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Data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2007 estimates that 24 per cent of men and women are obese and 61 per cent are overweight (including obese). In 1993, 13 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women in England were obese, while 53 per cent of adults were overweight and obese1.
| 1986-87* | 2000-01** | |||
| 16-64 years | 19-64 years | |||
| Men | Women | Men | Women | |
1 The Information Centre (2008) Statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet: England, January 2008: The Information Centre, Lifestyles Statistics.
* Data from Gregory J, Foster K, Tyler H, & Wiseman M. Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British adults. HMSO (London, 1990)
** Data from Henderson L, Gregory 3, Irving K & Swan G. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19 to 64 years. Volume 2: Energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol intake. TSO (London: 2003).
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Health: Former UK Residents
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 May (WA 260), how under European Union regulation 1408/71 the most recently agreed EEA health reimbursement annual average cost of £2,605.81 per head for United Kingdom pensioners and their dependants was calculated; what it would be this year; and when that 2003 figure will be subject to review. [HL3863]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The European Union (EU) approved United Kingdom average cost for pensioners and their dependants for 2003 was based on the overall domestic healthcare expenditure and the UK population for that year. Once average costs for any particular year have been approved at EU level, they are not subject to a further review. The UK average costs are calculated on the same basis for every year, in arrears. The average costs for this year will be calculated once the corresponding healthcare expenditure data are available.
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 May (WA 260), why their representatives agreed at the European Union-level group an annual average cost for pensioners and their dependants for Ireland of €8,322 per head in 2004; and what assessment they have made of average costs for Ireland being three times greater than the United Kingdom figure of £2,605.81 per head. [HL3864]
Lord Darzi of Denham: The United Kingdom agreed average costs submitted by the Republic of Ireland in respect of 2003 and 2004 at a European Union (EU) level meeting in November 2008. Health Ministers considered that sufficient progress had been made in bilateral discussions on payments the UK makes to the Republic of Ireland under a bilateral health agreement to allow this agreement. During these ongoing bilateral discussions, UK officials have raised the difference between the UK’s and Ireland’s average costs. Under EU regulations, the UK has no direct say in how another member state calculates these costs. However, the UK has agreed with Irish officials that there will be an exchange of data in respect of Irish average costs for 2005 and onwards to enable a clearer understanding of how they are calculated and why any level of difference from UK average costs exists.
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 May (WA 259), why they do not seek to obtain the numbers and nationalities of foreign European Union or EEA nationals treated in the devolved health services in order to add them to the United Kingdom annual reimbursement claim. [HL3865]
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Lord Darzi of Denham: Department of Health officials are currently exploring the scope for obtaining data on overseas visitors treated by the devolved health authorities in order for the United Kingdom to make claims against other member states on their behalf.
Health: Heart Disease
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the decrease in cardiovascular disease attributed to dietary changes between 1980 and 2008; and what has been the increase in cardiovascular disease associated with obesity and diabetes over that period. [HL3762]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Death rates from cardiovascular disease for people under age 75 are down by 44 per cent from 1995-97 baseline, saving nearly 33,000 lives in 2007, compared to 1996. The target of reducing premature mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and related conditions by at least 40 per cent has also been met five years ahead of schedule.
The national service framework for CHD (March 2000) set out a 10-year framework for action to prevent disease, tackle inequalities, save more lives, and improve the quality of life for people with heart disease. A study into the reasons for declining mortality rates from coronary heart disease in England and Wales between 1981 and 2000, found that 58 per cent of the decline was attributable to major risk factors rather than treatment. The principal factor was reduced smoking.
Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of CHD and type 2 diabetes. The World Health Organisation's world health report 2002 estimated that, in developed countries about a third of CHD and ischaemic stroke and about 60 per cent of hypertensive disease was caused by being overweight.
Health: Influenza Virus
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what enquiries they have made of the World Health Organisation about their investigation into the release of material contaminated with the H5N1 influenza virus by Baxter International in Orth-Donau, Austria, earlier this year; what the circumstances were surrounding that release; and what risk it posed to public health. [HL3798]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): No direct enquiries have been made with the World Health Organisation on the subject. However, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency became aware of the incident in February 2009 via an inquiry
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In December 2008 cross-contamination of the replication deficient H3N2 influenza virus with wild-type H5N1 virus occurred in a research facility in Austria, the Baxter Biomedical Research Centre in Orth. This virus material was produced exclusively for laboratory analytical and research purposes and as the material was not for human use, good manufacturing practice for medicinal products was not applied to its preparation. The contaminated virus material was supplied to four test laboratories in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovenia between December 2008 and February 2009.
Baxter has reported that the contaminated material was transported and handled under appropriate bio-containment conditions and potentially exposed laboratory or transport personnel demonstrated no symptoms of influenza. When tested they were confirmed to be negative for the influenza virus. All affected facilities and equipment were disinfected and the contaminated virus material destroyed. Following root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions have been taken by the company to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
Houses of Parliament: Demonstrations
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with those demonstrating about Sri Lanka in Parliament Square in order to reduce the level of disruption caused to the public. [HL3592]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Foreign Secretary has met some demonstrators in wider meetings he has held with representatives of the Tamil community and British MPs to discuss the situation in Sri Lanka.
To ask Her Majesty's Government why on Monday 11 May those demonstrating about Sri Lanka were allowed to block the road on two sides of Parliament Square; and what permission for their demonstrations was sought or granted. [HL3669]
Lord West of Spithead: The policing of demonstrations around Parliament is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police.
Houses of Parliament: Select Committees
Questions
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 20 April (WA 346), on how many occasions and in what circumstances Ministers
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Lord Patel of Bradford: I am not aware of any occasion where a Cabinet Office Minister has refused to give evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee during the past five years.
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 20 April (WA 346), on how many occasions and in what circumstances Ministers of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and its predecessors have refused to give evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees during the past five years. [HL2998]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): None to my knowledge and to the research I have commissioned to see what has been the practice over the past four years.
Hussar Ltd
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the activities of Hussar Ltd, a United Kingdom company based in Jersey with a London office, with regard to the purchase of gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [HL3791]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The UN's Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has investigated the activities of Hussar Ltd in the trade of gold from DRC. Its inquiries covered Hussar Ltd's relationship with Uganda Commercial Impex Ltd, a company now subject to UN sanctions. We concluded in 2006 that it would not be appropriate to impose sanctions on Hussar Ltd through the UN. We have no information to indicate that Hussar is currently involved in the trade of gold from DRC. If it resumes its involvement in this trade, we would expect the company to act in compliance with the terms of the UN arms embargo and sanctions regime which apply in DRC.
Identity Cards
Questions
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have chosen Manchester to launch the pilot ID card scheme. [HL3417]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Greater Manchester is already leading the way in the roll-out of identity cards. The city's airport is working with the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) as one of the first wave of
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It will give the public, retailers and service providers a chance to become familiar with the cards as supporting hardware such as chip and pin readers are introduced. Another factor in Manchester's favour is its large population of young people and students. Our research indicates that this group is particularly likely to need to be able to prove their age and identity and are thus likely to benefit from the early adoption of ID cards.
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a telephone check to determine whether an ID card is genuine would rely on the ID card's number to establish its status. [HL3420]
Lord West of Spithead: A telephone check to IPS would include the ID card (product) number as well as certain other information on the face of the card. This information would be sufficient for IPS to determine whether such a card was issued and is still valid. Such a check would also require authentication that the requesting party was authorised to make the request, that they were doing so with the card holder’s consent, that the person presenting the card resembled the photograph on the card and that the card showed no obvious signs of tampering. The process for doing this would be very similar to the current Passport Validation Service, but the exact process is still being defined.
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many foreign nationals have been issued with an ID card since November 2008; what was the unit cost of production; and how much each foreign national paid for their card. [HL3421]
Lord West of Spithead: As of the end of April 2009, the UK Border Agency had issued over 34,120 identity cards for foreign nationals.
The total estimated cost of the scheme from April 2009 to April 2019 is £379 million for non-EEA foreign nationals. These cost estimates are updated and published every six months in the Identity Cards Costs Report.
The cost of the identity card for foreign nationals is included within the immigration application fee for those in the relevant categories and these fees vary from category to category and can be found in the UKBA website. The cost of replacing a card if it is lost, stolen or damaged is £30 in 2009-10.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the implementation of ID cards in Manchester is being explained to the population, particularly students. [HL3446]
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Lord West of Spithead: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is undertaking a range of communications activity with citizens in the Manchester area including:
Established pages on the Direct.gov.uk citizen facing website
To help improve communications around the development and launch of the identity card, IPS launched a website on 6 May 2009. Through the site located at www.direct.gov.uk/identity citizens will be able register their interest in identity cards and the National Identity Service (NIS). Once registered on the site they will receive regular e-newsletters providing help and advice around how to protect your identity, the development of the NIS and the introduction of identity cards.
IPS is working with a media planning agency to finalise the marketing channel strategy for activity in and around Greater Manchester. We expect to be undertaking two campaigns. The first, due to go live during August, will be aimed at businesses in those sectors which are likely to come into contact with identity cards when they are selling products or services. The second, due to go live during October, is aimed at citizens to notify them about the ability to get an identity card in their area and explaining what it can do for them.
Recent stakeholder and communications activity
IPS has met with a large number of stakeholder organisations as part of a continuing programme to inform and consult on the NIS. These have included organisations from the public, private and third sector including the National Union of Students, Universities UK and other organisations representing students. In Greater Manchester in particular we have already met with organisations such as the Learning and Skills Council and the universities. The Home Secretary's speech on the 29 January in Manchester Town Hall was attended by 35 different organisations from Greater Manchester.
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