Nutrition
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 807-8W, on nutrition, what proportion of the population consume more than the average recommended level of trans fats; and what effect this has on (a) mental and (b) physical health. [115789]
Anne Milton: The Department recommends that trans fatty acids should contribute no more than 2% of food energy intake. The most recent data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that two participants out of over 2,000 (0.1%) had an intake of trans fatty acids above the recommendation.
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises the Department, reviewed the evidence of the health effects of trans fatty acids in 2007. SACN concluded that there is evidence that trans fatty acids may increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and recommended that average dietary intakes of trans fatty acids should not exceed 2% of food energy. SACN concluded that the evidence relating intakes of trans fatty acids to risk of diseases other than CHD, including neurological development in children and cognitive decline, is limited and therefore insufficient for any conclusions to be drawn.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2012, Official Report, column 543W, on food: safety, what assessment he has made of the effects of eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day on rates of (a) cancer and (b) heart disease. [115793]
Anne Milton:
The Government's “5 a Day” recommendation is based on epidemiological evidence indicating an association with consumption of more than 400 grams a day of fruit and vegetables (not including potatoes) with reduced risk of certain diet- related chronic diseases. People who consume high levels of fruit and vegetables compared with low consumers
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tend to have a lower risk of coronary heart disease, a lower risk of some cancers, better bowel health and better micronutrient status.
It is difficult to attribute the direct effect of the consumption on fruit and vegetables on rates of cancer and heart disease. However, the national health service plan (2000) estimates that eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%.
Pharmacy
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason patients who collect prescriptions from a pharmacy can use the New Medicines Service but patients who collect prescriptions from the dispensary of a dispensing practice cannot; [115403]
(2) what plans his Department has to extend the New Medicines Service to dispensing practices. [115404]
Mr Simon Burns: The New Medicine Service (NMS) was negotiated as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework. It is designed to provide support to patients to maximise the benefits from their medicines and is based on research showing that early intervention by a pharmacist can help to improve patients' adherence to their medicines and reduce the use of national health service resources.
Dispensing doctors, who are authorised or required to provide dispensing services to specific patients, may already participate in the Dispensing Services Quality Scheme (DSQS), as set out in the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlement. The DSQS applies only to doctors who dispense, not pharmacies, and sets out the minimum requirements for review of use of medicines with patients, which are intended to optimise the impact of treatment for each individual patient.
There are currently no plans to extend the NMS to dispensing doctors.
Public Health England
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accountability processes he has put in place to ensure that (a) Public Health England delivers the outcomes required of it and (b) the performance of health and well-being boards is measured. [115917]
Anne Milton: Public Health England (PHE) will be an executive agency of the Department of Health for operational independence but will nevertheless be subject to the usual requirements of public and parliamentary accountability of a Department of state. A framework agreement between PHE and the Department will set out roles and responsibilities. There will be a separate line of accountability from the chief executive of PHE to the Secretary of State for Health as well as a direct reporting to the Permanent Secretary. In addition, an advisory board with a non-executive majority will provide independent advice and challenge to support the running and development of PHE. PHE will have to deliver against objectives set out in its business plan, to be measured against the Public Health Outcomes Framework, and report annually.
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Health and well-being boards will be established as local committees of local authorities and, as such, it is not for central Government to monitor their performance. The boards will work with local communities to agree local priorities for action to improve both health and care services and the health and well-being of local people through joint health and well-being strategies (JHWSs). JHWSs should include clear outcome measures by which health and well-being boards can use to demonstrate whether they have been successful in tackling these priorities, against which local people can hold health and well-being boards to account. The involvement of local councillors and local Healthwatch on health and well-being boards will support this transparency and accountability to local people. Health and well-being boards will also be subject to overview and scrutiny committees of the local authority who will be able to review and scrutinise the decisions and actions of health and well-being boards and make reports and recommendations to the authority or its executive.
School Milk
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many settings claiming for the cost of milk through the nursery milk scheme claimed more than (a) 60 pence per pint, (b) 70 pence per pint, (c) 80 pence per pint and (d) 90 pence per pint in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [115599]
Anne Milton: The following table provides figures for the number of child care settings claiming for the free nursery milk at a cost ranging from 60p to 90p per pint in the month of June 2012:
| Cost claimed by the child care settings in providing free nursery milk in the month of June 2012 | Number of child care settings |
The Department is currently consulting on a range of options for reforming the operation of the nursery milk scheme, looking at making it more efficient as well as improving its value for money, while ensuring that all children under five attending a child care setting for more than two hours a day continue to be entitled to receive free milk.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of five who receive milk through the nursery milk scheme have this milk supplied by intermediaries. [115600]
Anne Milton: Some child care providers use intermediaries or agents to arrange the supply of milk in the nursery milk scheme. At present 32,821 child care settings use such agents. The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of individual children who receive free nursery milk. However, in 2011-12 there were 121,139,059 portions of milk (each a third of a pint) supplied through agents, which represents 44.7% of the total milk reimbursed under the scheme.
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Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his consultation on the next steps for nursery milk, whether the estimate of 40 per cent uptake of the scheme is based on the whole population under the age of five or only those in settings for more than two hours a day. [115601]
Anne Milton: The estimate of 40% uptake of the nursery milk scheme is based on the whole population of children under five years of age. It is not based on the number of children attending settings for more than two hours a day.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have received milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years. [115653]
Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Lady to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Gordon Henderson) on 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 666W.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children under the age of five have received free milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years. [115670]
Anne Milton: The Department is unable to provide information on the number of individual children, and hence the proportion of children under five, who have received free milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years as this information is not held centrally. Based on the total number of portions (1/3 pint) supplied each year, if we assume that children attend for at least two hours, five days per week for 36 weeks per year, 271,246,523 portions (reimbursed in 2011-12) translates to around 1.5 million children, which represents roughly 40% of the total number of under-fives. Of course, more individual children may attend for fewer days per week, meaning that the proportion of under-fives receiving free milk under the scheme may be higher.
Surgery
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of surgical clinics cancelled in each year from 2002. [116009]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect information on the number of cancelled surgical clinics.
Thalidomide
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much the NHS spent on thalidomide derivative products in the treatment of cancer between 2009 and 2011; [115277]
(2) which companies supply thalidomide derivative products to the NHS. [115278]
Paul Burstow: The only thalidomide derivative licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of cancer is lenalidomide, which is used in the national health service in England for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Information on its use in primary and secondary care is shown in the following tables.
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| Primary care: lenalidomide prescription items dispensed in the community in England(1) | ||
| Number of prescription items | Net ingredient cost (£000) | |
| (1) Although lenalidomide is only licensed for the treatment of multiple myeloma, it is not possible to determine if the reported usage was for that purpose as the intended use is not recorded. Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system. | ||
| Secondary care: packs of lenalidomide used in hospitals(1) | ||
| Number of packs(2) | Cost (£000) | |
| (1) Although lenalidomide is licensed only for the treatment of multiple myeloma, it is not possible to determine if the reported usage was for that purpose as the intended use is not recorded. (2) Lenalidomide is available in packs of 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg and 25 mg, each containing 21 tablets. The figure for the number of packs is therefore not a direct measure of the physical quantity used, the number of times the medicine was used or the number of patients treated. Source: IMS Health: Hospital Pharmacy Audit. | ||
The British National Formulary indicates that the only manufacturer of lenalidomide is Celgene Ltd. Manufacturers can supply NHS organisations directly or through wholesalers.
Thalidomide Trust
Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made on his talks with the National Advisory Council to the Thalidomide Trust; and if he will make a statement. [115330]
Paul Burstow: I met with the National Advisory Council (NAC) to the Thalidomide Trust on 12 June 2012. Departmental officials met with members of the Thalidomide Trust and the NAC to the trust in June 2010 to discuss the evaluation of the first year of the three-year pilot funded by the Department, and I anticipate that the trust will shortly submit the evaluation of the pilot's second year. Officials will meet with the Thalidomide Trust and the NAC to discuss the evaluation report before the end of this month.
Transplant Surgery: Bone Marrow Disorders
Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received a bone marrow transplant of donated stem cells from adult donors and supplied by NHS Blood and Transplant in each of the last three financial years; and what the average cost to hospitals was of the supply of these cell units in each year. [115406]
Anne Milton: The following table shows the number of adult donor bone marrow stem cell units issued by NHS Blood and Transplant for the past three financial years and the associated costs to hospitals.
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| Financial year | Number of patients supplied with adult stem cell donors | Total cost to hospitals (£) |
Deputy Prime Minister
Electoral Register
Mr Evennett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on the sale of the edited electoral register; and if he will make a statement. [115276]
Mr Harper: The Government have received numerous representations on the future of the edited electoral register. Cabinet Office records show 13 representations having been received on the edited version of the register since 1 June. The Cabinet Office has not received any recent representations specifically on the sale of the edited electoral register.
Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad
Chris Bryant: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on which occasions his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf since May 2010. [115347]
The Deputy Prime Minister: My hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) served as my parliamentary private secretary from May 2010 to February 2012. My hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) has held the post since February 2012. I have not been accompanied on any overseas visits by my parliamentary private secretaries, and nor have they made any overseas visits on my behalf.
Voting Rights: Prisoners
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister to which categories of prisoner he wishes to give the right to vote. [115962]
Mr Harper: The Government will consider carefully the recent judgment on prisoner voting in the case of Scoppola v. Italy (No. 3) and its implications for the UK and will respond in due course.
Cabinet Office
Advisory Services
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 92W, on advisory services, if he will publish correspondence between his Department and the Scottish Government on additional funding for not-for-profit advice services. [115408]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office has not corresponded with the Scottish Government on this matter.
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Cancer: Witham
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the number of cancer patients was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years. [115901]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the number of cancer patients was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years. [115901 ]
The latest available figures for cancer registrations are for the year 2010. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of people diagnosed with cancer, because one person may be diagnosed with more than one cancer.
Cancer statistics are not available for individual towns, so figures have been provided for Braintree local authority district (LAD) instead, which includes the towns of Braintree, Halstead and Witham.
The table provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer registered for (a) Braintree local authority district and (b) Witham parliamentary constituency, for each year from 2006 to 2010.
The latest published figures on incidence of cancer in England are available on the National Statistics website:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-registrations-in-england/2010/index.html
| Table 1: Number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer, Braintree local authority district and Witham parliamentary constituency, 2006-10(1,2,3) | |||||
| Registrations | |||||
| Area | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) Cancer is coded using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) as C00 to C97 excluding C44 non-melanoma skin cancer. (2) Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. (3) Figures are based on boundaries as of May 2012. Source: Office for National Statistics | |||||
Empty Property
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if he will list the empty or largely empty buildings owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement; [110836]
(2) how many buildings owned by his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible have been empty for more than two years; and if he will make a statement. [110854]
Mr Maude: There are nine ancillary buildings at the Emergency Planning College's site at Easingwold, Yorkshire which have been empty since long before the last general election. The EPC's private sector partner is currently seeking alternative use for these buildings.
Admiralty Arch is largely empty. It is not fit for a modern day office and could not be adapted without disproportionate costs to the taxpayer. As part of our
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continuing drive to deliver even greater savings, we are currently holding an open process to sell the long leasehold interest in Admiralty Arch. We have invited bids which will provide value for money for the taxpayer and potential options for increasing public access and will preserve the heritage of the building.
My Department is consolidating its central property usage to realise savings for the taxpayer and drive up efficiency. To that end we are moving staff into 70 Whitehall and the Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road. Because we are transferring 22/26 Whitehall to the Department for International Development later this year we have already moved most of our staff out of there.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Lancashire
Paul Maynard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what recent estimate he has made of the number of people aged (a) 18 to 24 and (b) over 50 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency; [116075]
(2) how many 16 to 24-year-olds in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency and (b) Lancashire claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years. [116076]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of people aged (a) 18-24 and (b) over 50 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency (116075); and how many 16 to 24 year olds in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency, and (b) Lancashire claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years. (116076)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles the number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
Table 1 shows the number of people aged 18 to 24 and 50 and over, resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in May 2012, which is the most recent period available.
Table 2 shows the number of people aged 16 to 24, resident in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency and (b) Lancashire, who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in May 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, which is the latest date available.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Number of persons(1 )aged 18 to 24 and 50 and over resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency claiming jobseeker's allowance, May 2012 | ||
| Number | ||
| 18 to 24 years | 50 and over | |
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| Table 2: Number of persons(1) aged 16 to 24 resident in Blackpool North & Cleveleys constituency, and Lancashire claiming jobseeker's allowance | ||
| Number | ||
| May | Blackpool North and Cleveleys | Lancashire |
| (1) Age data are available only for computerised claims, which account for 99.7% of all claims. Note: Data rounded to nearest 5. Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system. | ||
Lost Working Days
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years. [115293]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office sickness absence currently stands at an average of 2.5 working days and remains one of the lowest rates across Government Departments. The Cabinet Office sick absence data for the last three years are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/absence-data
From June 2011 the Cabinet Office data also included the Central Office of Information (COI), which closed on 31 March 2012. The sick absence statistics for the COI are published in its annual reports, which are available at:
http://coi.gov.uk/aboutcoi.php?page=82
The sick absence statistics for Buying Solutions are published in its annual reports, which are available at:
http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-government-procurement-service/annual-report-and-accounts
Ministers: Pay
Mr Bone: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will review the level of salaries paid to Ministers. [115964]
Mr Maude: In 2010 the Government set Ministers' total salary remuneration at 5% less than the remuneration equivalent Ministers in the former Administration received. These salary levels are fixed for the lifetime of this Parliament and there are no plans at present to review them.
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Non-departmental Public Bodies
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many vacancies there are on the boards of non-departmental public bodies; [115200]
(2) what changes his Department has made to the process for the appointment of individuals to non-departmental public bodies since May 2010; [115199]
(3) what representations his Department has received from the chairs and officers of non-departmental public bodies on the time taken for appointments and reappointments to those bodies. [115202]
Mr Maude: The current list of vacancies for the Government's public appointments can be found on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
The Commission for Public Appointments regulates the majority of non-Executive appointments by Ministers to non-departmental public bodies. An updated version of the Commissioner's code of practice came into effect on 1 April 2012. The Government will shortly be publishing updated guidance on managing and making public appointments to take account of this updated code of practice.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many recommendations of people for appointment to non-departmental public bodies by the Appointments Commission have been rejected by Ministers since May 2010. [115201]
Public Sector: Procurement
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to encourage a transition to e-procurement in the public sector. [115433]
Mr Maude: The Government fully support measures that simplify and streamline the procurement process, including the use of electronic procurement and invoicing.
Under the principles of LEAN Sourcing, all central Government procurements are required to use the Official Journal for the European Union (OJEU) compliant e-sourcing tools to help manage the full process. If an organisation does not have access to its own e-sourcing tools, it can use those available through the Government Procurement Service.
Additionally, issuing and responding to bids via the Government's Dynamic Marketplace is done electronically, making the procurement process quicker and more cost-effective.