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10 Oct 2005 : Column 236W—continued
Toxic Chemicals in Newborn Babies
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned on the possible presence of toxic chemicals in newborn babies; and if she will make a statement. [15071]
Caroline Flint:
There is very little published research on levels of chemicals in newborn babies, reflecting the difficulty and ethical considerations in undertaking such work.
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The Department, in conjunction with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Health and Safety Executive, funded some research on creating an archive of breast milk samples. Some preliminary information on levels of chemicals in human breast milk was available. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment recently reviewed preliminary data and made a statement. This is available on the FSA website at http://www.food.gov.uk/science/ouradvisors/toxicity/statements/cotstatements2004branch/cotstatebreastmilk.
Video Conferencing Units
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) her Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. [15458]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has a total of 14 fixed video conferencing studios in its main buildings in London and Leeds, with a further 10 mobile video conferencing facilities in meeting rooms and nine desktop, video conferencing units, in these and other departmental locations.
The Department has video conferencing facilities in 44 per cent. of the total number of departmental buildings which accommodate 70 per cent. of staff working on departmental business.
The Department continuously monitors use made of video conferencing facilities to ensure sufficient capacity is available and maximum benefit obtained. There are no current plans to increase capacity. The Department is currently undertaking a strategic review of the technologies available and further investment may result.
The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) currently has video conferencing facilities in four out of five, or 80 per cent., of its buildings.
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NHS PASA continuously monitors usage levels of all video conferencing facilities. There are currently some web camera trials under way for home based workers, but there are no plans to increase the number of conventional video conferencing facilities.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has video conferencing facilities in all of its four locations.
As part of a process to co-locate most MHRA staff in one building, current and future video conferencing requirements were reviewed in early 2005. There are no plans to increase the number of installed units.
NHS Estates (NHSE) has video conferencing units in five out of six, or 83 per cent., of its offices. NHSE will no longer exist from the end of September 2005; consequently, there are no plans for further investment.
Waiting Times
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in hospitals within the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority for a person referred by a general practitioner to see a hospital consultant was in each of the last four years. [15125]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
| As at March each year | Median (weeks) |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 8.3 |
| 2003 | 7.2 |
| 2004 | 7.3 |
| 2005 | 7.2 |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for those referred for treatment by GPs in (a) each London primary care trust and (b) each London health authority was in each year since 1997. [16225]
Jane Kennedy: This information is not available in the format requested because there were changes to national health service organisations from 1997 to date and therefore data are not comparable.
However, the table shows figures prior to 2002 by health authority (HA) and from 2002 by primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA).
n/a—not applicable.
Note:
Health authority reorganisation 2001–02:
Barnet HA and Enfield and Haringey HA merged to form Barnet, Enfield and Haringey HA.
Bexley and Greenwich HA and Bromley HA merged to form Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich HA.
Source:
Department of Health form QM08R.
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n/a—not applicable.
Notes:
1.Strategic health authorities in London:
North West London, North Central London, North East London, South East London, South West London.
2.Primary Care Trust re-organisation 2003–04:
Redbridge PCT (5C8) and Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT (part) merged to form Redbridge PCT (5NA).
Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone PCT and Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT (part) merged to form Waltham Forest PCT.
Source:
Department of Health form QM08R.
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Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was between general practitioner referral and hospital treatment in the (a) Essex Health Authority area and (b) Castle Point and Rochford Primary Care Trust in the last period for which figures are available. [15606]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government's target is that by the end of 2008 no patient will have to wait more than 18 weeks from general practitioner referral to start of hospital treatment. We do not currently collect information on the length of time from GP referral to start of treatment, so it is not yet possible to report on individual organisations' progress towards the target. We will be working with the national health service to introduce new data reporting systems to support delivery of the target.
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