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31 Jan 2011 : Column 632W—continued
Influenza: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of availability of influenza vaccinations in the London borough of Bexley. [36802]
Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Warrington North (Helen Jones) on 19 January 2011, Official Report, columns 850-51W.
Injuries: Older People
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of injuries that have resulted from falls amongst the elderly in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [36332]
Paul Burstow: Falls are a major cause of in-patient activity for the national health service. There were 274,103 finished admission episodes in 2009-10. The data provided relates only to patients aged 65 and over in England with external injury resulting from a fall who receive in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. This does not include those elderly people who were seen and treated at accident and emergency.
Learning Disability: Wolverhampton
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans are in place to improve the provision of support services for children and adults with learning difficulties in Wolverhampton. [36400]
Paul Burstow: The Government remain committed to driving change for adults and children with learning disabilities. Valuing People Now has set priorities until March 2011 of improving outcomes for adults with learning disabilities and their family carers around health, housing and employment. The Government will continue for the future to drive greater personalisation and improved choice and control to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities and will work with people with learning disabilities and their family carers to ensure that their views are included in the future transformation of the national health service and the new social care vision and across other policies like employment and housing.
The Department is collaborating with the Department for Education ahead of the publication of the Green Paper on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The Green Paper will explore how we can achieve public services which are centred on the needs of families and children, joining up support from education, health and social care, particularly for those with the most severe and complex needs and at key transitions.
NHS West Midlands undertook a review of Child and Young People Disability Services last year, including learning disabilities. Following these reviews each primary care trust developed an action plan with the local authority. Progress is currently being reviewed.
The Health and Social Care Bill will require the establishment of a health and wellbeing board in every upper tier local authority by April 2013. Health and wellbeing boards will bring together elected representatives and the key NHS, public health, social care, and children's services leaders and patient representatives to work in partnership. This will ensure services are joined up around the needs of people using them rather than arbitrarily divided into service types, leading to better outcomes for people using services.
Medical Treatments: Shortages
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what reports he has received of current shortages of medicines within the pharmacy retail sector; and if he will make a statement; [36443]
(2) whether his Department is taking steps to reduce the amount of time spent by community pharmacists on sourcing (a) Femara (letrozole) and (b) other pharmaceutical drugs. [36446]
Mr Simon Burns: Ministers have had representations from supply chain organisations, health care professionals and patients, on the issue of medicines supply. The Department, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders are working collaboratively to better understand and mitigate the impact of supply difficulties so that patients receive the medicines they need in a timely manner, and any arrangements take account of the time needed by pharmacists to source the medicines.
We have been in contact with Novartis, the suppliers of Femara (letrozole) tablets. They have confirmed that adequate supplies of this medicine are available for United Kingdom patients. If pharmacists have problems obtaining it from their wholesaler, they can contact Novartis customer services to arrange a direct supply to the pharmacy.
The Department is aware of the concerns that pharmacy contractors have raised about the work load caused by shortages and changes in distribution. As part of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 community pharmacy contractual framework funding settlement, recognition was made of the increased time taken by pharmacists and their staff in obtaining medicines, given the shortages being experienced.
Mental Health Services
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cognitive behavioural therapists are working in the NHS in (a) Sunderland, (b) the north-east and (c) England. [36445]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Information Centre does not identify this speciality in its annual census. This category of profession is counted under the psychiatry group, and the following table gives the numbers employed as at 30 September 2009, the date of the last NHS Workforce Census.
| Table 1: Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Medical and dental staff within each specialty by specialty group and grade, England, at 30 September 2009 | ||
| All staff | ||
| Number | Full-time equivalent | |
| Source: The Information Centre, Medical and Dental Workforce Census. | ||
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients were treated under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in each quarter of the last three years; [36813]
(2) how many therapists have been trained under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in each quarter of the last three years. [36814]
Paul Burstow: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme began treating patients in October 2008 and the latest figures available are for the quarter that ended in September 2010. These figures give the number of patients entering treatment in the first two years of activity. The total is 399,460 and the programme is on track to achieve its objective of treating 900,000 patients in the first three years.
| Patients entering IAPT treatment | |
With regard to the number of therapists that have been trained, we do not collect this information in the format requested. However, the following table shows the total numbers beginning training in each of the last three years.
| IAPT trainees in place | |
About 900 existing therapists have been trained in supervision to support the trainees.
About 1,450 existing therapists have received top-up training to comply with IAPT quality standards.
The Health settlement in the spending review included funding to expand access to talking therapies. The money will complete the roll-out of the nationwide training programme and services which began in 2008 and begin to extend the benefits of talking therapies to the young, the elderly, those with serious mental illness and those who have anxiety disorders or depression alongside long-term physical health conditions like diabetes, heart or lung disease. By March 2011, the roll-out will achieve 60% geographical coverage of England. The spending review settlement will complete this by 2014-15.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010, Official Report, column 130W, on mental health services: manpower, what progress the Government has made on meeting its target to have 3,650 new therapy workers in place in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme by April 2011. [36816]
Paul Burstow: By January 2011 3,660 new therapy workers were in place. We will shortly publish a cross-Government mental health strategy and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies implementation plan which will set out the next steps.
Mental Health: Research
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS budget for medical research was spent on research into mental health issues each year since 2005. [36457]
Paul Burstow: The proportion of the national health service research and development (R and D) revenue budget spent on research into mental health issues is shown in the following table.
| Proportion (%) | |
| (1) Not yet available. | |
Data on NHS R and D spend on mental health issues in 2009-10 is currently being identified by National Institute for Health Research co-ordinating centres. The Department expects that information on the proportion
of the NHS R and D budget spent on mental health research in that year will be available shortly, and I will place a copy in the Library.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA infection were identified in NHS facilities in 2010. [36435]
Mr Simon Burns: There is currently published data available for the first 11 months of 2010, providing details of the number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias (bloodstream infections). A full year's data for 2010 will be available when data for December 2010 are published on 2 February 2010.
Published monthly data indicate that between January 2010 and November 2010 there were a total of 1,514 MRSA bacteraemias reported by acute national health service trusts in England. Of this number, 766 were apportioned to acute trusts.
Notes:
1. All acute trusts in England are obliged to report all cases of MRSA bloodstream infection to the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Data on other MRSA infections, that did not enter the bloodstream, are not included as they are not part of this mandatory surveillance system.
2. Trusts report all cases for which their laboratories process the specimens. This may not always reflect where the infection was acquired.
3. MRSA bacteraemias are considered to be "trust apportioned' cases if they meet all of these three criterion:
the location where the specimen was taken is "acute trust' or is not known;
the patient is an in-patient, emergency assessment, or is not known; and
the date that the specimen was taken was on or after day three of admission to hospital (where the day of admission is day one).
NHS Direct
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls to NHS Direct have resulted in (a) a home visit from a GP and (b) an emergency referral to hospital in each of the last three years. [36698]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested regarding general practitioner (GP) home visit referrals is not collected, as GP home visits are not available as part of NHS Direct's core 0845 4647 service.
The information requested regarding emergency referrals is shown in the following table:
| Number of emergency referrals from NHS Direct's 0845 4647 service, 2008-10 | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Source: Validated but unpublished information on emergency referrals from NHS Direct. | |||
NHS Direct: Manpower
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed at each NHS Direct contact centre; and what the number of calls received by each call centre was in each of the last three years. [36697]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected. Such information as is available is in the following table:
| Number of full-time equivalent front-line staff (including health advisers, nurse advisers, senior nurse advisers, health information advisers, and dental nurse advisers) at each NHS Direct contact centre, 2008-10 | |||
| September each year | |||
| Contact centre | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Note: The number of calls received by each contact centre is not collected, however the total number of calls to NHS Direct is shown in the following table: Source: Validated but unpublished information from NHS Direct. | |||
| Total calls to NHS Direct (including calls to 0845 4647 and other commissioned services) | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Source: Validated but unpublished information from NHS Direct. | |||
NHS: Drugs
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the monetary value was of each contract placed with (a) GlaxoSmithKline, (b) Pfizer, (c) Sanofi Aventis, (d) AstraZeneca and (e) Novartis by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years. [37075]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department and its agencies have undertaken contracting activity with the named suppliers over the past five years in the following areas:
1. Contracts for supply to the Department in the areas of childhood vaccines, pandemic preparedness, essential medicines stockpiles and emergency preparedness planning.
2. Framework agreements let by the Department (and prior to January 2010 the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency) for supply of medicines to national health service trusts.
Information on contracts in support of the pandemic influenza preparedness, emergency preparedness and the childhood vaccines programmes cannot be provided as it is deemed to be commercially confidential.
The estimated monetary value, excluding VAT, of essential medicines contracts and framework agreements used by the national health service placed with the named suppliers by the Department in the last five years is recorded in the following table:
| Supplier name | Category | Sum of c ontract value in period (£1)( 2) | Number of framework agreements/contracts |
| (1) Essential medicines represent exact invoiced expenditure. (2) Values are shown to the nearest £1 total. | |||
The values provided for branded and generic medicines supplied via framework agreements are based on estimated spend and may not reflect actual expenditure under the contracts.
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any former officials of his Department have sought permission to join (a) GlaxoSmithKline, (b) Pfizer, (c) Sanofi Aventis, (d) AstraZeneca and (e) Novartis in the last 12 months. [37076]
Mr Simon Burns: In the last 12 months, no official or former official from the Department has sought permission to join GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Astra Zeneca or Novartis.
All civil servants must obtain Government approval before taking any form of full-time, part-time or fee-paid employment in the United Kingdom, or overseas, with a public or private company or in the service of a foreign government or its agencies. This rule also applies to any former civil servant within two years of their leaving Crown employment.
Since January 2009, 36 Departmental employees or former employees submitted applications seeking approval to take up outside business appointments. Of these, 13 applications were approved unconditionally and 24 had restrictions imposed. Restrictions imposed are usually in the form of a period of delay between leaving the civil service and taking up the external post.
Northwick Park Hospital: Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) medical and (b) non-medical staff were employed at Northwick Park hospital on 1 April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [36649]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held in the format requested. Information is available at trust level.
| National health service staff in the North West London Hospitals NHS Trust by main staff group | |
| Headcount at 30 April 2010 | |
|
All Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) doctors (non locum) | |
| Notes: 1. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. When overall headcount figures are split into subcategories the sum of the subtotals may exceed the overall sum due to inclusion of staff in multiple subcategories. 2. Monthly data are extracted on the final day of each month. The data in the table, therefore, are in respect of 30 April 2010, which is the date nearest to, and after, the date specified in the question. 3. As from 21 July 2010, the NHS Information Centre has published experimental, provisional monthly NHS workforce data. Figures obtained from provisional, experimental statistics may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census. It only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record and does not include primary care staff or bank staff. It also includes locum doctors (not counted in the annual census). There are also new methods of presenting data; headcount methodology has changed and there is now a role count. This information is available, in respect of September 2009 onwards, at the following website: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhchsworkforce Data Quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The NHS Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics | |
Northwick Park Hospital: Operations
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were carried out at Northwick Park hospital in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [36650]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held in the format requested. Information is available at trust level.
| Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where a primary or secondary procedure or intervention was carried out in Northwest London Hospitals NHS Trust | |
| Number of FCEs | |
| Notes: 1. Data are provided in respect of Northwest London Hospitals NHS Trust rather than Northwick Park Hospital, as hospital level data are not held centrally. 2. The data provided in the table refer to the number of episodes of care where at least one procedure or intervention was carried out, rather than a count of the number of operations, which is not collected as part of the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). 3. A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 4. Number of episodes with a main or secondary procedure: The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in an HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a 'cataract operation' would tend to have at least two procedures-removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one-counted in a single episode. 5. Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so are no longer included in admitted patient HES data. Source: The NHS Information Centre, Hospital Episode Statistics | |
Out-patients: Attendance
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rates of appointments missed by patients for hospital appointments were (a) nationally and (b) in Yorkshire in the latest period for which figures are available and what estimate he has made of the costs to the NHS of such missed appointments in the latest period for which figures are available. [36660]
Mr Simon Burns: The rates of missed appointments nationally and in Yorkshire in the latest period for which figures are available are shown in the following table.
| Rate of missed appointments for primary care trust commissioners in England and Yorkshire: Quarter 2 of 2010-11 | |||
| Name | Total attendances | Total attendances not attended | Did not attend rate (percentage) |
| Source: Department of Health Quarterly Activity Return | |||
The Department does not collect data on the costs to the national health service of missed appointments.
Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the future of Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup. [36525]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State has received various representations, including correspondence, parliamentary questions, meetings, telephone calls and ministerial visits, from a range of parties on the future of Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup.
Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup: Accident and Emergency Departments
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the temporary closure of the accident and emergency department at Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup on services at (a) Queen Elizabeth hospital, Woolwich, (b) Princess Royal hospital, Farnborough and (c) Darent Valley hospital, Dartford. [36524]
Mr Simon Burns: This is a matter for the local national health service. NHS London is assured that the temporary closure of the accident and emergency department at Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup was on the grounds of clinical safety.
Roding Hospital: Standards
Mr Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on (a) the standard of training in resuscitation techniques at the Roding hospital and (b) the death of Charles Leahy at that hospital; and if he will make a statement. [36365]
Mr Simon Burns: We have received representations on these issues from one member of the public and from one Member of Parliament. Health care providers in England, including independent sector hospitals, are required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and to meet registration requirements that set essential levels of safety and quality. The CQC has a range of enforcement powers that it can use if providers do not meet the registration requirements.
School Meals
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of health regulations in respect of school meals. [24896]
Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply.
In September 2009, Ofsted undertook a thematic review of food provision in 38 schools. The review found that good progress has been made towards meeting the school food standards, with most schools providing evidence that their lunchtime menus had been analysed against the nutrient-based standards and the majority of the primary schools, and some of the secondary schools met the standards in full. The report, "Food in schools-Progress in implementing the new standards", is available on Ofsted's website at:
The School Food Trust undertook a study of the food and drink provision in 136 primary schools in 2009. The findings suggest that the food provided, choices and consumption were healthier by comparison with the primary school food survey undertaken in 2005. A full report is available on the School Food Trust's website at:
A similar survey is currently being conducted in secondary schools. Findings are expected to be published in December 2011.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the effectiveness of campaigns to limit the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. [36597]
Anne Milton: It is departmental practice to continually evaluate national-level sexual health campaigns to ensure that they are effective.
Smoking: Cheshire
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the smoking prevalence rate is in (a) Halton and St Helens, (b) Western Cheshire and (c) East and Central Cheshire primary care trust area. [36388]
Anne Milton: Smoking prevalence rates are not available for primary care trust areas. Smoking prevalence rates for the period April 2009 to March 2010 among adults aged 18 or over in the relevant local authorities are shown in the following table.
| Local authority | Smoking prevalence among adults aged 18 or over as a percentage April 2009 to March 2010 |
| Source: Department of Health. Figures are based on experimental data from the Office for National Statistics' Integrated Household Survey, which are subject to possible revision. | |
Strokes: Health Services
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on the likely effect on specialist stroke networks of his proposed changes to the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [36433]
Mr Simon Burns: The stroke clinical networks and the central team that supports them will continue to be funded in 2011-12. During 2011-12 consideration will be given to where the functions undertaken by these networks will best fit into the new arrangements.
Strokes: Patients
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to increase the level of early supported discharge for stroke patients; and if he will make a statement; [36528]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to increase the involvement of adult social services departments in early supported discharge for stroke patients. [36769]
Mr Simon Burns: The Accelerating Stroke Improvement Programme has been working via networks to increase the proportion of patients supported by a stroke-skilled Early Supported Discharge team. This work has included promoting engagement between health and social care providers.
The Health and Social Care Bill sets out new arrangements for the national health service. These include setting up health and well-being boards which will bring together elected representatives and the key NHS, public health, social care leaders and patient representatives to work in partnership. This will ensure service are joined up around the needs of people using them, and that resources are invested in the best way to improve outcomes for local communities, including consideration of co-ordination of care across health and social care boundaries.
Strokes: Physiotherapy
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure greater provision of specialist stroke physiotherapy in the community. [36527]
Mr Simon Burns: The provision of appropriate, tailored and flexible rehabilitation is known to improve long-term recovery and reduce long-term disability in people with stroke. The Accelerating Stroke Improvement Programme has a focus on improving access to early supported discharge arrangements which will support development of stroke specific rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, in the community.
The changes planned in the way the national health service is organised are aimed at ensuring services are commissioned in a way that joins up health and social care provision and focuses on the needs of the individual as a whole. This will help to ensure that each patient receives the right services and support.
Sunbeds: Liverpool
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of teenagers in Liverpool who regularly use sunbeds. [36820]
Anne Milton: The Department does not routinely collect information on the number and age of persons using sunbeds in England. However, Cancer Research UK in 2009 undertook a study of 'Six Cities' looking at variations in sunbed use by 11 to 17-year-olds, which included Liverpool. Information on the study is available at:
The South West Public Health Observatory study (SWPHO) also provided data on sunbeds in different parts of the country. The study is available on the website at:
Further information is available from the report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment.
Surgery
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of elective surgery there were (a) in each hospital in the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and (b) on average in hospitals in England in each of the last five years. [36687]
Mr Simon Burns: Data on the number of instances of elective surgery at individual hospital level are not collected centrally. The numbers of elective finished admission episodes with either a main procedure or intervention for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and the average for hospital providers in England, are shown in the following table:
| Elective finished admission episodes with a main procedure or intervention | ||||
| Number | ||||
| Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | England | |||
| Total elective finished admission episodes | Total elective finished admission episodes | Number of hospital providers which submitted data to HES( 1) | Average number of finished elective admission episodes per provider | |
| (1) Hospital providers are organisations acting as a health care provider, including NHS trusts, PCTs and may include treatment centres and independent sector providers. Note: Elective finished admission episodes do not represent the number of inpatients as a person may have more than one admission in a year. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. | ||||
Tattoos
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 on the licensing of tattooists and the prevention of children under the age of 16 years being tattooed; and if he will make a statement. [36652]
Anne Milton: The implementation of provisions to regulate tattooing in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 is a matter for local authorities, as they decide whether the legislation should be enacted in their area according to local circumstances. Similarly, the tattooing of minors, which is an offence under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, is also an issue best addressed locally.
Teenage Pregnancy
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of births with mothers aged 15 to 17 years was in each (a) local authority area, (b) health authority area and (c) constituency in the latest year for which figures are available. [35842]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the rate of births with mothers aged 15 to 17 years was in each (a) local authority area, (b) health authority area and (c) constituency in the latest year for which figures are available. [35842].
The tables provide rates of live births in England and Wales to mothers aged under 18 in each (a) Local Authority District and (b) Primary Care Organisation for 2009, the most recent year for which figures are available.
A copy of these tables has been placed in the House of Commons library.
Due to the sensitive nature of teenage pregnancies and the risk of identifying individuals, ONS does not publish births to mothers aged under 18 for smaller areas. Consequently, rates by (c) parliamentary constituency are not provided.
Information on live births is routinely published at different geographies in the 'Live births by area of usual residence' package on the ONS website. The information is available at:
Wheelchairs
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to implement the recommendations of Raising our Sights, the Mansell Report on wheelchair services; and if he will make a statement. [36386]
Paul Burstow: Departmental officials are currently looking very carefully at the detailed recommendations including wheelchair services that are set out in this report and how these support our objectives to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities who have complex needs and their families. The elements of good service and good practice examples included in this report sit very clearly within the programme of work which Government are leading to support independent living for people with learning disabilities and to support local service planning and commissioning to meet identified needs in their locality.
The Department's response to this report will be published shortly.
Home Department
Animal Experiments
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2010, Official Report, column 68W, on animal experiments, by what date she expects a ban on the testing of household products on animals to have been implemented. [36586]
Lynne Featherstone: I am not yet in a position to give a date on when a ban on the testing of household products on animals will be implemented.
We are currently finalising the practical arrangements for its implementation. I expect to announce these arrangements shortly.
Arrest Warrants
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on detaining persons subject to a request under a European arrest warrant since the inception of such warrants. [35977]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office has not incurred any costs associated with the detention of persons in custody pursuant to European arrest warrants. The cost of detaining a person in a prison in England and Wales would be a matter for the Secretary of State for Justice. The Home Office understands however that the National Offender Management Service's ('NOMS') computer system does not record the relevant data.
Asylum: Housing
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2011, Official Report, columns 398-9W, on asylum: housing, whether she has made an assessment of the proportion of (a) all people seeking asylum and (b) people seeking asylum with children at school who will be required to move as a result of the reduction in the number of individual and consortia of local authorities who provide housing to people seeking asylum through contracts with the UK Border Agency; and if she will make a statement. [36275]
Damian Green: As part of the process of extending some contracts, all providers were asked specifically to respond detailing how they intended to minimise disruption to asylum seekers during any relocation process. The responses were evaluated prior to decisions being taken to extend current contracts.
Up to 900 families remain potentially affected by relocations. Discussions continue with accommodation providers in order to establish the true number of families likely to be subject to a physical move, the extent to which this could involve disruption for school age children and the mitigation that can be put in place around this.
Counter-Terrorism
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if she will set up a judicial inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into the use of undercover police officers to investigate peaceful protest groups and their constituent members and the policing of peaceful protest; and if she will make a statement; [36281]
(2) on what date the three Association of Chief Police Officers units involved in tackling domestic extremism will be moved to the Metropolitan Police Service and made subject to its governance systems; and if she will make a statement; [36279]
(3) which hon. Members are listed on the domestic extremism database. [36284]
Nick Herbert: The Government do not consider that a judicial inquiry is needed in view of the IPCC investigation into the disclosure of material by Nottinghamshire police relating to the discontinued trial of six individuals; Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's wider review of intelligence handling by national domestic extremism police units; and an operational review by the Serious Organised Crime Agency into the actions and handling of Mark Kennedy during his deployment as an undercover officer.
The Government support plans to move the governance of the national domestic extremism police units to a lead police force. A date for the transfer has not yet been agreed.
The Home Office does not have access to a police database of domestic extremists, nor does it hold the information on police databases of domestic extremists. It is open to any individual to make a Subject Access Request to the police under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Criminal Records Bureau: Finance
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what savings to the public purse in monetary terms she expects as a result of planned changes to the Criminal Records Bureau budget in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period; [35601]
(2) if she will place in the Library the criteria the Criminal Records Bureau is using to determine the reduction in staffing levels over the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [35602]
Lynne Featherstone: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has been given a provisional target of a reduction of 100 posts over a four-year period as part of the Government-wide comprehensive spending review, 2010. CRB senior management will consult with its stakeholders, including the Home Office and the trade union side, on how these reductions will be made and the criteria that will be applied. In doing so, CRB will apply the Home Office's Restructuring, Redeployment and Redundancy policy.
It is too soon to establish the savings over the four-year period of the review, but it is expected that the reduction in staffing levels will eventually result in annual savings of £2.7 million against our baseline of £17.15 million.
Departmental Civil Servants
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) name and (b) salary is of each senior civil servant who has left her Department since May 2010. [36640]
Damian Green: The Department's obligations under the Data Protection Act do not allow us to disclose, to a third party, personal information.
In the period from 1 May 2010 to 26 January 2011, 39 senior civil servants have permanently left the Department and its agencies. Of these, 27 were senior
civil servants (SCS) pay band 1, nine were SCS pay band 2, two were SCS pay band 3 and one was the permanent secretary.
The pay range for SCS pay band 1 is £58,200-£117,800; the pay range for SCS pay band 2 level is £82,900-£162,500 and pay range for SCS pay band 3 level is £101,500-£208,500.
Departmental Communication
Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures she has undertaken to reduce jargon and promote plain English in Departmental communications. [35784]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office endeavours to use plain English in all channels used to communicate with the public (e.g. websites, correspondence etc). We have policies in place that insist that all content is written in plain English and jargon-free language. All communication is checked against departmental style guides for ease of understanding, including removal of jargon.
All staff contributing to our channels are trained in the use of plain English.
The Home Office website has been accredited with the Crystal Mark by the plain English campaign and promotes the use of straightforward, well-structured language. We also base our written communications on recommendations by the plain English campaign.
Plain English is also promoted in replies from across the Department to correspondence from the public and MPs.
Departmental Consultants
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on consultancy since May 2010. [36642]
Damian Green: The Home Department spent a total of £34 million on consultancy services from the beginning of May to the end of December 2010. The Department is on track to reduce consultancy spend by 50% by the end of this financial year.
Departmental Press Releases
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2010, Official Report, column 1214W, on departmental press releases, what the (a) purpose, (b) date, (c) time and (d) subject was of each of the formal briefings; and whether her Department has provided informal briefings to the media since 26 May 2010. [34229]
Nick Herbert: The purpose of formal briefings is to provide media outlets with accurate information setting out the purpose and intention of policy announcements and to provide an explanation of specialist information such as statistical releases.
The date and subject of each of the nine formal media briefings held since 26 May 2010 is shown in the following table. Timings are not recorded. The Department has not provided informal briefings to the media since 26 May 2010.
Departmental Working Conditions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on (a) the space provided per employee, (b) home working and (c) hot desking; how many employees it has on average per desk; and how much space on average there is per employee. [34595]
Nick Herbert: The Department's policy is to work towards a target of eight square metres (of office space) per full-time equivalent. This excludes operational or specialised space such as public caller facilities.
Home working is one of several flexible working options we support for staff.
Hot desking is provided as one way of sharing workstations so as to achieve greater efficiency in the use of space.
As at 1 April 2010, for buildings over 500m(2), the Department had 1.2 workstations and 13.2 square metres per full-time equivalent employee as reported by the property benchmarking service provided through the Government Property Unit. The Department has an extensive estates consolidation programme under way which will reduce the use of space significantly over the next three years and help deliver the eight square metre target.
Detainees: Asylum
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of asylum cases were removed from the detained fast track procedure in each year since 2005. [34913]
Damian Green: All figures are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Detention Centres
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure her Department incurred in respect of each immigration detention centre in 2009-10; and if she will make a statement. [37385]
Damian Green: The operating costs for the immigration removal estate are commercially confidential. Disclosure will prejudice the commercial interests of the UK Border Agency and its operators.
DNA: Databases
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the electronic form of DNA raw data samples is analysed in batches of up to 82 samples. [36624]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 January 2011]: The electronic form of DNA raw data samples is analysed in batches of 82 samples to take advantage of economies of scale and is common practice in DNA laboratories world-wide. The batch of 82 also includes a number of positive and negative control samples.
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA samples deleted from the National DNA Database the Forensic Science Service has stored in raw data form; and how much of this raw data has been analysed by barcode. [36626]
James Brokenshire [ h olding answer 27 January 2011]: All samples analysed by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) are anonymised, and are identifiable only by barcode. We do not hold information on the number of DNA samples stored in raw data form which have been deleted from the National DNA Database.
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which departments and agencies are able to access barcodes relating to DNA raw data samples from the National DNA Database. [36627]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 January 2011]: The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) is the only agency that has access to records of barcodes held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD).
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason individuals whose DNA record has been deleted from the National DNA Database are not informed that the deletion has taken place; and if she will take steps to ensure such notification happens as a matter of course. [36810]
James Brokenshire:
Details are removed from the National DNA Database for a number of different reasons and it would not be practical or cost effective to
make individual notifications in each case. However, this information is available upon request from the relevant police force.
We will be announcing further details about our policy on the future retention and destruction of DNA shortly.
Domestic Violence: Immigrants
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (1) she plans to extend the pilot project for women with no recourse to public funds beyond March 2011; [37360]
(2) funding has been allocated to women with no resource to public funds to seek refuge from domestic abuse after the end of the pilot period in March 2011. [37361]
Damian Green: The Home Office pilot project for victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds commenced in November 2009. In the strategic narrative "Call to End Violence against Women and Girls" on 25 November 2010, the Home Secretary confirmed her intention to ensure that the Home Office continue to fund support for women in the UK on spouse visas who are victims of domestic violence until an effective and sustainable permanent solution is established.
The Home Office has confirmed that funding will be available for the pilot to continue into financial year 2011-12 and that work on a long term solution continues.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has conducted of the effect on the economy in (a) Glasgow, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK of the UK Border Agency's proposed restrictions on the conditions applicable to grants of student visas. [36843]
Damian Green: The consultation on the student immigration system closes on 31 January. The consultation is seeking the views of all respondents on the effect of the proposals. The results of the consultation will be announced in due course.
Extradition
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the extent of parity in extradition processes between the UK and (a) other OECD countries, (b) countries in the Americas and (c) South Africa. [36131]
Nick Herbert: No such assessment has been made; the Government have commissioned an independent review into the UK's extradition arrangements, to ensure they operate effectively and in the interests of justice. This review is being led by Sir Scott Baker and the panel is due to report back by September 2011.
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations her Department has received on procedures for the extradition of UK citizens to South Africa. [36132]
Nick Herbert: No representations have been received.
Forensic Science Service
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost per head of the population of providing the Forensic Science Service in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available. [36480]
James Brokenshire: We have not estimated the cost per head of the population of providing forensic science services in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account her figures for the losses per month by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) take of the likely savings arising from the closure of FSS laboratories at Chepstow, Chorley and Birmingham. [36481]
James Brokenshire:
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) operating losses of £2 million a month, which we referred
to in our announcement on 14 December 2010, are current losses and therefore do not take into account any savings delivered through planned FSS site closures, nor do they take into account further likely declines in FSS' business.
Forensic Science Service: United Arab Emirates
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts there were between the Forensic Science Service and the United Arab Emirates in each year since 2006; what the start and end dates of each contract were; what the monetary value of each contract was; and what work was undertaken in respect of each contract. [36495]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 January 2011]: Following is a table of all services and products delivered by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) to customers based in the United Arab Emirates between January 2006 and December 2010. These contracts do not allow the FSS to divulge exact customer details (ie which of the Emirates) or the value of the contract.
Human Trafficking
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet trustees and officers of the Dalit Freedom Network UK prior to finalising her policy on human trafficking; and what recent meetings she has had with other non-governmental organisations engaged in anti-trafficking work. [36784]
Damian Green: The voluntary sector plays a key role in the provision of support to victims of human trafficking. We are strongly supportive of this role and will continue to work in partnership with voluntary organisations to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.
Home Office officials are in the process of contacting non-governmental organisations to discuss development of the forthcoming strategy.
Identity and Passport Service: Northern Ireland
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff at each grade were employed by the Identity and Passport Service in Northern Ireland in each year since its formation. [36992]
Damian Green: The available information is given in the following table.
Employee numbers are for the last four years only. Information prior to 2007 can be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.
| Data extracted from Snowdrop on 26 January 2011 | ||
| Count of name | ||
| Grade | Part-time? (Yes/No) | Total |
Immigrants: Detainees
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason there was an increase in the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers in the third quarter of 2010; what her estimate is of the number of persons who will be detained under Immigration Act powers in each of the next eight quarters; and if she will make a statement. [36214]
Damian Green: While there was an increase in the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers in the third quarter of 2010 it is worth noting that the data are a snapshot. They only show the number detained on the last day of the reporting period, therefore, on any other date during the quarter (or in previous quarters) the number detained could have been higher or lower.
The increase in the detained population may have been, partially, a result of the opening of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre which provided additional detention space for Immigration Group to progress cases through to removal. There were 360 more adult detainees at Harmondsworth comparing Q2 of 2010 to Q3 (from 250 to 610). The population at Oakington dropped from 395 to 100 but the fall was less than the rise of the detained Harmondsworth population.
The increase may have also occurred due to a higher than average number of charter flight removal operations during that period in which individuals would have required detention prior to removal.
There is no specific estimate for the number of persons who will be detained in the next eight quarters. However our aim is to maintain and improve the number of removals over the next two years which will inevitably require detention.
Immigration
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of people who have been waiting more than six months for a decision on their immigration status; and if she will make a statement. [33587]
Damian Green: The total number of people who have been waiting more than six months for a decision on their immigration status is 20,081. This is broken down into 3,980 waiting for an asylum initial decision (this includes 'legacy' cases), and 16,101 waiting for a non-asylum initial decision.
All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 6 December 2010 with regard to Mr T. Tinsley. [34750]
Nick Herbert: The Minister for Security and Counter-Terrorism, my noble Friend Baroness Neville-Jones, wrote to the right hon. Member on 20 January 2011.
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of (a) 2 November, (b) 7 December and (c) 9 December 2010 regarding a constituent, Mr Miah. [35835]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 January 2011]: I apologise for the delay in replying. The Minister for Security and Counter-Terrorism, my noble Friend Baroness Neville-Jones, replied on 25 January 2011. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to the Minister for Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 11 November 2010, with regard to Ms Sundus Saeed. [37229]
Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 3 December 2010.
Neighbourhood Policing Fund
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has allocated to the Neighbourhood Policing Fund in each year of the comprehensive spending review period. [36056]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 25 January 2011]: A transitional Neighbourhood Policing Fund will be in place for the first two years of the comprehensive spending review before being devolved to police and crime commissioners. The amount will be £340 million in 2011-12 and £338 million in 2012-13. This includes amounts to be paid to the Metropolitan Police Authority where conditions of the grant will be revoked in recognition of the role that the Mayor of London and the deputy mayor of policing already play.
Police Community Support Officers
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Departments holds on the age profile of police community support officers in each police force. [36415]
Nick Herbert: Figures are collected in the following age groups: 25 and under, 26 to 40, 41 to 55 and over 55. The latest available data are provided in the following table which shows the age groups of police community support officers by police force area in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010 (headcount).
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