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Urology: Health Services

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department has issued to (a) primary care trusts and (b) regional procurement hubs in ensuring that commissioning arrangements for the provision of urology and stoma devices takes account of the outcomes of the most recent Part IX review consultation; [317934]

(2) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the use of local tenders and product formularies for urology products does not affect the availability of Part IX products to patients who gain access to them through the prescription process; [317936]

(3) what mechanisms his Department plans to put in place to ensure consistency in the use of local tenders and product formularies for urology products and services in primary care, with particular reference to the outcomes of the most recent Part IX review consultation. [317935]

Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment has been made of the effects on levels of competition in the urology industry of the development of local primary care trust tenders for the provision of urology products and services; and if he will make a statement; [317340]

(2) what assessment has been made of the effects on patient choice of the increasing use of tenders and formularies in primary care for urology and stoma products and services; and if he will make a statement; [317341]

(3) what his Department is doing to ensure that the use of local primary care trust tenders and product formularies for urology products does not prevent patients being able to access their choice of Part IX products via the normal prescription process; and if he will make a statement. [317342]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Any decisions to undertake local procurement activity rests with the national health service organisations that initiate them.


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Following the review of the supply of certain appliances for primary care, as listed in part IX of the Drug Tariff, new arrangements were announced in April 2009 and the relevant amendment regulations were laid on 22 December 2009. These are accompanied by directions to provide for new advanced services. There will also be changes to the Drug Tariff from 1 April 2010 to take account of associated new fees and allowances and a reduction of reimbursement prices for some appliances.

The Department is in ongoing dialogue with industry, industry trade federations, collaborative procurement hubs and primary care trusts (PCTs) over the use of local tenders and product formularies for products and services covered by part IX of the Drug Tariff. The aim of this dialogue is to agree clear guidance for PCTs on this matter.

The Department is not aware of any ongoing local tenders for part IX products. Any local procurement or tenders do not override the clinical judgment of the GP, who is still free to prescribe products listed in part IX of the Drug Tariff to meet the specific needs of patients.

Cabinet Office

10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) of 27 October 2009, Official Report, column 251W, on 10 Downing Street, how purchase orders for expenditure on renovation and refurbishment are (a) authorised and (b) electronically held; how quotations are obtained in advance of work on renovation and refurbishment; and how the Total Facilities Management Provider is reimbursed for expenditure on renovation and refurbishment over and above routine maintenance. [315220]

Ms Butler: All expenditure incurred by the Cabinet Office is procured and authorised in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in 'Managing Public Money' and the Treasury handbook on 'Regularity & Propriety'. The departmental guidance is available to all staff on the Cabinet Office intranet.

Only staff with the appropriate delegated financial authority may authorise Cabinet Office expenditure.

Central Office of Information: Marketing

Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) title and (b) notional budget is of each advertising and marketing campaign co-ordinated through the Central Office of Information in 2009-10. [315203]

Angela E. Smith: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mark Lund, dated 8 February 2010:


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Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Central Office of Information press release of 11 December 2009, on the merchandising and promotional items framework, how much the Central Office of Information has spent on promotional food and drink products in each of the last three years; what suppliers were used; and on behalf of which public bodies promotional food and drink was procured. [315223]

Angela E. Smith: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mark Lund, dated 8 February 2010:

Total (£)

2006-07

22,303.80

2007-08

11,666.99

2008-09

7,417.00


Charities

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will request the Charity Commission to require charities which have been found by the Commission to have raised money for a purpose outside their charitable objects to post information to this effect on their website and to indicate the steps they are taking to return such donations to the donors. [317183]

Angela E. Smith: The Charity Commission is an independent non-ministerial Government Department responsible for the support and supervision of charities in England and Wales under the Charities Acts 1993 and 2006. The Charity Commission is not subject to ministerial direction or control, and it would not be appropriate for me to make such a request. However, I have made the Charity Commission aware of your concerns.

A charity should take immediate action if it realises that it has made an appeal outside of its purposes. Where possible, it would be necessary for the charity
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running the appeal to contact the donors to clarify the basis on which they made their donation. The next steps would depend on the circumstances of the appeal and should be taken in consultation with the Charity Commission.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Charity Commission is taking to ensure that charities file their accounts with the Commission within the prescribed timescales. [317184]

Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.

Letter from Andrew Hind, dated 11 February 2010:

Civil Servants: Manpower

Mr. Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed by (a) local government, (b) central government, (c) public corporations and (d) the Civil Service in (i) 1996 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available. [312186]

Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:


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Annex A: Employment in (a) local government, (b) central government, (c) public corporations and (d) the Civil Service in (i) 1996 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available
United Kingdom; Headcount (thousands); Not seasonally adjusted
Local Government Central Government( 1) Public Corporations( 2) Civil Service( 1)

1996

2,737

2,144

394

538

2009 Q3

2,901

2,596

565

533

(1) Home Civil Service (excludes Northern Ireland Civil Service which is included in Central Government).
(2) Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Lloyds Banking Group classified to public sector from 13 October 2008.
Source:
Office for National Statistics

Death: Alcoholic Drinks

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2010, Official Report, column 800W, on death: liver diseases, how many alcohol-related deaths there were in the latest year for which figures are available, excluding deaths with an underlying cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis that do not mention alcohol as a contributing factor. [317565]

Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2010:


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