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27 July 2010 : Column 1156W—continued
Pensions: Working Mothers
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on the effect of maternity leave on the pension contributions of working mothers. [11581]
Steve Webb: None on this specific issue, but the Government have made clear their intention to commence the core provisions of the Equality Act 2010-including those requirements on occupational pensions and maternity leave-from October 2010.
The new provisions will not alter the current position that:
an employer contributing to an occupational pension must continue to make the usual payments during the period an employee gets statutory maternity pay or contractual maternity pay; and
an employee is required only to pay any contributions of her own on the amount of statutory maternity pay or contractual remuneration actually paid to, or for, her during that period.
Post Office Card Account: Rutherglen
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency and (b) South Lanarkshire who have Post Office card accounts. [11887]
Steve Webb: As at February 2010, the latest date for which information is available, the number of Post Office card accounts held in Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency was 12,150. The number held in South Lanarkshire was 27,250.
Poverty
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to estimate the minimum income required for healthy living. [1636]
Maria Miller:
We recognise that the current legislation and ways of measuring poverty do not necessarily capture all aspects of poverty or inequality facing individuals and families. The Government are committed to tackling the causes of poverty and not just treating the symptoms.
We must tackle the root causes of how people get trapped in poverty, breaking the cycle of disadvantage and dependency culture to stimulate social mobility.
The right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) has been asked to lead an independent review of poverty and life chances including examining the case for reforms to poverty measures, in particular for the inclusion of non-financial elements. The review will explore whether there are measures that can improve the way poverty is tackled, ensuring we focus on the root causes and the paths into poverty as well as looking at the non-financial side.
Poverty: Children
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of children in (a) absolute poverty, (b) relative poverty and (c) combined material deprivation and low income in East Lothian constituency. [11520]
Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty in Scotland are published in "Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09". This uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in "Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland" do not allow analysis by parliamentary constituency. Figures for Scotland are set out in the following table.
| Number of children in absolute, relative and combined material deprivation and low income in Scotland | |
| Period 2008-09 | Number of children (thousand) |
| (1 )Absolute poverty refers to the number of children living in households whose equivalised income is below 60% of the Great Britain median income before housing costs in 1998-99. (2)( )Relative poverty refers to the number of children living in households whose equivalised income is below 60% of contemporary UK median income before housing costs. (3 )Combined material deprivation and low income refers to the number of children living in households with a material deprivation score of 25 or more and with equivalised incomes below 70% of contemporary UK median income before housing costs. Notes: 1. The source of this information is the Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09 publication. 2. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors. 4. Figures are based on survey data and as such are subject to a degree of sampling and non-sampling error. 5. Numbers of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 10,000 children. Source: Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09 | |
Income measures do not necessarily capture all aspects of poverty or inequality facing children and their families and the Government is committed to tackling the causes of poverty and not just treating the symptoms. We must tackle the root causes of how people get trapped in
poverty, breaking the cycle of disadvantage and dependency culture to stimulate social mobility.
The right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) has been asked to lead an independent review of poverty and life chances including examining the case for reforms to poverty measures, in particular for the inclusion of non-financial elements. The review will explore whether there are measures that can improve the way poverty is tackled, ensuring we focus on the root causes and the paths into poverty as well as looking at the non-financial side.
Poverty: Lancashire
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to reduce levels of income inequality in Lancashire. [10546]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
Analysis shown in the June Budget shows that the overall impact of modelled direct tax, indirect tax, and benefit and tax credit changes coming into effect by 2012-13 is progressive, with the rich paying more than the poorest. The Government have also set out in their spending review framework that they will
"look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions." (2.4, page 7).
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on disabled people of recent changes to the eligibility criteria for accessing the Independent Living Fund. [10023]
Maria Miller [holding answer 20 July 2010]: The decision to restrict applications in accordance with priority groups outlined in the Trust Deed was made under the previous administration and no consultation was undertaken about the effect of this decision on disabled people. The ILF subsequently closed the fund to new applicants in June to safeguard the support given to the 21,000 existing recipients of the discretionary fund.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) Mid Bedfordshire constituency were in receipt of (i) disability living allowance, (ii) incapacity benefit and (iii) employment and support allowance on the most recent date for which figures are available. [11813]
Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency are in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit, (b) disability living allowance and (c) employment and support allowance. [11899]
Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
| Employment support allowance claimants, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and disability living allowance, November 2009 | |||
| Number | |||
| Parliamentary constituency | IB/SDA | ESA | DLA |
| Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data. | |||
Social Security Benefits: Married People
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many spouses of designated persons have previously (a) applied for and (b) been refused state benefits. [10099]
Maria Miller: The information is not available. Benefit would only be refused where the relevant entitlement conditions are not met.
State Retirement Pensions
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to raise the basic state pension by the (a) change in (i) average earnings or (ii) each price index or (b) 2.5%, whichever is higher, in (A) 2012, (B) 2013 and (C) 2014. [11923]
Steve Webb: The coalition Government are providing a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will rise each year by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%.
For 2011, we will additionally ensure that the increase will not be lower than it would have been under the previous uprating arrangements.
Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department and its predecessors has paid to trade unions in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the monetary value of facilities provided by his Department and its predecessor for use by trade unions in each year since 1997. [11688]
Chris Grayling: Since 1997 the Department and its predecessors have paid no monies to trade unions.
The information requested on the value of facilities provided by the Department and its predecessor for use by trade unions in each year since 1997 is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many paid manpower hours civil servants in his Department and its predecessors spent on trade union-related duties and activities in each year since 1997. [11689]
Chris Grayling: This specific information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Under the Corporate Employee Relations Framework, which sets out the maximum amount of time we will allow trade union representatives to undertake their trade unions activity, the Department for Work and Pensions allows a total resource of 0.2% of the Department's overall whole time equivalent staffing headcount as at the 1 April each year. Out of a total of 21,134,300 staff days this was 42,460 days for the year commencing 1 June 2009 to 31 May 2010.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many civil servants in his Department and its predecessors spent the equivalent of (a) five days or fewer, (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days, (d) 15 to 20 days, (e) 20 to 25 days and (f) 25 days or more on trade union-related activities or duties while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 1997. [11690]
Chris Grayling: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Unemployment
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what forecast the Office for Budget Responsibility has made of those unemployed (a) for less than six months, (b) between six and 12 months, (c) between 12 and 24 months and (d) over 24 months in each year from 2010. [4650]
Justine Greening [holding answer 28 June 2010]: I have been asked to reply.
The official forecast produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility does not include a breakdown of ILO unemployment by duration of unemployment.
Unemployment Benefits: Greater London
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many problem drug user residents in (a) Greater London, (b) the London Borough of Enfield and (c) Enfield North constituency received each out of work benefit in each year since 2005; [11802]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Greater London, (b) the London Borough of Enfield and (c) Enfield North constituency who are unable to work as a result of (i) alcohol and (ii) drug dependency and who are in receipt of out of work benefits. [11803]
Chris Grayling: Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the most damaging root causes of poverty. Helping people who are trapped on benefits through drug and alcohol addiction so that they can recover and find employment is a top priority for the Government.
Drug or alcohol dependency does not of itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. This assesses the effects of a person's condition on their ability to carry out a number of everyday activities relevant to work. People with a recorded diagnosis of alcohol or drug dependency may have other diagnoses, for example mental illness, which result in their incapacity for work. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation:
A breakdown by medical condition is only available for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance. Details of medical condition are not available for the other out-of-work benefits. The available information is in the tables.
| The number of working age claimants of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance whose main disabling condition is recorded as drug abuse 2005-09 | |||
| London government office region | Enfield local authority | Enfield North parliamentary constituency | |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance from October 2008. This will account for some of the change in numbers of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants between November 2008 and November 2009 whose main disabling condition was recorded as drug abuse. 3. Benefit data reflect the pre-2005 parliamentary constituency boundaries as the provision of a time series based on the 2010 parliamentary constituency boundary changes would incur disproportionate cost. 4. Future published benefit data will reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituencies from May 2010. These data will be published from November 2010 onwards. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | |||
| The number of working age claimants of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance whose main disabling condition is recorded as drug abuse or alcoholism-November 2009 | ||
| Alcoholism | Drug Abuse | |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance from October 2008. 3. Enfield parliamentary constituency figures take account of the boundary changes from May 2010. The most up to date available data are for November 2009, and the figures have been processed to reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituency boundary changes. 4. Future published benefit data will reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituencies from May 2010. These data will be published from November 2010 onwards. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | ||
| Estimated number of working age claimants who are problem drug users by benefit type in England in 2006 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. The figures are derived from estimates of the number of recipients of each main benefit who are problem drug users. Those individuals who receive disability-related benefits and declare their drug use are a sub-set of this larger group. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. The sum of the component benefits is greater than the total because claimants can be in receipt of one or more benefits at the same time. 4. Problem drug users are defined as those who use opiates (e.g. heroin) and/or crack cocaine and include those who are in treatment for their dependency. 5. Disability living allowance can be claimed by people who are both in and out of work. 6. The copy of the working paper by Hay and Bauld can be found in the House of Commons Library, and can also be accessed at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/WP46.pdf Source: Population estimates of problematic drug users in England who access Department for Work and Pensions benefits: A feasibility study, Working Paper No. 46, Hay, G. and Bauld, L. 2008 | |
Unemployment Benefits: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many problem drug users resident in (a) the East of England, (b) Peterborough city council area and (c) Peterborough constituency received each out of work benefit in each year since 2005; [11192]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) the Peterborough city council area who are unable to work and in receipt of out of work benefits as a result of (i) alcohol and (ii) drug dependency; and if he will make a statement. [11292]
Chris Grayling:
Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the most damaging root causes of poverty. Helping people who are trapped on benefits through drug and
alcohol addiction so that they can recover and find employment is a top priority for the Government.
Drug or alcohol dependency does not of itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. This assesses the effects of a person's condition on their ability to carry out a number of everyday activities relevant to work. People with a recorded diagnosis of alcohol or drug dependency may have other diagnoses, for example mental illness, which result in their incapacity for work. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation
A breakdown by medical condition is only available for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance. Details of medical condition are not available for the other out-of-work benefits. The available information is in the tables.
| The number of working age claimants of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance whose main disabling condition is recorded as drug abuse, 2005 to 2009. | |||
| November | East of England | Peterborough local authority | Peterborough parliamentary constituency |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance from October 2008. This will account for some of the change in numbers of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants between November 2008 and November 2009 whose main disabling condition was recorded as drug abuse. 3. Benefit data reflect the pre-2005 parliamentary constituency boundaries as the provision of a time series based on the 2010 parliamentary constituency boundary changes would incur disproportionate cost. 4. Future published benefit data will reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituencies from May 2010. These data will be published from November 2010 onwards. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |||
| The number of working age claimants of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance whose main disabling condition is recorded as drug abuse or alcoholism, November 2009. | ||
| Alcoholism | Drug abuse | |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance from October 2008. 3. Peterborough parliamentary constituency figures take account of the boundary changes from May 2010. The most up to date available data are for November 2009, and the figures have been processed to reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituency boundary changes. 4. Future published benefit data will reflect the 2010 parliamentary constituencies from May 2010. These data will be published from November 2010 onwards. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | ||
| Estimated number of working age claimants who are problem drug users by benefit type in England in 2006. | |
| Benefit | Estimated number |
| Notes: 1. The figures are estimates of the number of recipients of each main benefit who are problem drug users. Those individuals who receive disability-related benefits and declare their drug use are a sub-set of this larger group. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. The sum of the component benefits is greater than the total because claimants can be in receipt of one or more benefits at the same time. 4. Problem drug users are defined as those who use opiates (e.g. heroin) and/or crack cocaine and include those who are in treatment for their dependency. 5. Disability living allowance can be claimed by people who are both in and out of work. 6. The copy of the working paper by Hay and Bauld can be found in the House of Commons Library, and can also be accessed at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/WP46.pdf Source: Population estimates of problematic drug users in England who access Department for Work and Pensions benefits: A feasibility study, Working Paper No. 46, Hay, G. & Bauld, L. 2008. | |
Unemployment: Holborn
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in Holborn and St Pancras constituency have been unemployed for more than a year. [11935]
Mr Hurd: 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 Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in Holborn and St Pancras constituency have been unemployed for more than a year. (11935)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS). However, due to the small sample size, no reasonable estimate is available for Holbom and St Pancras constituency.
As an alternative we can provide the number of persons claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for more than 52 weeks. In June 2010 the number of these in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency was 670.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
Vulnerable Adults: Home Visits
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to maintain the number of home visits to vulnerable clients undertaken by Pension, Disability and Carers Service local service at its current level. [11848]
Steve Webb: Following a strategic review, the future visiting service will be more directly targeted only on vulnerable customers with particular needs which cannot be met in more cost effective ways. The service will also be expanded to support all of the Department's vulnerable customers. While this strategy is expected to widen the customer base and align the service offering across the Department, more effective targeting and movement of some of the current customer base to lower cost channels is expected to reduce the number of future customers needing a face to face service and subsequently the number of visits.
Work Capability Assessment
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which private companies carry out the work capability assessment on behalf of his Department; and how much has been paid to each for this work to date. [11992]
Chris Grayling: Following open, competitive tender, the Department for Work and Pensions re-awarded Atos Origin IT Services Ltd, trading as Atos Healthcare, a new contract to perform medical services on behalf of the Department from 1 September 2005. The total cost of these services amounts to approximately £100 million per annum. This figure covers not only the total number of examinations undertaken across all benefits, but also costs relating to written and verbal medical advice, fixed overheads, administrative costs, investment in new technology and other service improvements.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Cynon Valley constituency who underwent the work capability assessment in the last 12 months was judged fit for work; how many appeals against such determinations were initiated; and how many such appeals were successful. [11993]
Chris Grayling: Between June 2009 and May 2010, 66% of people who completed the work capability assessment in the UK were found fit for work. The equivalent figure for Wales is 63%. This information is not available for the Cynon Valley constituency.
Appeals data are not available for the period June 2009 and May 2010. For new ESA claims received in the UK between October 2008 and June 2009, where the claimant was found fit for work, has appealed the Department's decision and has had an appeal heard by May 2010, 40% of these appeals found in favour of the appellant. The equivalent figure for Wales is 36%. This information is not available for the Cynon Valley constituency.
Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Cynon Valley constituency have undergone the work capability assessment as part of a claim for employment and support allowance to date. [11994]
Chris Grayling: In the UK, there have been 496,200 completed work capability assessments from October 2008 up to the end of May 2010. The equivalent figure for Wales is 29,100. This information is not available for the Cynon Valley constituency.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 13W, on the Work Programme, who the members are of the review of the work capability assessment. [11999]
Chris Grayling: The internal review of the work capability assessment led by the Department was published on 29 March 2010. The review engaged with medical and other experts and disability representative groups and found that generally the assessment accurately identifies individuals for benefit. Those consulted as part of the review included representatives from:
Citizens Advice;
The Disability Benefits Consortium;
The Disability Employment Advisory Council;
Mencap;
MIND;
The National Autistic Society;
The Parkinson's Disease Society;
The Royal College of Psychiatrists;
RNIB;
RNID;
RSI Action;
Atos Origin Medical Services;
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development;
The Social Security Advisory Committee; and
Senior health care professionals from the fields of psychiatry, neurological disability/rehabilitation; occupational and psychological medicine.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 10W, on disabled people (work), if he will publish the results of the review of the work capability assessment led by his Department. [12000]
Chris Grayling: The internal review of the work capability assessment led by the Department was published on 29 March. A copy of the report and the associated addendum, which was published at the same time, have been placed in the Library.
Health
Abortion: Death
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many women are known to have died within one month of operations for termination of pregnancy notified under the Abortion Regulations 1991, as amended, in each year since 1980; and what cause of death was recorded on the death certificate in each case; [10504]
(2) what research his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) evaluated on the number of women who died following complications from a legal abortion; when his
Department last undertook an evidence review of the number of women who died following complications from a legal abortion that drew on (i) UK and (ii) international research; and if he will make a statement. [10505]
Anne Milton: Data on deaths from abortion from 1979 to 2005 can be found in the following table. The maternal death data are currently published in a triennial cycle and 2006-08 data will be published in March next year.
All of the maternal deaths following a legal abortion reported to the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries have undergone a full review.
We have confirmed with the National Institute for Health Research that there is no specific funded research or evidence review in this area. However, the Department has commissioned the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to review and update their 2004 guidance 'The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion'. The aim of the guidance is to ensure that all women considering induced abortion have access to a service of uniformly high quality.
Accident and Emergency Departments
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with NHS London on future hospital and accident and emergency provision in London. [11843]
Mr Simon Burns: There has been no discussions with NHS London on future hospital and accident and emergency provision in London. In future, all service changes must be led by clinicians and patients, not be driven from the top down.
The Government have outlined new, strengthened criteria that they expect decisions on national health service service changes to meet. The local NHS are considering the impact of these criteria in their area and local communities are establishing how this work will be taken forward.
Accident and Emergency Departments: Patients
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients attended each accident and emergency department in London (a) in each of the last three years and (b) in 2010 on the latest date for which figures are available. [11840]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not collected in the format requested.
The following table sets out the number of first attendances at accident and emergency departments, minor injury units and walk in centres in London national health service organisations from April 2007 to March 2010. The data are collected by provider trust rather than by department and are the latest published data available.
Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals for compulsory labelling of alcoholic drinks with (a) information on the number of units the drink contains, (b) daily safe drinking limits, (c) a message about responsible drinking, (d) a health warning for pregnant women and (e) the website address for the Drinkaware Trust. [11645]
Anne Milton: A public consultation on options for improving health information on the labels of alcoholic drinks closed on 31 May. The responses to this exercise are now being analysed and it would be inappropriate for us to pre-empt the findings. We will set out our plans for next steps, in the coming months.
Asbestos: Diseases
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will (a) support and (b) provide funding for the establishment of a national centre for asbestos-related diseases; [11186]
(2) how much he plans to spend on research into asbestos-related diseases in the next three years; [11187]
(3) what his policy is on increasing expenditure on research into asbestos-related diseases. [11188]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has asked the National Cancer Research Institute to carry out a review of research in mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The outcome of the review will inform the future strategies and work of the Institute's partner funders, and help develop the potential to build research capacity and increase research investment in asbestos-related diseases. The review is due to report in the autumn.
The National Institute for Health Research and the Medical Research Council both welcome applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals submitted. Future levels of expenditure on research in asbestos-related diseases will be determined by the success of relevant bids for funding.
Care Quality Commission: Fees
Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to assess the merits of (a) a discount and (b) an exemption scheme for non-profit organisations and charities as part of his Department's consultation on the registration fees charge by the Care Quality Commission. [10496]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission is responsible for setting the level of registration fees payable by different providers.
The Commission intends to consult on its proposals for registration fees that will apply from April 2011 in the autumn. Final proposals for registration fees will be subject to the consent of the Secretary of State for Health.
CJD
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what compensation his Department has paid to (a) individuals affected by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and (b) their families in each year since 1996. [10943]
Anne Milton: Compensation for patients suffering from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), and their families, has been available since 2001. In total, £67.5 million has been made available to cover the needs of the first 250 patients and their families. This sum has been paid into the vCJD Trust, which disburses funds in line with the terms of its Trust Deed.
As at 11 June 2010, the Trust had paid £38,705,147.16 in compensation in relation to a total of 175 vCJD patients. A breakdown between patients and their families is not readily available. The totals of payments made in each year are as follows:
| Period | Total compensation (£) |
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has provided for research into variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in each year since 1996. [10944]
Anne Milton: Expenditure by the Department on research into variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is shown in the table.
| £ million | |
Cystic Fibrosis: Prescriptions
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals for an exemption from payment of prescription charges for cystic fibrosis patients. [11543]
Mr Simon Burns: Decisions on any future changes to the system of prescription charges and exemptions in England would need to be taken in the context of the next spending review, which is due to report in the autumn. In the meantime, there are no plans to make any changes to the current list of conditions which are exempt from prescription charges.
Departmental Billing
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of payments made by his Department to (a) small and medium-sized enterprise suppliers and (b) all suppliers were made (i) within 10 days of receipt of invoice and (ii) on the agreed payment terms in the last three months for which information is available. [11387]
Mr Simon Burns:
The Department of Health does not differentiate between small and medium sized enterprises and other creditors. It is the intention of the Department
to pay all suppliers as soon as is practicable after receipt of a valid invoice, regardless of their size.
The percentage of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice and on the agreed payment terms in the last three months are shown in the following table.
| Percentage of invoices paid within 10 days | Percentage of invoices paid within 30 days( 1) | |
| (1) The Department has a standard payment term that states that payment shall be due 30 days after receipt of the goods or the correct invoice, whichever is the later. | ||
Departmental Internet
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies spent on search engine biasing with (i) Google and (ii) other search engines in each of the last five years. [10015]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has a corporate website:
the official health information portal for the public.
The Department's corporate website does not invest in any paid search activity. In line with Government policy, NHS Choices no longer has any arrangement, or pays for any search engine activity.
No commitments have been made with Google or any other search provider for 'pay per click' online marketing since the moratorium on marketing spend was put in place on 24 May 2010.
NHS Choices used paid search activity to ensure that it reaches the widest possible audience, and that users can easily find clinically assured health information and access the services they need from Government.
Paid search activity was a key component of several major campaigns for the Department in 2009-10, including our anti-smoking and pandemic flu campaigns, to reach as large an audience as possible.
The Department spent £2.93 million and £1.48 million on paid search activity in 2009-10 and 2008-09 respectively. A breakdown of this spend by search engine is not readily available and can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Likewise, data for the three years preceding 2008-09 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not spent any money with Google or other search engines.
Departmental Parliamentary Questions
Mr Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal background note prepared for the response to each
Parliamentary question tabled by the hon. Member for Southend West and answered by his Department since 5 June 2010. [4274]
Anne Milton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal background note prepared for the response to each parliamentary question tabled by the hon. Member for Southend West and answered by his Department in (a) June and (b) July 2009. [4305]
Anne Milton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Departmental Travel
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken in an official capacity by each Minister in his Department in (i) May 2010 and (ii) June 2010. [8231]
Mr Simon Burns: Based on invoices the Department has received, the estimated expenditure is in the region of the figures in the following table.
| £ | ||
| Minister | May 2010 | June 2010 |
The existing Government Care Service contracts, which were subject to a 90-day contract termination period, end on 19 August 2010. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Doctors: Working Hours
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the application of the EU Working Time Directive to the working hours of surgeons and trainee surgeons; and if he will make a statement. [10881]
Mr Simon Burns: The coalition Government are committed to 'limit the application of the working time directive in the United Kingdom'. Ministers at the Department have discussed the impact of the application of the working time directive on the working hours of surgeons and trainee surgeons specifically or in relation to other matters on a number of occasions.
18 May 2010: Telephone conversation between the Secretary of State and John Black (President of the Royal College of Surgeons)
7 June 2010: Presentation of Sir John Temple's report "Time for Training" to the Secretary of State (Medical Education England Chair and Managing Director Sir Christopher Edwards and Chris Outram attending)
9 June 2010: Meeting between the Secretary of State and John Black
13 July 2010: Meeting between Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords) and John Black (Dr P. Hamilton, Department of Health, Director Medical Education attending).
21 May 2010, 27 May 2010 and 15 June 2010: John Black to Secretary of State
26 May 2010: Secretary of State to John Black.
Epilepsy: Nurses
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department (1) has on the number of epilepsy specialist nurses transferred partially or in full to general nursing duties in the latest period for which figures are available; [11378]
(2) holds on the ratio of children with epilepsy to paediatric epilepsy specialist nurses. [11391]
Mr Burstow: We have no information on the number of specialist epilepsy nurses that have been transferred to general nursing duties.
Information on the ratio of children with epilepsy to the number of paediatric specialist epilepsy nurses is not collected centrally.
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, which receives its funding from the Department, has commissioned a national clinical audit of childhood epilepsy to support local health services to evaluate clinical practice and to stimulate service improvement. One of the measures the audit will use will be the percentage of children with epilepsy with evidence of input by an epilepsy specialist nurse within one year. Data collection is due to start in the autumn of 2010 at early adopter sites, with a national roll out to follow soon after. The audit is being coordinated by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Foetal Tissue
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many foetuses have been used for the purposes of research in the last five years; which clinics have supplied foetal remains for research in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [10407]
Anne Milton: This information is not collected centrally. The law governing the use of foetal tissue for research purposes is the Human Tissue Act 2004. It does not distinguish between foetal tissue and other tissue from the living. Foetal tissue is regarded as the mother's tissue.
The Human Tissue Act 2004 requires that the storage of human tissue for research, and other "scheduled purposes" is licensed. The regulator responsible for licensing is the Human Tissue Authority (HTA). It has published a series of codes of practice on key activities involving human tissue, including consent (Code of Practice 1) and research (Code of Practice 9). The HTA has no role in approving individual research projects, and information on the number of foetuses used in research is not collected centrally.
Food Standards Agency
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he gave to the final recommendations of the Calman Commission on Scottish Devolution in deciding to change the function of the Food Standards Agency. [11949]
Anne Milton: Officials were made aware of the report by the Commission on Scottish Devolution "Serving Scotland Better: Scotland and the United Kingdom in the 21(st) Century", published in June 2009, during discussions about the transfer of nutrition policy from the Food Standards Agency to the Department.
Food Standards Agency: Public Consultation
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projects on public attitudes to organic agriculture the Food Standards Agency has funded since 1997; what the (a) topic, (b) start date, (c) cost and (d) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed. [10867]
Mr Paice: I have been asked to reply.
I am advised that the Food Standards Agency has not specifically funded any projects on public attitudes to organic agriculture. However, organic food has been addressed in a number of consumer surveys conducted by the agency, but it should be noted that they were only addressed to a small extent as the surveys cover a wide range of food related issues. These surveys are available on the agency's website at
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projects on organic agriculture the Food Standards Agency has funded since 1997; what the (a) topic, (b) start date, (c) cost and (d) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed. [10868]
Mr Paice: I have been asked to reply.
I am advised that the Food Standards Agency has funded three projects on organic agriculture since its inception in 2000 and all have been completed. Details of these projects are listed in the following table.
Reports for all projects are published on the agency's open access repository, Foodbase, at
General Practitioners
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to issue guidance on the role of GPs in managing proposed health consortia. [10956]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" (CM 7881) published on 12 July 2010, set out our proposals for transforming the quality of commissioning by devolving decision-making to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices.
"Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients" published on 22 July provides further information on the intended arrangements for GP commissioning, providing the basis for fuller engagement with primary care professionals and the public.
Copies of both publications are available in the Library.
General Practitioners: Registration
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are registered with GPs in each NHS district; and what recent estimate he has made of the number of eligible residents of each such district who are not registered with an NHS GP. [11841]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department collects information regarding how many patients are registered with general practitioners by primary care trust (PCT) in England. This information for March 2010 is shown in the following table. The Department does not collect information on those who choose not to be registered.
| Registered patients by PCT in England March 2010 | |
| Number | |
Health Services
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the potential role of (a) secondary care professionals and (b) nurses in commissioning health services. [10958]
Mr Simon Burns:
The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published on 12 July 2010 set out our proposals for transforming the quality
of commissioning by devolving decision-making to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices.
"Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients" published on 22 July provides further information on the intended arrangements for GP commissioning. Given their key role in co-ordinating care, GPs are well placed to lead on commissioning care for patients. However, we expect consortia to involve relevant health and social care professionals from all sectors, including secondary care professionals and nurses, in helping them design care pathways or care packages that achieve more integrated delivery of care.
We will work with the national health service and professional bodies in the transition to the new arrangements for GP commissioning to promote multi-professional involvement.
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