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29 Jun 2009 : Column 90W—continued
NHS: ICT
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the funds for the extension of the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework to cover NHS trusts in the South of England that are not included in the Local Service Provider contract with BT will be taken from the existing National Programme for IT budget; [282885]
(2) what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework in the next five years; [282886]
(3) how much his Department has spent (a) in total, (b) in accrediting systems for and (c) in staffing costs of the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework in each year since its inception; [282887]
(4) from which budget funding for the extension of the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework to cover the 52 NHS Trusts in the south of England that are not included in the local service provider contract with BT will be drawn; [283260]
(5) what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework in each of the next five years; [283261]
(6) what his Department's expenditure on the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity Framework has been in each year since its inception; and what the cost of (a) accrediting systems for and (b) staffing the Framework was in each of those years. [283262]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Systems deployed under the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity (ASCC) framework in the south of England will be funded as part of the National Programme for IT, within existing resources. Proposals for trusts in the south to use the ASCC will be subject to appropriate approvals being obtained. Part of the process will be to establish the likely overall demand and estimated value of contracts to be awarded. This has not yet been completed.
Financial management information is not kept in a way that enables all the costs of the ASCC to be separately identified within the staffing and other administrative costs of NHS Connecting for Health, which is responsible, within the Department, for the National Programme for IT. However, suppliers' systems are not “accredited” as a part of the ASCC procurement. The purpose of the procurement is to create a framework of suppliers with demonstrated capacity and capability in various specialisms. Subsequently, on identification of a business need, each trust will specify its particular requirements to suppliers in the most appropriate service category. It will be for suppliers to demonstrate how they can meet this need against the procurement's specific evaluation criteria.
Osteoporosis: Health Services
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the osteoporosis diagnosis and prevention scheme provided for in the Primary Medical Services (Directed Enhanced Services) (England) (Amendment) Directions 2009. [282131]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The two-year clinical Directed Enhanced Service (DES) for Osteoporosis was brought in to cover the period April 2008 to March 2010 following agreement reached between the British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS Employers (on behalf of the Government) and announced in September 2008. Subsequently, joint guidance was issued to general practitioner (GP) practices and primary care trusts (PCTs) in the same month to enable GP practices choosing to take up the DES to begin working on delivering the agreed specification, with the Directions amending GP contractual arrangements issued in February 2009. These arrangements were supported by further guidance issued jointly by the BMA and NHS Employers in the same month.
Financial data from PCTs indicate that PCTs have made some achievement payments in 2008-09 against the delivery by general practice of this DES, with greater reward available against achievement expected in 2009-10. Discussions about contractual arrangements applying to GP practices for 2010-11 and beyond are currently ongoing.
Pharmacy: Crime
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislative proposals to decriminalise dispensing errors by pharmacists under the Medicines Act 1968. [282155]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government recognise concerns that specific provisions contained in the 1968 Medicines Act may be used to prosecute pharmacists who make a dispensing error.
A full review of the Medicines Act is already under way by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This will include consideration of changes that may be made to the law to ensure that it provides the necessary safeguards for the public while being proportionate as to how instances of clinical error are dealt with. The MHRA is working closely with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and other stakeholders on the Medicines Act review.
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to bring forward the timetable for publication of the report of Sir Ian Gilmore's review of prescription charges. [282164]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Professor Gilmore is due to report on his review of prescription charges to departmental Ministers in the autumn. The review was due to report to departmental Ministers in the summer. However, following discussions between Ministers and Professor Gilmore, he will undertake further work in order to ensure that proposals can be implemented smoothly and efficiently.
Skin Cancer: Health Education
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding his Department allocated to the SunSmart campaign in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09; [281728]
(2) what funding his Department has allocated to the SunSmart campaign for 2009-10; [281730]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the SunSmart campaign; and if he will publish that assessment. [281732]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 22 June 2009]: SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention and sun protection campaign run by Cancer Research UK on behalf of the United Kingdom Health Departments has been allocated the following funding from the Department of Health, England, for the campaign:
| £ | |
The Cancer Reform Strategy also made commitments to increase the funding available for awareness programmes and has provided additional monies in 2008-09 and 2009-10 for national and local skin cancer initiatives.
In surveys done by Cancer Research UK, some significant increases in awareness of sun/skin cancer issues, and of self-reported practice of preventive actions, have been observed. We will discuss arrangements with Cancer Research UK about how to place this information in the public domain.
Thalidomide
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he plans to compensate those who have suffered adverse effects as a consequence of drugs prescribed by the NHS before the provisions of the Medicine Act 1968 came into effect; [279990]
(2) if he will bring forward measures for the financial compensation of thalidomiders whose mothers were prescribed thalidomide by the NHS. [280024]
Gillian Merron: Thalidomide victims are compensated through a private settlement, which was agreed between the Thalidomide Trust, which was established to administer annual payments to victims, and Distillers, which is now part of Diageo plc., the company that marketed the drug in the United Kingdom. Compensation payments are therefore a matter for the Thalidomide Trust and Diageo plc.
It is the Department’s policy not to make ex-gratia payments to patients who believe their health has been adversely affected by the use of pharmaceutical products. Responsibility rests with the pharmaceutical company concerned.
Responsibility for the testing of thalidomide, including tests to assess its safety, lies with Chemie GrĂ1/4nenthal, the original developer of the drug. In the United Kingdom, Distillers also undertook testing on thalidomide before its introduction to the UK market.
Prior to the thalidomide tragedy, there was no formal drug regulation system in place to monitor the safety of medicines in the UK. As a result of the tragedy, a complete review of the machinery for marketing, testing and regulating drugs was initiated, including enactment
of the Medicines Act 1968, which introduced stricter testing for medicines prior to licensing to ensure that they meet acceptable standards of safety and efficacy.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Airbus A350
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what assessment he has made of the effect that provision of launch aid expenditure on the Airbus A350 would have on the UK aerospace industry; [281873]
(2) what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the provision of EU launch aid for the Airbus A350; and if he will make a statement. [281788]
Ian Lucas [holding answer 23 June 2009]: As part of our usual due diligence process when considering launch investment requests, the Government have carried out a detailed assessment of the possible provision of support to Airbus for the A350 XWB aircraft. This includes detailed analysis of the company's business case, technical viability of the project, the potential market, and anticipated benefits to the UK aerospace industry and the wider economy. As a result of this analysis we are proceeding with negotiations with the company.
At the Paris Air Show, on 15 June, the Minister for Science and Technology held discussions with his equivalent Ministers from France and Germany as part of the regular Airbus ministerial meetings held at the major European air shows. These discussions included financing arrangements for the A350 XWB on which the UK, French, German and Spanish Governments are in separate negotiations with Airbus. The Minister for Science and Technology confirmed the UK's commitment to Airbus and the A350 XWB programme and confirmed our aim to complete negotiations for support in the coming weeks.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) when he expects the decision to be taken on whether to provide launch aid funding for Airbus A350; [282165]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the UK which the allocation of launch aid funding for the Airbus A350 would (a) create and (b) secure. [282173]
Ian Lucas: The Department is in negotiations with Airbus over support for the A350 XWB programme. We would aim to complete these within the next few weeks; however this is subject to reaching satisfactory agreement with the company.
The long term nature of this project, and the fact that negotiations are still continuing, make it hard to be precise about the numbers of UK-based jobs that will be created directly within Airbus and within the A350 XWB supply chain. However, our assessment is that the programme will provide significant employment opportunities as well as generating skills and expertise that will help keep the UK at the forefront of aerospace technology.
Business: Regulation
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on post-implementation reviews of regulations affecting businesses. [280737]
Ian Lucas: The Impact Assessment template requires the timing for the post-implementation review of the regulatory proposal to be set out.
A post-implementation review should establish the actual costs and benefits of the policy and whether it is achieving its desired effects and delivering the policy objective.
Guidance for conducting a post-implementation review is part of the Impact Assessment guidance, available at:
On 20 March 2008 the Government announced a new approach to post-legislative scrutiny [Command Paper 7320] in response to a report by the Law Commission.
This new approach will complement the Government's internal departmental scrutiny with parliamentary scrutiny—principally by Committees of the House of Commons. Government Departments will publish a memorandum on appropriate Acts of Parliament which will enable the departmental Select Committees of the Commons to decide whether to conduct further scrutiny. Details are available at:
Colin Matthews and BAA
Norman Baker:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on what dates since 1 January 2007 (a) the Secretary of State, (b) other Ministers and (c) officials in his
Department have (i) met and (ii) had discussions with (A) Colin Matthews and (B) BAA. [276386]
Ian Lucas [holding answer 19 May 2009]: My right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furnes (Mr. Hatton), the then Secretary of State for BERR, met Sir Nigel Rudd on 28 November 2007 and 13 March 2008. My noble Friend, Lord Jones of Birmingham, the then Minister for Trade and Investment met Sir Nigel Rudd on 30 April 2008. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competitiveness and Small Business met Colin Matthews on 1 May 2009. Officials also met a representative from BAA on 21 October 2008, and had further discussions with BAA prior to each ministerial meeting shown above.
Construction
Peter Luff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to appoint a chief construction officer; and if he will make a statement. [280645]
Ian Lucas: I will make a statement shortly.
Further Education: Merseyside
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of young people resident in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby were in further education (i) in 1997 and (ii) on the latest date for which information is available. [282528]
Mr. Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is shown in the following tables for Merseyside and Liverpool local education authority (LEA). This information is not available below LEA level.
| Proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds( 1) in education and work based learning | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| Full time further education | All education and work based learning | |||||
| Age 16 | Age 17 | All aged 16 and 17 | Age 16 | Age 17 | All aged 16 and 17 | |
| (1)The age of a( )learner is measured at the beginning of the academic year, 31 August. Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16 to 18-year-olds in England, (Merseyside figures calculated from unrounded data for constituent LEAs.) http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000849/index.shtml | ||||||
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