Technology and Innovation Centres
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many projects the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre is sponsoring. [92242]
Mr Willetts: The High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre does not itself sponsor projects. The majority of the centre's core funding is used to purchase and install new, cutting edge equipment in the Catapult, and to carry out projects using this and existing equipment to develop its knowledge and skills to support the needs of business.
The centre will participate in collaborative research and development projects which it will need to win competitively through applying to the Technology Strategy Board, European Union or other funding programmes. The centre will also undertake contract research on behalf of business.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funds the Technology Strategy Board has allocated to the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre. [92243]
Mr Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board is in the process of establishing the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre. As yet, no funds have been invested. We expect the funding for each Catapult centre, with the exception of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, will be in the region of £10 million per annum.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether a leadership team has been appointed for the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre. [92244]
Mr Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board is actively recruiting the leadership team for the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre. No appointments have been made yet.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre will be operational. [92245]
Mr Willetts:
The Technology Strategy Board is currently working to establish the Cell Therapy Catapult Centre and plan to have the centre operational in the next six months, dependent upon the appointment of the leadership
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team. Once operational, we would expect the centre to have a period where it is increasing activity to establish full capability.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to announce the location of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Centre. [92246]
Mr Willetts: We expect to make an announcement of the winning consortium and location soon.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the location of the Satellite Applications Catapult will be announced. [92637]
Mr Willetts: The intention to establish a new Catapult centre in Satellite Applications was announced on 4 January 2012. The Catapult will provide in-orbit test facilities allowing innovative UK organisations the opportunity to demonstrate new satellite technologies leading to a new generation of satellite-based products and services.
The decision on the location of the centre will be taken with the selected organisation or organisations that will run the centre. The Technology Strategy Board issued further information on the process for selecting the organisation or organisations on 26 January 2012. The outcome of that process will be known in the summer, with the Catapult expected to be open for business in autumn 2012.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who the members are of the Technology and Innovation Centre Catapult Centre independent oversight committee; when and where the committee meets; and what remuneration its members receive. [92638]
Mr Willetts: The members of the Oversight Committee are as follows:
Dr David Grant, Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University—Chair
Dame Sue Ion, Non-Executive Board Member, Health & Safety Laboratory
Trudy Norris-Grey, MD—Strategy, Portfolio & Transformation, BT plc
Philip Rutnam, Director-General—Business Group, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Dr Mike Short, Vice President—Public Affairs, Telefonica Europe and President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Martin Temple, Chairman, EEF
Steve Visscher, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, BBSRC
David Way, Director of Knowledge Exchange & Special Projects, Technology Strategy Board
The Committee meets on a quarterly basis. Two meetings have so far been held which took place in the Technology Strategy Board offices in Swindon and at the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, with the next meeting to be held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Coventry. The NCC and MTC are both consortium members of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
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The members of the Committee do not receive remuneration for their involvement. The Technology Strategy Board does however pay for reasonable travel and subsistence costs incurred.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what services to business are available from existing Catapult centres; how businesses can access them; and what payment is required. [92639]
Mr Willetts: Businesses can work with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre in a number of ways. They can partner with the centre in collaborative research and development projects where the centre provides the equipment, knowledge and expertise needed to support the project, with the business contributing its expertise. These projects may arise from competitions run by the European Union, such as Framework 7, and from the Technology Strategy Board.
Businesses can also contract direct with the centre to do research on their behalf or to access specialist equipment which the company is unlikely to be able to afford otherwise. In this case it is a private arrangement and the business would pay a commercial rate for the services they use. The Catapult centres will also provide programmes tailored to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to promote international awareness of Catapult centres. [92640]
Mr Willetts: There has already been considerable international interest in the Catapult centres from a wide range of countries. The Technology Strategy Board is working with United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) and the Science and Innovation Network to raise awareness of the Catapult centres internationally and is looking to establish links between the Catapult centres and similar centres based in other countries. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult already has good international outreach, building on the experience of the seven partner centres of the Catapult.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many Catapult centres there will be by the end of 2012. [91928]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 26 January 2012]: As stated in the strategy and implementation plan published by the Technology Strategy Board in May 2011, we intend to have all the Catapults operational, with funding in place, by March 2013.
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre is operational. The Cell Therapy and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult centres were announced last year; the Technology Strategy Board is currently working to establish these centres and plan to have them operational in the next six months. The Satellite Applications Catapult Centre was announced on 4 January and we expect to make further announcements shortly.
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Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding the Technology Strategy Board has provided to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre; and what the names are of the entities receiving the funding. [91929]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 26 January 2012]:We are investing £140 million over six years in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre.
The agreed core grant funding for the centre for financial year 2011/12 is £21 million. To date, the Technology Strategy Board has provided the centre with funding of £4.6 million since the centre started formal operations in October 2011. In addition a grant for working capital of £1 million will be paid to the centre.
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre consists of a core organisation (a company limited by guarantee set-up especially for the Catapult) and seven member centres. All Technology Strategy Board funding will be paid to this core organisation.
Advanced Forming Research Centre (University of Strathclyde)
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (University of Sheffield)
Centre for Process Innovation Ltd, Wilton and Sedgefield
Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, Coventry
Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, (University of Sheffield)
Warwick Manufacturing Group, Coventry, (University of Warwick)
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what private sector funds the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre has attracted. [91930]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 26 January 2012]:The Catapult centres will work on a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3, model, with broadly equal funding from the core Technology Strategy Board grant, from research and development grants collaboratively with business won competitively by the Catapult, and from contract research funded fully by business. Hence, when fully established, we would expect approximately 50% of the Catapult funding to come from the private sector.
For the six month period from October 2011 to March 2012, the Catapult centre is projecting commercial income of £10 million (plus a further £10 million of in-kind contributions from industrial clients). Given that a number of the member centres are in the start-up phase, this is encouraging.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time equivalent staff work for the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre; and at what grades. [91931]
Mr Willetts
[holding answer 26 January 2012]:In total the seven member centres of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult employ 625 staff, although this is changing as the new centres recruit. The central core organisation, the HVM Catapult Company Ltd by guarantee, currently has no employees, although the Technology Strategy Board is actively recruiting and functions are being carried out by the staff from the
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member organisations. The Catapult centre and members do not use public sector grades.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) operating and (b) capital budget is of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre. [91932]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 26 January 2012]:The budget of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre for the six month period of operation during financial year 2011/12 is as follows:
£21 million Catapult core grant from Technology Strategy Board.
The total budget income for the Catapult centre is approximately £25 million operating and £25 million capital. This covers all aspects of operation including core grant, commercial contracts and funding from other sources including the European regional development fund, regional growth fund, EU Framework 7 and Technology Strategy Board collaborative R&D grants.
The Technology Strategy Board and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre are in the process of finalising the business plan and budget for the next five years.
UK Trade & Investment
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects on service delivery of the reduction in international trade advisers at UK Trade & Investment since 2011. [91235]
Mr Prisk: The reduction in the number of international trade advisers (ITAs) was due largely to a reduced level of funding. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), continues to make efficiencies in running its business and, since the start of the 2011/12 financial year, it recycled savings into the front line and enabled its delivery partners to recruit ITAs. This is starting to make good the shortfall following the Government’s spending review. UKTI is seeking to achieve more with less through the intelligent use of networks to multiply its impact and by working in partnership with organisations who present a complementary offer to exporters such as banks and accountants.
In addition, in the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, announced additional funding for UKTI. Some of that money will be used to recruit new ITAs to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and mid-size businesses in developing their export capability.
Cabinet Office
Alix Partners
Mrs Moon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many former civil servants have applied to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments to take up an appointment to Alix Partners in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [92007]
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Mr Maude: All civil servants are subject to the provisions of the business appointments rules as set out in the Civil Service Management Code. The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments provides advice to the most senior civil servants. The Committee's advice is published on its website once the appointment is taken up or announced. The Committee's website can be accessed at:
http://acoba.independent.gov.uk
Individual Departments handle applications from other civil servants and this information is not held centrally.
Children: Yorkshire and the Humber
Mr David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children with (a) two parents working, (b) one parent working and (c) no parents working there were in (i) Haltemprice and Howden constituency, (ii) East Yorkshire and (iii) the Humberside region in the latest period for which figures are available. [92175]
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 January 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what is the total number of children with a) two parents working, b) one parent working and c) no parents working in i) Haltemprice and Howden constituency, ii) East Yorkshire and iii) the Humberside region in the latest period for which figures are available. 92175.
The table shows estimates for the period of January to December 2010 and are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Please note that it is not possible to provide reliable estimates for the parliamentary constituency Haltemprice and Howden because the sample sizes are not sufficiently large. As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results.
| Number of children (1, 2 ) with one, both or no parents working in Haltemprice and Howden constituencies, east Yorkshire and Humberside region, January to December 2010, not seasonally adjusted | |||
| Thousand | |||
| (a) Both parents working | (b) One parent working | (c) No parents working | |
| (1) Children aged 0 to 15. (2) The average is the total number of children aged 0 to 15 divided by the total number of families with children aged 0 to 15. (3) Estimates have RSE>20 and are not considered reliable for practical purposes. (4) The estimates for the Humberside region is an aggregate of responses from the following local authorities: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire. Note: Parents of the children in this analysis live in the same household, therefore children of lone-parent families can only be accounted for in columns (b) and (c). Source: ONS Annual Population Survey. | |||
Co-operatives: Harrogate and Knaresborough
Andrew Jones:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what support prospective mutuals in Harrogate
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and Knaresborough constituency can access from his Department. [91980]
Mr Maude: Public sector staff who want to take control of the services they run can access support through the Mutuals Support Programme. The programme is made up of the following elements:
The Mutuals Information Service website
http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
gives information on the process of becoming a mutual, case studies, high-level guidance and access to a resource library. There will also be an online forum launched shortly.
There is a dedicated hotline on 0845 5390543 which will assess business needs of fledgling mutuals and provide appropriate expert advice, guidance and support.
The most promising fledgling mutuals will be eligible for funds from the Mutuals Support Programme. This is a fund of more than £10 million, administered by the Cabinet Office, used to fund contracts for support in the form of business and professional services (such as HR, legal, financial, tax and business planning) to groups of staff or existing mutual organisations in the public sector, but will not give cash grants. Referrals to these funds will come from the hotline.
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on recruitment agencies in each month since September 2011. [87966]
Mr Maude: The information requested in not held in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
A monthly breakdown of the Department's expenditure can be found on:
www.data.gov.uk
Electoral Register
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were (a) registered to vote in each parliamentary constituency in December 2010 and (b) enumerated at the March 2011 Census as qualified to register to vote. [92686]
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 January 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were (a) registered to vote in each parliamentary constituency in December 2010 and (b) enumerated at the March 2011 Census as qualified to register to vote (92686)
The attached table shows the number of people who were registered to vote in parliamentary elections by constituency on 1 December 2010. A copy of the table has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Population estimates from the 2011 Census will not be published until later this summer. These will be estimates of the resident population by local authority area and age and sex. Information on nationality and citizenship that could be used to help assess eligibility to vote will be published later in 2012.
Empty Properties: Essex
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what Government-owned properties in Essex are currently empty or underused. [92050]
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Mr Hurd: The Government's electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) identifies seven marketable vacant space records within the county of Essex. In addition there are two surplus land records which include buildings. Details are identified within the Excel spreadsheet which will be placed in the Library of the House. The Government are looking at how best to address these surpluses.
e-PIMS does hot currently explicitly record underused space.
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his office publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92128]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office including the Prime Minister’s Office publishes on its website responses to requests for information where there is a substantial public, rather than private, interest. Details are published on the Freedom of Information pages of the website on each occasion. No information is available about the time taken between responding to a request and the information becoming available on the website but the aim is to do so as quickly as possible.
There is no change in practice from the previous Administration.
Government Departments: Computers
Tim Farron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average cost is of a laptop purchased by the Government. [90560]
Mr Maude [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Information required is not held in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
However the average price paid for laptop computers bought through Government Procurement Service's framework agreements during financial year 2010-11 is £558.91.
Departments publish the average cost of their desktop IT in the Quarterly Data Summary.
Government Departments: Contracts
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how the performance of services outsourced to private companies is assessed in different Government Departments; and what guidelines his Department issues on such assessment. [90033]
Mr Maude: The responsibility for contract management, including the key performance indicators to be monitored, rests with the individual contracting authorities as the specific aspects of performance measurement will vary according to the contract.
The Cabinet Office has issued a contract management checklist, which includes a section on service delivery and can be found at:
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http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/contract_management_checklist.pdf
Further guidance is published at:
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/good-practice-management-framework.pdf
Merchant Navy: Medals
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what consideration he has given to including the Merchant Navy Medal in the orders of wear. [91557]
Mr Maude: The Merchant Navy Medal is not part of the UK Honours System and thus has no place in the Order of Wear. The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals is responsible for considering any departmental recommendations relating to medals policy should they be received.
Geraint Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has any plans to make the Merchant Navy Medal part of the UK Honours System. [92565]
Mr Maude: The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals is responsible for considering any departmental recommendations relating to medals policy.
Office for Civil Society
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what date the Office for Civil Society moved to HM Treasury; and if he will make a statement. [92324]
Mr Hurd: The Office for Civil Society moved to 1 Horse Guards in two stages during the course of May 2011 and continues to remain part of the Cabinet Office.
Public Data Corporation
Andrew Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has for the future of the Public Data Corporation. [91911]
Mr Hurd: In the autumn statement last November, the Government announced the establishment of a data strategy board and a public data group as part of its commitment to create a public data corporation. These organisations will maximise the value of the data from the Met Office, Ordnance Survey, the Land Registry and Companies House and will make available for free a range of core reference datasets from these bodies to support the development of high-value data businesses.
The Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are currently agreeing Terms of Reference for both organisations. The Government will publish the summary of responses to the Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation which took place last summer.
Public Sector: Pay
Damian Collins:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the proportion of Government spending, excluding debt payments, which
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was allocated to
(a)
salaries and
(b)
pension payments and contributions for public sector workers in each year since 1997. [92269]
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 January 2012:
As Director General of ONS, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the estimate of the proportion of government spending, excluding debt payments which was committed to (a) salaries and (b) pension payments and contributions for public sector workers in each year since 1997. (92269).
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The two tables show;
general government current spending excluding debt interest payments,
general government spending on wages and salaries, and
general government total employers’ contributions (including pension contributions).
General government wages and salaries and total employers’ contributions are presented in pounds sterling and as a proportion of the total general government spending excluding debt payments. Table 1 provides the data by calendar year and Table 2 by financial year.
The figures include pension payments and contributions of employees in central and local government, but not those in public corporations.
| Table 1: General Government spending on wages and salaries and employer contributions by calendar year (1) : 1997-2010 United Kingdom | |||||
| General Government current spending excluding debt payments (£ million) | General Government wages and salaries (£ million) | Proportion of general Government spending excluding debt interest payments (percentage) | General Government total employers’ contributions (£ million) | Proportion of general Government spending excluding debt interest payments (percentage) | |
| (1) Data presented are consistent with the Public Sector Finances statistical bulletin published on 24 January 2012 | |||||
| Table 2: General Government spending on wages and salaries and employer contributions by financial year (1) : 1997-98 to 2010-11 United Kingdom | |||||
| General Government spending excluding debt payments (£ million) | General Government wages and salaries (£ million) | Proportion of general Government spending excluding debt payments (percentage) | General Government total employers’ contributions (£ million) | Proportion of general Government spending excluding debt payments (percentage) | |
| (1) Data presented are consistent with the Public Sector Finances statistical bulletin published on 24 January 2012. | |||||
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions civil servants from different Government Departments have considered the big society agenda at inter-departmental meetings hosted by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [92325]
Mr Hurd: Big society is an integral part of work that is happening across Government. Civil servants at the Cabinet Office meet frequently with colleagues in other Departments to discuss the big society agenda, and specific policies and programmes relating to it.
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Church Commissioners
Auckland Castle: Art Works
Helen Goodman: To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church Commissioners have for the future of Auckland Castle and the Zurbaran paintings; and if he will make a statement. [91385]
Tony Baldry: The Church Commissioners have approved terms for the sale of the Zurbaran paintings at Auckland Castle and the castle itself. The sale will facilitate the creation of a visitor attraction, encouraging regeneration in both the town and the region. This is of benefit to the church, town, county and region. The acquisition is by two trusts, each of which has Mr Jonathan Ruffer as a trustee.
Communities and Local Government
Community Cohesion
23. Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to announce his policy on community cohesion. [92077]
24. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to announce his policy on community cohesion. [92078]
Andrew Stunell: Government’s role is to create the conditions which enable integration to happen in all places and all communities. We will not impose a top-down, centrally designed and implemented programme but will trust people to take the lead in their local areas.
Both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister have explained how seriously we take this task and we will publish a document giving more detail on this shortly.
Fire and Rescue Service
Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of changes in the level of funding from the public purse to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service between 2011-12 and 2014-15. [92060]
Robert Neill: Fire and rescue authorities have been given protection with savings back-loaded to allow changes without affecting the quality and breadth of services provided to communities.
The spending power change for Manchester is -5.2% in 2011-12 and -1.9% in 2012-13.
The Government have set out their proposals to allow local authorities, including fire and rescue authorities, to benefit from business rates retention from 2013-14.
I also refer the hon. Member to my letter of 6 December 2010, a copy of which is available in the Library of the
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House, which outlines how fire and rescue authorities can make sensible savings without impacting on the quality and breadth of services offered to their communities.
Coastal Communities Fund
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the criteria for allocation of the Coastal Communities Fund. [91615]
Grant Shapps: My Department will be issuing a prospectus shortly giving details of the proposed design and delivery of the new Coastal Communities Fund, to be administered in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund. It will include the criteria to be used to assess applications.
We will ensure that all MPs representing coastal constituencies, coastal local authorities and other interested parties receive a copy of the prospectus for the fund.
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the use of the Coastal Communities Fund; and what his policy is on the future of the fund. [92002]
Grant Shapps: The Coastal Communities Fund is not yet in operation as funding only becomes available on 1 April. My Department will be issuing a prospectus shortly giving details of the proposed design and delivery of the fund, to be administered in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund. There is a commitment to review the operation of the new fund after the first year's awards have been made. The fund is intended to be a rolling programme with annual bidding rounds in future years.
All MPs with coastal constituencies, coastal local authorities and other interested bodies will receive a copy of the prospectus for the fund.
Countryside: Planning
Mr Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of the draft National Planning Policy Framework on undesignated countryside in England. [91527]
Greg Clark [holding answer 24 January 2012]: The consultation stage impact assessment accompanying the draft National Planning Policy Framework looks at a full range of environmental, social and economic impacts. A final impact assessment will be published alongside the final National Planning Policy Framework. To preserve the natural environment, the draft states that local plans should seek to allocate land for development with the least environmental or amenity value, and should plan positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure.
Local Government Finance
Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in how many cases Ministers have exercised their powers to pay
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additional grant under section 85 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 in each local authority in each year since 1990. [91478]
Robert Neill [holding answer 24 January 2012]: The power to pay additional grant under section 85 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 has been exercised just once in 1992, in consequence of the Government making an order under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991, giving effect to the recommendations of the review body appointed for the purpose of that Act in relation to teachers' pay for 1992-93. Since implementation of the Local Government Finance Act 2003, if additional grant has been required following a Local Government Finance report, the Government have paid grant under section 31 of that Act. In this context, the Section 85 powers are therefore redundant.
Mayors: Coventry
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 906W, on mayors: Coventry, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letters sent to Coventry city council on the costs of the referendum on elected mayors. [92171]
Greg Clark: I have today placed in the Library of the House, a copy of the two letters sent to Coventry city council on the costs of the referendum on elected mayors.
Regional Growth Fund
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding has been transferred to the Regional Growth Fund to date; and if he will make a statement. [91823]
Grant Shapps: Funding for the Regional Growth Fund has been profiled for the spending review period. It was announced in the autumn statement that the Regional Growth Fund would allocate an additional £1 billion over the spending period bringing the total to be allocated to £2.4 billion by March 2015.
Shops: Closures
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes in business rates on the number of shop closures in (a) Hartlepool constituency, (b) the north-east and (c) England; and if he will make a statement. [91822]
Robert Neill: No assessment has been made of the effect of recent changes in business rates on the number of shop closures in (a) Hartlepool constituency, (b) the north-east and (c) England.
This Government have doubled small business rate relief for two and a half years, which will benefit about half a million ratepayers (with about a third of a million
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paying no rates at all for that period). This increased tax relief will have supported small shops across the country. We have also taken powers, through the Localism Act 2011, to waive £175 million of backdated business rates demands levied on businesses, including some in ports, to increase the take-up of small business rate relief by making it easier to claim, and to give local authorities powers to provide discounts on business rates bills.
Sustainable Communities Act 2007
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether the regulations required by the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010 will contain a duty on local authorities to try to reach agreement with communities; [92408]
(2) whether the regulations required by the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010 will contain a time limit for dealing with proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007; [92409]
(3) when he expects regulations required by the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010 will be laid before Parliament; [92410]
(4) whether the regulations required by the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010 will contain the right for town and parish councils to submit proposals under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. [92411]
Greg Clark: The Government are considering the scope of regulations under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 following the consultation exercise conducted last year. We are aiming to make the regulations shortly.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to answer parliamentary questions 90352 and 90353 on council tax. [92519]
Grant Shapps: Parliamentary questions 90352 and 90353 were answered on 25 January 2012, Official Report, column 242-43W.
Deputy Prime Minister
Parliamentary Elections
Simon Hart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Office has plans to review the level of deposit made by candidates at parliamentary elections. [92005]
Mr Harper: There are no current plans to change the level of deposit which candidates are required to pay in order to stand at UK parliamentary elections, although the Government remains open to representations on the matter. The deposit is intended to strike a balance between allowing candidates to participate while acting as a disincentive to those with no real prospect of success.
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Health
Accident and Emergency Departments: Doctors
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for accident and emergency doctors in the NHS. [91950]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Information Centre suspended collection of this data for 2011. A public consultation on the Fundamental Review of Data Returns closed in November 2011. We expect the consultation response to be published during February.
The Department is able to provide data about the number of job advertisements placed on NHS Jobs by employers in the NHS as a proxy measure.
There are 116 adverts(1) for emergency doctors on NHS Jobs that expire on 26 January 2012 or later. There were adverts(2) for 218 doctors in emergency medicine where the advert closed after 1 January 2012 but before 26 January 2012.
(1 )Data gathered from NHS Jobs 25 January 2012.
(2 )Ibid.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people with Alzheimer's disease; [92348]
(2) how much money is spent on care for those with Alzheimer's disease; and how much money is spent for medication for treatment of Alzheimer's. [92349]
Paul Burstow: Information on spending on care for Alzheimer's disease, by the national health service and local authorities, is not collected centrally. The all-party parliamentary group on dementia, in its report “The £20 Billion Question—An inquiry into improving lives through cost-effective dementia services” (2011) that the financial cost of dementia in the United Kingdom is estimated to be £20 billion a year.
Drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are classified under section 4.11 (Drugs for dementia) of the British National Formulary (BNF). These drugs are Donepezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine and Memantine. All of these drugs have been included in the following tables. It should be noted that Rivastigmine is also licensed for dementia associated with Parkinson's disease.
| Table 1: Net ingredient cost (NIC) for BNF Section 4.11 Drugs used for dementia dispensed in England for the latest year available | |
| NIC (£000) | |
| Source: Prescription Cost Analysis database | |
We can also provide information on the use of these drugs within hospitals in England. These figures are based on a sample and are costed using standard price lists. The figures therefore do not necessarily represent the actual amounts paid by the hospitals.
| Table 2: Estimated cost for drugs in BNF Section 4.11 used in hospitals in England for the latest year available | |
| Cost (£000) | |
| Source: Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index database | |
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It is estimated that approximately 610,000 people in England have dementia, which includes Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's Disease: Health Services
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) medical professionals and (b) NHS officials about the new Alzheimer's treatment Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. [92347]
Paul Burstow: Guidance on treatments and therapies are issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Its guidance on dementia, supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care (2006), identified cognitive stimulation as an area where more research is needed. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy is one of a number of treatments and therapies available for dementia. Clinicians can, and do, decide which course of treatment to prescribe to individual patients with dementia, based on each individual's specific needs.
Arthritis: Medical Treatments
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) arthritis care groups and (b) Queen's University Belfast on new treatments for arthritis in the hands. [92026]
Paul Burstow: It is for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, together with relevant professional organisations, to assess new treatment options for people with arthritis in the hands.
Brain: Injuries
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of information on post-traumatic hypopituitarism to patients who have suffered head injury; [92176]
(2) what recent representations he has received on diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic hypopituitarism; [92177]
(3) if he will consider introducing routine screening of head injury patients for post-traumatic hypopituitarism. [92180]
Paul Burstow: The Department has received a small amount of correspondence on this matter over the last year.
We have made no assessment of the provision of information on post-traumatic hypopituitarism to patients who have suffered head injury.
There are no plans to introduce routine screening of head injury patients for this condition.
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to include information about post-traumatic hypopituitarism in its head injury guidelines; [92178]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on its head injury guidelines. [92179]
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Paul Burstow: We have no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to include information about post-traumatic hypopituitarism in its head injury clinical guideline, and have had no discussions with NICE about its head injury clinical guideline. As an independent body, NICE is responsible for the development of its clinical guidelines in consultation with stakeholders. NICE is undertaking an update of its published head injury clinical guideline, and as part of that review will consult stakeholders on the detailed scope of the guideline.
Cancer: Health Services
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had any discussions on radiofrequency ablation as a new method to reduce cancerous tumours; and how widely used that method of treatment is. [92346]
Paul Burstow: The Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has had no discussions on radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as a new method to reduce cancerous tumours.
Provided in the following table is the number of finished consultant episodes in England by strategic health authority (SHA) in the last three years where RFA has been used in the treatment of patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer.
To protect patient confidentiality, figures between one and five have been replaced with an asterisk. Where it was still possible to identify numbers from the total, an additional number (the next smallest) has been replaced. These data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
| SHA | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 |
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Additives: Food
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research of the potential (a) carcinogenic and (b) other effects of parabens in (i) the food supply chain and (ii) cosmetics. [91778]
Anne Milton: The Food Standards Agency has responsibility for food additive issues including the permitted preservatives ethyl and methyl parabens. All food additives have been thoroughly tested for safety prior to approval and have been reviewed by independent expert bodies, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These tests comprise a range of studies such as those for carcinogenicity, genotoxicity and metabolism. EFSA has concluded that ethyl and methyl parabens are safe to use in foods in line with the requirements of European Union food additive legislation.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has responsibility for cosmetics. We are advised cosmetics are regulated on a European basis, and parabens have their usage restricted under the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC. The Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has investigated the use of parabens as recently as December 2010 and noted that there is no evidence of a demonstrable risk for the development of breast cancer caused by the use of underarm cosmetics containing parabens. There have also been investigations into possible other toxicity and developmental effects and recent opinions by the SCCS are that there is no concern except for propyl and butyl paraben in leave-on cosmetic products for children aged under six months which is under review.
Cystitis: Medical Treatments
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) the British Medical Association and (b) other organisations on improvements of treatment options for people with cystitis. [92024]
Paul Burstow: It is for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, together with relevant professional organisations, to assess new treatment options for people with cystitis.
Deloitte
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts his Department has awarded to Deloitte since May 2010; and what the (a) net and (b) individual monetary value was of each such contract. [92443]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table sets out information from the Department's central procurement system about the purchase orders (PO) with Deloitte that the Department created between 24 May 2010 and 25 November 2011.
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Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the number of ministerial special advisers in his Department has increased to four; on what date the change took place; and if he will make a statement. [92326]
Mr Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) on 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 534W.
Diabetes
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with diabetes organisations on dietary and exercise advice for people newly diagnosed with diabetes. [92027]
Paul Burstow: The Department maintains a dialogue with a number of organisations on a wide range of issues on diabetes.
Advice on diet and exercise is included in the Diabetes Quality Standard produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in .2011.
It is for local national health service organisations to deliver comprehensive high-quality and safe diabetes services, appropriate to the needs of their populations, taking the quality standard into account.
The NHS is a devolved matter and the hon. Member may also wish to direct his question to the Northern Ireland Executive Minister for Health.
Disability: Children
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children are screened for (a) visual and (b) auditory impairment during a health assessment on school entry; what measures are in place to encourage such screening; and if he will make a statement. [92402]
Anne Milton: The data for both vision and hearing screening are not held centrally.
The ‘Healthy Child Programme: pregnancy and the first five years’, is the evidence-based prevention and early intervention programme setting out the good practice framework for the delivery of services starting in pregnancy to promote optimal health and well-being and reduce health inequalities.
As part of the screening schedule, the Healthy Child Programme recommends that commissioners ensure there is easy access for children of all ages to audiology services throughout childhood and children should be screened for visual impairment between four and five years of age by an orpthoptist -led service.
General Practitioners
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has provided to GPs who set up patient participation groups. [91831]
Mr Simon Burns: The Patient Participation Directed Enhanced Service (that was agreed with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association to apply from April 2011) provides general practitioner practices with a maximum payment of £1.10 per registered patient (equivalent to £60 million nationally) for those practices who successfully meet the agreed requirements, which includes setting up a patient reference group.
Health Services
Mr Buckland:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects to announce the results of the National Quality Board engagement exercise on
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the library of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard NHS healthcare topics; and if he will make a statement; [92016]
(2) whether Quality Standards relating to autism care for children and adults will be included in the National Quality Board library of Quality Standard NHS healthcare topics; and if he will make a statement. [92017]
Paul Burstow: We expect to publish details of the Quality Standard topics being referred to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), following the engagement exercise, shortly. A copy of the referral letter to NICE will be placed in the Library when it is sent.
Health Services: Ex-servicemen
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the timetable is for the introduction of the Veterans' Information Service; [91832]
(2) what plans he has for future funding of the 24-hour support telephone line for veterans; [91833]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of issues relating to veterans' mental health. [91834]
Mr Simon Burns: The Veterans' Information Service is in the process of being designed to satisfy some of the recommendations in the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire’s (Dr Murrison) “Fighting Fit” report. These were that a Veterans' Information Service (VIS) be deployed 12 months after a person leaves the armed forces, and that regulars and reserves are followed-up approximately 12 months after they leave. The VIS will be the final service to be put in place, and will enable us to ensure that consent is sought when someone leaves the armed forces for contact to be made 12 months later. This will reference services that are being established during 2011-12. The planned launch date for the VIS service is currently April 2012.
It was noted in the “Fighting Fit” report that the Department of Health was in the process of "establishing a 24 hour helpline and improving the knowledge base of GPs ..." The first of these items has been completed through the establishment of the Combat Stress Veterans' 24-hour helpline. The Department worked with Combat Stress to procure a professional 24-hour mental health helpline aimed at the armed forces community. The tender was won by Rethink, and the Department provided a grant to Combat Stress to cover set-up, and one year's operations. The helpline was opened on 28 February 2011, and officially launched on 11 March 2011. The helpline is live with ongoing activity in conjunction with Combat Stress to strengthen the armed forces community awareness training of operatives and ensure awareness of complementary services as they come live. Up until December 2011, it had taken over 3,000 calls from over 1,600 different individuals. The helpline's initial one-year period of operations is being evaluated by the Department and a decision will soon be taken as to whether or not to extend the contract.
The Department works closely with the Ministry of Defence, the national health service, their third sector strategic partners (Combat Stress and the Royal British Legion), and others in relation to veterans' mental
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health issues. The Department takes its responsibility towards the mental health of veterans very seriously and agreed to implement all the recommendations of the “Fighting Fit” report. In getting these initiatives up and running the Department has worked closely with the Ministry of Defence and others to publicise them, with official launches and media activity. All of these activities are contributing to raising awareness of these issues with health care professionals in particular and the public more generally. In addition, the Department's mental health strategy, “No health without mental health”, makes specific reference to the mental health needs of veterans.
Health Services: Finance
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to payment by results tariffs for hospital treatment on the surpluses of primary care trusts in the north-east; [92468]
(2) if he will issue guidance to primary care trusts on spending budget surpluses; and if he will make a statement; [92469]
(3) what recent representations he has received from (a) acute and (b) foundation trusts on changes to payment by results tariffs; [92470]
(4) what payment by results tariff was paid to each (a) acute trust and (b) foundation trust in (i) the north-east, (ii) England in each of the last five years. [92624]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department had not made an assessment of the effect of changes to the payment by results (PbR) tariffs on the surpluses of primary care trusts (PCTs).
The NHS Operating Framework for 2012-13 states that the strategic health authority (SHA) and PCT surplus for 2011-12 will be carried forward into 2012-13. During 2012-13, we shall continue to draw down the surplus generated from previous years in a planned and managed way.
In the last six months, Ministers have received one piece of correspondence from a foundation trust regarding maternity tariff arrangements for 2012-13.
A table showing the amount paid to acute trusts from PCTs under the PbR tariff in the north-east and England has been placed in the Library. For foundation trusts, this information is not held centrally.
Health Services: Older People
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what proportion of finished admission episodes the patient was over (a) 65, (b) 80 and (c) 90 years in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [91915]
Paul Burstow: The information is shown in the following table.
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| Number and proportion of finished admission episodes (1) for selected age group, 2006-07 to 2010-11 (2) | ||||||
| Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | ||||||
| 65 and over | 80 and over | 90 and over | ||||
| Number of FAE | Percentage of all FAEs | Number of FAE | Percentage of all FAEs | Number of FAE | Percentage of all FAEs | |
| (1) Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) Assessing growth through time Hospital Episode Statistics (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), Health and Social Care Information Centre | ||||||
Hip Replacements
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations to replace existing hip and knee replacements have taken place in England and Wales in each of the last five years. [92025]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of operations to replace existing hip and knee replacements that have taken place in England and Wales in each of the last five years and that were reported to the National Joint Registry is provided in the following table.
| Joints | |||
| Hips | Knees | Total | |
| Source: National Joint Registry | |||
Hospital Wards: Gender
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS hospitals no longer have mixed sex wards. [92001]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect information about mixed-sex wards(1), but information is collected on the number of patients whose care is in breach of guidance on mixed-sex sleeping arrangements. The latest figures show a fall from 11,802 breaches in December 2010 to 767 in December 2011, when 73% (121) of all acute trusts reported zero breaches.
Overall there has been a reduction of breaches of more than 94% in a fraction over a year. By publishing this regular and reliable data, bad performance has been highlighted and the number of breaches of the rules has been substantially reduced.
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The Government have made it clear that national health service organisations are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient, or reflects their personal choice. The commitment to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation can be found in The Operating Framework for the NHS in England for both 2011-12 and 2012-13.
(1) Single-sex accommodation can be provided in:
single-sex wards (i.e. the whole ward is occupied by men or women but not both);
single rooms with adjacent single-sex toilet and washing facilities (preferably en suite); and
single-sex accommodation within mixed wards (i.e. bays or rooms which accommodate either men or women, not both, with designated single-sex toilet and washing facilities preferably within or adjacent to the bay or room).
Infectious Diseases
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made on training for (a) GPs and (b) hospital accident and emergency staff on spotting outbreaks of infectious diseases. [91891]
Anne Milton: The content and standard of health care training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory bodies.
Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, these organisations are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality health professionals and that health care professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the Prevention and Control of Infections and related guidance (2010), requires providers of health care to have systems in place for the recognition of outbreaks of infectious diseases, which would include training accident and emergency department staff where relevant.
Learning Disability: Medical Equipment
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the future commissioning arrangements for alternative and augmentative communication aids. [91826]
Mr Simon Burns: No separate assessment has been made.
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill the Government's intention is that the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) will directly commission a number of services including those specialised services which are currently provided at both national and regional level.
No final decisions have yet been taken on the services the NHS CB will directly commission but Ministers expect to be in a position to do this later this year.
Medical Treatments
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many treatments have been undertaken by the NHS in each of the last 10 years. [91949]
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Mr Simon Burns: The available information is shown in the following tables.
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| Out-patient and in-patient hospital activity, England (commissioner based) | ||||||
| Out-patients | In-patients | |||||
| First attendances seen | Subsequent attendances seen | Total attendances seen | Elective General and Acute FFCEs | Non-elective General and Acute FFCEs | Total General and Acute FFCEs | |
| Out-patient and in-patient hospital activity; England (provider based) | ||||||
| Out-patients | In-patients | |||||
| First attendances seen | Subsequent attendances seen | Total attendances seen | Elective General and Acute FFCEs | Non-elective General and Acute FFCEs | Total General and Acute FFCEs | |
| Note: The out-patient attendances are for all specialties. The Inpatient First Finished Consultant Episodes (FFCEs) are for General and Acute specialties only. General and Acute does not include maternity, mental illness and learning disability. Commissioner based out-patient attendances were first collected in quarter 1 2005-06 and due to this being a new collection there were issues with data completeness. Source: Department of Health Quarterly Activity Return for outpatient attendances and Monthly Activity Return for Inpatient FFCEs. | ||||||
Motor Neurone Disease: Swindon
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in South Swindon constituency have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in each of the last five years. [91616]
Paul Burstow: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of motor neuron disease for Swindon primary care trust (PCT) (of residence)(3) for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11.
| Count of finished consultant episodes (1) (FCEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis (2) of motor neuron disease for Swindon PCT (of residence) (3) for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11 (4) , activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | |||||
| PCT of residence | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 | 2007-08 | 2006-07 |
| (1) Finished consultant episode (FCE): A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care 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. ICD-10 codes used G12.2—motor neuron disease. | |||||
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| (3) SHA/PCT of residence: The strategic health authority (SHA) or PCT containing the patient’s normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (4) Assessing growth through time: 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 out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Note: Activity included: Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. |
Muscular Dystrophy
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. [91901]
Paul Burstow: It is the responsibility of health and care professionals, working in conjunction with patients and their families, to arrange the most appropriate health and social care for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
A national neuromuscular work plan for the commissioning of specialised services is currently been consulted on prior to being finalised by April 2012.
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. [91903]
Paul Burstow: The Department spent £0.4 million on directly-funded research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in 2010-11. A three-year project on advanced antisense oligonucleotide technology for exon skipping in DMD started in March 2011. The Department is contributing £1.5 million to this project, with joint funding from the Wellcome Trust.
NHS: Regional Transition
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget was of each Regional Transition Programme Board in each year since its establishment. [92237]
Mr Simon Burns: The regional transition programme is a local initiative that has been established by the North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA). As such, the information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to write to the North East SHA, which may hold some relevant information.
NHS: Finance
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Easington of 18 January 2012, Official Report, column 874W, on NHS: capital investment, (1) whether any (a) decisions have been taken and (b) deadlines have been set at local level for the use of the funding; [91858]
(2) what the (a) amount and (b) source is of the identified capital funding to be made available to the NHS; which body or individual will be responsible for determining the use of the funding; and when he expects to announce plans for the use of the funding; [91859]
(3) with whom in the NHS he is having discussions. [91860]
Mr Simon Burns: Departmental officials have been in discussion and working closely with strategic health authority (SHA) cluster colleagues, to establish exactly how this funding could be optimised to achieve best results. In parallel, SHA clusters have been liaising with their organisations and identifying proposals, based on local need, and prioritising them across their region. Any local deadlines are a matter for local determination. No decisions have been taken at this stage. Officials, together with SHA cluster colleagues, will determine the use of this funding and any announcements on this will be made shortly.
It is currently expected that up to £300 million, which has been sourced from existing capital resources, will be invested by the end of March 2013. This will allow time for local investments to be properly planned and prioritised, ensuring the most effective use of this funding.
Osteoporosis: Health Services
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he has issued to care homes on the prevention, treatment and care of fractures resulting from falls by people with osteoporosis. [92023]
Paul Burstow: The Department provides guidelines through the Department's falls and bone health commissioning toolkit. In addition, the National Hip Fracture Database, which audits the care of hip fracture patients, and the Royal College of Physicians' Falls and Bone health audit also apply to all care settings including care homes.
Osteoporosis: Swindon
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in South Swindon have been diagnosed with osteoporosis in each of the last five years. [91618]
Paul Burstow: Information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table shows the count of finished consultant episodes(1) (FCEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis(2) of osteoporosis for Swindon primary care trust (PCT) (of residence)(3) for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11(4).
| Count of finished consultant episodes (1) (FCEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis (2) of osteoporosis for Swindon PCT (of residence) (3) for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11 (4) , activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | |||||
| PCT of residence | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 | 2007-08 | 2006-07 |
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| (1) Finished consultant episode (FCE): A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care 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. ICD-10 codes used: M80—Osteoporosis with pathological fracture M81—Osteoporosis without pathological fracture M82—Osteoporosis in diseases classified elsewhere (M82 only occurs in a secondary position after a dagger code identifying the underlying disease). (3) SHA/PCT of residence: The strategic health authority (SHA) or PCT containing the patient’s normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (4) Assessing growth through time: 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 out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Note: Activity included: Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. |