, and three trials are currently open to recruitment. The three trials that are open to recruitment are progressing according to plan, and are on target to finish on time.
Health Centres
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) postcode, (b) expected service commencement date and (c) primary care trust area of each planned GP-led health centre is according to the most recent monthly update from primary care trusts. [255580]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested has been placed in the Library and relates to information received in January.
Health Services
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) name and (b) postcode location of each (i) accident and emergency department, (ii) minor injuries unit and (iii) NHS walk-in centre in England listed on the NHS choices website is. [255304]
Mr. Bradshaw: The NHS Choices service, launched in June 2007, is the Department’s and the national health service’s primary online service to the public for health-related information and advice. All data records published via NHS Choices are freely available to the public via the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk. This includes listings for 213 accident and emergency departments, 223 minor injury units, and 93 walk-in centres.
The name and postcode location of each accident and emergency department, minor injuries unit and NHS walk-in centre listed on NHS Choices has been placed in the Library.
HIV Infection
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has issued guidance to primary care trusts with a high level of HIV infection following recommendations by the Health Protection Agency that HIV tests should be offered as a matter of routine to patients registering with GPs. [258221]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department is funding eight pilot projects in London and other sites in England aimed at testing new approaches to HIV testing, especially in high prevalence areas. Primary care settings are included in these pilots. The projects will be evaluated, to determine whether guidance to primary care trusts is needed.
Hospital Wards: Gender
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to his announcement of 28 January 2009 on mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS, what definition of sharing of sleeping accommodation or toilet facilities is used in his Department’s guidance to trusts; [255367]
(2) with reference to his announcement of 28 January 2009 on mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS; how many improvement teams there will be; what the size of each team will be; how much will be allocated to each team; what qualifications members of teams will have; and to which hospitals the teams will provide support; [255369]
(3) with reference to his announcement of 28 January 2009 on mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS, how he plans to create a greater focus on measuring and improving patient experience of mixed-sex accommodation. [255370]
Ann Keen: The Government are committed to reducing mixed sex accommodation to an absolute minimum. This means that men and women should not share sleeping accommodation unless this can be justified by their need for treatment. In mental health units, this should never happen.
We have recently announced a package of measures as follows:
a £100 million ‘Privacy and Dignity Fund’ to support improvements—with changes using this money expected to be implemented by no later than June this year;
tough financial penalties for those hospitals who do not deliver, (to be introduced from 2010-11); and
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