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21 Dec 2010 : Column 1258W—continued
Overseas Students
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many non-EU overseas students enrolled on courses below degree level at (a) general further education colleges, (b) sixth form colleges, (c) maintained schools, (d) independent schools and (e) private providers of education and training in England in each of the last three academic years. [29869]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 9 December 2010]: Table 1 shows the number of government-funded non-EU domiciled learners participating on courses below level 4 (degree level) by provider type in England for 2007/08 to 2009/10, based on information for the year to date.
Government funded learning as recorded on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) is restricted to home learners. Therefore funded learners who are non EEA (European Economic Area) nationals must have been resident in the UK for the three years preceding their course start date and the main purpose for residence was not to receive full-time education during any part of that three year period. There are a limited number of exceptions to this, for example-refugees, learners with indefinite leave to remain status, or learners studying under reciprocal exchange agreements.
The Department for Education does not collect information on the nationality or country of domicile of pupils in maintained or independent schools.
| Table 1: Government funded participation of non-EU domiciled learners on courses below level 4 by provider type, 2007/08 to 2009/10 (provisional) | |||||
| Academic year | General FE college including tertiary | Sixth form college | Private sector public funded | Other | Total |
| (1 )Figures for 2008/09 onwards are not directly comparable to earlier years as the introduction of demand led funding has changed how data are collected and how funded learners are defined from 2008/09 onwards. More information on demand led funding is available at http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/datadictionary/businessdefinitions/Demand+ Led+Fundinq.htm. Notes: 1. These data includes Learner Responsive, Apprenticeships, Train to Gain and University for Industry data. The data do not include Adult Safeguarded Learning as information on country of domicile is not collected. 2. Figures include government-funded learners only, funded by The Skills Funding Agency/Young Person's Learning Agency. 3. Learners on a course of level 4 or higher are not included in the above figures. Learners on a course with 'no level assigned' are included in these data. 4. The 'Other' category includes Other Public Funded i.e. local authorities and higher education institutions, special colleges (agricultural and horticulture colleges and art, design and performing arts colleges) and specialist designated colleges. 5. All figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 6. Data for non-EU learners includes learners from the European Economic Area (EEA). Source: Individualised Learner Record | |||||
Post Office: North West
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of people in the North West the Post Office employs. [32122]
Mr Davey: This Department does not hold details of the numbers of people employed by the Post Office.
I have therefore asked Moya Greene, the chief executive of Royal Mail, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of the reply will placed in the Libraries of the House.
Postgraduate Education: Finance
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to bring his proposals for a reduction in funding for postgraduate provision into effect. [30961]
Mr Willetts: We will publish the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) grant letter for 2011-12 shortly. It is for the council to determine how that resource should be allocated. The new system of higher education funding whereby funding will flow through the choices made by students rather than direct grants will be phased in from 2012-13. We will set our priorities for residual grant, including for taught postgraduate provision and our response to the postgraduate review in the forthcoming higher education White Paper. Research postgraduate provision is not directly affected by our proposed reforms.
Regional Development Agencies: Redundancies
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of redundancy costs in respect of staff of regional development agencies in each of the next three years; [32065]
(2) what estimate he has made of the redundancy costs arising from the closure of regional development agencies. [32066]
Mr Prisk: It is not yet possible to estimate future redundancy costs firmly because decisions on staff transfers to successor bodies have still to be settled and other factors will apply including the level of staff departures occurring through other reasons such as resignation. The impact of the Superannuation Act and the timing of the implementation of any interim measures and the new negotiated terms will also have an effect.
Science: Females
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of his Department's science budget was spent on measures to increase diversity and equality in the workforce in the science, engineering and technology sectors in each of the last three years; and how much and what proportion of that budget he plans to allocate to such measures in each year of the Spending Review period. [30134]
Mr Willetts: The Research Councils, which administer the majority of this Department's science budget, pursue measures to increase diversity and equality in the science, engineering and technology sectors as part of their duties under the Equalities Act. Programme spend in this area over the last three years is outlined below.
| £ | |||
| 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | |
In addition, many of the initiatives funded from the Science and Society budget have diversity objectives. Funding for these initiatives over the last three years is outlined in the following table.
| £ | |||
| 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | |
|
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) | |||
|
UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology | |||
Decisions on the detailed breakdown of the Science and Society allocation, and the Research Councils' spend on diversity and equality, for the next four years, are yet to be taken. Funding for the UK Resource Centre will not be renewed after March 2011.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the freezing of his Department's science budget does not affect the resourcing of activity to promote equality and diversity in the science, engineering and technology sectors. [30135]
Mr Willetts: Detailed decisions regarding measures and funding to support equality and diversity in the science, engineering and technology sectors will be made as part of the detailed planning process, following the publication of the Science and Research funding allocations on 20 December 2010.
We will encourage equality and diversity in the STEM workforce by embedding and mainstreaming them through a number of the programmes we fund, and those of the partners with which we work. This will build on the wider work of the government to promote inclusive workplaces. Delivery of this strategic outcome will be taken forward by a number of our delivery partners over the next Spending Review period. A broad mix of STEM activities and wider societal programmes are funded from the Science and Research allocation and these have a major impact on diversity in the STEM workforce. These include the work of STEMNET and the STEM Ambassadors to encourage a diverse STEM pipeline; the National Academies' fellowships; Research Councils' PhD and fellowships awards; and the Big Bang Fair, and National Science and Engineering Competition.
Student Loans Company: Complaints
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints on the operations of the Student Loans Company his Department has received in each of the last five years. [31967]
Mr Willetts: Correspondence received by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in relation to the Student Loans Company since 2005 is set out in the following table. A breakdown of these figures to show the number of complaints about the company's operations is not readily available and individual correspondence cases would need to be examined to determine this. Doing so would be a disproportionate cost.
| Correspondence received by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and its predecessors in relation to the Student Loans Company (SLC) | |
| Number of cases | |
Students: Finance
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to improve financial advice available to students (a) before, (b) during and (c) immediately following higher education courses. [27975]
Mr Willetts: Students have access to the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) whose aim is to ensure that students have access to accurate and current information about how to manage their finances and avoid unnecessary debt.
More broadly improving information for prospective students is a key priority for the Government. Students should have access to timely and comparable information, including on costs such as for tuition or accommodation, so they can make informed decisions about where and what to study. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is currently consulting with the sector on proposals for all higher education institutions to publish a standard Key Information Set, on a course
by course basis, which will provide students with the information which research shows they want. The consultation document is available here:
Repayment of student loans is income contingent and graduates. Under the future progressive repayment system, graduates will not need to make any repayments until their income is above £21,000 (compared to £15,000 under the current system). If their loan is not repaid after 30 years, the remaining balance will be written off.
Students: Loans
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure prompt payment of loans to students by the Student Loans Company; and if he will make a statement. [32265]
Mr Willetts: BIS is working with and supporting the Student Loans Company (SLC) to improve the student finance service in England and ensure prompt payment to students.
Action has been taken: to strengthen the SLC's capability (including its senior management); to improve processing applications; to put in place additional staff; and to improve training. The SLC has also made technological improvements, including data links with UCAS and the Immigration and Passport Service. This Department is working with the SLC and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to make further improvements to the way household income is validated.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Student Loans Company received in overpayments from former students who had already paid off their student loans in full in each year since 2007; and how many such persons so overpaid in each such year. [32306]
Mr Willetts: The requested information is not available in the form requested except at disproportionate cost.
It is possible for borrowers to over-repay their student loans because of the loan collection process. After the end of each tax year, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) notifies the Student Loans Company (SLC) of loan deductions made by employers in the previous tax year. Due to this time lag, it is possible for people to over-repay. However, all overpayments are refunded with interest.
Since December 2009, in order to reduce the number of those who over-repay, borrowers nearing the end of their loan repayment term are notified by the SLC that they may opt out of the PAYE system, and complete their loan repayments by direct debit. Additionally, borrowers are advised to monitor their own repayments so they can calculate when they are likely to repay their loan in full.
Tobacco: Sales
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the (a) Reducing Regulation Committee and (b) Regulatory Policy Committee (i) has reviewed or (ii) plans to review the evidential basis for the prohibition of the display of tobacco products. [17424]
Mr Prisk: Reducing the number of young people who start to smoke is a public health priority for the coalition Government. Legislation prohibiting the display of tobacco products is a legacy from the last Government, and as with all legacy regulations, is being reviewed by the coalition Government in light of the new system of regulatory control. This will include its review by both the Reducing Regulation Committee and the Regulatory Policy Committee, with the aim of ensuring that the health policy goal can be delivered in a way that minimises additional burdens on retailers.
White-space Devices
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has estimated the (a) monetary cost and (b) potential disruption to the programme-making and special events sector of the use of unlicensed white-space devices; and if he will make a statement. [31958]
Mr Vaizey: The following table shows monthly spend by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on consultants and temporary employees since April 2010. In producing these figures, we have used the Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of 'temporary/casual employees' which is:
"those who have a fixed term contract of 12 months or less or are employed on a casual basis."
| £ | ||
| 2010 | Spend on consultants | Spend on temporary employees |
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has commissioned research into the potential effects on broadcasters of the deployment of white-space devices; and if he will make a statement. [31959]
Mr Vaizey: Ofcom has commissioned substantial research on the likelihood of interference from white space devices, so that it can be sure its regulation prevents harmful interference to users. Ofcom will only allow use of white space devices if they do not cause harmful interference to broadcasters. We therefore anticipate that there will no effect on broadcasters, and it is not necessary to commission research on this specific area.
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has considered the merits of providing a right of redress for licensed spectrum users who experience interference from white-space devices; and if he will make a statement. [31962]
Mr Vaizey:
Ofcom will only allow the use of white space if it does not cause harmful interference. There are not, therefore, anticipated to be any specific rights
of redress. Ofcom is proposing to licence exempt the white space devices. Should the white space devices deviate from the parameters set out in the exemption, Ofcom is able to bring criminal proceedings against the user of the device. However, the difficulty of locating these devices will have a significant impact on Ofcom's consideration of an investigation into interference.
Health
Benzodiazepines
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the evidential basis was for the increase in his Department's maximum recommended period for withdrawal from benzodiazepines; [31747]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2010, Official Report, columns 1070-72W, on benzodiazepines what legislative provisions in (a) UK and (b) EU law governed the issue of each of the generic lorazepam licences issued between 1981 and 1993; [31748]
(3) what the name is of each (a) company to which each generic lorazepam licence given since 1980 was granted and (b) product produced under each licence; [31749]
(4) under what legislative provision the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is authorised to destroy data for licences after 15 years; on what date the present record management policy of the MHRA was implemented; on what date the clinical data files relating to Ativan (lorazepam) were destroyed; and if he will make a statement. [31750]
Mr Simon Burns: Drug misuse and dependence UK guidelines on clinical management produced by the four UK health departments provides guidance on the treatment of withdrawal from Benzodiazepines. These guidelines do not refer to a maximum period for withdrawal. They advise that a reduction in dose (converted to an appropriate dose of diazepam) is tapered over time with regular assessments to determine the most effective rate of this reduction based on the individual clinical needs of the patient.
A list of granted marketing authorisations for generic Lorazepam is provided in the following table. The name of the marketing authorisation holder and the product name are provided in each case. The table also indicates the legislative provision under which each generic licence was authorised where this has been established from available records.
At the time these Marketing Authorisations were granted the extant directive on medicinal products was Directive 65/65/EC. Applications for generic products would have been made under Article 4.8a which made provision for an abridged application, that is, an application made without supplying results of toxicological tests and clinical trials.
An abridged application was permitted if either (i) the holder of an existing authorisation gave consent for his clinical and toxicological data to be cross-referenced or (ii) the product had well established use with recognized efficacy and an acceptable level of safety or (iii) the medicinal product was essentially similar to a product which had been authorized on the basis of full data on safety and efficacy including clinical trials. It was Article 4.8a(iii) that was most commonly used at that time for generic applications.
The MHRA is not legally required to retain any data it receives as part of an application. Under MHRA record management policy all application files (files that are submitted by a manufacturer for the licensing of a product) and data for licences are held for 15 years. Clinical trial files are held for five years. From September 2010, the MHRA has only kept other data subject to ongoing business.
The MHRA continuously monitors the safety of all medicines in the UK using a variety of sources including information from clinical studies, published literature, spontaneous case reports, data from marketing authorisation holders as well as other regulatory authorities. This information is used to ensure that up to date information is provided in the product information. In doing this, the MHRA does not rely on the safety information in the original application file, especially when the application is not recent.
| Authorisation number | Authorisation holder company name | Authorisation date | Licensed product name | Legislative basis |
Cancer: Drugs
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate the Department has made of the number of patients in (a) England and (b) Liverpool with rare forms of cancer who will receive funding for treatment from (i) the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund and (ii) the Cancer Drugs Fund to 2013; [31773]
(2) how many patients with rare forms of cancer in (a) Liverpool, Wavertree constituency and (b) England have received treatment as a result of funding from the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund. [31774]
(3) if he will encourage clinical panels to develop specific policies for the funding of treatments for very rare cancers from the Cancer Drugs Fund in respect of (a) England and (b) Liverpool. [32040]
Mr Simon Burns: We have made no such estimate and do not hold information on the number of patients with rare forms of cancer who have received treatment through the additional cancer drugs funding in the Liverpool Wavertree constituency and in England.
As of 15 November, funding from the additional £50 million made available in this financial year had been agreed for the treatment of more than 250 cancer patients in England. These decisions are being made by regional clinically-led panels, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Department to strategic health authorities in July, copies of which have already been placed in the Library.
We have published for consultation our proposals for arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund which will operate from April 2011 in 'The Cancer Drugs Fund: A Consultation'. We want health professionals, patients, carers, the pharmaceutical industry and the public to give us their comments on these proposals. This consultation document is available in the Library.
Care Quality Commission
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on arrangements for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to register dental practices in England from 1 April 2011; what estimate he has made of the average time it will take each practice to comply with the regulatory framework for professional dentistry proposed by the CQC; and if he will make a statement. [31032]
Mr Simon Burns: As of 15 December, 164 pieces of correspondence had been received by the Department. These include a letter from the British Dental Association (BDA) and correspondence from individual dentists, including postcards sent as part of the BDA postcard campaign.
In October 2009, the Department undertook and published an impact assessment of regulation of primary medical and dental care providers under the Health and Social Care Act (2008). The impact assessment considered the cost and benefits of registering primary care providers.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) has already started receiving completed applications for registration from primary dental care providers.
It is expected that most primary dental care providers who already provide a good quality service for patients will already be meeting the essential levels of safety and quality set out in the registration requirements.
Once registered, CQC will review the performance of providers at least once every two years, to provide assurance that they are continuing to comply with the registration requirements. Providers could be checked at more frequent intervals if there are concerns about the service or if it is assessed to be of a higher risk.
To keep the burden of registration on providers to a minimum, CQC is committed to using information that is held centrally or is already held by other bodies where possible.
Consumer Organisations
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which consumer groups he has met since his appointment; [29790]
(2) which (a) food and food-related companies and (b) trade associations he has met since his appointment. [29791]
Anne Milton:
In discharging his official duties the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), meets
with representatives from such organisations in a wide range of fora, including speaking engagements, conferences and seminars.
The Secretary of State for Health has held no individual meetings with consumer groups or trade associations, although he has met a range of such organisations at multi-stakeholder meetings. He has held one individual meeting with a food company, Unilever.
Departmental Press Releases
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions his Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings his Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions his Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010. [31922]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has held two embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.
The Department was not informed that the embargo had been breached on either occasion.
There have been no occasions on which the Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.
Departmental Procurement
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have taken to comply with the Guidance of the Office of Government Commerce on promoting skills through public procurement issued in 2009. [31323]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department is aware of this guidance and, where appropriate, incorporates elements of the guidance within tender and contract documentation, providing it offers value for money and does not affect the competitive process.
The Department's Executive Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is not aware of any steps taken to comply with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) guidance on promoting skills through public procurement.
The Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) do not undertake procurements of the size, scale and nature which readily enable many of the steps set out in the OGC guidance on promoting skills through public procurement, however, the Department, its agencies and NDPBs are all fully engaged on measures to ensure and promote opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises as set out in the guidance.
EllaOne
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to doctors on the abortifacient nature of ellaOne; and if he will make a statement. [31706]
Mr Simon Burns: Ellaone contains ulipristal acetate, a selective progesterone receptor modulator. Ellaone was licensed for use as a single dose of 30mg as an emergency contraceptive by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human use (CHMP) in May 2009. It is used to prevent pregnancy for up to five days after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure, mainly by preventing or delaying ovulation. Ellaone is contraindicated for use during an existing or suspected pregnancy.
In the United Kingdom, ellaOne is licensed as a prescription only medicine. Full information relating to the safe and appropriate use of a medicine is provided to health care professionals in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and to women in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). The SmPC and PIL for ellaOne clearly inform women and health care professionals that it should not be taken by a woman who knows she is pregnant and that a pregnancy test should be undertaken if she suspects she is pregnant. The SmPC and PIL also provide information on the known side effects for ellaOne, most common of which are headache, nausea, menstrual disorders, and abdominal pain.
There is no published experience of pregnancy termination with ellaOne and in clinical studies a 30mg dose of ulipristal acetate did not interrupt existing pregnancies. Nevertheless, CHMP considered that such an effect could not be excluded and that ellaOne could potentially be used "off-label" in an attempt to terminate pregnancy. On this basis, no information on the potential use of ulipristal as an abortifacient has been included in the information provided for doctors and women. However, the publicly available risk management plan for ellaOne includes a number of measures taken to minimise the potential risk of off-label use, including a post marketing study to monitor how Ellaone is being used in real-life.
When used in accordance with the product information ellaOne is a safe and effective option for emergency contraception. As with all marketed medicines used in the UK, the safety of ellaOne is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines. In the event of any important new safety information emerging, the MHRA will take action to ensure that this is accurately reflected in the product information and communicated to health professionals and women.
EllaOne: Prescriptions
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for the drug ellaOne were issued in each health authority area in each year since it was licensed; what conditions apply to the availability of ellaOne in pharmacies; and if he will make a statement. [31661]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the number of prescription items prescribed and dispensed since ellaOne was launched in October 2009, is shown in the following table.
In the UK ellaOne is licensed as a prescription only medicine. Under medicines legislation, prescription only medicines may generally only be sold or supplied by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist on registered pharmacy premises against a national health service or private prescription written by an independent prescriber. These legal restrictions apply equally to the sale, supply and advertising of medicines via the internet.
Health Professions
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the effects on the provision of health and social care professionals with postgraduate qualifications of implementation of the Government's proposals on student funding; and if he will make a statement. [30962]
Anne Milton: The Government's proposals to change funding arrangements in higher education relate to students in under-graduate education. The current arrangements for funding postgraduate education will continue.
The Secretary of State for Health has had discussions with the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), about the proposed changes to the funding arrangements for undergraduate education and we are keen to ensure there will be no adverse impact on the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals.
Health Professions: Higher Education
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the effects of the Government's proposals for funding of higher education on the future supply of health professionals requiring a postgraduate qualification; and if he will make a statement. [31476]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government's proposals to change funding arrangements in higher education relate to students in under-graduate education. The current arrangements for funding postgraduate education will continue.
The Secretary of State for Health has had discussions with the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), about the proposed changes to the funding arrangements for undergraduate education and we are keen to work together to understand the impact and ensure there will be no adverse impact on the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals.
Health Services: Dudley
Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the level of savings which will accrue from reductions in NHS administration costs in the metropolitan borough of Dudley during the comprehensive spending review period; [32199]
(2) what plans he has for the use of funds saved through the reduction of NHS administration costs in the metropolitan borough of Dudley. [32200]
Mr Simon Burns: The spending review announced that the costs of administration across the health system will be reduced by one third in real terms by 2014-15, delivering a recurrent annual saving of £1.9 billion. This includes savings from significantly reducing the number and cost of our non-departmental public bodies and from reforming and reducing the costs of administration in the national health service, including through the proposed abolition of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.
It is the responsibility of the NHS locally to determine how to deliver these savings.
All these savings, along with all other efficiency savings, will be re-invested in services for patients. It will be the responsibility of local commissioners to determine, within their overall budgets, how best these savings can be invested in order to meet the needs of, and improve outcomes for, their local populations.
Health Services: Wales
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on cross-border healthcare. [32191]
Anne Milton: The Secretary of State met with Edwina Hart AM, the Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Assembly Government, in Cardiff on 1 December to discuss a range of issues including cross-border healthcare.
HIV Infection: Grants
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the (a) AIDS Support Grant and (b) HIV Capital Grant will be distributed. [31606]
Anne Milton:
In order to support local flexibility and to reduce administrative burdens, the 2010 spending review settlement announced that all current Department of Health social care revenue grants, including the AIDS support grant, will roll into the revenue support grant issued by Department for Communities and Local Government from 2011-12. The revenue support grant is not ring-fenced and councils can spend it as they choose. As part of rolling the AIDS support grant into
revenue support grant, the Department considered responses to its summer consultation on the future distribution of three social care grants including the AIDS support grant. Details of the consultation exercise are available at:
The allocation basis for the AIDS support funding within revenue support grant will remain case load based, using 2008 data from the Health Protection Agency, for both 2011-12 and 2012-13 allocations. This option minimises the change in funding for local authorities and ensures that the funding is distributed to those areas with the greatest demand for HIV/AIDS services. Details of the allocation of the revenue support grant, including HIV/AIDS allocations are available at:
From 2011-12 the HIV capital grant will no longer be a specific capital grant. In 2010-11 the Department of Health issued seven separate capital grants. The Department of Health is maintaining capital funding at 2010-11 levels but will issue only one capital grant in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the capital investment in community capacity grant. The grant is not ring-fenced but is designed to support the three key areas of personalisation, reform and efficiency. This funding will enable continued capital investment to support delivery of adult social care services, including HIV/AIDS services. The capital investment in community capacity grant is distributed using the total adults social care relative needs formula. Details of the capital grant including local authority allocations of this grant are available at:
HIV Infection: Respite Care
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support his Department provides to non-medical HIV respite centres. [31604]
Anne Milton: The provision of non-medical HIV respite care is supported by the local authority AIDS support grant, which is £25.5 million in 2010-11.
HIV Infection: Wales
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on cross-border delivery of support for those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. [31605]
Anne Milton: The Secretary of State for Health and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers have had no discussions on cross-border delivery of support for those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. However, departmental officials continue to be in routine contact with Welsh Assembly Government officials on this issue.
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients resident in England are being treated for AIDS and HIV at respite centres in Wales. [31607]
Anne Milton: In 2009, 60,240 people were living with diagnosed HIV infection and resident in England. Of these, 22 accessed HIV care in Wales, of whom 19 were receiving anti-retroviral therapy.
Hospitals: Admissions
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to hospital occurred as a consequence or suspected consequence of alcohol consumption in each primary care trust area in each year since 2008-09. [28167]
Anne Milton: The information is in the following tables.
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