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18 Mar 2009 : Column 1234W—continued
Only national data for England have been provided. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by PCT as the data are based on a sample of one in 20 prescription forms, which is only suitable for estimating at national level.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2009, Official Report, column 1512W, on NHS: drugs, which NHS bodies his Department has assessed as having failed to comply with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence statutory funding directions. [262949]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not routinely assess national health service compliance with the statutory direction requiring NHS organisations to make funding available for technologies recommended by technology appraisal guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
Compliance with NICE’s technology appraisals and other nationally agreed guidance is a core standard for NHS organisations. The Healthcare Commission has assessed compliance with the core standard as part of the annual health checks. The 2007-08 annual health checks show that 95 per cent. of NHS organisations were able to provide evidence of compliance with the core standard which incorporates NICE’s technology appraisals. An overview of the 2007-08 annual health check is available at:
and a copy has been placed in the Library.
Orphan Drugs
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to develop separate appraisal criteria for ultra orphan drugs; and if he will make a statement. [263849]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government have no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to establish a separate appraisal system for ultra orphan drugs. However, this position is kept under review in the context of other developments relating to the Government's policy on new drugs.
The Department and NICE are currently consulting on proposed revisions to the process and criteria for selecting topics for referral to NICE'S technology appraisal work programme. The consultation document is available at:
and a copy has already been placed in the Library.
Smoking: Health Services
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating smoking-related diseases in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland in each of the last five years. [263804]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland have received assistance from the NHS to stop smoking in each of the last five years. [263805]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, data on the number of people setting a quit date and successfully quitting through the National Health Service Stop Smoking Services are available for the Cumbria Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and for the former Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and its constituent PCTs for 2004-05 to 2006-07.
Information for 2007-08 is available from the annual Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2007 to March 2008. This information can be found in table 3.5 on page 28.
Information for 2006-07 is available for both the old and new SHA and PCTs from the annual statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2006 to March 2007. This information can be found in table 2.12 (old breakdown) and table 5.4 (new breakdown) on pages 18-19 and 65 respectively.
Information for 2005-06 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2005 to March 2006. This information can be found in table 4.12 on pages 37-38.
Information for 2004-05 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2004 to March 2005. This information can be found in table 19 on pages 52-53.
All of the above publications have already been placed in the Library.
Social Services: Elderly
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that his Department's funding allocation for social care in the next comprehensive spending review period is adequate to meet the needs of older people; and if he will make a statement. [264080]
Phil Hope: The funding priority for social care for older people is a matter for local councils. They have responsibility to ensure that the care needs of older people are met within their communities from the resources available to them. These resources come from central Government allocations to local authorities, grants from the Department, locally raised council tax and local fees and charges.
The Secretaries of State for Health and Communities and Local Government will make representation to the Treasury for them to consider the allocations that are made to local authorities by the Chancellor in his next spending review, which will include evidence on the demographic and other pressures that councils will face as a result of the ageing society.
Strokes: Health Services
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have (a) implemented local needs assessments for stroke services and (b) developed workforce action plans as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy published in December 2007. [263446]
Ann Keen: All primary care trusts have completed a joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA). A number of the core indicators for JSNA are relevant to stroke. We do not hold information centrally on the extent to which individual primary care trusts have implemented JSNA plans for stroke nor on whether they have developed workforce action plans, as set out in the stroke strategy.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of stroke patients who spend the majority of their in-patient stay in designated stroke units. [263447]
Ann Keen: The NHS Operating Framework for 2008-09 and 2009-10 identify stroke services as a key national health service priority. A new data collection was introduced in 2008-09 to monitor progress toward the Tier One indicator measuring the number of stroke patients who spend at least 90 per cent. of their time on a stroke unit. Additional guidance is being produced to improve this data collection and we expect to have management information available in summer 2009.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national audits of stroke services have been carried out since December 2007. [263448]
Ann Keen: One national audit has been carried out since December 2007. This was the “National Sentinel Stroke Audit Phase 1 Organisational Audit” and was published by the Royal College of Physicians in August 2008. The clinical phase of the audit is due to be published at the end of April 2009.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of progress towards the implementation of the national stroke strategy published in December 2007; and what plans he has to publish a progress report. [263449]
Ann Keen: Stroke Networks have now been established across England and have started their work reviewing and organising delivery of stroke services across the care pathway. Significant progress is being made in implementing the stroke strategy but we acknowledge there is still work to be done. Later this year the Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support. Our intention is to publish the evaluation report.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the development of the assessment measures for vascular risk factors as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy. [263461]
Ann Keen: A vascular risk assessment and management programme is being developed that will target the group of modifiable risk factors shared by heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. The analytical modelling and evidence base underpinning this programme indicate that there are significant health gains to be made in this area. Primary care trusts will be responsible for the commissioning of the programme for their populations and phased implementation will begin in 2009-10.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment he has made of progress on the provision of advice and assistance to stroke patients and their carers as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy; [263463]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of progress on increasing access to rehabilitation services and community support for stroke patients. [263471]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.
We have provided ring-fenced central funding totalling £45 million over the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11 to local authorities in England to support implementation of the stroke strategy and help improve the way they deliver stroke care for adults in the community. Information to date suggests that local authorities are working jointly with their national health service partners, with stroke networks and the voluntary sector to improve and accelerate community support services for stroke survivors and their carers using this new funding. The Stroke Association has been funded by the National Audit Office to undertake an evaluation of community-based rehabilitation units.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of progress towards ensuring that lower risk suspected trans ischaemic attack patients are seen by a medical professional within seven days as referred to in the national stroke strategy. [263465]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support. Our intention is to publish the evaluation report.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of patients with suspected stroke who were transferred to hospitals providing 24-hour hyperacute services in (a) December 2007 and (b) the latest month for which figures are available; [263466]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of hospitals able to provide patients suspected of having had a stroke with a multi-disciplinary assessment on admission. [263470]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of hospitals able to provide 24-hour thrombolysis for suspected stroke patients. [263467]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The National Sentinel Stroke audit, prepared by the Royal College of Physicians and which is based on clinical data, collected directly from national health service trusts, details the latest evidence on the provision of stroke services to patients. While a significant number of units offer a thrombolysis service, the most recent audit (August 2008) states that the number offering a 24-hour/seven day a week service is low. The audit is available at the College's Internet site at:
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of provision for stroke patients to receive (a) carotid intervention and (b) echocardiography within 48-hours of a stroke. [263468]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Vascular Society conducts a continuing survey, which examines adherence to this recommendation in the strategy.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of patients diagnosed with a stroke or trans ischaemic attack who receive clinical follow-up within one month as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy. [263469]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.
West Nile Virus
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stockpile of vaccine there is to protect people against West Nile virus; what further funding his Department will provide for this purpose; and if he will make a statement. [263901]
Dawn Primarolo: No vaccine currently exists to protect humans against West Nile virus, therefore there are no plans to stockpile such vaccine.
The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and there is an equine vaccine against West Nile virus. However, mammals (such as horses) rarely have viruses in their blood for long enough to infect an insect vector and contribute to onward transmission.
Although the risk for infection in the United Kingdom remains low, the Department published 'West Nile virus: A contingency plan to protect the public's health' in May 2004.
A copy of this plan has been placed in the Library.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Furs: Retail Trade
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will introduce a ban on the use of animal fur in retail products. [259878]
Mr. Thomas: In response to public concern, the Government successfully called for an EU-wide ban on the trade in domestic cat and dog fur which came into force on 31 December 2008 and is pursuing an EU-wide ban on the trade in pinniped products (seals, sea-lion and walrus).
However, we have no plan to introduce a ban on the use of animal fur in retail products.
Manufacturing Industries: Motor Vehicles
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much in loans has been guaranteed by his Department to each automotive company for investment in lower carbon initiatives since 27 January 2009. [260607]
Ian Pearson: The Automotive Assistance Programme (AAP) announced on 27 January did not receive state aid clearance until 27 February. It is now open for business and can receive applications. BERR held a seminar on 11 March to bring together industry, banks and the relevant trade bodies to make sure that the application process runs as smoothly and effectively as possible. No loan guarantees have yet been issued under the AAP.
Oil: Reserves
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what level of compulsory oil stocks EU member states are required to hold; and how many tonnes of oil this equates to in the UK. [253308]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
Under EU Council Directive 2006/67/EC, member states of the European Union (EU) are required to hold stocks of oil and oil products equivalent to 90 days of national inland consumption, but because the UK is a producer of crude oil from the UK Continental Shelf, its obligation is reduced by 25 per cent. to 67.5 days.
The UK's current obligation equates to 11.1 million tonnes. The UK met its obligation with a surplus of over 2 million tonnes in November 2008, the latest figure available.
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