Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of locum doctors providing out-of-hours cover in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of providing this cover. [122845]
Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected.
Harrow Primary Care Trust: Surgery
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Harrow Primary Care Trust area aged (a) 65 and (b) 75 years or over in need of (i) a new hip, (ii) a new knee and (iii) other joint replacement were rejected for surgery in (A) 2010-11 and (B) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [123956]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is not held centrally.
Health Professions: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses were working for the NHS in London for NHS trusts (i) in 2010-11, (ii) in 2011-12 and (iii) on 31 July 2012; and if he will make a statement. [123957]
Dr Poulter: The number of doctors and nurses working in the London Strategic Health Authority area by national health service organisation as at 30 September 2012 is shown in the following table.
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| (1) 2010-11 figures are from the annual workforce census, as at 30 September 2012 figures are from the Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics, as at 30 June. July figures are not yet available. Note: A few NHS organisations existed within the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) database with small numbers of staff as a result of the impact of Transforming Community Services and the resultant system mergers and demergers which were still ongoing in June 2012. Headcount totals may not equal the sum of components: The new headcount methodology from 2010 onwards is not fully comparable with previous years’ data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication here: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff0010/Census_Bulletin_March_2011_Final.pdf Monthly data: As from 21 July 2010 the Health and Social Care Information Centre has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data are not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; they include only those staff on the ESR (ie they do not include Primary care staff or Bank staff), they also include locum doctors (not counted in the annual census). There are also new methods of presenting data (headcount methodology is different and there is now a role count). This information is available from September 2009 onwards at the following website: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhchsworkforce Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics | ||||||
Health Services: Overseas Visitors
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating non-EU visitors that was not recovered in each of the last 10 years. [122816]
Anna Soubry: The following table shows, for the years that are available, the total losses, bad debts and claims abandoned in relation to overseas visitors not entitled to free national health service hospital treatment that NHS trusts in England have recorded in their accounts. The chairman of Monitor has provided similar data for NHS foundation trusts, which are also in the table.
The data may relate to treatment provided to overseas visitors in earlier financial years. Furthermore, since overseas visitors can include United Kingdom and European Union nationals, the data will not relate exclusively to non-EU visitors. The Department does not hold information centrally about the nationality of patients treated by the NHS.
| £ | |||
| Overseas visitors: losses, bad debts and claims abandoned | |||
| NHS trusts | NHS foundation trusts | Total | |
| Source: NHS trust audited summarisation schedules and NHS foundation trust consolidated accounts (data are not available from NHS foundation trusts prior to 2007-08). | |||
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by the UK under the European health insurance card scheme for the treatment of British registered patients in European economic area countries in 2011-12; and how much was received under the scheme for the treatment of European Economic Area patients by the NHS. [122608]
Anna Soubry: For the year 2011-12, the United Kingdom incurred claims to the value of £134,819,831 from other European economic area countries for treating UK citizens under the European health insurance card scheme. The UK raised equivalent claims to the value of £34,885,773.47.
Heart Diseases
Andrew Gwynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the role of the long-term conditions
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outcome strategy will be in improving the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation; [122987]
(2) what the role of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy will be in improving the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation; [122988]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and evaluate usage of and (b) promote to the NHS (i) his Department's commissioning pack for cardiac rehabilitation, (ii) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on cardiac rehabilitation, (iii) the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation standards and core components of cardiac and rehabilitation. [122989]
Anna Soubry: The importance of effective cardiac rehabilitation has been underlined in National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines and in the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. However, we recognise that more can be done to improve the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation which is why it is being considered as part of the development of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy.
The main source of information about cardiac rehabilitation is the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation; which is funded by the British Heart Foundation. This provides evidence of the quality and effectiveness of services to encourage local areas to improve their provision of cardiac rehabilitation to that of the best.
In addition, NHS Improvement recently concluded a programme of work supporting commissioners and providers with implementation of the Department's commissioning pack for cardiac rehabilitation. All the. learning from this programme, together with other NHS Improvement work aimed at driving up quality and efficiency in cardiac rehabilitation services, is captured in a new interactive digital resource, “Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation: commissioning for improvement”. The resource actively promotes the Department's commissioning pack, the NICE clinical guidelines on cardiac rehabilitation and the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation standards.
The Department has been working with stakeholders and colleagues from across Whitehall to identify shared areas of interest that could have an impact on the outcomes for people living with long-term conditions, including those with cardio-vascular disease. This work is ongoing.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent progress his Department has made on the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy, [122990]
(2) with reference to the joint report, “Tackling Cardiovascular Disease: Priorities for the Outcomes Strategy”, what account he is taking of the report to inform the forthcoming cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy. [122991]
Anna Soubry:
Progress continues to be made on the development of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy. The joint report, “Tackling Cardiovascular Disease: Priorities for the Outcomes Strategy”, has
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made a valuable contribution to this along with the many views and comments that have been received through our engagement activity with a wide range of interests, including patients, carers, health care professionals and voluntary sector organisations. The aim is to publish the outcomes strategy within this financial year.
Influenza: Vaccination
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Health Protection Agency to report their findings on the potential links between the Pandemrix form of influenza vaccine and an increased risk of narcolepsy amongst those under the age of 17; and if he will make a statement. [122256]
Anna Soubry: The results of the Health Protection Agency study are in the process of submission for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The timing of publication is subject to completion of this process. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has no direct role in the Health Protection Agency study.
Insulin
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to collect data on the amounts spent on insulin pumps to treat diabetes. [122359]
Anna Soubry: The Department has no current plans to collect data on insulin pump use in England. Insulin pumps and their consumables are non-prescription items and not currently captured in the annual Prescribing for Diabetes in England dataset.
The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists recently commissioned an insulin pump audit. This showed that there are at least 11,985 people over the age of 18-years-old and at least 4,447 people 17-years-old or younger using an insulin pump in England. Insulin pump therapy is a viable treatment for approximately 12% of adults and children aged over 12-years-old and 33% of children under the age of 12 years, who have type 1 diabetes.
Midwives
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the likely number of midwives in the NHS in each of the next three years. [124044]
Dr Poulter: The Information Centre for health and social care collects data on the number of midwives working in the National Health Service. The following table shows the number of qualified midwives working in the NHS in each of the last five years.
| Full time equivalent (FTE) qualified midwives in England as at 30 September each year | |
| Registered midwives (FTE) | |
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| Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-medical Workforce Census | |
The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that we have the right number of trained midwives, especially given the increased number and complexity of births in recent years. Women should receive excellent maternity services that focus on the best outcomes, for women and their babies, and the woman's experience of care.
It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to plan and deliver a workforce appropriate to the needs of their local population, based on clinical need and sound evidence.
Since May 2010 an additional 960 midwives are now working in the NHS and midwife training numbers are at a record high, with 2,578 places planned for 2012-13. There are currently around 5,000 midwives in training.
NHS: Emergencies
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals are designated as major trauma centres in the event of a major disaster in the UK. [122530]
Anna Soubry: As of April 2012, in NHS England 26 designated major trauma centres (MTCs), shown as follows, now serve the public in the event of major national or regional incidents. They are the hub of regional trauma networks, composed of all the local hospitals and are also linked up to specialist services (such, as burns, spinal cord injury and paediatrics) as required. The whole network would be utilised, including local hospital trauma units, to disseminate patients far more effectively by best matching specialist resources and expertise to patients' needs.
Adult and Children's Major Trauma Centres
1. Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge
2. Frenchay Hospital Bristol
3. James Cook University Hospital Middlesbrough
4. John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford
5. King's College Hospital London
6. Leeds General Infirmary
7. Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham
8. Royal London Hospital
9. Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle
10. St Mary's Hospital London
11. St George's Hospital London
12. Southampton General Hospital
13. Derriford Hospital Plymouth
14. Hull Royal Infirmary
15. Northern General Hospital Sheffield
16. Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham .
17. Royal Preston Hospital
18. Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton
19. University Hospital Coventry
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20. University Hospital of North Staffordshire Stoke on Trent
21. Alder Hey Children's Hospital Liverpool
22. Birmingham Children's Hospital
23. Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
24. Sheffield Children's Hospital
25. Manchester Collaborative MTC
(a) Salford Royal NHS Trust
(b) Manchester Royal Infirmary
(c) University Hospital South Manchester
26. Liverpool Collaborative MTC
(a) Aintree University Hospital
(b) Walton Centre
(c) Royal Liverpool University Hospital
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protocol arrangements he has reached with the NHS on the number of ambulances required to attend a designated major disaster; and within what timescales attendance would happen. [122532]
Anna Soubry: Ambulance services determine the level of resources required to attend a major incident using tools set out in the 2005 Department of Health Emergency Planning Guidance and in individual Trusts' Major Incidents Procedures. This is in line with the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Response times are set by the Department for ambulance services. Ambulance trusts are required to reach 75% of the most seriously ill and injured patients within eight minutes.
NHS: Finance
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the importance of deprivation weighting in the public health funding formula. [122620]
Anna Soubry: This Government have an ambitious vision to help people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives, and to improve the health of the poorest, fastest. From 2013, public health services will be funded by a new ring-fenced grant that will be allocated to upper tier and unitary local authorities to carry out specific public health functions.
The development of the funding formula to support the allocation of public health resources is being overseen by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA). ACRA’s interim recommendations on the formula were published in June followed by a period of engagement with key national and local stakeholders from both local government and the national health service.
ACRA’s interim formula is based principally on a measure of population health which will be applied to small areas to take account of localised health inequalities within local authority areas. This means that funding is targeted towards those areas with the poorest health outcomes and greatest deprivation. Building up from small areas means the formula can take account of pockets of deprivation in local authorities that otherwise have good health outcomes.
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ACRA has used the feedback to finalise its recommendations on the formula to be used for the allocation of the 2013-14 ring-fenced grant to local authorities. These recommendations have now been sent to the Secretary of State for consideration. Full details of their recommendations will be published in due course.
NHS: Innovation
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department is doing to encourage innovation within the NHS. [122408]
Dr Poulter: Innovation remains crucial to delivering a world-class health service, in terms of improving the quality of patient care and its contribution to economic growth. The report, “Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”, published in December 2011, sets out a delivery agenda for spreading innovation at pace and scale throughout the national health service.
In addition to this, the Strategy for UK Life Sciences, launched alongside “Innovation Health and Wealth”,
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contains a package of more long-term measures building on those included in the Plan for Growth.
Together these strategies enable the United Kingdom to capitalise on strengths such as its world-class science and clinical research, as well as its talent base of pioneering life science researchers and first rate universities.
NHS: Private Patients
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income NHS trusts and foundation trusts earned from the treatment of private patients; and what proportion of their total income such revenue represented, in each of the last five years. [123796]
Anna Soubry: The consolidated figures for private patient income of NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts are provided in the table.
The total private patient income for NHS foundation trusts in 2010-11 is £274 million. This corrects the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter), on 17 September 2012, Official Report, column 495W.
| Financial year | Private patient income across all NHS trusts (£ million) | Percentage of total revenue earned from private patients(%) | Private patient income across all NHS foundation trusts (£ million) | Percentage of total revenue earned from private patients (%) |
NHS: Procurement
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what savings have been made as part of the QIPP challenge relating to the procurement of consumables as regards (a) price variation and (b) improved use and management of stock at (i) national, (ii) regional and (iii) local level in the last two financial years; [122298]
(2) what proportion of the QIPP challenge efficiency savings (a) strategic health authorities and (b) foundation trusts have identified as necessary to make within the (i) procurement work stream and (ii) area of procured consumables in (A) 2012-13, (B) 2013-14 and (C) 2014-15; [122299]
(3) what progress he has made on increasing transparency in price variation in the procurement of consumables as recommended in the National Audit Office report, entitled “The procurement of consumables by NHS acute and foundation trusts”, HC 705, session 2010-11. [122701]
Anna Soubry: Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) delivery has now been mainstreamed into “business as usual” and progress continues to be monitored at a national level. Integrated performance measures, covering quality, resources and reform as laid out in the Operating Framework for 2012-13 are used by the Department to ensure that the national health service is on track to deliver the QIPP challenge, and maintain quality. The Department has started to collect data on the actual QIPP savings made by the NHS. Both of these elements are published in “The Quarter”, which outlines the NHS financial position and progress made in health and care services on a quarterly basis.
“The Quarter” can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_131955
A price benchmarking pilot with 20 trusts for 12 products was undertaken with support from the Foundation Trust Network and the results were published in September 2011 along with guidance to trusts on using the analysis to understand how they can undertake more benchmarking.
In May 2012, the Department published: “NHS Procurement Raising our Game”, which sets out steps that the NHS should take immediately to start the journey of improvement in procurement. “Raising Our Game” recommends key actions for improvement which include:
the NHS must share data, so that the prices paid for the same goods and services can be seen by different organisations;
trusts should publish all tender and contract information for tenders over £10,000; and
trusts should stop signing non-disclosure agreements with suppliers which prevent the free sharing of pricing information between trusts.
The NHS supply chain pilot for using web-based systems, which allow them to be more transparent on their offer, is under way, with progress monitored by the Department. Additionally, benchmarking has been included as a workstream of the NHS Supply Chain Customer
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Board to determine how the NHS can best make use of NHS supply chain's data to achieve efficiencies through comparison with other NHS organisations.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor the payment (a) of its main contractors within 14 days and (b) by main contractors to sub-contractors within 30 days. [122713]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not specifically monitor the proportion of payments made within 14 days as this is not a target that has been set. The Department of Health operates standard contractual payment terms of 30 days.
However, the Department has also signed up to the Government's Prompt Payment policy under which the target is to pay all valid supplier invoices that are received at the nominated address within five days of receipt. Performance against this target is expected to be published on the Department's website within six days of the previous month. Performance against this target has not fallen below 90% since January 2011.
The Department's standard terms and conditions of contract include provision that sub-contractors must be paid by the Department's contractors within 30 days. The Department would investigate complaints by a sub-contractor to ensure our contractors continue to meet their contractual responsibilities.
NHS: Redundancy
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees have been made redundant and re-employed as consultants by his Department in each of the last seven years. [122664]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not employ management consultants. It contracts for the delivery of consultancy services from companies and does not keep central records of the number or the identities of individual management consultants used by those companies to deliver the services for each contract.
The Department's central human resources and procurement records do not hold information about the previous employment and redundancy history of any individual consultant, contractor or other supplier we engage or contract with.
NHS: Secondment
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many employees of NHS care trusts were seconded to his Department in each year since 2005; [122590]
(2) how many employees of NHS ambulance trusts were seconded to his Department in each year since 2005; [122594]
(3) how many employees of NHS special health authorities were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122662]
(4) how many employees of NHS mental health trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122663]
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(5) how many employees of NHS acute trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122665]
(6) how many employees of NHS foundation trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122666]
(7) how many employees of NHS strategic health authorities were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122667]
(8) how many employees of NHS primary care trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years; [122668]
(9) how many NHS employees were seconded to his Department in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008, (e) 2009, (f) 2010, (g) 2011 and (h) 2012 to date. [123122]
Dr Poulter: The Department's electronic business management system collates information on the number of employees seconded to the Department but does not hold information on the organisations from which staff are seconded to the Department.
The following table gives information about the number of secondees (as full-time equivalents) into the Department as of 30 September in each year.
| ‘Secondees-in’ at Department of Health | |
| Full-time equivalents | |
It should be noted that data from the previous administrative systems that the Department's business management system (BMS) replaced, existing prior to 1 July 2008, are not totally reliable.
To provide information as requested about the organisations from which staff were seconded would require a manual search of all the personnel records for secondees since 2007, which would incur disproportionate costs.
North West London Hospitals NHS Trust: Private Patients
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income from private patients the North West London Hospitals NHS Trust received in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it expects to receive in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [123958]
Dr Poulter: The revenue earned by North West London Hospitals NHS Trust from private patients in the financial year 2010-11 was £4.578 million.
The information is taken from the audited summarisation schedule of the organisation, from which the NHS (England) Summarised Accounts are prepared.
2011-12 data are available from the Department's Annual Report and Accounts which have been laid before Parliament. However, the information will also be available via the NHS trust's own published accounts.
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Information on how much the trust expects to receive in 2012-13 is not currently held by the Department.
Nurses: Recruitment
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were recruited by the NHS in each of the last five years. [124045]
Dr Poulter: The information on recruitment is not collected centrally.
Organs: Donors
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the population in Barnsley Central constituency have joined the national organ register. [122430]
Anna Soubry: NHS Blood and Transplant advise that the current number of people on the Organ Donor Register in the constituency of Barnsley Central is 21,537. It is not possible to say with accuracy what percentage of the current population this is as the latest population figure held for Barnsley Central is for 2010.
Out of Area Treatment
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the answers of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 325-6W and 21 June 2012, Official Report, columns 1106-7W, how many patients registered at an address in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland were referred to NHS services in England for residential treatment for each category of medical condition in each month since May 2007; [122915]
(2) what the total cost was for referrals of patients registered at an address in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since May 2007. [122916]
Anna Soubry: The Department does not hold information about patients registered at addresses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive residential treatment in England or about the cost of referrals for patients registered in these counties who receive treatment at hospitals in England.
Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department have taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. [122649]
Anna Soubry: The Department is reviewing procurement processes in light of the provisions of the Act. When Cabinet Office's advice to procurers and commissioners is available then the Department will finalise its guidance and deliver any appropriate training.
Radiotherapy
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects the next radiotherapy dataset to be published; [123794]
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(2) what information he proposes the next radiotherapy dataset will contain on the provision and availability of intensity modulated radiotherapy in individual (a) cancer networks and (b) trusts. [123795]
Anna Soubry: The radiotherapy dataset (RTDS) is collected throughout the year. A report analysing the first full year's collection of the dataset, 2009-10 was published by the Department in August 2011. The 2010-11 data were published on the National Cancer Statistics and Analysis Team website in March 2012 at the following link:
www.canceruk.net/rtservices/rtds/RTDSDownloads/RTDS%202nd%20Annual%20Report%202010-11.pdf
Key data from the dataset are also available on the Cancer Commissioning Toolkit, which is available to providers, commissioners and other organisations with an interest in cancer services. The Cancer Commissioning Toolkit data from the RTDS are updated regularly.
The RTDS collects activity data on intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) by trust provider. These can be identified by the preparation coding for IMRT, although they do not distinguish inverse and forward planned IMRT. Coding for IMRT has been evolving since the establishment of the RTDS and so additional guidance has been issued to provider trusts. This will help provide a consistent interpretation of coding and allow standard interpretation of IMRT in clinical practice.
We will shortly be publishing an update report on the state of radiotherapy in England that will contain survey RTDS and survey data on IMRT.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which the Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund will increase access to intensity modulated radiotherapy; [124032]
(2) when he plans to present detailed plans for the implementation of the Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund; and if he will make a statement. [124035]
Anna Soubry: The Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund will ensure that, from April 2013, radiotherapy centres will be ready to deliver treatment using intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to all national health service patients who need it.
In August 2012, the National Cancer Director wrote to all radiotherapy centres asking them to prepare action plans to enable them to deliver 24% of radical treatment using inverse planned IMRT from the end of March 2013. Those plans have been reviewed and the Department is working with the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group, which includes the relevant professional bodies and Cancer Research UK, to develop criteria and help centres bid for money to support delivery of their action plans, which might include the purchase of additional software licences that may be needed.
National support will also be provided through a programme of visits to individual centres by expert teams. These visits will begin shortly and are due to complete in December 2012. Training courses aimed at clinical teams will be delivered around the country from January to March 2013.
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Research
Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was. [123192]
Dr Poulter: The Department's Policy Research Programme (PRP) funds research in three main ways:
(i) long-term programmes of research in academic policy research units, designed to meet the longer-term research needs of the Department as well as to provide rapid response functions;
(ii) large-scale initiatives, comprising linked groups of studies, providing a range of empirical evidence on a key policy area or issue; and
(iii) single projects and literature or scoping reviews. PRP research is usually commissioned by open competitive tender.
A list of PRP-funded research starting between April 2006 and September 2012 has been placed in the Library.
Reserve Forces
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reservists are employed by his Department. [122385]
Dr Poulter: This information is not held by the Department. The Civil Service Employee Policy Unit is developing a reservist policy for all Government Departments. There will be data monitoring of this new policy but this is not yet in place.
Respiratory System: Health Services
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to retain the expertise of the regional respiratory programme boards. [122683]
Anna Soubry: Funding for the regional respiratory programme boards runs until 31 March 2013. Any central financial support after this date is a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board. Regional financial support will be a matter for clinical commissioning groups.
Smallpox: Vaccination
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS personnel are currently vaccinated against smallpox. [123162]
Anna Soubry: Vaccination of a cohort of front-line health workers to deal with any initial suspected or confirmed case of smallpox if one were to occur was completed in 2005. The cohort comprised a total of 516 vaccinated personnel of whom 147 were doctors, 164 were nurses, 100 were ambulance staff, 32 were scientists and 73 held other related health care occupations. All were carefully screened and monitored and none had adverse complications that required vaccinia immunoglobulin. The Department's smallpox policy is currently under review.
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Thalidomide
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the continuation of the thalidomide health grant beyond 2012. [123966]
Norman Lamb: No inter-ministerial discussions have taken place to date, but Department of Health officials have regular and ongoing discussions with colleagues in the devolved Administrations about this important issue.
Waste Disposal: Health Hazards
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken since the investigation by the Health Protection Agency in 2003 into clusters of diseases linked to long-term exposure to chemicals from landfill sites and incinerators. [122972]
Anna Soubry: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has assessed “the impact on health of emissions to air from municipal waste incinerators”. The agency concluded that modern, well-managed incinerators make only a small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants. It stated that it is possible that such small additions could have an impact on health but such effects, if they exist, are likely to be very small and not detectable.
The HPA has also considered “the impact on health of emissions from landfill sites”. It concluded that a well-managed modern landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health.
Both documents can be found on the HPA's website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_ C/1251473372218
www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_ C/1309969974126
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any link between incinerator emissions and the incidence of still births and birth defects; [122973]
(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any link between air pollution and the incidence of still births; and what recent steps his Department has taken in response to the findings of that research; [122974]
(3) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the correlation between adult diabetes and particulate air pollution; and if he will make a statement. [122975]
Anna Soubry: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any research on links between incinerator emissions or air pollution and incidence of still births, birth defects and diabetes.
The Health Protection Agency is funding a multi-site study of birth outcomes, including still births and birth defects, around municipal waste incinerators currently operating in England and Wales. This study will be undertaken by researchers in Imperial College and King's College London, both part of the MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health. Preliminary results from the study are expected in March 2014. The Agency keeps the literature on the health effects of emissions to air from incinerators under regular review.