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Food: Labelling
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations the Food Standards Agency has received about its proposals to label food with traffic light colours; and, in particular, whether it has received representations from the makers of specialist food products on the possibility that the traffic light system could result in arbitrary criticism of products.[HL1423]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Food Standards Agency received 121 responses to public consultations on front-of-pack nutritional signposting. Summaries of these responses can be found on the agency's website.
In addition, more than 332 small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 50 employees were contacted to find out how the agency's proposals would affect their businesses. A small number of responses were received; these did not highlight any concerns about arbitrary criticism of products. No representations have been received from makers of speciality food products.
Gambling: Overseas Regulation
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will ensure that gambling jurisdictions in the European Union and European Economic Area exercise the same degree of regulatory control over online gambling as that envisaged for the United Kingdom by the Gambling Commission. [HL1325]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Gambling Act 2005 puts in place the strongest ever regulatory regime for the UK gambling industry. Although it is outside the Government's power to ensure that other jurisdictions exercise the same degree of regulatory control as the UK, we intend to lead the way in raising standards in remote gambling worldwide and in protecting consumers. To this end, on 31 October 2006, the Government hosted an international summit for more than 30 jurisdictions and the process of establishing international standards in now underway. The Gambling Commission will continue to share the UK Government’s approach with their equivalent organisations abroad through its membership of the International Association of Gambling Regulators.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make representations to the Gambling Commission to hold talks with gambling regulators in Gibraltar and Malta to ensure that the standards of online gambling regulation in those jurisdictions are comparable to those in the United Kingdom. [HL1326]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government work very closely with the Gambling Commission on all issues relating to online gambling. Representatives from both Gibraltar and Malta attended the Government’s international remote gambling summit held on 31 October 2006 where they, along with many other jurisdictions, indicated that they fully support the UK Government's intention to raise standards in online gambling regulation. Following the summit, we will continue to involve Malta and Gibraltar in the process for establishing international standards, which is now underway. The Gambling Commission will also continue to meet representatives of Gibraltar and Malta through their membership of the International Association of Gambling Regulators.
Government Offices of the Regions: Costs
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much each of the Government Offices for the Regions spends annually on internal administration; and what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total annual budget of each government office. [HL1135]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The total administrative funding of the government offices in 2006-07 was estimated at £127.99 million. This covers all running costs including staff costs, accommodation, et cetera.
The government offices receive programme funding from seven sponsor departments. We do not hold financial data on all sponsor departments’ programme fund expenditure which is channelled through government offices centrally. Total programme funding from Communities and Local Government for 2006-07 was estimated at £1.13 billion.
In line with the government office review, management of programme funds forms only one element of the offices' role in the regions. The offices also have a key role in negotiating and brokering local area agreements and regional strategies, for example. The estimated total administrative costs for each government office for 2006-07 are given below.
| Government Office | Total estimated administration costs for 2006-07 £m |
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Health: Alfred Morris House, Taunton
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 18 December 2006 (WA 243) concerning Alfred Morris House, the rehabilitation unit at Taunton, what consultation the Secretary of State for Health had with patients and their families before acting on Mr Jeremy Bell's formal request to her to undertake a review of the Taunton and Somerset National Health Service Trust's proposals. [HL1303]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): This is a local matter for Taunton and Somerset National Health Service Trust. It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to plan and develop services in order to meet the needs of their health economy.
South West Strategic Health Authority has advised officials that the trust consulted widely with staff on plans to relocate the neurological rehabilitation service from the Alfred Morris House to the Duchess Building.
NHS bodies are under a duty to consult overview and scrutiny committees on any plans to make substantial variations to NHS services. These committees have the power to refer any proposal to the Secretary of State for Health if they believe that the plans are not in the interest of the health service. The SHA reports that the Somerset Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee was kept fully informed of the plans, and its view was that the service reorganisation did not constitute a significant variation in service and so did not require the full consultation periods.
The service is being relocated, not closed, and the SHA provides further assurances that the trust will continue to provide a specialist neurological rehabilitation service, which will continue to be delivered by staff with the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience.
Health: C Difficile
Lord Goodlad asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cases of clostridium difficile were reported in National Health Service mental illness hospitals in (a) 2005, and (b) 2006.[HL1421]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): These data are not collected centrally. NHS mental health trusts are not included in the mandatory surveillance schemes for healthcare associated infections, including clostridium difficile.
Health: Respiratory Diseases
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the number of recorded cases of childhood asthma in each of the past 10 years in each parliamentary constituency in (a) Kent, and (b) Essex; and [HL1498]
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What are the number of recorded cases of adult respiratory diseases in each of the past 10 years in each parliamentary constituency in (a) Kent, and (b) Essex. [HL1499]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Information on the number of cases of adult respiratory disease and childhood asthma is not collected centrally.
Health: Stroke Patients
Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each National Health Service acute hospital in the last convenient period, how many stroke patients out of the total were scanned (a) within three hours of admission, and (b) within 24 hours of admission; and whether each acute hospital is able routinely to scan patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [HL971]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Data on how many stroke patients out of the total were scanned within three hours of admission are not collected centrally.
The number of stroke patients out of the total that were scanned within 24 hours of admission is detailed within the concise report of the Royal College of Physicians’s (RCP) National Sentinel Stroke Audit 2004. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report of the 2006 clinical audit is due to be published in March 2007.
The percentage of acute hospitals able routinely to scan patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week is shown in the attached table. This table is an extract from the RCP's National Sentinel Stroke Audit, Phase 1 Organisational Audit 2006 published in August 2006.
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Immigration: Special Envoy on Returns
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the terms of reference for Lord Triesman's role as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Returns; and whether it is intended that Lord Triesman will make Statements to the House of Lords on any of his work in that capacity. [HL1487]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister's letter of appointment which outlines the terms of reference for my role. I will make Statements to the House as and when it is necessary.
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