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19 Oct 2009 : Column 1268W—continued
Some applications granted may be for the same product in different months.
School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2009, Official Report, column 233W, on the school fruit and vegetable scheme, when the pilot scheme will be complete; and when he expects the results of the pilot to be available. [294139]
Gillian Merron: There are no current pilots for the school fruit and vegetable scheme (SFVS). The scheme was originally piloted in more than 500 schools throughout England in 2000 and 2001 as the 'National Fruit Scheme'. An evaluation of the scheme can be found at the following address:
The scheme was taken over from the Big Lottery Fund by the Department in 2004 and is now operating throughout England.
Working in partnership with nutritionists from Leeds university, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) evaluated the impact of the SFVS, and results were published in September 2007 on the Department's website at the following address:
Further evaluation of the scheme by NFER started in May 2009, and is expected to be published sometime later this year.
Strokes
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of (a) stroke and (b) transient ischaemic attack occurred in each primary care trust area in each of the last three years. [293190]
Ann Keen: The Information Centre for health and social care has provided the data requested. This information has been placed in the Library.
Swine Flu: Vaccination
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 765W, on swine flu, who will be responsible for giving housebound patients swine influenza vaccinations. [294114]
Gillian Merron: Arrangements for the vaccination of housebound patients against swine influenza will be the same as for seasonal influenza. As with seasonal influenza we are not being prescriptive about who should vaccinate housebound patients. It will be for primary care trusts to decide which health care professionals are best placed to vaccinate this group of patients but we would normally expect this to be undertaken by community nursing staff who are in regular contact with these patients anyway.
Thalidomide
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to review his policy on the provision of state financial aid for people affected adversely by thalidomide; and if he will make a statement. [292797]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Thalidomide survivors are already compensated through a private settlement agreed between the Thalidomide Trust, the body established to administer payments to survivors, and Diageo PLC.
I am meeting with the National Advisory Council to the Thalidomide Trust on the 22 October to explore ways of improving access to personal budgets and direct payments in social care, as well as the feasibility of developing a pilot that tests the use of personal health budgets for thalidomide survivors.
Vulnerable Adults: Protection
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the publication of the Government's response to its consultation, "No secrets: guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse"; and if he will make a statement. [293102]
Phil Hope: The consultation on the review of "No secrets" was comprehensive and wide-ranging.
We were pleased that such a large number of people contributed to the review. A wide range of professionals, totalling approximately 9,000 and including social workers, health staff, police officers, probation staff, lawyers and many others, participated. We were particularly pleased that some 3,000 members of the public took part, including those with learning difficulties, older people, those with mental health problems and people from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, who came to the consultation events and debated and discussed the many issues with us.
The summary of the responses was published in July this year, together with all the responses from organisations. The analysis and consideration of such a large volume of responses takes time; these are complex matters, which cut across health, social care and the criminal justice system. The Government response is being prepared
by four Departments; the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General's Office and the Department of Health.
We are examining all the issues raised and plan to make an announcement later this year.
Warfarin
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received warfarin prescribed by a GP in each primary care trust area in each of the last three years. [293191]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The number of patients prescribed a specific medicine is not collected centrally. Information on the number of warfarin prescription items prescribed in England and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom, by primary care trust, has been placed in the Library.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Broadband
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to increase levels of access to broadband services since the publication of the Digital Britain report; and if he will make a statement. [294189]
Mr. Timms: The Department has recently set up the Network Design and Procurement Company which it pledged to do in the Digital Britain Report. The company will be responsible for the procurement process to deliver the necessary upgrade and replacement works to deliver the Universal Service Commitment (USC) for 2Mbps to virtually every community by 2012 and, in due course, the administration of the Next Generation Fund outlined in the Digital Britain White Paper.
On take up of broadband and the Digital Inclusion agenda, the Government have also appointed Martha Lane Fox as our Digital Inclusion Champion. Her role will be to find ways of helping people without previous experience of computers to develop the skills needed to make use of the internet in order to take advantage of the benefits it offers.
Business
Ann Winterton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of overseas outsourcing on the UK labour market. [293507]
Mr. McFadden: The Department has made no formal assessment of the effect of overseas outsourcing on the UK labour market, though it has commissioned research in this area, notably on offshoring and wage inequality in the UK in 2007 (available on the BIS website) and a report from OVUM: "The impact of global sourcing on the UK software and IT services sector" in June 2006.
The Department also continues to monitor academic and other studies into overseas outsourcing. These have suggested that there are no significant links between overseas outsourcing and lower overall employment.
Business Council for Britain
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Business Council for Britain has met in the last four years. [291889]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Since it was established in June 2007, the Business Council for Britain has met formally seven times.
Business Council for Britain: Finance
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what costs the Business Council for Britain has incurred in the last four years. [291888]
Ms Rosie Winterton: BIS provides secretariat support for the Business Council for Britain. Since it was established in June 2007, the Business Council has incurred a sum of £870 for hospitality, but no other costs for travel or other expenses.
Business Link
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many Business Link staff have been disciplined for financial irregularities in each of the last four years. [291970]
Ms Rosie Winterton: "Disciplined for financial irregularities" has been defined as any sanction under each employers disciplinary policy and procedures relating to breach of rules relating to financial transactions.
No Business Link employee who was directly employed in the provision of the Business Link service, by RDAs and their Business Link Providers, has been disciplined for financial irregularities since delivery of the Business Link service was contracted by RDAs to the current Business Link Providers. RDAs are unable to access the records of previous providers of the Business Link service.
Business Link: Travel
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent on (a) standard, (b) business and (c) first class air travel by Business Link in each of the last four years. [292919]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 14 October 2009]: To gather this data to the level of detail and within the timeframe requested would incur disproportionate cost.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent on (a) car hire, (b) train travel, (c) air travel, (d) hotels and (e) restaurants by Business Link staff in each of the last four years. [292930]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 14 October 2009]: To gather this data to the level of detail requested would incur disproportionate cost.
Business: Government Assistance
Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in each constituency have received trade credit insurance under the Working Capital Scheme. [288655]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 21 July 2009]: As of 2 October, 58 suppliers have purchased Trade Credit Insurance under the Government Top-up Scheme, in the following constituencies.
| Constituency | Number of suppliers |
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