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9 Mar 2009 : Column 159W—continued
Social Services: Expenditure
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of spending on personal care that was met by (a) local authorities, (b) the NHS and (c) individual service users or their families in 2008-09. [261482]
Phil Hope: We have made no estimate of the proportion of personal care spending that is met by local authorities, individuals, or the national health service.
Stafford Hospital
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request that the Healthcare Commission expedite the publication of its report on Stafford Hospital. [261892]
Mr. Bradshaw: As an independent body, it is for the Healthcare Commission to determine when it publishes its reports.
Teenage Pregnancy
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the evidential basis was for the statement made in paragraph 5.28 of Healthy lives brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health that ‘since the launch of our Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, we have reversed the previous upward trend in teenage pregnancy’; and if he will make a statement; [259043]
(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance referred to in paragraph 5.29 of Healthy lives brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health; and if he will make a statement; [259044]
(3) whether consideration was given by his Department to including in Healthy lives brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health reference to (a) reducing the frequency of sexual intercourse, (b) delaying the age of first intercourse, (c) restricting intercourse to one long-term partner and (d) abstinence; and if he will make a statement; [259046]
(4) what the evidential basis is that the policies contained in Healthy lives brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health will reduce (a) the teenage pregnancy rate and (b) the abortion rate for young persons under 19 years of age; and if he will make a statement. [259068]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that between 1994 and 1998, the under-18 conception rate ‘increased’ by 12.0 per cent. In contrast, between 1998 and 2007 (the latest year for which data are available) the rate has fallen by 10.7 per cent.
The guidance referred to in paragraph 5.29 of “Healthy lives brighter futures: The strategy for children and young people’s health” is entitled “Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts on Effective Delivery of Local Strategies”. A copy of this guidance—issued in 2006—has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
This guidance was based on international evidence, as well as in-depth reviews in local areas that were carried out by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit and the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, which identified factors that were evident in areas where rates had fallen, but were either absent or being delivered less intensively in similar areas where rates were static or increasing.
The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy has always included action to support young people to resist pressure to engage in early sexual activity and to promote the benefits of delaying first sex, by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to make safe and healthy choices about sex and relationships. These messages are included
in both the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy media campaign and the guidance to schools on sex and relationships education (SRE).
In contrast, there is no evidence that education that promotes abstinence until marriage is effective. Recent evidence from the United States shows that young people who pledged to abstain from sex until they were married had sexual behaviour in the next five years similar to that of teenagers who had not taken an abstinence pledge (“Pediatrics” 2009, doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0407). Teenagers who had pledged abstinence, and a matched control group who had not taken a pledge, did not differ in rates of premarital sex.
Wheelchairs
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009, Official Report, column 1177W, on wheelchairs, what categories and types of wheelchair are included under specialised wheelchair; and what percentage of wheelchair referrals are on a consultant-led pathway. [261763]
Phil Hope: Data on consultant-led referrals for wheelchairs are not collected centrally.
National health service wheelchair services are responsible for the assessment of each individuals' needs before
supplying a suitable wheelchair. A list of all the categories and types of wheelchair that may be classed as specialised is not available as many will be tailored to individuals' or their carers' requirements.
Duchy of Lancaster
Alcoholic Drinks: Death
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people in each age group in (a) the City of Southampton and (b) Test Valley borough died of alcohol-related illnesses in each of the last five years. [261479]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people in (a) the City of Southampton and (b) Test Valley borough died of alcohol-related illnesses in each age group in each of the last five years. (261479)
The tables attached provide the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in (a) Southampton unitary authority and (b) Test Valley local authority district, by age group, from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
| Table 1. Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1) , Southampton unitary authority and Test Valley local authority district( 2) , by age group( 3) , 2003-07( 4) | ||||||
| Deaths (persons) | ||||||
| Area | Age group | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2009. (3) There were no deaths in age group 1-14 years. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | ||||||
| Box 1. Alcohol-related causes of death—International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) | |
| Cause of death | ICD-10 code(s) |
Death: Weather
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many excess winter deaths occurred in (a) Sutton and Cheam, (b) Carshalton and Wallington and (c) Greater London in each of the last 10 years. [260817]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell dated March 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many excess winter deaths occurred in (a) Sutton and Cheam, (b) Carshalton and Wallington and (c) Greater London in each of the last 10 years.
Estimates of excess winter deaths are based on the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). The following table provides the number of excess winter deaths that occurred in (a) Sutton and Cheam parliamentary constituency, (b) Carshalton and Wallington parliamentary constituency and (c) London Government Office region for the years 1997-98 to 2006-07 (the latest figures available).
| Excess winter deaths,( 1,2) Sutton and Cheam parliamentary constituency, Carshalton and Wallington parliamentary constituency and London government office region,( 3 ) 1997-98 to 2006-07( 4) | |||
| Parliamentary constituency | Government office region | ||
| Sutton and Cheam | Carshalton and Wallington | London | |
| (1) The estimated number of excess winter deaths is the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. (2) A hyphen (—) denotes there were no excess winter deaths during the period specified. (3) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (4) Figures are based on deaths occurring in each month. | |||
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