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25 Jan 2011 : Column 219Wcontinued
19. Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation he undertook prior to publication of his proposals for GP commissioning. [35650]
Mr Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" was published in July last year, and set out our long-term vision for the national health service. Shortly after, we set out further details of our proposals to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practices. In December, we published our response to the consultation, setting out our plans in further detail.
20. David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on the statutory regulation of herbal medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine; and if he will make a statement. [35651]
Anne Milton: The transitional period under the 2004 Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products (THMP) will end on 30 April 2011.
From this date, all manufactured herbal medicines placed on the market must have either a traditional herbal registration (THR) or a marketing authorisation (MA).
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has identified the possibility of creating a national regulatory scheme allowing authorised herbal practitioners to continue to commission unlicensed manufactured herbal medicines after 30 April 2011.
When practitioners legally hold stock at 30 April 2011, they will not be required to dispose of these existing stocks.
We are currently in discussion with the devolved administrations, the Health Professions Council and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council about the feasibility of a statutory register and we expect to make an announcement shortly.
I can assure you that this Government are treating this issue as a priority.
21. Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the variation in the cost of prescription drugs of the proposals in the Health White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [35652]
Mr Lansley: The White Paper sets out our intention that, from 2014, new medicines subject to the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme should have a price reflective of their value. For drugs dispensed via pharmacies, we will ensure that there are fair, but not excessive, margins on dispensing.
22. Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for cancer patients. [35653]
Paul Burstow: The Cancer Strategy that we published earlier this month sets out a range of actions to improve outcomes for cancer patients. Earlier diagnosis is crucial to improving outcomes and we have set out plans to deliver this, in particular through improving general practitioner access to diagnostic tests, supporting symptom awareness initiatives and extending cancer screening programmes. We are also improving access to treatment and support for survivors.
23. Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the operation of the interim cancer drugs fund; and if he will make a statement. [35654]
Paul Burstow: We have received representations from hon. Members, noble Lords, and members of the public on how the interim arrangements for cancer drugs funding are operating. This includes a number welcoming the additional support we are giving to cancer patients in need.
24. Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elective surgical procedures have been (a) postponed and (b) cancelled since 1 October 2010. [35655]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect data on postponements or total cancelled elective operations. However, the Department publishes data on how many elective operations were cancelled for non-clinical reasons on the day of admission or of operation.
Latest published data show that there were 13,015 such cancellations during the period July to September 2010 compared with 13,547 during the same period in 2009, under the previous Administration.
25. Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of obesity; and if he will make a statement. [35656]
Anne Milton: This Government have set out an ambitious new public health strategy in "Healthy Lives, Healthy People". Its radical reforms put health and wellbeing at the centre of all we do.
We will be publishing a document on obesity in the spring that will set out how obesity will be tackled in the new public health and national health service systems, and the role of key partners.
The role of Government is to bring together key partners to help and support people to make healthier choices. We cannot tackle obesity alone-it is an issue for society as a whole. We all have a role to play.
We want people to know that they can change their lifestyle and in doing so they can make a difference to their health.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged (a) 16 to 19 and (b) 20 to 24 were registered (i) alcoholics and (ii) drug addicts in each year for which figures are available. [35803]
Anne Milton: There is no scheme or requirement for registration by alcoholics or drug addicts with the national health service.
The adult psychiatric morbidity survey, 'Adult Psychiatric Morbidity in England, 2007' (APMS), was published in January 2009, covering adults living in private households in England. It includes information on the prevalence of alcohol use and dependence by age, sex, region and other factors for 2000 and 2007. Estimates of the number and percentage of alcohol dependent individuals aged 16 to 19 and 20 to 24 are in the following table. Estimates for other years are not available.
Estimate of the number and percentage of alcohol dependent( 1) individuals aged 16 to 19 and 20 to 24, 2000 and 2007 | ||||
Age (years): | 16- 19 | 20-24 | ||
Estimated number | Estimated percentage | Estimated number | Estimated percentage | |
(1) Scoring 16 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) |
Data on drug treatment, including that for individuals with a drug dependency problem, are collected by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).
NDTMS data on the number of 18 to 24-year-olds in treatment for the years 2005-06 to 2009-10 are given in the following table.
Number of 18 to 24-year-olds in treatment for the years 2005-06 to 2009-10 | |
Number | |
In December 2010 the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse published 'Substance misuse among young people: the data for 2009-10', which included data on the number of young people aged 18 and under accessing drug treatment services. Data on young people accessing treatment services are available for the years 2005-06 to 2009-10 and are given in the following table.
Number of young people accessing drug treatment services by age and year | |||||
Age | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
The 'National and Regional Estimates of the Prevalence of Opiate and/or Crack Cocaine Use 2008-09' report provides data on opiate and/or crack cocaine use for the years 2006-07 and 2008-09. Estimates on opiate and/or crack cocaine use for those aged 15 to 24 are given in the following table.
Estimates on opiate and/or crack cocaine use for those aged 15 to 24 for 2006-07 and 2008-09 | |
Estimate of opiate and/or crack cocaine use by 15 to 24-year-olds | |
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the difference is in the level of compensation payments for those affected by contaminated blood and blood products (a) in the Republic of Ireland and (b) in the UK under the settlement he announced on 10 January 2011; and for what reasons he considers that a difference in such levels is appropriate. [35930]
Mr Lansley: It is not possible to make meaningful comparisons between the level of compensation made to individuals in the Republic of Ireland and the level of ex-gratia payments made to individuals here in the United Kingdom, because the two systems are completely different. In the Republic of Ireland, lump sum payments are made, the size of which varies according to the circumstances of the individual claimant. Here in the UK, there is a system of lump sum, annual, and discretionary ex-gratia payments. The recurrent annual payments will be made over the lifetime of the infected individual, so it is impossible to ascertain how much individual patients might receive in future.
As I explained to the House on 10 January 2011, Official Report, columns 33-42, the circumstances in the Republic of Ireland are unique to them, in that the Irish Government chose to establish an independent Compensation Tribunal to determine the quantum of
payments by reference to Irish principles of law governing the calculation of damages. In consequence, the basic awards made in Ireland (leaving aside exemplary or aggravated damages) are compensatory in nature but are paid without proof of negligence in any given case. The article in The Irish Times on 5 August 1997, has already been placed in the Library on 14 October 2010, demonstrates that there is a clear indication of an acceptance by the Irish Government that in many, if not all cases, the claimants were likely to have a good cause of action because the Irish Attorney General advised that the Irish Blood Transfusion Service Board (for which the Irish Government are responsible) would be found guilty of negligence.
In my remarks to the House on 10 January 2011, Official Report, columns 33-42, I referred to the question of liability in relation to the Republic of Ireland. For the avoidance of doubt, I am aware that no liability was formally accepted by the Government of the Republic of Ireland, nor was such a determination made by a court. My response to questions highlighted that, in view of the acknowledgement of mistakes made by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service Board, the nature of the payments in Ireland were consistent with a finding of liability leading to compensation as was set out in that article. The approach we have taken in the UK is therefore distinct and different, and is ex gratia in nature. Our payments are not equivalent to those that would be made on the basis of legal liability.
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people have applied for funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund (a) in total, (b) by primary care trust and (c) by constituency to date; [35500]
(2) how many people have received funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund to date; [35501]
(3) how many people have applied for funding for selective internal radiation therapy from the Cancer Drugs Fund to date; [35502]
(4) how many people have received funding for selective internal radiation therapy from the Cancer Drugs Fund to date; [35503]
(5) for what reasons selective internal radiation therapy has been rejected by strategic health authorities. [35505]
Paul Burstow: The Cancer Drugs Fund does not take effect until April 2011. Under the arrangements for the additional £50 million made available to the national health service for additional cancer drugs on an interim basis in this financial year, up to 10 January 2011, strategic health authorities had received around one thousand applications for funding. Of these, applications for over 750 patients had been agreed with most of the remaining applications under consideration.
We do not hold a breakdown of these applications by primary care trust or constituency, or the number of applications made for funding of selective internal radiation therapy.
Decisions on which cancer drugs are funded from the additional £50 million are a matter for regional clinically-led panels based on the advice of cancer specialists. We expect these decisions to be informed by the guidance issued by the Department to strategic health authorities in July 2010, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This guidance specifies that the primary focus of the funding is on improving access to cancer drugs, which may include radiopharmaceuticals.
We have consulted on our plans for the design of the Cancer Drugs Fund and our consultation closed on 19 January. Decisions on the implementation of the Cancer Drugs Fund will be taken once the responses to the consultation have been considered.
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria strategic health authorities use to determine funding for the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund. [35504]
Paul Burstow: Decisions on the use of the additional £50 million made available to the national health service in this financial year are a matter for regional clinically-led panels based on the advice of cancer specialists. We expect these decisions to be informed by the guidance issued by the Department to strategic health authorities (SHAs) in July 2010, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Details of the arrangements and criteria that SHAs have in place for the distribution of this funding are available on their websites as follows:
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to shorten or simplify the standard NHS Contract for Community Services. [35464]
Mr Simon Burns: In line with the planned revision for the NHS Standard Contracts, the 2011-12 NHS Standard Contract for Community Services is undergoing a review with the aim to remove any element that is dealt with by regulatory and other organisations and the simplification of clauses and wording following feedback received from a wide range of provider and commissioner stakeholders.
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has put in place to prevent deaths of young people from sudden death syndrome. [33445]
Mr Simon Burns: In March 2005, the national service framework for coronary heart disease was extended with a new chapter that provides models of care and markers of quality for arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.
The Department works closely with national health service and charitable organisations such as Cardiac Risk in the Young and British Heart Foundation in developing services aimed at identifying people who are at risk and assessing them and their families to reduce their chances of dying from an arrhythmic condition. It has also worked with these organisations to ensure that systems are in place for those diagnosed with a potentially life threatening condition, and their families, to produce appropriate counselling, advice information and psychological support.
The Department supported formation of the UK Cardiac Pathology Network (UKCPN) in order to provide local coroners with an expert cardiac pathology service and to promote best pathological practice in sudden death cases. A national database on sudden arrhythmic death was launched in November 2008 funded by the Department allowing UKCPN pathologists to record information on cases referred to them.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) women and (b) men have been appointed to public duties by his Department since May 2010. [35398]
Mr Simon Burns: Since 1 May 2010, the Secretary of State for Health has appointed one man and one woman to a public appointment.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled. [35420]
Mr Simon Burns: Since the Secretary of State for Health's appointment, he has appointed the Chair of the Care Quality Commission who is remunerated at £60,000.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what modelling his Department has undertaken to estimate the annual cost of providing genito-urinary medical services; what recent assessment he has made of the cost of such services; and if he will make a statement. [35439]
Anne Milton: The Department has not undertaken any specific modelling to estimate the annual cost of providing genito-urinary medical services.
In 2009-10 it is estimated that England-level gross expenditure on genito-urinary medical services was £4.63 billion. The following table provides an estimated breakdown of this expenditure.
£ billion | |
Additionally, the estimated expenditure on HIV and AIDS in 2009-10 was £0.76 billion.
Source:
Expenditure figures above are from estimated England level programme budgeting data, which are calculated using primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority programme budgeting returns and Department of Health resource accounts data. Figures will include an estimation of special health authority expenditure. Full table is available at:
In addition, through a separate exercise of the annual reference cost collection, the Department collects information on the cost to national health service providers (NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and PCT provider arms) of providing a defined service in a given financial year.
The following table contains total reported cost information from the 2009-10 reference costs (the most recent year for which data has been published) for collection categories which relate explicitly to genito-urinary medical services.
Total reported cost of genitourinary medical services in 2009-10( 1) | |
Collection category | £ million |
(1) The total reported cost figures have been rounded to the nearest £100,000. (2 )The out-patient attendance figure relates to costs reported against Service Code 360 (Genito-Urinary Medicine). (3) The 'other settings' figure includes the cost of providing genito-urinary medical services in the following settings-elective, non-elective, day case, out-patient procedure and regular day/night admissions-as reported against three Healthcare Resource Groups (HRGs): (a) LB20A (Infection and Mechanical Problems Related to Genito-Urinary Prostheses, Implants and Grafts with complications/comorbidities) (b) LB20B (Infection and Mechanical Problems Related to Genito-Urinary Prostheses, Implants and Grafts without complications/comorbidities) (c) WA10Z (Other infections (Genito Urinary Medicine) (4) As it is possible that some GUM services may have been provided alongside other treatments, this activity will have mapped to other HRGs which do not relate explicitly to GUM services. It is not possible to separately identify the costs associated with GUM services that may have mapped to other HRGs. Source: Figures in the table are taken from schedule 4 (NHS trusts and PCTs combined) of the national schedules of reference costs for the financial year 2009-10, available at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/NHScostingmanual/index.htm |
These figures do not reflect the cost to PCTs of commissioning GUM medical services, as these costs are not covered by the reference costs collection.
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are in place on the use of 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers by (a) GP surgeries, (b) hospitals and (c) dental practices. [33818]
Mr Simon Burns: Following a public consultation on the future use of 0844 and 0845 numbers in the national health service, the Department announced on 14 September 2009, that it would be prohibiting the use of telephone numbers which charged the patient more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number. The Department issued guidance and directions to general practitioner practices and NHS bodies, including hospitals, which came into force on 21 December 2010.
There are no regulations or guidelines in place regarding the use of 0844 or 0845 numbers in dental practices.
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for a patient to receive a hearing aid in (a) Wirral primary care trust, (b) primary care trusts in the North West and (c) England. [35297]
Paul Burstow: The average (median) waiting time for a completed Direct Access audiology pathway in November 2010 for:
(a) Wirral Primary Care Trust was 6.0 weeks
(b) North West SHA was 4.7 weeks
( c) England was 4.8 weeks
The Department collects data on waiting times for Direct Access audiology pathways, from general practitioner referral to first definitive treatment, which includes the fitting of a hearing aid and other types of treatment. This is the latest available data published on 20 January 2011.
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many critical care beds are available in (a) Wirral primary care trust, (b) primary care trusts in the North West and (c) England. [35299]
Mr Simon Burns: There are 18 critical care beds available at Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Information on the number of critical care beds is collected at the level of hospital trusts, not primary care trusts. There are 566 critical care beds in North West strategic health authority.
There are 3,662 critical care beds in England.
KH03a data are the official and validated source for information on the number of open and staffed critical care beds in England. KH03a data are published biannually by the Department and the latest available data sets out the position at 15 July 2010. The information includes all data and amendments received up to 25 August 2010.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure hospitals observe its guidance on car park charges. [35236]
Mr Simon Burns: National health service organisations are responsible locally for their own policy on car parking, taking into account operational circumstances and community interests. We have made clear that local policies should include fair concessions for all patients whose healthcare needs require extended or frequent access to hospital. Patients on low incomes are entitled to recover travel costs, including car parking charges, under the Hospital Travel Costs scheme.
The Department does not directly monitor the NHS to ensure that local polices provide fair concessions to patients and the local public. NHS trust boards should be held to account by their local communities including foundation trust members and other public groups.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many primary care trusts are funding (a) one cycle, (b) two cycles and (c) three cycles of in vitro fertilisation; and how many include frozen embryo transfers as part of each cycle; [35308]
(2) what his policy is on action to be taken should a primary care trust (a) suspend and (b) restrict funding for fertility services in its area. [35309]
Anne Milton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are well aware of their statutory commissioning responsibilities and the need to base commissioning decisions on clinical evidence and discussions with local general practitioners (GPs) commissioners, secondary care clinicians and providers.
The NHS deputy chief executive, David Flory, wrote to PCT commissioners on 11 January 2011 to highlight the importance that those involved in commissioning fertility services have regard to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence fertility guidelines, including the recommendation that up to three cycles of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are offered to eligible couples where the woman is aged between 23 and 39.
A copy of this communication has been placed in the Library and is available at:
Information on the number of IVF treatment cycles funded by the national health service and the number of these cycles that include frozen embryo transfers as part of each is not collected centrally.
Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the North West have died from influenza since October 2010; how many such cases involved the H1N1 strain of the virus; and what consideration his Department has given to publishing a regional or sub-regional breakdown of deaths from influenza. [36156]
Anne Milton: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) advises the Department on the number of deaths associated with influenza.
The HPA is unable to provide regional or sub-regional data on deaths from influenza.
The HPA aims to publish as much information on deaths as is useful for understanding the impact and epidemiology of influenza, while recognising its duty of confidentiality towards individual patients and their families.
As at 19 January, the HPA reported 254 influenza-related deaths in the United Kingdom since September. Of the 214 cases with information on the type of influenza infection, 195 deaths (91%) were associated with H1N1 virus.
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the level of expenditure by the NHS on treating victims of dog attacks in the latest year for which figures are available. [35694]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not collected centrally on the total number of dog bite injuries treated by the national health service.
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations he has undertaken on increasing the limit on reimbursement for egg donors. [35667]
Anne Milton: The reimbursement of egg donors is a matter for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) as set out by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and Directions. The HFEA launched a consultation on egg and sperm donation on 17 January 2011, which includes the compensation of donors. Details of the consultation can be found on the HFEA website at:
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking in response to recent announcements by primary care trusts that they plan to suspend or restrict funding for IVF services; and if he will make a statement. [35678]
Anne Milton: The NHS deputy chief executive, David Flory, wrote to primary care trust commissioners on 11 January 2011 to highlight the importance that those involved in commissioning fertility services have regard to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence fertility guidelines, including the recommendation that up to three cycles of in vitro fertilisation are offered to eligible couples where the woman is aged between 23 and 39.
A copy of this communication has been placed in the Library and is available at:
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities are available for infants to have single vaccines for mumps, measles and rubella instead of the MMR Vaccine. [35843]
Anne Milton: The national health service provides routine childhood vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella using the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as this protects against all three diseases. The Department does not recommend single vaccines for measles, mumps or rubella for NHS use because there is no evidence that they are more effective or safer than the MMR vaccine. Having single vaccines leaves children at risk of catching measles, mumps or rubella in the gaps between the vaccinations.
Single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are not licensed for use in the United Kingdom. Such unlicensed vaccines are imported under an exemption to the need for a Marketing Authorisation ("product licence") for the special needs of individual patients for use on the direct personal responsibility of the prescriber.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proposed increase in competition within the NHS will include provision of services by private companies; who will be responsible for validating the medical and clinical expertise of such companies; and if he will make a statement. [35154]
Mr Simon Burns: Under our proposals, patients and commissioners will have an increasing choice of who provides health services. Our aim is that patients can be treated by those providers best placed to meet their needs. Providers from all sectors, including national health service trusts and foundation trusts, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and the independent sector, will be eligible-as at present-to have a role in providing those NHS services.
Primary care trusts as the current commissioners of NHS services are responsible for undertaking the necessary rigorous due diligence on providers prior to signing a contract for the provision of NHS clinical services. Arrangements for contracts with general practitioner (GP) consortiums for clinical services have yet to be determined, as the creation of GP consortiums is subject to parliamentary approval. In future, again subject to parliamentary approval of its proposed new roles, Monitor will develop and agree with the Secretary of State criteria for determining who constitutes a 'fit person' for the purposes of contracting for NHS-funded clinical services. The Care Quality Commission will continue to play an important role in assuring quality and patient safety.
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the expected level of savings in the cost of management and administration following the proposed abolition of the (a) West Sussex Primary Care Trust and (b) South East Coast Strategic Health Authority. [35349]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has not made an estimate of the level of savings in the cost of management and administration from the abolition of the West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority (SHA).
Reductions in the cost of administration across the health system will deliver annual savings of £1.7 billion (in today's prices) by 2014-15. This represents a one third reduction in real terms and includes the impact of abolishing PCTs and SHAs, as well as savings in the Department and its arm's length bodies.
The trajectory and SHA-level breakdown of savings in the national health service will be set out shortly in detailed financial planning guidance for the NHS. It
will be for SHAs to determine how the target reduction is managed across their regions.
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital managers were employed in (a) Edgware Community Hospital, (b) Barnet Primary Care Trust and (c) the NHS in Hendon constituency in each of the last five years. [35550]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table shows hospital and community health non medical staff in each specified national health service hospital and community health service organisation by main staff group as at 30 September each year.
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage operators of retail stores to provide hand towels in disabled toilet facilities in retail outlets. [36049]
Paul Burstow: The Department is not responsible for the maintenance of disabled toilet facilities in retail outlets and does not issue guidance on the topic.
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time to be seen is for accident and emergency treatment in (a) Wirral Primary Care Trust, (b) primary care trusts in the North West and (c) England. [35302]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table sets out the mean and median time spent between arrival and treatment in accident and emergency (A&E) departments in Wirral primary care trust (PCT), each of the other main providers of treatment in the North West, and England in 2009-10.
Provider code | A&E main provider of treatment | Mean duration to treatment (minutes) | Median duration to treatment (minutes) |
Notes: 1. These data cover attendances at all types of A&E departments, including major A&E departments, single specialty A&E departments, walk-in centres and minor injuries units. 2. The duration to treatment refers to the time from arrival at A&E to the time that a treatment intervention takes place during an A&E attendance. 3. A&E HES are the only source of nationally available data which contain information on the time spent in A&E from arrival to treatment. Official information on the total time spent in A&E is collected as part of the Department of Health's Quarterly Monitoring of A&E (QMAE) data collection. 4. Some shortcomings remain with the quality and coverage of A&E HES data, and variation in the time to treatment across trusts may reflect varying data quality and coverage as well as variation in genuine activity. For example, in some cases unusually short or long times to treatment in A&E are reported due to default times being recorded instead of the actual time of treatment. These data issues will have a larger effect on the mean, rather than the median, time in A&E. 5. The A&E HES publications addresses some of the key data quality and coverage issues. These are available on HESonline: www.hesonline.nhs.uk Source: A&E Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care |
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many adults in England are in full-time further education; and what proportion are aged between 19 and 24 years. [35698]
Mr Hayes: Table 1 shows the total number of adults participating in Further Education (Learner Responsive) in the 2008/09 academic year, and the number and proportion that were studying full-time.
There were 157,700 adults studying in full-time further education in 2008/09. Of these, 57% were aged between 19 and 24 years old.
Table 1: Further education (learner responsive) full-time participation by age, 2008-09 | ||||
Age | Total FE participation | Total FE participation (percentage) | FE full-time participation | FE full-time Percentage |
Notes: 1. This data does not include participation in apprenticeships, train to gain, adult safeguarded learning or higher education. Further education provision in this table covers the learner responsive funding stream only. Further education/learner responsive provision includes general further education colleges including tertiary, sixth form colleges-agricultural and horticultural colleges and art and design colleges, specialist colleges and external institutions. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Percentages are calculated on pre-rounded data. 3. Age is based on age as of the 31 August 2008. 4. The total FE participation figure includes a small number of learners with an unknown age. Learners aged under 19 are not included in the above figures. 5. Full-time learners are defined as those learners studying a programme of a minimum of 450 guided learning hours in an academic year. Source: Individualised Learner Record |
Information on further education participation is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 16 November 2010:
Near final data for further education participation and achievement for 2009/10 will be published in a Statistical First Release published on 27 January, which will also be available at the link above.
Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage large companies to offer apprenticeships. [34950]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 21 January 2011]: The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) delivers a dedicated service to large multi-site national employers through the National Employer Service, offering free, expert advice and support to recruit and develop apprentices. Support is also available to larger employers through the NAS regional teams.
NAS is focusing its current marketing campaign on medium and large employers, contacting thousands of large private and public sector employers to promote the benefits of apprenticeships to their business.
Since its launch in April 2009, NAS has increased the number of apprentices it supports (by 25% year-on-year) in large national employers who directly deliver high quality apprenticeship programmes, such as British Telecom, BAE Systems and, more recently, McDonalds; as well as in those who are working through their preferred training provider or college, such as Morrisons and the BBC.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeship places he expects to be available in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14; and in each such year, how many apprenticeship places he expects to be taken up by those aged (i) 16-18, (ii) 19-24, (iii) 25-30 and (iv) over 30 years old. [35257]
Mr Hayes: Apprenticeships is a demand-led programme for young people and adults. Government funds apprenticeship training, in full for 16 to 19-year-olds and in part for adults; but relies on employers and providers to work together to offer sufficient opportunities, in the context of the greater freedoms and flexibilities that we have created in the further education system. Therefore, Government does not plan apprenticeship places but provides funding and forecasts the number of places that may be afforded as a result.
We have recently set out indicative forecasts of apprenticeships in documents published by the Young People's Learning Agency and BIS.
For 16 to 19-year-olds, the YPLA document "16 to 19 Funding Statement", published in December, states that we plan to have 131,200 apprentice starts in 2010/11 and 133,500 in 2011/12.
The BIS documents "Skills for Sustainable Growth and Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth" set out the abolition of central targets and increased freedom and flexibility for further education colleges and training organisations to respond effectively to the needs of employers, learners and their communities. It will be for individual colleges and training organisations, working directly with their local partners, to determine the offer that best meets the needs of their communities.
From the 2011/12 academic year, there will be a single Adult Skills Budget, with earmarked delivery for apprenticeships. As part of its allocations process later this year, the Skills Funding Agency will set out a minimum expectation of apprenticeships delivery. Further education colleges and training organisations will be able to use their single Adult Skills Budget allocation to expand apprenticeships. Meanwhile, any diversion of funding away from apprenticeships will be agreed with the agency.
In this context, "Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth" offers an indicative forecast for apprenticeship learner numbers, including apprentices expected to continue learning from the previous year. It does not provide a direct comparison in starts for adult (19+) apprentices and does not differentiate by age band. Officials have converted the learner numbers to starts for comparison, so the indicative forecast is for 220,900 adult (19+) starts in 2010/11 and 227,100 in 2011/12.
We have not published forecast starts figures beyond 2011/12.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many training places were available under (a) Train to Gain and (b) apprenticeships in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08, (iii) 2008-09 and (iv) 2009-10. [35258]
Mr Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of Train to Gain and apprenticeship starts in England from the 2006/07 to 2008/09 academic year, the latest year for which final data are available.
As announced in a letter from the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), to the Skills Funding Agency chief executive in June 2010, Train to Gain will be abolished from the 2011/12 academic year. It will be replaced by a new workplace training programme, aimed at supporting smaller employers.
Table 1: Train to Gain and Apprenticeship Starts, 2006/07 to 2008/09 | ||
Academic year | Train to Gain starts | Apprenticeship starts |
(1) Train to Gain figures for 2008/09 are not comparable with earlier years as in 2008/09 NVQs delivered in the workplace previously funded by FE are now funded by Train to Gain. There were 181,000 starts in NVQs delivered in the workplace in 2007/08. Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Source: Individualised Learner Record |
Information on the number of Train to Gain and apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 16 November 2010:
Final data for Train to Gain and apprenticeships for 2009/10 will be published in a Statistical First Release published on 27 January 2011 which will also be available at the link above.
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many adults in England are on apprenticeships; and what proportion are aged between 19 and 24 years. [35697]
Mr Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts in England by age for the 2008/09 academic year, the latest year for which final data are available.
Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts by age, 2008/09 | ||
Age | Apprenticeship starts | Percentage |
Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Percentages are calculated on pre-rounded data. 2. Age is based on age at the start of the programme. 3. Figures include learners aged 19 and over only. Learners aged under 19 are not included in the above figures. Source: Individualised Learner Record |
Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 16 November 2010:
Final 2009/10 data for apprenticeships will be published in a Statistical First Release published on 27 January, which will also be available at the link above.
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the amount of bank lending available to (a) small and medium-sized enterprises and (b) large companies in each region in each quarter since January 2006; and what progress has been made on the major loan guarantee scheme and the use of net lending targets for the nationalised banks proposed in the Coalition Agreement. [35506]
Mr Prisk: Data on bank lending to all companies, including SMEs and large companies, are collected and analysed by the Bank of England. Quarterly updates are made available through the Bank of England's 'Trends in Lending' publication.
Current data show that in Q3 of 2010, £24.4 billion gross were lent to UK businesses (including both SMEs and large companies). October 'Trends in Lending' has SME lending statistics. More information is available at:
With regard to the loan guarantee scheme proposed in the coalition agreement, the Government consulted on this and other issues last summer ('Financing a private sector recovery') and announced in their response to the consultation ('Backing Small Business') that the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme, which provides loan guarantee support to SMEs without collateral or financial track record and has already provided over £1.3 billion of loans to SMEs, would be extended to 2014-15, benefiting around 6,000 viable SMEs next year alone and, subject to demand, be worth over £2 billion in total over the next four years.
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated on 11 January, we are working with the banks to ensure that they make a greater contribution to lending. We will provide more detail to the House when the negotiations have been finalised.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) women and (b) men have been appointed to public duties by his Department since May 2010. [35401]
Mr Davey: Since May 2010 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has appointed six women and 21 men to the boards of our public bodies.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled. [35423]
Mr Davey: Details of the appointments made and remuneration are detailed in the following table:
Body | Appointee | Remuneration |
£1,695 annual honorarium, plus £172 for each day they work on council business | ||
Details of public body boards can be found on the website of each body.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many grants were made to students resident in each local authority area to facilitate study for National Vocational Qualifications or other qualifications to obtain registration on the Approved Driving Instructor Register in each of the last five years; and what the total monetary value of those grants was in each such year. [35383]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 24 January 2011]: The Adult Learning Grant (ALG) is an England-only programme for adults who are studying full time-450 hours of guided learning over the academic year-for their first full Level 2 or first full Level 3 course. Data on ALG is not available by local authority area.
However, the ALG programme does not support the learning that is required to obtain registration on the Approved Driving Instructor Register. There are no
specific NVQ or other qualifications which lead to registration on the Approved Driving Instructor Register. To register, applicants must pass the Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) exams.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many enquiries were received by Business Link from applicants who expressed an interest in obtaining registration on the Approved Driving Instructor Register with a view to establishing a driving school in each of the last five years. [35385]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 24 January 2011]: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills fund a range of business support and advice that is delivered via the regional development agencies through the Business Link regional advisory service. The regional advisory service providers do not record information on the enquiries they receive to the level of detail necessary to answer this question. However, they will have directed any enquiries to the appropriate information on the Business Link website.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), who manage the Business Link website, launched a new section of the site covering Transport and Logistics at the end of March 2009, which contains nine approved driving instructor (ADI) guides and two ADI transactions. Annex A gives figures for the number visits to the relevant web pages since their launch.
Annex A: Transaction pages: Apply to become an approved driving instructor (ADI) | |
Period | Number of visits |
Manage your approved driving instructor (ADI) registration and continuing professional development (CPD) | |
Period | Number of visits |
Guidance pages: Approved driving instructor (ADI) guides | |
Period | Number of visits |
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to invest in research and development of environmental goods and services. [36233]
Mr Willetts: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills sponsored Technology Strategy Board supports business led R and D focused on environmental goods and services through a number of programmes focused on those opportunities which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity. The Department also supports the Energy Technologies Institute, a 50:50 public-private partnership, to invest in the development of low carbon energy technologies and solutions.
Furthermore, the Research Councils will continue to work closely with the Technology Strategy Board under the themes of low carbon energy and resource efficiency to help ensure investments through cross-Council programmes such as Living With Environmental Change and Energy are closely informed by business, and that businesses will readily adopt innovations that stem from excellent research.
BIS and the Department for Energy and Climate Change are also providing £40 million of dual-key funding for three testing facilities at Narec to support the development of offshore renewable energy, and the Department also supports R and D tax credits, which provides tax relief for any company undertaking a minimum of £10,000 work of R and D in the year. Companies not in profit can receive cash as an alternative to tax relief, which is helpful to companies undertaking R and D with a long lead time.
As part of the Government's commitment to creating the most competitive corporate tax regime in the G20, we launched at the end of November 2010 a consultation with business on the taxation of intellectual property and the support that R and D tax credits provide for innovation which will run until 22 February 2011.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the barriers to participation in further education for people (a) up to the age of 19 years and (b) over the age of 19 years. [34967]
Mr Hayes: Such assessments are conducted by a range of public-sector and independent organisations. They reveal that learners may face a wide variety of, for example, practical, geographical, social and financial barriers to participation depending on their individual circumstances.
Schools, colleges and training providers play a vital role in identifying and overcoming those barriers.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many postgraduate students studying at UK higher education institutions were (a) UK citizens, (b) citizens of other EU countries and (c) citizens of each other non-EU country in each of the last 10 years; what estimate he has made of the likely number of postgraduate students in each such category in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [35475]
Mr Willetts: The number of postgraduate students enrolled at UK higher education institutions are shown by country of domicile. Figures are provided for the UK, European Union and each overseas non-European Union country for the academic years 2000/01 to 2009/10. This is the latest information available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) these can be found in the Libraries of the House.
Figures for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from HESA in January 2012.
The Department does not plan for the number of postgraduate students at UK higher education institutions.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to make an announcement on the establishment of the proposed Green Investment Bank. [36232]
Mr Prisk: As set out in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills structural reform plan, the Green Investment Bank (GIB) will be operational by September 2012. We are, however, looking to begin making investments as soon as the GIB receives funding from asset sales. We will make an announcement in May.
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people normally resident in (a) Hastings and Rye constituency, (b) Hastings borough council area, (c) East Sussex, (d) the South East and (e) England applied to attend university to start in the academic year (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [35011]
Mr Willetts: The information is in the following tables and is provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and therefore mostly covers full-time undergraduate study(1). Data for 2010/11 represent the final end-of-cycle data.
Applicants to full-time undergraduate courses via UCAS 2010/11 | |
Geographical area | Applicants |
(1) UCAS covers full-time first degree, foundation degree, HND, HNC, Certificates of HE, Diplomas of HE (including those in social work, midwifery and nursing) and some postgraduate courses in social work. Source: UCAS |
Data for 2011/12 represent applicants who had applied by 20 December 2010. Applicants can apply via the main scheme up until the end of June and through clearing after this. UCAS will release the next set of data on applicants for 2011/12 on 31 January.
Applicants to full-time undergraduate courses via UCAS 2011/12 | |
Geographical area | Applicants to date |
Source: UCAS |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of 18 to 24 year-olds in each socio-economic group entered higher education in each year for which figures are available. [35810]
Mr Willetts:
The Full-Time Young Participation by Socio-Economic Class (FYPSEC) measure shows the proportion of young people (aged 18 to 20) from the top three and bottom four socio-economic classes (SEC)
who participate for the first time in full-time higher education, together with the difference (or "gap") between these two participation rates.
For the 2008/09 academic year only, due to a one-off change in the underlying data, the SEC information can only be reliably compared when limited to students aged 18 and under. Therefore, the figures provided in the table are for earlier years and are based on 18 to 20-year-old students.
SEC information is recorded differently for young (aged under 21) and mature (aged 21 or over) students. Young students record their parent's SEC, while mature students record their own. Therefore to ensure comparability, FYPSEC is based only on young students. Figures for students aged 21 to 24 is not used in the FYPSEC measure.
2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | |
Note: Due to rounding to one decimal place, the change in gap may not correspond to the gaps shown for individual years. Source: 'Full-Time Young Participation by Socio-Economic Class: 2009 update': http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/migratedd/publications/f/fypsec-paper-2009.pdf |
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the policy review relating to his Department's Learning Together to be Safe document will be completed; and what plans he has to publish the results of that review. [35726]
Mr Willetts: The Secretary of State for the Home Department announced in November 2010 a review of the overall Prevent strategy-the part of the counter-terrorism strategy that aims to stop people turning to or supporting violent extremism. As part of this review, the Home Office in conjunction with BIS are consulting widely on what additional and revised guidance and support colleges may need to help them manage the risk of violent extremism occurring on their campuses and how they can identify and support students who may be at risk of radicalisation. It is expected that this review will be completed within the next couple of months and will be followed by publication of a new Prevent strategy.
Following publication of the new strategy we will be discussing with colleges and Ofsted what additional guidance will be produced and how it should be taken into account in inspections.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to replace the Learning Together to be Safe document withdrawn by Ofsted. [35727]
Mr Willetts: The 'Learning Together to be Safe' document has not been withdrawn. However, we have recommended to Ofsted that while the overall review of the Prevent strategy is taking place they do not inspect on it.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department announced in November 2010 a review of the overall Prevent strategy-the part of the counter-terrorism strategy that aims to stop people turning to or supporting violent extremism. As part of this review, BIS in conjunction with the Home Office are consulting widely on what additional and revised guidance and support colleges may need to help them manage the risk of violent extremism occurring on their campuses and how they can identify and support students who may be at risk of radicalisation.
It is expected that this review will be completed within the next couple of months and will be followed by publication of a new Prevent strategy.
Following publication of the new strategy we will be discussing with colleges and Ofsted what additional guidance will be produced and how it should be inspected on.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the main areas of (a) strength and (b) weakness of the manufacturing industry. [35622]
Mr Prisk: The Growth Review Framework for Advanced Manufacturing published by the Department in December 2010 was supported by an in-depth economic and statistical analysis of the UK manufacturing sector.
This analysis shows that the UK has specialised in high technology industries such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals and medical instruments. These industries are characterised by high levels of innovation including R&D, knowledge, skills and investment in capital and intangible assets such as branding and design. OECD figures show that in 2008, around 65% of UK manufacturing exports were higher technology exports.
The UK exports a relatively smaller percentage of low technology manufactured goods which tend to be more labour intensive. These include parts of textiles, metals, and rubber and plastic products where the UK is facing increasing international competition from low wage economies.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to take steps to ensure that the student intake for medical degrees is representative of the composition of the UK population as a whole. [35192]
Mr Willetts: The Government are establishing a new framework, with increased responsibility on universities to widen participation; and greater investment in improving attainment and access for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Universities wanting to charge more than a £6,000 annual graduate contribution will have to demonstrate what more they will do to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds through outreach activities, targeted scholarships and other financial support. This will include a requirement to participate in the new £150 million National Scholarship Programme. This forms part of a package of measures to support disadvantaged young people through their education, including the introduction of the £2.5 billion pupil premium which will support them to achieve at school and turn that into success at university.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is working with the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum to support and encourage actions by the professions themselves to remove the barriers to professional careers, such as Medicine, especially for people from disadvantaged groups.
Responsibility for education and healthcare issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including workforce planning, lies with the devolved Administrations. The planned number of medical school places in England was last increased by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), in collaboration with DH and DFES, in early 2006, to 6,194 places from autumn 2006 and there are currently no plans to change this number. The number of entrants to medical school is fairly stable, but numbers in individual institutions may vary from year to year. Universities are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own admissions policies and decisions.
Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of employers' requirements for
postgraduate skills; and if he will make a statement. [34933]
Mr Willetts: A number of bodies including the UK Commission on Employment and Skills (UKCES), the Research Councils, the CBI and EngineeringUK, among others make regular assessments of employers' skills requirements, including their needs for postgraduate level skills.
A comprehensive review of postgraduate provision in the UK was presented to Government by Professor Sir Adrian Smith in 2010. This included analyses of the links between postgraduate skills and business needs. We will respond to the findings of the review in the forthcoming White Paper.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many postgraduate researchers in each subject were funded by each higher education institution in each of the last 10 years; how many postgraduate researchers he expects to be funded by each higher education institution in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [35489]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 21 January 2011]: The number of postgraduate research students enrolled on courses which were funded by institutions are shown by subject area in the tables. Figures are provided for the academic years 2002/03 to 2009/10. Due to a change in the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) subject coding frame in 2002/03 comparable subject data are not available for earlier years. Information on funding is based on the primary source of funding for the course, which is recorded on the HESA student record. This does not necessarily show the main source of finance as it excludes the tuition fee element. Information for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from HESA in January 2012. The Department does not plan for the number of postgraduate researchers at institution level.
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