Freedom of Information Requests
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department has received in each month since May 2010; how many responses given in each such month disclosed (a) the full information requested, (b) part of the information requested, with some information withheld under exemptions in the Act and (c) none of the information requested; and in respect of how many requests received in each such month (i) (A) substantive and (B) holding responses were issued within 20 working days of the date of receipt, (ii) no substantive response was issued within 40 working days of the date of receipt and (iii) no substantive response has yet been issued; [78872]
(2) in respect of how many responses to requests for information received by his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the reason of (a) commercially sensitive information, (b) information not held, (c) information too costly to provide and (d) vexatious or repeated requests has been given in response since January 2010; [78855]
(3) which Minister in his Department is responsible for determining whether exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should apply to responses to requests for information made under the Act; and which other Minister is responsible for making such determinations should the subject matter of the request fall within the ministerial responsibilities of the Minister with lead responsibility. [78856]
Mr Maude: Quarterly and annual statistics on the handling of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) by central Government, including the Cabinet Office, are available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/foi/implementation.htm
A breakdown of the information along the lines requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The number of responses since January 2010 where the Cabinet Office gave the following reasons in response to requests for information under the FOIA are (a) commercial sensitivity: 47; (b) information not held: 441; (c) information too costly to provide: 277; and (d) vexatious or repeated requests: four.
Cabinet Office officials normally determine whether the exemptions at part II of the FOIA should apply to responses to requests for information received under the FOIA. The exemption at section 36 of the FOIA (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) can, however, only apply if in the reasonable view of a ‘qualified person’ disclosure of the information being requested would have one of the specified prejudicial effects. In the case of the Cabinet Office, the ‘qualified person’ is a Minister of the Crown.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he receives any external funding for (a) his ministerial office and (b) his advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77709]
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Mr Maude: The Minister for the Cabinet Office does not receive external funding for: (a) his ministerial office; or (b) his advisers.
Security Vetting
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which post in his Department is responsible for overseeing the security clearance vetting process for staff of (a) his Department and (b) 10 Downing Street; how many staff report to this post; and at what civil service grades. [78034]
Mr Maude: The departmental security officer (DSO), a senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office, is responsible for overseeing the national security vetting process for Cabinet Office staff, including those in the Prime Minister's Office.
Three members of staff are engaged on national security vetting work and report to the DSO.
Public Sector: Procurement
Julian Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to encourage public sector organisations outside central Government to reduce the use of pre-qualification questionnaires. [77658]
Mr Maude: At an SME Strategic Supplier summit held on 11 February, we announced a series of measures to make it easier for SMEs to compete for Government contracts, available at:
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/government-opens-contracts-small-business
Public sector organisations outside central Government are responsible for their own procurement decisions, but many choose to follow central Government policies and practices. Baroness Eaton, while chair of the Local
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Government Group, signalled local government support for the measures the Government announced on 11 February, particularly the use of a shortened, simplified and standard set of core questions to be used in pre-qualification.
Suicide
Liz Kendall: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the rate of suicide per 100,000 population was by sex in each (a) month, (b) quarter and (c) year since 2007-08 to date; and what the total number of suicides was in each such period. [78572]
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 November 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what has been the rate of suicide per 100,000 population by sex in each (a) month, (b) quarter and (c) year since 2007-08 to date; and what the total number of suicides was in each such period. (78572)
Tables 1 to 3 provide the age-standardised rate per million population and the number of suicides for males and females aged 15 years and over, in each (a) month (Table 1), (b) quarter (Table 2) and (c) year (Table 3), in England and Wales, for 2007 to 2009 (the latest year available).
Rates have been provided per million population due to small numbers of events in each month.
Annual mortality statistics are usually based on deaths registered in each calendar year (January to December) for timeliness. However, figures provided in this Answer are based on suicides that occurred in each period until the end of 2009, which is more appropriate for seasonal analyses. This also takes account of late registrations following coroner inquests. Therefore, figures may differ from the annual suicide data already published on the ONS website at:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health4/suicides-in-the-united-kingdom/2009/index.html
| Table 1. Age-standardised suicide rate per million population and number of suicides for persons aged 15 years and over: by sex and month, England and Wales, 2007 to 2009 (1, 2, 3, 4) | ||||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||||
|
|
Rate per million | Number | Rate per million | Number | Rate per million | Number |
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| (1 )Age-standardised mortality rates per million population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths which occurred in each month. Deaths were excluded where the month of occurrence was unknown. | ||||||
| Table 2. Age-standardised suicide rate per million population and number of suicides for persons aged 15 years and over: by sex and quarter, England and Wales, 2007 to 2009 (1, 2, 3, 4) | ||||||
|
|
Rate per million | Number | Rate per million | Number | Rate per million | Number |
| (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per million population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths which occurred in each quarter. Deaths were excluded where the month of occurrence was unknown. | ||||||
| Table 3. Age-standardised suicide rate per million population and number of suicides for persons aged 15 years and over: by sex, England and Wales, 2007 to 2009 (1, 2, 3,4) | ||
|
|
Rate per million | Number |
| (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per million population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths which occurred in each calendar year. Deaths were included where the month of occurrence was unknown. | ||
Unemployment: Young People
Mr Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people under the age of 25 years were (a) unemployed and (b) claiming jobseekers' allowance in each month since May 2010 by (i) region and (ii) constituency. [79153]
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 November 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people under the age of 25 years were (a) unemployed and (b) claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in each month since May 2010 by (i) region and (ii) constituency. (79153)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. Estimates of unemployment for the requested age group are not available for parliamentary constituencies.
Table 1 shows the levels of young people aged 16 to 24 years who were unemployed and resident in each government office region for the 12 month periods ending March 2010 and March 2011 from the APS.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Tables 2&3 show, the number of young people aged 16 to 24 claiming Jobseeker's Allowance resident in each government office region and constituency respectively in each month since May 2010 up to the latest period available in September 2011. As the information requested is quite extensive, a copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
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| Table 1. The number of people aged 16-24 unemployed in each region. | ||
|
|
12 m onths to March 2010 | 12 m onths to March 2011 |
| Source: Annual Population Survey | ||
Voluntary Work: Young People
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which National Citizen Service pilot projects operating in summer 2012 will charge participants to participate; and how much each such project plans to charge each participant. [79008]
Mr Hurd: Approximately half of the National Citizen Service pilot projects in 2012 are trialling the use of small individual fundraising targets for young people, refundable deposits or fees in order to promote young people's commitment to the programme. All pilots have measures in place including bursaries and waivers to ensure that ability to pay is never a barrier to participation in the programme.
| NCS pilot provider name | Individual fundraising target or fee (£) | Refundable deposit (£) |
| (1) Small deposit, to be confirmed | ||
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office in which locations he proposes that National Citizen Service pilots will operate in summer 2012. [79010]
Mr Hurd: National Citizen Service pilots will take place in 95% of upper tier local authority areas in England in 2012. A full list of locations and providers will be published shortly on the Cabinet Office website.
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) looked-after children and (b) care leavers participated in each National Citizen Service pilot in summer 2011. [79011]
Mr Hurd: Detailed figures across all 2011 pilots are not currently available but the largest NCS provider, The Challenge Network, which delivered over 3,100 places in 2011, reports that 3% of its participants had been looked-after children, indicating that participation among young people from this background was significantly higher than their prevalence in the population as a whole. The NCS is open to young people aged 15 to 16 in the summer after year 11.
Deputy Prime Minister
Lobbying
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent (a) representations he has received and (b) meetings he has had with lobbying firms about lobbying transparency. [78678]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have received no representations, nor had any meetings with lobbying firms about lobbying transparency.
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Attorney-General
Written Questions
Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many parliamentary questions for written answer on a named day by the Law Officers’ Departments were answered (a) on time, (b) five days late, (c) 10 days late, (d) 20 days late and (e) over 30 days late in each month since May 2010; [79589]
(2) how many parliamentary questions for (a) ordinary written answer and (b) written answer on a named day by the Law Officers’ Departments have remained unanswered for a period of two months since May 2010; [79590]
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(3) whether draft answers to parliamentary questions prepared by officials in the Law Officers’ Departments are cleared by special advisers (a) before and (b) after the relevant Minister. [79591]
The Attorney-General: Since May 2010, the Attorney-General’s Office has answered approximately 86% of the ordinary written questions it has received within a sitting week of being tabled. Of the ones that were answered later than this, none remained unanswered for a period of two months or longer.
The information requested on questions for named day answer is contained in the following table.
| AGO parliamentary questions for answer on a named day | |||||
| Answered on time | Five sitting days late | 10 sitting days late | 20 sitting days late | Over 30 sitting days late | |
The Law Officers’ Departments do not employ any special advisers.
Prime Minister
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Prime Minister how many of his (a) officials and (b) special advisers accompanied him on his recent visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. [78276]
The Prime Minister: As set out in the Ministerial Code, details of my overseas travel are published quarterly.
Lord Young of Graffham
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether Lord Young has an office in No. 10 Downing street; and if he will make a statement; [78504]
(2) how many meetings at 10 Downing street Lord Young of Graffham attended between November 2010 and October 2011; and (a) what the purpose was and (b) who attended each such meeting. [78615]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow North West (John Robertson) on 3 November 2011, Official Report, column 730W.
Ministerial Policy Advisers
Jon Trickett: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many special advisers in Pay Band Two have a salary (a) between £55,000 and £58,000 and (b) between £58,000 and £58,199; and in which Department each such adviser is based; [78670]
(2) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 19 July 2011, Official Report, columns 110-13WS, on special advisers, what the name is of each special adviser in post on the most recent date for which information is available; and what the pay band or actual salary of the adviser is. [78832]
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The Prime Minister: An updated list of special advisers, and their pay bands, is published quarterly. This is available on the Cabinet Office website
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases
Health
Ambulances
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 192W, on ambulances, what assessment he has made of the involvement of the UK vehicle industry in the new emergency ambulance design. [78564]
Mr Simon Burns: The design of new emergency ambulance vehicles has been undertaken by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art, in conjunction with NHS London as a research partner, and with other stakeholders. The design process remains at prototype.
Care Homes
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans he has put in place in the event of the future financial failure of care home providers. [78728]
Paul Burstow: There are existing mechanisms for overseeing social care providers. Care home operators must be registered by the Care Quality Commission. Local authorities have legal duties to provide residential accommodation for people in need of care and attention which is not otherwise available to them, as set out in Section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948.
In the light of the recent experience of Southern Cross, the Department has published a discussion paper, “Oversight of the Social Care Market”, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, to explore how best to ensure service continuity in social care. The discussion paper invites views on the issue by 2 December 2011.
Carers’ Benefits: Suffolk
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (a) how much and (b) what proportion of expenditure was spent by NHS Suffolk on the carers’ grant in each year since 1997. [78274]
Paul Burstow: The carers' grant is paid to local authorities, not to the national health service. Since 2010-11 the funding has been paid to councils through the local government revenue support grant.
The following table shows the carers' grant allocated to Suffolk county council each year since the grant was set up in 1999:
| Carers' grant allocated to Suffolk county council since 1999 | |
| £ | |
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| Note: Figures rounded to nearest 1,000 | |
Dental Services: Schools
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reintroduce national school dental checks. [78617]
Mr Simon Burns: We are committed to improving the oral health of school children but have decided against the reintroduction of school screening checks. In 2006, the National Screening Committee (NSC) advised that the routine dental screening of children in primary schools was ineffective in improving children's oral health. The NSC found that children, who were identified as requiring treatment, were not accessing a general dental practice where it could be provided.
Legal Opinion
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many times his Department sought legal advice from external counsel in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) the first six months of 2011; [78058]
(2) what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011; [78069]
(3) 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; [78074]
(4) how many officials in his Department were working in its legal section in June 2011; and how many staff were working in the legal departments of his Department's agencies and non-departmental bodies; [78082]
(5) 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. [78090]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on how many times the Department has sought legal advice from external counsel, how many times the legal advice has been provided to Ministers, and how many times the Department has been taken to Court or the subject of a judicial review, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. To gather it would involve a retrieval of non-electronic files and then a search over a three and a half year period by legally qualified personnel.
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The Department made payments of £3,287,741 to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Treasury Solicitors and other Government Departments for internal legal advice for the first six calendar months of 2011. This may include payments to barristers commissioned by DWP on behalf of the Department.
The Department made payments of £4,622,309 to external commercial legal advisers in the same period. This may exclude some payments to barristers that are commissioned by DWP and included in the payments to DWP.
Figures for departmental expenditure on legal advice can be provided from July 2008 onwards as this was the point when the Department's Central Procurements Database became operational; to provide figures for earlier periods would involve a file search and thus disproportionate cost. This information is presented here and includes expenditure with external commercial advisers; (DWP) Treasury Solicitors and other Government Departments. The database is unable to provide information separately regarding payments to counsel:
2008 July to December: £4,455,488.39
2009: £9,411,355.43
2010: £13,365,283.46
2011 January to June: £7,910,050.254.
The following table shows how many staff were working in the legal departments of the Department's agencies and non-departmental bodies:
| Agency/non-departmental bodies | How many staff were working in the legal departments in June 2011 |
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| (1) Denotes executive agency | |
Internal legal advice for the Department is obtained through a service level agreement (SLA) which the Department has with the DWP (i.e. from legal staff directly employed by DWP). Within the DWP, 78.83 full-time equivalent staff provide services to the Department of Health.
NDPBs
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials 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. [78115]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) do not employ civil servants directly.
The following table shows how many civil servants were otherwise employed by the Departments non-departmental public bodies in 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010 and on the most recent date for which figures are available.
| Number | |||||
| Civil servants “otherwise employed” | |||||
| NDPB | 2000 | 2005 | 2007 | 2010 | On the most recent date for which figures are available |
| (1) Outgoing/incoming chief executive officer's mid-year. (2) Secondee ceased secondment end of September 2011. | |||||
Secondary Legislation
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [78112]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not have a record of statutory instruments made in 1990 or 1995. However, all statutory instruments are a matter of public record and can be viewed at:
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi
| Statutory instruments (including orders and regulations) made by the Department of Health | |
|
|
Number |
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The Department also issues directions from the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley). These can be viewed at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Legislation/Directionsfromthesecretaryofstate/index.htm
Public Sector: Pay
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials 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. [78048]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested for the Department of Health (DH) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is given in the following table. Earnings include base pay, allowances, non-consolidated performance pay and overtime payments.
| Organisation | Number of staff earning more than £65,000 and less than £95,000 | Number of staff earning more than £95,000 and less than. £140,000 | Number of staff earning more than £140,000 and less than £175,000 | Number of staff earning more than £175,000 |
No civil servants are employed in the other bodies for which the Department is responsible.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials 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. [78126]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Financial year | Number of staff receiving a pay increase | Total base pay increase (£) | Average increase (£) |
The Department entered the two-year pay freeze for grades administration officer to grade 6 in 2011-12 with 2010-11 being the final year of a three year settlement. Base pay for senior civil servants was frozen in both years.
The exceptions to the pay freeze are staff on full-time equivalent earnings of under £21,000 a year who received an increase of £250 in 2011-12.
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Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials in his Department received a bonus in each year since 2007. [78134]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of civil servants receiving non-consolidated performance-related pay (NCPRP) in the financial years since 2007 is given in the following table.
| Financial year | Number receiving NCPRP |
| (1 )To 30 September 2011 | |
Research
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's research and development budget was in each of the last five years; and what that budget will be for each year of the spending review period. [78776]
Mr Simon Burns: Expenditure from the Department's central research and development revenue budgets in the years from 2006-07 to 2010-11 is shown in the following table:
|
|
£ million |
The Department's revenue allocations for research and development for each year of the spending review period are shown in the following table:
|
|
£ million |
Internships
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unpaid and expenses-only internships (a) his Department and (b) each public body for which he is responsible employed in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [78370]
Mr Simon Burns: Information about unpaid and expenses-only internships is not collected centrally. These are arranged by directorates locally. It would incur disproportionate costs to collect the information requested.
The Department of Health took part in the civil service Whitehall Internship Scheme from 25 July to 5 August 2011, as part of the Government's social mobility strategy. The scheme was developed in response to a pledge in the coalition agreement to provide internships in every Whitehall Department for people from under-represented groups. The Department of Health provided
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opportunities for three people of school leaving age to work in our Whitehall office, giving them meaningful work experience and an insight into the civil service. The programme was a fully funded residential placement paid for by the Cabinet Office working directly in association with the Social Mobility Foundation. Expenses were met centrally.
Of the Department's 19 arm's length bodies (ALBs), only five have employed unpaid or expenses-only internships in the last 12 months for which figures are available, as shown in the following table:
| ALB | Number of unpaid internships | Number of expenses-only internships |
| (1) Denotes executive agency | ||
Diamorphine
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the 2010 Drug Strategy, Reducing Demand, Restricting Supply, Building Recovery and the National Treatment Agency Action Plan 2011-12, what progress has been made on the commitment to explore the wider prescribing of diamorphine based on the Randomised Injectable Opioid Treatment Trial conducted by the National Addiction Centre. [78792]
Anne Milton: Funding to take forward this commitment in the drug strategy has been identified for the period up until March 2015. The Department is organising a workshop to facilitate the exchange of information.
Dietary Supplements: Channel Islands
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether Ministers in his Department have any plans to visit the Channel Islands to discuss the implementation of the EU food supplements directive and the nutrition and health claims regulations; [78774]
(2) whether he has had discussions with representatives of the Government of (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey on their proposed timetable for implementing the EU food supplements directive and the nutrition and health claims regulations; and if he will make a statement; [78775]
(3) whether he has received any information from representatives of the Jersey and Guernsey governments on the implementation of the (a) food supplements directive and (b) nutrition and health regulations in their respective states; and if he will make a statement. [79050]
Anne Milton: As policy responsibility for the Crown dependencies lies with the Ministry of Justice, Health Ministers have not had discussions with the authorities in Jersey and Guernsey and have no plans to visit either Crown dependency on this issue at this time.
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We understand that the Minister of State for Justice, my noble Friend Lord McNally, raised the implementation of the food supplements directive and the nutrition and health claims regulation with the authorities in Jersey and Guernsey. There have also been regular discussions at official level. The Ministry of Justice has received information from both Crown dependencies that they are taking the necessary steps to implement these European Union regulations at the earliest opportunity.
General Practitioners
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with the Chair-elect of the NHS Commissioning Board on his participation in (a) discussions and (b) decisions with an effect on GPs; [78835]
(2) whether he has discussed with the Chair-elect of the NHS Commissioning Board (a) good governance of the Board and (b) handling of conflicts of interests in relation to GP contracts. [78836]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has not discussed these issues with Professor Grant.
The Department will shortly publish a Framework Agreement with the NHS Commissioning Board Authority. This will include a requirement for executive and non-executive board members to operate within the corporate governance guidelines set out by HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office. It will also indicate that all staff and board members of the authority are to comply with the Cabinet Office's model code of conduct for staff of non-departmental public bodies, which includes guidance on conflicts of interest.
General Practitioners: Telephone Services
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP surgeries in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Coventry continue to use telephone numbers that charge patients more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the NHS. [79205]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has made no assessment of the proportion of general practitioner surgeries in England that use telephone numbers that charge patients more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the national health service.
The Department issued guidance and directions to national health service bodies in December 2009 on the cost of telephone calls, which prohibited the use of telephone numbers which charged the patient more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the national health service. It is currently the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that local practices are compliant with the directions and guidance.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that GP surgeries adhere to the amended general medical services regulations on the use of telephone numbers that charge patients more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the NHS. [79206]
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Mr Simon Burns: It is currently the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that that general practitioner surgeries adhere to the amended general medical services regulations on the use of telephone numbers that charge patients more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the national health service.
Hair Dyes: Chemicals
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he holds on the number of injuries caused by para-phenylenediamine in hair dye products in each of the last five years. [79044]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has advised that as of 4 November 2011, it had received one suspected adverse drug reaction report in the United Kingdom associated with paraphenylenediamine. This report concerned a multi-constituent product for which the other ingredient is ‘Henna'. The reaction reported was ‘skin reaction'.
Health Services: Older People
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve care for elderly patients in the NHS. [78241]
Paul Burstow: The Department commissioned the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to undertake the dignity and nutrition inspection (DANI) programme and its final national report was published last month.
There are a number of steps the Department is taking to improve care for elderly patients in the national health service including:
There are a number of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence quality standards commissioned by the Department that are either in place or are being developed for a range of conditions and pathways affecting older people including incontinence, nutrition support in adults, patient experience in adult NHS services, delirium, dementia, osteoarthritis and falls in a care setting.
One of the eight high impact actions developed for nursing relates to keeping people nourished and getting better, and aims to stop unintentional weight loss and dehydration in patients. This action is taken locally with initiatives such as red trays to identify patients who need help with eating and drinking and better management of charts.
Since April 2010, it has been a requirement of a hospital’s continuing registration with the CQC that service users are protected from the risks of dehydration and inadequate nutrition.
Within the NHS Operating Framework and the NHS Outcomes Framework, there are a number of indicators to support better care for older people. These include dementia care, hospital acquired infections, emergency readmission rates, improving recovery from fragility fractures and helping older people to recover their independence after illness or injury.
The Department is also funding national audits of falls and bone health, dementia, continence and hip fracture.
Local involvement networks in each local authority area are able to enter and view services to obtain the views and experiences of patients, service users and their families about their experiences of care and treatment at the time they are receiving it. Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, local HealthWatch organisations will continue this enter and view activity.
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This information can be shared with the CQC’s compliance inspectors, which will help to focus the inspection on specific concerns and thereby help the CQC to hold local services to account. Local HealthWatch will also be the champion for public and patients, service users and carers in health and social care services. HealthWatch England will be able to use information from local HealthWatch, and elsewhere, to form a national picture of services. Locally and nationally, HealthWatch will have a remit to make recommendations about how services could or should be improved.
The Department supports the “Partnership on dignity in care”, which has been established by the NHS Confederation, Age UK and the Local Government Group. The Partnership aims to help drive improvements in the levels of care provided to older people in hospitals and care homes and has an independent commission which is currently taking evidence.
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints were recorded relating to inadequate care of elderly patients in NHS facilities in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010 and (e) 2011. [78308]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally.
Hospitals: Accountability
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the accountability of management staff in NHS hospitals. [78242]
Anne Milton: “Enabling Excellence: Autonomy and Accountability for Healthcare Workers, Social Workers and Social Care Workers” (Command Paper 8008, February 2011) recognised the strong concerns about senior managers who have let people down appearing to avoid significant consequences for their actions and that a stronger assurance mechanism is needed.
While the precise nature of this mechanism will need to be discussed further, on 6 July 2011, the Department commissioned the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence to lead work to agree consistent standards of competence and behaviour for senior national health service leaders.
This Government are also committed to developing and supporting staff to deliver effective and efficient running of the NHS. The new NHS Leadership Academy, which was announced on 5 July 2011, is being developed to equip future leaders with the skills needed to create a more productive, personalised service and encourage collaboration across disciplines.
Hospitals: Food
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure elderly patients in NHS facilities receive adequate hydration and nourishment; [78243]
(2) what consideration his Department has given to the introduction of a universal red tray system in NHS hospitals. [78309]
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Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the report by the Care Quality Commission on the dignity and nutrition inspection programme of 13 October 2011, what steps his Department is taking to improve nutritional care in acute health care settings. [79294]
Anne Milton: All providers of regulated activities, including hospitals and care homes, are required by law to have policies in place that protect people from the risks of inadequate nutrition and dehydration. The Care Quality Commission assesses and monitors compliance with this requirement as part of the process of inspection and regulation.
It is for health and social care providers to develop local nutrition and hydration policies. There are a number of best practice resources and guidelines available to help providers do this. These include the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline to help the national health service identify patients who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, and the “Essence of Care” benchmarking system which includes “food and drink”.
Providers are free to introduce the ‘red tray’ scheme, wherein patients at risk of poor nutrition are identified for special attention. This initiative came from an Essence of Care action plan, and has been adopted by many hospital wards across the country.
While national initiatives can stimulate thinking and offer guidance on best practice, local nurse leaders, including community team leaders, ward sisters and matrons, are key to setting and maintaining excellent standards of hydration and nutritional care in their clinical areas.
NHS: Medical Landing Flights
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS paid to each airport in the UK for costs associated with medical landing flights in each of the last three years; how many such landings took place at each airport; and if he will make a statement. [78325]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department. The hon. Member may wish to contact individual strategic health authorities to confirm whether any costs have been incurred.
NHS: Pensions
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total liability was of the NHS Pension Scheme in each year between 1997-98 and 2009-10. [78795]
Mr Simon Burns: The total liability of the NHS Pension Scheme in each year between 1997-98 and 2009-10 was as shown in the table.
The significant changes between some years in the liability levels shown are not due to significant changes in the size of prospective pension payments due from the NHS Pension Scheme. They have occurred due to changes in the discount rate used to convert these future payments into a one-off sum, when calculating the schemes liabilities.
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| NHS pensions scheme liability table | |
|
|
£ billion |
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average annual pension is of a retired member of the NHS pension scheme with 30 years of continuous service; and what estimate he has made of the average annual pension of such a person following the proposed linkage to the consumer prices index. [78796]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government Actuary’s Department estimates that in 2008, the pension of an NHS pension scheme member with 30 years continuous service will retire with an average pension of approximately £15,000. This is based on currently contributing members rather than those in receipt of benefits. The average pension of a retired NSH Scheme member with 30 years continuous service is not currently available.
The proposed linkage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) instead of the Retail Price Index (RPI) applies to the indexation of pensions in payment. This change does not affect pension benefits until a member draws their pension—at which stage the pension will be uprated in line with inflation over the year to the previous September.
The difference between RPI and CPI varies from year to year. In September 2010 CPI was 1.5% lower than RPI. Based on the example above, this would have made £225 difference per annum from April 2011 onwards.
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment he has made of the pension that (a) a member of the NHS pension scheme and (b) a private sector worker on a similar salary could expect to receive after 30 years of continuous employment. [78797]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) has estimated based on 2008 data, that the average annual pension of an NHS pension scheme member with 30 years service would be approximately £15,000.
GAD estimates that a member in a private sector ‘defined contribution' pension scheme would have to build up a pension pot of around £450,000 at age 65 to match this figure. It is estimated that this would require pension contributions of around 30% to 40% of pay, depending on what investment returns might be achieved.
This assessment would not apply to private sector workers with access to defined benefit pension schemes, where the pension entitlement upon retirement is calculated based on factors such as member salary or pensionable service.
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NHS Reorganisation
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which cluster each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust has been grouped as part of his reorganisation of the NHS. [78147]
Mr Simon Burns: The 10 strategic health authorities (SHAS) have been grouped together into four SHA clusters; NHS North of England; NHS South of England; NHS Midlands and East of England and NHS London. The four SHA clusters collectively consist of 50 primary care trust (PCT) clusters, which consist of 151 PCTs across England.
A list that outlines the grouping of each SHA in the four SHA clusters respectively, the PCT clusters that fall into each SHA and the individual PCTs that fall into each PCT cluster has been placed in the Library.
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS clusters have published transition plans for public health services that will be transferred to local authorities in April 2013. [78160]
Anne Milton: The four strategic health authority (SHA) cluster directors of public health have been charged with leading public health transitions at the local level. Primary care trusts and local government are responsible for planning the transition of public health responsibilities, and are in the process of developing local plans. Local transition plans are required to be submitted to SHA clusters by 31 March 2012. The Department is not aware of any plans being published to date.
Obesity: Health Services
Justin Tomlinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS in (a) Swindon and (b) Wiltshire was of obesity-related illness in the latest
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period for which figures are available; and what the total cost was of NHS healthcare in each such area in that period. [78390]
Anne Milton: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following table.
| A count of finished consultant episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity for selected primary care trusts (PCTs) of responsibility; 2010-11 | |
| PCT | Total episodes |
| Notes: 1. Finished consultant episode (FCE): A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 2. Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary or secondary diagnosis: The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. The ICD-code used to identify obesity is E66. 3. PCT/SHA data quality: In July 2006, the NHS reorganised strategic health authorities (SHA) and primary care trusts (PCT) in England from 28 SHAs into 10, and from 303 PCTs into 152. As a result data from 2006-07 onwards is not directly comparable with previous years. Data has been presented for those SHA/PCTs which have valid data for the breakdown presented here. As a result some SHA/PCTs may be missing from the list provided. 4. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. | |
The amount spent on healthcare services by Swindon PCT and Wiltshire PCT in 2010-11, which is the latest period for which figures are available, is given as follows:
| £000 | ||||
| Organisation | Primary healthcare | Secondary healthcare | Other healthcare | Total healthcare |
| Notes: 1. The figures represent the total primary, secondary and other healthcare purchased and provided for the PCTs' resident populations. Expenditure on primary dental and general ophthalmic services is also included, but these are not on the basis of resident populations, since these costs are not directly attributed to PCTs on the basis of a patient's place of residence. 2. 'Other healthcare' as defined in the audited summarisation schedules relates to grants to other bodies for health related capital projects under joint working arrangements. Source: Audited summarisation schedules of Swindon PCT and Wiltshire PCT. | ||||
Pancreatic Cancer
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent estimate he has made of the number of lives that could be saved by the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; and if he will make a statement; [78677]
(2) what recent assessment he has made for benchmarking purposes of survival rates from pancreatic cancer in (a) the UK, (b) the US, (c) Canada, (d) Australia and (e) each other EU member state; and if he will make a statement; [78739]
(3) what recent (a) representations he has received from and (b) discussions he has had with members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pancreatic Cancer; what response he gave; and if he will make a statement. [78740]
Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, sets out our ambition to bring England's cancer survival rates in line with the European average by 2014-15. Research has shown that to match the European average we need to save 5,000 additional lives per year.
This research also shows that if England's survival rates were as good as the best in Europe we would save 10,000 additional lives per year. This figure has also been broken down by tumour site and we estimate that
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we would save 75 additional lives each year if we matched the best European survival rate for pancreatic cancer.
We do not know what proportion of this figure of 75 lives could be saved through earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, but we believe achieving earlier diagnosis of cancer is key to improving survival rates for many cancers. We will not be able to deliver on our ambition to deliver improved survival rates by focusing solely on the more common cancers and the strategy 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 for earlier diagnosis. The other key factor likely to influence survival rates for pancreatic cancer is ensuring that all patients have access to the appropriate treatment.
Departmental officials have already met with a number of these charities, including a pancreatic cancer charity, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis. Pancreatic Cancer UK has recently requested to meet me to discuss its Campaign for Hope and related issues. My office is currently setting that meeting up and I understand that the charity will also be inviting some parliamentary colleagues. As I understand, there is no All Party Parliamentary Group for Pancreatic Cancer.
Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Finance
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to assist Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to eliminate its financial deficit in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. [79047]
Mr Simon Burns: This is a matter for the national health service locally. However, we are advised that NHS Peterborough is working closely with Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to help support it to address its financial issues while providing quality, safe services for all the people of Peterborough.
The hon. Member may wish to contact the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust directly.
Prescription Drugs
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in introducing the innovation pass in the NHS. [78786]
Mr Simon Burns: The Innovation Pass was an initiative announced in the previous Government's Office for Life Sciences (OLS) blueprint with funding of up to £25 million for 2010-11. The Innovation Pass was suspended in July 2010 and we have no plans to reinstate the Pass at this time. The Cancer Drugs Fund, which is providing £200 million funding per year over the period 2011-12 to 2013-14, demonstrates our commitment to improving patient access to innovative medicines.
Prostate Cancer: Health Services
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase GPs' awareness of the information contained in the NHS Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme. [78205]
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Paul Burstow: ‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’ (January 2011) set out that the UK National Screening Committee has asked the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group (PCAG) to explore options for making the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) information more accessible to men. This is to ensure that men are well informed about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and empowered to request a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test if they want one.
To raise awareness of the information among general practitioners (GPs), PCAG is in correspondence with the Royal College of General Practitioners about the information on prostate cancer included in the formal education of GPs. PCAG is also developing key messages that every GP should know about prostate cancer which will be disseminated widely once finalised, including via Prostate Action's GP network. In addition, the PCRMP Scientific Reference Group are supporting further work on measuring the levels of PSA testing, which is building in questions around GP knowledge and education about the programme. We are also aware of work being developed by The Prostate Cancer Charity's Testing Choices campaign.
Rare Diseases
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the chief medical officer will next report on progress made in the field of rare diseases. [78385]
Mr Simon Burns: The chief medical officer (CMO) is not expected to produce an update on progress in the field of rare diseases. Action is being taken forward at official level, in conjunction with the devolved Administrations, to produce a United Kingdom plan on rare disease in response to EC Recommendation 2009/C 151/029. The UK plan on rare disease will include a number of measures that should help to address the issues highlighted in the CMO's annual report 2009.
Skin Cancer
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of malignant melanoma. [79036]
Anne Milton: In 2011-12, the Department has been funding SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention campaign, to provide information and advice to the public. This involves a number of activities focusing on sun safety and appropriate sunbed use.
The Department has also published implementation guidance for local authorities on the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 and information for Sunbed Businesses. The purpose of the Act is to prevent those under 18 years from being allowed to use sunbeds in commercial premises.
Skin Cancer: Cornwall
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence rate for malignant melanoma was in Cornwall in each year since 2005. [79035]
Paul Burstow: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
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Skin Cancer: Drugs
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence about its draft guidance on Ipilimumab (Yervoy) for the treatment of previously treated unresectable stage III or IV malignant melanoma; and what representations he has received from patient groups on the draft guidance. [79037]
Mr Simon Burns: We have had no such discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
From 14 October to 3 November 2011, we have received 28 representations from hon. Members (including the hon. Member’s question) and members of the public regarding NICE’s draft guidance, including a joint representation from two patient groups.
Southern Cross Healthcare
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial stability of operators running former Southern Cross care homes. [78833]
Paul Burstow: It is for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to register providers of adult social care services, including care homes.
The registration process for care providers with the CQC requires that they declare their organisation takes all reasonable steps to remain financially viable. Where the CQC has concerns regarding a declaration, it will ask further questions to determine whether the provider is compliant with Regulation 13 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009, which requires providers to ensure the “financial viability” of their enterprise, before deciding whether to register them.
Once registered, there is a statutory obligation, under Regulation 15 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009, that providers notify the CQC of changes which will affect their registration. This includes the appointment by a provider of a receiver, liquidator or provisional liquidator.
The Government are, however, keen to learn lessons from Southern Cross; and are currently looking at whether further oversight of the social care market is required in the future. To inform this work, the Department recently published a discussion paper outlining some key questions on this issue. This can be found on the Caring for our Future website at:
http://caringforourfuture.dh.gov.uk/
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former Southern Cross care homes have not yet been transferred to new operators. [78834]
Paul Burstow: Of the 591 homes originally operated by Southern Cross, 20 care homes in England remain to transfer to new operators. We expect these to be transferred on 14 November 2011.
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the new operator is of each former Southern Cross care home. [78727]
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Paul Burstow: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has had with new operators of former Southern Cross care homes; and whether the meetings included a discussion on the operator's financial stability. [78729]
Paul Burstow: It is for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to register providers of adult social care services, including care homes. The registration process for care providers with the CQC requires that they declare their organisation takes all reasonable steps to remain financially viable. Where the CQC has concerns regarding a declaration, it will ask further questions to determine whether the provider is compliant with Regulation 13 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009, which requires providers to ensure the "financial viability" of their enterprise, before deciding whether to register them.
The Department's Ministers have not met with new operators of former Southern Cross care homes to discuss this matter. Departmental officials will meet with providers to do so as the need arises.
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library all correspondence that has taken place between the Minister of State for Social Care and Southern Cross Healthcare Group since May 2010. [78798]
Paul Burstow: The chief executive officer (CEO), Jamie Buchan, of Southern Cross Healthcare first wrote to me on 3 August to introduce himself and to request a meeting to discuss the United Kingdom care sector as a whole and Southern Cross's role within it. This letter did not warn that Southern Cross faced immediate financial difficulties; rather, the letter explained the pressure that a difficult settlement from the forthcoming comprehensive spending review (CSR) would place on Southern Cross's business model, and it explained the improvements that the company's board planned to make to its services. The same letter was received separately from the CEO's personal assistant on 30 July, and a departmental official responded, declining the request for a meeting, on 19 August.
The CEO wrote again to me on 24 September 2010, referring to the possible implications of the CSR settlement for the care home sector in general. The letter did not raise concerns over the future viability of the company's business model. I responded to this letter on 14 October.
The Government recognises the pressures on the social care system in this challenging financial climate. That is why on 20 October 2010 the spending review announced the allocation of an additional £7.2 billion to support the delivery of social care in the four years to 2014-15, in addition to ensuring that existing Department of Health grants for social care rise in line with inflation to £1.4 billion by 2014-15.
The CEO wrote to David Behan, Director General for Social Care at the Department of Health, on 14 October. This letter was the first occasion on which Jamie Buchan alerted the Department to the possibility of the imminent financial difficulties. David Behan met with Jamie Buchan on 8 November and since that point, negotiations have continued between Southern Cross and senior departmental
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officials. Ministers have liaised closely with officials in order to be kept fully informed of the situation and they have provided clear steers at every stage of negotiations.
On 15 March 2011, the CEO wrote to update Ministers on the company's position, further to the announcement to the stock exchange of 14 March and to set out the company's commitment to improve the quality of services. This letter was also sent to the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), who replied on behalf of the Department on 23 March 2011.
Copies of the above correspondence have been placed in the Library.