31 Oct 2000 : Column: 335W
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 31 October 2000
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Racism
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions there have been for incitement to racial hatred in each of the past three years; and what proportion of those prosecutions have led to convictions. [134530]
The Solicitor-General: In 1998 there was one prosecution for offences of incitement to racial hatred under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986--this resulted in a conviction. In 1999 there were five defendants charged--three of these were convicted. There are currently three existing prosecutions involving such offences.
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | (1)2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No consent applications | 12 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Withdrawn | -- | 1 | -- | -- |
| Not granted | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
| Prosecuted | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Convicted | 9 | 3 | 3 | (2)-- |
(1) To date
(2) Results awaited
HEALTH
Hospital Food
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the quality of food in general hospitals in England and Wales. [134747]
Ms Stuart: Research has shown, and patients have told me, that in some hospitals the quality of food is not up to the standard that patients expect. The NHS Plan sets out a programme of work to improve the standard of hospital food:
- A 24-hour National Health Service catering service with a new NHS Menu, designed by leading chefs. It will cover continental breakfast, cold drinks and snacks at mid-morning and in the afternoon, light lunchtime meals and an improved two-course evening dinner. This will be a minimum standard for all hospitals;
- A national franchise for NHS catering will be examined to ensure hospital food is provided by organisations with a national reputation for high quality and customer satisfaction;
- Half of all hospitals will have new "ward housekeepers" in place by 2004 to ensure that the quality, presentation and quantity of meals meet patient needs; that patients, particularly elderly people, are able to eat meals on offer; and that the service patients receive is genuinely available round the clock;
- Dieticians will advise and check on nutritional values in hospital food. Patients' views will be measured as part of the Performance Assessment Framework and there will be unannounced inspections of the quality of hospital food.
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Work is progressing on all elements of this programme.
Drug-related Illnesses
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated annual cost is to the NHS of treating people with drug-related illnesses. [134746]
Ms Stuart: In 1999-2000, the drug misuse special allocation to health authorities for the treatment of drug misuse was £59 million. Local authorities received £3 million through the drug and alcohol special grant for the same purpose. However, through the drug action team templates, health and local authorities report actual expenditure in excess of these levels. In 1998-99, the template indicated that £150.7 million was spent on drugs misuse treatment, inclusive of the special allocation and grant.
Beta Interferon
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he next plans to meet the Chairman and members of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to discuss their decision on not prescribing beta interferon; [134751]
- (2) what was the cost basis on which NICE made its decision not to allow the prescribing of beta interferon; [134738]
(3) if he will refer back to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence their decision on the non-prescribing of beta interferon. [134740]
Mr. Denham: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has not yet published its final guidance on beta interferon for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and it would not be appropriate to pre-empt what the final guidance might say.
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the savings in social security benefits and local authority care costs that would arise if beta interferon were prescribed to those patients who might benefit. [134739]
Mr. Denham: No. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is conducting a thorough appraisal on beta interferon for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and has not yet completed its work.
Aricept
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that Aricept and related drugs may be prescribed for Alzheimer's disease. [135063]
Mr. Denham: We have asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to conduct an appraisal of Aricept and other related drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We expect NICE to issue guidance in December 2000.
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Correspondence
Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 16 August on behalf of his constituent Mrs. Sturman. [135791]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 30 October 2000]: A letter was sent to the right hon. Member on 30 October.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 18 September regarding a constituent (reference POH(4)5608/55). [135456]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 30 October 2000]: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 27 October.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 29 August (reference POH(4)5608/52). [135458]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 30 October 2000]: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 30 October.
Intermediate Care
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department defines intermediate care. [135836]
Mr. Hutton: The term 'intermediate care' describes a range of multi disciplinary, multi agency services designed to promote independence and improve quality of care, particularly for older people. The aims of intermediate care are to:
- Prevent avoidable hospital admission
- Facilitate timely discharge from hospital, with an emphasis on active rehabilitation
- Minimise premature or avoidable dependence on long term institutional care.
Infant Mortality Rates
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the infant mortality rates were in each of the last 10 years for (a) Taunton constituency and (b) Somerset health authority. [134314]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Jackie Ballard, dated 31 October 2000:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking for the infant mortality rates in each of the last 10 years for Taunton constituency and Somerset Health Authority. I am replying in his absence. (134314)
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- The figures are shown in the attached table. The rates (particularly those for Taunton constituency, which are calculated from fewer than 20 deaths) may be unreliable due to the small number of events and should be treated cautiously. Any variation they show over time, or difference from national or health authority rates are likely to be due to change.
| REGYR(1) | Number | Rate(2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset HA | |||
| 1990 | 34 | 6.1 | |
| 1991 | 25 | 4.4 | |
| 1992 | 28 | 5.0 | |
| 1993 | 32 | 5.8 | |
| 1994 | 32 | 5.9 | |
| 1995 | 17 | 3.2 | |
| 1996 | 22 | 4.2 | |
| 1997 | 24 | 4.5 | |
| 1998 | 25 | 4.7 | |
| 1999 | 23 | 4.6 | |
| Taunton constituency | |||
| 1990 | 4 | 3.4 | |
| 1991 | 7 | 5.7 | |
| 1992 | 5 | 4.3 | |
| 1993 | 5 | 4.3 | |
| 1994 | 6 | 5.3 | |
| 1995 | 3 | 2.8 | |
| 1996 | 3 | 2.7 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 1.0 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 2.8 | |
| 1999 | 7 | 7.1 | |
(3) Registration year
(4) Per 1,000 live births
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