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15 July 2009 : Column WA217



15 July 2009 : Column WA217

Written Answers

Wednesday 15 July 2009

Alcohol

Questions

Asked by Lord Monson

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Seven units.

Asked by Lord Monson

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Excise duty imposed on a litre of beer and cider containing (1) 6 per cent alcohol by volume, (2) 7 per cent alcohol by volume, (3) 71/2 per cent alcohol by volume and (4) 8 per cent alcohol by volume, are shown in the table below. Full details on alcohol duty rates can be found on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2009/bn86.htm.

Amount of Excise Duty imposed on a litre of:
Alcoholic StrengthBeerStill Cider

6.00%

£0.99

£0.32

7.00%

£1.15

£0.32

7.50%

£1.24

£0.32

8.00%

£1.32

£0.48

Figures are excluding VAT.

Asylum Seekers: Detention of Children

Questions

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The information requested on the number of children of asylum seekers detained at Yarl's Wood and the periods for which they are detained is not yet centrally collated. The information

15 July 2009 : Column WA218

requested could only be obtained by the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno

Lord West of Spithead: The information requested on the number of children of asylum seekers detained at Tinsley House and the periods for which they are detained is not yet centrally collated. The information requested could only be obtained by the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.

Autism

Question

Asked by Lord Warner

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The decision to undertake transition research for young people with autism with the University of York and not through the services of Professor Baird, was taken after detailed consideration of the remit of the research and strict government procurement requirements.

This is no reflection on Professor Baird or her team and we hope that she will continue to work with the department on future projects. We value her expertise and the contribution she has made so far to our understanding of autism and autism services.

Civil Service: Costs

Question

Asked by Lord Ouseley

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review agreed 5 per cent annual real reductions in administration budgets across all departments, releasing over £1.2 billion by 2010-11 for investment in priority areas and further reducing the cost of running central government.



15 July 2009 : Column WA219

Climate Change: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Question

Asked by Lord Dykes

The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) has reduced the carbon dioxide emissions from its car fleet by 15.9 per cent from 160.32 grammes per kilometre (g/km) in 2006-07 to 134.84 g/km in 2008-09. The GCDA is on target to meet the Government's target of an average of 130 g/km for its fleet by March 2010.

Department for Transport: Ombudsman

Question

Asked by Lord Lucas

The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House of the response from the Local Government Ombudsman to the consultation on the draft parking regulations that took place in July 2006. There were no individual replies to any of the responses to the consultation.

Department of Health: Arm's-length Bodies

Question

Asked by Lord Warner

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Following the review of the department's arm's-length bodies (ALBs), the number of pre-existing ALBs has been reduced from 38 in 2004 to 20 in 2009. Subsequent to

15 July 2009 : Column WA220

the review, responsibility for one ALB (the Alcohol Education and Research Council) has transferred to the Department of Health from the Home Office, raising the current number of ALBs to 21. All of these ALBs have roles in the health and social care system.

In 2008-09 there were 24 ALBs as the transfer of three ALBs into the new Care Quality Commission, and the merger of the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control into the Health Protection Agency, took place on 1 April 2009. Total ALB revenue expenditure funded by the department in 2008-09 (also in 2003-04 prices) is summarised in the following table:



15 July 2009 : Column WA221

Arm's-Length BodyDepartment Funding £mRestated at 2003-04 Prices £m

Commission for Social Care Inspection

106

94

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

2

2

General Social Care Council

11

10

Health and Social Care Information Centre

38

34

Health Protection Agency

176

155

Healthcare Commission

66

59

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

4

3

Human Tissue Authority

1

1

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority

11

10

Mental Health Act Commission

6

5

Monitor (Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts)

13

11

National Institute for Biological Standards and Controls

19

16

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

34

30

National Patient Safety Agency

28

25

National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse

12

10

NHS Appointments Commission

4

4

NHS Blood and Transplant

83

74

NHS Business Services Authority

140

124

NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement

81

71

NHS Litigation Authority

1

0

NHS Professionals

10

9

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency

45

40

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board

2

2

2008-09 department revenue funding for ALBs

893

789

Other ALB-related expenditure

3

3

Total 2008-09 department funded ALB revenue expenditure

896

792

Embryology

Questions

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Special Exemption) Regulations 2009 will replace the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Special Exemption) Regulations 1991. The regulations have been updated to take account of the changes made by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (the 2008 Act), specifically to the definition of embryo and the introduction of human admixed embryos. The regulations themselves do not introduce any new offences or new policy. The regulations are simply being remade in consequence of amendments made by the 2008 Act.


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