|
|
Total claimants (3) | Single males | Single females | Number of couples | Pensioners (2) |
24 Nov 2011 : Column 565W
| n/a = not available/not applicable ‘—’ = nil or negligible (1 )Caseload figures used for Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Carer's Allowance include those cases with entitlement but where payment is currently suspended (for example because of an extended stay in hospital or an overlapping benefit). Caseloads for Incapacity Benefit and Employment Support Allowance include Credits Only cases. (2) IIDB claimants pensioners are defined as women over 60 and men over 65. HB/CTB pensioners are defined as those cases where either the claimant is aged 65 and over (single people) or the elder of the claimant or partner is aged 65 or over (couples). For all other benefits pensioners are defined as those over state pension age. The age at which women reach state pension age will gradually increase from 60 to 65 between April 2010 and April 2020. This will introduce a small increase to the number of working age benefit recipients and a small reduction to the number of pension age recipients. Figures from May 2010 onwards reflect this change. (3) HB/CTB: Gender is not recorded for a large number of cases. Claimants with unknown gender are excluded from the analysis. For this reason the number of single and couples in the above table do not sum to the total number of claimants. Key: AA = Attendance Allowance CA = Carer's Allowance DLA = Disability Living Allowance ESA = Employment and Support Allowance IB/SDA = Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance IS = Income Support JSA = Jobseeker's Allowance PC = Pension Credit SP = State Pension WB = Widow's Benefit BB = Bereavement Benefit MA = Maternity Allowance (MA) claimants, Great Britain: May 2011. IIDB = Industrial Injuries Death Benefit WC = Workmen's Compensation PBM = Pneumoconiosis Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases: March 2011 HB/CTB = Housing Benefit /Council Tax Benefit: August 2011 Notes: 1. WPLS 100% and SHBE 100% data is rounded to the nearest 10 and 5% sample data to the nearest 100. 2. The partner information is based on the payment of additional benefit which is paid for a partner. 3. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 4. Caseload data are available on the Department's tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html 5. Pension Credit was introduced on 6 October 2003 and replaced Minimum Income Guarantee (Income Support for people aged 60 or over). The vast majority of people who were previously in receipt of the Minimum Income Guarantee transferred to Pension Credit in October 2003. These Pension Credit statistics are produced on a different basis to the Early Estimates. The latter are more timely but operational processing times mean that a number of claim commencements and terminations are not reflected in them. 6. IIDB caseloads exclude Reduced Earnings Allowance cases. Sources: IIDB, WC ,PBM: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate 100% scan Maternity Allowance: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate 5% sample data. Housing Benefit: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) All other benefits: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate 100% Works and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) |
| Cost of uprating | |||
| £ million | |||
| Percentage uprating | |||
|
|
(i) 2.5 | (ii) 4.3 | (iii) 5.3 |
24 Nov 2011 : Column 566W
Welfare Reform Bill
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the Scottish Parliament's request for oral evidence on the Welfare Reform Bill. [82508]
Chris Grayling: Neither the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, nor any Ministers in the Department, have had any direct discussions with the Secretary of State for Scotland, about the Scottish Parliament's request for oral evidence on the Welfare Reform Bill.
However, the Department keeps in regular contact with the Scottish Government on the subject of welfare reform at both ministerial and official levels.
Officials in the Department contacted the Scotland Office to discuss the invitations received to appear before Scottish Committees.
One of the Department's senior officials gave evidence on the Welfare Reform Bill to the Health and Sport Committee on 22 November 2011.
24 Nov 2011 : Column 567W
Welfare Reform: Chronic Pain
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to take into account the situation of people living with (a) chronic pain and (b) other conditions that are not physically evident in his proposals for welfare reform. [81283]
Maria Miller: We do not believe it right that we should judge people purely on the type of health condition or impairment that they may have. As such neither the work capability assessment nor the assessment for personal independence payment which we are currently developing, focus on the health condition or impairment a claimant has, neither do they require a specific diagnosis. Instead they look at the impact of these and their symptoms, such as pain, on individuals. The work capability assessment focuses on the impact of health conditions or impairments on capability for work, while the assessment for personal independence payment will focus on their impact on ability to carry out a series of key everyday activities.
In both assessments, basing decisions on the best available evidence is critical. This means giving the claimant the opportunity to tell us about the impact of their health condition or impairment in their own words and considering evidence from others involved in supporting claimants, such as GPs, hospital specialists or carers. In most cases, this will also involve a face-to-face assessment with a health professional trained in disability assessment medicine, to explore claimants' individual circumstances in detail. This ensures that decisions take effective account of the impact of health conditions or impairments, regardless of their type.
Work Capability Assessment
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Atos work capability assessments took over 35 days in (a) England and (b) Makerfield constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [82439]
Chris Grayling: In October 2011 the number of Atos work capability assessments taking over 35 days was:
(a) in England 63,706;
(b) of which 741 were completed at Wigan MEC which is the nearest Medical Examination Centre to Makerfield constituency.
Work capability assessments include employment support allowance (ESA) assessments which have an average actual clearance time (AACT) target of 35 days and other assessments which do not.
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were refused employment and support allowance following an assessment carried out by Atos and subsequently appealed the decision in (a) England and (b) Makerfield constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [82440]
Chris Grayling: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) using the work capability assessment (WCA) rest solely with the Department's decision makers taking into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information.
24 Nov 2011 : Column 568W
Table 1 provides details of initial WCAs completed and appeals heard for claims starting between October 2008 and August 2010 (the latest data for which sufficient volumes of appeals have been heard for publication). Information is not available at parliamentary constituency level, so information for Wigan local authority has been given instead.
| Table 1: Outcomes of initial work capability assessment and appeals for England and Wigan local authority for claims starting between October 2008 and August 2010 | ||
|
|
England | Wigan local authority |
| (1) To date. Notes: 1. The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the employment and support allowance (ESA) work capability assessment at the national level. The latest report, published in October 2011 and can be found here: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 2. The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data from the Tribunals Service. 3. Data on appeals includes ESA claims started from October 2008 up to the end of August 2010 (the latest month where we have sufficient volumes of appeals heard to include in the publication) where the person claiming has been assessed to be Fit for Work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service. 4. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. Therefore these figures should be treated as emerging findings rather than final at this stage. 5. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and are consistent with the official statistics publication referred to in note 1. above. | ||
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen South (Dame Anne Begg) of 1 November 2011, Official Report, columns 523-4W, on work capability assessment, if he will publish the data on the number of work capability assessments for reassessed incapacity benefit claimants which were carried out in each week since February 2011. [82502]
Chris Grayling: Up to the week commencing 14 November 191,000 work capability assessments (WCA) resulting from reassessment had been completed. After the WCA, the decision on entitlement to benefit is taken by a DWP decision maker.
No official statistics are available on WCA completed for IB reassessment claimants so the information on the number of WCA completed above is from the Department's Management Information System. It relates to those assessments where Atos have made a recommendation based on either a face to face assessment or cleared by scrutiny of the customer's medical questionnaire. It does not include those customers whose WCA recommendations were returned to Jobcentre Plus because they had not complied with the process.
A weekly or monthly breakdown of the Management Information is not reliable because the data are captured
24 Nov 2011 : Column 569W
cumulatively. Therefore assessments undertaken within one week might only be updated in the data as completed in subsequent weeks.
Due to the overall length of the incapacity benefits reassessment process, information on the entire process including the final outcomes and subsequent destinations of claimants being reassessed is not yet available. The Department plans to publish data on the outcomes of the reassessment process, but only once it has been quality assured and is considered robust.
Justice
Child Protection
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the possible implications for (a) Criminal Records Bureau checks and (b) child protection of the extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate of Local Housing Allowance to (i) 25 to 34 year olds who are (1) parents with part-custody of their children and (2) women up until the latest stage of pregnancy and (ii) other 25 to 34 year olds; and if he will make a statement. [81117]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
It is not possible to assess any increased risk to children by extending the age threshold of the shared accommodation rate. Criminal Record Bureau checks are not appropriate in these circumstances and so we do not anticipate there being any implications for these.
Community Orders
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2011, Official Report, column 423W, on community orders: voluntary organisations, if he will consider the merits of allowing (a) charities and (b) community amateur sports clubs the opportunity to claim dispensation from charges of community payback fees by the probation authorities; and if he will make a statement. [82734]
Mr Blunt: The voluntary sector, including charities and sports clubs, is the largest single beneficiary of Community Payback work. The majority of beneficiary organisations are not currently required to make a contribution to the cost of offender supervision. Where probation trusts, and in future potentially other providers of Community Payback, do seek a contribution towards costs, due regard will be given to the circumstances of the organisation which benefits from the work. There needs to be a proper balance between these organisation's circumstances and the need for Community Payback to work for society as a whole; preventing a disproportionate charge on the taxpayer; and preventing consumption of resources that could be directly targeted on services for direct victims of crime.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Sadiq Khan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget his Department allocated to the (a) Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, (b) Assessor for Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice,
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(c)
Civil Justice Council,
(d)
Civil Procedure Rule Committee,
(e)
Criminal Cases Review Commission,
(f)
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority,
(g)
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee,
(h)
Crown Court Rule Committee,
(i)
Family Justice Council,
(j)
HM Inspectorate of Prisons,
(k)
HM Inspectorate of Probation,
(l)
Insolvency Rules Committee,
(m)
Judicial Appointments Commission,
(n)
Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman,
(o)
Judicial Office,
(p)
Law Commission,
(q)
Legal Services Board,
(r)
Legal Services Commission,
(s)
National Offender Management Service,
(t)
Probation Service,
(u)
Court Funds Office,
(v)
Office of the Information Commissioner,
(w)
Office for Judicial Complaints,
(x)
Legal Ombudsman,
(y)
Office of the Public Guardian,
(z)
Official Solicitor and Public Trustee, (aa) Parole Board, (ab) Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, (ac) Sentencing Council, (ad) Tribunal Procedure Committee, (ae) Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses and (af) Youth Justice Board in the financial year 2011-12. [82519]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The resource budget allocations for 2011-12, as at 31 October 2011, are as follows:
| Organisation/body | £000 |
The final budget may vary depending on actual expenditure and the Ministry's priorities.
The Office of the Public Guardian is currently budgeting to receive more income than its expenditure. This is reflected in the organisation's budget.
Budgets for the following bodies are part of larger budgets within the core Department for which no distinct budget allocation is made.
Assessor for Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice
Civil Procedure Rule Committee
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee
Insolvency Rules Committee
Court Funds Office
Tribunal Procedure Committee.
Budgets for the following bodies are now part of the Judicial Office budget quoted above:
Civil Justice Council
Family Justice Council
24 Nov 2011 : Column 571W
Office for Judicial Complaints.
In respect of the following bodies the cost is neutral because these bodies are funded by levies upon the legal profession:
Legal Services Board
Legal Ombudsman.
As at 31 October 2011, no resource budget allocation has been provided to the Crown Court Rule Committee.
Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of employment and support allowance appeals have been adjourned since 28 February 2011; and how many such appeals were classified category used in social security and child support appeal tribunals. [82694]
Mr Djanogly: Appeals against decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions on an individual's entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) are heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support).
A total of 12,565 ESA appeals were adjourned between 1 March 2011 and 30 September 2011 (the latest date for which statistics have been published); 11.3% of the total number of ESA appeals listed.
There are four adjournment categories used in SSCS tribunals and the adjourning judge determines the most appropriate category for the case being dealt with. The following table shows a breakdown of the reasons for adjournments in this time period:
| Appeals adjourned March to September 2011 | ||
| Adjournment r eason as recorded at hearing | Number of appeals | Percentage |
Some examples of the circumstances under which the four categories may be used, are as follows:
Where the Tribunal requires additional evidence.
Where an applicant was known to a tribunal panel member.
Administrators not ready to proceed
Failure by administrative staff to provide sufficient notice of the appeal hearing.
Failure to observe a previous direction given by a judge.
Arrangement of incorrect panel composition.
Applicant not ready to proceed
Where the applicant requests more time to submit evidence or appoint a representative.
The applicant is unable, due to medical or other reasons, to continue with the hearing.
First-tier Agency not ready to proceed
The submission from the Agency is incomplete/defective or illegible.
The Agency may seek more time to consider evidence handed in on the day.
24 Nov 2011 : Column 572W
European Court of Human Rights
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what progress he has made in seeking reform of the European Court of Human Rights since the UK assumed the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe; and what meetings he (a) has held and (b) plans to hold with representatives from (i) the Council of Europe, (ii) the European Court of Human Rights, (iii) the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, (iv) the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights and (v) his counterparts from other countries to discuss the reform of the European Court of Human Rights; [82118]
(2) whether he plans to propose changes to the European Convention on Human Rights as part of the UK Chairmanship of the Council of Europe. [82119]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The UK assumed the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe on 7 November.
As I stated in my answer of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 23-24WS, the top priority for the UK Chairmanship is reform of the European Court of Human Rights. We aim to deliver a key stage of the reform process that has been ongoing for some years. The way the Court works is set out in the Convention, so reform could involve changes to the Convention if all 47 member states of the Council of Europe agree to it. We will be negotiating and agreeing a package of reforms with all member states during our Chairmanship.
The Commission on a Bill of Rights has also provided interim advice on Court reform, which we will be taking into account during our negotiations.
My ministerial colleagues and I have discussed the reform of the European Court of Human Rights with many key figures in the run up to our Chairmanship, many of which I met when I attended the Izmir Conference earlier this year during the Turkish Chairmanship. We will continue this approach in the coming months.
For example, I met the Secretary General to the Council of Europe during his visit to the UK on 25 October, as did several other Government Ministers. The Attorney-General met with Court judges and officials during his visit to Strasbourg on 2 November and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the handover ceremony in Strasbourg on 7 November. Last week, the Attorney-General and the Minister of State, Lord McNally, attended a conference on the long-term future of the Court at Wilton Park with representatives from across the Council of Europe and its member states. I am due to meet the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights when he visits the UK in December.
My ministerial colleagues and I have also been raising the issue of reform of the Court with our ministerial counterparts in other member states where there has been opportunity for discussion.
Human Rights
Chris Heaton-Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answers of 26 April 2011, Official Report, columns 144-49W and 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 383W, on human rights,
24 Nov 2011 : Column 573W
whether there have been any further declarations of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 since those answers. [82561]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: There have been no further declarations of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 since my previous answers. The last such declaration was made in November 2010 in the case of R (on the application of Royal College of Nursing and others) v. Secretary of State for Home Department.
Insolvency
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will seek to exempt insolvency proceedings from proposed changes to conditional fee arrangements and after-the-event insurance. [82357]
Mr Djanogly: I refer my hon. Friend, to my answer on 13 September 2011, Official Report, column 871. The Government are aware of the particular issues concerning the impact of the changes to conditional fee agreements and after the event insurance in insolvency proceedings. Departmental officials and I continue to discuss the likely impacts of these changes in relation to insolvency proceedings.
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Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people (a) pleaded guilty and (b) were found guilty for a second time of each offence listed in Schedule 16 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010. [82521]
Mr Blunt: The following table shows the number of people who were convicted for a second time for each offence listed in schedule 16 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, in the years 2008 to 2010. Attempted offences and offences involving aiding, abetting, conspiracy and incitement are classified with the main offence, and have not been separately identified.
We do not hold reliable information on whether or not these offenders pleaded guilty. The figures relate to separate sentencing occasions; where an offender was sentenced on the same occasion for several offences it is the primary offence that has been counted. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
24 Nov 2011 : Column 575W
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Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's risk register for the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. [82522]
Mr Djanogly: The financial and delivery risks associated with the policy in the Bill are contained in several documents at corporate and operational level across the Department, rather than in a specific Bill risk register. The impact assessments and equality impact assessments for the Bill detail the potential impacts of the proposals. These are published at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/bills-and-acts/bills/legal-aid-and-sentencing-bill.htm
Misconduct in Public Office: Prosecutions
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received on the cost of prosecuting the offence of misconduct in public office. [81416]
Mr Blunt: My Department has not received any representations on the cost of prosecuting the offence of misconduct in public office.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions for the offence of misconduct in public office there were in each year since 2005; and what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) the Crown Prosecution Service budget and (b) the public purse of prosecuting this offence in each year. [81417]
Mr Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for misconduct in a Public Office under Common Law, in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table:
| Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for ‘Misconduct in a public office’ (1,2) England and Wales, 2005 to 2010 (3,4) | |
|
|
Proceeded against |
24 Nov 2011 : Column 577W
24 Nov 2011 : Column 578W
| (1) Is an offence under common law. (2) Defendants proceeded against for conspiring, aiding or abetting a public official to commit Misconduct in a Public Office are excluded from the data in the above table. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used, (5) Figures provided for 2006 are the result of a validation process between MoJ and the courts. (6) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice | |
Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring of 2012.
No general estimate has been made of costs of prosecuting this offence each year. No central record is maintained by the Crown Prosecution Service or for the public purse as a whole of the costs of prosecuting specific offences at this level of detail.
An estimate is available for average Crown court costs of prosecutions related to misconduct in public office, for 2009-10 and 2010-11. These were £427,000 and £422,000 respectively, based on a five-hour sitting day.
Prison Accommodation
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much increased operational capacity in each prison in England and Wales is due to (a) new prison accommodation becoming available, (b) existing accommodation being returned to use, (c) an increase in multiple occupancy of prison cells and (d) other measures since 1 August 2011. [82453]
Mr Blunt: Between Friday 29 July and Friday 18 November 2011 the operational capacity of the total prison estate increased by 1,253 places. The following table shows the number of places during this period which were delivered as a result of (a) new prison accommodation becoming available, (b) existing accommodation being returned to use, (c) an increase in multiple occupancy of prison cells and (d) other measures.
|
|
Number |
|
(d) other measures (these are places returning to use at Morton Hall following its change of function to an immigration removal centre) |
|
The table does not reflect those places that have been taken out of use during this period. Places can be taken out of use for a number of reasons. These include the recent operational closure of HMP Latchmere House and one house block at HMP Hewell. Other decreases are the result of accommodation being taken out of use for essential maintenance/refurbishment.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisoners: Pregnant Women
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many pregnant women were given a custodial sentence in each of the last five years. [82503]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not all the circumstances of each case. It is therefore not possible to identify from these centrally held data whether a female, sentenced to immediate custody, was pregnant.
Prisons: Mother and Baby Units
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many mothers with babies were held in prison in each of the last five years; [82505]
(2) how many female prisoners applied for and were refused a place in a mother and baby unit in each of the last five years; [82506]
(3) how many women gave birth while serving a custodial sentence in each of the last five years. [82504]
Mr Blunt: Between 1 May 2010 and 31 March 2011 the average population of mothers in mother and baby units in prisons in England was 54. The population of mother and baby units includes expectant mothers.
Between 1 May 2010 and 31 March 2011 there were 254 applications received for admission to a mother and baby unit, of which, 26 were refused by a board.
Information prior to this date could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
We do not hold information centrally on women giving birth while serving their sentence, to obtain this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
24 Nov 2011 : Column 579W
Metal Theft
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many scrap metal dealers convicted of offences under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 have been the subject of an order under section 4 of that Act in each year from 1990 to 2011; [82362]
(2) how many scrap metal dealers have been found guilty of an offence under section 1(8) of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 resulting in a fine in each year from 1990 to 2011; [82363]
(3) how many scrap metal dealers have been prosecuted under section 2 of the Scrap Metal Dealers
24 Nov 2011 : Column 580W
Act 1964 in each year from 1990 to 2011; and how many such prosecutions resulted from a failure to comply with section 2(4) of that Act. [82361]
Mr Blunt: Data reported centrally for offences proceeded against under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 do not separately identify sections within the Act. Information is given in the table for the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty, sentenced and fined at all courts under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964, in England and Wales, for the years 2000 to 2010 (latest available).
Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring of 2012.
| Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, by result, under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 (1) , England & Wales, 2000-10 (2,3) | |||||||||||
|
|
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (4) | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) Includes: Offences by dealers in scrap metal and similar goods and in marine stores. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | |||||||||||
Supreme Court: Public Appointments
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had on (a) enlarging the appointing commission and (b) reforming the appointment procedure for justices in the Supreme Court. [82218]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: On 21 November 2011, I issued a public consultation on judicial diversity and appointments, which includes proposals on the appointments process for justices in the Supreme Court.
Before launching the public consultation, I shared an early draft of the proposals with the President of the Supreme Court.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of work capability assessment decisions made by Atos were overturned on appeal in (a) England and (b) Makerfield constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [82441]
Mr Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves. The following tables show the proportion of employment and support allowance appeals cleared at hearing, which were found in favour of the appellant in (a) England and (b) the Wigan Tribunal venue in September 2011 (the latest date for which statistics have been published) and in the first two quarters of 2011-12. The Wigan Tribunal venue hears appeals from Makerfield constituency as well as other nearby locations.
| Outcomes of ESA appeals 1 September 2011 to 30 September 2011 | |||||||
|
|
No. cases cleared at hearing | No. of DWP Decisions Upheld | % Upheld | No. Decided in Favour of Appellant | % in Favour | Other | % other |
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24 Nov 2011 : Column 582W
| Outcomes of ESA appeals 1 April 2011 to 30 September 2011 | |||||||
|
|
No. cases cleared at hearing | No. of DWP Decisions Upheld | % Upheld | No. Decided in Favour of Appellant | % in Favour | Other | % other |
| (1) This includes data for all venues based in England. Cases may occasionally be dealt with outside England, in Wales and Scotland. Note: This data is taken from management information. | |||||||
Youth Custody
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people under the age of 18 were held in custody in England and Wales in each year between 1996-97 and 2010-11 inclusive. [82451]
Mr Blunt: The table shows the average number of people under the age of 18 held in the secure estate for children and young people between 2000-01 and 2010-11.
These data are from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and refer to Secure Training Centres (STCs), Secure Children's Homes (SCHs), and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). 2000-01 is the earliest date from which data are available that gives information on all secure establishments in the youth estate for this age group (10 to 17-year-olds). The 2010-11 figures are provisional. The final 2010-11 figures will be presented in the 2010-11 Youth Justice Statistics publication on 26 January 2012.
| Table 1. Average secure estate population (10 to 17-year-olds) | |
|
|
Number |
| (1) These figures are provisional. The final 2010-11 figures will be presented in the 2010-11 Youth Justice Statistics publication. Notes: 1. YJB data referring to Secure Training Centres (STCs), Secure Children's Homes (SCHs), and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). The data does not include 18 to 21-year-olds held in YOI separate units for which the YJB do not hold data. 2. Youth custodial data are published on a monthly basis, this is a monthly snapshot of the custodial population (taken on the last Friday of the month or first Friday of the following month depending on which is nearer to the actual month end). Each annual figure is calculated as an average of all of the individual months in the year period (i.e. an average of the monthly snapshots) due to monthly fluctuation. Fluctuation arises as custodial population is a factor of number of young people sentenced, sentence length, and time spent on remand. 3.These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time. | |
Youth Justice
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people entered the youth justice system for the first time in each year between 1996-97 and 2010-11. [82452]
Mr Blunt: Figures for the number juvenile first time entrants to the criminal justice system in England and Wales are given in the table. The figures cover the years 2000-01 to 2010-11 and are taken from Table Q7.3 of the Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly Update to March 2011 which can be found at
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice/criminal-justice-statistics.htm
Figure for years before 2000-01 are not available.
These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
| Number of first time entrants aged between 10 and 17 to the criminal justice system (1) in England and Wales, 12 months ending March 2001 to 12 months ending March 2011 | |
| 12 month period to the end of March | Number of offenders |
| (1 )Offenders recorded on the police national computer by an English or Welsh police force or by the British Transport police operating in England and Wales as having received their first conviction, reprimand or warning. | |
Health
Ambulance Services: Standards
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits of applying A8 ambulance response time targets by (a) primary care trust and (b) local authority area. [82069]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Operating Framework provides for central performance management of the A8 ambulance response time targets at strategic health authority level. It is for local commissioners to determine the level of performance management at the primary care trust and local authority area.
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits of reviewing A8 ambulance response times in England. [82071]
Mr Simon Burns: Ambulance trusts are performance managed against the target requiring 75% of category A (immediately life threatening) calls to receive a response within eight minutes, which is a headline measure in the NHS Operating Framework. A8 ambulance response times data are published monthly.
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The Department is considering changes to strengthen the A8 ambulance response time target. We are looking at the whole system of dealing with care for the most seriously ill patients. We will introduce changes once a safe approach is agreed; but our priority is to maintain the highest quality care.
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the setting of ambulance response targets does not adversely affect rural areas. [82072]
Mr Simon Burns: Ambulance trusts are performance managed against two ambulance response targets, which are headline measures in the NHS Operating Framework. Ambulance services have to meet these targets for their geographical area and it is for individual ambulance trusts to decide how to configure their work force to best respond to an emergency.
Clinical quality indicators for the ambulance service came into effect from April 2011 and require each ambulance trust to publish the median time to treatment, the 95th centile time to treatment and 99th centile time to treatment for immediately life-threatening (Category A) calls. The requirement to publish this data, and in particular the 95th centile and 99th centile time to treatment, will ensure that trusts must demonstrate an excellent service to all patients, whether the incident occurs in a rural or urban setting.
Autism
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether people with autism will be involved in developing the Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies project; and if he will make a statement; [82483]
(2) what consideration will be given to the needs of people with autism in the Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies project; and if he will make a statement; [82484]
(3) what consideration he has given to including training on adapting talking therapies for people with autism in the curriculum for the Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies project. [82485]
Paul Burstow: The Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) project has been developed at a national level in partnership with young people and professionals to meet the needs of children and young people. The involvement of children and young people in design of the programme has been co-ordinated through YoungMinds, the national mental health charity for all children and young people including those with autism.
The project aims to transform existing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) by adopting those elements of the IAPT programme which will improve outcomes for children and young people, providing treatment which is based on best evidence and embedding session-by-session outcome monitoring to ensure treatments are quality driven, outcomes focussed and client informed. This service transformation will benefit all children,
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young people and their parents (referred to the CAMHS that are part of the project) including those with autistic spectrum disorders.
As part of the first phase, the children's IAPT project has developed a curriculum and training package to equip staff to treat a range of emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and for behavioural problems that commonly occur among children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders.
Barnardo’s: Finance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding Barnardo’s received from his Department in 2010-11; how much he estimates it will receive in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [82594]
Paul Burstow: The Department can confirm that Barnardo’s did not receive any funding in 2010-11 nor does it have any plans for 2011-12.
In 2010-11 Barnardo’s was a national agent for the Opportunities for Volunteering scheme. In April 2010-11 it did initially receive a payment of £48,250 but this payment was returned to the Department as it was not utilised.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Health Services
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of provision of chronic fatigue specialist services in East Lancashire. [82400]
Paul Burstow: The provision of local health services, including chronic fatigue services, is a matter for local commissioners to determine, in conjunction with local stakeholders and taking into account the healthcare needs of their local communities.
Dental Services: Inspections
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that inspection of dental practices by the Care Quality Commission will only be undertaken by inspectors with appropriate dental expertise; [82459]
(2) what plans he has to use the knowledge and expertise of dental reference officers in the inspection of dental practices by the Care Quality Commission; [82460]
(3) what plans he has to use the knowledge and expertise of dental practice advisers in the regulation of dental practices. [82461]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for its own operational system and the Department is not involved in its inspection procedures. However, we are assured by the CQC that full training on the inspection of dental services is available to all the CQC staff and it is confident that its inspectors can effectively assess dentists' compliance with the registration requirements.
The CQCs inspectors have access to specialist advice when required across all the sectors it regulates. We understand that there is an intention to increase this specialist provision and that the CQC is considering
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utilising dental reference officers for this purpose. The CQC employs a national advisor on dentists for two days a week.
Departmental Communication
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 September 2011, Official Report, column 140W, on departmental communication, if he will place in the Library a list of each item of research commissioned by his Department through the Central Office of Information in 2009-10 and the cost to the public purse for each such item. [82230]
Mr Simon Burns: A copy of this information as requested has been placed in the Library. The figures against each project include the Central Office of Information fees.
Diabetes: Young People
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what social and psychological support services his Department makes available to young adults and adolescents with diabetes; [R] [81958]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the health and social needs experienced by young adults and adolescents with diabetes. [R] [81960]
Paul Burstow: It is for the local national health service to commission high-quality and safe diabetes services for all people with diabetes, including social and psychological support services, and services for young adults and adolescents. They are best placed to assess the needs of their local populations, informed by clinical involvement and leadership.
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the health and social needs experienced by young adults and adolescents with diabetes.
General Practitioners: Pay
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average salary is of a GP in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England. [82480]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on average salaries for general practitioners (GPs) in both the Ashfield constituency and Nottinghamshire are not available centrally. Information on latest average GP salaries for England and for the strategic health authorities is however reported by the Information Centre for health and social care and is contained in their latest GP Earnings and Expenses 2009-10 final report.
The average England GP salary in 2009-10 is £109,400. The average GP salary within the East Midlands region is £115,700.
Health Professions: Qualifications
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the equivalence of qualifications gained in EU member states and outside the EU to a certificate of completion of training for employment purposes; and if he will make a statement. [82424]
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Anne Milton: Doctors must be registered with a licence to practise with the General Medical Council (GMC) to practise medicine in the United Kingdom. All international medical graduates must possess an acceptable primary medical qualification in order to apply for registration with a licence to practise. For European Union doctors, the GMC is required to accept the qualifications of migrants if the member state where the qualifications was obtained is satisfied that they meet the minimum required under the Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications.
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on qualification levels assessed for employment purposes in the UK as equivalent to a certificate of completion of training for (a) each EU member state and (b) countries outside the EU. [82425]
Anne Milton: The Department does not hold this information.
The General Medical Council (GMC) maintains a list of postgraduate qualifications they accept as providing sufficient evidence of an overseas doctor's knowledge and skill, for the purpose of full registration with a licence to practise. For European Union doctors, the GMC is required to accept the qualifications of migrants if the member state where the qualifications was obtained is satisfied that they meet the minimum required under the Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications.
Health Services
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for a referral for (a) physiotherapy and (b) speech therapy was (i) in Mid Sussex constituency, (ii) in the south-east and (iii) nationally in the latest period for which figures are available. [82442]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is currently not collected centrally. The ‘Allied Health Professional (AHP) Referral to Treatment (RTT) Guide’, published in 2010, sets out a framework of rules for clock starts and clock stops to measure waiting times for patients when accessing national health service AHP services including physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.
Nationally, AHP RTT data collection and reporting was due to be mandated from April 2011, however, as part of the public health spending reviews, the implementation date for collecting data is being reviewed. In the meantime, it is expected that local national health service organisations will collect these data locally to help them identify where service improvement is most needed.
Work between the Department and the NHS Information Centre is in place to ensure the development and mandate of data sets by which the AHP RTT data collected locally can be flowed to a central source for national reporting.
The ‘Allied Health Professional Referral to Treatment Guide’ has been placed in the Library and is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_115297.pdf
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Health Services: Disadvantaged
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effect of his proposals for health reforms on people experiencing social exclusion. [81939]
Mr Simon Burns: The equality analysis for the Health and Social Care Bill assesses the equality impact of the reforms set out in the Bill, and considers several factors that can contribute to social exclusion. In carrying out this analysis the Department considered the impact in relation to age; disability; gender reassignment; pregnancy and maternity; race and ethnicity; religion and belief; sex; sexual orientation and socio-economic status.
The equality analysis can be found on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583
Separate equality analyses and equality impact assessments have been produced for other aspects of the NHS White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’, including an initial equality impact assessment on patient choice published alongside the consultation document ‘Greater choice and control’, and an initial list of equality opportunities and concerns published alongside a summary of the responses received to the ‘Information Revolution’ consultation.
An equality impact assessment was also carried out on the Public Health White Paper, ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’, published on 30 November 2010.
Health Services: Regulation
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he decided the Care Quality Commission was ready to take on the regulation of (a) providers of dental services in 2011 and (b) NHS primary medical services in 2012. [82458]
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Mr Simon Burns: The timetable for the registration of providers of healthcare and adult social care, including providers of primary dental services and national health service primary medical services, is set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. These Regulations were approved by Parliament in March 2010 under the previous Government.
Under the terms of the regulations providers of different types of health care and adult social care services were required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in several waves between April 2010 and April 2012. This phased approach to implementing the new registration system was designed to make the workload of registering around 30,000 providers more manageable for the CQC.
In April 2011, the registration of providers of primary dental service providers and independent ambulance services proved more challenging than had been anticipated and was not completed by 1 April 2011. In the light of this, the Department has put in place regulations that defer the registration of most providers of NHS primary medical services until 1 April 2013. This delay will provide the CQC with the opportunity to ensure that its systems, tools and processes are refined in the light of the experience of earlier registration rounds.
King’s Mill Hospital
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for an appointment with a consultant at King's Mill hospital in each of the last five years. [82478]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not available. Information on the mean and median time waited(1) in days for an outpatient(2) appointment at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust(3), 2005-06 to 2009-10(4) is available in the following table:
|
|
Mean | Median |
| (1 )Time waited statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. Waiting times statistics are usually only calculated for first attendances of patients referred by general practitioners and dentists, whereas the Time Waited data here include all referral types. It is unclear whether the data collected has any relevance to subsequent attenders. Analysis of the data has revealed high (up to 100%) percentages of zero day waits for some providers suggesting poor data recording. (2 )It is not possible to specifically select appointments with a consultant, but where the main treating specialty is Nursing (950), Midwifery (560) or Allied Health Professional (960) these have been excluded. (3 )A provider code is a unique code that identifies an organisation acting as a health care provider (e.g. NHS trust or primary care trust). Hospital providers can also include treatment centres (TC). Normally, if data are tabulated by health care provider, the figure for an NHS trust gives the activity of all the sites as one aggregated figure. However, in the case of those with embedded TCs, these data are quoted separately. In these cases, “-X” is appended to the code for the rest of the trust, to remind users that the figures are for all sites of the trust excluding the TCs. The quality of TC returns are such that data may not be complete. Some NHS trusts have not registered their TC as a separate site, and it is therefore not possible to identify their activity separately. Data from some independent sector providers, where the onus for arrangement of dataflows is on the commissioner, may be missing. Care must be taken when using this data as the counts may be lower than true figures. (4 )HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care. | ||
Maternity Services
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information maternity services are required to provide to parents about local parenting support services. [82732]
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Anne Milton: Health professionals support women and their partners in the transition to parenthood by discussing the postnatal health and social needs of the mother and her baby and by developing an individual plan of postnatal care to address those needs.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline on postnatal care (published in 2006) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Standards for Maternity Care (published in 2008) state that postnatal care should include provision of information to both mothers and fathers on infant care, parenting skills and accessing local community groups.
The Department has also recently (October 2011) launched ‘Preparing for Birth and Beyond’ pack, an online resource, which aims to help the national health service, local authorities and the voluntary sector involved in planning or running groups for expectant and new parents.
Medicine: Education
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether strategic health authority clusters will be permitted to (a) hold back and (b) top slice any centrally-provided funding for postgraduate medical education (i) in 2011-12 and (ii) in subsequent years. [82491]
Anne Milton: Postgraduate medical education is funded through the Multi Professional Education and Training (MPET) budget issued to strategic health authorities (SHAs) as part of the annual national health service central budget bundle. It is for SHAs to determine the level of spending necessary to deliver the required outcomes for the various elements of training and development.
MPET is not ring-fenced and it is the responsibility of SHAs to invest the budget appropriately. However, there is an education and training service level agreement (SLA) between SHAs and the Department, which ensures that SHAs are held to account for the funding and quality of the training they provide for healthcare students and the NHS work force. In 2011-12, the SHAs have forecasted to spend £4.873 billion of the £4.879 billion MPET budget.
“Liberating the NHS: Developing the healthcare workforce” set out proposals for a new system for planning and developing the work force. The consultation was followed by the Listening Exercise. More detailed proposals on the new system, across a range of issues including funding, will be published later this year.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on patient safety of levels of funding for postgraduate medical education during the comprehensive spending review period. [82492]
Anne Milton: Postgraduate medical education is funded through the Multi Professional Education and Training (MPET) budget issued to strategic health authorities (SHAs) as part of the annual national health service central budget bundle. It is for SHAs to determine the level of spending necessary to deliver the required outcomes for the various elements of training and development.
MPET is not ring-fenced. It is the responsibility of SHAs to invest the budget appropriately and determine
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the correct number of postgraduate medical trainees, in their area, for the work force needed to deliver services required by patients. The trainee doctors also contribute to service delivery.
The General Medical Council sets the standards for the delivery of postgraduate medical education and quality assures the delivery of training against those standards. Their recommendations are contained in “The Trainee Doctor” (2011). This includes recommendations on essential safeguards on any action by trainees that affects the safety and wellbeing of patients.
The Department has worked in collaboration with SHAs to develop a safety and quality assurance process to ensure that any significant change proposed in the size and shape of the clinical work force has involved clinicians at all levels, maximising on their engagement, leadership and sign off. Where NHS organisations are planning or experience changes to their work force, they will need to demonstrate that their systems, processes and governance arrangements are adequate to uphold the rights of patients covering quality and care of environment, as set out in “Liberating the NHS: Developing the healthcare workforce”.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department plans to allocate to postgraduate medical education during the comprehensive spending review period. [82493]
Anne Milton: Although funding for postgraduate medical education forms part of the wider multi professional education and training (MPET) budget, it is not a separate funding stream. This is in order to provide strategic health authorities (SHAs) with flexibility to address local workforce priorities within the national framework set out in the education and training service level agreement between SHAs and the Department.
In 2011-12, the MPET budget is £4.9 billion. The cash budgets for MPET in 2012-13 will be maintained at the level of this financial year. The level of funding for the remainder of the comprehensive spending review has not yet been confirmed but will reflect the ongoing requirements of the national health service workforce.
Muscular Dystrophy
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on establishing a managed clinical network for neuromuscular conditions in each NHS region; and if he will make a statement. [82512]
Paul Burstow: During 2010-11, the 10 regional Specialised Commissioning Groups (SCGs) and National Specialised Commissioning team (NSCT) collaborated to produce a detailed work plan for neuromuscular services.
This neuromuscular work stream is led by East of England SCG working with the individual SCG/NSCT neuromuscular leads. In July, a more formal group was established and the existing work plan was enlarged to include communications and engagement.
A workshop to which patients, carers and support organisations have been invited is scheduled for later this year.
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Neurology: Surgery
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable he has set for the development of nationally convergent commissioning policies for specialised neurosurgery; who will be responsible for the development process; and what engagement is planned with clinicians and patients. [82017]
Mr Simon Burns: The work on nationally convergent commissioning policies for specialised neurosurgery has been under way since April 2011 and is planned to be completed by October 2012. It includes streams of work led by a national transition team for specialised services working with the current Specialised Commissioning Groups. The responsibility lies with the Specialised Services Transition Oversight Group chaired by the Commissioning Director of NHS Midlands and East with a directly accountable Clinical Assurance Group and Patient and Public Engagement Group. Extensive, nationally co-ordinated engagement is planned with clinicians and users, looking at specific groups of services during 2012.
NHS Staff: Assaults
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the level of assaults on NHS staff in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; and if he will make a statement. [81593]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of physical assaults against staff reported by national health service bodies in England has been collected annually since 2004-05. Total figures are in the following table.
| Reported physical assaults against NHS staff | |
|
|
Number |
Information on the number of reported physical assaults against NHS staff for the years 2008-09 and 2009-10, can be found in the ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff for 2008-09, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’ and the ‘Table showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2009-10, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’ which have already been placed in the Library.
Information on the number of reported physical assaults against NHS staff for the year 2010-11, can be found in the 'Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2010-11, broken down by NHS Trust/PCT' which has been placed in the Library.
The Government are committed to encouraging NHS organisations to work better with their local police forces to clamp down on anyone who is aggressive and abusive to staff.
Each NHS body has a duty to address the risks to their staff. NHS Protect is the body responsible for leading work to tackle violence against NHS staff. This includes the provision of guidance and operational support to enable trusts to address their responsibilities in relation to the safety and security of their staff and encouraging trusts to work with local police forces to
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take action against those who are violent or abusive. Where violent incidents do occur, NHS Protect is committed to ensuring that tough action, including all appropriate sanctions, is taken against those who are violent and aggressive against towards NHS staff.
NHS: Reorganisation
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department has received in relation to the Health and Social Care Bill since it was published; and how many such requests have been refused in full or in part. [81503]
Mr Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 19 January 2011.
The information is shown in the following table.
| Initial freedom of information requests about the Health and Social Care Bill since 19 January 2011 | |
|
|
Number of cases |
Nutrition
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether officials of his Department have assessed the legal arguments submitted to it by the Health Food Manufacturers' Association in relation to the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, its interpretation and its implementation; and if he will make a statement. [82726]
Anne Milton: Departmental officials have considered the legal arguments submitted to it by the Health Food Manufacturers' Association in relation to the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation.
Palliative Care
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to conduct a review of end-of-life decision-making within the NHS. [82803]
Paul Burstow: The Department has no plans to conduct a review of end of life decision-making.
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to agree the Doctors Dispensing Fees Envelope. [81659]
Mr Simon Burns: This matter is the subject of on-going negotiations between the General Practitioners' Committee of the British Medical Association and NHS Employers.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to allocate the £8.6 million surplus in the dispensing doctors budget in 2010-11. [81660]
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Mr Simon Burns: Negotiations with the General Practitioners' Committee of the British Medical Association on dispensing doctor fee scales for 2011-12 continue, including consideration of the underspend that occurred in 2010-11 against the fee scale budget envelope.
Smoking: Motor Vehicles
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to bring about behaviour change amongst parents smoking around children in cars; how his Department plans to evaluate whether such steps are changing parents' behaviour; and whether his Department will bring forward legislative proposals if behaviour change is not successful. [82624]
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Anne Milton: In March, we published the “Tobacco Control Plan for England”, which sets out our plans to help drive down smoking rates and reduce the harms from tobacco over the next five years. This plan includes our commitment to launch a national marketing campaign, planned for spring 2012, to remind smokers of the risks of exposing children and adults to second hand smoke and to encourage them to stop smoking in their homes and cars when children are present. We will evaluate the impact of the campaign on smokers' behaviour.
Rather than extending smokefree legislation, we want people to recognise the risks of second hand smoke and decide voluntarily to make their cars and homes smokefree.
A copy of the “Tobacco Control Plan for England” has already been placed in the Library.