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I have no plans to discuss this issue with NICE.
National Health Service Litigation Authority
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government why NHS employees are excluded by statute from complaining about the workings of the National Health Service Litigation Authority. [HL1124]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what avenues of redress NHS employees have if they have a grievance against the National Health Service Litigation Authority. [HL1125]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Any person, including an National Health Service employee, has the right to complain about the NHS Litigation Authority through the NHS complaints procedure if they are affected by its action, omission or decision. The relevant statute that sets out the detail of the complaints procedure is the National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2004.
There are specific matters excluded by statute from consideration under the NHS complaints procedure and these are set out in Regulation 7 of the 2004 regulations.
However, employees of the NHS Litigation Authority with a grievance about their employment should follow the NHS Litigation Authority's internal grievance procedure.
NHS: Prescriptions
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what records are kept of the number of free prescriptions dispensed; where those records are held; how many records exist; what details are held on the records; and for how long the records are kept. [HL1115]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The National Health Service (NHS) Prescription Services division of the NHS Business Services Authority holds data on dispensed prescriptions for 60 months. The original prescriptions and scanned prescription images are normally kept for 14 months, then destroyed in line with the retention and destruction policy.
NHS Prescription Services captures dispenser details, payment claim form details, prescriber details and the prescription charge status at point of dispensing. It also captures information on the product and quantity ordered for reimbursement as well as additional information requirements to apply reimbursement and remuneration policy. It does not capture patient details. This information is used as source data for prescribing and pharmaceutical statistics.
The number of records currently held is shown in the following table:
| Month | Total prescription items reimbursed (millions) | Prescription items where charges not paid at point of dispensing (millions)1 |
Source: NHS Prescription Services Information Systems
1 Includes items dispensed to patients holding a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC).
Northern Ireland Office: Danger Money
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 18 December 2008 (WA 72) concerning payments to staff in the Northern Ireland Office, why the Answer referred to allowances which a Northern Ireland Office spokesman was quoted on 8 January in the Daily Mirror on page 9 as saying were not danger money. [HL794]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not pay danger money. An environmental allowance (referred to as “special allowance” (Official Report, 18 December 2008, col. WA 72) is paid to NIO staff working in Northern Ireland and details of that allowance were provided in the Answer given on 18 December 2008.
Northern Ireland Office: Staff
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether since 1994 any allowances have been paid to staff in the Northern Ireland Office in respect of (a) rent, (b) the environment, (c) any danger they may encounter, (d) London weighting, (e) travel, and (f) any attraction to working in Northern Ireland; if so, how much; to whom; whether any such allowances have been reviewed; and, if so, with what outcome. [HL797]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: (a) Accommodation is provided for staff working away from their home location, but no allowances are paid direct to staff for rental payments.
(b) and (c) Northern Ireland Office (NIO) staff working in Northern Ireland receive an environmental allowance (referred to as “special allowance” (Official Report, 18 December 2008, col. WA 72) which was revised in 1992 and is now under review. This is not regarded as danger money.
(d) London weighting is paid to NIO Home Civil Servants who work in London or have a commitment to maintain a home in GB while working in NI. NICS staff who work in London were previously entitled to the payment of London weighting but this was removed following a review, from 1 January 2008.
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(e) Staff claim subsistence and incidental expenses such as car parking and mileage which are travel related.
(f) No allowances are paid to attract staff to work in Northern Ireland.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average number of days taken off on sick leave by staff in the Northern Ireland Office administrative section in 2008. [HL1018]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: In 2007-08 financial year, non-uniform grades in the Northern Ireland Office lost an average of 9.9 days due to sickness absence.
Police: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland has not brought to court because it would not be in the public interest. [HL1014]
The Attorney-General (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The information sought is published in the Public Prosecution Service annual report.
In the year 2007-08 the PPS made 67,795 prosecutorial decisions. In 18,548 of those decisions the PPS concluded that the test for prosecution was not met. Of that number, 1,619 were decisions that prosecution was not necessary in the public interest. Additionally, in 10,714 cases, the PPS concluded that the public interest was best met by diversion, taking the offender out of the criminal justice system and dealing with the matter by way of caution, informed warning, youth conference or Northern Ireland driver improvement scheme.
Population Growth
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that at the forthcoming G20 Conference the issue of sustainable population growth will be seriously considered, along with ways to meet the needs expressed internationally for family planning services. [HL849]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The London Summit on Stability, Growth and Jobs on 2 April will focus on addressing the economic and financial crisis and restoring faith in globalisation while curbing its excesses, to preserve the open world economy that has helped lift hundreds of millions out of poverty. The London summit will bring together the leaders of the world's major economies and global economic institutions to address the crisis, as requested at the Washington G20 summit last November.
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The UK Government have been working hard to ensure the summit also takes steps to protect the poorest from the global recession.
The UK Government remain committed to providing people with reproductive health choices through providing information, supplies and family planning services to enable men and women to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. This is in line with the international consensus agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development at Cairo in 1994 and reaffirmed at the United Nations World Summit in 2005. We have recently agreed an additional £100 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) over five years to improve access to family planning services. We also provide significant resources to support the work of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), as well as other organisations working to promote sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention.
Roads: Traffic Signs
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the use of any sign, not being a traffic sign, but resembling such a sign in shape and content is a breach of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. [HL1312]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Whether such a sign would require express consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 would be a matter for the local planning authority in the first instance and each case will depend on its facts. It should be noted that only the courts can provide a definitive interpretation of the law.
Somalia
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what policies they and the European Union have agreed concerning aid and development, including the return of refugees, in Somalia; and to what extent they reflect the views of Somali non-state actors. [HL1028]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for International Development (DfID) works very closely with several European Union (EU) member states and the European Commission (EC) on Somalia within the context of the EU + Norway 2008-13 joint strategy paper (JSP). The objectives for this are Somali-owned reconciliation, democracy, rule of law and assisting the Somali people (particularly the most vulnerable groups) in the reconstruction of the country.
The joint strategy paper (JSP) is based on the United Nations (UN) and World Bank (WB) reconstruction and development programme (RDP).
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Refugee flows out of Somalia increased during 2008 as a consequence of the surge in internal violence—there are now more than 230,000 in Kenya alone. The EC's humanitarian aid department (ECHO) has committed €4 million to Somali refugees in Kenya,
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UNHCR is the major agency responsible for Somali refugees (and their return). The UK Government and other EU countries provide central funding to UNHCR. In 2009, UNHCR aims to protect and assist the return of an additional 500 refugees to Somaliland and Puntland—2,500 refugees have been previously returned. Should the security situation in south and central Somalia improve, some may be returned there.
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