Departmental CCTV
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many CCTV cameras are installed in and around his Department’s premises; and how much such cameras cost to (a) install and (b) operate in the latest period for which figures are available. [56837]
Mr Simon Burns: The numbers of CCTV cameras in and around the Department's premises are:
24 May 2011 : Column 659W
| Premises | Number of cameras |
The costs to install are not known as the equipment has been in place for many years and the costs are not held centrally.
The operating costs per annum are as follows:
| Premises | Operating costs (£) |
The costs for the first three buildings also include costs for running the security building pass system, as the costs cannot be shown separately.
This answer relates only to the buildings for which the Department has direct responsibility.
Continuing Care
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on ensuring full implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions; and if he will make a statement. [57101]
Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave her on 28 April 2011, Official Report, column 598W and on 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 76W.
Counselling
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bodies in the (a) public and (b) voluntary sector provide bereavement counselling. [56923]
Paul Burstow: The information is not collected centrally.
Dental Services
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental laboratories in the UK have (a) closed and (b) merged since 2006. [56894]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to amend the calculation of units of dental activity in his proposals for dental commissioning; and if he will make a statement. [56906]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government's coalition programme includes plans to develop a new national dental contract in which remuneration would be based on registration, capitation and quality in place of units of dental activity.
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Dental Services: Standards
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in (a) North East Derbyshire constituency, (b) Derbyshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England are operating under (i) general dental services contracts and (ii) personal dental services agreements. [56889]
Mr Simon Burns: The numbers of dentists with national health service activity, by contract type, during the year ending 31 March 2010 are available in Table G2 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2009/10” report.
Information is provided for England by strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT), but is not available by constituency. This information is based on the dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report, published on 18 August 2010, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0910
Following a consultation exercise in 2008, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes any previously published work force figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counts the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This revised methodology applies to data published from 2008 onwards and includes 2007 revised data. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements.
These published figures relate to a headcount and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many complaints the Care Quality Commission has (a) received and (b) upheld in respect of (i) dentists, (ii) dental nurses, (iii) dental technicians, (iv) dental therapists, (v) dental hygienists, (vi) orthodontic therapists, (vii) clinical dental technicians and (viii) dental practices in each year since its inception; [56890]
(2) how many patient complaints the Care Quality Commission has received since its inception; and how many of such complaints have been upheld. [56898]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not have responsibility to investigate complaints from patients and service users to achieve redress for those who complain. However, CQC does consider any concerns raised by members of the public as part of its regulation of providers of health and adult social care.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in how many fitness to practice cases brought before the General Dental Council in the last 12 months, how many patients expected to be treated privately; and in such cases, how many prescribers had asked the device supplier to provide a device to the supplier's NHS standard of service as recorded on the returned statement of manufacture; [56891]
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(2) how many fitness to practice cases brought before the General Dental Council involved (a) a dental device or devices made by an untrained person and (b) a dental device made by an untrained person and not discussed and included in a written treatment plan in the last 12 months; [56892]
(3) how many fitness to practise cases were brought before the General Dental Council in the last 12 months; and in how many such cases patients had not received a written treatment plans from their dentist. [56909]
Mr Simon Burns: The General Dental Council is an independent statutory body with responsibility for investigating complaints made to it about the fitness to practise of dentists and, where necessary, for taking action in relation to their registration.
Information about fitness to practise cases brought before the General Dental Council is not held by the Department.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department has evaluated on any failure of dental technicians to meet required standards for their work. [56893]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not undertaken any such evaluation. The Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency is ready to examine, and follow up as appropriate, any reports submitted which suggest that a dental appliance may not have been manufactured to the standards set in the European Council medical devices directive.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the average cost to a dental practice of providing a patient with a statement of conformity for a dental appliance; [56895]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to dental laboratories of producing a statement of conformity for a dental appliance; [56896]
(3) what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) dental practitioners and (b) the public purse of requiring dental technicians to produce a statement of conformity for dental appliances. [56897]
Mr Simon Burns: No estimate has been made of the cost of dental technicians producing the custom-made device statement of conformity with the requirements of the EU medical devices directive, and dentists making this available to patients who request it.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the General Dental Council has to determine whether a case in which a statement of conformity of a dental appliance was not provided should be referred for potential prosecution. [56902]
Mr Simon Burns: Section 36N(2) of the Dentists Act 1984 provides that the criteria by which a dentist's fitness to practise shall be regarded as “impaired” include by reason of deficient professional performance. Whether or not the General Dental Council (GDC) would consider that failure to provide a statement of conformity of a dental appliance constitutes deficient professional performance would depend on the individual circumstances of the case.
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Where there are concerns about the fitness to practise of a dentist, the registrar of the GDC has powers to investigate the allegation and refer the allegation to the Investigating Committee. The registrar may also, if he considers it appropriate, refer the allegation to the Interim Orders Committee. The Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) would also have an interest. The MHRA is responsible for enforcement of the medical devices directive, which requires that dentists inform patients that they may receive a copy of the statement that the dental laboratory will have issued with an appliance confirming that it complies with directive.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of dental crowns for UK patients were manufactured (a) outside the UK and (b) in non-European economic area countries in the latest period for which figures are available; [56903]
(2) how many crowns for patients receiving dental treatment on the NHS were obtained from overseas suppliers in the latest period for which figures are available. [56904]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental device suppliers his Department found not to have been registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the last 12 months. [56908]
Mr Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA’s) devices enforcement unit has found two instances of dental device manufacturers failing to register with them in accordance with that requirement under the medical devices directive and United Kingdom implementing regulations in the fast 12 months.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor the adequacy of (a) dental restoration work and (b) dental appliances. [56910]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government plan to develop a new national dental contract based on registration, capitation and quality. There will be a range of pilots to test a quality and outcomes framework in dental practice, and to develop and refine the systems, which we can use to monitor quality and outcomes.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the regulatory mechanism is which ensures that dental restorations and appliances meet UK standards. [56911]
Mr Simon Burns: If dental appliances or restorative materials are supplied to dental practices within the countries of the European Union, they must be Communauté Européenne (CE) marked in accordance with the standards set in Council Directive 93/42/EEC concerning medical devices.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many dental devices were made for UK patients by untrained dental technicians in each of the last five years; and in how many such cases the status of the manufacturing technician was recorded in the patients' notes; [56913]
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(2) how many dental devices were made for UK patients by dental technicians trained to a level recognised by the General Dental Council in each of the last five years; [56915]
(3) how many dental devices were made for dental patients in each of the last five years. [56916]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on dental devices made by trained and untrained dental technicians is not collected centrally.
Information on how many dental devices were made for dental patients is not available in the format requested, but Band three Courses of Treatments (CoTs) include complex treatments (such as crowns, dentures and bridges) in addition to Band one and Band two work. A single Band three CoT can include a provision of more than one appliance/device.
Information on the numbers of Band three CoTs is included within Table C3 of Annex 3 of the ‘NHS Dental Statistics for England—2010-11 Third quarterly report’. Information is available for 2006-07 and, by quarter, for 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and provisional data for the first three quarters of 2010-11.
This report, published on 19 May 2011 has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats1011q3
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained dental technicians are working in the UK. [56914]
Mr Simon Burns: We understand that currently there are 6,998 dental technicians in the United Kingdom registered with the General Dental Council.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions his Department has had with the NHS Counter Fraud Service on steps to improve compliance with schedule 3(a) of the NHS (Dental Charges) Regulations 2005; [56917]
(2) on how many occasions his Department recorded a breach of schedule 3(a) of the NHS (Dental Charges) Regulations 2005 in each of the last five years. [56918]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has had no discussions with NHS Protect, who have responsibility for anti-fraud work in the national health service, on compliance with schedule 3(a) in particular nor does the Department maintain a central record of all breaches of individual elements of the NHS (Dental Charges) Regulations 2005. Any such breaches would normally be investigated and resolved locally by the responsible primary care trust, who would only involve staff from NHS Protect if the circumstances suggested that fraudulent activity might be involved.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on encouraging UK dentists to use UK-based laboratory technicians. [56919]
Mr Simon Burns:
Choice of supplier is within the discretion of general dental practitioners, most of whom are independent contractors. However, we wish there to be a clear line of accountability and we were encouraged
24 May 2011 : Column 664W
by guidance the General Dental Council (GDC) issued in March 2001 as “Standards on commissioning and manufacturing dental appliances”. The guidance indicates that if dentists decide to prescribe or sub-contract the manufacture of a dental appliance outside of the United Kingdom and do not use a dental technician registered with the GDC they will be held professionally accountable for the safety and quality of the appliance. The guidance is available at:
www.gdc-uk.org/newsandpublications/publications/Pages/default.aspx
and a copy has been placed in the Library.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial assistance his Department and its predecessor have provided to dental technology training in each of the last five years. [56920]
Mr Simon Burns: Core funding for dental technology training is provide by the Higher Education Funding Council for England for graduate level courses at universities and by the Skills Funding Agency for courses at Further Education Colleges. The Department has supplemented this funding on two special projects. Over the period 2005-06 to 2007-08 the Department paid a bursary of £2,000 per trainee to those dental laboratories which were providing placements for trainees preparing for a qualification in dental technology that would make them eligible for registration with the General Dental Council. The total sums involved were as follows:
|
|
£ |
In addition, in 2007-08, the Department made a grant of £15,000 to the Dental Laboratories Association to contribute to the development of distance learning for trainee dental technicians.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental schools provide dental technology training; and how many places were offered in each training institution in each year since 2006. [56921]
Mr Simon Burns: Information held centrally shows that dental technology training is currently provided at Manchester University and Leeds University and also at the following colleges of further education: Castle College Nottingham, Liverpool Community College, Lambeth College London, Matthew Boulton College Birmingham and Sheffield City College. Information is not collected on the number of places available.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions are placed on the production in its entirety of a dental device by an untrained dental technician. [56922]
Mr Simon Burns: Guidance issued by the General Dental Council on the Scope of Practice of dentists and dental care professionals reserves the verification and quality control of dental devices leaving a laboratory to registered dental technicians. The guidance is available at:
http://www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/Publications/Publications/ScopeofpracticeApril2009[1].pdf
24 May 2011 : Column 665W
Dentistry: Pay
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the introduction of NHS salaries for dentists. [56899]
Mr Simon Burns: We have not received any representations since taking office. Most general dental practitioners are self-employed, independent contractors, which is an arrangement which patients find convenient, and which most dentists seem to prefer.
Departmental Assets
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the monetary value of land and buildings, including NHS land and buildings, his Department expects to dispose of by sale in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14. [57081]
Mr Simon Burns: As part of the spending review 2010 settlement, the Department agreed with HM Treasury forecasts of future fixed asset sales. These estimates include all fixed asset sales from the national health service, the Department and arm’s length bodies. They also include all other fixed assets as well as land and buildings.
The estimates span the entire spending review period from 2011-12 to 2014-15 and are shown in the following table.
NHS and foundation trusts are directly responsible for the disposal of their assets and decisions to sell are made by them locally. The Department and arm’s length bodies make decisions on the disposal of land and buildings in line with Government policy.
| Forecast fixed asset sales agreed in spending review 2010 | |
|
|
Fixed asset sale forecasts ( £ million ) |
Departmental Manpower
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed by his Department in 2010-11; and at what cost to the public purse. [57193]
Mr Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the latest data release on the Cabinet Office website. This lists the names and pay bands of the special advisers in post at various times, and their actual salaries where these are £58,200 or higher. This is published together with details of the special advisers' pay ranges for 2010-11, and the total pay bill cost of special advisers in each period. These publications can be found at:
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases
As at the end of March 2011, the Department's media centre employed 33 full-time and one part-time press officers, equating to 33.73 full-time equivalent press officers. The cost to the public purse was £1,371,144.
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Drugs: Prisoners
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisoners were prescribed (a) methadone and (b) other substitutes for illegal drugs in each year since 2007; and what the cost to his Department was of providing such treatment in each such year. [56788]
Paul Burstow: Data are available on the number of clinical drug interventions provided in prisons for drug dependency since 2007-08.
In 2007-08, a total of 58,809 prisoners received a clinical drug intervention. Of these, 46,291 (79%) received detoxification and 12,518 (21%) a maintenance prescription for opioid dependency of either methadone or buprenorphine.
In 2008-09, a total of 64,767 prisoners received a clinical drug intervention. Of these 45,135 (69%) received detoxification and 19,632 (31%) received a maintenance prescription for opioid dependency of either methadone or buprenorphine.
In 2009-10, a total of 60,067 prisoners received a clinical drug intervention. Of these 36,323 (61%) received detoxification and 23,744 (39%) received a maintenance prescription for opioid dependency of either methadone or buprenorphine(1).
Data on the costs of prescribing methadone and other substitutes are not collected centrally. Since 2006, the national health service has been responsible for the commissioning of clinical services in prisons, including the administration of medicines. Individual budgetary costs are therefore the concern of local NHS primary care trusts (PCTs).
The Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) in prisons provides evidence-based treatment tailored to the needs of the prisoner. The programme includes abstinence, but all treatments are aimed at getting the person off drugs.
From April 2009, all adult prisons received funding (£39.7 million from the Department, £6 million from the Ministry of Justice) for the implementation of the enhanced clinical drug treatment and psychosocial components of IDTS.
The IDTS aims to increase the volume and quality of treatment available to prisoners, with particular emphasis on early custody, and to improve integration between clinical and counselling, assessment, referral and throughcare services and to reinforce continuity of care from the community into prison, between prisons, and on release into the community.
(1) National Offender Management Service prisons key performance indicators system
Health Professions: Regulation
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what method his Department plans to use to ensure that all healthcare science workforce disciplines are represented in its cost-benefit risk analysis on the regulation of the healthcare science workforce; [56775]
(2) when he expects to appoint the team to conduct the evidence-based cost-benefit risk analysis to inform the appropriate model of regulation for the healthcare science workforce; by what date he expects the report's recommendations to be published; and which stakeholders will be consulted. [56776]
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Anne Milton: Following the publication of the Command Paper “Enabling Excellence”, no cost-benefit risk analysis of the case for introducing compulsory statutory regulation of the health care scientist workforce is now planned by the Department at this time. For those groups of health care scientists that the Health Professions Council has previously recommended for statutory regulation, assured voluntary registration is the preferred option.
Health Services: Older People
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the effect of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill on meeting the health care needs of older people. [57059]
Paul Burstow: A full equality impact assessment was published alongside the Bill on 19 January 2011 and has already been placed in the Library; and on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583
In carrying out the equality impact assessment of the Health and Social Care Bill, the Department considered all the relevant protected characteristics, including age, covered by the Equality Act 2010 in accordance with good practice guidance from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.
Health: Social Isolation
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the potential effect of loneliness and social isolation on recovery rates from (i) cardiovascular disease, (ii) cancer and (iii) mental health conditions. [56728]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any research specifically on the potential effect of loneliness and social isolation on recovery rates from cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health conditions.
Heart Disease
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the principal risk factors contributing to heart disease, listed accorded to the assessed level of risk; [56794]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to the economy of heart disease in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; [56798]
(3) what the rate of incidence of heart disease in each local authority area was in the latest period for which figures are available; [56804]
(4) what recent assessment he has made of the position of England in international comparative tables for the (a) treatment and (b) survival of heart disease. [56927]
Mr Simon Burns: There are important modifiable risk factors, for heart disease, which are smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and obesity. There are also a number of fixed risk factors—age, sex, ethnicity and family history. These risk factors are also linked to a wider group of diseases such as stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.
24 May 2011 : Column 668W
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance to the national health service on the management of a number of conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, including some guidance on cardiovascular disease at a population level which looks at the risk factors. The document “Prevention of cardiovascular disease at population level” can be found on NICE’s website at:
www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13024/49273/49273.pdf
The NHS Health Check programme is a universal and systematic programme for people in England between the ages of 40 to 74 that assesses individuals’ risk of vascular disease and will support people to reduce or manage that risk through individually tailored advice and support.
We do not hold any information centrally about the cost to the economy of heart disease in the most recent 12 months.
The Department commissioned the South East Public Health Observatory to develop cardiovascular profiles at regional and primary care trust/local authority level. These profiles provide a wide range of information, including on the incidence of heart disease in each area. They are intended to inform commissioning and planning decisions and enable commissioners to target resources most effectively to tackle cardiovascular disease and improve the health of local communities. They can be found at:
www.sepho.org.uk/CVDprofiles.aspx
We do not hold information centrally on the position of England in international comparative tables for the treatment and survival of heart disease. The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery has published information on trends of activity and outcomes in cardio-thoracic surgery internationally. This is available at:
http://kingsfund.koha-ptfs.eu/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=96807
Hospital Wards: Standards
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which 100 wards had the worst health outcomes in the latest period for which figures are available. [56847]
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 May 2011:
As Director General for ONS, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking which 100 wards had the worst health outcomes in the latest period for which figures are available. (56847)
Official statistics are available at ward level on a small number of health outcomes, such as all-cause mortality, life expectancy and self-reported health status. Health expectancies such as healthy life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy are widely accepted as summary measures of health outcomes, since they combine estimates of mortality with self-perceived general health or limiting long-standing illness. Because of the small populations involved, ward level figures are available only around census years and data for several years have to be aggregated.
Tables 1 to 3 provide healthy life expectancy at birth for the 100 wards with the lowest estimates for males (Table 1), females (Table 2) and all persons (Table 3) for 1999-2003 (the only
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period available). Healthy life expectancy is the average number of years a newborn baby would live in 'Good' or 'Fairly good' health if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality and morbidity rates for that time period throughout his or her life.
Tables 4 to 6 provide disability-free life expectancy at birth for the 100 wards with the lowest estimates for males (Table 4), females (Table 5) and all persons (Table 6) for 1999-2003 (the only period available). Disability-free life expectancy is the average number of years a newborn baby would live free from a limiting illness or disability if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality and morbidity rates for that time period throughout his or her life.
Copies of Tables 1 to 6 have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Macular Degeneration: Drugs
Mr Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of the prescription of ranibizumab (Lucentis) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration in each of the last two years. [56953]
Paul Burstow: The following table shows the cost of ranibizumab dispensed in hospitals and the community for 2009 and 2010.
| Ranibizumab dispensed in hospitals and in the community in England (1) | ||
| Cost (£000) | ||
|
|
Hospital (2, 3, 4) | Community (5) |
| Notes: (1) Ranibizumab is only licensed for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. (2) Figures based on a sample and costed using standard price lists, either the drug tariff or, if the drug is not listed, the drug manufacturer’s price list. The figures therefore do not necessarily represent the actual amounts paid by the hospitals. (3) Data includes all drugs dispensed in national health service hospitals regardless of patient, so will include drugs dispensed to private patients in private wards within NHS hospitals as long as they have been dispensed via the hospital pharmacy. The extent of this varies from hospital to hospital. (4) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance recommended ranibizumab on the condition that the manufacturer offers a patient access scheme. Under the scheme, the cost of ranibizumab beyond 14 injections in the treated eye is met by the manufacturer. We do not have data on the number of injections provided by the manufacturer under the scheme and therefore the data does not reflect the impact of the scheme. (5) Net ingredient cost of prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England. Source: IMS Health: Hospital Pharmacy Audit and Prescription Cost Analysis system. | ||
Malnutrition
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to monitor the effect of food prices on rates of malnutrition. [56632]
Anne Milton: The Office for National Statistics and the Department's Health and Social Care Information Centre routinely collect data on the increase in food prices through the Consumer Prices Index and Retail Prices Index, and the prevalence of malnutrition through Hospital Episode Statistics. There are no specific plans to monitor the effects of food prices on the rates of malnutrition at present, but the data allows us to monitor future trends.
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Mental Health
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the influence of psychosocial factors on the health and well-being of NHS patients. [56854]
Mr Simon Burns: There is extensive evidence that psychosocial factors, material circumstance, social environment, behaviours and biological factors are all important influences on health and well-being.
The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a wide range of research relevant to the relationship between psychosocial factors and the health and well-being of patients.
Details of projects funded through programmes managed by the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) can be found on the CCF website at:
www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/FundedProgrammes.aspx
Details of projects funded through programmes managed by the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Centre (NETSCC) can be found on the NETSCC website at:
www.netscc.ac.uk/
Details of studies hosted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network can be found on the UK Clinical Research Network portfolio database at:
http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search
Details of research funded by the Policy Research Programme are available on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Researchanddevelopment/Policyresearchprogramme/index.htm
NHS: Middlesbrough
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on NHS services in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in real terms in each year from May 2005 to April 2010; and how much he expects to be spent in each year from May 2010 to April 2015. [56723]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on the net operating costs of Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Redcar and Cleveland PCT between 2005-06 and 2009-10 has been set out in the following table. Data for 2010-11 are not yet available. The data provided are historical statutory accounting data.
| £000 | |||||
| Organisation | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
| Notes: 1. Information in “real terms” is not collected centrally. 2. The Department collects statutory accounting data annually for each financial year (1 April to 31 March) and the figures provided reflect this. It is not possible to break the figures down by month. 3. Redcar and Cleveland PCT came into existence in the financial year 2006-07 after a merger of Langbaurgh PCT and part of Middlesbrough PCT. Source: Audited summarisation schedules. | |||||
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Total revenue allocations for 2010-11 and 2011-12 are shown in the following table.
| £ million | ||
| Organisation | Total revenue allocation 2010-11 (1) | Total revenue allocation 2011-12 (2, 3, 4) |
| (1 )2010-11 allocations shown in the table are 2010-11 published allocations adjusted for the locally agreed transfer from PCTs to local authorities of funding and commissioning responsibility for the social care of people with learning disabilities from 2011-12. (2 )In December 2010, PCTs were informed of their total 2011-12 revenue allocations which include: 2011-12 recurrent revenue allocations; and non-recurrent allocations for primary dental services, pharmaceutical services and general ophthalmic services. Allocations for support for joint working between health and social care were announced separately in 2010-11. (3 )Total revenue allocations refer to the allocations listed above. This is the main funding source for PCTs. (4 )Comparisons between allocation years cannot as a rule be made as allocations were not made on a like for like basis. The 2010-11 figures have been especially adjusted to make them more comparable with those for 2011-12. Source: PCT Allocations, Department of Health | ||
PCT recurrent revenue allocations for 2012-13 will be announced as soon as is practical this year.
Subject to the passing of the Health and Social Care Bill and the outcome of the current listening exercise, it is intended that from 2013-14 the National Health Service Commissioning Board will take over responsibility from the Department for commissioning guidelines and the allocation of resources. It would be for the NHS Commissioning Board to decide how best to allocate resources in a way that supports the principle of securing equivalent access to NHS services relative to the prospective burden of disease and disability.
Nutrition
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) levels of and (b) trends in the daily calorific intake of (i) men and (ii) women in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of the average intake in that period comprised of saturated fats. [56858]
Anne Milton: Average daily calorie (energy) and saturated fat intakes for adults are available from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Information is available on intakes for men and women for 2000-01 and 2008-09.
Total energy intake for men has fallen slightly, but for women has remained broadly similar. In 2000-01 intake for men was 2,308 kcal/day and for women was 1,635 kcal/day. In 2008-09 intake for men was 2,255 kcal/day and for women was 1,645 kcal/day.
Saturated fat intake provided 13% of food energy for men and 12.6% of food energy for women in 2008-09. The contribution of saturated fat to energy intakes has fallen slightly in both men and women since the last survey of this age group in 2000-01, but for both still exceeds the recommended level of no more than 11% of food energy.
Obesity
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned on the (a) physical and (b) psychological causes of obesity. [56795]
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Mr Simon Burns: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Policy Research Programme (PRP) fund a wide range of research relating to the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity.
The Southampton NIHR Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle Biomedical Research Unit conducts research on how nutrition, diet and lifestyle affect the later risk of diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
The NIHR Health Technology Assessment and Public Health Research programmes are funding evaluations of interventions to prevent obesity, including a £2.7 million trial of an obesity prevention intervention in primary school age children.
Details of projects funded through programmes managed by the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) can be found on the CCF website at:
www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/FundedProgrammes.aspx
Details of projects funded through programmes managed by the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Centre (NETSCC) can be found on the NETSCC website at:
www.netscc.ac.uk/
Details of studies hosted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network can be found on the UK Clinical Research Network portfolio database at:
http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search
Details of research funded by the PRP are available on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Researchanddevelopment/Policyresearchprogramme/index.htm
Research
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) longitudinal and (b) other (i) research and (ii) collection of data his Department has (A) initiated, (B) terminated and (C) amended in the last 12 months; and what such research and data collection exercises undertaken by the Department have not been amended in that period. [56759]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not initiated, terminated or amended any longitudinal research in the last 12 months. Details of longitudinal and other research funded by the Department's Policy Research programme are available on the Department's website at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Researchanddevelopment/Policyresearchprogramme/index.htm
The Department also funds programmes of research in the national health service (NHS) through the National Institute for Health Research, with an annual budget of around £1 billion.
Ongoing NHS data collections initiated through ROCR (Review of Central Returns) process during period May 2010—April 2011:
A and E (Accident and Emergency) Clinical Quality Indicators
Cancer Patients' Experience Survey
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Dataset
Community Information Dataset
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
Mixed Sex Accommodation Monthly Return
National Children's and Young Person's Dataset
National Health Service (NHS) Health Check Dataset
Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) Inspection Programme
24 May 2011 : Column 673W
One-off NHS data collections initiated through ROCR process during period May 2010-April 2011:
Commissioned National and Local Enhanced Services
Memory Services for National Dementia Audit
Programme Budgeting—tariff based collection
Ongoing NHS data collections amended through ROCR process during period May 2010-April 2011:
Chlamydia Core Dataset
Community Mental Health Activity
Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC)
General Ophthalmic Services—Sight Tests
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)—Key Performance Indicators
KA34 Performance and Clinical Quality Indicator
Mental Health Minimum Dataset v4
National Joint Registry
Programme Budgeting
Summary of Genitourinary Medicine clinics
Ongoing NHS data collections terminated through ROCR process in period May 2010-April 2011:
Database of Countermeasures
Database of nominated recipients at all General Practitioners (GPs)—NHS (National Health Service) Choices
Direct Access Audiology weekly PTL (Patient Treatment List)
Expert Patient Programme (EPP) Self Management Courses
Financial Information Systems (FIS), Family Health Services (FHS) General Ophthalmic Service
General Pharmaceutical Council Awareness and perceptions Tracking (Opinion Survey)
GP Premises Data Collection
HRG4 (Healthcare Resource Groups) Grouper User Optional Survey
Junior Doctor's Hours
Monitoring extended GP practice opening hours
National Children's Health Service Mapping
NHS Campus Closure
NHS Constitution Research: Wave 2
NHS Staff Engagement and attitudes towards the NHS
Notification of partnership intentions between Health Services and Local Authorities using Section 75
PCT (Primary Care Trust) Controlled Drug Officers contact details
Practice Engagement in practice based commissioning
Swine Flu vaccine uptake data from GP registered patients
Three year funding for third sector organisations
TOP Slice (Treatment Outcomes Profile)
Update of five clinical Directed Enhanced Services (DES)
18 weeks referral to Treatment PTL
NHS data collections recorded and approved through ROCR process which existed in the period but which do not fall into any of the above three categories:
Abortion Statistics
18 Weeks Performance Sharing Report
18 Weeks Referral to Treatment (RTT) Times Monthly Data Collection
2012 Olympic Delivery Assurance
Investment in Mental Health Services for Adults
Adult Screening Programme: Breast Cancer (PCT return) (KC63)
24 May 2011 : Column 674W
Adult Screening Programme: Breast Screening (Screening Unit return) (KC62)
Adult Screening Programmes: Cervical Screening (KC53)
Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA)—Collection of non-Electronic Staff Record (ESR) items
Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA)—Employer Based Awards Reports
Annual Census of Non-Principal Genera! Medical Practitioners
Annual Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) non-medical workforce census
Annual medical and dental workforce census
Annual NHS Vacancy Collection
Annual Statement of Fire Safety
Attribution Data Set (ADS)
Bed availability and occupancy (KH03)
Central Alerting System (CAS)
Charges for excess balances held in commercial bank accounts (FIS9) exercise
Childhood Immunisation Programme (KC50)
Collection of Influenza vaccine update data—immunisation of poultry workers
Collection of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV) uptake in the 65 and over population data
Colposcopy clinics, referrals, treatments and outcomes (KC65)
Critical Care Minimum Dataset
Database to monitor use of Immunoglobulin
Diagnostic Departments: Radiology, nuclear medicine and medical physics.
Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity Data Collection
Direct Access Audiology Monthly
Emergency Continuity Business Preparedness
Equity ownership of special purpose vehicles in Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes
Financial Monitoring and Accounts
Fire Incidents and Unwanted Fire Signal Data
General Medical Practitioners annual Census collection.
General Ophthalmic Services: Workforce Statistics for England and Wales—Annual Return of Practitioners and Premises
General Practice (including dental) written complaints (K041b)
General Practitioners Practice Vacancy Survey
Genito-Urinary Medicine 48 Hour Access Target Monthly Monitoring (GUMAMM)
Health Care Worker Seasonal Flu
Health Checks for people with learning disabilities
Health of the Population Return (HotPR)
Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) Complaints (KO41A)
Human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation programme - vaccine monitoring minimum dataset—Including Catch up Programme Return
Informal Patients and Patients detained under the Mental Health Act: The Number of Uses of the Act
Information sharing between key hospitals and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) as part of the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP)
Integrated Drug Treatment System for prisons Clinical Activity
Open and Staffed Adult Critical Care Beds (KH03a)
Mandatory surveillance of healthcare associated infection (HCAI) for orthopaedic surgical site infection (SSIs)
Mandatory surveillance of healthcare associated infections (HCAI)—Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia, glycopeptide resistant enterococci (GRE) bacteremia, total blood cultures.
24 May 2011 : Column 675W
Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA DOLS) monitoring data collection
Monitoring Revisions to new GP Contract—Financial Information Monitoring System (RMS) Family Health Services (FHS)4 and PCT Financial Return (PFR1A-D) data collection from PCTs 2006-7
Monitoring use of additional investment provided to support implementation of the End of Life Care Strategy in 2009-10
Monthly Activity Flow
National Cancer Dataset Waiting times subset
National Cancer Registration Dataset
National Capabilities Survey
National Child Measurement Programme
National Drug Treatment Monitoring System
National Maternity Services Data Set (NMDS)
National Renal Dataset
National Survey of Patient Experience
Neonatal Critical Care Minimum Dataset (NCCMDS)
NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care
NHS Pharmaceutical Services (PHS1)
NHS Stop Smoking Services Quarterly Monitoring Return
NHS Trust—Financial Returns (6 TFR Forms)—to include TFR6 Ambulance Services Expenditure (£000)—England
Non-medical Device Defects and Failures Reporting System
Paediatric Critical Care Minimum Dataset (PCCMDS)
Pathology laboratories—cervical cytology and outcome of gynaecological referrals (KC61)
Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)
Patient Safety and Healthcare Incidents
Pharmex: electronic collection of hospital pharmacy purchasing data
Practice engagement in practice based commissioning (PBC): PBC leads survey
Primary Care Trust—Financial Returns (PFR 5 Forms)
Prison Health, Performance and Quality Indicators
Quarterly Monitoring of Accident and Emergency (QMAE)
Quarterly Activity return
Quarterly Monitoring of Cancelled operations
Radiotherapy Contract Data Set (RT CDS)
Recording and reporting data about necessary and planned treatment of overseas visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA)
Redundancy Data Collection
Reference Costs Collection
Seasonal flu vaccine uptake
Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in Health Care Workers
Sexual and Reproductive Health Activity Dataset
Sitreps weekly and daily
Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Data Collection
Statement on Internal Controls data collection
Strategic Health Authority—Analysis of Expenditure by Type (5 Human Resources (HFR) Forms)
Surplus Land for Housing
Secondary Uses Service (SUS) Payments By Results (PBR) Local Tariff Collection
Vaccination and immunisation data return collected through the Cover of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly (COVER)
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Risk Assessment
Vital Signs
Vital Signs Monitoring Returns
Vital Signs Monitoring Returns—continuation of lines
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Notes:
1. All information is based on collections of data commissioned by the Department and approved through the ROCR process.
2. Community Information Dataset was approved in the time period, but licence doesn't start until January 2012.
3. The only one-off collections that are included are those granted approval within the specific period.
4. All one off collections are granted one year licences regardless of the point in the year that they are approved.
5. Some collections are referred to by their reference i.e. KH03, KA34.
6. The IAPT collection will continue in 2012, whilst the IAPT-KPI collection is expected to be discontinued at that point.
Source:
ROCR, The Health and Social Care Information Centre
Southern Cross Healthcare
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on Southern Cross care homes since 21 March 2011; and if he will make a statement. [56749]
Paul Burstow: I met the hon. Gentleman on 21 March to discuss his concerns.
Southern Cross has plans in place to restructure its business and ensure that services and quality are maintained and has informed Government officials about these plans.
The issue is the subject of regular discussion between officials in the relevant Departments, including the Department for Communities and Local Government. They will then brief and update their respective Ministers as they see fit.
The Government will continue to keep in close touch with the situation and will work with local authorities, the Care Quality Commission and others to ensure there is an effective response, which delivers protection to everyone affected.
Spinal Injuries: Continuing Care
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with a spinal cord injury are receiving continuing care in their own home. [56774]
Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. Eligibility for national health service continuing health care does not depend on a specific health condition. It is the extent of the individual's assessed primary health care needs, and the care required to meet those needs, rather than diagnosis, that determine eligibility. People can move in and out of eligibility for NHS continuing health care as their needs change.
The outcome of the assessment for NHS continuing health care should be an agreement about the individual's needs, priorities and preferences for meeting them. Assessors should also take into account the views and contribution of carers when assessing the person in need.
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Communities and Local Government
Allotments
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on the operation of section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 in respect of the duty of local authorities to provide allotments where there is a demand for them; and if he will make a statement. [56238]
Greg Clark: The invitation to respond to the Government's review of statutory duties placed on local authorities has now closed. Responses included representations on allotments.
The review is intended to make clear, for the first time, the statutory duties placed on each local authority. We do not intend and have never intended to remove local authorities' statutory duties to provide allotments or to remove the requirement for local authorities to seek the Secretary of State's agreement to dispose of allotments or use statutory allotments for other purposes.
Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to tackle anti-Semitism since April 2011; what assessment he has made of the performance of the Cross-Government Working Group to Tackle anti-Semitism; what recent (a) representations he has received from and (b) discussions he has had with Members of the House of Lords on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [56611]
Andrew Stunell: The Department of Communities and Local Government regularly receives representations from hon. Members of both Houses on issues of anti-Semitism. Since April 2011 a number of meetings and discussions have been held with individuals and organisations to take forward the Government's work to tackle anti-Semitism. The work of the Cross-Government Working Group is regularly assessed to ensure that key actions are followed up and delivered. The Government's latest response to tackling anti-Semitism can be found in the ‘Three Years On Progress Report' which can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/antisemitismresponse
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether officials in his Department with policy responsibility for dealing with anti-Semitism (a) have regular access to and (b) read Jewish weekly newspapers in the course of their official duties; and if he will make a statement. [56612]
Andrew Stunell: Officials in the Department with responsibility for dealing with anti-Semitism have regular access to Jewish weekly newspapers and read them in the course of their official duties.
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Care Homes: Planning Permission
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of requiring (a) planning permission and (b) local consultation for the conversion of a residential dwelling into a children's residential home. [56855]
Robert Neill: We announced in “Plan for Growth”, published alongside the Budget, our intention to review how change of use is managed in the planning system. Further details on the review will be published shortly on the Department's website. There will be an opportunity for anyone with an interest in this matter to make representations.
Council Tax Benefits
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions have developed an implementation plan for the localisation of council tax benefit. [57075]
Robert Neill [holding answer 23 May 2011]: As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said in his written ministerial statement on 17 February 2011, Official Report, column 92WS, my Department will, in due course, be undertaking a full consultation on plans for councils to develop local schemes and meet the Government's commitment to retain council tax support for the most vulnerable in society. We will also embark on a round of formal and structured engagement with local authorities and other interested parties, once the consultation is published. Findings from this engagement and responses to the consultation document will be considered in the development of the necessary legislative framework to introduce the new system to replace council tax benefit.
This reform will create stronger incentives for councils to get people back into work and so support the positive work incentives that will be introduced through the Government's plans on universal credit. Combined with other incentives—such as the New Homes Bonus and our proposals for the local retention of business rates—these changes will give councils a greater stake in the economic future of their local area, so supporting the Government's wider agenda to enable stronger, balanced economic growth across the country.
Departmental Charitable Donations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to encourage charitable giving by Ministers in his Department. [57125]
Robert Neill: Charitable giving is a personal matter for individuals, although it is encouraged by Government. All Government Ministers have pledged to undertake a “one day challenge” with a charity or community group of their choice. This is a clear and public commitment by Ministers to give their time to help others. The pledge aims to inspire others to consider how they might be able to support their communities to benefit themselves, as well as their chosen organisations.
24 May 2011 : Column 679W
As an example of how Ministers are contributing to the wider giving agenda, the Government are strongly supporting initiatives that help to raise aspirations in schools. These include the “Speakers for Schools” initiative, which aims to get inspirational high profile people from a range of backgrounds to speak for free in state schools. The scheme is non-political and has significant cross-party support.
Departmental Data Protection
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts his Department holds which allow contractors to store personal data of UK citizens overseas; to which contracts this applies; in which countries the data for each such contract is held; and how many people have their data stored overseas under each such contract. [55734]
Robert Neill: Departmental records show no contracts which allow contractors to store the personal data of UK citizens overseas.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) on what date special advisers in his Department last used the Government car pool to travel in an official capacity; and on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department has travelled to their home address using the Government car pool since May 2010; [56082]
(2) how much his Department spent on special advisers' travel by (a) Government car, (b) private hire car, (c) train, (d) bus, (e) commercial aircraft and (f) private aircraft since May 2010. [56099]
Robert Neill: No civil servants or special advisers in the Department are entitled to the use of a car with a dedicated driver nor are any entitled to use a car from the ministerial car pool. In line with the practice of previous Administrations, special advisers may accompany Ministers but records are not held. For the avoidance of doubt, no journeys have been made to home addresses.
For the period from May 2010 to March 2011, amounts spent on special advisers' travel are as follows: taxi—£184.50; train—£345.05 (standard class). There was no expenditure on commercial aircraft, private aircraft, buses or Government cars during this period.
To provide a comparison, the Department's records show that the following amounts were spent on special advisers' travel during the period July 2009 to March 2010: taxi—£532.99; train—£5,498.13; commercial aircraft—£1,905.20. There was no expenditure on private aircraft, buses or Government cars during this period.
All travel is governed by the requirements of the civil service management code.
Departmental NDPBs
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any savings arising from the reduction in the number of his Department's arm's length bodies will be re-allocated; and if he will make a statement. [56634]
24 May 2011 : Column 680W
Robert Neill: We have published details of expected savings made in budgets for the Department's arm’s length bodies at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/1865652
The Department's spending review settlement reflects these savings.
Domestic Visits
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the date was of each visit by a Minister in his Department on official duties to each local authority area since 1 February 2011. [54132]
Robert Neill [holding answer 5 May 2011]:Since 1 February 2011 the following visits by Ministers in DCLG have taken place:
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:
The Brentwood Borough Council area, on 3 February 2011;
The Epping Forest District Council area, on 4 February 2011;
The City of Westminster area, on 9 February 2011;
The Warwickshire County Council area, on 11 February 2011(1);
The City of London area, on 1 March 2011;
The Cardiff City Council area, on 4-5 March 2011(1);
The Coventry City Council area, on 7 March 2011;
The Chelmsford Borough Council area, on 11 March 2011;
The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council area, on 17 March 2011;
The Brentwood Borough Council area, on 18 March 2011;
The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council area, on 25 March 2011(1);
The City of Westminster area, on 31 March 2011;
The Bedford Borough Council area, on 6 April 2011(1);
The Nottingham City Council area, on 28 April 2011(1);
The Reading Borough Council area, on 3 May 2011(1);
The Manchester City Council area, on 12 May 2011.
The Minister for Housing and Local Government:
The London Borough of Islington area, on 1 February 2011;
The London Borough of Lambeth area, on 2 February 2011;
The Warwickshire County Council area, on 11 February 2011(1);
The Buckinghamshire County Council area on 4 March 2011(1);
The Sunderland City Council area, on 10 March 2011;
The Newcastle City Council area, 10 March 2011;
The City of Westminster area, on 22 March 2011;
The London Borough of Newham area, on 3 May 2011;
The Bedford Borough Council area, on 3 May 2011(1);
The Liverpool City Council area, on 9 May 2011;
The Sefton Council area, on 9 May 2011.
The Minister for Decentralisation:
The City of Westminster area, on 2 February, 24 February, 2 March, 7 April and 10 May 2011;
The Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council area, on 4 February 2011;
The London Borough of Southwark area, on 10 February 2011 and 10 May 2011;
The Warwickshire County Council area, on 11 February 2011(1);
The Ashford Borough Council area, on 18 February 2011(1);
The Tandbridge District Council area, on 25 February 2011(1);
The Cardiff City Council area, on 4-5 March 2011(1);
The Coventry City Council area, on 7 March 2011;
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The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham area, on 15 March 2011(1);
The Ipswich Borough Council area, on 24 March 2011;
The Waveney District Council area, on 24 March 2011(1);
The Durham County Council area, on 25 March 2011;
The City of London area, on 30 March 2011;
The Mid Sussex District Council area, on 8 April 2011;
The London Borough of Barnet area, on 13 April 2011;
The London Borough of Camden area, on 10 May 2011.
Bob Neill MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State:
The London Borough of Wandsworth area, on 7 February 2011(1);
The Warwickshire County Council area, on 11 February 2011(1);
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets area, on 16 February 2011;
The City of London area, on 18 February 2011;
The Cardiff City Council area, on 4-5 March 2011(1);
The Gateshead Council area, on 9 March 2011;
The London Borough of Bexley area, on 15 March 2011;
The London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames area, on 16 March 2011;
The London Borough of Newham area, on 17 March 2011;
The Swale Borough Council area, on 24 March 2011;
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead area, on 31 March 2011;
The London Borough of Newham area, on 5 April 2011.
Andrew Stunell OBE MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State:
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham area, on 16 February 2011;
The Bath and Northeast Somerset Council area and Bristol City Council area, on 20 February 2011(1);
The Mendip District Council area, Taunton Deane Council area, South Somerset District Council area and Purbeck District Council area, on 21 February 2011(1);
The Trafford Council area on 24 February 2011;
The Sheffield City Council area and Derby City Council area, on 25 February 2011(1);
The Chesterfield Borough Council area, on 7 March 2011(1);
The Milton Keynes Council area on 15 March 2011;
The Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council area, on 17 March 2011;
The Manchester City Council area, on 18 March 2011 and 12 April 2011(1);
The London Borough of Sutton area, on 22 March 2011;
The Reading Borough Council area, on 28 March 2011(1);
The Watford Borough Council area, on 31 March 2011;
The Stoke-on-Trent City Council area and Warrington Borough Council area, on 6 April 2011(1);
The Newcastle City Council area and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council area, on 7 April 2011(1);
The Leicester City Council area and Watford Borough Council area, on 11 April 2011(1);
The Burnley Borough Council area, on 13 April 2011(1);
The Colchester Borough Council area, on 18 April 2011(1);
The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council area, on 19 April 2011(1);
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham area, on 27 April 2011;
The Sandwell Council area, on 12 May 2011.
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Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State:
The City of London area, on 3 February 2011;
The Bristol City Council area, on 10 February 2011;
The Northumberland County Council area, on 8 March 2011;
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets area, on 10 March 2011;
The City of Westminster area, on 11 March 2011;
The Corby Borough Council area, on 15 March 2011;
The Leicester City Council area, on 15 March 2011.
(1) Political visit, included in the interests of transparency.
European Regional Development Fund
Mr David: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the European Regional Development Fund remains to be allocated in each region. [57379]
Robert Neill: As at 30 April 2011, the following sums from the 2007-13 European Regional Development Fund programme remained to be allocated:
| 2007-13 programme area | € million |
Please note that all the figures are in euros because the European Commission allocates European Regional Development Funds in euros.
Mr David: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the European Regional Development Fund has been (a) contracted and (b) paid to projects in each region to date. [57380]
Robert Neill: As at 30 April 2011, the following sums from the 2007-13 European regional development fund programme had been contracted for, and paid to each region:
| € million | ||
| 2007-13 programme area | Contracted | Paid |
24 May 2011 : Column 683W
| Note: All the figures are in euros because the European Commission allocates European regional development funds in euros. | ||
Fire Services: Crimes of Violence
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many firefighters in each region have been injured as a result of an assault while on duty in each of the last three years. [57004]
Robert Neill: Figures for the total number of firefighters injured as a result of assault while on duty are not held centrally.
Numbers of firefighters injured as a result of an attack en route to or at an incident are available for periods since April 2009. These are shown in the following table by Fire and Rescue Authority and statistical region for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
| Numbers of firefighters injured as a result of an attack (1) en route to or at an incident, 2009-10 and 2010-11 | |||
| Statistical region | Fire and Rescue Authority | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
24 May 2011 : Column 684W
| (1) Includes (i) physical abuse, (ii) other acts of aggression, and (iii) objects thrown. (2) Data for Greater Manchester for 2009-10 incomplete. Source: Incident Recording System, Department for Communities and Local Government | |||
Housing Associations: Fraud
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the level of fraud perpetrated against housing associations. [57213]
Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect information about frauds perpetrated against housing associations. From accounting year 2010-11 onwards, housing associations that are registered with the Social Housing Regulator are required to make an annual report to the Regulator of any losses from fraudulent activity.
As I outlined in a departmental press notice on 16 December 2010, social tenancy fraud in England is estimated to cost £5 billion, in terms of the equivalent cost of the number of social homes that are unlawfully occupied.
We are supporting councils to tackle tenancy fraud through £19 million in funding and a dedicated national action team based at the Chartered Institute of Housing. We are also working closely with the National Fraud Authority, for example, to lower the cost of using the services of credit reference agencies to help identify potential fraud.
Housing: Construction
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effect on (a) the availability of urban green space and (b) the green belt of his proposals for new housing. [56346]
Robert Neill [holding answer 19 May 2011]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State clearly stated in answer to the hon. Member's question of 4 April 2011, Official Report, column 731, the Government are committed to maintaining green belt protection.
We will also be implementing the coalition agreement commitment to create a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities.
24 May 2011 : Column 685W
Housing: Energy
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new homes are built to meet energy efficiency standards. [56666]
Andrew Stunell: As part of the programme of work to deliver changes to the building regulations in 2013 and the Government's commitment that all new homes built from 2016 should be zero carbon, my officials are working with industry to consider a range of measures for further improving performance and compliance with the energy efficiency standards for new homes. Areas being explored include improving guidance and dissemination to raise awareness and understanding of the requirements and how to achieve them, and improvements to the building control system to facilitate compliance, such as enabling wider use of competent person schemes.
I also refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement of 17 May 2011, Official Report, columns 7-9WS
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to enable the retrofitting of older properties with energy saving and energy conservation technology. [56667]
Andrew Stunell: The Government will launch the Green Deal in late 2012, which will enable householders to improve the energy efficiency of their homes at no upfront cost. Measures will instead be paid for through the resulting savings on energy bills. This department is supporting the development of the Green Deal through improvements to energy performance certificates, to enable them to be part of the initial assessment of a home for the Green Deal, and to better engage householders on the benefits of installing energy efficiency measures.
My officials are also engaged in a number of areas of work to support take-up of the Green Deal, including improved rights for private tenants to benefit from energy efficiency measures; exploring proposals for using building regulations to promote the retrofitting of buildings when undertaking other major works; and working with social landlords to encourage large scale projects to retrofit homes with energy efficiency and micro-generation technologies.