| Table 6: Number of male deaths where the underlying cause was suicide, by age group and year of registration, England and Wales, 2006(1,2,3,4) | |||
| Suicides (males) | |||
| Registration year | 15 to 44 years | 45 years and over | All ages |
| (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 (Intentional self-harm) and Y10-Y34 (Events of undetermined intent—excluding Y33.9 where the coroner's verdict was pending for deaths registered in 2006. Deaths registered from 2007 onwards which were previously coded to Y33.9 are coded to U50.9). (2) Figures are for males aged 15 years and over. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths occurring in 2006. | |||
Trident
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many meetings officials in his Department have attended on the Trident Alternatives Review. [142564]
11 Feb 2013 : Column 501W
Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply as the Minister responsible for the Trident Alternatives Review.
The total number of meetings held by officials working on the review is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Work and Pensions
Autism
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to increase employment opportunities for people with autism. [142374]
Esther McVey: The Work programme, launched on 10 June 2011 is the biggest single Welfare to Work programme. It provides more personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people.
For disabled people with more complex needs which cannot be met through the Work programme, they can access a range of specialist disability employment provision.
Work Choice provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment find and stay in work. It ultimately helps them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual. Work Choice is voluntary and available regardless of any benefits being claimed. Work Choice can provide an indefinite period of support once the customer is in work, unlike mainstream employment provision. This is in recognition of the fact that some Work Choice participants may need ongoing support to overcome barriers in work that cannot be met through normal workplace adjustments.
From July 2012 we have introduced the Work Choice wage incentive which is a payment worth up to £2,275 that an employer can claim where they employ an 18 to 24-year-old from Work Choice for at least 26 weeks.
Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual's needs. The type of support Access to Work provides can include transport to work, support workers and specialist adaptations and equipment.
All staff have access to the Hidden Impairment Toolkit, which provides practical advice and guidance on how best to support individuals, including those with autism, into employment. This approach enables the anticipation of reasonable adjustments at appropriate stages of the individual's journey to work. A number of staff in DWP undertake training specifically covering autism, and how this affects individuals.
In 2012 the Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud, launched the guide “Untapped Talent; A guide for employing people with Autism”, which has been co- produced by the National Autistic Society, the Employers Roundtable members and DWP. This guide provides employers with useful information about employing people with autism, as well as providing insights into the experiences of employers and guidance for managers around the interview process, job adverts and the working environment.
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Carer’s Allowance: Armed Forces
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) members and (b) former members of the armed forces have had their carer's allowance reduced since May 2010. [142256]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
Crisis Loans
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the total value was of crisis loans awarded in each local authority area in each year from 2009; [142242]
(2) how many applications were accepted for a crisis loan in each local authority area in each year from 2009. [142243]
Steve Webb: The above information is contained in three tables covering each year: 2009-10; 2010-11; and 2011-12. The number of applications that were accepted for a crisis loan is given under the heading “awards”.
We will place these tables in the Library in one document named:
Library Document142242-3
Note:
The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data. For example, it does not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.
Employment Schemes
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2013, Official Report, column 1019W, on employment schemes, how many recipients of (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance have undertaken (i) pre-employment training, (ii) work experience and (iii) an interview with an employer through sector-based work academies since their establishment. [142324]
Mr Hoban: For official statistics purposes, a sector-based work academy start is defined and recorded as the first date the claimant attended the pre-employment training element. Work experience and a guaranteed job interview typically follow pre-employment training. Given this, pre-employment training will show a higher number of starts than for the other components as participants either leave the scheme, for example into work, or have yet to progress to work experience or an interview within the reporting period.
The latest published official statistics covered pre-employment training starts between August 2011 and May 2012. The following table shows starts for each of the three components for claimants on jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance (work related activity group) for the same period.
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Employment: Young People
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the advertising budget for Youth Contract wage incentives for 2012-13 is. [142624]
Mr Hoban: In 2012-13, the Department has spent £66,937.22 (excluding VAT) on a pilot advertising campaign in 10 youth unemployment hotspots.
This expenditure supplemented no-cost communications techniques which allowed us to extend the reach of our message, such as social media and working with partners such as the British Chambers of Commerce to disseminate our messages.
The budget reflects the cost of developing press and radio adverts and advertising, and will help understand the most effective way of encouraging small employers to give young people an opportunity.
Government Procurement Card
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the mean average spend using a Government Procurement Card was per member of staff in (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm's length bodies in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012. [141469]
Mr Hoban: Government Procurement Cards (GPC) are held by some appropriate staff across DWP and its arm's length bodies to make low value purchases. Currently there are 545 cards held by DWP staff.
The average annual spend per GPC holder per year in DWP was:
(i) for 2011—£5,980.63
(ii) for 2012—£6,651.93
The average annual spend per GPC holder for each of DWP's arm's length bodies (ALBs) is as follows, along with the number of active cards held in brackets at the end of 2012:
| £ | ||
| 2011 | 2012 | |
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Social Security Advisory Committee only held one card and figures are included in DWP spend.
The following ALBs do not hold GPCs:
Equality 2025; Industrial Injuries Advisory Council; Independent Living Fund; Remploy Ltd; The Pensions Advisory Service; and The Pensions Regulator.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance or instructions have been issued to staff in (a) his Department and (b) its arm's length bodies about the timing of the publication of data relating to spend over (i) £25,000 and (ii) £500 using the Government Procurement Card. [141509]
Mr Hoban: The Government commitment to greater transparency was set out in the Prime Minister's letter to all central Government Departments and their arm's length bodies in May 2010.
Treasury guidance, in relation to spend over £25,000, was published in 2010 and issued to all central Government Departments and their arm's length bodies.
Treasury guidance relating to central Government Departments:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/government_spend_guide_ 2012.pdf
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/guidance_albs_2012.pdf
From October 2011 onwards, central Departments also committed to publishing Government Procurement Card (GPC) transactions over £500. Cabinet Office guidance was issued to all central Departments and NDPBs which identified the information to be published and the time scales for publishing the data on a monthly basis, two months in arrears.
Housing Benefit
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households claiming for housing benefit for a property with two or more bedrooms, in which the number of people living in the property was reduced over the course of the year due to the death of one of the occupants in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [141210]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
Where there is a death in the family prior to 1 April 2013 then size criteria will not apply for a period up to 12 months from that date of death.
Where there is a death in the family on or after 1 April 2013 the eligible rent that will be considered will be either the current calculation or that based on the remaining household composition whichever is higher for a period of up to 12 months from the date of death.
Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the overall level of rent arrears amongst housing benefit recipients in (a) 2014, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016. [141724]
Steve Webb: No such estimate has been made.
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Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that women's refuges will be deemed to be exempt accommodation under existing housing benefit rules and the benefit cap and other future welfare reform. [142412]
Steve Webb: Those refuges that satisfy the definition of "exempt accommodation" in housing benefit legislation will continue to have help with their rents decided under existing housing benefit rules.
These cases will be exempt from the under-occupancy charge and the help given towards rent will be disregarded in the benefit cap calculation.
The local authority will continue to decide which refuges satisfy that definition on the facts of each case.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of housing benefit recipients who live in exempt accommodation. [142649]
Steve Webb: The information required is not available.
The most recent information on the number of people in supported “exempt accommodation” was in the DWP consultation document “‘Exempt' and supported accommodation” published in December 2010.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what advice his Department is providing to households affected by the introduction of the under-occupancy penalty in the social rented sector in April 2013; [142674]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to prepare and inform affected individuals in advance of the introduction of the under-occupancy penalty in the social rented sector in April 2013. [142673]
Steve Webb: The local authorities who are delivering this measure and the social landlords whose tenants will be affected have a crucial role in communicating this change to the individuals concerned, and my Department is working with both to facilitate this.
My Department has been working with local authorities to advise them how people can be contacted and provided them with letter templates and fact-sheets. Frequently asked questions and answers have also been made available on the “Advisers and Intermediaries” pages of the DWP website for advice organisations to use if they wish, along with general information about the change and local authority guidance.
In addition to this both my Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government have worked closely with the Chartered Institute of Housing who has produced “Making it Fit”, a guidance manual on the under-occupancy measure specifically aimed at social landlords.
Housing Benefit: Wales
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those who receive housing benefit in Wales are female. [142662]
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Steve Webb: The information requested for the proportion of those who receive housing benefit in Wales are female, can be obtained from a new visualisation tool, Stat-Xplore, at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Jobcentre Plus
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether jobcentres use a standard instrument for diagnostic screening of weaknesses in English and mathematics skills. [142156]
Mr Hoban: Skills screening to identify potential skills needs, including literacy and numeracy, is an integral part of every Work Focused Interview conducted by Jobcentre Advisers. Screening involves gathering evidence through questioning, observation and analysis of existing qualifications and work history, to make an informed decision on whether claimants would benefit from a more in-depth diagnostic assessment with a Skills Provider.
Advisers have the option to use a standard screening tool to assist with the identification of potential skills needs where they feel this would help identify less obvious needs.
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Jobcentre Plus mathematics and English screening process is evaluated. [142157]
Mr Hoban: Skills screening, which identifies potential literacy and numeracy needs along with other skills needs, is an integral part of Work Targeted Interviews which have been extensively evaluated using qualitative techniques. However, there has been no separate evaluation of the mathematics and English screening process.
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria were used by jobcentre staff to select benefit claimants for screening to identify weaknesses in English and mathematics skills in 2012. [142158]
Mr Hoban: All claimants are screened for potential skills needs including literacy and numeracy as part of their Work Targeted Interviews with Jobcentre Advisers, commencing at their initial interview at the beginning of their claim to benefit. Screening is an integral part of adviser interviews with claimants and is based on gathering evidence to make informed decisions on whether further assessment with a skills provider is appropriate.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2013, Official Report, column 95W, on employment schemes: disability, how many disability employment advisers were employed in Jobcentre Plus in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [142414]
Mr Hoban: The following table contains the number of disability advisers employed in Jobcentre Plus in the requested periods.
| Financial years | FTE |
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Occupational Pensions
Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to make the public aware of the benefits of making contributions additional to those made as a result of autoenrolment; and if he will make a statement. [142122]
Steve Webb: The introduction of automatic enrolment represents a major behavioural change. We estimate it will lead to 6 million to 9 million people saving for the first time or saving more into a workplace pension, generating £11 billion a year more in workplace pension saving by 2019-20. For many, this is the first time they will have access to workplace pension saving, and a contribution from their employer.
We have been clear in public information that 8% is a minimum amount and we are keen for people to save more if they can. However, our priority is the successful roll out of automatic enrolment and it is important to encourage people to start saving before suggesting that they save more. That is why minimum contributions are being phased in over six years to help both employers and individuals adjust gradually to the additional costs of saving. Phasing is not compulsory, and employers and individuals may contribute more than the minimum requirement at any time.
In addition, as set out in our recent reinvigoration strategy, we will be exploring mechanisms to increase savings, such as the “Automatic Escalation” schemes which have been successful in the US—these encourage people to commit to increasing their contributions at a future date, often in line with wage increases.
Pension Credit
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of pensioners who are not currently claiming pension credit for which they are eligible. [142660]
Steve Webb: The most recent estimates of take-up cover the period 2009-10. Figures for the number of pensioners entitled to but not receiving pension credit in Great Britain in 2009-10 are presented below:
| Caseload take-up for pension credit, Great Britain, 2009-10 | ||
| Range of entitled non-recipients (Thousand) | Take-up ranges (%) | |
The Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up report covers Great Britain for the financial year 2009-10. It provides caseload and expenditure estimates of take-up for income support and employment and support allowance (income-related), pension credit, housing benefit (including local housing allowance), council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based). The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 10 June 2010. The figures are available online and can be found here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=irb
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Pensions: Widowed People
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2013, Official Report, column 714W, on pensions: widowed people, whether he intends to inform victims or their estates of the flawed legislation following the judgment in the case of Alma Yates v. the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. [142334]
Steve Webb: There are no affected persons or estates to inform of the flaw in the relevant legislation, which gave rise to the court's decision in the case of Alma Yates v. the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. This is because, in cases like that of the late Mrs Yates, where a court finds that a decision made by the Department contained an error of law, the Department's liability in respect of people in an analogous position is restricted to periods following the court's ruling.
As the flaw in the relevant legislation which gave rise to the court's decision was removed before the court found in the late Mrs Yates' favour, the court's decision has no prospective application.
Personal Independence Payment
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the effects will be of personal independence payment reform on people in receipt of carer's allowance by 2018. [142337]
Esther McVey: Latest available information shows that there are over 1 million people with an established entitlement to carer's allowance (CA)(1). The Department has made information concerning the effect of personal independence payment (PIP) on people in receipt of CA in October 2015 available on its website.
(1) DWP Longitudinal Study, February 2012.
Latest estimates project there will be a net reduction of 9,000 recipients of CA (where benefit is in payment) by the end of 2018 as a consequence of reassessment for PIP.
Poverty: Disability
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and (b) the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill on the number of disabled people living in relative poverty. [141901]
Steve Webb [holding answer 6 February132013]: Impact assessments have been published for Welfare Reform Act policies where impacts have been identified and have been updated where impacts have changed.
The Government strongly believe that looking at relative income in isolation is not a helpful measure for tracking progress on poverty, which is why the Government are currently consulting on a measure of child poverty that will better reflect the reality of living in poverty in the UK today. More information is provided in the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingswood (Chris Skidmore) on 15 January 2013, Official Report, columns 715-7W (PQ 137238). In relation to the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill, we have protected disability and carer benefits wherever possible by ensuring that the
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main rates of disability living allowance, attendance allowance and carer's allowance will be up-rated in line with inflation. In addition, the premiums paid to disabled people receiving working-age income-related benefits, the disability elements in tax credits, and the support component of employment and support allowance will all similarly be up-rated in line with inflation.
We estimate that around an extra 50,000 disabled individuals will be considered to be in poverty under the relative income measure as a result of the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill. We also estimate that the average change for households containing a disabled person will be around -£3 a week.
As earnings growth and inflation projections change these estimates will change. For example, the recession led to a fall in the relative poverty line, which had the effect of lifting 300,000 children out of relative poverty. These impacts are not forecasts of the level of poverty and do not indicate what will happen to trends over time. It is misleading to look at the impacts of up-rating in isolation.
Note:
Poverty figures are rounded to the nearest 50,000
Rented Housing: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the flexibility of the housing rental market in rural Wales in response to the consequences of his planned introduction of the under-occupancy penalty. [142401]
Steve Webb: Data to do a full assessment of the flexibility of the housing market in rural Wales to respond to the consequences of the measure are not available.
The impacts that have been estimated for Wales indicate that a number of options are available to recipients of housing benefit who are affected, although how individuals will respond is not yet known.
The measure will be monitored and evaluated over the next two years and this will include small scale primary research with a range of local authorities, social landlords and voluntary organisations, including those in Wales. As part of this supply issues and rural factors will be examined.
The initial report will be available in 2014. The final report will be published in late 2015.
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will (a) bring forward legislative proposals and (b) amend his Department's guidance so that the Social Security Regulations apply to all 12 living or mobility activities. [141728]
Esther McVey:
We have always been clear that a key principle of the personal independence payment assessment is that it should include a consideration of whether individuals can complete activities in a manner that is safe, repeatable, to an acceptable standard and timely. We do not feel that this principle has to be included in the legislation to be effective. However, recognising the strength of feeling in relation to this key protection, the Government have agreed to include it in regulations. We
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will lay amending regulations making this change, once the current regulations have been made and before the PIP regulations come into force from 8 April.
This will apply to all 10 daily living and two mobility activities in the personal independence payment assessment.
A draft of the amending regulation is available on the DWP website at:
www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/disability/personal-independence-payment/the-assessment-criteria
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of benefit fraud procured through the victims of human trafficking. [142254]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the total value of fraudulently claimed benefit in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) South Lanarkshire in each of the last five years. [142340]
Mr Hoban: The estimated amount of money lost through benefit fraud in Great Britain can be found on the DWP National Statistics Fraud and Error in the Benefit System webpage
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/index.php?page=fraud_error
For the last five years the estimated level of benefit fraud was as follows:
| Amount (£ billion) | Percentage of benefit expenditure | |
Northern Ireland fraud and error estimates, which are comparable to the above Great Britain statistics, can be found at:
http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/publications/annual_reports/publications-ssa-annual-reports.htm
Scotland and South Lanarkshire fraud and error estimates are not available.
State Retirement Pensions
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are currently earning benefits in the second state pension which would result in a state-provided pension greater than £144 if they retired after 2017 under the current proposals to move to a single-tier pension. [142659]
Steve Webb: Individuals who have a national insurance record of more than the full single-tier pension at the point of implementation will get the full level of the single-tier pension, and keep any amount above this as a “protected payment” when they reach state pension age.
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Those currently earning benefits in the state second pension are likely to reach state pension age over the course of the next half century. Of those reaching state pension age between 2017 and 2060, the latest year for which we project outcomes, the Department's modelling suggests that around 5% will receive a full single-tier pension and a “protected payment”.
Source:
DWP modelling based on PENSIM2
Telephone Services
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the potential cost to the public purse of making public contact numbers operated by his Department an 0345 prefix service; [142268]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the feasibility of making public contact telephone numbers operated by his Department an 0345 prefix service. [142271]
Mr Hoban: It is feasible to migrate DWP contact numbers to an 0345 prefix. Based on current charging arrangements, our analysis shows that the impacts of such a change would be increased call costs for many callers and additional costs to DWP of around £2 million per annum. There would also be significant operational costs to support an initial transition to the new numbers. We will review our numbering strategy on receipt of Ofcom's final report following their consultation on non-geographic call charges, which is understood to be due for publication in March. Any changes to the current approach will need careful consideration given the impacts on costs to the Department and its customers.
Travel and Subsistence Payments
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior officials in his Department's arm's-length bodies (a) have and (b) have had during 2012-13 terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address and that they are entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses for visiting the offices of the arm's-length body. [141171]
Mr Hoban: No senior officials in this Department's arm's-length bodies have or have had during 2012-13 terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address.
Unemployment
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the contribution of corporate social responsibility to tackling long-term unemployment. [142323]
Mr Hoban:
Employers all over the country are already making a valuable contribution to helping unemployed people back to work through work clubs and by offering work experience places, internships, training, jobs, and apprenticeships. Corporate responsibility may be one motivation for employers doing this, but many employers believe it makes good business sense to offer unemployed people the practical help they need to get back into the
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labour market. Ministers across Departments continue to encourage more businesses to get involved in providing support to unemployed people and to see this as a way of developing their future workforce.
Unemployment: Ethnic Groups
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to tackle unemployment in ethnic minority communities. [142651]
Mr Hoban: Our approach is to support people according to their individual needs and circumstances rather than segregate people according to ethnicity. That is why we have introduced personalised support, through the Work programme, the Youth Contract and Get Britain Working measures.
Work Capability Assessment
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people diagnosed with or suffering from any of the following conditions (a) being both blind and deaf, (b) being registered blind, (c) Alzheimer's, (d) amputation of both legs, (e) Asperger's, (f) autistic spectrum disorder and autism, (g) cerebral palsy, (h) dementia, (i) hemiplegia, (j) Huntingdon's Chorea, (k) Korsakoff's psychosis, (l) requiring a Macmillan nurse attending, (m) motor neurone disease, (n) the need to be on oxygen, (o) paraplegia, (p) quadraplegia renal dialysis, (q) severe mental impairment, (r) severe learning difficulty, (s) spastic diplega, (t) tetraplegia, (u) total parenteral nutrition, (v) unstable angina and (w) Wernicke's encephalopathy underwent a work capability assessment at an Atos centre in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2013. [142317]
Mr Hoban: The following table shows the number of face-to-face initial work capability assessments by primary medical condition reported for selected medical conditions completed in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Data for 2012 cover assessments completed between January to August 2012, the latest data available.
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Categories where there are no recorded cases, or where data are not available, have been omitted from the table.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the cost to his Department of appeals against the work capability assessment between April and September 2012. [142341]
Mr Hoban: For the first half of 2012-13 financial year (April to September) for the cost of appeals related to work capability assessment is £11.3 million for DWP in respect of staff costs of employment and support allowance and incapacity benefit reassessment appeals.
Work Programme
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many local authorities are included in the Work programme supply chain. [142648]
Mr Hoban: Organisations listed in the Work programme supply chain, including local authorities, are published on the Department's website and can be viewed at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-supply-chains.xls
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons participants on the Work programme are debarred from the New Enterprise Allowance scheme. [142652]
Mr Hoban: The new enterprise allowance (NEA) is not available to Work programme participants however Work programme providers are free to support their claimants to set up a business.
A core principle of the Work programme is that providers are free to offer the interventions they feel are right for the individual, at the right time. This includes providing support and advice on self employment where it is the right option for the individual.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers have been receiving jobseeker's allowance for more than (a) 12 months and (b) two years; and what proportion of the workforce that represents in each such case. [142322]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your two Parliamentary Questions asking how many ethnic minority jobseekers have been receiving jobseeker's allowance for more than (a) 12 months and (b) two years, and what proportion of the ethnic minority workforce that represents in each such case; and secondly how many jobseekers have been receiving jobseeker's allowance for more than (a) 12 months and (b) two years, and what proportion of the workforce that represents in each such case. (142321 & 142322)
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) has been taken from the Jobcentre Plus Administrative system.
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The estimates of the number of people in the workforce have been taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The workforce has been defined as all those who are economically active, that is either employed or unemployed.
Table 1 shows the number of people in Great Britain, as at October 2012, who had been claiming JSA for over 12 months and for over 2 years, for all people and for ethnic minorities.
Table 2 shows the number of people in Great Britain claiming JSA as a percentage of people who were economically active, according to survey responses to the September 2012 to November 2012 LFS. This is the closest period to October 2012, for all people and for ethnic minorities. Although individual components in the table can be produced for more recent periods, October 2012 is the latest period for which all component series are available.
Estimates for Northern Ireland are not 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 people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance by length of claim, October 2012 | ||
| Great Britain, not seasonally adjusted | ||
| Claiming over 12 months | Claiming over 2 years | |
| (1) Ethnic minorities are people who have reported their ethnicity as mixed/ multiple ethnic groups; Indian; Pakistani; Bangladeshi; Chinese; Any other Asian background; Black/African/Caribbean/Black British; Other ethnic group. Note: Rounded to nearest 5 Source: Jobcentre plus Administrative System | ||
| Table 2: Percentage(1) of economically active people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance by length of claim, October 2012 | ||
| Great Britain, not seasonally adjusted | ||
| Claiming over 12 months | Claiming over 2 years | |
| (1) Number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in October 2012 divided by the number of economically active people according to the September to November 2012 Labour Force Survey. (2) Ethnic minorities are people who have reported their as ethnicity mixed/ multiple ethnic groups; Indian; Pakistani; Bangladeshi; Chinese; Any other Asian background; Black/African/Caribbean/Black British; Other ethnic group. Source: Jobcentre plus Administrative System/ Labour Force Survey | ||
Health
Abortion
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure that doctors and licensed abortion clinics do not intentionally misreport the reasons for which abortions are being performed; [142113]
(2) if he will make an assessment of the Eurocat Report on misreporting by doctors of the grounds upon which abortions are performed; and if he will make a statement. [142114]
Anna Soubry: An abortion may only take place on grounds under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. Anyone operating outside of the Act is committing a criminal offence and will be reported to the appropriate authorities. Ultimately, it is for the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to prosecute individuals and for the courts to determine whether there has been a breach of the law on abortion.
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In February 2012, the Chief Medical Officer wrote to everyone involved in providing and commissioning treatment for the termination of pregnancy about the need to comply fully with all the requirements of the Abortion Act 1967.
Regarding the statistics published in the Eurocat Report and potential discrepancies with the abortion statistics published by the Department of Health, we have no evidence that doctors are misreporting abortions, and the discrepancies in the data are in part due to the way the various statistics are compiled. Eurocat have issued a statement to say that their data has been interpreted incorrectly. For example, departmental statistics on fetal abnormality are compiled and published based on the principal medical condition, while Eurocat report all counts of a specific medical condition. We are looking further at other possible reasons for the differences in published statistics.
Accident and Emergency Departments: Greater London
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of the downgrade of Lewisham accident and emergency department on the role of King’s College Hospital as a major trauma centre in the event of a major or regional disaster. [142313]
Anna Soubry: The trust special administrator’s report made clear that there should be an additional £37 million of investment at King’s and the three other hospitals so that they are properly resourced to take on the additional activity from Lewisham. No transfer of activity will take place without work to increase capacity having taken place across all four sites. Providers will need to develop business cases which will refine their requirements. The final decisions on funding for each individual hospital will be worked through as part of the implementation planning process, in collaboration with the Department to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which accident and emergency departments in London provide 24-hour consultant cover seven days a week. [142611]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to contact individual hospital trusts for further information.
Alcoholic Drinks: Yorkshire and the Humber
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related hospital admissions there were in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years; and if he will make an assessment of those figures compared to the UK averages for such admissions. [142801]
Anna Soubry: The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in (a) Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency of residence, (b) Yorkshire and Humber strategic health authority (SHA) of residence and (c) residents of England, for the year 2007-08 to 2011-12 are found in the following table.
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| Alcohol-related hospital admissions | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
| Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. | |||||
As comparison, Office for National Statistics population estimates and crude rate per 100,000 population in (a) Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency of residence, (b) Yorkshire and Humber SHA of residence and (c) residents of England, for the year 2007-08 to 2011-12 are found in the following tables.
| Population estimates | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
| Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS). | |||||
| Crude rate per 100,000 population | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
| Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS). | |||||
Aluminium: Health Hazards
Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has commissioned or evaluated on the relative harm caused by ingesting aluminium by (a) digestion and (b) directly into the bloodstream; [142135]
(2) if he will publish any data held by his Department on the possibility of aluminium in the cervarix form of HPV vaccine crossing the blood-brain barrier. [142145]
Norman Lamb: The Food Standards Agency, the non-Ministerial Government Department with responsibility for food safety, has drawn attention to the fact that aluminium is ubiquitous in the environment and is therefore inherently present in food. While higher levels can have neurotoxic effects, both the European Food Safety Authority and the World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture Organisation Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives have considered the safety of aluminium in food and established a Tolerable Weekly Intake. This takes into account the very low absorption of aluminium from food into the body.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has responsibility for vaccine and medicines safety in the United Kingdom. The Government's independent expert advisory Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advises MHRA on the safety of
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medicines and vaccines. The MHRA has been keeping the safety of Cervarix human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under continual close monitoring since it was first used in the UK in September 2008. After the first two years of the immunisation programme and more recently in September 2012 after the fourth year, the MHRA sought the advice of the CHM on the safety experience of Cervarix. The CHM advised that after 6 million doses of the vaccine in the UK the number and nature of adverse reaction reports was as expected, no serious new risks had been identified and agreed that the balance of its benefits and risks remains positive. This report is available on the MHRA website:
www.mhra.gov.uk/HPVvaccine
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the World Health Organisation's classification of chronic fatigue syndrome as a neurological disease; and if he will make a statement. [142124]
Norman Lamb: The World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) classifies chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) under neurological disorders at Reference 93.3 and uses the terms post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVS) and benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. The Department accepts this classification and recognises CFS/ME as a neurological condition of unknown origin.
As the symptoms of CFS/ME resemble those of other forms of debilitating illness, we acknowledge that it is not easy to diagnose single cases of the condition. Clinicians are responsible, within their area of competence, for diagnosing medical conditions and it is not the Department's policy to advise the medical profession on clinical practice.
Disability
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to allow disabled people with (a) speech and (b) learning difficulties to actively express their views on their disabilities in NHS workshops. [142657]
Norman Lamb: As listed public authorities, local national health service organisations must, in exercising all of their functions, pay due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited under the Equality Act 2010, advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, and promote good community relations. This includes taking steps to engage with their communities comprehensively and meaningfully in the planning and delivery of local services. In doing so, NHS organisations must adhere to the statutory duty to make reasonable adjustment for disabled people which may require providing auxiliary aids or alternative means of communication.
NHS bodies including primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts are required by section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 to make arrangements for service users to be involved in the planning, development and operation of health services.
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It falls on the NHS body to make specific arrangements as required to hear the voice of service users regardless of any specific disability. Many good NHS organisations have diverse experience of involving and listening to the views of service users with speech and learning disabilities, as well as carers and voluntary organisations that represent the views of people with disabilities. As from 1 April 2013, commissioners’ duty to involve patients and the public will be covered by the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Departmental officials are subject to the same duty and are required to consider the evidence around the accessibility of their work and take proportionate and reasonable steps to engage with people sharing all relevant protected characteristics during the decision making and dissemination process.
The Department funds two representatives, and their supporters, from the National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities to attend the national Learning Disability Programme Board chaired by myself. The Department also holds a pre-meeting of the board for members with learning disabilities and family carers.
Disability Aids
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research has been undertaken on behalf of his Department on the advantages of using a ceiling hoist in residential care homes for the elderly when safely moving and handling residents. [142606]
Norman Lamb: No recent research has been undertaken on behalf of the Department on the advantages of using ceiling hoists in residential care homes.
Regulation 16 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010, against which the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects and regulates care providers, requires that suitable arrangements must be made to protect service users by ensuring that equipment provided for the purposes of the carrying on of a regulated activity is properly maintained, suitable for its purpose and used correctly.
Failure to meet the registration requirements is an offence and the CQC has a range of enforcement powers that it can use to protect users of health and adult social care services.
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research has been undertaken on behalf of his Department on the advantages of using a ceiling hoist on hospital wards when safely moving and handling patients. [142607]
Dr Poulter: Although the Department is not aware of any formal research in this area, it is widely understood that the most suitable equipment for hoisting, both in terms of the safety and comfort of the individual patient or resident and the safety of staff, will depend on the individual patient or resident's needs and environmental considerations. Ceiling hoists may be feasible and appropriate in some circumstances, but not in all. The Health and Safety Executive has issued a range of advice on this topic, which can be viewed at the following link.
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis3.pdf
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Epilepsy
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women are receiving prescriptions for anti-epileptic medicines through the NHS. [142258]
Norman Lamb: This information is not collected centrally.
Food
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the performance of staff in residential care homes in monitoring whether residents are able to eat and drink independently. [142655]
Norman Lamb: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for registering, inspecting and regulating providers of health and adult social care in England. All such providers are required to register with the CQC and to comply with regulations governing the safety and quality of services.
Regulation 14 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 requires providers to provide suitable and nutritious food and hydration in sufficient quantities, to meet reasonable requirements arising from a person's religious or cultural background and to provide support, where needed, with eating and drinking.
Failure to meet this registration requirement is an offence and the CQC has a range of enforcement powers that it can use to protect people from receiving inadequate nutrition and hydration from providers of health and adult social care services.
In 2012, the CQC undertook an inspection programme, focused on dignity and nutrition, of 500 care and nursing homes. The CQC will publish its report of the findings of the programme in spring.
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of NHS staff in monitoring whether patients are able to eat and drink independently. [142656]
Dr Poulter: It is right that patients should be treated with dignity and respect. They have the right to expect food that is of high quality and that is nutritious. There are many hospitals already achieving high standards in food and nutrition.
Patients should expect to receive food and drink that is nutritious and appetising, from a varied menu that includes suitable options for vegetarians and those with religious needs. Food and drink should be available to all patients at all times, unless it contradicts clinical advice.
In October 2012, the Secretary of State for Health announced new standards setting out what patients should expect from national health service hospital food and drink. Following the piloting at a small sample, of hospitals, a set of basic principles covering the quality of food and nutritional content will be introduced from April 2013.
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Teams of assessors, half of whom must be patients, will conduct patient-led assessments (PLACE) of the care environment. This will consider cleanliness, privacy and dignity as well as the state of the hospital environment in general.
Hospitals will be marked down if food is poor quality, if menus do not have suitable options for patients with special requirements, and if hot meals are not provided in the evenings. Hospitals will receive a rating on each area, and the results will be published online.
Patients deserve the highest quality of care and hospitals should be prepared to regularly evaluate their food service. Through patient-led assessments, we will identify good practice and put people at the heart of improving the NHS.
Health
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made in measuring social connectedness as an indicator of improving the wider determinants of health and including it in future public health outcomes framework updates; and if he will make a statement. [142682]
Anna Soubry: The social connectedness indicator originally included in the Public Health Outcomes Framework was refined in the November 2012 refresh of the framework to be a measure of social isolation. This indicator will be shared with the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework. It has been initially established as an interim measure of social isolation; as current data sources only allow measurement in adults currently in receipt of social care services and their carers. However, we are working to develop a broader population-based measure of loneliness, which would be included in both the Adult Social Care and Public Health Outcome Frameworks. To ensure that this measure is helpful to local commissioners, we are working with key partners—including the Campaign to End Loneliness—on its development.
Heart Diseases: Babies
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the use of pulse oximetry tests to detect undiagnosed heart conditions in newborn babies; [142260]
(2) if his Department has any plans to include pulse oximetry tests in the national screening programme for newborn babies. [142261]
Dr Poulter: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, it assesses the evidence for programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria.
The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence for newborn screening for heart conditions using pulse oximetry against its criteria. A public consultation on the screening review will open shortly. Ministers expect to receive a recommendation from the UK NSC later this year.
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Heart Diseases: Children
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts established to make a decision on the future of paediatric cardiac services were subject to the requirements of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960. [142407]
Anna Soubry: Primary care trusts are bodies to which the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 applies, and where primary care trusts exercise their functions jointly with other primary care trusts (by means of forming a committee to do so or otherwise) they remain subject to that Act.
The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts in their paper ‘The creation of a Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts for the purposes of formal public consultation and decision making about the provision of paediatric cardiac surgery services in England’ state that its standing orders will ensure compliance with the 1960 Act.
Nic Dakin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts gave formal consideration to the submission to the public consultation on the Safe and Sustainable Review
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of paediatric cardiac services produced by the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Yorkshire and the Humber. [142576]
Anna Soubry: The Safe and Sustainable review of children's congenital heart services was a national health service review, independent of Government. The consideration given to responses to the public consultation on the review is a matter for the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts.
In these circumstances, and given legal proceedings and a review by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel are under way, it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Horses: Slaughterhouses
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 903-04W, on horses: slaughterhouses, at which abattoirs the two as-yet-untraced horses which tested positive for phenylbutazone (Bute) were slaughtered. [142063]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is shown in the following table.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which abattoirs were positive tests for phenylbutazone in horse meat conducted in the last three years; and how many (a) samples were collected and (b) positive samples were found at each such abattoir. [142095]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Number | ||||||||
| Establishment name | Establishment number | Country | Samples collected to be tested for phenylbutazone | Samples that tested positive for phenylbutazone | ||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |||
| Notes: 1. Yorkshire Country Meats (2238) ceased processing horses in September 2012. 2. Information for 2012 relates to both the Veterinary Medicines Directorate National Surveillance Scheme and the FSA Survey. | ||||||||
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many horses were slaughtered at each abattoir in the UK in each of the last three years. [142096]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is shown in the following table.
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| Establishment name | Establishment number | Country | Number of horses slaughtered in each abattoir in the United Kingdom | ||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |||
| Note: Yorkshire Country Meats (2238) ceased processing horses in September 2012. | |||||
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 903-4W, on horses: slaughterhouses, when each positive sample was collected; and when the positive results were reported to the Food Standards Agency. [142098][Official Report, 1 March 2013, Vol. 559, c. 9-10MC.]
Anna Soubry: The information is shown in the following table:
| Establishment where sample was collected | Establishment no. | Year | When was sample collected that tested positive for phenylbutazone | When was positive sample reported to the Food Standards Agency | |
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether horse carcases which have been tested for the presence of phenylbutazone at the point of slaughter will be detained until the results have been returned. [142689]
Anna Soubry: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) collects samples from horses to be tested for phenylbutazone as part of two different surveys, the statutory veterinary residue surveillance scheme and the FSA survey.
The United Kingdom has in place a statutory veterinary residue surveillance scheme in fulfilment of its obligations under council directives 96/22/EC and 96/23/EC and (EC) 854/2004, Annex I, Chapter II, F. This programme helps to ensure that consumers are protected against potentially harmful residues of veterinary medicines. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is responsible for the co-ordination and management of the UK programme. The FSA undertakes the collection of samples from approved slaughterhouses under contract to the VMD. In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development carries out the collection of samples. The scheme is a targeted scheme with no requirement for the carcases to be held until sample results have been released.
Currently, the FSA is conducting a 100% survey at approved slaughterhouses for residues of phenylbutazone in horses submitted for slaughter with passports confirming they are not exempt from entering the food chain. The survey currently is not requiring carcases to be held pending test results but the FSA is finalising arrangements to move to a positive release scheme whereby the horse carcases will be held pending negative results at which time the carcases will be released and allowed to enter the human food chain.
Hospital Wards: Disability
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of training given to hospital staff on the positioning of disabled patients on general wards. [142413]
Dr Poulter: Every NHS service provider has an obligation to their patients, including those with disabilities, as part of their Care Quality Commission registration requirements to ensure care is delivered by staff who are properly qualified and able to do their job.
The Occupational health and safety standards; “Partnership for Occupational Safety and Health in Healthcare” (2010), outlines how all service providers
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have a legal obligation to ensure that they have a manual handling strategy in place and that sufficient training is provided to all staff involved in manual handling tasks, including refresher training.
Hospital Wards: Dorset
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason a ward at St Leonard's Hospital, Ferndown, Dorset has not been reopened to help meet the current pressure on beds at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [142616]
Anna Soubry: This is a matter for the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.
We have written to the Foundation Trusts' Chairs, Jane Stichbury and Jonathan Walsh, informing them of my hon. Friend’s inquiry. The Foundation Trusts will reply shortly and copies of the correspondence will be placed in the Library.
Human Papillomavirus
Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the safety of administering the HPV vaccine in schools; [142125]
(2) what (a) information and (b) training is given to those who administer HPV vaccines on potential adverse reactions. [142136]
Anna Soubry: The Department publishes information and advice about immunisation against human papillomavirus (HPV) for the health care professionals in the HPV chapter of its publication, ‘Immunisation against Infectious Disease’ and in a factsheet, ‘The human papillomavirus vaccine: The virus, the diseases and the HPV vaccine’, copies of which have been placed in the Library. Immunisation training is usually co-ordinated locally by national health service immunisation co-ordinators.
HPV vaccine is administered safely by qualified health care professionals, typically on school sites by school nurses, but in some cases at general practitioner practices. Regardless of the setting in which the vaccine is administered, the training received by the health care professional involved will address safe and effective vaccination, including how to recognise and manage adverse events following immunisation such as anaphylaxis to prevent serious harm to the patient. A protocol for the management of anaphylaxis and an anaphylaxis pack must always be available whenever vaccines are given. Where required, a Patient Group Direction, which is a specific written local instruction for the authorised supply and administration of the HPV vaccine to groups of patients, will be in force.
The approved regulatory documentation for any vaccine or medicine is the Summary of Product Characteristics for health care professionals and the Patient Information Leaflet for patients. It is recommended that a copy of the Patient Information Leaflet is provided to the patient at the time for vaccination, which contains a description of the commonest reported side effects from the vaccine. It also signposts the reader to further information if they wish to learn more about side effects. The Department
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has published two leaflets for parents and girls, copies of which have been placed in the Library: ‘The HPV vaccine: A Q&A sheet for girls and their parents on the HPV vaccination available from September 2012’, and ‘Your guide to the HPV vaccination from September 2012’.
The health care professional will check at the time of vaccination whether the patient has previously had a reaction to the vaccine or its constituents based on locally developed protocols.
Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department offers to parents who are being investigated by social services for fabricating or inducing illness and who have a child who has experienced a severe adverse reaction to an HPV vaccination. [142132]
Anna Soubry: Local authority social services departments, working in collaboration with national health service organisations and health care professionals, are responsible for assessing cases where it is considered possible that parents may have fabricated or induced illness. In such cases, a full developmental history and assessment should be carried out. The assessment should consider any relevant medical treatment, including immunisation.
In 2008, the Government published statutory guidance—‘Safeguarding Children in Whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced’. This guidance provides a national framework within which agencies and professionals at a local level—individually and jointly—draw up and agree their ways of working where illness may be being fabricated or induced in a child. This framework includes the provision of support, advice and advocacy to children and families.
Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to care for those who are diagnosed with new medical conditions after receiving the HPV vaccination. [142133]
Anna Soubry: Local national health service organisations are responsible for commissioning and providing the necessary medical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and care to their populations.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has responsibility for vaccine and medicines safety in the United Kingdom and has been keeping the safety of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines under continual close monitoring since they were first used in the UK in September 2008. In September 2012 the MHRA sought the advice of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) on the safety experience of Cervarix after 6 million doses of the vaccine had been used in the UK. CHM advised that no serious new risks had been identified and agreed that the balance of its benefits and risks remains positive.
Continuous safety review by MHRA includes evaluation of suspected adverse reactions collected through the yellow card scheme, as well as the results from any new studies, both published and unpublished.
Based on currently available evidence, the known risks of HPV vaccine are greatly outweighed by the expected benefits in preventing deaths from cervical cancer and other morbidities associated with vaccine strains of HPV.
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Mr Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the evidence for HPV strains 16 and 18 being the most prevalent in the UK; and what monitoring his Department undertakes to determine if other HPV strains could cause cervical cancer. [142144]
Anna Soubry: The Health Protection Agency monitors the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the population, including HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for almost 60% and more than 15% of all cervical cancers in Europe respectively.
‘Immunisation against infectious disease’ (the ‘Green Book’), which was updated in 2012 with the latest epidemiological data available at the time and which is available on the Department's website and in the Library, states that persistent infection by high-risk HPV types is detectable in more than 99% of cervical cancers. In addition to HPV16 and HPV18, a further 11 high-risk types have been identified but persistence and disease is more common for infections by HPV types 16 and 18 than for other high-risk types.
http://immunisation.dh.gov.uk/green-book-chapters/chapter-18a/
Kidneys: Diseases
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has considered commissioning a national specialised service for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. [142269]
Norman Lamb: Following advice from the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services, Ministers have decided that the drug eculizumab and an accompanying service for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome will not be commissioned on a national basis at the present time.
The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to further explore eculizumab's suitability for national commissioning and for NICE to provide guidance to the national health service.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services made of (a) clinical effectiveness and (b) the cost effectiveness of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome; [142421]
(2) if he will publish the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services' assessment of the national commissioning of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome. [142422]
Norman Lamb: The Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) carried out an assessment of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) and recommended that both the drug and a service for the treatment of aHUS should be included as part of national specialised commissioning arrangements. The advisory group noted the high cost of the drug.
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AGNSS has published a statement about their recommendation to Ministers on the use of eculizumab for the treatment of aHUS. It can be accessed at the following site:
www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/news/view/132
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the process the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will use to conduct the appraisal of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome has been drafted; whether the draft process will be subject to public consultation; and when he expects the process to be finalised. [142423]
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will use to conduct the appraisal of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome; if this process will be published; and whether this process will be subject to public consultation. [142249]
Norman Lamb: From April 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will be responsible for the evaluation of selected highly specialised health technologies. NICE is currently engaging with stakeholders on the process it will use in the evaluation of such technologies and will formally consult on the process and methods in due course.
We understand that NICE will publish an interim process to allow an early start on the evaluation of eculizumab for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome after April 2013.
Maternity Services
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which maternity departments in England have 168 hours per week of consultant cover. [142620]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Maternity Services: Greater London
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hours of consultant cover is provided in each maternity department in London; and how many births took place at each such department in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [142609]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to contact individual hospital trusts for further information.
Medical Equipment
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that people using pressure relieving equipment at home are given access to the same equipment when they are admitted to hospital. [142411]
Dr Poulter:
Hospital trusts are free to use any equipment that is appropriate to the needs of patients admitted to hospital, taking account of national guidance such as the clinical guideline “Pressure ulcer prevention” issued
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by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence in 2003 and the material on pressure ulcers developed by the “Patient Safety First” campaign. The latter includes a “handover checklist” which advises health care professionals to discuss equipment requirements when a patient is transferred from the community to hospital or vice versa. The checklist can be found at:
www.patientsafetyfirst.nhs.uk/Content.aspx?path=/interventions/relatedprogrammes/pressure-ulcers/
Muscular Dystrophy: Tees Valley
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with care commissioning groups and NHS trusts on Teesside on improving care for patients with muscular dystrophy. [142610]
Norman Lamb: Ministers have had no recent discussions with commissioning groups or national health service trusts in Teesside about improving care for patients with muscular dystrophy.
The provision of services, including non-specialised services for patients with muscular dystrophy, is a matter for the local NHS. Specialised neuromuscular services for people with muscular dystrophy are currently the responsibility of the regional specialised commissioning groups. These services will be commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board from April 2013.
NHS: Procurement
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the NHS does not commission any services from groups who engage in or promote conversion therapy. [142315]
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Norman Lamb: The Department does not recommend the use of conversion therapy and it is not a National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended treatment. It is for commissioners of NHS services to ensure that treatment and care, including therapy, is provided to every patient without any form of discrimination. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will in future commission the majority of health care services. As public sector organisations, they will be subject to the specific duties of the public sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010. Therefore CCGs must, in the exercise of their functions, have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited under the Act.
Nurses: South East
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) district nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community psychiatric nurses, (d) community matrons and (e) community learning disability nurses were employed by the NHS in each primary care trust in the South East in (i) the latest period for which figures are available and (ii) the period of 12 months prior to that. [142812]
Dr Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested.
The numbers of full-time equivalent staff for the staff groups requested employed by national health service organisations in the South East Coast as at 31 October 2011 and 31 October 2012 are shown in Table 1.
Since June 2012, there is a Health Visiting Minimum Data Set Collection that includes additional full-time equivalent health visitors employed by all NHS organisations, local authorities and social enterprises, including information from organisations that employ health visitors but do not use the Electronic Staff Record. These figures are provided in Table 2.
| Table 1: NHS hospital and community health services provisional monthly statistics: Qualified nursing and health visiting staff in each specified area of work in the South East Coast strategic health authority area by organisation | ||||||||
| As at 31 October 2011 | ||||||||
| Full-time equivalent | ||||||||
| of which: | ||||||||
| All specified staff | Community learning disabilities | Community psychiatry | Community services | Community matrons | District nurses | Health visitors | ||
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