To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations were consulted on screening for (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) stroke and (d) diabetes prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new screening programme for these conditions on 8 January 2008. (178255)

When proposals for a vascular screening programme have been developed further the Department intends to consult with various stakeholders including the National Screening Committee, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and a number of interested groups such as leading voluntary groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of additional medical personnel, (b) the quantity of additional scanning equipment and (c) the increased analysis laboratory capacity required to deliver his Department’s screening programme for (i) heart disease, (ii) kidney disease, (iii) stroke and (iv) diabetes. (178257)

These assessments form part of the modelling work on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a systematic, population-wide vascular risk assessment and management programme that is currently being carried out by the Department’s analysts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of an individual screening for (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) stroke and (d) diabetes. (178258)

There is a departmental project currently under way to assess costs and benefits of an integrated, systematic population-wide vascular risk screening programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department plans to spend in each financial year until 2010-11 on advertising and education campaigns to encourage people to take up the offer of screening for (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) stroke and (d) diabetes. (178260)

The exact nature of a vascular risk assessment and management programme is still the subject of developmental work. It would be premature at this stage to set out specific spending figures on advertising and education campaigns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the likely take-up of (a) universal and (b) targeted screening programme for (i) heart disease, (ii) kidney disease, (iii) stroke and (iv) diabetes. (178261)

Take-up rates for a new service are, by their nature, unpredictable and will depend on the details of what is offered to whom, which will be worked out in part in discussions with stakeholders. However, a range of assumptions about likely take-up levels of a vascular risk assessment programme will be modelled into the analytical work being undertaken by the Department. Assumptions about likely take-up will also form part of the discussions we will have with stakeholders about the development of the practical aspects of the programme.