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12 July 2010 : Column 472W—continued
Roads: Accidents
Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have occurred in each police force area in the East of England since 1997. [7051]
Mike Penning: The number of reported personal injury road accidents in each police force area in the east of England Government office region since 1997 are shown in the following table:
| Reported personal injury accidents in the east of England Government office region by police force area: 1997 to 2009 | |||||||||
| Police force area | |||||||||
| Metropolitan police( 1) | |||||||||
| County of Essex | County of Hertfordshire | Cambridgeshire | Norfolk | Suffolk | Bedfordshire | Hertfordshire( 1) | Essex( 1) | All police forces | |
| (1) Until 2000 Metropolitan police patrolled some parts of Hertfordshire and Essex. From 2000 onwards these areas were patrolled by Hertfordshire and Essex police respectively. | |||||||||
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were injured in work-related road traffic accidents in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8021]
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed in work-related road traffic incidents in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8017]
Mike Penning: The following table shows the number of vehicle drivers/riders and pedestrians killed and injured in reported road accidents while travelling for work or involved in 'on the road work' in each year since 2005. It also shows the total number of casualties in road accidents involving a driver or rider travelling as part of work or a pedestrian injured in the course of 'on the road' work.
Leader of the House
Members: Allowances
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent under the Communications Allowance in 2009-10. [6755]
Mr Heath: The provisional outturn figure for 2009-10 was £3,959,000. Communications Allowance was suspended by the Members' Estimate Committee with effect from 1 January 2010.
The Expenses Scheme for hon. Members is now the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
Health
Bowel Cancer: Screening
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent estimate he has made of the average cost of issuing a bowel cancer screening test; [7127]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the average cost of issuing and analysing a returned bowel cancer screening test in England; [7128]
(3) how many people were diagnosed with bowel cancer as a direct result of taking part in the bowel cancer screening programme in each year since the implementation of that programme; [7129]
(4) what estimate he has made of the cost of the bowel cancer screening programme in each year since 2006; [7104]
(5) how many bowel cancer screening invitations were issued in each year since 2006; [7105]
(6) what criteria were used to determine the age of 60 as the threshold for the bowel cancer screening programme in England. [7645]
Mr Burstow: The national health service bowel cancer screening programme in England began by inviting people aged 60 to 69 to be screened because over 80% of bowel cancers are diagnosed in those aged over 60. Although the pilot on which the programme was based invited people aged 50 to 69, those in their 60s were more likely to complete a testing kit. There was also insufficient endoscopy capacity at the time to invite a wider age range. This decision was informed by a formal options appraisal undertaken in 2004 by the School for Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield. The programme is currently being extended to people aged 70 to their 75th birthday, and the review of the Cancer Reform Strategy will consider how best we can extend screening to people in their 50s.
The number of screening invitations issued in each year since 2006 is shown in the following table:
| Invites issued | |
The number of cancers detected by the programme in each year since 2006 is shown in the following table:
| Cancers detected | |
The cost of the programme in each year since 2006 is shown in the following table:
| Funding (£ million) | |
Funding for the programme will rise to around £120 million per year once the age extension to people aged 70 to their 75th birthday is fully implemented.
The average cost of issuing and analysing a bowel cancer testing kit is a local operational cost, which is not held centrally. The ScHARR 2004 options appraisal estimated that the cost of a faecal occult blood testing kit was £10 per person invited, comprising the cost of two kits (to cover repeat tests and non-compliance), analysis of the kits and sending results letters. An additional £1.74 per person invited was estimated for administration costs.
Carers: Young People
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of carers under the age of 18 (a) nationally, (b) in Devon and (c) in Totnes constituency. [6107]
Tim Loughton: I have been asked to reply.
There is no national data collected as to the number of young carers identified at local authority or constituency level.
The 2001 Census "snap-shot" indicated that 139,000 children and young people across England were offering some care. Of these, some 22,000 (16%) were reported to be caring for substantial periods of time-between 20 and 50 hours or more per week. These figures are likely to represent an under-estimate as caring roles resulting from parental substance misuse are not included.
The 2011 Census will provide more up to date national and local authority level data on the number of young carers.
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an estimate of the number of people under the age of 18 years who provided care for a parent with an alcohol-related condition in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [6128]
Tim Loughton: I have been asked to reply.
There is no centrally collected national data as to the number of people under the age of 18 years providing care for a parent with an alcohol-related condition.
The 2001 Census day "snap-shot" indicated that some 139,000 children across England were offering some care to family, neighbours, or friends. Of these, some
22,000 (16%) were reported to be caring for substantial periods of time-between 20 and 50 hours or more per week. These figures are likely to represent an under-estimate as caring roles resulting from parental substance misuse are not included.
The National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, 2004, found that up to 1.3 million children live with parents who misuse alcohol.
CJD
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of (a) variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and (b) sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were diagnosed in humans in each of the last five years; and how many such cases were as a result of blood transfusions. [7793]
Anne Milton: Data on diagnosis are not held centrally for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). For variant CJD (vCJD) the number of diagnoses in each year was as follows:
2005: six cases;
2006: six cases;
2007: one case;
2008: one case; and
2009: three cases.
Of these cases, two cases diagnosed in 2006 were associated with blood transfusions in 1999 or earlier from donors who later went on to develop clinical vCJD.
Data on deaths supplied by the National CJD Surveillance Unit are shown in the following table:
| Deaths from sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the UK 2005-09 | ||||
| Year of death | sCJD | sCJD-blood transfusion associated | vCJD | vCJD-blood transfusion associated |
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) undertaken on the incidence of (i) sporadic and (ii) variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the possibility of a link in cases of individuals with different genotypes. [7794]
Anne Milton: Together with the Scottish Government, the Department funds Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance in the United Kingdom through the National CJD Surveillance Unit (NCJDSU) based in Edinburgh. The unit was set up in 1990.
All cases of definite or probable variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), where the genotype is known, have been methionine homozygous at codon 129 of the PRNP gene. As reported in the NCJDSU's 17th annual report in 2008 the unit was referred an individual who met the clinical criteria in life for possible vCJD and who was heterozygous (methionine/valine) at codon 129 of the PRNP gene. As consent for a post-mortem
was not given in this case, the investigations which could have led to a definite or probable diagnosis could not take place.
CJD: Screening
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the consequences of Amorfix's decision to suspend development of its proposed blood test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) after the latest versions of the test did not yield positive results; and if his Department will recognise that prion filtration is the only safe and effective method for protecting red blood cells from vCJD contamination. [7946]
Anne Milton: The Department recognises the difficulties in developing an effective blood test for the abnormal prion protein associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). The Department is aware of other companies, other than Amorfix, and academic institutions developing tests and will monitor progress.
The recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissue and Organs (SaBTO) on the use of prion filtration remain under consideration by the Department, the clinical safety of prion filtered blood is still being assessed, and further studies of the efficacy of prion filters are in progress.
Since the theoretical risk of vCJD transmission through blood was first identified as a possibility in 1996, a series of precautionary measures to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission through the blood supply and products made by fractionating plasma, including:
From December 1997, blood components, plasma products or tissues obtained from any individual who later develops vCJD, have been withdrawn/recalled to prevent their use;
From October 1999, white blood cells (which may carry a risk of transmitting vCJD) have been reduced in all blood used for transfusion, a process known as leucodepletion or leucoreduction;
Following the report of the first possible case of transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion in December 2003, individuals who had themselves received a transfusion of blood components since January 1980 were excluded from donating blood. This took effect from April 2004; and
In July 2004, this exclusion criterion for blood donation was extended to include two new groups; (i) previously transfused platelet donors and (ii) donors who were unsure if they had previously had a blood transfusion. This now applies to donors who have been transfused anywhere in the world.
Clinical Physiologists: Regulation
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of the Modernising Scientific Careers programme on the timetable for statutory regulation of clinical physiologists. [6766]
Anne Milton: Ministers are currently considering decisions about whether, and if so how, to regulate healthcare scientists, including clinical physiologists, within the context of the coalition Government's wider health strategy.
Departmental Consultants
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is of (a) his Department and (b) the NHS for external consultancy advice in 2010-11. [5490]
Mr Simon Burns: Planned consultancy expenditure from the Department's administration budgets in 2010-11 is £1.8 million.
The Department's plans on programme spend for consultancy have not yet been determined but plans will be in line with the tighter spending controls announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 May.
The Department does not hold NHS budget information on external consultancy advice for 2010-11.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997. [7509]
Mr Simon Burns: The information on the cost of televisions purchased is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Internet
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on website design in each year since 1997. [7610]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department operates two main websites:
The Department of Health corporate website; and
NHS Choices
Design and layout costs are included within the overall costs of each website's managed service and cannot be separated for each year.
In February 2010 an additional £40,425 was spent on redesigning the home page of the Department's corporate website, in response to user testing and feedback.
Since 27 June 2007 the Department has reduced the total number of websites that it operates, from 196 to 71, to meet its obligations under Transformational Government. The Department will continue to reduce this number by the Cabinet Office deadline of July 2011.
Given the high number of websites that have been in existence since 1997, it is not possible to provide information on design costs for all of these, as this would incur disproportionate costs.
Design costs for websites belonging to agencies and non-department public bodies are also included within the overall costs of each organisation's managed service and cannot be separated for each year.
Departmental Offices
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to relocate officials working in his Department from central London to Bassetlaw. [6558]
Mr Simon Burns: The location of public sector activity and plans for the Government's estate will be considered alongside other public spending issues over the course of the spending review.
Departmental Official Cars
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the mileage travelled by each Minister in his Department in a Government car in (a) May and (b) June 2010. [8319]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not recorded by the Department.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether equality impact assessments will be used in determining the areas of his Department's budget in respect of which spending will be reduced. [7817]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken into account when assessing policy options in the context of its departmental savings, in compliance with our obligations under the gender, race and disability duties set out in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Departmental Speeches
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in his Department and (b) other individuals are employed to write speeches for each Minister in his Department. [7493]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department currently employs a team of four civil servants to write speeches for Ministers. None of these officials is a senior civil servant.
General Practitioners
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of occasions in which patients saw a GP other than their registered GP in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [7775]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information on the number of occasions in which patients see a general practitioner (GP) in another practice rather than their registered GP.
General Practitioners: Telephone Services
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of GP practices which use 0870 and 0845 premium rate telephone numbers for booking appointments. [5834]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally.
Health Professions: English Language
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance on the level of competence in the English language expected from medical professionals, with particular reference to those responsible for delivering out-of-hours care. [6599]
Anne Milton: The Government are committed to ensuring that foreign healthcare professionals are not allowed to work in the national health service unless they have proven their competence and language skills. We are working closely with the General Medical Council and others to explore a number of options to ensure that all overseas doctors meet these stringent requirements.
The Department of Health issued guidance in February 2010 under "Delivering Quality in Primary Care: Medical Performers Lists"-a copy has been placed in the Library-which reminded primary care trusts that anyone they appoint to their medical performers list must be competent in English. Clearly, the precise requirements for individual posts will vary. We will be considering whether further guidance on this issue is necessary.
Health Services: Greater Manchester
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the results of the review of the Greater Manchester Making it Better Programme. [7844]
Mr Simon Burns: This is a matter for the local national health service and as such the information requested is not held centrally. Information on the cost of the Making it Better programme can be obtained from the Making it Better implementation team direct, through the North West Strategic Health Authority.
Health: Tobacco
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the evidence on the impact of banning the retail display of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement. [6548]
Anne Milton: Discussions are taking place across Government to decide how best to tackle this issue in the context of our focus on public health and our priorities, given the challenges facing business competition and costs.
Leeds General Infirmary
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with NHS organisations on the Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre at Leeds General Infirmary; what plans his Department has for the future of that centre; and if he will make a statement. [7545]
Mr Simon Burns: We have had no formal discussions with national health service organisations on the Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre at Leeds General Infirmary. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health visited the Leeds General Infirmary on 14 May 2010, and was given a tour of the hospital's cardiology services. This Government have pledged that, in future, all service changes must be led by clinicians and patients, not driven from the top down. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has outlined new, strengthened criteria that he expects decisions on NHS service changes to meet. According to this criteria, they must focus on improving patient outcomes, consider patient choice, have support from general practitioner commissioners and be based on sound clinical evidence.
Mental Health Services: Children
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of child and adolescent mental health services for children who require emergency mental health assessment and support; [6286]
(2) how he plans to ensure that tier 4 child and adolescent mental health services appropriate for children with autism are available to all children who require them. [6287]
Mr Burstow: The Department monitors the availability of 24 hour cover to meet the urgent mental health needs of children and young people through the Vital Signs Monitoring Return. The latest available figures, for the quarter ending 31 March 2010, show 139 primary care trusts (PCTs) with a comprehensive 24 hour cover service available throughout the PCT and 13 PCTs with plans and protocols in place, some services in place and some still to be developed so as to provide cover across the whole PCT. The Department is drawing on findings emerging from early visits of the National Support Team for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to inform local conversations about improving children's emotional health and well-being across the country.
Appropriate tier 4 CAMHS should be available to all children who require them, including children with autism. We are committed to improving the quality of services to patients. We will establish an independent national health service board to allocate resources and provide commissioning guidelines and will ensure that there is a stronger voice for patients locally.
Mental Health Services: Ex-servicemen
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of an appropriate level of healthcare for service veterans, with particular reference to mental health services. [6751]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government are committed to providing effective, through-life, health services for our service and ex-service personnel.
This important work is overseen by a Partnership Board involving senior staff from the Department and the Ministry of Defence and the health departments of the devolved Administrations.
We are currently undertaking community mental health pilots for ex-service personnel at six national health service trusts across the United Kingdom. The final pilot, in Scotland, is due to be completed in April 2011. From these pilots, best practice will be identified and provide input for planning future provision by the NHS of mental health services across the UK from 2011-12.
We have also made an additional £2 million available to allow the Department of Health to work with strategic partners, including Combat Stress, to further provide better services in primary, secondary and tertiary care.
The Prime Minister has asked the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to study the relationship between the NHS and armed forces personnel, with a focus on mental health.
NHS: Accountability
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the accountability of local NHS bodies to the public they serve; and whether he plans to improve such arrangements. [6383]
Mr Simon Burns: We have assessed the accountability of local national health service bodies to the public they serve and have concluded that arrangements need to be strengthened if we are to ensure the NHS is increasingly informed by and responsive to the views and feedback of patients and public. We plan to set out our proposals for improvement in the forthcoming White Paper.
NHS: Databases
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an estimate of the number of occasions on which information relating to a patient has been requested by a doctor other than the doctor with whom the patient is registered in the last 12 months. [7776]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect this information centrally.
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many summary health care records have been added to his Department's database in each week of 2010. [7777]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is provided in the following table:
| 2010 | ||
| Report week (Saturday to Friday) | Number of summary care records (SCR) created | |
| Start date | End date | |
We believe the processes that are currently in place relating to the creation of summary care records need to be reviewed to ensure that both the information that patients receive, and the process by which they opt-out, are as clear and simple as possible.
We will work closely with relevant partner organisations to resolve these issues. Strategic health authorities have been informed that no further information letters should be sent out to patients about the SCR until after that review has concluded.
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) GP and (b) out-of-hours surgeries have registered for the summary health care record scheme. [7778]
Mr Simon Burns: As at 2 July 2010, 323 general practitioner practices, and 37 out of hours service sites, were live to use summary care records (SCRs). Being 'live' refers to a health care setting starting to work with the SCR system, by creating and maintaining records for patients under their care, or by viewing a patient's SCR to aid delivery of care.
NHS: Drugs
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future appraisal of drugs for the treatment of ultra orphan diseases. [7106]
Mr Simon Burns: In the great majority of cases the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will continue to appraise important new drugs. However, for a small number of drugs for very small patient populations, where it is not appropriate for NICE to carry out an appraisal, it may be more appropriate for a drug to be considered by the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services as part of the arrangements for national specialised commissioning.
NHS: Internet
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the KPMG report on the effectiveness of the NHS Choices and NHS Direct websites. [6919]
Mr Simon Burns: We are not able to publish the requested report as it is central to the formulation of Government policy. The KPMG report on NHS Choices and NHS Direct is informing the Department's information strategy.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what websites have .nhs.uk domains. [6920]
Mr Simon Burns: As at 30 June 2010, there were 4,292 live websites with the .nhs.uk suffix within the English national health service web estate. A list of these has been placed in the Library.
NHS: VAT
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much value added tax was paid by the NHS in the most recent year for which figures are available. [7272]
Mr Simon Burns: The data are not held centrally.
Nurses: Pay
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to retain nurses within the profession in light of the planned two-year public sector pay freeze. [7392]
Anne Milton: We will continue to monitor the position of the work force, including nurses, during the period of the pay freeze. We will look closely at the rates of vacant posts, leavers from the national health service and joiners to the NHS. Currently the position is strong, with the latest data showing that the vacancy rate for qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors stands at 0.7% (2,088 posts); the leavers rate at 6.5%; and the joiners rate at 7.5%.
Nurses: Training
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake an investigation of the arrangements for training nurses for the purposes of raising the standard of nursing in NHS hospitals. [7083]
Anne Milton: The vast majority of our nurses provide excellent care, although ongoing education and training is vital to keeping standards high.
The Department has been working with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to develop an explicit set of statements which will outline what good nursing care looks like. This work will be ready in the autumn and will apply to the entire nursing workforce, including health care assistants.
We are determined to raise professional standards at every opportunity and to work with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the RCN to achieve this.
The arrangement for the training of nurses is regularly reviewed.
Parkinson's Disease: Drugs
Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether his Department has received any representations on the availability of Sinemet in the last (a) week, (b) month and (c) two months; and if he will make a statement; [7176]
(2) whether his Department has had any recent discussions with Merck on the availability of Sinemet. [7177]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has received representations from hon. Members (including the hon. Member's questions) and members of the public about the availability of Sinemet (co-careldopa) as follows:
| Date received | Number |
Patients' Rights: EU Action
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to participate in the European Project for Assessing Patients' Rights. [7553]
Mr Simon Burns: I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Peterborough Primary Care Trust: Debts
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the report by the East of England strategic health authority on the deficit accumulated by NHS Peterborough in the financial year 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [7944]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not commissioned a report on the deficit accumulated by Peterborough primary care trust. However, the East of England strategic health authority does report to the Department on a monthly basis on the financial position of its national health service trusts.
Prescription Drugs
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an estimate of the number of people in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire who were given regular prescriptions for (i) sleeping tablets and (ii) anti-depressants in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [7773]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the number of people receiving a medicine, and whether this is under repeat prescription arrangements, is not collected centrally. Information on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England and in Gloucestershire primary care trust (PCT) for the latest available financial years is shown in the following table:
| Thousand | ||
| Hypnotics( 1) (for insomnia) | Antidepressants( 2) | |
| (1) As listed in British National Formulary section 4.1.1-hypnotics. (2) As listed in British National Formulary section 4.3-antidepressants. (3) Includes predecessor organisations-Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT, West Gloucestershire PCT and Cotswold and Vale PCT. Source: Prescribing Analysis and Cost tool | ||
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to exempt medication for cystic fibrosis from prescription charges. [6915]
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to change the current system of prescription charges. [7202]
Mr Simon Burns: Any decisions on future changes to the system of prescription charges and exemptions will be dependent on our future financial settlements.
Prion Diseases: Health Services
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he next expects his Department's Prion Working Group to meet to discuss the (a) progress of the Platelet Receptor Inhibition for Ischemic Syndrome Management trials and (b) implementation of the P-Capt filter; [7404]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of progress of the Platelet Receptor Inhibition for Ischemic Syndrome Management trials and the P-Capt filter; and when he expects those trials to be completed. [7405]
Anne Milton: The Prion Working Group reports to the UK Blood Services, not to the Department. The Working Group will next meet on 2 September 2010, and updates on the P-Capt filter and the prion filtered red cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients (PRISM) trial are both likely to be on the agenda. This PRISM trial, which is designed to investigate adverse events, especially those related to the development of antibodies to red blood cells following transfusion of filtered red cells, is unrelated to the Platelet Receptor Inhibition for Ischemic Syndrome Management study otherwise known as PRISM-PLUS.
The PRISM trial is expected to be completed by mid-2012. Animal studies of the efficacy of filters using a hamster model are due to be complete by mid-2012 and studies in sheep by mid-2014. The UK Health Department's independent expert Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs will review data from these studies as they become available.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to implement the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs for the introduction of prion filtration via the P-Capt filter for blood destined for children born since 1 January 1996. [7792]
Anne Milton: The recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs on the use of prion filtration are under consideration by the Department.
Warfarin
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will consider the merits of making warfarin treatments available free on the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [7203]
(2) how many people were prescribed warfarin in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; [7204]
(3) what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of providing warfarin free on the NHS. [7205]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the number of people receiving a medicine is not collected centrally. In 2009, around 8,234,900 prescription items for warfarin were dispensed in the community in England at a net ingredient cost to the national health service of around £18,608,200.(1)
In addition, prescription charges paid at the point of dispensing for warfarin prescription items generated income of around £923,800(2) in 2009.
Any decisions on future changes to the system of prescription charges and exemptions will be dependent on our future financial settlements.
(1) Prescription Cost Analysis system.
(2) NHS Prescription Services Information System. Excludes items dispensed to patients holding a pre-payment certificate.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in (a) Glasgow North and (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency. [6186]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England and Scotland report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in (a) Slough, (b) Salisbury and (c) Scarborough and Whitby constituency. [6193]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Affordable Housing Delivery Commission
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his plans are for the future of the commission on affordable housing delivery chaired by Lord Best. [7749]
Andrew Stunell: The commission on the council role in new house-building was established jointly by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association. The commission expects to make its report to the Department and the Local Government Association later this year.
Affordable Housing: Ashton-in-Makerfield
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Makerfield constituency. [6204]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Affordable Housing: Bristol
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Bristol North West constituency. [7787]
Andrew Stunell: The number of surplus properties in the social sector is not collected centrally. Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Affordable Housing: Greater Manchester
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Stretford and Urmston constituency. [5845]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Affordable Housing: Houghton-le-Spring
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Houghton and Sunderland South constituency. [6082]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Affordable Housing: Standards
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2010, Official Report, column 312W, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) local authority and (b) housing association properties in each local authority remaining to be refurbished under the Decent Homes programme on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [7818]
Grant Shapps: I have put the information requested for local authorities in the Library of the House. The Tenant Services Authority has made projections nationally up to March 2011 but has not done so up to March 2012 at local authority level because such projections would be inaccurate. The Regulatory Statistical Return from housing associations does not collect projections of numbers of non decent homes. These figures would have been lower had funding reductions of £150 million not been made to the Decent Homes programme in July 2009.
Affordable Housing: Worsley
Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Worsley and Eccles South constituency. [6081]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Council Housing: Construction
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the £2.6 million funding previously agreed for new council homes in the London borough of Tower Hamlets is subject to the Government's review of public spending. [5835]
Andrew Stunell: The Homes and Communities Agency entered into a Local Authority New Build Grant Agreement with the London borough of Tower Hamlets in February 2010. It is contractually committed to support delivery of 26 new council homes in Tower Hamlets, and is therefore not subject to the Government's review of public spending.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Homes and Communities Agency previously agreed funding for the Bow Cross, Leopold and Holland estates in the London borough of Tower Hamlets is subject to the Government's review of public spending. [5836]
Andrew Stunell: The Government are committed to reducing the United Kingdom's budget deficit. It has led us to identify savings across Government, starting with the £6 billion of immediate savings this year that we announced on 24 May. Bow Cross and Leopold are part of the Kickstart projects that were successful at the due diligence process under round 2 of Kickstart and still subject to approval. The Holland Estates is a National Affordable Housing programme project. Bids for this project received in January are still being appraised. A review of these and other outstanding projects will be undertaken by the HCA, once the final funding position for 2010-11 is clear.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Government plan to bring forward a third round of proposals for funding for new council homes. [5837]
Andrew Stunell: We have no plans to continue a funding programme exclusively for the provision of new council houses. Local authorities are however free to bid for support from the National Affordable Housing Programme once all the funds available in the current Local Authority New Build programme have been allocated. The Government are committed to reviewing the unfair Housing Revenue Account, including its implications for council housebuilding.
Departmental Human Resources
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997. [5105]
Robert Neill: Communities and Local Government was formed in 2006 and we do not have access to records about expenditure by its predecessor organisations before this date.
The following table shows the total budget expenditure by our human resources function in the financial years since 2005-06.
The administration budget shows the cost of running the HR function. The corporate budget represents expenditure managed by HR on behalf of the wider Department. Corporate non-pay includes the Department's learning and development and occupational health costs.
| £ | ||||
| Financial year | Admin istration | Corporate | Total | |
Departmental NDPBs
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the address is of the head office of each non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible. [5724]
Robert Neill: Head office addresses for each of the Department's bodies can be found in the Communities and Local Government Annual Report 2009, which is located on our website.
Since this report was published there have been the following changes:
The addition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, located at Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.
The addition of National Tenant Voice, located at c/o Government Office North West, 14th Floor, City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BE.
Departmental Offices
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to relocate officials working in his Department from central London to Bassetlaw. [6567]
Robert Neill: The location of public sector activity and plans for the Government's estate will be considered alongside other public spending issues over the course of the spending review.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 26 May 2010, Official Report, columns 2-3WS, on savings (2010-11), under what budgetary headings the £780 million of savings allocated to his Department will be made. [6822]
Grant Shapps:
As a result of decisions by the previous Administration, in June 2010 the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast public sector net borrowing in 2010-11 would hit £149 billion-contributing to its
forecast £1.3 trillion of public debt by 2014. To help reduce the public debt, the Department for Communities and Local Government will make savings of £780 million in 2010-11, from the following budget lines.
| Programmes 2010-11 | Description | Savings (£000) |
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 5 July 2010, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on public spending control, which programmes will no longer be funded as a result of the end year flexibility claim from his Department for £220 million. [6840]
Grant Shapps: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2010, Official Report, column 394W, to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey).
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 5 July 2010, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on public spending control, what the breakdown by (a) budget area and (b) local authority area is of the £220 million reduction in expenditure to be made from his Department. [7033]
Grant Shapps: The Government remain strongly committed to reducing the United Kingdom's budget deficit and the announcement by the Chief Secretary on the 5 July confirmed that the Department has agreed to a £220 million reduction in its claim for End Year Flexibility this year. We have therefore been able to confirm £390 million of End Year Flexibility this year, alongside the £170 million announced on 24 May, for the provision of new social housing and other housing priorities.
This guarantee of £560 million of funding will enable the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to meet all existing contractual commitments and will be able to progress some of those programmes that have been paused while the funding position was under review. The HCA's regional offices will be assessing which other schemes can be progressed. Moreover, given public sector borrowing in 2010-11 was forecast to hit £167 billion, such levels of spending on "borrowed money" was unsustainable-contributing to the forecast £1.4 trillion of public debt by 2014.
Departmental Sponsorship
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what costs his Department incurred in connection with its sponsorship of the (a) Environmental Innovation in Waste Collection Achievement of the Year award and (b) Reducing Health Inequalities Achievement of the Year award at the Municipal Journal Awards 2010 in respect of (i) sponsorship, (ii) publicity and (iii) costs incurred in (A) travel, (B) accommodation and (C) subsistence payments for Ministers, staff and guests of his Department at the awards ceremony. [6423]
Robert Neill: The Environmental Innovation in Waste Collection Achievement of the Year award was a commitment of the previous Government and was jointly sponsored with DEFRA. The only charge to the Department was £11,744.13 including VAT which was paid to the Hemming Group Ltd. The Department incurred no travel, accommodation or subsistence for Ministers, staff or guests. The judging of the awards and the criteria used do not reflect the priorities of the new Government.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many temporary staff are employed by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [5501]
Robert Neill: Communities and Local Government has recently contributed to a cross-Government work force management information collection exercise, details of which can be found at:
This provides a comprehensive summary of staffing data, including contingent work force information, for the Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
East of England Development Agency: Internet
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the East of England Development Agency spent on the www.erebusonline.org.uk website in each year since its establishment; and what estimate he has made of the number of unique visitors received by this website in each such year. [7167]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 6 July 2010, Official Report, column 236W.
Empty Property: Greater London
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many long-term empty dwellings there are in the (a) Richmond-upon-Thames and (b) Kingston local authority area. [6926]
Robert Neill: As at 5 October 2009, the number of long-term empty domestic dwellings in Richmond upon Thames was 452 and 1,228 in Kingston.
These data are taken from the council tax base (CTB) form completed annually in the autumn by all billing authorities in England and returned to Communities and Local Government.
Housing
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average annual projected change in the number of households in England between 2006 and 2031 on the basis of (a) the principal population and (b) a zero net migration projection. [7772]
Andrew Stunell: 2006-based household projections under the principal population projection and the zero net migration population variant are published on the CLG website in Live Table 416 at
The ONS has subsequently produced 2008-based population projections, which include lower projected levels of net international migration. CLG expects to publish 2008-based household projections by the end of this year.
Housing: Asbestos
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of homes in (a) Penistone and Stockbridge constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber which contain asbestos. [6397]
Andrew Stunell: The information is not available from my Department. The presence of asbestos in the home is one of 29 potential hazards assessed through the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Local authorities are required to provide information each year through their Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix on their assessment of the number of homes with any category 1 rated hazards present in each tenure. However this reporting requirement is not specific to individual hazards. The English Housing Survey also provides national estimates of the presence of 26 of the 29 hazards, but as a non-intrusive survey rather than detailed HHSRS inspection, this does not cover the presence of asbestos.
Housing: Bristol
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of surplus one and two bedroom properties in the social sector in Bristol East constituency. [7494]
Andrew Stunell: The number of surplus properties in the social sector is not collected centrally.
Local authorities and registered social landlords in England report information on the number of vacant dwellings owned. However, the Government do not consider vacant dwelling information an appropriate proxy measure of surplus housing. Also, this information is not reported for constituencies and is not reported by number of bedrooms.
Housing: Construction
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes were built in the west midlands in each year from 1980 to 1999. [7040]
Andrew Stunell: The following table shows the number of new homes built in the west midlands in each year from 1980-81 to 1999-2000.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) when he expects the results of the regional review of funding for round two Kickstart projects to be published; [7819]
(2) what factors he plans to take into account in determining the outcome of the regional review of funding for round two Kickstart projects; [7820]
(3) whether he has made provision for public consultation under the regional review of funding for round two Kickstart projects. [7821]
Grant Shapps: The regional review of funding will build on the Homes and Communities Agency's (HCA) original assessment with the aim to maximise affordable housing and achieve best value for money, alongside local priorities and within the funding available. No public consultation will be undertaken during the regional review of funding for these projects. All individual schemes would have been through community consultation during the planning process. When originally approving these projects, HCA staff worked with the relevant local authorities to ensure that the schemes complemented local priorities. The objective is to give interested parties clarity as quickly as possible.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which (a) Kickstart and (b) local authority new build projects which were placed on hold by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in their statement of 25 May 2010 have now reached legal completion and will be funded following the HCA's statement of 6 July 2010. [7849]
Grant Shapps: The Homes and Communities Agency's regional teams are currently undertaking evaluation of all projects funding that had been put on hold under Kickstart round two and local authority new build. Determination will be based on available resources with the aim to maximise affordable housing and achieve best value for money alongside local priorities, with completion of reviews as soon as possible.
Housing: Regeneration
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how he plans to allocate the reduction to the 2010-11 Housing Market Renewal budget among the 11 pathfinder projects. [7947]
Grant Shapps: A letter to HMR Pathfinder Chairs, dated 10 June 2010, set out the Government's proposed approach to the allocation of the 2010-11 HMR budget. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
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