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16 Sep 2009 : Column 2242W—continued
| Table 2: UK health expenditure as a proportion of (i) gross domestic product, and (ii) total managed expenditure | |||
| UK public spending on health as a percentage of GDP | UK public spending on health as a percentage of total managed expenditure | ||
| Sources: Calculated percentages use information on: 1. Health Public Spending-Table 4.2/Table 4.4 HM Treasury PESA 2009 2. ONS data for money GDP (not seasonally adjusted, BKTL) 3. Total Managed Expenditure: Budget 2009 Table C17 | |||
GDP and Public Expenditure are reported on a UK basis by HM Treasury. In order to avoid a misleading calculation, UK based figures for health expenditure have been used in the calculation and not England figures as shown in Table 1. This method is use in response to similar questions posed as part of the Health Select Committee's Public Expenditure Inquiry.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been (a) agreed to be spent and (b) spent in each primary care trust under the national capitation formula in each year since its inception. [291317]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Revenue allocations under the national capitation formula were first made to primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2003-04. Tables showing the Revenue Resource Limit (RRL) and Net Operating Costs for PCTs for each year between 2003-04 and 2008-09 have been placed in the Library.
The Revenue Resource Limit sets the level of agreed revenue expenditure a PCT can incur in a financial year. The Net Operating Costs represent the net revenue expenditure actually incurred in a financial year.
Revenue allocations made under the national capitation formula constitute the majority of the Revenue Resource Limit, with the balance of that limit comprising central programme allocations and agreed inter-authority transfers.
Osteoporosis
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the merits of piloting osteoporosis indicators for inclusion in the 2011-12 Quality and Outcomes Framework. [291212]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Under the new independent process for reviewing proposed changes to the clinical indicators within the current Quality and Outcomes Framework, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are responsible for making any assessment and recommendations for prioritisation. Details of indicators that NICE are currently considering for development were published on 8 September, a copy has been placed in the Library.
NICE will also make a facility available on their website for any organisation or stakeholder to submit proposals for new indicators or changes to existing indicators later this month (September).
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases there have been of individuals claiming exemptions from prescription charges to which they are not entitled in the latest year for which figures are available; what procedures are used by the NHS to reclaim monies owed when such individuals are (a) on benefit and (b) have a low income; and if he will make a statement. [291351]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information on the number of individuals claiming prescription exemptions to which they are not entitled is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The NHS Counter Fraud Service undertakes exercises to measure losses due to false claims for prescription charge evasion. The last such exercise examined claims made in 2007-08. This showed that 2 per cent. of claims for exemption were fraudulent.
Since August 2001, a penalty charge system has been in place in respect of those wrongly claiming exemption to NHS prescription charges. This involves recovering
the original charge plus a penalty charge. Recoveries and collection of penalty charges are made by primary care trusts, in the first instance through a civil legal process.
Trusts have discretion to waive the penalty charge if the patient is in a vulnerable group or if there are other relevant circumstances in individual cases. In cases where payment of a penalty charge is pursued, patients on a low income may seek an agreement to pay in instalments.
Patients in receipt of benefits that do not qualify them for exemption to prescription charges and patients on low incomes may be eligible to apply for exemption from prescription charges under the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Crime
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions were issued for public drinking offences in Suffolk in each of the last five years. [286270]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Information showing the number of offenders cautioned for public drinking offences in the Suffolk police force area from 2003-07 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table. Data for 2008 are planned for publication in the autumn of 2009.
The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time, the principal offence is the more serious offence.
The Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) Scheme was implemented in all 43 police forces in England and Wales in 2004 under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. Offences relating to public drinking were included in the scheme.
| Number of offenders cautioned( 1) for public drinking offences( 2) , in Suffolk police force area, 2003-07( 3, 4) | |
| Number | |
| (1) From 1 June 2000, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (2) Includes the following offences: 14001: (a) Being found drunk in a highway or other public place whether a building or not, or a licensed premises. (Licensing Act 1872 Sec 12.) 14011: (b) Contravene a community support officers' requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under S.1 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001-alcohol consumption in designated public places. (Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12.) 14101: (c) Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour. (Criminal Justice Act 1967 Sec.91.) (3) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time, the principal offence is the more serious offence. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit: Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | |
Alcoholic Drinks: Unpaid Fines
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) penalty notices for disorder and (b) other fines for being drunk and disorderly remained unpaid (i) six and (ii) 12 months after issue in each of the last five years. [288427]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 21 July 2009]: Information on paid, part paid and unpaid fines for offences of drunk and disorderly are not collected centrally. Information on the enforcement rate of financial penalties imposed by courts is held but cannot identify the originating offence.
It is therefore not possible to establish how many fines remain unpaid over the last five years for drunk and disorderly offences.
Departmental Billing
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in June 2009. [288913]
Mr. Woolas: The Home Department has invested significantly in its people, with the creation of a professional Shared Service Centre and Procurement Centre of Excellence complemented by the creation of new processes and upgraded Procure to Pay systems.
The Department has been putting a firm focus on paying its suppliers on time when it is in receipt of a compliant invoice. It has been working closely with colleagues in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills reporting on both our legislative obligations of 30 days as well as the 10 day PM's commitment for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for correctly presented compliant invoices.
The Home Office Headquarters and UKBA's performance of paying SME compliant invoices within 10 days for June 2009 following the PM's announcement is shown in the following table:
| Home Office HQ and UKBA | ||
| Month: June 2009 | ||
| Number | Percentage | |
|
Percentage of total number of all invoices paid within 10 days | ||
Both the Criminal Records Bureau and Identity and Passport Service are working to identify SMEs and change their systems to pay compliant invoices within 10 days of receipt.
Entry Clearances
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2009, Official Report, column 666W, how many representations he has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) other agencies alleging the use of duress in obliging a spouse to sign an application for leave to remain. [288984]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested on representations relating to this issue is not collated and could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual correspondence and case records at disproportionate cost.
However, the United Kingdom Border Agency is appraised of the seriousness of this issue and staff have been issued with policy guidance on this.
Offensive Weapons: Crime
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of the Tackling Knives Action programme in reducing the number of offences related to the possession of a knife. [287550]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 20 July 2009]: I believe the scheme has been of benefit in supporting 16 forces to tackle knife crime.
Management information has been collected from a range of sources both before and during the TKAP period, defined as July 2008 to March 2009. This management information was published on 22 July; Tackling Knives Action programme (TKAP) Phase 1: Overview of key trends from a monitoring programme is available on the Home Office Crime Reduction website:
Offensive Weapons: Schools
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the engagement of police officers in education programmes in schools in reducing the number of offences related to the possession of a knife. [287552]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 20 July 2009]: We are working with local partners in expanding the coverage of Safer School Partnerships (SSPs) to become the norm rather than the exception.
Through the Tackling Knives Action Programme we have invested more than £3 million on initiatives to keep children safe in and around schools, including Safer Schools Partnerships (SSP). There are now more than 5,000 Safer Schools Partnerships in operation.
In 2005, York university carried out an evaluation of Safer Schools Partnerships. The partnership is a formal agreement between schools and police to work together in order to keep people safe, reduce crime and the fear of crime and improve behaviour in schools and their communities. Key findings from the evaluation showed that SSP schools:
Have sought ways of identifying and working with children and young people at risk of becoming victims or offenders.
Have reduced truancy rates and helped total absence rates in relation to comparison schools.
Have an environment in which pupils feel significantly safer than their counterparts in comparison schools.
On 11 May 2009 the Home Secretary and Ed Balls, Secretary of State for the Department for Children Schools and Families, launched the new SSP Guidance
and DVD to provide advice on what constitutes a Safer School Partnership, the benefits, how to set up and how to maintain an SSP.
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