Health
Blood: Donors
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the sufficiency of levels of blood donation. [77059]
Anne Milton: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) collects and supplies blood to hospitals in England and North Wales. Its overall stock target is around 45,000 to 55,000 units of blood, which is approximately seven days' stock. A regular supply of blood is vital because donated blood has a short shelf life—once it is outside the body, red cells last 35 days and platelets only seven days. There has been no shortage of blood for many years.
NHSBT has an alert system in place to monitor and take action if supplies of any blood group are below the target levels. In addition, NHSBT runs appeals for donors to come forward at times of the year when they may be less likely to donate, for example during high
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profile sporting events such as the World Cup, or when bad weather makes it more difficult for donors to attend blood donation sessions.
Breast Cancer
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what involvement his Department has had in Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2011; [77133]
(2) what steps he is taking to raise awareness of breast cancer in males. [77152]
Paul Burstow: I attended a number of events organised by charities to raise awareness of breast cancer including Breast Cancer Campaign's ‘Wear It Pink’ on 8 September and Breast Cancer Care's secondary breast cancer awareness day on 13 October. A departmental official attended Breakthrough Breast Cancer's annual Westminster Fly-In reception on 17 October 2011.
‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’, published on 12 January 2011, committed over £450 million over the next four years to support earlier diagnosis of cancer. This money will fund increased general practitioner access to diagnostic tests; pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care; and support campaigns to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer.
In 2010-11, we funded campaigns to raise awareness of common cancers including breast, bowel and lung cancers. In 2011-12, we are funding national, regional and local campaigns to raise awareness of breast cancer in women over 70s, bowel, lung, oesophagus and stomach and a generic campaign on blood in urine, which can be a marker for bladder and kidney cancers.
In men, breast cancer is very rare. There are about 300 men diagnosed each year in the England, compared with over 40,000 cases of breast cancer in women.
Breast Cancer: Waiting Lists
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was between seeing a GP and a specialist for breast cancer patients in each of the last 10 years. [77132]
Paul Burstow: Statistics on average waiting times between an urgent referral for suspected breast cancer from the patient's own general practitioner (GP) to when they are first seen by a specialist are not collected centrally. Since December 2000, all patients that are referred urgently for suspected breast cancer by their GP could expect to be seen by a specialist within two weeks (14 days) of referral. Statistics showing overall performance are published on a quarterly basis on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/HospitalWaitingTimesandList Statistics/CancerWaitingTimes/index.htm
The following table details the numbers of patients covered by this standard and the reported performance for England from the period Quarter 4 2008-09 to Quarter 1 2011-12.
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| Period | Total seen | Number of patients seen within 14 days | Performance (percentage) |
From 1 January 2009 onwards the definitions and methodology used to calculate these statistics are no longer directly comparable to those used previously. This change means that the national health service no longer adjusts the statistics for the two week wait to separate referrals after 24 hours or account for patient choice, where individuals elect to delay their appointment. Statistics for the period Q1 2001-02 to Q3 2008-09 are included as follows:
| Period (where referral was received within 24 hours) | Total seen | Number of patients seen within 14 days | Performance (percentage) |
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Cannabis: Mental Illness
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research projects his Department is sponsoring into any relationship between high THC cannabis and psychosis; and if he will make a statement. [77211]
Anne Milton: With funding from the Department, the Centre for Public Health and School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at Liverpool John Moores university produced a report summarising recent research evidence on the health harms of drugs, A Summary of the Health Harms of Drugs, which was published in August 2011.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published a report, “Cannabis: Classification and Public Health”, in May 2008. This found a probable but weak causal link between psychotic illness and cannabis use, but whether this would become stronger with the wider use of higher potency cannabis was uncertain.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Work which the MRC is currently supporting in this area includes:
Professor G. Lewis, university of Bristol: The aetiology of psychosis high-risk mental states during adolescence in the ALSPAC cohort;
Professor V. Curran, University college London: What determines an individual's vulnerability to the harmful effects of cannabis?; and
Dr P. Morrison, Institute of Psychiatry: Cannabinoids in psychosis: Mechanisms and Therapeutics.
Work is being carried out at the university of Bristol on the psychoactive properties of cannabis as part of the Severnside Alliance for Translational Research (SARTRE) collaboration.
Further details of these projects can be found on the MRC's online research portfolio at:
www.mrc.ac.uk/ResearchPortfolio/index.htm
Carers
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered carers in the UK are aged (a) 29 to 39, (b) 40 to 49, (c) 50 to 59, (d) 60 to 69, (e) 70 to 79 and (f) 80 and above. [77561]
Paul Burstow: The Department does not hold this information, as carers who support friends and family members are not required to register with local authorities.
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The 2001 census shows that in England and Wales, there were 5.2 million carers, one in 10 of the population.
Continuing Care
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are in receipt of NHS continuing care funding (a) by local authority area and (b) in total. [77678]
Paul Burstow: 53,466 people were in receipt of continuing health care in England at the end of June 2011.
These data are not available by local authority area.
Dementia
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on dementia research in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of spending on such research in each of the next three financial years. [77725]
Paul Burstow: Dementia is a research priority for the Government. The Department's expenditure on dementia research increased from £12.7 million in 2009-10 to £18.6 million in 2010-11.
The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including dementia. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made. In all disease areas including dementia, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity. The Department does not therefore make estimates of future expenditure in specific disease areas.
The NIHR has issued a themed call on dementia. In addition, four new NIHR biomedical research units in dementia will receive a total of £18 million over five years from April 2012.
Consultants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent staff are employed on consultancy contracts in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [77502]
Mr Simon Burns: Following the establishment of efficiency measures by the Efficiency and Reform Group within the Cabinet Office in 2010, the Department put in place arrangements to implement good practice and compliance with the requirements. This includes management of professional services that is applicable to consultancy and contingent labour requirements. Separate arrangements are in place on recruitment controls in the Department for staffing requirements.
No staff are employed on full-time management consultancy contracts in the Department. According to our Business Management System, as at 30 September 2011, there were 114.4 full-time equivalent workers engaged as interim managers or specialist contractors.
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Diabetes: Research
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on medical research on (a) type one diabetes and (b) type two diabetes in the last financial year; and if he will make a statement. [77284]
Paul Burstow: Data for expenditure by the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on diabetes research are currently not held centrally. The Department is increasing its routine monitoring of NIHR expenditure across all therapeutic areas. Data are being coded using the Health Research Classification System (HRCS) developed by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration. It is anticipated that data on NIHR spend in 2010-11 in the HRCS Health Categories will be available by December 2011.
The NIHR Clinical Research Network currently has 211 studies in diabetes that are in set-up or recruiting patients. The breakdown is as follows:
| Studies | |
| Type | Number |
Dignitas
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department collects information on the number of people from the UK who travel to Dignitas in Switzerland who are (a) patients and (b) accompanying patients; and if he will make a statement. [77167]
Anne Milton: The Department does not collect this information.
Diseases: Older People
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the risk of (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) diabetes and (d) strokes to the elderly. [77057]
Mr Simon Burns: Generally, the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease increases with age. However, there are other fixed risk factors—sex, ethnicity and family history—common to these diseases. There are also important modifiable risk factors for all these diseases that are smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and obesity. If these are managed appropriately, they will reduce the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and stroke.
The NHS Health Check programme is a universal and systematic programme for people in England between the ages of 40-74 that assesses individuals' risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease and will support people to reduce or manage that risk through individually tailored advice and support. This programme has the potential to prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes a year and detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier allowing individuals to be better managed and improve their quality of life.
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General Practitioners
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the rights of (a) patients and (b) members of the public to know the place of work of a GP working for the NHS. [77228]
Mr Simon Burns: Under the terms of their contracts, general practitioner practices are required to produce a practice leaflet, updated at least once a year, and made available to patients and prospective patients. This must include the full names and qualifications of the health care professionals performing services under the contract, and the address of each of the practices' premises.
Details of the names and qualifications of general practitioners and other health care professional staff in practices, and addresses, are also available on the NHS Choices website.
General Practitioners: Pharmacy
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will maintain the agreement it reached with NHS Employers, the General Practitioners Committee and the Welsh Assembly Government in 2009 on the dispensing fee envelope in 2009 and adjust the fees due to be paid to dispensing doctors for 2011-12 under the terms of that agreement. [75697]
Mr Simon Burns: We can confirm the Department is maintaining the agreement.
Under that agreement explicit provision was made to refer to negotiators the setting of any new feescale envelope where the amount spent under the previous budget envelope varied by more than 1%.
The amount spent on dispensing fees in 2010-11 was £160.1 million which was £8.6 million, or 5.1%, lower than the budget envelope of £168.7 million. As a result, the feescale calculation continues to be matter of ongoing discussion.
Once the negotiations between the General Practitioners' Committee of the British Medical Association and NHS Employers have been concluded and Ministers have considered the outcome, an announcement will be made.
Health Education: Drugs
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the merits of (a) prevention and (b) harm reduction in the area of drug education; and if he will make a statement. [77213]
Anne Milton: As part of the development of the Drugs Strategy, officials and analysts looked at published evaluations of drug education programmes, including those which are school based. We will continue to review our approach as further significant research is published.
The Department for Education is undertaking an internal review of personal, social and health education (PSHE). The review will include identifying evidence based interventions that are proven to get good results in achieving the outcomes we want from PSHE. This will include interventions on drugs.
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Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual (a) net and (b) gross payments made by the Government to other European economic area countries were under the European health insurance card scheme in (i) the latest year for which figures are available and (ii) each year since 1997. [76939]
Anne Milton: The following table provides available information of payments to and from member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. The amounts relate to combined claims for temporary visitors (via European health insurance cards), workers temporarily posted abroad by their employer and referrals for treatment in other EEA countries. Due to the nature of the claims system between member states, it is not currently possible to disaggregate the data consistently for all member states by either type of claim or type of treatment.
| £ | ||
| Financial year | Total paid by United Kingdom to other EEA member states | Total paid by other EEA member states to UK |
| Notes: 1. £ equivalent totals based on exchange rates at the time of the payment. 2. Totals are rounded to the nearest £100,000. 3. Comparable data for earlier years are not available. | ||
Heart Diseases: Children
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Safe and Sustainable Review into children's heart surgery units in England to be completed. [77689]
Mr Simon Burns: The review of children's congenital heart services is a clinically led national health service review, independent of Government.
The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts responsible for the review expects to make a decision later this year. This is subject to the outcome of a judicial review brought by the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Trust.
Herbal Medicine: EU Law
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what powers the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has to ensure compliance with Directive 2004/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on traditional herbal medicinal products; and if he will make a statement; [77230]
(2) how long on average it takes the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to process a complaint against a herbal manufacturer for non-compliance with Directive 2004/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on traditional herbal medicinal products; and if he will make a statement; [77231]
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(3) what estimate he has made of the number of herbal medicines on sale which have not been registered under the traditional herbal medicines registration scheme; and if he will make a statement; [77232]
(4) how many complaints the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have received from manufacturers of herbal medicines on the enforcement of Directive 2004/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on traditional herbal medicinal products; and if he will make a statement. [77233]
Mr Simon Burns: The Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc) Regulations 1994 make it an offence to place a medicine on the market without the appropriate authorisation or to distribute such a product by way of wholesale dealing. Breaches of the regulations are a criminal offence and can be punished by up to two years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. Prior to the date of full implementation of Directive 2004/24/EC the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) wrote to 272 companies which it believed to be involved in the supply of herbal products in the United Kingdom. 132 replied saying that they marketed some 2,915 products under the section 12(2) exemption from licensing contained in the Medicines Act 1968. The Medicines Borderline Section of the MHRA is currently investigating nine companies complained about by the manufacturers of registered herbal medicines. The time taken to process a complaint will depend on the complexity of the case, the number of products involved and the response from the company concerned. Five other complaints have been investigated by the section and closed. The average time taken to process these was 19 days.
Hospital Wards
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patients stayed in mixed-sex wards in (a) December 2010 and (b) August 2011. [77433]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect information on the number of patients in mixed-sex wards.
Information is collected on the number of patients whose care is in breach of guidance on mixed-sex sleeping arrangements, and this shows a fall from 11,802 breaches in December 2010 to 1,079 in September 2011. This is a reduction of more than 90% in just 10 months.
By publishing regular and reliable data, bad performance has been highlighted and the number of breaches of the rules has been substantially reduced.
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that his Department's guidance on mixed sex wards is followed by NHS hospitals. [77531]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government remain determined to end the indignity of patients staying in mixed-sex accommodation. This commitment can be found in “The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011-12”, which states:
“All providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient”.
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The latest figures show that breaches of the rules on mixed-sex accommodation have fallen from 11,802 to 1,079 in just 10 months. Despite this huge improvement, every unjustified breach is one too many. We will continue to publish regular and reliable data about how every hospital is performing and those hospitals that have still to tackle the problem will continue to face fines of £250 for every breach.
Influenza: Vaccination
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the provision of seasonal influenza vaccine by the NHS to people diagnosed with myalgic encephalopathy. [77180]
Anne Milton: Myalgic encephalopathy (ME) is not a specific clinical risk group identified for influenza immunisation. ME is a poorly defined syndrome with a number of different characteristics in children and adults. As such, medical professionals are encouraged to consider individual patient circumstances for those diagnosed as having ME and use clinical judgment to take into account the risk of influenza exacerbating any underlying disease that any patient may have, as well as the risk of serious illness from influenza itself with vaccination offered in such cases.
Maternity Services: Expenditure
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state (a) how much and (b) what proportion of spending by the NHS was spent on maternity care in 2010-11. [76900]
Anne Milton: In 2010-11, expenditure on the purchase of secondary healthcare relating to maternity services by primary care trusts was £2.532 billion. This represents approximately 2.6% of the total national health service revenue expenditure in 2010-11 of £98.894 billion.
Medical Records
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) guidelines and (b) regulations apply to access to medical records by mentally competent, dying patients. [77165]
Mr Simon Burns: The Data Protection Act 1998 governs the rights of access to health records of the living. National health service organisations can chose to disclose information to individuals outside of the provisions of this Act, subject to confidentiality considerations.
The Department published guidance in February 2010, titled “Guidance for Access to Health Record Requests”, to the NHS and public around access to health records. A copy has been placed in the Library and is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_112916
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Medical Records: South West
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the performance of the transfer of patients records in (a) areas administered by NHS Shared Business Services, (b) Devon and (c) the South West. [77250]
Mr Simon Burns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has not made an assessment of the performance of the transfer of patients records in areas administered by NHS Shared Business Services, Devon and the South West.
The South of England strategic health authority (formerly known as South West strategic health authority) would expect primary care trusts to performance manage their contracts and any assessment of performance would be carried out locally.
Muscular Dystrophy
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the amount spent by the NHS on unplanned emergency admissions to hospital for people with neuromuscular conditions in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [76951]
Paul Burstow: Information on the cost of unplanned emergency admissions to hospital for people with neuromuscular conditions is not collected centrally.
NHS: Fees and Charges
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason form HC1 is not available to download in England. [76943]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Low Income Scheme HC1 application form is available to order by phone or via the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website:
www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1128.aspx
and is provided with a pre-paid envelope. For reasons of processing efficiency and to give applicants the benefit of the prepaid envelope, a downloadable web version of the HC1 form has not been made available. The NHSBSA will continue to explore options to improve access to the application form.
Ovarian Cancer
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. [76980]
Paul Burstow:
In “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, we have committed over £450 million over the next four years to support earlier diagnosis of cancer. This money will fund increased general practitioner (GP) access to diagnostic tests; pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care; and support campaigns to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer. One of the tests we are increasing access to is non-obstetric ultrasound to support the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. GPs will be able to
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access these tests directly in cases where the two-week urgent referral pathway is not appropriate but a patient's symptoms require further investigation. The intention is that more people presenting with relevant symptoms will be tested at an earlier stage.
Early symptoms of ovarian cancer can include pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, persistent bloating and difficulty eating. However, they can be difficult to recognise, especially when the disease is at an early stage, as they are often the same as the symptoms of other, less serious conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome or pre-menstrual syndrome.
In April this year, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline, the “Recognition and initial management of ovarian cancer”, which sets out recommendations for the detection of the disease in primary care. In addition to this, NICE is developing a Quality Standard for ovarian cancer which will set out what good ovarian cancer treatment and support looks like and will help support clinical commissioning groups when they take responsibility for commissioning ovarian cancer services. Detection of ovarian cancer in primary care will be considered when developing this standard.
The strategy also sets out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care and to diagnose rarer cancers earlier. Departmental officials have already met with a number of these charities, including an ovarian cancer charity, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. This will inform our future work in this area.
We are also part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership to understand why there are differences in survival rates across a range of countries. Ovarian cancer is one the four cancers we are looking at as part of the study. This will help identify what more we should be doing to improve survival rates for ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer: Huddersfield
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess recent trends in the rates of detection and treatment of ovarian cancer in Huddersfield. [76979]
Paul Burstow: Data are not collected centrally about rates of detection or treatment of ovarian cancer. As such, the Department has made no assessment of associated trends in Huddersfield. It is for the national health service to decide locally how best to design and deliver appropriate services to meet the needs of local people.
Palliative Care
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of cases where life-sustaining treatment has been removed at the end of life in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [77631]
Paul Burstow: The Department has not undertaken any assessments of the number of cases where life-sustaining treatment has been removed at the end of life.
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Patients: Death
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mortality rates were for each NHS trust in each of the last 10 years. [77399]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the NHS Information Centre for health and social care has recently published information on an experimental risk adjusted mortality rate for national health service trusts (the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator). This indicator was developed on behalf of the National Quality Board by a review group of experts from the NHS and from the commercial sector, and is intended to provide a more reliable assessment of relative mortality than previous measures. Individual trust data for the new indicator, covering the period April 2010 to March 2011, are available from the Information Centre website on:
http://indicators.ic.nhs.uk/webview/index.jsp?v=2& submode=ddi&study=http%3A%2F%2Fhg-l-app-472.ic. green.net%3A80%2Fobj%2FfStudy%2FP01106&mode= documentation&top=yes
Information on this measure is not available for previous years.
Radiotherapy
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 311W, on radiotherapy, whether he proposes that the commissioning of stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment will be undertaken by local clinical commissioning groups or by the NHS Commissioning Board. [77654]
Paul Burstow: No decisions have yet been taken on the future commissioning arrangements for stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment.
Ritalin
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the proportion of adults prescribed Ritalin or similar drugs who were recipients of such drugs as a child. [77475]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the number and age of people prescribed a medicine is not collected centrally.
Ritalin is a branded version of the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride.
The total number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for methylphenidate hydrochloride (including Ritalin) in the calendar year 2010 was 661,463. Of these, 18,812 items were for Ritalin.
Two other drugs are also licensed for use in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These are atomoxetine and dexamfetamine. In 2010, there were 93,414 prescription items of atomoxetine and 45,519 prescription items of dexamfetamine dispensed in the community in England.
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Social Services
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to review the role of the Care Quality Commission as part of his forthcoming White Paper on Social Care. [77724]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) took over as the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England on 1 April 2009. In line with the Government's commitment to review the burden of regulation, we are intending to carry out a review of the role of CQC and its regulatory framework within five years of its establishment.
Speech Therapy
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to maintain speech and language therapy services in (a) Wandsworth and (b) England; [77278]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) patient quality, (b) choice and (c) cost-effectiveness of a reduction in clinical leadership posts in speech and language therapy services; [77279]
(3) what steps he is taking to maintain the services provided by speech and language therapists in (a) schools and (b) primary care trusts following reductions in the budgets of local authorities; [77280]
(4) whether he has plans to produce national standards for speech and language therapy services across England to prevent geographical inequalities; and if he will make a statement. [77281]
Anne Milton: There have been no assessments carried out centrally. It is for local national health service organisations to decide how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, and to commission services accordingly. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community, including the provision of speech and language therapy.
Where NHS organisations are planning changes to their work force, they will need to demonstrate that their systems, processes and governance arrangements, including clinical leadership, are appropriate for assuring that the proposed service does not compromise the quality and safety of patient care.
The Health and Social Care Bill provides the basis for better collaboration, partnership working and integration across local government and the NHS at all levels. The drivers of integration in the modernised NHS will be clinical commissioning groups and the NHS Commissioning Board. Both have new duties to promote integrated working by taking specific action to secure integration (where beneficial to patients). In addition, the Bill gives health and well-being boards a duty to encourage health and care commissioners to work together to advance the health and well-being of the people in its area.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) produces Quality Standards for England. NICE, jointly with the National Quality Board, recently ran an engagement exercise on the library of NICE Quality Standard NHS healthcare topics. As part of this, exercise a provisional list of topics that might form part of the
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overall library was published inviting comments. Although a quality standard on speech and language therapy was not included in this provisional list, the purpose of the engagement exercise was to canvass views on whether other topics should be included within the library. The engagement exercise closed on 14 October 2011. NICE is currently analysing the responses received and will be able to provide more information in due course. Once published, the library of topics will be reviewed at regular intervals allowing new topics to be added and quality standards in those areas to be included within NICE'S production schedule. Further information on the engagement exercise can be found at:
www.nice.org.uk/getinvolved/currentniceconsultations/NQBEngagement.jsp
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to initiate an inquiry into the mortality rates at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. [77319]
Mr Simon Burns: There are no plans for the Department to investigate the level of mortality rates at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.
Mortality rates alone do not provide a full picture of a hospital's performance or the standard of care given to patients. However, the Department expects any national health service trust with a high mortality rate to examine whether quality of care is a concern. The independent regulator, Care Quality Commission, uses a range of indicators, including mortality indicators, to monitor compliance with the essential standards of quality and safety and to identify any areas requiring further investigation.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess compliance by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with his Department's guidelines in its commissioning of vascular services. [77566]
Mr Simon Burns: Decisions about the provision of national health services locally, including vascular services, are a matter for the local NHS. In December 2010, the Department issued a resource pack, for reference purposes only, to assist the NHS in reviewing vascular services in line with local needs. As such, no assessment will be undertaken by Ministers.
We expect decisions on NHS service changes to meet new strengthened criteria. They must focus on improving patient outcomes, consider patient choice, have support from local commissioners and be based on sound clinical evidence.
Commissioners in Cheshire and Merseyside will need to be assured that changes to vascular services meet these criteria.
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Business, Innovation and Skills
Afghanistan: Security
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of security in Lashkar Gah since the transfer of security responsibilities to Afghan forces. [73288]
Mr Philip Hammond: I have been asked to respond.
The security situation in Lashkar Gah is routinely assessed by UK forces and the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team. While the full implications of the transfer of security lead remain to be seen, initial assessments are positive. UK forces have reported that the Afghan forces are growing in confidence and keen to be in the lead. Their progress has been demonstrated by their professional responses to insurgent attacks, co-ordinating effectively with local emergency services.
UK forces remain on stand-by to assist the Afghan national security forces in Lashkar Gah but there have not been any requests for our support since the start of Transition.
Animal Experiments: Cosmetics
Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what response he plans to make to the European Commission's consultation on the future of the ban on marketing of cosmetics tested on animals. [76911]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 27 October 2011]: No proposal has been received from the European Commission about the 2013 deadline for the full marketing ban. We do, however, expect a decision about a proposal by the end of the year.
Arms Trade: Israel
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any export licences for components for (a) F-16s and (b) Apache helicopters for use by Israel have been granted since May 2010; and on what dates any such licences were granted. [76992]
Mr Prisk: No export licences of this type have been granted since May 2010.
Balance of Trade: EU countries
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the size of the UK trade deficit with the EU was in each of the last five years. [77214]
Mr Davey: As published by the Office for National Statistics, the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union over the last five years was as follows:
| UK's balance of trade in goods and services with the EU | |
|
|
£ million |
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Business
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has held with small and medium-sized enterprises on implementation of the Plan for Growth; and if he will make a statement. [77197]
Mr Prisk: Ministers and officials regularly seek the views of small business stakeholders across a wide range of policy issues, including those areas covered in the Plan for Growth. For example, on 20 June 2011 the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), participated in a manufacturing summit in Burnley with manufacturing firms from across Lancashire. On 25 October 2011, I co-chaired the first meeting of the Green Construction Board to consider the growth opportunities presented by a sustainable construction and property sector. In August, the Department held a series of meetings with businesses on transforming regulatory enforcement which included small and medium-sized enterprises and their representative bodies. There has also been extensive engagement and communication with the small business community as part of the development of the second phase of the Growth Review which is due to report in November.
Construction Industry
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with representatives of the construction sector on recent trends in economic activity in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement. [77173]
Mr Prisk: As the Minister for Business and Enterprise, I, the Construction Sector Unit and the chief construction adviser meet regularly with a wide range of organisations across the construction sector. Discussions cover all of the opportunities and challenges facing the industry, including the current economic climate.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely levels of growth in the construction industry in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and if he will make a statement. [77174]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not forecast trends in construction output. We do monitor estimates of future growth that are produced by others, particularly Experian and the Construction Products Association (CPA).
In its latest forecast, the CPA predicts that construction output will fall in 2011 by 1.1% and in 2012 by 3.6%. Growth is forecast to be flat (0.0%) in 2013, with the sector returning to growth of 3.7% in 2014, which will accelerate to 4.7% in 2015.
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Experian's autumn forecasts predict a shallower fall in output in 2011 and 2012 than its previous forecast, as publicly funded construction is holding up better than expected and infrastructure remains firm. Recovery is forecast in 2013, with 3.7% growth. Experian does not produce forecasts beyond 2013.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to support the construction industry. [77569]
Mr Prisk: The Government are acting positively to support the construction industry through the growth review; including reforming the planning system, modernising public sector procurement and setting out a National Infrastructure Plan, which will unlock up to £200 billion of public and private investment.
Earlier this month I co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Green Construction Board along with Dan Labbad, chief executive of Lend Lease. This group will ensure that the Government and industry work together to seize the opportunities presented by a sustainable construction and property sector.
In September it was announced that Whitehall will look at where we can speed up delivery of our infrastructure commitments. This involves going through the nation's capital spending plans to hand-pick up to 40 of the biggest infrastructure projects which will be given new special priority status.
BIS is working closely with HM Treasury to take forward this initiative, at all times emphasising the importance of high quality infrastructure for business. Some specific areas include:
Investment in infrastructure projects through the next round of the regional growth fund;
Investing in low carbon infrastructure through the Green Investment Bank which will begin investing in 2012,
Improving the UK's sales pitch to investors through Lord Green's work at UKTI,
Supporting work to reform the planning system to support sustainable development,
Working across Government to implement the Penfold review to simplify non-planning consents,
Using the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) local network to provide feedback on projects seen as significant at a local level,
Working with other Government Departments to implement the £500 million Growing Places fund announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), on 18 September and proposals for Tax Incremental Finance.
While BIS has no specific policies addressing access to finance for construction companies, it does have a range of applicable support for small and medium-sized enterprises, including the Regional Growth Fund, Enterprise Finance Guarantee, Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme, and continuation of the Government's Enterprise Capital Funds.
Consultants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time equivalent staff are employed on consultancy contracts in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [77499]
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Mr Davey: Currently no full-time equivalent staff are employed on consultancy contracts.
Consultants are engaged as required to carry out project work at a strategic and objective level in pursuit of the Department’s purposes and objectives. Such advice is contracted to be provided outside the “business-as-usual” environment when in-house skills are not available and is time-limited.
The latest report shows we have 77 consultants within the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
Further Education
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to maintain free remission on adult and further education courses for learners on all income-related benefits. [77360]
Mr Hayes: ‘Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth’, published in November 2010, set out where full Government funding would be focused for the 2011/12 academic year.
Irrespective of their benefit status this included, for adults aged 19 and over, basic literacy and numeracy qualifications, foundation learning (entry and level 1) where they do not already hold a full level 2 qualification and first, full level 2 qualifications. Full Government funding will also be provided for learners aged 19 up to 25 where they are undertaking their first full level 3 qualification.
As part of the Government's commitment to support unemployed people into work, we will also fully fund units and full qualifications for people in receipt of jobseekers' allowance and employment support allowance (in the Work Related Activity Group) depending on what they need to help them enter and stay in work.
In line with the introduction of further freedoms and flexibilities, on 9 August my Department announced that further education (FE) colleges and training providers would be given local discretion to provide fully funded training for people on a wider range of benefits—provided that the training is to help them enter employment. We expect FE colleges and training organisations to work closely with local partners including Jobcentre Plus to ensure training offered to these learners meets local labour market needs.
Adult FE and skills funding policy for the 2012/13 academic year will be confirmed later this year.
Further Education: Disability
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to improve support available for further education students with (a) disabilities and (b) learning difficulties. [77196]
Mr Hayes: ‘Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth’ (November, 2010) recognises the importance of access to further education and skills training for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
From the 2011/12 academic year we have introduced a single adult skills budget. This provides further education colleges and other training organisations with the flexibility to offer a range and balance of programmes and support
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in the mode of delivery that will best meet the needs of students with disabilities and learning difficulties. Funding for additional learning support is also provided to colleges and other training organisations to help support the additional needs of disadvantaged learners, enabling them to participate fully in learning. The funding is intended to be flexible and support learners who have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
Government: Procurement
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effects of off-shoring UK Government manufacturing contracts on (a) other UK-based businesses in the supply chain and (b) local economies; and if he will make a statement. [77240]
Mr Prisk: As stated by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), on 5 July, the Government are considering whether the UK is best applying the EU procurement rules and managing our procurements to maintain competitive UK supply chains to meet our strategic needs, cost-effectively, in the long term. This review has sought evidence from key suppliers of high value manufactured goods and complex infrastructure on:
the impacts of the UK public procurement approach, and
how the UK approach compares to that of other EU countries.
Conclusions arising from this work will be published as part of the growth review, alongside the autumn statement.
Green Investment Bank
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) when he expects to bring forward legislative proposals to provide for the independence of the Green Investment Bank; [76928]
(2) what (a) legal and (b) regulatory requirements the Green Investment Bank will have to comply with; [76929]
(3) what steps he plans to take to oversee the state aid approval process for the Green Investment Bank; [76932]
(4) what mechanism he has put in place for the transition of financial interventions made by the Government during the incubation phase to the Green Investment Bank after it has been established. [76934]
Mr Prisk: The Green Investment Bank (GIB) will be subject to the same legal and regulatory requirements as any other bank. Legislation will enshrine the enduring and independent nature of the GIB and the GIB will be established as a Companies Act company, following best practice corporate governance.
The UK's proposals for creating the GIB are subject to approval by the European Commission, which will examine whether the proposals are compatible with the provisions of the EU Treaty as it relates to state aid. The Government are in close engagement with the European Commission to obtain state aid approval for the GIB.
In the period prior to obtaining state aid approval for a GIB, HMG will make appropriate financial interventions
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to promote the transition to a green economy. All such investments must be compatible with state aid law, meaning that any state aid involved must be within existing state aid exemptions or approvals. These assets will be transferred to the GIB to manage once state aid approval has been received.
No final decision has been made on when to introduce legislation.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has appointed financial professionals to support the Green Investment Bank; and whether any such appointments were from Government departments. [76931]
Mr Prisk: Following competitive tendering processes, the Department has been supported by Deloitte, McKinsey and Company, and Slaughter and May to provide specialist advice on issues ranging from financial modelling of potential products to the legal and regulatory requirements to setting up the Green Investment Bank .
The Department has also established an Advisory Group comprising experienced financial professionals to advise on the setting up of the institution. The group, chaired by Sir Adrian Montague, is advising Ministers on the establishment of the Green Investment Bank and its strategic direction.
The nine members have a wide range of experience and capability in finance, from building and running institutions to project finance and making transactions. The group also includes expertise in green economics, sustainable and responsible financial services and development banking. The Chair and members are unpaid and provide their time on a voluntary basis.
We are currently recruiting a team of transactors to supplement finance professional from HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish the business plan for the Green Investment Bank. [76933]
Mr Prisk: The Department is currently developing the detailed business plan for the Green Investment Bank and will update the House in due course. A first report on investments made by the Green investment Bank is planned for May 2013.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Government's Advisory Group for the long-term direction of the Green Investment Bank will be established; and who will be appointed to the Group. [76936]
Mr Prisk: The Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Adrian Montague, was established in August and met for the first time on 6 September 2011. The nine members appointed to the Advisory Group are:
Simon Brooks, UK Vice President, European Investment Bank
John Burnham, Former Managing Director and Global Head of Infrastructure, Citigroup
David Gregson, Chief Executive, Phoenix Equity Partners
Melville Haggard, Managing Director, Quartermain Advisers Limited, former advisor to DEFRA
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Dima Rifai, Managing Partner, Paradigm Change Capital Partners LLP
Penny Shepherd, Chief Executive, UKSIF (UK Sustainable Investment and Finance)
James Smith, Former Chairman of Shell UK, now Chairman of the Carbon Trust
Lord Stern of Brentford, Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics
Bob Wigley, Chairman, Yell Group, former Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa and chaired the Green Investment Bank Commission which reported in July 2010.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his Department plans to announce how the Green Investment Bank will support the initial stages of the green deal. [77202]
Mr Prisk: We have not reached any firm conclusions on whether the Green Investment Bank (GIB) ought to have a role in financing the green deal. As with other potential areas of the GIB mandate, we are continuing to engage with stakeholders on what role could potentially be appropriate for the GIB in the green deal. Some potential investors in the green deal have asked us to consider the potential for the GIB to support the financing of investment in domestic energy efficiency during the first stages of green deal delivery, alongside commercial investment.
Higher Education
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish (a) the responses received by individual organisations and (b) his response to the consultation on (i) teaching funding and student number controls by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and (ii) his Department's White Paper on Higher Education. [77476]
Mr Willetts: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a circular on 17 October which sets out how it would allocate new entrant places for 2012/13. This takes account of responses to its consultation on teaching funding and student number controls in areas such as protecting small and specialist institutions and strategically important and vulnerable subjects. In November, the council plans to publish a summary of all consultation responses and its proposals for allocating the teaching grant for 2012/13. Ministers will issue their instructions to the council on the latter in their grant letter to HEFCE by early 2012.
The consultation on the Higher Education White Paper (Students at the Heart of the System) closed on 20 September. The Department will respond in due course. This response will include a summary of all consultation responses and a list of the respondents.
Workers' Educational Association
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) of the outcomes of his Department's Informal Adult and Community Learning consultation; and how his Department plans to promote the role and work of the WEA. [77359]
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Mr Hayes: The BIS consultation on the future of Informal Adult and Community Learning (IACL) closed on 21 October 2011 and we are now analysing the responses. Our headline policy proposals for IACL will be announced within the wider further education reform strategy to be published in late autumn.
As the UK's largest voluntary provider of adult education and one of the UK's biggest charities, with more than 500 local branches, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a key delivery partner and stakeholder. WEA has expertise in reaching adults from all backgrounds, particularly those who have previously missed out on learning. We value their partnership and support and will continue to work closely with them to develop and implement our adult learning policies.
International Development
Africa: Teachers
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to contribute through (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral programmes to teacher training and support of an effective teacher workforce in (i) Mozambique and (ii) the Gambia. [75684]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) plans to contribute £18 million through bilateral programmes to education in Mozambique over the next four years (2011-12 to 2014-15). DFID also supports an effective teacher workforce by leading (on behalf of all bilateral and multilateral donors) the dialogue with the Ministry of Education on human resource issues.
Of the main multilateral funders of education in Mozambique to which DFID contributes, the World Bank plans to provide US$ 71 million (£45 million) over the period 2011 to 2015 and the Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI) plans to provide US$ 90 million (£57 million) over the period 2011 to 2014. Together, these bilateral and multilateral contributions will, among other things, help train an additional 28,000 primary school teachers over the next four years.
Following the Bilateral Aid Review, we are in the process of closing the UK's bilateral aid programme to the Gambia. We will continue to support development in the Gambia through our contributions to the multilateral development organisations, including the EU, World Bank and African Development Bank. The Gambia is one of the recipient countries for the FTI, to which the UK is the second largest donor, having committed over £300 million.
Argentina: International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has had discussions with his international counterparts on Argentina's refusal to comply with judgments by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. [77062]
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Mr Duncan: No Ministers or officials from the Department for International Development have had any discussions with international counterparts on Argentina's refusal to comply with judgments by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
Argentina: Overseas Aid
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's aid commitment is to Argentina across the comprehensive spending review period. [77076]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: There is no Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral aid commitment to Argentina across the comprehensive spending review period.
Burma: Third Sector
Malcolm Wicks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department funds to support civil society capacity building in Burma. [77131]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has recently approved an innovative new four-year programme of support to local civil society in Burma. This will help local organisations and individuals to work together to give an estimated 94,000 people a greater say in decisions affecting their lives. The programme—formally called the Burma Civil Society Strengthening Programme—will provide grants, mentoring and other support totalling £11 million to Burmese civil society organisations. It builds on the previous programme, which provided £4 million for civil society capacity building in Burma between 2008 and 2011.
Further details of DFID's projects are available on the DFID website:
www.dfid.gov.uk
Civil Service: Manpower
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants were (a) directly and (b) otherwise employed by non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible (i) in 2000, (ii) in 2005, (iii) in 2007, (iv) in 2010 and (v) on the most recent date for which figures are available. [76386]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development currently has two non-departmental public bodies, one of which has employed civil servants directly since May 2011:
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has never had any civil servants either directly or otherwise employed.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) was put in place as a shadow operation in October 2010 and became fully operational only in May 2011. ICAI currently has four civil servant employees.
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Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants work in his Department; and how many worked in his Department in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2007 and (d) 2010. [76389]
Mr O'Brien: As at 31 August 2011 there were 1,584 civil servants working in the Department for International Development. The following table details the staffing numbers for the previous years requested.
| Staff | |
|
|
Number |
Regulation
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) statutory instruments, (b) ministerial orders and (c) other pieces of secondary legislation were issued by his Department in (i) 1990, (ii) 1995, (iii) each year since 1999 and (iv) 2011 to date. [76457]
Mr O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development only has powers to make secondary legislation by statutory instrument under the International Development Act 2002. Since that Act came into force on the 17 June 2002, the Secretary of State has made 26 statutory instruments under section 11 of the 2002 Act. Each of these instruments approves the making of a payment by the Secretary of State to a multilateral development bank. By year there were the following numbers of SI’s made:
|
|
Number |
| (1) Up to the present date | |
Developing Countries: Climate Change
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has any plans to provide all future fast start adaptation finance as grants through the UN Adaptation Fund rather than as loans through the World Bank's Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience. [77138]
Mr Andrew Mitchell:
Decisions on adaptation programming will be based on an assessment of how we can most effectively deploy UK climate finance to vulnerable countries and communities to help them adapt to climate change. We will provide support bilaterally through our country programmes as well as through regional and
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multilateral organisations. Key elements that we will consider when reviewing multilateral organisations include: need, anticipated results, value for money, fiduciary risks and prioritisation of the most vulnerable countries.
Developing Countries: Economic Situation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the effects of the recession on (a) developing countries and (b) developed country aid provision. [77081]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The information is as follows.
(a) I discussed the effects of the recession with a number of EU Development Ministers at the G20 and World Bank meetings in September in Washington. On both occasions Development Ministers made clear the importance of supporting developing countries through this period of financial instability.
(b) I also urged my European colleagues to stick to their aid commitments even in difficult economic times at the last EU Development Ministers meeting in May. EU Development Ministers re-affirmed their commitment to achieve EU aid targets by 2015. This was confirmed by the European Council one month later. I also raise this issue regularly in bilateral conversations, for example during my visit to Paris in September, and will continue to encourage others to meet their aid commitments.
Developing Countries: Females
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on promoting women's rights in developing countries in each of the last 12 months. [77073]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government have put girls and women at the heart of international development. We are supporting girls and women through our 27 country programmes and we have announced £10 million each year core funding to UN Women, following its publication of a strategic results plan which we required before allocating core funding.
Since achieving results for girls and women spans DFID's entire portfolio, it is not possible to disaggregate a precise figure for aid allocated to promoting women's rights.
Developing Countries: HIV Infection
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to combat HIV/AIDS in developing countries. [77069]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government's policy on HIV in developing countries is set out in “Towards zero infections: the UK's position paper on HIV in the developing world” published on 31 May 2011.
In Africa, we will help reduce new HIV infections by at least 500,000 among women by 2015, and among key populations in at least six countries. Support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria will provide 37,000 HIV-positive women with treatment to prevent transmission to their babies and 268,000 people
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with treatment. Our work with the Clinton Health Access Initiative will generate cost-savings to buy AIDS medicines for 500,000 more people by 2015. Our focus on care and support will include cash transfers in at least five high-prevalence countries reaching at least 120,000 people affected by HIV.
Developing Countries: Human Trafficking
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution his Department is making to the prevention of human trafficking in developing countries. [76797]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports projects in developing countries which specifically aim to reduce human trafficking. We support the Malawi Anti-Child Trafficking Project, which aims to improve knowledge of and access to rights for children in Malawi who have been trafficked or are vulnerable to being trafficked. In Bangladesh we support a Police Reform Programme which has established a Human Trafficking Investigations Unit. In Uganda, we have supported UNICEF to help identify and support trafficked women and children in the northern Karamoja region. DFID is currently developing a new regional anti-trafficking project in south Asia. The programme aims to reduce trafficking of women and girls in the region by 10% over four years. It will focus on trafficking into domestic work and the garment sector.
DFID also works to tackle the underlying factors which put people at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking, such as poverty, lack of education, lack of economic opportunities, vulnerability to economic shocks, and social exclusion.
Developing Countries: Malaria
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to tackle malaria in developing countries. [77047]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Addressing malaria is one of the main priorities of the UK Government. We announced in March 2011 that we are committed to helping halve malaria deaths in at least 10 of the worst affected countries by 2015. We will support action to sustain and expand gains into the future.
The Department for International Development (DFID) will deliver on this through support to country programmes, international organisations and research. In Nigeria, this includes distributing an additional 6 million long-lasting insecticide treated nets and help improve access to malaria treatment; in Sierra Leone it includes supporting prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnant women and young children, leading to a further 867,000 children sleeping under a LLIN and 230,000 women receiving malaria preventative treatment during pregnancy; and it includes providing support to the World Health Organisation's Global Malaria Programme to identify threats to malaria control and elimination, and to ensure new evidence results in better policies in country programmes.
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I recently spoke at the launch of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Report; “A Decade of Partnership and Results” and attended the Malaria Forum, hosted by the Gates Foundation in October.
Developing Countries: Sickle Cell Diseases
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help people with sickle cell anaemia in developing countries. [77070]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: People with sickle cell anaemia rely on good quality, accessible health services for the antibiotics, vaccinations and treatment that they need. The Department for International Development helps developing countries to strengthen their health systems so that they can provide these services, for example by ensuring that skilled, motivated staff are in place and a reliable supply of medicines is available at all times. We also work with Governments to make services more accessible to the poor, for example by replacing health service user fees with more equitable financing mechanisms. In addition, our contribution to the GAVI Alliance provides vaccines against infectious diseases, including those that can pose particular problems for people with sickle cell anaemia.
Domestic Violence
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what definition of domestic violence his Department uses. [77000]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development has prioritised preventing violence against girls and women as one of four pillars of its Strategic Vision for Girls and Women.
DFID addresses domestic violence as one aspect of its broader work to tackle violence against girls and women, for which it uses the UN definition:
“any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.
Drugs: Misuse
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many employees of his Department have been disciplined for drug offences in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [77071]
Mr Duncan: No employees in the Department for International Development have been disciplined for drug offences in the last 12 months.
Ethiopia: Overseas Aid
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects in Ethiopia have received funding from his Department in the last five years; which such projects are likely to receive such funding in the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [77309]
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Mr Andrew Mitchell: I have placed in the House of Commons Library a list of projects that the Department for International Development (DFID) has funded in Ethiopia in the last five years.
For the next four years DFID's Operational Plan for Ethiopia commits the Department to protect the most vulnerable Ethiopians, help achieve the millennium development goals by scaling up support for health, education, water and food security, and make our support more transformational by:
putting girls and women front and centre of all we do;
addressing geographical inequality that is the cause and consequence of fragility and conflict;
investing to accelerate growth, trade and investment;
increasing resilience for farmers to changing weather patterns;
empowering citizens and building domestic accountability;
innovating to leverage faster progress, for example by piloting results-based aid in education.
Over the next four years DFID will support: two million children in primary school (almost half will be girls); the delivery of half a million safe births; 1.4 million people to gain access to safe drinking water; the creation of 150,000 jobs (of which 112,500 for women and girls) and 3.5 million women with access to security and justice.
IRG Ltd
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has signed any contracts with IRG Ltd since May 2010. [77145]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development has not signed any contracts with IRG Ltd since May 2010.
Legal Opinion
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times his Department's legal section provided legal advice to Ministers in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) the first six months of 2011. [76358]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development does not have any in-house legal advisers.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on (a) legal advice and (b) instructing counsel in (i) 2007, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) the first six months of 2011; how many times (A) his Department was taken to court and (B) a decision taken by his Department was subject to a judicial review; and what the outcome was of each such (1) case and (2) review. [76397]
Mr O'Brien: TSol has opened 85 new files in respect of instances of advisory work and/or litigation since 2007. Many of these files will not involve civil litigation or judicial review proceedings and it is not possible to provide a detailed summary of the outcomes or advice provided in respect of each files in the form requested.
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Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011. [76794]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development's legal costs for the first six months of calendar year 2011 totalled £736,438.83. These all related to costs paid to external advisers, the Department has no internal legal function.
South Africa: Health Services
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to the public purse of training by the Care Quality Commission of 10 inspectors from South Africa has been; and if he will make a statement. [76199]
Mr O'Brien: The improvement of the quality of health care is one of the key priorities of the Government of South Africa. As part of its support to achieving this improvement, the Department for International Development is facilitating learning between the UK Care Quality Commission (CQC) and counterparts in South Africa. South African inspectors have been invited to join the CQC inspector orientation training programme at a total cost of £57,860 for all 10 South African inspectors. These costs will be met by DFID and are inclusive of flights; accommodation and all other expenses. There are no cost implications for the CQC or the Department of Health. This represents good value for money in that CQC is a global lead in this area and will not in this case be charging any fees. This is a good example of how UK expertise can benefit partner Governments.
South Sudan: Commonwealth
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on South Sudan joining the Commonwealth. [77086]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I fully support South Sudan's application to join the Commonwealth. If possible, we would like to see it join by 2013, as long as it meets the relevant criteria, especially, those relating to the core values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Ultimately it will be for all member states to agree on whether to admit South Sudan to the Commonwealth.
Culture, Media and Sport
4G Mobile Technology
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much he expects to raise from the auctioning of spectrum for 4G mobile technology; and if he will make a statement. [76916]
Mr Vaizey: We have made no estimate of potential receipts from the spectrum auction.
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Advisers
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what arrangements his Department has put in place for paying expenses of experts and external advisers to enable them to attend meetings in London. [77172]
John Penrose: In some cases members of expert groups agree to participate on the basis that they are not remunerated and any expenses related to their activities must be met by the individuals or organisations themselves.
Non-departmental staff are entitled to claim for travel and subsistence at the same rates that apply for departmental staff. Any claim must comply with the Department's travel and subsistence rules and all claims for incidental expenses must comply with Government accounting rules.
Arts: Finance
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on simplifying access to finance for (a) artists, (b) video game organisations and (c) musicians. [77205]
Mr Vaizey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 20 October 2011, Official Report, column 1051W.
Betting Shops
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many operating licences have been issued by the Gambling Commission for betting shops in each local authority area. [77305]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Gambling Commission publishes data annually about the total number of betting operator licences it has issued at:
http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gh-about_us/annual_report_and_accounts.aspx
However, this information is not broken down by local authority area.
Licensing authorities are responsible for issuing premises licences for individual betting shops and will therefore hold records of the number of such licences issued.
Charities
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions his Department has had with the charity operating the Waverley; what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of keeping the paddle steamer in operation; and if he will make a statement. [77092]
John Penrose [holding answer 28 October 2011]: The paddle steamer Waverley is the largest operational vessel in the UK's National Historic Fleet, and is of pre-eminent national and regional significance.
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National Historic Ships, a body funded by this Department which has a UK-wide remit and acts as official adviser to the UK Governments on historic vessels, has offered advice and support to the Paddle Steamer Waverley Trust. The Director attended a meeting on 12 August 2011 with the Chairman and members of the Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd to discuss what can be done through business planning development and fundraising to keep Waverly in service. In addition, the Heritage Lottery Fund, which also has a UK-wide remit, has awarded two grants (£2,689,000 in 1996-97 and £3,028,000 in 2001-02) in recognition of the vessel's heritage value.
Although the Waverley tours many parts of the UK, it is owned by an independent charitable trust based in Scotland and thus is also related to Scottish Ministers' responsibilities.
Communications Bill
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects to introduce his proposed communications Bill. [R] [76761]
Mr Vaizey: A Green Paper will be published shortly after Christmas. The public consultation that follows will inform a draft communications Bill to be produced by mid-2013. Our aim is to complete the legislative process by the end of this Parliament. The timetable is designed to ensure that there is sufficient time to have a full and open dialogue about the complex issues involved and reflects the importance of this sector to the UK.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the regional and national representation is of his Department's external group on the drafting of the communications Bill. [77171]
Mr Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), published an open letter in May, setting key questions to stakeholders and inviting input to the drafting of the Green Paper. The letter itself was cleared via write-around to all other Government Departments. The open letter elicited over 160 replies—including individual responses from all the devolved Administrations.
The Department is hosting a meeting with representatives from all other Departments, including all the devolved Administrations, in November, and policy officials are maintaining an ongoing, open dialogue with devolved Administrations on specific issues as appropriate.
Cultural Education Review
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects to publish the independent review of cultural education. [77204]
Mr Vaizey: This Department, along with the Department for Education, will publish Darren Henley’s review of cultural education later this year.
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Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff are employed on consultancy contracts in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [77489]
John Penrose: This Department has no full-time equivalent staff employed on consultancy contracts.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many applications from employees to run services for which his Department is directly responsible he has received since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77610]
John Penrose: This Department has received no applications from employees to run services for which it is directly responsible since May 2010.
Departmental Pay
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many civil servants in his Department received a pay rise other than by promotion in the last two years; and what the average increase was in each such year. [76593]
John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently subject to a two-year pay freeze which was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), in June 2010. Under the terms of the pay freeze, only employees who earn less than £21,000 are entitled to receive a payment of at least £250. In 2010, payments were made to 17 employees with an average payment of £355.
In 2011, payments have been made to nine employees with an average payment of £360.
43 staff within the Department were entitled to contractual pay increases as a result of terms agreed in other Government Departments. These employees received an average of £926.45.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many civil servants in his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible earned more than (a) £65,000, (b) £95,000, (c) £140,000 and (d) £175,000 in the last year for which figures are available. [76596]
John Penrose: The number of civil servants in this Department who earned more than £65,000, £95,000, £140,000 and £175,000 in the last financial year is set out in the following table:
| Salary | Number of ci vil servants in the year 2010- 11 | Number currently (September) 2011 |
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We do not hold this information for our arm's length bodies. I have therefore asked their chief executives to consider the question raised by the hon. Gentleman and to write to him direct. Copies of the replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.