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8 Dec 2010 : Column 317W—continued
Departmental Reviews
Mr Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what departmental policy reviews his Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review (a) was announced and (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review. [21884]
Justine Greening: The Treasury only commissions reviews where the external expertise on offer is in the public interest. Any costs of external reviews falls within the Treasury's departmental expenditure limit which is due to decrease by 33% across the spending review period.
Details of policy reviews undertaken since 6 May 2010 are as follows:
A review of public sector pensions was announced on 20 June 2010 and is expected to be completed by Budget 2011. The review is being led by John Hutton who is being paid £4,000 per month plus reasonable expenses in line with Treasury expenses policy. The Independent Pension Commission is supported by 11 full-time equivalent staff who have been drawn from HM Treasury, Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Defence, Treasury Solicitors, PwC and KPMG. The pay costs of seconded staff are, in the main, met by their parent organisation. The cost of the review is being met by reprioritising existing budgets with no consequent increase in public spending.
A review of fair pay in the public sector was announced on 19 July 2010 and is expected to be completed by March 2011. The review will be led by Will Hutton who will be able to claim reasonable expenses in line with Treasury rules but will receive no other remuneration. The review is estimated to cost £125,000 which is predominantly the salary costs of one part-time and
three full-time civil servants. The cost will be met from within existing provision and will not therefore increase public spending.
The Independent Commission on Banking, chaired by Sir John Vickers, was announced on 16 June 2010 to recommend structural and non-structural measures to reform the banking system. The Commission has been asked to produce a final report by September 2011.
Sir John Vickers will be paid £60,000 per annum and work an average of two days per week. Other Commission members will not be paid and work an average of one day a week on Commission business. All Commissioners will be reimbursed for such travel and subsistence expenses as they incur in pursuit of Commission business, in accordance with HM Treasury's expenses policy. The Commissioner's letters of appointment detail this information, and are available on the Commission's website.
The Commission is supported by a full-time secretariat of 14 officials drawn from HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Financial Services Authority, the Bank of England and the Office of Fair Trading. The pay costs of staff seconded to the secretariat are being met by their parent organisations and are not available centrally.
The Commission will be provided with such other resources as are necessary to perform its task. All Commission costs are being met by reprioritisation from within existing budgets and there will be no consequent increase public spending.
As announced at the launch of the Office of Tax Simplification on 20 July 2010, the office will carry out two initial reviews on tax reliefs (final report by Budget 2011) and small business taxation (interim report by Budget 2011). The office will be led by right hon. Michael Jack as chairman and John Whiting as tax director and neither will receive any remuneration but will be eligible for reasonable expenses in line with Treasury expenses policy. The cost of the individual reviews has not been estimated but the running costs of the office as a whole are estimated to be in the region of £500,000 per annum. The office is staffed by three full time civil servants with backgrounds in HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs. There are four staff seconded at no cost to the office from PwC, BDO, Deloittes and private business, see:
Further details on these reviews can be found on the Treasury website:
Departmental Travel
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much expenditure his Department incurred in respect of travel undertaken by each Minister in his Department in (a) May and (b) June 2010; [8181]
(2) what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken by (a) him and (b) each other Minister in his Department in (i) September and (ii) October 2010. [21859]
Justine Greening:
As set out in the Ministerial Code Departments will publish, at least quarterly, details of all travel overseas by Ministers. The expenses for the
period 13 May to 31 July 2010 were published on the Treasury website on 28 October 2010. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
EU Grants and Loans: Republic of Ireland
Naomi Long: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland on the effects of the financial assistance package for Ireland on (a) the Northern Ireland economy and (b) financial institutions operating in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. [28629]
Mr Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Health Centres: Christchurch
Mr Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2010, Official Report, column 679W, on health centres: Christchurch, what assessment he has made of the taxpayer interest protected by the outcome of his Department's review of the proposed disposal of the former Saxon Square Health Centre on terms acceptable to the district valuer and the Department for Health. [29437]
Danny Alexander: The Treasury aims to protect the taxpayer interest by ensuring public expenditure is good value for money.
Public Expenditure
Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of GDP was allocated to expenditure by central and local government and their agencies in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP so allocated in each of the next four years. [28793]
Danny Alexander: Details of local government and central Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP are shown in the following table. These figures are calculated from forecasts contained in the Office for Budget Responsibility's November 2010 Economic and Fiscal Outlook and historical data published by the Office for National Statistics.
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow North of 11 November 2010, Official Report, column 474W, on public expenditure, what discussions he has had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) the devolved Administrations on calculating the Statement of Funding Policy for the purposes of the Barnett Formula according to the level of individual programmes rather than at departmental level; and whether he has made an estimate of the effects of calculations made according to the level of individual programme rather than at the departmental level on the level of payments made. [29156]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 7 December 2010]: The 2010 edition of the Statement of Funding Policy was agreed with the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland following consultation with the devolved Administrations.
Spending review settlements are agreed at departmental level and not individual programme level and the Barnett Formula is applied to total budgets. No Barnett consequentials have been calculated for individual programmes.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices
Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure parity of esteem between apprenticeships and university degrees; [29221]
(2) if he will bring forward proposals to establish graduation ceremonies for students who have completed courses in practical skills for the purposes of encouraging parity of esteem between manual and academic achievements. [29222]
Mr Hayes: The Government believe that achievement of high standards in academic study and in practical skills are equally worthy of celebration. Proposals are therefore being developed to secure greater public recognition for those who successfully complete skills training and, in particular, apprenticeships.
For example, we are already working with the National Apprenticeship Service to introduce graduation ceremonies for apprentices, an apprentice Roll of Honour and new alumni networks. We are also considering how apprenticeship training can be recognised as conferring "technician" status in appropriate sectors. And we will further ensure there are clear progression routes into and through apprenticeships into higher level skills training.
Business: Government Assistance
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what measures he plans to introduce to meet the Government's commitment to manufacturing and new green businesses. [26694]
Mr Prisk: The growth review announced in November sets in train an intensive programme of work to address the barriers to growth facing business that will form the basis of this Government's agenda for the rest of this Parliament. It is very much a sign of the importance we attach to manufacturing that one of the first sector growth reviews will be advanced manufacturing. The advanced manufacturing growth review will report back with policy proposals by Budget 2011.
In the Local Growth White Paper, we have set out specific national green growth priorities on which we want to engage with local enterprise partnerships. This includes low carbon/green innovation, which will be taken forward nationally through bodies such as the Technology Strategy Board and Carbon Trust.
We have announced £60 million funding to support the development of infrastructure for offshore wind manufacturing.
In spring 2011, we will publish a Green Economy Roadmap to bring together the key elements of the green economy into a single document, providing business and investors with as much certainty as possible about the future.
The UK economy requires significantly higher levels of investment in, particularly green, infrastructure. The Green Investment Bank (GIB) is one of a number of policies which, together, will support UK growth, environmental and climate change targets. The GIB will be funded by £1 billion from departmental budgets and significant additional proceeds from Government sale of assets. The GIB will be operational by September 2012.
Copyright: EU Action
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions the Government has had with the Hungarian government on progress on the draft EU Copyright Term Directive during the Hungarian presidency of the Council of Ministers. [28834]
Mr Davey: My officials have met with their Hungarian counterparts and discussed a range of IP related issues, and noted that term may be an issue during the Hungarian presidency.
Departmental Postal Services
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which services of his Department and its predecessors have been the subject of a contract awarded following a tender process in which Post Office Ltd submitted a bid since 1997-98. [24902]
Mr Davey: Following an Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) competition run by the Department's facilities management team, courier contracts were awarded in April 2004 to:
Royal Mail Group, to provide same day courier services, and
Parcelforce Worldwide, to provide next day/48 hour courier services to the Department.
Departmental Sponsorship
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what expenditure (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies incurred on sponsorship in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [27514]
Mr Davey: The BIS accounting system does not disaggregate expenditure between sponsorship and other form of support given. Therefore, the amount spent on sponsorship could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Departmental Travel
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on grey fleet in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [28845]
Mr Davey: The following amounts were spent on grey fleet by BIS and its predecessor Departments:
| £ | |
| (1) These amounts will also include charges for parking and tolls as such costs are included in claims for mileage allowances. These can be excluded only at disproportionate cost. | |
Departmental Written Questions
Mr Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of questions to his Department tabled in the (a) House of Commons and (b) House of Lords that remained unanswered after 10 working days as a
result of observation of guidance on the timing of answers to similar questions tabled to more than one Department in the latest period for which figures are available. [28495]
Mr Davey: In the case of questions that are deemed to be "round robin", "The Guide to Parliamentary Work", published by the Leader of the House of Commons
states that Departments should not delay preparing an answer until 'round robin' advice is provided, and should not miss the target deadlines for this reason.
Higher Education: Northern Ireland
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Finance Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive on the likely effect of his proposed changes to higher education funding (a) on the Northern Ireland Block Grant via Barnett consequentials and (b) on funding available for Northern Ireland universities in the period between the implementation of the proposed arrangements in England and the introduction of any new arrangements for Northern Ireland by the devolved administration. [29246]
Mr Willetts: Adjustments in the block grant totals for the devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula are calculated on the basis of the overall change in departmental expenditure limits rather than any particular programmes within them. We have consistently indicated that each devolved Administration will need to make its own decisions about how to fund higher education and the other services for which it is responsible within the overall total available to it. Although we have discussed our proposals for reform of higher education with the Minister for Employment and Lifelong Learning in Northern Ireland it has not been discussed with the Finance Minister.
Higher Education: Student Numbers
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people resident in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency attended university in each of the last three years. [28442]
Mr Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in mid January 2011.
The Department has recently received updated postcode information; therefore figures may not match previously published information.
Constituency level information is not available for students who study higher education courses in further education colleges.
Innovation
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which innovation centres supported by regional development agencies are designated as excellent. [29178]
Mr Willetts: The starting point for the future funding of technology and innovation centres will be the priorities for the Technology Strategy Board's overall programme of work and its objectives for specific technology areas.
Some of the existing RDA funded centres may form the basis for a future technology and innovation centres with further development. However, no decisions have been made and the Technology Strategy Board will work with industry, stakeholders, and wider government to identify the priority areas and governance structure for the elite network of technology and innovation centres by April 2011.
Post Offices: Credit Unions
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Post Office on the integration of credit unions into Post Office branches. [28323]
Mr Davey: The Post Office already works with Credit Unions, and many Credit Union account holders can already access their accounts at post offices through arrangements with the Co-Operative Bank. It is estimated that in the last six months almost 80,000 Credit Union transactions have been carried out in post office branches.
On 9 November the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published a policy statement on the future of the Post Office: 'Securing the Future of the Post Office in the Digital Age', which firmly supports a stronger link up between the Post Office and Credit Unions. We are actively looking into ways the Post Office and Credit Unions can work more closely together, and I have discussed this issue with senior management at Post Office Ltd.
Radio Frequencies
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from Vodafone on the forthcoming digital dividend spectrum auction in 2010. [29176]
Mr Vaizey:
UK mobile network operator, Vodafone has made a number of representations to me, both verbally and through written communication, on the
proposed auction of 800 MHz spectrum including the importance they place on being able to participate in that auction.
Retail Distribution Review
Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the effects of the Retail Distribution Review on (a) independent financial advisers and (b) other small businesses. [29244]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 6 December 2010]: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for West Worcestershire (Harriett Baldwin) on 6 December, Official Report, column 95W.
Sixth Form Education: Capital Investment
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many sixth form colleges and further education colleges have undertaken capital works in excess of (a) £100,000 and (b) £1,000,000 which have attracted a value added tax rate of zero in the last 10 years; [29179]
(2) what the monetary value was of capital works undertaken by sixth form colleges and further education colleges which have been zero-rated for VAT in 2009-10. [29180]
Mr Hayes: Capital funding for further education colleges is administrated by the Skills Funding Agency and I have asked Geoff Russell, the chief executive of Skills Funding, to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in the House Libraries.
South West Regional Development Agency
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much he plans to allocate to the South West Regional Development Agency in (a) 2011-12 and (b) future years to enable it to honour outstanding commitments. [29193]
Mr Prisk: The allocation to the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) for 2011/12 is expected to be confirmed shortly. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Public Bodies Bill, SWRDA is expected to close by 31 March 2012. No allocations to it will be made after closure. It is expected that legal commitments still remaining after closure will transfer to successor bodies and be met from the resources provided by the spending review settlement.
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisations his Department has proposed to staff of the South West Development Agency as options for transfers of employment. [29194]
Mr Prisk:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have confirmed their intention that activity to deliver the Rural Development Programme for England will transfer from South West Development Agency and other regional development agencies (RDA)
to core DEFRA in due course. Further announcements on other organisations transferring in functions and RDA staff will be made in the coming months as transition and closure plans are developed.
Spam: E-mail
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has assessed the merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to reduce or eliminate unsolicited e-mails, in particular those of a pornographic nature; and if he will make a statement. [28734]
Mr Prisk: The Information Commissioner's Office has responsibility for enforcing the regulations to control unsolicited e-mails (spam) and complaints about breaches of enforcement notices. Such a breach is a criminal offence with a maximum fine of up to £5,000.
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 require organisations to only send marketing e-mails to individuals who have agreed to receive them, except where there is an existing clearly defined customer relationship.
Spam is a global problem and now accounts for over 85% of all internet traffic(1). Approximately 96%, of spam originates outside the UK and for that reason, the steps we can take in the UK to reduce its incidence and effect are limited.
(1) Source:
Symantech-The State of Spam-November 2010
Students: Fees and Charges
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) if he will meet a delegation of students from Northern Ireland to discuss the implications for them of his proposals to increase tuition fees in England and Wales before his proposals are put to the House for agreement; [28664]
(2) what meetings he has had with representatives of students since his announcement of a proposed increase in tuition fees. [28670]
Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is responsible for the funding of higher education in England only. It is for the Northern Ireland Executive to decide how it wishes to fund higher education students from Northern Ireland.
My ministerial colleagues and I are in regular contact with Aaron Porter and the National Union of Students (NUS) at a national level and through the National Scholarship Programme, the latest meeting for which was held on 6 December. We also hold discussions with students whenever we visit a higher education institution.
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the contribution to tuition fees that would be required of a newly-starting (a) nurse, (b) teacher and (c) social worker who had attended a three year course at a university charging (i) £4,000 and (ii) £6,000 per annum in the first year of their employment; [29220]
(2) if he will estimate the average weekly student loan payment for a newly-qualified (a) nurse, (b) teacher and (c) social worker in their first year of employment who had attended a university charging £3,290 per year in tuition fees under the existing student finance system. [29300]
Mr Willetts: Student loans are repaid on an income contingent basis; the amount borrowed by an individual would have no bearing on the amount of contribution repaid in the first year or any year of their employment.
Under the current student finance system, borrowers repay 9% of their income over the income threshold of £15,000. A nurse in the first year of employment earning a salary of £21,000, would pay £10.38 per week; for a teacher earning £24,000, this figure would be £15.58 per week; and for a social worker earning £23,000, the weekly payment would be £13.85.
All borrowers under the proposed future system will repay 9% of their income over an income threshold of £21,000. A nurse in the first year of employment earning £21,000, would pay nothing as their income would not breach the threshold; for a teacher earning £24,000, this figure would be £5.19 per week; and for a social worker earning £23,000, £3.46 per week.
All figures are expressed in 2010 prices.
Vocational Training: Finance
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had on the establishment of a single funding council for skills training. [29273]
Mr Hayes: The Skills Funding Agency is the single agency responsible for funding skills training for adults, including apprenticeships aged 16 and over. In order to streamline arrangements for FE colleges and other training providers we will transfer responsibility to the Skills Funding Agency for dispensing calculated 16-18 grants to FE colleges and independent training providers on behalf of the Young People's Learning Agency, so that FE colleges and training providers will have a single point of contact with one agency, with a single discussion on performance and audit. This is a significant change sought by the sector for some time. The Young People's Learning Agency will remain responsible for calculating 16-18 grants for named colleges on the basis of lagged pupil numbers and the 16-18 national funding formula.
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants
Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what records his Department holds of occasions since May 2010 on which civil servants have expressed concerns about the appropriateness of the (a) involvement of, and (b) direction of civil servants by, officers of a political party in events organised for the Prime Minister in his official capacity; and on what date each such occurrence was recorded. [28984]
Mr Hurd: It has never been the case that employees of political parties can manage civil servants.
Departmental Travel
Paul Maynard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on grey fleet in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [28839]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office spent £15,225 in 2008-09 and £12,700 in 2009-10 on grey fleet.
Electronic Government
Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to implement the changes to the DirectGov website recommended in the report to his Department by Martha Lane Fox. [28749]
Mr Hurd: My officials are working on the recommendations from the Martha Lane Fox Strategic Review. They are consulting with colleagues and preparing an implementation plan for how this work will be taken forward taking consideration of the spending review.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to invite Martha Lane Fox to review further central Government websites; and if he will make a statement. [28750]
Mr Maude: I have taken a number of steps to review online Government services and the websites used to access these services. These include asking Martha Lane Fox in her role as Digital Champion to review the Directgov Website, and asking Government Departments to review their own websites.
There are no current plans to invite Martha Lane Fox to review further central Government websites.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment he has made of the value for money of Government websites. [28751]
Mr Hurd: In June 2010, we published the costs and usage of all central Government Department websites in accordance with the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee. URL ref:
Electronic Government: Publicity
Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to access Government services online. [29308]
Mr Maude: I have taken a number of steps to review online Government services and the websites used to access these services. These include asking Martha Lane Fox in her role as Digital Champion to review the Directgov Website, and asking Government Departments to review their own websites.
On 23 November I published the report on Directgov prepared by Martha Lane Fox and my response to that report. Copies of both documents are available in the Library. My response outlined plans for making a first wave of Government services 'Digital by Default'-these are:
Job seekers allowance
Services provided by Companies House
Student loan applications
My officials continue to talk with officials from other Departments to identify further services to become Digital by Default.
Work also continues with organisations, such as the Post Office and UK Online centres, on developing 'assisted digital' access to support those who need help to access digital services, to ensure that in making services Digital by Default no-one gets left behind.
Finally, I and my Department continue to support the work being done by Martha Lane Fox and her team under the Race Online 2012 initiative to help get more people online-and I would like to see all Government Departments make pledges in support of Race Online 2012.
Heart Diseases: Primary Care Trusts
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the mortality rate was in respect of heart disease in each primary care trust in England in each of the last five years. [28921]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the mortality rate was in respect of heart disease in each primary care trust in England in each of the last five years. (28921)
Table 1 provides the age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population, where ischaemic heart disease was the underlying cause of death, for each primary care organisation in England, for the years 2005 to 2009 (the latest year available). A copy has been placed in the House of Commons library.
Culture, Media and Sport
Cultural Relations: Australia
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on the repatriation of Australian indigenous human remains held by UK institutions. [28814]
Mr Vaizey: Claims for the repatriation of human remains held in UK collections are for the trustees or governing authorities of the institutions involved to consider and the Government do not intervene. However, in 2005, the Government published, on behalf of the museums sector, 'Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums', which includes advice on dealing with repatriation claims. I am strongly of the view that any institution which currently holds Australian indigenous human remains should do its utmost to return them.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with publicly-funded museums on the repatriation of Australian indigenous human remains. [28816]
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many Australian indigenous human remains have been repatriated from public bodies since the issuance of UK Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums in 2005. [28817]
Mr Vaizey: The Government do not request this information from UK collections but are aware that a number of successful repatriations have taken place.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate the number of Australian indigenous human remains held in UK institutions. [28818]
Mr Vaizey: The Government do not hold such information. However, the Australian Government estimate that there are approximately 730 Australian indigenous human remains held in at least 18 UK institutions.
Departmental Temporary Employment
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many agency workers his Department and its agencies employ at each pay grade. [28502]
John Penrose: The tables set out the number of agency workers and interim managers employed in the Department and its agency at each pay grade.
| The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) | ||
| DCMS Grade | Civil service grade equivalent | Agency workers |
| The Royal Parks (TRP) | ||
| TRP Grade | Civil service grade equivalent | Agency workers |
Internet: Further Education
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the implementation of the provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2010 on the regulation by colleges of student access to the internet. [28632]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply in my capacity as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
There are simple and proportionate steps that institutions such as colleges can adopt to prevent the use of their networks for the online infringement of copyright. Many already do so and, in many cases, their activities to prevent infringement already go far beyond what the Digital Economy Act requires. We expect that colleges will continue to put in place such measures to prevent infringement on their networks, when the Act is implemented.
Local Press
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of trends in sales of (a) local and (b) regional newspapers; and if he will make a statement. [29315]
Mr Vaizey: Local and regional newspapers continue to meet the twin challenges of structural and cyclical change. While print circulation is falling, viewing of online news is growing rapidly. The issue is how to successfully monetise this.
The Government announced on 29 November 2010 that we will be carrying out a growth review of the digital and creative industries which will include the publishing sector.
Nicholas Shott: Newsquest
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2010, Official Report, column 838W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting between Nicholas Shott and Newsquest. [29399]
Mr Vaizey: Nicholas Shott is undertaking his review of local TV in an independent capacity and any papers relating to the review remain his own. His final conclusions will take account of the meetings he held with various groups of stakeholders. His report will be available on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website in due course.
Health
Accidents: Fees and Charges
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the maximum sum per case his Department seeks to recover in respect of charges for NHS treatment of those involved in accidents; on what date the maximum was last reviewed; and if he will review them in order to achieve full recovery of NHS expenses from the insurers of those responsible for such accidents; [29016]
(2) how much the NHS spent on the treatment of those involved in accidents in cases where some or all of the cost of treatment was recovered from the insurers of those held responsible for the accident in each of the last three years; [29017]
(3) how much his Department recovered from insurers in repayment of NHS treatment expenses in respect of those involved in accidents in each of the last three years; and how many cases were involved. [29018]
Mr Simon Burns: The maximum sum that the Department is able to recover for any case under the NHS Injury Costs Recovery scheme is currently £42,999. This is uprated annually in line with hospital and community health service inflation and was last changed in April 2010. The Department continues to monitor the operation of the scheme but has no immediate plans to remove this cap.
Total cases and amounts recovered through the scheme for the last three years for the national health service in England were as follows. Figures reflect the expansion of the scheme to include injury claims other than road traffic accidents in 2007:
| Cases ( T housand) | Income (£ million) | |
The Department does not hold records of the costs of treatment relating to insured accidents.
Ambulance Services
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that ambulance services commissioned by GP consortia provide a resilient service. [28790]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper 'Liberating the NHS' set out our proposals to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortiums of general practitioner (GP) practices, supported by the creation of an independent NHS commissioning board.
Consortiums of GP practices working with other health and care professionals will commission the great majority of national health service services including urgent and emergency care and ambulance services for their patients. They will not be directly responsible for commissioning services that GPs themselves provide, nor will they will be responsible for commissioning the other family health services. These will be the responsibility of the NHS Commissioning Board, as will national and regional specialised commissioning.
Our proposals for this new model of commissioning draw on the regular contact that GPs have with patients and their more detailed understanding of patients wider health care needs. The NHS commissioning board will hold GP consortiums to account for both their stewardship of NHS resources and the health outcomes they achieve.
'Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients' invited views on a number of areas of the commissioning agenda. The engagement exercise closed on 11 October and the Department is now analysing all of the contributions received.
Blood
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the merits of introducing pathogen reduction technology as a standard treatment for blood products in the NHS. [29312]
Anne Milton: A pathogen inactivation system is currently used to treat plasma from the United States where levels of viral markers are higher than in the United Kingdom.
A different pathogen inactivation system suitable for platelets was evaluated by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) in January 2010. Taking into account the available information, with specific reference to efficacy, safety cost effectiveness and potential ancillary benefits, SaBTO does not recommend pathogen inactivation for platelets at this time.
Neither of these pathogen inactivation systems are currently suitable for use with red blood cells.
Blood: Donors
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to review the appropriateness of the National Blood Service's policy on the donation of blood by men who have had sex with men. [28930]
Anne Milton: The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is currently reviewing the evidence base for donor deferral in relation to sexual behaviours, including the exclusion of men who have ever had sex with men.
The Committee considers that it is extremely important that the work of this group is based on the available scientific evidence and expects to make its recommendations on the most appropriate ways to ensure the safety of the blood supply in early 2011. The Department will consider SaBTO's recommendations once they have been made.
Breast Cancer: Screening
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatment tariffs are available to hospitals in respect of breast screening. [28961]
Mr Simon Burns: There are no specific tariffs available to hospitals in respect of breast screening services, which are funded through local contracting arrangements between trusts and primary care Trusts. However, tariffs available for breast biopsy procedures are shown in the following table.
Children: Cycling
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the contribution cycling makes to children's health; and if he will make a statement. [29393]
Anne Milton:
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the contribution cycling makes to children's health. However, in 2007 Cycling England reviewed the
evidence that supports the health benefits of cycling. The report "Cycling and Health-What's the evidence" indicates that regular physical activity through cycling has positive health benefits for children and young people.
Cycling can contribute to the 60 minutes of daily physical activity recommended under current guidelines for children's general health benefit.
We are reviewing the evidence about the health benefits of physical activity for children and young people and will be producing updated physical activity guidelines in 2011.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what meetings (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department have had with representatives of (i) Diageo, (ii) Kraft, (iii) Unilever, (iv) Kellogg's, (v) Nestle, (vi) McDonalds and (vii) Pepsico since May 2010; [26480]
(2) what meetings (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department have had with representatives from organisations in the advertising and marketing industries since May 2010. [26481]
Anne Milton: In discharging their official duties, Ministers, special advisers and departmental officials meet with representatives from such organisations in a wide range of forums, including speaking engagements, conferences and seminars.
Other than multi-stakeholder meetings, since May 2010, departmental Ministers have held meetings with Unilever, McDonalds and Unacom, while the Department's special advisers held meetings with Diageo and Kellogg's.
During the same period, departmental officials have held meetings with Diageo, Unilever, Nestle, McDonalds, the Advertising Association, 23Red, Freud Communications, M and C Saatchi, VCCP, MCBD and Fast Track Agency.
Departmental Telephone Services
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much revenue was received or saved through the use of non-geographic telephone numbers by (a) his Department and (b) the NHS in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; and how much he expects to receive or take from their use in 2010-11. [28792]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact each primary care trust and national health service body for this information.
Epilepsy
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effects of extending the role for national commissioning in the provision of epilepsy services; and if he will make a statement. [28755]
Paul Burstow:
It is the responsibility of local health commissioners to ensure that they commission local services to meet the needs of their population living
with epilepsy. This includes ensuring that all relevant guidelines, including those issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence are able to be implemented where deemed appropriate.
We have made no assessment of the likely effects of extending the role for national commissioning in the provision of epilepsy services.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account he took of (a) rates of misdiagnosis of epilepsy, (b) access to tertiary referral for epilepsy services, (c) rates of avoidable death owing to epilepsy, (d) the number of annually-required epilepsy surgeries and (e) the number of epilepsy surgeries performed annually when developing the proposals in the Health White Paper, Quality and Excellence: Liberating the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [28756]
Paul Burstow: The White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' sets out the Government's vision for the national health service. While its proposals will impact patient care across the spectrum of health needs, it does not set out a strategy for individual conditions. The Government consulted widely on the implementation of the White Paper proposals and have received over 6,000 responses from a wide range of individuals and organisations, including patients, clinicians, professional bodies, and epilepsy-related organisations and charities. We will publish our response to the White Paper consultations, including further detail about the implementation of our proposals, in due course.
General Practitioners
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account he plans to take of the views of local authorities on the numbers of GP consortia in their area in approving the establishment of GP consortia. [28791]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Commissioning Board will have the duty and powers to authorise consortia, once it is satisfied that they have the necessary arrangements and capacity to fulfil their statutory duties and accountabilities and that there is clarity about the geographical area that they cover. Further details will be set out in the Government's forthcoming response to the consultation on the White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS".
General Practitioners: Working Hours
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs provide out-of-hours care (a) nationally and (b) in Milton Keynes. [28959]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact each primary care trust for this information.
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications are required of GPs to enable them to provide out-of-hours care. [28960]
Mr Simon Burns:
General practitioners (GPs) providing out of hours care must be on the General Medical Council GP register and on a Primary Care Trust GP
Performers List. A trainee must be registered with the General Medical Council with a licence to practise, included on a Primary Care Trust GP Performers List, and supervised by an approved GP clinical supervisor.
In addition, out-of-hours providers have a responsibility to ensure the clinical competence of all employed doctors.
Health Centres: Christchurch
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason his Department did not accept the district valuer's assessment of his Department's liability in respect of its leasehold interest in the former health centre premises at Saxon Square, Christchurch; [29394]
(2) what steps he has taken to bring the empty leasehold premises at Saxon Square, Christchurch back into use; what steps he plans to take to (a) rectify the dilapidations and (b) market the premises; and if he will make a statement. [29395]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department took into account the report from the district valuer when giving consideration to the figure that the landlord was prepared to accept for a surrender of the lease. The proposed surrender payment was also considered by HM Treasury in their role of reviewing spending decisions to ensure value for money and affordability. Their views were reflected in an offer recently made to the landlord with whom discussions continue.
The Department has previously marketed the property; its availability is on the e-PIMS database managed by the Government Property Unit and discussions have been held with the landlord with regard to alternative uses for the property. These discussions will continue and also in respect of required repairs. Further marketing will be undertaken if required.
Health Services: Weather
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2010, Official Report, column 911W, on health services: weather (1) what temporary measures have been necessary; [29169]
(2) whether strategic health authorities have identified operational issues in their area through daily winter reporting; and in respect of which hospital trusts local winter plans have been escalated to mitigate operational issues. [29170]
Mr Simon Burns: It is for individual local health economies to ensure that appropriate services are available for their patients during winter.
The national health service is well versed in winter planning and each year works closely with the Department, through winter leads in strategic health authorities, to anticipate and manage any increased pressure and demands placed on local health economies and social care services throughout the winter period.
As it has done in previous years, the NHS is working in partnership with social care and community organisations to ensure that it has robust local plans in place to deal with anticipated winter pressures. These reflect the escalation processes that are enacted and built on throughout the year, whenever a local health economy experiences pressure.
It is inevitable that there will be occasional peaks in demand during the winter season. This can mean temporary measures (postponing routine elective activity to make way for more urgent cases), are necessary to ensure a safe and effective service is maintained, but these are kept to an absolute minimum.
Herbal Medicine: EU Law
David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on the future use of traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic compound herbal remedies under the provisions of the Traditional Herbal Medicines Directive; and if he will make a statement. [29100]
Mr Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has regular discussions with the Herbal Forum, an umbrella group representing manufacturers' trade associations and practitioners in the herbal sector, about the implementation of the directive on traditional herbal medicinal products. The MHRA has also attended various events where the directive has been discussed.
There is the potential for some herbal medicines from non-western traditions to be registered under the traditional herbal registration scheme. However, many herbal medicines from the traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic sectors are more suitable for supply in the context of a practitioner/patient relationship. The Government are currently considering their overall strategy on professional regulation, including the possibility of establishing a registration scheme for practitioners of these traditional forms of medicine.
David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an assessment of the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament concerning the Report on the experience acquired as a result of the application of the provisions of Chapter 2a of Directive 2001/83/EC, as amended by Directive 2004/24/EC, on specific provisions applicable to traditional herbal medicinal products, with particular reference to page 10, paragraph 5; and if he will make a statement. [29352]
Anne Milton: The European directive on traditional herbal medicinal products is intended for relatively low risk manufactured herbal medicines suitable for use without medical supervision. It is unclear that there would currently be sufficient support across the European Union for a much wider initiative to introduce new European legislation lifting or modifying the existing requirements of the medicines regulatory regime in relation to systems of traditional medicine.
The Government are currently considering their overall strategy on professional regulation, including the possibility of establishing a registration scheme for practitioners of these traditional forms of medicine.
Hospitals
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how many he expects the number of single patient rooms in NHS hospitals to increase between 2010 and 2015; what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of such an increase; and from what sources he expects such costs to be met. [29038]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the precise format requested.
Each NHS trust makes an informed choice locally regarding the appropriate percentage of single room provision based on practical considerations such as site restrictions, affordability as well as clinical and operational limitations. In some cases, providing single rooms for all patients may not be clinically appropriate. Details of plans for such provisions are not collected centrally. Where possible, as resources allow, hospitals are advised to support patient privacy and help reduce the risk of infection by increasing the number of single rooms.
The cost of providing single patient rooms will be met by the national health service organisation involved as part of the overall cost of the project. Details of such costs are not collected centrally.
Where major NHS capital schemes are approved by the Department, the number of single rooms can be reported. Available data for these schemes, which are under construction or opened shows the single patients rooms provision as follows.
Hospitals: Milton Keynes
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mortality rate is for hospital patients (a) on weekdays and (b) at weekends (i) nationally and (ii) in Milton Keynes. [28958]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally. Information about the mortality rate for hospital patients on weekdays and at weekends in Milton Keynes may be available directly from Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Liskeard Community Hospital: Private Finance Initiative
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the running costs of Liskeard Community Hospital was paid to the private finance initiative (PFI) provider in each year from 2005 to 2009; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of running costs that will be paid to the PFI provider in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [27629]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. However, data for net operating expenses for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust (PCT) in respect of its private finance initiative (PFI) schemes, is set out in the following table.
Data are not held centrally for 2010-11 or 2011-12.
| Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT-proportion of total net operating costs relating to PFI | |
| Percentage of total revenue expenditure relating to PFI | |
| Notes: 1. The percentages provided represent the net operating expenses in respect of PFI schemes as a proportion of total net operating costs. 2. 2005-06 to 2008-09 figures compiled under UK generally accepted accounting practice. 3. 2009-10 figures were compiled under international finance reporting standards under which PFI costs in the audited summarisation schedules of trusts are split between capital repayments and revenue expenditure elements, which does not make a precise like for like comparison with earlier years in this table possible. However, an estimate of the PFI unitary payment for 2009-10 is held centrally by the Department as well as the audited outturn for the net operating costs for the PCT for this year; an estimated percentage figure for this year has therefore been calculated using these two figures. Source: Audited summarisation schedules of the PCT for 2005-06 to 2009-10. | |
Maternity Services
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many and what percentage of pregnant women normally resident in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) England were transferred to hospitals other than that of their preferred choice due to an insufficient number of neonatal intensive care cots in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; [29101]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of moving pregnant women normally resident in the East Riding of Yorkshire to hospitals other than their preferred hospital due to insufficient neonatal intensive care facilities in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [29102]
Anne Milton: Information is not collected centrally on the number and percentage of women transferred to hospitals other than their preferred choice. As set out in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard for Specialist Neonatal Care, networks, commissioners and providers will wish to undertake an annual needs assessment and ensure each network has adequate capacity. This will include ensuring there are appropriate numbers of neonatal intensive care cots.
No estimate has been made on the cost of transferring women to a hospital other than her preferred choice.
Meat: Dairy Products
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to publish evidence from (a) the Food Standards Agency and (b) other advisory bodies on the potential effects on (i) public and (ii) animal health of the entry of meat and dairy products from cloned animals to the food chain. [27812]
Anne Milton: The Board of the Food Standards Agency discussed the implications of animal cloning at its open meeting on 15 September 2010. The record of that discussion, including the Agency's advice to Ministers, is available on the Agency's website at:
A copy has been placed in the Library. The safety of meat and milk from cloned cattle was subsequently considered by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes on 25 November 2010 and the Agency issued a news report the same day with the Committee's conclusions. The draft minutes of the Committee's discussion will be published within two weeks of the meeting via its website:
The European Food Safety Authority published a detailed opinion on food safety and other implications of animal cloning in 2008, and this was updated in June 2009 and again in September 2010. These reports can be found at:
Meat and dairy products from cloned animals or their descendants cannot be distinguished from those obtained from conventional animals and the entry of such products into the food chain would not affect the health of other animals. Advice on cloning from the National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources is available on its website at:
The Farm Animal Welfare Council intends to issue an opinion on breeding technologies in 2011 in a follow up to its 2004 report on the welfare implications of breeding and breeding technologies in commercial agriculture. More recent advice specifically on cloning was passed to Ministers in 2007. These reports are both published on the Council's website at:
Medical Equipment: Expenditure
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on medical supplies and equipment in each year since 2000. [29036]
Mr Simon Burns: Total revenue expenditure on clinical supplies and services, taken from the national health service (England) summarised accounts, is shown for each year since 1999-2000 in the following table.
| Supplies and services clinical | |
| £000 | |
Revenue expenditure on clinical supplies and services is taken to include drugs, dressings, medical and surgical equipment, x-ray equipment and supplies, laboratory equipment, appliances (eg artificial limbs and wheelchair hardware) and the maintenance of equipment. The Department does not collect information that allows capital expenditure on medical equipment to be disaggregated from total capital expenditure.
NHS Litigation Authority
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims the National Health Service Litigation Authority settled without proceedings being issued in each of the last three years. [28774]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) supplied the information requested in the following table.
| Number of claims the NHSLA settled without proceedings being issued from 2007 - 10 | |
| Settlement year | Number of claims |
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends that the NHS Litigation Authority provide insurance cover for private providers of NHS services in the future. [28789]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Litigation Authority does not currently provide insurance cover, but provides a discretionary indemnity to members of the statutory schemes established under section 71 of the National Health Service Act 2006. Membership of the schemes is voluntary.
The Department is committed to making sure the same arrangements that provide clinical negligence cover to NHS bodies are also available to other providers that deliver NHS care, including other public sector providers and private providers.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases brought against the National Health Service Litigation Authority were funded by (a) legal aid, (b) a conditional fee agreement and (c) by other forms of funding in each of the last three years; and how many in each category resulted in a compensation payment. [28807]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) supplied the information in the following table:
| Numbers of overall claims settled by the NHSLA by year and by funding arrangement, including the subset of those claims that were settled with damages | ||||||
| Settlement year | Legal Aid funded | Legal Aid funded and settled with damages | Conditional fee arrangement funded | Conditional fee arrangement funded and settled with damages | Before the event insurance or self funded | Before the event insurance or self funded and settled with damages |
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the national health service litigation authority. [28808]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government are committed to ensuring that wherever possible resources are used to support the frontline. For this reason departmental officials are commissioning an industry review of the NHS litigation authority (NHSLA). The review will determine if the introduction of commercial techniques could improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which the NHSLA performs its functions.
The review is due to report in the new year.
NHS: Negligence
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of clinical negligence claims brought in cases where (a) the NHS and (b) clinicians acting for the NHS have been demonstrated not to have adequately investigated clinical errors in the last 12 months. [28809]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not made an estimate of the number of clinical negligence claims brought in cases where the national health service or clinicians acting for the NHS have been demonstrated not to have adequately investigated clinical errors in the last 12 months. Such information is not held centrally.
NHS: Procurement
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the level of commercial skills among staff involved in NHS procurement. [28948]
Mr Simon Burns: It is up to local trusts how they develop and deploy their procurement expertise, according to local needs. However, trusts are able to use collaborative partners to help them with their procurement. These partners include NHS Supply Chain, NHS Commercial Medicines Unit, Buying Solutions and regional Collaborative Procurement Hubs.
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he expects the NHS to spend on (a) procurement processes and (b) procured goods and services in each year from 2011-2015. [29037]
Mr Simon Burns: In seeking to improve outcomes for their patients, local national health service commissioner and provider organisations are best placed and free to determine how much of the funding allocated to them they spend on procurement processes and on the procurement of goods and services. As part of this, the NHS will need to consider the scope for improving the efficiency of their procurement, as part of their requirement to deliver total efficiency improvements of up to £20 billion over the next four years.
Public Health
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities on the transfer of public health responsibilities from primary care trusts. [26535]
Anne Milton: As part of the consultation of 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS', local authorities made a number of representations, both in their own right and through their representative bodies including the Local Government Association and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives. Almost all upper tier local authorities in England and a large proportion of lower tier authorities responded to the consultation.
In general, local authorities strongly supported the transfer of public health functions to local authorities and welcomed the dedicated resources that will follow the transfer of these functions. However, specific representations were made concerning ring-fencing public health resources at the local level, and the need for the public health outcomes framework to be produced in close partnership with local government.
Following publication of the Public Health White Paper 'Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England', the Government will shortly consult on both the public health outcomes framework and the commissioning and funding for public health. We will continue to work closely with local government during and after the consultation period, to ensure that we address areas of concern.
Responsibility Deal Networks
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) individuals, (b) companies and (c) other organisations have (i) attended and (ii) been invited to attend meetings of the Responsibility Deal Networks on (A) food, (B) alcohol, (C) behaviour changes, (D) physical activity and (E) health at work. [26479]
Anne Milton: A list of attendees at the meetings of the five Public Health Responsibility Deal networks has been placed in the Library.
Strokes
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many readmissions to hospital there were within 28 days of discharge in respect of patients originally admitted for stroke in each primary care trust in England in each of the last five years. [28920]
Mr Simon Burns: Data for financial years 2004-05 to 2008-09 showing the number of 'Emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge: Stroke (ICD 10 codes: 161 to 164)' (all ages, persons) are shown in the following table.
These data were sourced from NHSnet version of the Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators:
Where the number of readmissions in a year is between one and five inclusive, data for that primary care trust (PCT) have been suppressed in the table and replaced with 'X'. This is in line with the Hospital Episode Statistics protocol.
| Primary care organisation of residence | Number of readmissions | |||||
| PCO code | PCO name | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
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