Unemployment
Julie Elliott: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children in Sunderland Central constituency are living in workless households. [64977]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many children in Sunderland Central constituency are living in workless households. 64977
Estimates of the number of children living in workless households are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. The most current dataset available is for 2009. However, due to the specific nature of your request it is not possible to provide reliable estimates because the sample sizes for this survey are not sufficiently large enough for the Sunderland Central constituency.
7 July 2011 : Column 1338W
Health
Black Country Primary Care Trust
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the arrangements for public engagement in the Black Country Primary Care Trust cluster. [64348]
Mr Simon Burns: We have made no assessment of the arrangements for public engagement in the Black Country Primary Care Trust (PCT) cluster.
The Department published PCT Cluster Implementation Guidance in January 2011 to support the creation of clusters. The guidance set key tasks for clusters and PCTs, including the importance of maintaining effective joint working arrangements and engagement processes with patients, communities, particularly seldom-heard and marginalised groups.
The guidance is available on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_123996.pdf
A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.
Blood: Contamination
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of (a) Tainted Blood and (b) other groups representing those affected by contaminated blood supplies. [64347]
Anne Milton: I met representatives of Tainted Blood, the Manor House Group, the Hepatitis C Trust and the Haemophilia Society, on 29 June 2011.
Breast Cancer: Screening
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of women aged 53 to 64 years took part in a breast screening programme in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years. [64114]
Paul Burstow: This information is not held in the format requested. Information concerning the levels of breast screening coverage for women aged 53 to 64 in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years has been placed in the Library.
Coverage is based on the number of women screened from within the eligible population. The eligible population is defined as the number of women in the registered population, less those recorded as ineligible.
Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients subject to sectioning orders have absconded from secure mental hospitals in each of the last five years. [63996]
Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally.
7 July 2011 : Column 1339W
While we do not maintain statistics on absconds generally, the Department is informed where there is an abscond from a high-security hospital. There has been one abscond from a high-secure hospital in the last five years.
Dental Services: Registration
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information the General Dental Council (GDC) shares with his Department on the number of (a) dentists, (b) dental nurses, (c) dental technicians, (d) dental therapists, (e) dental hygienists, (f) orthodontic therapists, (g) clinical dental technicians and (h) dental practices that have registered with the GDC. [63884]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table contains information from the General Dental Council's (GDC) website on the numbers of dentists and dental care professionals currently registered with the council.
| Number of dentists and dental care professionals currently on the GDC register for the United Kingdom as at 6 July 2010 | |
|
|
GDC registrants |
Dental practices are not required to register with the GDC and not all dentists registered are practicing in the UK.
Departmental Lost Property
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of (a) laptops and (b) mobile telephones issued to staff of his Department which were lost in each year since 1997. [64035]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table outlines laptop and mobile telephone losses since 1997 by financial year. No distinction is made between items lost or stolen.
| Losses from 1997 to 2011 | ||
| Financial year | Laptops | Mobile telephones, including BlackBerr y s |
7 July 2011 : Column 1340W
Departmental Visits Abroad
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on overseas visits for Ministers and staff in 2010-11. [64034]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department spent £472,738 on overseas visits during the financial year from April 2010 to March 2011.
Doctors: Pharmacy
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to complete his Department's review of future arrangements for the accreditation of doctors and pharmacists with a special interest; and whether the recommendations and conclusions of the review will be open to public consultation. [64499]
Mr Lansley: The timing of the review of accreditation has been affected by the work of the NHS Future Forum and the Government's response. We are considering next steps on ensuring independent practitioners with a special interest can continue to provide services in the national health service. We will seek the views of interested parties on emerging proposals.
Health Services: Disadvantaged
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) HealthWatch, (b) health and wellbeing boards and (c) Public Health England will take to ensure that (i) homeless people and (ii) other excluded and disadvantaged groups are a priority in the NHS. [63891]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government have made tackling health inequalities a priority as part of their commitment to fairness and social justice. Subject to the parliamentary process, Local HealthWatch organisations will be the local consumer voice for patients and the public. Local HealthWatch organisations will be inclusive and reflect the views and experiences of its diverse communities. For the local health and wellbeing boards forthcoming guidance on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies, there will be an emphasis on the need to look at the health and care needs of the whole population including vulnerable groups such as rough sleepers.
In addition, the new Public Health England will have an important role in working with local government, the NHS and other agencies in reducing inequalities—by identifying actions to tackle the wider determinants of health and well-being and by enabling and supporting individuals and communities to improve their own health. The Health and Social Care Bill gives the Secretary of State a clear statutory duty to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities between the people of England and the new role will place public health at the heart of the wider central Government agenda for the first time.
Health Services: Prisons
Dr Poulter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the provision of health services to prisoners in England in each financial year between
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1997-98 and 2010-11; and how much was spent on methadone and the treatment of addiction to banned substances in each such year. [64135]
Paul Burstow: Information is not available in respect of health service funding for prisoners before 2003-04, following the transfer of funding responsibility for health services in the publicly run prisons in England from the Home Office to the Department. This transfer process was completed in April 2006, when commissioning responsibility for prison health services was fully devolved to the national health service from the Prison Service.
Information on total expenditure on medical and psychiatric care for prisoners in the publicly run prisons in England between 2003-04 and 2010-11 is shown in the following table.
| Expenditure on medical and psychiatric care for prisoners in the publicly run prisons in England 2003-04 to 2010-11 | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Health care | Escorts and bedwatch | Annual total |
| n/a = not available (1 )Excludes dental Source: Department of Health | |||
Data are not available on specific expenditure on methadone treatments, but in 2006-07 £11 million was invested by the Department in the prisons Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS), which incorporates methadone treatment. IDTS investment increased to £11.5 million in 2007-08, £23.12 million in 2008-09, £39.9 million in 2009-10 and £44.5 million in both 2010-11 and 2011-12.
In 2011-12, the Department took over responsibility for all drug treatment in prisons across England.
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£120.4 million has been allocated for 2011-12 for all drug treatment to adult prisoners.
Health Visitors
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of health visitors in Sure Start children centres in each year since 2009; [64589]
(2) how many new training places for health visitors his Department has created in the last 12 months; [64590]
(3) how many health visitors have been appointed to (a) existing and (b) newly created posts in 2011 to date. [64591]
Anne Milton: There are currently 545 health visitors in training, due to complete their courses in summer 2011.
There are 1,828 health visitor training commissions planned nationally for the 2011-12 academic year.
Information relating to numbers of health visitors who: were appointed to existing posts in 2011; were appointed to newly created posts in 2011; and were based in Sure Start Children's Centres in 2009, 2010 and 2011, is not collected centrally.
Hospitals: Construction
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost in 2011 prices of each hospital construction scheme (a) approved, (b) opened and (c) cancelled since 1997. [63986]
Mr Simon Burns: The following tables show the information requested for all hospital build schemes with a capital value of £25 million or over (at 1999-2000 prices). The Department does not routinely collect 2010-11 cost estimates for all capital schemes so 2010-11 prices have been estimated for each scheme by uprating the real terms figures using the Treasury's Gross Domestic Product deflator series (published on their website and which we use for such exercises).
7 July 2011 : Column 1343W
7 July 2011 : Column 1344W
|
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Swindon and Marlborough) |
|||
|
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
|||
7 July 2011 : Column 1345W
7 July 2011 : Column 1346W
| Approved | ||
| Strategic health authority | NHS trust | Value at 2010-11 prices (£ million) |
|
University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust / Stoke PCT |
||
| Cancelled | |
| NHS trust | Value at 2010-11 prices (£ million) |
|
Imperial College Healthcare/Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust—“Paddington Basin” |
|
7 July 2011 : Column 1347W
7 July 2011 : Column 1348W
Mental Health Services
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means service performance reports on psychological therapies have been placed in the public domain to demonstrate the outcomes that services have delivered. [63977]
Paul Burstow: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme collects from primary care trusts information on the number of people who are moving to recovery as a proportion of those who have completed a course of psychological treatment.
A copy of the latest data has been placed in the Library and can also be downloaded from the following website:
https://mqi.ic.nhs.uk/IndicatorDefaultView.aspx?ref=1.07.12
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the availability of psychotherapy in the NHS. [64029]
Paul Burstow: No such assessment has been made. It is for the national health service locally to decide how best to meet the needs of its local populations and in doing so it is free to commission a wide range of psychotherapeutic services. In addition, the Department recommends evidence-based, and preferably National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved, therapies for the treatment of common mental health problems.
Following the publication of NICE guidelines for depression in October 2009, the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy programme is now beginning to offer a choice of four new NICE approved therapies for the treatment of moderate to severe depression in addition to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. They are: Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Counselling for Depression, Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy, and Couples Therapy for Depression.
NHS Direct
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of providing an answer to a call to NHS Direct in each financial year since 1997; and how many calls NHS Direct received in each such year. [64136]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following table:
| Calls to NHS Direct (0845 4647 only) | ||
|
|
Cost per call (£) | Number of calls ( thousand ) |
| Source: Unpublished but validated data. | ||
This information refers solely to calls to NHS Direct’s 0845 4647 service. Data are not available prior to 2003-04 as NHS Direct was not a national organisation at the time.
NHS: Empty Property
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of NHS buildings that are vacant or unused. [64037]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not collected centrally on national health service buildings that are vacant or unused.
NHS organisations are locally responsible for maintaining and managing their buildings and facilities.
NHS: Equality
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of compliance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. [64036]
Paul Burstow: The Department does not hold this information centrally. Information about the estimated costs of compliance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 has been published by the Government Equalities Office.
NHS: Labour Mobility
Mr Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 874W, on NHS: labour mobility, how
7 July 2011 : Column 1349W
many people have been made redundant by primary care trusts and subsequently re-employed within the NHS
(a)
directly and
(b)
on a temporary or contract basis since 1 January 2011. [64352]
Mr Simon Burns: Between 1 January 2011 and 31 March 2011, the estimated number of staff re-employed within the national health service on a permanent basis, having previously been made redundant from a primary care trust (PCT), is 30. During the same period, the estimated number of staff re-employed within the NHS on a fixed-term basis, having previously been made redundant from a PCT, is 20.
Of the 30 re-employed on a permanent basis, 15 were made redundant during January 2010 to December 2010, and 15 were made redundant during January 2011 to March 2011.
Of the 20 re-employed on a fixed-term basis, 15 were made redundant during January 2010 to December 2010, and five were made redundant during January 2011 to March 2011.
These figures are based on the latest published redundancy information and are in addition to the 40 made redundant between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010 and re-employed during that year on a permanent basis, and the 20 re-employed on a fixed-term basis, given in my answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 874W.
These estimates are based on data extracted from the Electronic Staff Record Data Warehouse and therefore do not include staff who may have been re-employed by general practices, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
NHS: Reorganisation
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that national priorities and commitments are maintained and fulfilled at a local level following the implementation of his proposals for reform of the NHS. [63890]
Mr Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn) on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 88W.
Nurses: Bureaucracy
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mandatory forms nurses were required to complete in the course of their duties in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010. [63974]
Paul Burstow: We do not collect this information centrally. Some administrative tasks, including record keeping, are an essential part of the nursing role in delivering safe and effective patient care. The number of forms completed will depend on the type of nursing role, the needs of patients and the requirements of the organisation.
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Pharmacies: Public Health
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role of community pharmacies in promoting public health. [64349]
Mr Simon Burns: Community pharmacy has come a long way in delivering public health services in people's local communities—from services to help people stop smoking, improve their sexual health to needle exchange schemes for drug misusers and promoting healthy lifestyles.
As set out in the NHS White Paper, ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’, pharmacists, working with doctors and other health professionals, have an important and expanding role in optimising the use of medicines and in supporting better health.
In addition, the public health White Paper ‘Healthy People, Healthy Lives’, makes clear there is real potential to use community pharmacy teams more effectively to improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities.
Following on from this, the Government's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has met with the Faculty of Public Health, the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Royal Society of Public Health and the Local Government Association to discuss how best to utilise and develop pharmacy's contribution to public health. Their response has been very positive, with considerable enthusiasm and support for pharmacy to contribute more to the broader public health agenda in the future.
We are now considering how best to further expand pharmacy's role in delivering public health services.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to support the Healthy Living Pharmacy Pathfinder initiative. [64351]
Mr Simon Burns: The concept of a “healthy living pharmacy” was highlighted as a case study in the public health White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’.
The Department welcomes the initiative taken by the main pharmacy representative organisations to promote and support the spread of healthy living pharmacies. The Department is represented on the steering group for this project and looks forward to the evaluation of the pathfinder sites, to see if the results obtained in Portsmouth can be replicated in other parts of the country.
Pharmacies: Smoking Cessation
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People, what steps his Department has taken to strengthen its partnership working with pharmacies to promote effective smoking cessation routes. [64350]
Anne Milton:
Stop smoking services are the most common locally commissioned service under the community pharmacy contractual framework. For example, in 2009-10, 5,612 stop smoking services were provided locally by
7 July 2011 : Column 1351W
community pharmacies. Recent initiatives to improve the impact of pharmacies in their smoking cessation activities include:
The Department worked closely with pharmacy partners across England between January and March 2011 to pilot a new approach to distributing the NHS Quit Kit—a box of practical tools and support that has been developed to help smokers quit for good.
Through the Department and the Cabinet Office Behaviour Change Unit, the Government are collaborating with Boots to pilot and assess the use of behavioural insights alongside improvement to the quality and length of services provided within the NHS-commissioned stop smoking service provided by Boots.
The results will help inform how publicly commissioned pharmacy local stop smoking services providers can best develop their service offer to help smokers to quit in the future.
In early 2009, the Department commissioned Portsmouth Primary Care Trust (PCT) to develop an evidence-based commissioning framework based on public health need for healthy living pharmacies (HLPs). By May 2011, seven out of 38 pharmacies in Portsmouth had been awarded HLP status. These pharmacies have to demonstrate consistent, high-quality delivery of a range of services such as stopping smoking, weight management, emergency hormonal contraception, Chlamydia screening, advice on alcohol and reviews of the use of their medicines. Interim results indicate that community pharmacies have delivered a total of 664 smoking quits, which exceeds the PCTs annual target of 480 by 38%.
The Department has commissioned the provision of an evidence-based training and assessment programme from the NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training that is freely available to pharmacists and their teams, and other health care professionals, and which leads to significant improvements in the support offered to smokers wanting to quit.
Radiotherapy
Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the levels of support which will be required by commissioners in order to commission radiotherapy services; [63916]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of intensity-modulated radiation therapy in at least one centre per network by 2012; [63917]
(3) what proportion of patients receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer were treated using intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the latest period for which figures are available. [63954]
Paul Burstow: “The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011/12” sets out that, to improve outcomes from radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients, commissioners should develop local plans to ensure that access rates to radiotherapy and the use of advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), are appropriate for their populations. The National Cancer Action Team has been working with providers to support the development of IMRT services and, at this time, 20 of the 28 cancer networks have at least one provider offering IMRT.
7 July 2011 : Column 1352W
It is not possible to identify IMRT from other forms of radiotherapy treatment within the Hospital Episode Statistics available to the Department. The Department is working with the national health service to implement a national radiotherapy dataset, and the dataset project team is working with providers to improve collection of data on IMRT.
Release of the radiotherapy dataset is governed by the Radiotherapy Clinical Information Group (RCIG). RCIG has decided to produce a report on the dataset collection for 2009-10, which is due for publication shortly. RCIG is also planning to release the full dataset via the cancer commissioning toolkit (CCT) by the end of the year. The CCT gives commissioners access to high quality data about cancer services across the treatment pathway, allows providers and commissioners to benchmark their performance against one another and supports commissioners to deliver cancer services for local populations.
To support the commissioning of radiotherapy services in the reformed NHS, we will shortly be publishing a transitional update to the Cancer Commissioning Guidance, first published in January 2009. This best practice document sets out key issues and questions that commissioners and cancer network teams will wish to take into consideration when assessing local health needs and when reviewing cancer services. The guidance is intended to complement the CCT.
Skin Cancer
Mrs Siân C. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average length of stay was for patients admitted with a diagnosis of skin cancer for (a) elective admissions and (b) emergency admissions in each (i) primary care trust, (ii) cancer network and (iii) strategic health authority in the last year for which figures are available; [63924]
(2) how many non-urgent referrals resulting in a diagnosis of skin cancer were made in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available; [63926]
(3) how many non-urgent referrals were made for dermatology in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available; [63927]
(4) how many two week referrals were made for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available. [63928]
Paul Burstow: Information concerning the average length of stay for patients admitted with a diagnosis of skin cancer for elective admissions and emergency admissions in each primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority in 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, has been placed in the Library. This information is not collected at cancer network level.
Information concerning the number of non-urgent referrals that were made for dermatology in each PCT in 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, has been placed in the Library.
Information concerning the number of non-urgent referrals resulting in a diagnosis of skin cancer in each PCT is not available in the format requested. For the most recent period for which statistics are available (quarter 4 2010-11) 61,197 persons received first definitive
7 July 2011 : Column 1353W
treatment for cancer. Of these, 25,834, or 42.2% were urgently referred for suspected cancer by their general practitioner (GP).
Information concerning the number of two-week referrals made for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer in each PCT in the last year for which figures are available is not available in the format requested. Statistics on the numbers of urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer by PCT are not published at a cancer specific level. The most recently published commissioner based statistics for the all cancer two week wait cover the period April 2009 to March 2010 and have been placed in the Library.
Statistics on urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer are more regularly published on a provider basis. For the most recent period for which these statistics are available (quarter 4 2010-11) 38,723 persons were urgently referred for suspected skin cancer by their GP and 96% of these patients were seen by a specialist within 14 days.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to review its guidance, “Skin cancer: prevention using public information, sun protection resources and changes to the environment”; and if he will make a statement. [64498]
Paul Burstow: In an earlier answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), on 4 March 2011, Official Report, column 673W, we stated that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued the public health guidance “Skin cancer: prevention using public information, sun protection resources and changes to the environment” on 26 January 2010, when the guidance was in fact published on 26 January 2011.
NICE will review whether this guidance should be updated three years after publication, but will consider the need for an earlier review in the light of any new evidence submitted to it.
Smoking: Health Services
Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people attended NHS Stop Smoking services in the last year for which figures are available; and how many such people set a quit date; [64039]
(2) how many people who attended NHS Stop Smoking services who (a) set and (b) did not set a quit date successfully stopped smoking after (i) four weeks, (ii) three months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months in the latest year for which figures are available. [64040]
Anne Milton: Information for NHS Stop Smoking services is not available in the format requested, because we do not collect data on the number of people who do not set a quit date. However, information is available on the number of people setting a quit date and the number of people who had successfully quit at the four week follow up. This information can be found in Table 2.1 in “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”, which is available at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
7 July 2011 : Column 1354W
This publication has already been placed in the Library.
Furthermore, information on the number of people who successfully quit at three months, six months and 12 months is also not collected.
Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of the NHS Stop Smoking Service; and whether he assessed the merits of conducting a randomised controlled trial of the NHS Stop Smoking Service. [64041]
Anne Milton: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme is currently funding a range of randomised controlled trials and other research on smoking cessation. Details of these projects are available on the programme website at:
www.hta.ac.uk/project/index.asp
References to research evidence on smoking cessation are available in “Public Health Guidance 10 Smoking cessation services”, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in February 2008 and “Local Stop Smoking Services: Service delivery and monitoring guidance 2011-12”, published by the Department in March 2011. These documents have been placed in the Library.
Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Stop Smoking Service in 2010-11; and how much the service spent on (a) nicotine replacement therapy, (b) Zyban or Bupropion, (c) Champix or Varenicline and (d) other drugs and interventions. [64042]
Paul Burstow: Information on expenditure by type of pharmacotherapy is not available in the format requested. The NHS Information Centre holds information showing the overall number of smoking cessation prescription items prescribed by general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and others dispensed in the community in England in 2009-10, and the corresponding net ingredient cost of these items, but it is not possible to identify the proportion of these figures that relate to NHS Stop Smoking Services. Overall figures relating to all smoking cessation prescription items dispensed into the community are published in footnote four of Table 4.1 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”.
Information on expenditure is contained in Table 4.5 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”. This table shows the number of people who successfully quit, total expenditure and average cost per quitter for NHS Stop Smoking Services in each year from 2001-02 to 2009-10.
“Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010” is available at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
This publication has already been placed in the Library.
Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of each patient who gives up smoking as a result of services provided by the NHS Stop Smoking Service. [64043]
7 July 2011 : Column 1355W
Paul Burstow: The data for the number of smokers successfully quitting, total expenditure and the average cost of a quitter in each year from 2001-02 to 2009-10 is contained in Table 4.5 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”, which is available at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
This publication has already been placed in the Library.
The data for 2010-11 is expected to be published next month.
Tomography: Medical Records
Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on storing radiology records in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) 2008, (d) 2009 and (e) 2010. [63937]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. The method of storage depends on individual trusts and the type of records being stored. For electronic radiology records some trusts chose to store them locally whereas others use one of the four central stores which are available for this purpose. The charges incurred for storage and maintenance of electronic records held by the central stores are as follows:
| Financial year | Charges incurred (£) |
Defence
Armed Forces: Personal Records
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to reduce the period during which military service records are not disclosed. [63913]
Mr Robathan: We have no plans so to do.
Aviation: Aircraft Carriers
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of (a) operating (i) aircraft from Italy and (ii) an aircraft carrier within 20 miles of Libya for (A) one and (B) three months and (b) moving an aircraft carrier from the UK to Libya. [60605]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 17 June 2011]: I will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Substantive answer from Nick Harvey to Andrew Turner:
I promised to write to you on 17 June regarding your tabled question in the House about the cost of operating aircraft in support of the UK mission in Libya.
As the Secretary of State reported to the House on 23 June (Official Report, column 24WS), the current estimate of the net additional costs of military operations for six months in support of Operation Ellamy—the United Kingdom's contribution to coalition operations in support of United Nations Security Council
7 July 2011 : Column 1356W
Resolution 1973—is in the region of £120 million. This excludes costs associated with capital munitions expended. You asked specifically about the costs of operating aircraft from Italy which, I am afraid, can not be broken out separately as the information is not held in that format.
Based upon current consumption rates we estimate the cost of replenishing munitions may be up to £140 million.
You also asked about the cost of moving and operating an aircraft carrier off the coast of Libya. As the UK does not currently maintain a carrier strike capability we have not prepared cost estimates for a hypothetical scenario. Historic costs for the previous capability are not a good guide as it is impossible to know how NATO would have used such a capability if it had been available and offered, whether alongside or instead of the British aircraft currently contributing to the operation. Hence it is impossible to estimate some key cost drivers such as weapons expenditure and flying hours.
I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.
Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile Programme
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent progress his Department has made on the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme; and if he will make a statement; [63748]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme; [63749]
(3) what estimate he has made of how many missiles will be supplied to the armed forces under the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme. [63750]
Peter Luff: The six-nation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) programme is currently in the final stages of its demonstration phase. Missile deliveries are on schedule to begin as planned in 2012. Integration on to Typhoon forms part of the programme, with an anticipated initial operating capability in 2015.
As stated in the major projects report 2010, the estimated total cost of the UK share of the assessment, demonstration and manufacture phases of the BVRAAM programme is £1,325 million.
Information relating to future in-service BVRAAM stock levels is being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security and because its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Departmental Contracts
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department plans to renegotiate; and with which companies he has begun such negotiations. [63654]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's renegotiation programme was initiated to support the strategic defence and security review, through contract termination, re-scoping or deferral. Over 500 contracts across 100 programmes are estimated to be affected and the Ministry of Defence is examining over 300 of these in the first instance. We expect the process of renegotiation to take around 18 months, with the initial focus being on those contracts which will deliver the highest savings in 2011-12. We have already renegotiated around 30 contracts with BAE Systems and Rolls Royce relating to the Nimrod and Harrier programmes.
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Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent progress his Department has made on the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme; and if he will make a statement; [63771]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme; [63772]
(3) what estimate he has made of how many planes will be supplied to the armed forces under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme. [63773]
Peter Luff: The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme is making good progress and remains within its approved performance, cost and time boundaries. The first two aircraft, Airbus A330-200, converted to military specification are currently undergoing flight testing. At RAF Brize Norton, Air Tanker Ltd has built a hangar and operations centre, maintenance and training facilities. These have been completed ahead of schedule in readiness for introduction to service later in 2011.
The current forecast whole life cost is £12 billion; this includes the private finance initiative (PFI) contract cost and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) costs, such as fuel and RAF manpower that fall outside the PFI contract. The flexibility within the contract allows the MOD to optimise value for money by exploiting the aircraft to the utmost. We are also investigating options with international partners on how best to utilise any spare capacity.
Under the PFI contract 14 aircraft will be available to the MOD by September 2016. These will be made available incrementally with the first aircraft being introduced into service in late 2011. The air-to-air refuelling capability will be available with the first aircraft in 2011 and is on schedule to meet the approved in-service date for air-to-air refuelling of 2014 with the delivery of the ninth aircraft. The final five aircraft will be delivered up to September 2016.
Libya: Public Expenditure
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2011, Official Report, column 79W, on Libya: public expenditure and the oral answer to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie) from the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 850, on what date his Department amended its initial estimate of the cost of the UK contribution to coalition operations in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 to (a) the figure given in the answer of 16 May 2011 and (b) the figure given on 23 June 2011, Official Report, column 44WS; and what the reason was for the change in each such estimate. [63616]
Dr Fox:
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been progressively refining its estimates in the light of the changing operational environment. As was made clear in the answers given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 850, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), on 16 May 2011, Official Report,
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column 79W, it was too early at that time to provide a robust estimate of the costs of the operations in Libya. The statement I made on 23 June 2011,
Official Report
, column 24WS, provided an estimate for a six-month period. Costs will continue to be accounted for and reported to Parliament in MOD accounts.
Military Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights the UK has made under the NATO Strategic Airlift Interim Solution since December 2009; what the (a) total cost and (b) cost per flight has been; and which aircraft were used. [63067]
Peter Luff: In financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 a total of £21 million was spent on 46 tasks involving the use of Antonov AN-124 aircraft for strategic airlift. The average cost of each task was around £450,000. The forecast for financial year 2011-12 is that some £12 million will be spent on some 25 tasks.
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what progress his Department has made on the Watchkeeper project; and if he will make a statement; [63761]
(2) what estimate he has made of the total cost of the Watchkeeper project; [63762]
(3) how many unmanned aerial vehicles will be supplied to the armed forces under the Watchkeeper programme. [63763]
Peter Luff: The Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) is being developed and manufactured at UAV Tactical Systems Ltd, the Thales UK/Elbit Systems joint venture company site in Leicester. Flight trials are currently taking place at Parc Aberporth, West Wales and it is planned that Watchkeeper will deploy to Afghanistan with an initial operating capability at the end of this year.
The cost of the Watchkeeper programme is just under £1 billion and it is planned that 54 Watchkeeper UAVs will be built for use by UK armed forces.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Research
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the communiqué of the recent G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting in Paris, what steps she plans to take to strengthen agricultural research and innovation. [63805]
Mr Paice: The Government invest about £400 million per annum in agriculture and food research, including up to £90 million over five years through the TSB Sustainable Agriculture Food Platform, which provides a key mechanism for driving innovation by providing co-funding for industry-led innovation in agriculture and technology transfer.
Government funders, industry and third sector are working together through the Government Chief Scientist Partnership and the Global Food Security Programme to ensure that multi-disciplinary research being funded is robust, relevant and provides value For money.
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To strengthen agricultural research and innovation, the Government are actively building links and joint initiatives, for example through membership of the EU Joint Programming Initiative which aims to maximise member state benefit from R&D funding, and the Global Research Alliance which aims to find ways of reducing greenhouse gases through international collaboration.
The Government will continue to develop and build on these partnerships, for example by contributing to the coordination of the International Research Initiative for Wheat announced at the G20 meeting in Paris.
Climate Change
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of global warming on sea levels around the UK. [64270]
Richard Benyon: The most recent Government-funded assessment made of the potential effect of global warming on sea level rise around the UK comes from DEFRA's UK Climate Projections (UKCP09), released in June 2009.
UKCP09 outlines three plausible scenarios with sea level rises ranging between 20cm and 90cm (relative to the 1961-90 average) by 2100. An additional climate scenario presented in UKCP09 describes a plausible, but highly uncertain, extreme scenario for long-term sea level rise contingency planning, which projects a sea level rise of up to 1.9m also by 2100.
Food: Prices
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make an assessment of the potential effects of current levels of crop growth for biofuel production on food price. [63808]
Mr Paice: In 2010 DEFRA published a report on the causes of the 2007-08 agricultural price spikes, which included an annex: “The role of demand for biofuel in the agricultural commodity price spikes of 2007/08”. This report is available at:
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/security/price.htm
Additionally, in 2008 DEFRA published the report “The impact of biofuels on commodity prices,” reviewing the existing research on the impact of biofuels on commodity and food prices. This report is available at:
http://www.archive.defra.gov.uk/evidence/series/documents/impact-biofuels-commodities.pdf
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department plans to make to the Rapid Response Forum on the mitigation of global food price rises. [63819]
Mr Paice: DEFRA will participate enthusiastically in these initiatives. It is too early to say what form our contribution will take.
Forests
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the cost to her Department has been of the consultation on the future of the public forest estate in England; [65059]
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(2) how much her Department spent on external consultants as part of the consultation on the future of the public forest estate in England. [65060]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 March 2011, Official Report, column 325W.
National Forest
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hectares of new woodland were created in the National Forest in 2010; and if she will assess the prospects for future new woodland creation in that area. [63972]
Mr Paice: The National Forest Company created 195 hectares of new woodland in the planting season 2010-11.
The National Forest Company estimates that it will create 150 hectares of woodland in 2011-12, and in the three years following it expects to plant in the range of 150 to 175 hectares, depending on a number of factors including land availability.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress has been made on the Affordable Homes programme in Richmond, London. [64360]
Grant Shapps: The Homes and Communities Agency has received a very encouraging response from providers for new affordable homes in 2011-15. These offers are now being assessed and we expect allocations to be announced shortly with initial contracts expected to be signed in September.
We have set out specific arrangements for London, given our commitment to devolve investment powers to the Mayor. We have said that we will seek to deliver a similar percentage of new affordable homes in London from the new programme as previously. This will depend on the relative value for money of offers in London and elsewhere.
Council Tax: Overpayments
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements there are on the Valuation Office Agency to repay any (a) overpayment and (b) interest lost due to overpayment of council tax in circumstances where (i) the property was incorrectly valued and (ii) any overpayment was due to a mistake made by the resident. [63237]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), on 5 July 2011, Official Report, column 1125W.
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Departmental Billing
Mr Denham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many invoices received by his Department were paid (a) on time and (b) late in each month since May 2010; and
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what the monetary value was of invoices paid late. [62479]
Robert Neill: The following table shows how many invoices have been (a) paid on time and (b)late in each month since May 2010. The monetary value of the invoices paid late is also shown.
|
|
(a) Number of invoices paid on time (1) | % paid on time | (b) Number of invoices paid late (2) | % paid late | Monetary value of invoices paid late (3) (£) |
| (1 )Within five days of receipt. (2 )After five days of receipt. (3) Excludes the value of late payments made by the Planning Inspectorate between May 2010 and July 2010 as these data are not available. | |||||
As a comparison the following table shows how many invoices were paid (a) paid on time and (b) late in each month between April 2009 and April 2010. Between April 2009 and April 2010 the Department's payment target was to pay 90% of all supplier invoices within 10 days of receipt. The monetary value of the invoices paid late is also shown.
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(a) Number of invoices paid on time (1) | % paid on time | (b) Number of invoices paid late (2) | % paid late | Monetary value of invoices paid late (£) |
| (1) Within 10 days of receipt. (2) After 10 days of receipt. | |||||
The five day target is more demanding than the 10 day target which operated previously, and we are improving systems and processes to help meet it.