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Health: Diabetes
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What evidence is available to support the use of home testing of blood sugar for type 2 diabetes. [HL3158]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): In September 2002, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued clinical guidelines on Management of Type 2 Diabetes—Management of Blood Glucose. The guidelines include advice on the self-monitoring of blood glucose and state that self-monitoring can have benefits but should be carried out as part of an integrated self-care package and if the purpose is clear and agreed with the patient.
The guidelines are under review and will be reissued as part of the Type 2 diabetes: the management of type 2 diabetes (update), expected to be published by NICE in May 2008.
Health: Multiple Births
Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to reduce the neonatal morbidity rate among multiple birth pregnancies. [HL3148]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Twin and other multiple pregnancies carry a higher risk of the factors related to neonatal mortality and morbidity, such as pre-term birth and low birth weight. We are supporting research into gaining improved understanding and prevention of the trigger factors that are associated with pre-term birth through a range of funding mechanisms across the National Health Service National Institute for Health Research and the department's policy research programme.
The Government are committed to the provision of high-quality maternity and neonatal services to help ensure that all babies have the best possible start to life. We have developed a new maternity indicator, through the “Better Care for All” public service
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For babies requiring neonatal critical care, we have facilitated the development of 23 neonatal networks across England to provide safe and effective services. A neonatal task force has recently been established to support the NHS to identify and deliver any further improvements.
Housing: Prices
Lord Steinberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their reaction to the estimate that house prices may drop by 30 per cent over the next three years. [HL3129]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Budget 2008 set out the Government's view of recent housing market developments. Sound economic fundamentals clearly distinguish present conditions from the late 1980s, when mortgage interest rates peaked at 15 per cent and led to a collapse in the housing market.
Ministry of Justice: Annual Reports
Lord Grocott asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which annual reports the Ministry of Justice is required by Acts of Parliament to produce; and, in each case, what is the authorising Act. [HL3132]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Ministry of Justice is obliged by statute to lay the following annual documents before parliament:
Prisoners: Sentences
Lord Lloyd of Berwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people are currently serving indefinite sentences of imprisonment for the protection of the public; and at what rate this number is increasing each year; and [HL3130]
How many people are currently serving notional minimum sentences of (a) two years or less; (b) between two and three years; (c) between three and four years; (d) between four and five years; and (e) more than five years. [HL3131]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): As at the end of February 2008, there were 4,000 offenders serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) in prison establishments in England and Wales. This compares to 2,300 at the end of February 2007 and 550 at the end of February 2006. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing, so the numbers have been rounded to the nearest 50.
Prison population information held centrally does not include complete information on the notional minimum sentences (tariffs) to be served by all offenders currently sentenced to an IPP. However, a research study on offenders received into prisons in England and Wales under IPPs between April 2005 and March 2006 collected valid tariff information on 685 of the total 707 IPPs, of which (a) 280 had a tariff of two years or less; (b) 195 had a tariff of over two years up to three years; (c) 107 had a tariff of over three years up to four years; (d) 46 had a tariff of over four years up to five years; and (e) 57 had a tariff of over five years. (These recorded tariffs are believed to include reductions for remand time served). These
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Tax Credits
Baroness Corston asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the latest estimate of the take-up of child tax credit among households eligible for such
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Lord Davies of Oldham: Estimates of the take-up rates for child and working tax credits in 2005-06 by size of household, for which latest figures are available, are produced in table 7 of the HMRC publication Child and Working Tax Credit Take-up rates 2005-06. This publication is available on the HMRC website at www. hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm.
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