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9 Feb 2010 : Column 926W—continued
Nutrition
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were recorded as having (a) an admission and (b) a discharge episode with a diagnosis of (i) malnutrition, (ii) nutritional anaemias and (iii) other nutritional deficiencies (A) in England and (B) per 100,000 admissions to each NHS trust in each year between 1997-98 and 2008-09. [314564]
Gillian Merron: This information has been placed in the Library.
Osteoporosis: Health Services
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance to primary care trusts implementing local enhanced services on incentives for primary care health professionals to identify and treat men and women over the age of 50 with (a) osteoporosis and (b) a history of fragility fractures. [316346]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We do not issue guidance on local enhanced services which are determined by primary care trusts to meet local needs and priorities. A national Directed Enhanced Service provides incentives for general practitioner practices to diagnose and treat women aged 65 and over who have sustained a fragility fracture on the basis that this group of patients is at greatest risk of osteoporosis. This Directed Enhanced Service, which was due to end on 31 March 2010, will continue into 2010-11 and updated guidance to support this will shortly be issued by NHS Employers.
Primary Care Trusts
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice and guidance his Department has given to primary care trusts on their future role as healthcare providers. [316225]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: "NHS Next Stage Review: Our vision for primary and community care", (Department of Health July 2008) made a commitment to support the national health service in making local decisions on the governance and organisational models that best underpin the development of flexible, responsive community services. "Enabling New Patterns of Provision" (Department of Health, January 2009) set out best practice guidance for primary care trusts (PCTs) to support them to make decisions on the most appropriate organisational form or forms for delivery of their directly provided community services.
The "NHS Operating Framework 2010-11" (Department of Health, 16 December 2009) sets out that by March 2010 PCTs must have agreed with strategic health authorities proposals for the future organisational structure of all current PCT-provided community services. To support
PCTs to meet this requirement, the Department has recently published further guidance confirming the range of options available and the approval, assurance and engagement processes.
"NHS Next Stage Review: Our vision for primary and community care, Enabling New Patterns of Provision the NHS Operating Framework 2010-11" and "Transforming Community Services: The assurance and approvals process for PCT-provided community services" have already been placed in the Library and are also available on the Department's website at:
Rickets
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to address trends in the incidence of cases of rickets, with particular reference to cases in children. [316538]
Gillian Merron: As a precautionary measure, the Department continues to raise awareness and recommends vitamin D supplementation for those at risk of vitamin D deficiency, which may develop into rickets. Those at risk include all pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children up to the age of five years. Although sporadic incidence of rickets are reported at present, the concern is more about the high proportion of people at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
The recommendations are also available to health professionals, through mainstream communications including Healthy Start. The importance of Healthy Start vitamin supplements for women and children is reinforced by the Department, and work with the national health service and devolved administrations is ongoing to improve their uptake. For beneficiaries of the Healthy Start scheme, free vitamins for pregnant women and children (both containing vitamin D) are available free from the NHS without prescription.
Sandwell
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the borough of Sandwell, the effects on that borough of changes to his Department's policies since 1997. [316472]
Gillian Merron: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. 93 per cent. of people nationally now rate the NHS as good or excellent. The NHS constitution contains 25 rights and 14 pledges for patients and the public including new rights to be treated within 18 weeks, or be seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks and an NHS health check every five years for those aged 40-74 years.
There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the borough of Sandwell.
Figures for November 2009 show that in Sandwell Primary Care Trust (PCT):
93 per cent. of patients whose treatment involved admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.
98 per cent. of patients whose treatment did not involve admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.
In September 2009, at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, 99 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
Between September 2002 and September 2008 the number of consultants at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 199 to 236. Between September 2002 and September 2008 the estimated number of nurses has increased from 2,072 to 2,127.
Between September 2001 and September 2008 the number of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 within Sandwell PCT has increased from 57.3 to 61.9.
93.4 per cent. of urgent general GP referrals to Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.
Sandwell PCT opened its GP-led health centre on 1 June 2009 in West Bromwich. The Malling Health Centre offers longer opening hours, meaning that any member of the public will be able to see a GP or nurse between 8 am and 8 pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
There is one private finance initiative (PFI) scheme in the area that serves this constituency. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust's £26 million Ambulatory Care Centre PFI scheme opened in November 2005.
Although statistical information is not available at a local level, Sandwell will have also benefitted from national policies in other areas. For example:
Since 1997, gross current expenditure on personal social services has increased by around 70 per cent. in real terms with around 105,000 households now receiving intensive home care and 3,076 new extra care housing units-exceeding the original target of 1,500 new extra care units.
Other strategies currently being implemented are:
Subject to parliamentary approval, the Personal Care at Home Bill will guarantee free personal care for 280,000 people with the highest needs and help around 130,000 people who need home care for the first time to regain their independence.
"Shaping the Future of Care Together" Green Paper, published in July 2009, sets out a vision of a National Care Service for all adults in England which is fair, simple and affordable. The Department has consulted widely on this reform and is currently analysing the responses, which will feed into a White Paper later this year.
The National Carer's Strategy-("Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities")-launched in 2008,
The first National Dementia Strategy was published in February 2009.
"Valuing People Now"-a three year strategy for people with learning disabilities published in January 2009.
"New Horizons: A Shared Vision for Mental Health"-launched in December 2009-to maintain improvements in mental health services combined with a new cross-Government approach to promoting public mental health.
Since 1998, there are now 2.4 million fewer smokers in England as a result of the Government's comprehensive tobacco control strategy which has a measurable impact on reducing smoking prevalence.
Child obesity levels are reducing due to the efforts of families across England, supported by the Government's obesity strategy. In 2008, 13.9 per cent. of children (aged two to 10) in England were classified as obese, compared with 17.3 per cent. in 2005.
Overall, life expectancy at birth for men has increased from 74.5 years (1995-1997 data) to 77.7 years (2006-08 data) while for women, life expectancy at birth has increased from 79.6 years (1995-97 data) to 81.9 years (2006-08 data).
Sexual Offences: Young People
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his Department's strategy for young people who sexually abuse; and if he will make a statement. [316445]
Phil Hope: The Department has consulted stakeholders on the development of a framework for service development for young people who display sexually harmful behaviour. We recognise the need to involve other Government Departments in this work and are working closely with the key relevant Departments, with the aim of publishing the document by summer 2010.
Social Security Benefits
Mr. Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the devolved administrations on the effects of the new care and support system in the Shaping the Future of Care Together Green Paper on (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance. [316223]
Phil Hope: In the course of his ministerial duties, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and Ministers in the devolved Administrations about a variety of matters, including the development of the new care and support system.
Treasury
Banks: Finance
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much assistance in (a) funds for recapitalisation and (b) exposure to potential financial liability his Department provided to banks in the (i) first and (ii) second half of (A) 2007, (B) 2008 and (C) 2009; and how much such assistance of each type it had provided to banks on the latest date for which figures are available. [315954]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry [holding answer 8 February 2010]: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1924W. In Annex B of PBR 2009, the Government set out updated estimates of the net fiscal cost of financial sector interventions.
Child Benefit: Northern Ireland
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child benefit overpayments in Northern Ireland have been made consequent on the failure of claimants to notify the Tax Credit Office of a change of circumstances in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09; and what the monetary value was of such overpayments in each such year. [316278]
Mr. Timms: I refer to the answer given on 11 January 2010, Official Report, column 763W to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (John Battle).
Climate Change Levy
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed change to the Climate Change Levy discount arrangement on (a) private sector investment in environmental technology and (b) the number of manufacturing jobs. [315892]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The decision to reduce the Climate Change Levy discount available to Climate Change Agreement (CCA) participants was driven by the need to comply with European Union law and was informed by extensive macroeconomic and sectoral analysis to assess the consequences of the change.
As a result of the change, industrial energy taxation in the UK will remain among the lowest in the European Union, while average operating costs across all CCA sectors will increase by only 0.03 per cent.
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the decision to change the Climate Change Levy discount arrangement threshold from 80 to 65 per cent. [315893]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Departmental Disclosure of Information
David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible sell information on a commercial basis to (i) companies or individuals in the private sector and (ii) other organisations. [313230]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Government Departments and agencies and non-departmental public bodies that have Crown status, make most of their information available for free re-use under the PSI Click-Use Licence. Government trading funds, such as Buying Solutions are able to charge for the services they provide in order to cover their costs. This covers information and its supply provided to other public bodies, commercial organisations and individuals. Neither HM Treasury nor any of its agencies sells information.
Departmental Sick Leave
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last three years. [316454]
Financial Institutions: Shareholders
Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide that all (a) savers, (b) borrowers and (c) shareholders in UK banks and building societies have the same voting rights as those proposed in the mutual society to be formed from the Chelsea Building Society and the Yorkshire Building Society. [313449]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Building societies are owned by their customers, who have rights to vote on mergers under the Building Societies Act 1986. Banks, in contrast, are not owned by their customers, and the rights of shareholders to vote on mergers are determined in accordance with the articles of association of the banks concerned and company law.
Financial Services: EU Action
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the benefits for the UK financial services sector of proposals for EU regulation of that sector. [315927]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
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