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Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many people with haemophilia now rely on the National Health Service for their medical treatment; and [HL1406]
How many haemophilia patients have now died after infection with hepatitis C by contaminated National Health Service blood products; and how many more are now (a) seriously and (b) terminally ill. [HL1408]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation states that around 6,000 patients with haemophilia A and B, not including patients with von Willebrand's disease and rare coagulation disorders, were registered with National Health Service haemophilia centres in 1999 (the latest year for which information is available). Only a proportion of these patients, mainly those with severe haemophilia, require treatment in any given year.
The latest information from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation shows that 212 people with haemophilia have died from liver disease which may be related to hepatitis C infection. Information on the number of haemophilia patients seriously and terminally ill is not available.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many haemophilia patients have now died after infection with HIV by contaminated National Health Service blood products; and how many more are now (a) seriously and (b) terminally ill.[HL1407]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of haemophilia patients registered with the Macfarlane Trust who have died after infection with HIV is 821. Information on the number of haemophilia patients seriously and terminally ill is not available.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What estimate they have made of the number of people with haemophilia whose National Health Service-prescribed treatment has included blood from donors who have since died of vCJD.[HL1409]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I refer my noble friend to the reply I gave on 25 October at WA 141-42.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What study the Department of Health has made of the case of the schoolboy with haemophilia, a patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, who was given blood from a donor who had vCJD and has since died; why the child's entitlement to recombinant factor VIII was not honoured; and with whom the responsibility lies for the distress now inflicted on the family.[HL1410]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In early 1997 this child received factor VIII from a batch that included plasma
from a donor who developed variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 2000. Following guidance from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation, the child's consultant visited the parents in January 2001 to give them this information. Counselling and support were also provided. The child has received recombinant factor VIII since may 1998 as soon as possible after National Health Service trusts were instructed by the Government to provide these products to all new patients and children under 16.Healthcare Professionals: Right of Appeal to Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to introduce legislation to abolish the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for members of the healthcare professions.[HL1378]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Provisions to do this are included in the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Bill, which was introduced on 8 November 2001.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella Immunisation
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What the measles, mumps and rubella immunisation rates have been in each of the past five years (a) in England, and (b) in London.[HL1399]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information on the percentage of children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella in each of the past five years in England and London is contained in Table 3 of the Statistical Bulletin NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2000–01. A copy of the bulletin is available in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health Website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0121.htm.
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What incentives are provided to general practitioners to encourage measles, mumps and rubella immunisation amongst their patients.[HL1401]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: General Medical Services general practitioners are eligible for a higher target payment on immunising 90 per cent of all children aged two on the partnership list, and a lower target payment if they immunise 70 per cent of those children. There are equivalent targets for the pre-school booster measured from age five.
From April 2001, the average higher target payment for childhood immunisation is £2,730; the lower target payment is £910. From April 2001 the higher target payment for the pre-school booster is £810; the lower target payment is £270.
Personal Medical Services (PMS) general practitioners are commissioned to achieve these targets through incentives within the PMS contract.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella: Incidences
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What were the incidences amongst children of (a) measles, (b) mumps, and (c) rubella in each of the past five years (a) in England, and (b) in London.[HL1403]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Laboratory confirmed cases of measles, mumps and rubella by region and age reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre of the Public Health Laboratory Service in each of the last five years are set out in the tables.
| England Data | London Data | |||||
| 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | |||
| 1996 | 42 | 29 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 1997 | 142 | 9 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1999 | 48 | 2 | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2000 | 70 | 7 | 39 | 1 | ||
| England Data | London Data | |||||
| 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | |||
| 1996 | 62 | 4 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 1997 | 106 | 21 | 24 | 4 | ||
| 1998 | 62 | 6 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | 245 | 61 | 65 | 13 | ||
| 2000 | 480 | 124 | 8 | 9 | ||
| England Data | London Data | |||||
| 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | 0-14 yr. | 15-19 yr. | |||
| 1996 | 39 | 533 | 3 | 13 | ||
| 1997 | 15 | 14 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | 31 | 24 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 0 | ||
Human Cloning
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What response they intend to make to the resolution of the European Parliament of 14 November which stated that Xresearch activities aiming at human cloning for reproductive purposes; creation of embryos for research purposes, including somatic cell nuclear transfer; research activity resulting in a modification of the genetic heritage of human beings, which could make such changes hereditary" should not be permitted under
- the multinational scientific framework programme 2002–06 of the European Union; and [HL1412]
Whether it is their intention to participate in the European Research Area programme (COM (2001) 94-C5-0087/2001-2001/0053(COD); and whether they subscribe to the fundamental ethical principles set out in Amendments 22, 332, 333 and 334 of Article 3 of the European Research Area framework programme. [HL1413]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The resolution referred to by the noble Lord deals with European Parliament amendments to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the multiannual framework programme 2002–06.
The Government agree that research should be carried out with due regard for fundamental ethical principles. The European Parliament amendments list a number of relevant international instruments.
The Government are aware that the October 2000 revision of the Declaration of Helsinki has already been the subject of an additional statement by the World Medical Association and may be re-examined in 2002. The amendment refers to Xrelevant WHO resolutions", which would need to be specified before the Government could comment on agreement with them. Regarding the remaining instruments, the Government subscribe to the ethical position on research set out by the instrument as a whole. It notes that Article 18.2 of the Biomedicine Convention prohibits creation of embryos for research purposes, but that Article 36 permits states to enter a reservation on the basis of law in force in its territory not being in compliance with the provision.
The opinion of the European Parliament will be considered by the Council under the co-decision procedure. The Government expect that the United Kingdom research community will participate fully in the framework programme.
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What costs from public funds have been incurred to date as a result of contesting the challenge to the use of statutory instruments to permit human embryos to be used for the purposes of experimental human cloning.[HL1430]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The costs to the Government have yet to be assessed. Costs of the losing party will be the subject of a detailed assessment by a cost's judge, if not agreed, at the end of the proceedings.
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