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20 Oct 2009 : Column 1339W—continued
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007-08
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file EAX/036 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007-08; and if he will make a statement; [293282]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file EAX/034 Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [293283]
Gillian Merron: We can confirm that the Department does hold these files. It will take some time to review the information requested and assess what information can be released. We will endeavour to do so within 20 working days, which is the period of time that would apply had the hon. Member submitted his question as a freedom of information request. I will write to the hon. Member in due course and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Human-Animal Hybrid Embryos
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Human Fertilisation Act 2008 to extend protection to embryos whose statutory storage period has expired; and if he will make a statement. [289162]
Gillian Merron: Yes. The Government have made the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Supplementary Provision) Order 2009 which applies to embryos whose statutory storage period had expired. The order permits, from 1 October, such embryos to remain in storage for 10 years from the date they were first put into storage.
In addition to the order, the Government have also introduced the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) (Amendment) Regulations 2009. These enable embryos that remain in storage by virtue of the order to benefit from the extended storage periods set out in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009 provided they fulfil the conditions set out in those regulations.
In Vitro Fertilisation
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on the requirement to destroy embryos frozen under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (a) 1990 and (b) 2008; what his policy is on embryos which have been stored for five years; and if he will make a statement. [291817]
Gillian Merron: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) code of practice provides guidance for centres on fulfilling the requirements placed on them by the legislation.
As a result of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 the statutory limit on storage for embryos has been extended from five to 10 years, bringing it into line with the storage period for gametes (sperm and eggs). The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Periods for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009 set out the criteria that must be fulfilled for storage periods to be extended beyond 10 years.
For embryos that had been in storage for more than five years on the 1 October, where a five-year storage period applied to those embryos, the Government have made the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Supplementary Provision) Order 2009. The order permits, from 1 October, such embryos to remain in storage for 10 years from the date they were first put into storage. In addition to the order, the Government have also introduced the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) (Amendment) Regulations 2009. These regulations enable embryos that remain in storage by virtue of the order to benefit from the extended storage periods set out in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009 provided they fulfil the conditions set out in those regulations.
Low Birthweight Babies
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of babies born alive had a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary care trust area in each of the last three years. [293187]
Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated October 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
What proportion of babies born in each primary care trust area of England were of low birth weight in the period since 1997. (293188)
What percentage of babies born alive had a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust area in each of the last three years. (293187)
The table attached provides the percentage of live births that were of low birth weight (less than 2.5kg) in: (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care organisation area for 1997 to 2008 (the latest year available).
A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Figures for 15 primary care organisations have been suppressed because of small numbers, in order to protect the privacy of individual mothers and babies.
NHS Foundation Trusts: Governing Bodies
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average size of the electorate of a foundation hospital governing board; and what the average number of votes cast in elections to such bodies has been. [292564]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The average size of the electorate of a foundation trust governing board is shown in table 1. These figures are based on the 115 foundation trusts authorised on or before 1 March 2009. The average number of votes cast in elections, referred to as aggregate election turnout in table 2, was collected by Monitor for the first time in 2008-09 and relates to elections held between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009.
| Table 1 | ||||
| At year end (31 March) | 2008-09 | Average 2008-09 | 2009-10 (Estimate) | Average 2009-10 (Estimate) |
| Notes: 1. Total foundation trust membership grew by 11 per cent. in 2008-09. 2. Public membership grew by 14 per cent. and staff membership by 9 per cent. during this period, however, patient membership fell due to a number of trust consolidating their patient and public constituencies. 3. Foundation trust plans show forecast membership growth of 12 per cent. during 2009-10. | ||||
| Table 2 | ||||
| Uncontested elections | ||||
| Constituency | Number of elections | Number | Percentage | Aggregate election turnout (Percentage) |
| Notes: 1. 283 of the 353 elections held were a direction competition between more than one candidate. 2. More than 125,000 members voted in these 283 elections. | ||||
Radiotherapy
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has evaluated on the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of low-grade brain tumours. [293970]
The point has not yet been reached where it would be possible to undertake the secondary research from which a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of this relatively new therapy could be made.
Social Services: Leeds
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of social care and support in the Leeds West constituency; and if he will make a statement. [293946]
Phil Hope: The Department is investing circa £3.5 billion over this comprehensive spending review period to support improvements in the provision of social care. In particular, the social care reform grant will provide an extra £520 million for the reform and transformation of adult social care, helping people to retain independence and exercise choice and control over the help they need.
In 2009-10, Leeds adult social care received a total of nearly £17.6 million of revenue and capital grant funding, both specific and non-specific. Of this, Leeds adult social care received £2.74 million in social care reform grant (revenue). Total grant funding by the Department to Leeds adult social care will increase to nearly £17.9 million in 2010-11. No data are available to identify the proportion of this funding used to support people in West Leeds.
The responsibility for the provision of adult social care within West Leeds lies with Leeds city council and it will have worked with its local partnerships to inform and develop joint strategic needs assessment to identify and agree local priorities.
Social Services: Tamworth
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of social care and support in Tamworth constituency. [292559]
Phil Hope: The Department is investing circa £3.5 billion over this comprehensive spending review period to support improvements in the provision of social care. In particular, the social care reform grant will provide an extra £520 million for the reform and transformation of adult social care, helping people to retain independence and exercise choice and control over the help they need
In 2009-10, Staffordshire Adult Social Care received a total of nearly £15.5 million of revenue and capital grant funding, both specific and non-specific. Of this, Staffordshire Adult Social Care received £2.85 million in Social Care Reform Grant (revenue), which is set to rise to £3.54 million in 2010-11.
The responsibility for the provision of adult social care within Tamworth lies with Staffordshire county council and it will have used Local Strategic Partnerships to inform and develop a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment in Staffordshire to identify and agree local priorities.
Swine Flu: Aviation
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research on the effects on swine influenza transmission of the number of cabin air changes per hour during commercial flights; and if he will make a statement. [293601]
Gillian Merron: The Department via the National Institute for Health Research has funded fourteen research projects related to swine influenza. None of these projects investigates influenza transmission during commercial flights.
Aircraft cabin air in the majority of commercial aircraft is exchanged and filtered every two to three minutes, exceeding the minimum number of air changes per hour that the World Health Organization recommends for healthcare facilities to prevent the transmission by droplet nuclei of infectious pathogens. In addition, a study published by the American Medical Association in 2002 found no evidence that cabin air re-circulation increases the risk for upper respiratory tract infections in commercial jet passengers.
The Department therefore does not have any plans to commission research in this area.
Wales
Departmental Training
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many external training courses have been attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost of attendance at each such course was. [289695]
Mr. Hain: Staff have attended a total of 18 external training courses in the last 12 months. The total cost for all 34 of those attendees was £16,094.19.
Work and Pensions
Carer's Allowance: Birmingham
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Birmingham Sparkbrook & Small Heath constituency (a) are entitled to and (b) receive carer's allowance. [291566]
Jonathan Shaw: The information is in the following table.
| Carer's allowance-Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Carers entitled to receive carer's allowance may not be paid it because they receive an overlapping benefit equal to or greater than their weekly rate of carer's allowance. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | |
Children: Maintenance
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long on average it takes the Child Support Agency to pass deduction of earning payments on to the recipient parent; and what steps she is taking to introduce (a) same-day and (b) same-week processing. [292105]
Helen Goodman
[holding answer 12 October 2009]: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have
asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long on average it takes the Child Support Agency to pass deduction of earning payments onto the recipient parent; and what steps she is taking to introduce (a) same-day and (b) same-week processing. [292105]
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