To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died as a result of abuse of (a) butane gas refills and (b) other volatile substances in each year since 1997. [165759]

Statistics, collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School on behalf of the Department, on volatile substance abuse deaths from cigarette (butane) lighter refills, and total volatile substance abuse deaths are shown in the tables.

Deaths associated with cigarette lighter refills
Year	Number
1997	47
1998	43
1999	43
2000	34
2001	42

Deaths by volatile substance abuse
Year	Number
1997	78
1998	80
1999	75
2000	65
2001	63
Source:
St. George's Hospital Medical School: 16th Annual Report on Trends in Death Associated with Abuse of Volatile Substance 1971–2001—Key findings for 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the mobile telecommunications and health research programme to report on the public health implications of mobile phone masts. [165908]

The mobile telecommunications and health research programme reports progress at open seminars each year. The majority of projects are due to be completed in time for the annual seminar in November 2005. The remaining projects may take up to three years longer depending on their complexity. Most of the studies are concerned with mobile phones rather than base stations (masts) although there is one volunteer study looking specifically at base station exposures. Further details of these projects can be found on the website www.mthr.org.uk.The public health implications of mobile phone base stations were reviewed recently by the National Radiological Protection Board's advisory group on non-ionising radiation, (Documents of the NRPB,

Vol. 14, No 2, 2003). The report, entitled

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of women in Birkenhead with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years. [166570]

The information requested is shown in the table:

Waiting times for patients referred urgently by their GP with suspected breast cancer to 1st outpatient appointment: Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust
Year	Quarter	Percentage of patients seen in two weeks ℅	Total patients seen	Patients seen in two weeks
1999/00	1	42.0	81	34
1999/00	2	64.0	100	64
1999/00	3	67.3	110	74
1999/00	4	93.7	111	104
2000/01	1	88.3	111	98
2000/01	2	91.0	100	91
2000/01	3	91.4	128	117
2000/01	4	100.0	153	153
2001/02	1	100.0	126	126
2001/02	2	100.0	148	148
2001/02	3	100.0	167	167
2001/02	4	100.0	173	173
2002/03	1	100.0	165	165
2002/03	2	100.0	160	160
2002/03	3	100.0	137	137
2002/03	4	99.2	118	117
2003/04	1	100.0	146	146
2003/04	2	100.0	197	197
2003/04	3	100.0	190	190
Source:
DH form QMCW

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what programmes he has in place to encourage smoking cessation among the over-60s. [166010]

Our comprehensive tobacco control programme is aimed at all age groups, to reduce the numbers starting to smoke and to encourage those who smoke to stop. National Health Service stop smoking services are in place across the country to support smokers who want to quit. The services welcome people of all ages, and are widely available and accessible.Standard 8 of the national service framework for older people provides a continuing commitment to the health and well being of older people. An increase in access to local NHS stop smoking services is one important component in extending healthy life expectancy in older people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of the Edward Jenner Institute at Compton; and what funding he as allocated to the institute for future years. [162227]

[holding answer 18 March 2004]: The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research (EJIVR) was established in 1995 to develop programmes in basic research relevant to human and animal vaccines. GlaxoSmithKline, the Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department of Health contributed a total of £6 million per annum to establish and fund the EJIVR for an initial 10 year research programme.The four sponsors remain committed to supporting basic and applied vaccine research through to the end of the current term in October 2005. However, they have agreed that the existing joint funding model for the EJIVR is not the best way forward beyond 2005.The sponsors are working actively with the board of the EJIVR to progress vaccine research beyond October 2005. The sponsors have recently completed a scientific review of the EJIVR's research programmes. The outcomes from this are assisting the board in its development of future plans to build on the best programmes, scientifically and strategically. Until the board's plans have progressed further, it is not possible to be more specific about the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the containment of tuberculosis, with particular reference to containment of strains which may not respond to treatment by established procedures. [162914]

[holding answer 23 March 2004]: The interdepartmental working group on tuberculosis document was published in September 1998. It is entitled:

• The prevention and control of Tuberculosis in the United Kingdom:
• UK Guidance on the Prevention and Control of Transmission of:

1. HIV,-related Tuberculosis.

2. Drug-resistant, including Multiple Drug-resistant Tuberculosis.

It gives advice on the contaiment of tuberculosis and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. It is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the costs of implementing the European Working Time Directive in (a) money terms, (b) extra doctors required and (c) other extra NHS staff required for (i) August 2004 and (ii) 2009; and what methodology he used to calculate those figures. [164568]

[holding answer 30 March 2004]: The Working Time Directive (WTD) is an integral part of modernising and improving services. The National Health Service has been aware of the implications of implementing the WTD for doctors in training since 2000, and planning for it forms part of overall NHS planning.In the United Kingdom's response to the European Commission's questionnaire on working time, which was completed in February, we stated that in the UK the NHS would need to recruit several thousand extra middle grade doctors by August 2004 to achieve compliance with the re-interpreted Working Time Directive, while simultaneously maintaining current levels of service provision and retaining similar working practices as now. The cost of recruiting the extra middle grade doctors would run to hundreds of millions of pounds per annum.However, this is not a realistic scenario. Even if this number of additional doctors were available, implementing the directive in this way would be very inefficient. As stated in our recent response to the EC's communication on working time, solutions need to include alternative ways of working that are already being piloted in the NHS, such as substituting non-medical practitioners where possible, instituting new forms of multidisciplinary team working, or redesigning services in some areas. There is no 'one size fits all' solution and ways of becoming WTD compliant will vary between trusts. Actual costs or numbers of additional staff required are not held centrally and could not in any case be disaggregated from the overall cost of NHS growth and modernisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to lay before Parliament the code for determining the limit on the total amount of borrowing of any NHS Foundation Trust required by section 12 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. [166073]

The Independent Regulator of National Health Service foundation trusts is responsible for making the Prudential Borrowing Code.The draft prudential borrowing code has not yet been issued for consultation. I am informed by the Independent Regulator that a draft code is expected to be issued for consultation shortly and will be subject to a 12-week consultation period. Following the consultation, the Regulator will consider the responses, amend the code as required, make the final code and lay a copy before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each primary care trust indicating its variation from (a) average per-capita resources in England and (b) their Resource Allocation Working Party as fair share funding formula. [166660]

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly people have been subject to eviction as a result of rent arrears after a stay in hospital in each year since 1997. [166517]

The Department does not collect this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to improve communication between health and social services to support vulnerable people who risk losing their homes as a result of rent arrears built up during a stay in hospital; and if he will make a statement. [166518]

The Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003 introduced a system of notifications between National Health Service bodies and social services departments which has improved communication and co-ordination between health and social care partners at the point of discharge.In addition, since March 2003 working age patients have continued to receive their full entitlement to any incapacity benefits, Income Support, bereavement benefits, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for 52 weeks. Also pensioners continue to receive their full State Retirement Pension, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit entitlement for 52 weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to prevent elderly people returning home from hospital being subject to eviction orders as a result of rent arrears. [166520]

From May 2003 pensioners have continued to receive their full State Retirement Pension, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit entitlement for 52 weeks in order to ensure that they can continue to maintain their living expenditure. The Department has taken action to ensure that hospital discharges are planned effectively and completed in a timely manner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Nosocomial Infection National Surveillance Scheme, including its current remit and responsibilities. [165246]

The nosocomial infection national surveillance scheme was a voluntary reporting system for two types of data: hospital-acquired blood stream infection and surgical site infection. The first stopped in 2002, while the second continues as the surgical site infection surveillance service. Its remit is to help trusts use surveillance data to monitor and improve the quality of patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the systematic review of how infection control guidelines are implemented in the NHS carried out by Thames Valley University. [165249]

Thames Valley University will update existing guidelines¹ on preventing hospital-acquired infections later this year, but has not undertaken a systematic review of their implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to neonatal intensive care units on the use of (a) broad spectrum antibiotics to prevent infections and (b) more targeted antibiotic approaches. [165242]

We have not issued specific guidance but the medicines management framework provides standards for the best use of all medicines in hospitals. This includes a recommendation that a lead pharmacist for anti-microbial prescribing is responsible for ensuring that appropriate policies are in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Care Standards Commission records incidences of MRSA in care homes. [165243]

The National Care Standards Commission did not have records of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of MRSA have been identified in hospitals within Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in each of the past five years; [165038](2) what percentage of patients in hospitals within Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust are infected with MRSA; [165039](3) what percentage of NHS staff within Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust are infected with MRSA. [165043]

The data are not collected centrally. Available data from the national mandatory surveillance system for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections are shown in the table.

Number of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia laboratory reports, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Year	Number of reports	MRSA rate (per 1,000 bed-days)
April 2001—March 2002	106	0.26
April 2002—March 2003	75	0.18

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there are in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. [165042]

The average daily number of available beds in wards open overnight at Hull and East Yorkshire National Health Service Trust in 2002–03 was 1,391. In addition, the average daily number of day case beds in 2002–03 was 107. Information for each NHS trust is published annually on the Department's website at http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/. Information for 2003–04 will be available in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses work in hospitals in the East Riding of Yorkshire. [165044]

The information requested is shown in the table.

National Health Service hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust as at 30 September 2003
			headcount
	All qualified nurses	Community	Hospital
Hull and East
Yorkshire
Hospitals
NHS Trust	2,399	0	2,399
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of tuberculosis there were in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each of the past five years. [165047]

The information requested is shown in the table.

Year	Health Authority	TB cases
1998	East Riding	17
1999	East Riding	30
2000	East Riding	37
2001	East Riding	37
2002	East Riding	18
Source:
Department of Health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into anti-adhesive therapy to combat bacterial resistance in hospitals. [165025]

The Department has not commissioned research specifically on anti-adhesive therapy to combat bacterial resistance in hospitals. However, a broad strategic programme of research worth over £2.5 million has recently been commissioned, aimed at improving our scientific understanding of anti-microbial resistance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to encourage pharmaceutical companies to research new antibiotics to combat the threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria. [165239]

Our policy concentrates on supporting appropriate prescribing rather than influencing industry's research programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of new processes to produce stem cell-like cells from the blood. [165027]

The Government consider that it is too soon to say what kind of stem cells will yield breakthroughs in scientific knowledge enabling new treatments to be developed. The Government are therefore promoting research across a full range of stem cell sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of online human egg matching services [165032]

The use of donor eggs in treatment in the United Kingdom is subject to the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Standards of practice for the donation of eggs and their subsequent use in treatment, including remuneration for donors, are set out in the HFEA's code of practice. Payments that may be made to donors are limited to £15.00 per donation plus reasonable expenses. These provisions apply irrespective of the potential donor's country of origin or the route by which they are linked to a potential recipient.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to fund research into combating beta thalassaemia major. [165250]

Details of research projects relating to beta thalassaemia major funded by, or of interest to, the National Health Service are available on the National Research Register (NRR) at www.updatesoftware.com/national. The NRR currently contains details of around 20 on-going or completed projects with a specific focus on beta thalassaemia, in addition to a larger number of projects covering a wider range of haemoglobinopathies. Many of these projects are funded through allocations made annually to NHS providers for research to meet the priorities and needs of the NHS and to meet the costs to the NHS of hosting research supported by external funders. The total amount allocated to NHS providers in 2003–04 for research and development was £442 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer 25 February 2004, Official Report, column 467W, what reasons underlay the decision to authorise the payment towards the cost of research into the public's attitude to research involving animals. [165816]

The Government supported the 2002 MORI poll because it provided data on public attitudes to inform development of Government policy relating to the use of animals in medical research. The survey also provided data to assess any changes in public attitudes since the 1999 MORI poll carried out for the Medical Research Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [165441]

The Department of Health's strategy on sustainable development and the environment is in line with the Government's overall sustainable development strategy, in which health ("expected healthy years of life") is one of the 15 key headline indicators. The Department is currently implementing a change programme which will result in shifting responsibility to the front line and focusing on providing strategic leadership to the National Health Service and social care. A review of the sustainable development strategy is currently under way as part of this process.The Department's strategy should be viewed in the context of overall health strategies. On-going actions to raise awareness, integrate sustainable development into policy making and enhance operational activities for both the central Department and through advice to the NHS ensures that the Department continues to contribute to the Government's overall strategy on sustainable development. Progress is reported on the Department's website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/About Us/AimsAndObjectives/SustainableDevelopment/fs/enThe NHS Estates Agency (NHSE) and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA)—both Executive Agencies of the Department—have their own sustainable development/environmental strategies in place. The NHSE has issued a

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the meetings at which his Department has been present on the delivery of sustainable development across Government as co-ordinated by the Ministerial Sub-committee of Green Ministers. [165442]

The Department's Green Minister is a member of the ENV(G) Cabinet sub-Committee. Additionally, officials regularly attend working groups and other fora which report directly to ENV(G), related to the development of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. In particular, my officials have been closely involved in the development of procurement targets for the Framework and the Department is represented on the sustainable procurement group.As part of the public sector food procurement initiative, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is working with government departments to develop food action plans. The Department's NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency and its NHS Estates Agency have been working with DEFRA to develop a food procurement action plan which sets a framework and objectives for those Agencies and the wider National Health Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government. [165448]

The Department is contributing to the Government's forthcoming consultation on the review of the United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development. One of the aims of the review is to step up action in the delivery of sustainable development.The Department also has an important consultation—Choosing Health?—in train to identify action to improve people's health in preparation for a White Paper to be published this summer. Both consultations will have many aims and goals in common and will be an important means of promoting the sustainable development agenda.The Department is also leading on cross-Government work on Tackling Health Inequalities: A programme for action, which was published in July 2003 and sets out plans to tackle health inequalities over the next three years; and on developing a Food and Health Action Plan. Taking this work forward will make a significant contribution to the delivery of sustainable development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list his Department's main suppliers of (a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports; and if he will state (i) the name of each paper used and (ii) the recycled, and post-consumer recycled, content of each paper. [165445]

The Department's contracted supplier of copier paper, bulk stationery and envelopes is Guilbert UK. The vast majority of white paper purchased is Niceday 3500, which is 80gsm, 100 per cent. recycled, using 80 per cent. post consumer waste.Bulk paper copying is carried out on Xeros "x3" brand paper. This is 100 per cent. post consumer waste recycled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists have been recruited to the NHS in each year since 1997 in the Cumbria and Lancashire Health Authority. [165542]

Information on the number of dentists joining the general dental service (GDS) or personal dental service (PDS) in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 1997 is shown in the table.

Number of entrants to the GDS and PDS
Year	Cumbria and Lancashire SHA
1998 from 1997	58
1999 from 1998	72
2000 from 1999	67
2001 from 2000	79
2002 from 2001	60
2003 from 2002	75
Notes:
1. Dentists include principals, their assistants and trainees. Entrants will include some dentists who left dentistry temporarily in previous years.
2. These figures do not cover other National Health Service dental services, for example, community dental service and hospital dental service.
Source:
Dental Practice Board statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has collated on the percentage of girls who take the contraceptive pill who suffer from (a) weight gain, (b) acne or other skin conditions and (c) mood swings. [165491]

Clinical trials for combined oral contraceptives have suggested that mood disturbances occur in around one per cent. of users, while acne, other skin conditions (such as eczema and itching) and weight changes occur in between 0.1 per cent. and 1 per cent. of users.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people being prescribed statins in each year to 2010. [165794]

Winning the War on Heart Disease, the 2004 progress report on the national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease, reports that statin prescribing continues to rise by around 30 per cent. a year. Nationally, about 1.8 million people are currently receiving statins.The Government has made no estimate of numbers of people likely to be prescribed statins in 2010. However, in his 2002 Report

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department are taking to encourage self monitoring of hypertension. [165802]

It is essential that individuals across the population be made aware of the risks associated with high blood pressure and the importance of knowing their blood pressure. For the last two years, the Department has contributed to the funding of The Blood Pressure Association's national blood pressure testing week, which is the annual event highlighting their ongoing Know Your Numbers campaign.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions are in place to prevent the impact of genetically modified meat and fish and what discussions he has had with retailers on their policy towards these products. [165451]

Before any genetically modified food (including GM animals and fish) can be marketed in or imported into the European Union, approval is required under the relevant European Commission legislation. This would include a rigorous Safety assessment of the GM food, which is carried out on a case by case basis.The Food Standards Agency has had no discussions with retailers on their policy towards such products.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2004, Official Report, column 396W, which posts are filled by (a) acting staff, (b) temporary staff and (c) staff who fill other posts as directors of public health. [159105]

The information requested has been placed in the Library and the previous information has been updated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the evidence received by his Department on the impact of the advertising of food to children. [159774]

In September 2003, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published the results of a review that it had commissioned on the effects of food promotion on children's food related behaviour. The review is available on the FSA's website.In August 2003, the food advertising unit of the Advertising Association provided the FSA with the report,

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Crosby awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months. [160432]

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list time in the last seven years for residents of Crosby. [160392]

Information most closely associated with place of residency is not collected on a constituency level, but at a health services commissioner level. Data is shown in the tables for Sefton Health Authority for the period 1997 to 2002 and South Sefton Primary Care Trust for 2003.

GP Referral to Consultant Waiting List in weeks
Year	Name	Not seen 13 to 25	Not seen 26 plus
1997–98	Sefton HA	1,936	243
1998–99	Sefton HA	2,153	911
1999–2000	Sefton HA	2,241	883
2000–01	Sefton HA	1,358	779
2001–02	Sefton HA	1,141	0

GP Referral to Consultant Waiting List in weeks
Month/year	Name	13–17 Not seen	17–21 Not seen	21–26 Not seen	26 plus
March 2003	South Sefton PCT	218	85	0	0
September 2003	South Sefton PCT	441	102	0	0
Source:
Department of Health QM08R

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the inpatient pre-booking performance against target was in Crosby for (a) elective inpatients, (b) day cases and (c) outpatients in each year since 1997. [164311]

The Department began publishing national day case figures from March 2003. Data is not collected on inpatient pre-booking performance for elective inpatients or outpatients and is not published on a constituency or National Health Service trust basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) median, (b) highest and (c) lowest consumption of eggs per person in the UK was amongst (i) infants, (ii) children, (iii) young adults and (iv) adults, according to the findings of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. [162173]

Information on the consumption of eggs is published in:

• the National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19 to 64 years (volume 1-types and quantities of food consumed) 2002).
• the National Diet and Nutrition Survey: young people aged 4 to 18 years (volume 1-report of the diet and nutrition survey) (2000).
• the National Diet and Nutrition Survey: children aged 1½ to 4½ years (volume 1-report of the diet and nutrition survey) (1995).

Copies of the reports are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department has taken to inform and reassure people who have received blood transfusions since 1980, and will now not be allowed to donate blood, on the risk of vCJD infection. [163473]

The National Blood Service (NBS) has produced two leaflets for donors giving them more information about the new donor exclusion criteria. The first leaflet is entitled Variant CJD and blood donation and is a general information leaflet for donors. The second leaflet, entitled Keeping things safe, is for those donors who have received blood since 1 January 1980 in the United Kingdom and can therefore no longer give blood. Copies of these leaflets can be obtained from the NBS website at www.blood.co.uk or from the NBS helpline. Donors will also receive an information leaflet entitled A change to the rules for blood donors with their invitation letter to give blood.The NBS has run some press advertising in national newspapers in early April. These adverts addressed why this change is happening, what the risks are and how people can help.In addition, any patient who has concerns can contact NHS Direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being (a) undertaken and (b) funded by his Department on (i) diagnosis and (ii) treatment of vCJD, and the risks of infection through blood transfusion. [163475]

The diagnosis of pre-clinical infection is a major part of the Department's programme of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) related research. There are 13 contracts that are currently being funded through the policy research programme. In addition, the Department is currently funding seven projects to asses the risk of transmission through blood, and five projects to develop new therapeutic compounds and the CJD clinical trial. Over £30 million has been committed to date on CJD research.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether recipients of blood transfusions after 5 April will be prevented from donating blood. [163476]

The new donor exclusion criteria will apply to anyone who has received a blood transfusion since January 1980. This is because there is still a risk that the person from whom the recipient received the blood may have been exposed to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease by dietary exposure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received (a) transfusions of whole blood components and (b) transfusions of other blood products since 1980. [163480]

Information on the number of patients who have received blood transfusions or other blood products is not collected centrally. However, the National Blood Service estimates that in recent years, 800,000 patients in England and North Wales received a blood transfusion per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the ban on blood donations from those who have received a blood transfusion since 1980 (a) to organ donation recipients and (b) to prevent recipients of blood transfusions from donating organs; and if he will make a statement. [164280]

Individuals who have had an organ transplant ate excluded from giving blood because of their treatment. All potential organ donors are assessed at the time of their death to identify any risk of disease transmission to the donor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many consultants there were on average in an accident and emergency department in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997; [163503](2) how many consultants there were in each accident and emergency department in England in each year since 1997. [163508]

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff are working in the community hospitals of (a) Townlands, (b) Wallingford, (c) Abingdon, (d) Wantage, (e) Watlington and (f) Didcot; and what proportion of these staff receive financial assistance with regard to (i) housing and (ii) transportation. [164101]

Information on number of National Health Service Staff is not held at hospital level but at primary care trust level. Information is shown in the table for South East Oxfordshire and South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts, which commission services from the community hospitals listed.

NHS hospital and community health services: All NHS staff by main staff group in each specified organisation as at 30 September each specified year
	headcount
	2002	2003
South East Oxfordshire PCT total	515	567
Non medical staff total	249	266
of which: Professionally qualified clinical staff total	120	138
Qualified nursing	115	132
Allied health professionals	2	3
Qualified scientific, therapeutic & technical (St&t)	3	3
Support to clinical staff total	93	88
Support to doctors & nurses	93	88
NHS infrastructure support total	36	40
Central functions	25	25
Managers & senior managers	11	15
Medical and dental staff total	—	—
General Practitioners(1)	65	66
Practice Staff	201	235
of which: Practice Nurses	37	39
South West Oxfordshire PCT total	1,119	1,103
Non medical staff total	607	589
of which: Professionally qualified clinical staff total	305	280
Qualified nursing	305	280
Allied health professionals	8	—
Qualified St&t	13	5
Support to clinical staff total	255	252
Support to doctors & nurses	251	252
Support to St&t	4	—
NHS infrastructure support total	47	57
Central functions	19	20
Hotel, property & estates	2	3
Managers & senior managers	26	34
Medical and dental staff total	—	1
General Practitioners1	129	138
Practice Staff	129	138
of which: Practice Nurses	67	69
Notes:
"—" denotes zero
(1) All practitioners include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other, GP Retainers, Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners.
Sources:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
Department of Health non-medical workforce census.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the expert patient programme; and what plans his Department has to extend the programme. [164869]

The expert patients programme provides training in self-management for patients with chronic conditions and helps build informed partnerships between patients and health and social care professionals. The programme is currently being piloted within primary care trusts in England. The report, entitled: The Expert Patient: A New Approach toChronic Disease Management for the 21st Century, which was published in September 2001, commits us to making the programme integral to mainstream National Health Service healthcare provision between 2004 and 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into quality indicators for the treatment and management of inflammatory skin diseases. [164904]

In 2001, the National Health Service health technology assessment programme published systematic reviews of treatments for atopic eczema and severe psoriasis. These are available on the programme's website at www.hta.nhsweb.nhs.uk. Further assessments in eczema, psoriasis and acne are in progress.Last year, the Nuffield Trust published

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outbreaks of infectious disease there were in care homes in each year since 1997. [165241]

Information about all outbreaks of infectious diseases in care homes is not collected centrally.The Health Protection Agency has provided the information shown in the tables on infectious intestinal diseases and on influenza from their voluntary reporting system.

General outbreaks of Infectious Intestinal Disease linked to care homes. England & Wales, 1997–2003
Year	Number of outbreaks
1997	152
1998	178
1999	167
2000	219
2001	159
2002	331
2003	187
Total	1,393
provisional data.
Source:
HPA GSURV outbreak database 30/3/04

Influenza outbreaks reported
Year	Number of outbreaks
1997	No data available
1998	10
1999	7
2000	1
2001	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income levels for farmers in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood in the past five years. [165510]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income levels for farmers in Birkenhead in the past five years. [166612]

Owing to the small number of farms in the constituencies of Ribble Valley and Fulwood and Birkenhead, there is no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in that area over the last five years. Net farm income for farms in the North EU "Super Region" and for England over the last five years are shown in the table below.

Net Farm Income
	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
North EU
Super Region	8,272	8,659	12,456	16,457	18,512
England	10,359	7,981	9,886	13.558	16,435
Source:
Farm Business Survey

Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the membership for the Advisory Committee on Pesticides; and which organisations are allowed to attend. [166457]

The membership of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides is already published and can be viewed on the Pesticide Safety Directorate's website at http://www.pesticides:gov.uk/acp.asp?id = 203.Those who attend the meetings of the committee in addition to its members are departmental assessors and advisors and are listed in the ACP's annual report published at http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/ACP/ACP_annrep_2002.pdf.The Committee's annual report for 2003 is in preparation and is expected to be published within the next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Birkenhead have benefited from Warm Front. [166613]

Between the launch of Warm Front in June 2000 and the end of March 2003, approximately 3,780 households in Birkenhead received assistance from the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of regulations which affect horses and ponies as (a) food producing, (b) agricultural and (c) pet or companion animals. [166443]

We have been working on revisions to the Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2003, and to European legislation on animal welfare during transport and on veterinary medicines; reviewing national legislation on animal welfare (including regulation of tethering, livery yards and riding establishments); and working with the horse industry to develop a 10-year health and welfare strategy. The Ragwort Control Act, which is part of our work on animal welfare, came into force in February and was accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment. The Act provides for a Code of Practice on the Control of Ragwort, which should be in place towards the end of June. We recently issued the draft Code, and a draft environmental appraisal, for public consultation. Last month we published the first-ever research on the horse industry as a whole, Jointly funded by the Department and the British Horse Industry Confederation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many greyhounds have bee collected by local authority dog wardens in each year since 2000. [165485]

Under section 149(8) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authority dog wardens are required to keep a register containing the prescribed particulars of, or relating, to dogs seized and the register shall be available, at all reasonable times, for inspection by the public free of charge. However, we do not collect that data centrally as there is no requirement for it to be supplied to Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what obligations Plymouth City Council has to consult the public over variations to public rights of way; and whether her Department monitors the exercise of such powers. [165911]

When making changes to a right of way, a local highway authority must, in most cases, (a) serve a notice of the relevant order on every owner, occupier and lessee of any land affected by the order, (b) publish the notice in at least one, local newspaper and (c) notify all statutory consultees. The notice must also be displayed at the ends of the right of way affected by the order. Defra does not monitor the exercise of these duties, but councils are well aware that an order can be challenged if a local highway authority has failed to give correct notice and that it is in their interests to follow the correct procedures.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many possession orders have been issued in each year since 1997 to (a) elderly and (b) vulnerable people. [166519]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not currently collect data on numbers of possession orders issued. Data collected by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and held by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the number of possession orders issued each year since 1997 does not give a breakdown of specified groups of tenants.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he and his officials had with (a) Airwave and (b) 02 prior to the setting of the UK's safety limit on Tetra radiation. [161611]

None. The Government set up the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (chaired by Sir William Stewart) to consider the health effects of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters. They conducted a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of existing research and gathered a wide range of views and published their report in May 2000. In respect of base stations, the report concludes that "the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of the guidelines". However, gaps in scientific knowledge led Stewart to recommend a precautionary approach comprising a series of specific measures. The Government accepted the recommended precautionary approach and is taking forward a range of precautionary actions. These include ensuring all base stations meet the international guidelines on public exposure set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).Following a request to the NRPB by the Home Office, the issue of possible health effects caused by signals from TETRA base stations was comprehensively addressed in a report by NRPB's independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR), chaired by Sir Richard Doll. The report on

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers currently seconded to the National Criminal Intelligence Service will be transferred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency. [166602]

Staffing levels in the Serious Organised Crime Agency will be determined by the operational outcomes it is funded to deliver; no decisions have yet been taken on the requirements for particular groups of staff, but the overall objective is to enhance the effectiveness of our response to serious organised crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what role the Serious Organised Crime Agency will have in (a) drugs enforcement and (b) drugs policy; [166103](2) what former HM Customs and Excise function he expects the Serious Organised Crime Agency to undertake; [166104](3) how many personnel involved in

[holding answer 19 April 2004]: Proposals for the Serious Organised Crime Agency were set out in the white paper "One Step Ahead: A 21st century strategy to defeat organised crime" (CM6167), published on 29 March. A project team is now working on the detailed arrangements, but it is not intended that the new agency will have responsibility for drugs policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he will take to (a) close down race hate websites and (b) protect named journalists who are being targeted by these sites. [160802]

Websites of this kind are objectionable and I can understand why journalists and other persons identified on them might feel concern.Whilst we are keeping the legislative position under review, existing laws already provide a level of protection.It is an offence to assault people or damage their property, and a person who behaves in that way or takes active steps to commit those offences is liable to prosecution, regardless of how or where, or on what website he came to identify his victim.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average percentage change in costs was for each probation hostel following the decision to award the contract for hostel facilities to the private sector between the last and current financial years. [160808]

Prior to the award of the approved premises (previously known as hostels) facilities management contract no consistent data on the cost of running each premises was held. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately compare current costs to historic costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department will make a formal response to the recommendations of the Treasury's recent report on Securing Good Health for the Whole Nation: and if she will make a statement. [165008]

I have been asked to reply.The Department of Health launched

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of accessibility to digital television in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [165677]

[holding answer 19 Apri1 2004]: Nearly three-quarters of the UK population are currently believed to have a full range of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services potentially available. Current estimates, provided by the BBC, of the coverage of DTT services in the nations are:

• England: 73 per cent.
• Scotland: 82 per cent.
• Wales: 57 per cent.
• Northern Ireland: 58 per cent.

Digital satellite signals are potentially available to almost all UK viewers, and may offer an alternative in areas where DTT signals are not available. Cable TV services are also available to more than half the UK population (primarily in urban areas).Full details, including maps of the extension of DTT coverage which may be possible after digital switchover by re-using analogue TV frequencies and increasing transmission powers, are available in Ofcom's report 'Driving Digital Switchover'.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what work her Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in that capacity; and what meetings her Department's Green Minister has attended in the last 12 months in that capacity. [165955]

In February, as the Green Minister for DCMS I endorsed the publication of my Department's strategy for sustainable development, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. In the spirit of strengthening links for sustainable development between departments, as recommended by my colleague the Minister for Environment, I recently issued an invitation to ministers across Government to attend an informal discussion on how our various departments relate to the subject. This will take place in the Royal Parks' newly opened restaurant in St James's Park, during London Sustainability Weeks in June. The restaurant has a modern ecological design constructed from sustainably produced materials (larch, oak) and has a green turf roof. The food it serves is procured as far as possible from named small specialist English producers, and will be organic, British and seasonal. It will present information on the ingredients used in an educational, fun and original way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria she used for making the selection of 20 sports eligible for main Lottery funding; if she will list the 20 sports selected for Lottery funding; and whether crown green bowling was considered as a sport which might be eligible for main Lottery funding. [166798]

The 20 sports eligible for priority lottery funding were selected by Sport England. The selection criteria were participation rates, retention, and levels of success. Sport England also considered the governance of each sport. Any sports can apply for lottery funding.

DCMS Gender, Ethnicity and Disability Breakdown by Grade
			Ethnicity		Disability
	Total staff in Grade	Female	Non-White	Not Declared	Disability Declared	Not Declared
AA/AO	104	67	21	13	6	11
EO	119	64	18	8	*	14
HEO/SEO	152	69	12	22	*	24
Grade 7	90	35	*	8	*	14
SCS	25	6	*	*	0	*
* Fewer Than 5

DCMS Age Breakdown by Grade
	25	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55 +
AA/AO	29	19	11	16	8	5	4	12
EO	7	32	23	20	14	10	6	7
HEO/SEO	2	27	22	40	31	10	15	5
Grade 7	0	7	7	15	23	14	12	12
SCS	0	0	0	5	4	5	8	3

Royal Parks Agency Gender, Ethnicity and Disability Breakdown by Grade
			Ethnicity		Disability
	Total staff in Grade	Female	Non-White	Not Declared	Disability Declared	Not Declared
AA/AO	145	51	6	33	0	0
EO	53	17	*	12	*	0
HEO/SEO	30	8	*	*	*	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list for each civil service grade within her (a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies, the total number of staff employed, broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group, (iii) registered disabled and (iv) age group. [166397]

The Department and Royal Parks Agency collect data on ethnicity and disability on the basis of voluntary self-declaration. The tables provide data by grade broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group, (iii) disability and (iv) age group. The Department and Agency Codes of Practice on equal opportunities monitoring do not allow disclosure of data where numbers in any group are fewer than five; where this is the case data have been aggregated to maintain confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made ot manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments.

Action to manage the changeover to the new BACSTEL-IP system is being co-ordinated in the Ministry of Defence by the Defence Communications Services Agency, supported by the Departmental Corporate Banking and Fund Manager and by Lloyds TSB, the sponsoring bank for BACS within the Department. Initial work to gather information has been conducted, and a plan prepared to enable migration well ahead of the discontinuation of the existing BACS system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what alternative methods of payment he is proposing for people who currently receive a war pension by order book, girocheque or payable order but will be unable to transfer to direct payment. [165214](2) who will be eligible to receive their war pension by methods other than direct payment. [165215]

The Veterans Agency (VA) has always accepted that for a very limited number of customers, those most vulnerable and genuinely unable to manage Direct Payment, this method of payment may not be practical or suitable for their needs.For those customers the VA will provide an alternative method of payment that will take the form of a weekly cheque. This will be sent to the pensioner's home by first class post and they will be able to cash it at any post office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) service and (b) departmental civilian personnel are based in the Vale of York. [165095]

Location data for Service personnel are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. However they are available by Local Authority Area. The Parliamentary Constituency of the Vale of York contains part of the Unitary Authority of York, and parts of the local authorities of Hambleton and Harrogate. The total number of Service personnel in these areas as at 1 July 2002 (the most recently available data) is given in the following table:

UA/LA	All Services	Naval Service	Army	RAF
York	680	—	680	—
Hambleton	2,130	10	700	1,420
Harrogate	2,610	60	2,530	10
Note:
1. — denotes zero,
2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding methods used totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.
3. Figures are for UK Regular Forces, both Trained and Untrained, and exclude Gurkhas, Full-Time Reserve Service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised Reservists.

The number of civilian personnel working for the Ministry of Defence as at 1 January 2004 in Yorkshire and The Humber was 3,140 (rounded to the nearest 10).This includes permanent, full-time equivalent staff, non-industrial and industrial, including Trading Funds and excludes those on career breaks, long-term sick leave, secondment etc. Reliable data is not available below Government Office Region level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the sal iry bill was for civilians employed within the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) armed forces in the latest year for Nhich figures are available. [165554]

Civilian salary costs, including National Insurance contributions, superannuation liability and redundancy and severance payments, for the last Financial Year 2002–03 were £2,584,057,000. This information was published in the Department's Annual Reports and Accounts at Note 2.2 to the acccounts. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) soldiers and (b) ex-soldiers were (i) investigated and (ii) prosecuted in regard to fraudulent claims for payment associated with resettlement in each year since 2000. [166436]

Information for all soldiers is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The investigation of ex-soldiers is a matter for the appropriate civil police authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers received payments as part of their resettlement on leaving the Army in 2003; and what the average amount was. [166437]

The Information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the regiments which have the name of a county included in the cap badge. [166028]

The following 11 regular Army regiments include the name of a county in their official titles: The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders; The Cheshire Regiment; The Devon and Dorset Regiment; The Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires); The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment); The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire; The Queen's Lancashire Regiment; The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment; The Staffordshire Regiment; The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment; and The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).Of these 11 regiments, five feature the name of a county in their actual gap badges. They are: The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders; The Cheshire Regiment; The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire: The Queen's Lancashire Regiment; and The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to object, for operational flying reasons, to the erection of six wind turbines at Guestwick in Norfolk. [166043]

(holding answer 19 April 2004): An objection to the current proposals will be lodged on the basis of potential interference with the operation of both air traffic and air defence radar. The developer has been notified.The main reasons are that the proposed development is situated within 22km and in line of sight of the Air Traffic Radar at RAF Coltishall and within 16km and line of sight of the radar at RAF Honington. The blades of wind turbines can produce false returns or mask the detection of flying aircraft. It is the view of our specialist technical advisers, who have considered the proposal, that such a development could place the safety of flight in danger and therefore pose an unacceptable risk to personnel, aircraft and people on the ground.In addition the site lies within 27km and line of sight of the Air Defence Radar at RAF Trimingham.However, officials from Defence Estates are discussing with the developer whether any mitigating measures might be possible which would allow a development to proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to update computer (a) hardware and (b) software standard packages used in his Department. [166369]

The Defence Information Infrastructure Integrated Project Team (DII IPT) will deliver 139,000 desktop devices across Defence. This will include the provision of standard personal productivity software, e.g. office automation. The DII (Future) Programme will be delivered incrementally commencing during 2005 and is expected to achieve a Full Operating Capability by 2009.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office in what circumstances is disclosure of Government policy to a third party considered a disciplinary offence. [166194]

The rules on the disclosure of information by civil servants are set out in the Civil Service Code and Civil Service Management Code.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to improve the regulatory reform process. [166195]

As I confirmed to the Regulatory Reform Committee on 1 July 2003, we will honour the commitment given during the passage of the Regulatory Reform Bill in another place to review the workings of the order-making process in April 2004.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to improve the monitoring of regulatory impact assessments. [166196]