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NICE also recommends that insulin pump therapy can be used as a treatment option for children younger than 12 years with type 1 diabetes, provided that: Multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy is considered to be impractical or inappropriate. Children on insulin pumps would be expected to undergo a trial of MDI therapy between the ages of 12 and 18 years.
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in the United Kingdom use a continuous glucose monitor; and of those people, how many are (a) funded by the National Health Service, and (b) self-funded. [HL2862]
Baroness Thornton: There are no centrally held data on the number of people in the United Kingdom that use a continuous glucose monitor either self-funded or funded by the National Health Service.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that children and young people with type 1 diabetes who have persistent problems with glyceamic control should be offered continuous glucose monitoring systems.
We expect all clinicians to consider NICE guidance when making decisions with patients (and/or their parents or carer) about an individual's care pathway.
Health: Diabetes 1
Question
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people in the United Kingdom who use an insulin pump; and what steps they are taking to increase insulin pump use among people with type 1 diabetes. [HL2857]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) adults, and (b) children, with type 1 diabetes in the United Kingdom use insulin pump therapy. [HL2889]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Thornton): There are no data held centrally about how many people in the United Kingdom use an insulin pump. However, in its suite of guidance on Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) estimates that the number of patients using insulin pumps in England could be up to 8,000.
The NHS constitution makes it clear that patients have the right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS (subject to any criteria specified in NICE's guidance) if that patient's healthcare professional considers that they are clinically appropriate.
Health: Foreign Doctors
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their implementation of European Union rules that outlaw checks on foreign doctors' language skills takes account of risks to United Kingdom patients, as shown by the death of Mr David Gray who died as a result of being treated by a German doctor with poor English skills. [HL2854]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Thornton): Under Directive 2005/36/EC language knowledge is not a ground for refusing recognition of the qualifications of a national of another member state.
The United Kingdom has therefore transposed the provisions in the directive that migrants shall "have a knowledge of languages necessary for practising the profession in the host member state", not at the point of registration, but at the point where a doctor seeks to provide services in a community; through the Performers List Regulations 2004 and through obligations on employers.
Health Service Circular 1999/137 makes it clear to all National Health Service employers that they are responsible for ensuring that the staff they employ have the necessary language and communication skills needed to do their job safely and effectively.
Homelessness
Question
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in providing emergency accommodation for young people who have run away from home since the Young Runaways Action Plan was published. [HL2970]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): Providing emergency accommodation for all young people who need it, including young runaways, is the responsibility of local authorities. Since the publication of the Young Runaways Action Plan, we have reviewed the commissioning, delivery and perceptions of emergency accommodation. Commissioning Delivery and Perceptions of Emergency Accommodation for Young Runaways was published in November 2009 and made recommendations about what more can be done to support emergency accommodation. A copy of that review is available in the House library or to download here:
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?Page Function=productdetails&PageMode= publications&Productld=DCSF-RR181&
Where relevant we will incorporate the response to those recommendations into a revised version of our statutory guidance to local authorities.
House of Lords: Life Peerages
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will refrain from recommending the creation of new peerages pending any decisions on the future composition of the House of Lords. [HL2942]
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): The position on the creation of new peerages remains as currently provided for until such time as Parliament decides differently.
House of Lords: Procedure Committee
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees whether he will place in the Library of the House the agendas of Procedure Committee meetings to ensure that non-members of the committee have an opportunity to make their views known to members in advance of meetings. [HL3144]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): In general, only the members and staff of a committee see the papers in advance of a meeting. However, I shall put the noble Lord's suggestion to the Procedure Committee at its next meeting
House of Lords: Publications
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees how much the House of Lords Business Plan 2010-11, which was mailed to members of the House, cost to produce, print and distribute. [HL3102]
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The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The production, printing and distribution costs of this year's business plan were £3,238.82.
Houses of Parliament: PICT
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees when the performance of PICT was last independently assessed; and what was the outcome. [HL3093]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): PICT was assessed by a "health check" conducted in June 2008 by an independent ICT consultant commissioned by the bicameral joint Business Systems Board. The health check found that PICT had developed into a professional ICT organisation delivering effective ICT services at a reasonable cost. It went on to recommend improvements that could be made in the way in which ICT projects and programmes were organised and financed. A review of the actions taken in response to the health check was undertaken in June 2009 and the consultants found that good progress had been made. Both reports were presented to the Management Board and the Information Committee in the House of Lords.
Human Rights
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision they have made for funding human rights programmes through the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the next financial year. [HL3038]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): Both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DfID) integrate human rights work across their objectives. This means that funding for human rights can be given through numerous programmes.
The FCO holds the Strategic Programme Fund for Human Rights and Democracy dedicated specifically to supporting human rights projects. In 2010-11, this fund has allocated £5.6 million to human rights and democracy projects around the world. These include support to civil society and freedom of expression; and abolition of torture and the death penalty.
FCO's 2010-11 programmes that can fund human rights projects where these help to realise their core objectives include:
Strategic Programme Fund for Reuniting Europe-£3.8 million;Strategic Programme Fund for Counter Terrorism and Radicalisation-expected £38 million;bilateral programme budgets-£11.233 million;DfID's 2010-11 programmes that can fund human rights projects include:
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In addition, there is the tri-departmental Conflict Pool that funds conflict prevention and stabilisation work that can fund human rights projects/objectives. The 2010-11 budget is £178.5 million which is for discretionary conflict prevention and stabilisation work. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary announced this in his Written Ministerial Statement of 25 March.
Immigration: Detainees
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will respond to the report "Outsourcing Abuse" by Baroness O'Loan; whether they will publish their response; and whether they will take steps to ensure that all complaints of maltreatment will be fully investigated. [HL2912]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Baroness O'Loan was appointed by the Home Secretary to review allegations of systematic abuse of immigration detainees by escorting staff that were published in a dossier entitled Outsourcing Abuse. Her review centred on investigations into the complaints detailed in the dossier and the UK Border Agency's complaints and investigation systems.
Baroness O'Loan's findings were published on 12 March 2010. She found that there was no evidence to substantiate the central allegation of systematic abuse by escorting staff. At the same time, she recognised that many of the concerns she had about the way a number of the investigations into complaints had been handled in the past had been addressed already by the agency following a decision to transfer responsibility to its Professional Standards Unit in February 2008. She none the less made a number of recommendations to strengthen the supervision of staff and improve our complaints handling further.
In the report's foreword, the chief executive of the UK Border Agency welcomed Baroness O'Loan's report. Her response can be found on the UK Border Agency's website.
Immigration: Heathrow Airport
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report of the Independent Monitoring Board on the short-term holding facilities at Heathrow,
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Both I and the chief executive of the UK Border Agency have welcomed the annual report of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) for the non-residential short-term holding facilities at Heathrow Airport.
We have noted the fact that the board has recognised significant improvement in the way in which immigration detainees are treated at the airport over the past 12 months. At the same time, we have noted the concerns about length of detention and the detention of families.
The chair of the board has been advised that detention services will provide a full reply in May.
Infrastructure Planning: Funding
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have estimated the volume of national infrastructure project applications likely to be made by the 50 smallest councils; and whether they plan to provide assistance with the costs to the smallest councils. [HL2916]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The Government have not made any estimate of the volume of applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects likely to be made by the 50 smallest local authorities; we do not however generally anticipate that local authorities will submit such applications. Funding of such projects is a matter for the scheme promoter.
Kidnapping
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether United Kingdom officials were consulted about or authorised the paying of a ransom to secure the release of Sahil Saeed in Pakistan. [HL3014]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials were neither consulted about nor authorised payment of a ransom to secure the release of Sahil Saeed in Pakistan. The UK Government's policy of not making or facilitating substantive concessions to hostage-takers, including the payment of ransoms, is long standing and clear. We believe that making such concessions rewards hostage-taking and encourages future kidnaps. We will continue to offer consular assistance to the families of those taken by kidnappers.
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Kurdistan: British Citizens
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have taken action on allegations of infringements of human rights and sexual and racial abuse made by British citizens working in the University of Kurdistan Hawler. [HL2925]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): Our consulate in Erbil is aware of allegations of malpractices made by certain staff members at the University of Kurdistan Hawler. The consulate has advised that complaints be referred to the university's internal grievance system. The consulate has also passed on names of lawyers based in Erbil who can advise on any additional legal measures that can be considered.
Money Laundering and Terrorism
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Suspicious Activity Reports have been received by the Serious Organised Crime Agency from the 12,409 bookkeepers who have registered with HM Revenue and Customs under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/2157). [HL2959]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Suspicious activity reports (SAR) statistics are maintained by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). These are not broken down into SARs submitted by businesses under a particular supervisor. According to the SOCA annual report between October 2008 and September 2009 there were 228,834 SARs of which 6,390 were from accountants and 96 from tax advisors.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance on detecting and reporting money laundering is given to bookkeepers who are required to register with HM Revenue and Customs under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (SI 127/2157). [HL2960]
Lord Myners: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have adopted the anti-money-laundering guidance for the accountancy sector issued by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies. This is the guidance that bookkeepers, tax advisers and accountants required to register with HMRC are directed to use.
This guidance has been drafted by the accountancy industry. HMRC was consulted on the drafting of the guidance and has had input into its contents. The guidance is approved by HM Treasury.
In addition, HMRC has also published on its website simplified guidance for all the businesses they supervise.
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