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8 May 2007 : Column WA245
Written Answers
Tuesday 8 May 2007
Constitutional Reform Act
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, during the transitional period before the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 is fully in force, appointments of Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, who will become judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, will be made in accordance with the procedures prescribed for the appointment of judges of the Supreme Court. [HL3436]
The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): There is no requirement to commence the provisions on the new appointment procedure before the court is established.
Corruption
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the allegation in the Guardian on 24 April concerning their representatives and the chairman of the anti-corruption watchdog of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Professor Pieth. [HL3465]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My right honourable friend the Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Ian McCartney, wrote to the Guardian on 26 April in response to the allegations, which are untrue.
EU: Berlin Declaration
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consulted all or any of the European Union member states concerning the Berlin declaration; and, if so, with what result. [HL3468]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The German presidency drafted the 50th anniversary Berlin declaration following consultation with all member states. Signed by the presidents of the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, it is a non-binding political declaration.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the text of the Berlin declaration was agreed at a full meeting of the Cabinet; and, if not, by whom or by which government body it was agreed. [HL3469]
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Lord Triesman: The German presidency drafted the 50th anniversary Berlin declaration following consultation with all member states. Signed by the presidents of the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, it is a non-binding political declaration. European issues are discussed regularly by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister and ministerial colleagues within the Cabinet.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which European Union member states (a) supported the Berlin declaration; (b) opposed the declaration; and (c) were undecided. [HL3470]
Lord Triesman: The German presidency drafted the 50th anniversary Berlin declaration following consultation with all member states. Signed by the presidents of the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, it is a non-binding political declaration.
EU: Trade
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the average annual trade balance with the European Union member states over the period 2001 to 2006. [HL3516]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, Director of Macroeconomics and Labour Market, to Lord Stoddart of Swindon, dated 8 May 2007, in the absence of the National Statistician.
The average annual trade deficit for goods with the European Union member states over the period 2001 to 2006 was £27.7 billion. This includes trade with Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007. The latest data are published on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=613.
Health: Dermatology
Lord McColl of Dulwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to ensure that doctors appointed by primary care trusts as general practitioners with a special interest in dermatology have the necessary training and qualifications to carry out the role. [HL3333]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Addressing the training needs of health professionals’ working is the responsibility of the appropriate regulatory bodies. They set standards
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Health: Podiatry
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans for ensuring urgent access to podiatric care for diabetics, irrespective of where they live, under the National Health Service; and [HL3424]
What steps they are considering to establish a national foot assessment scheme to ensure that patients with the same level of need have the same access to podiatric care under the National Health Service. [HL3425]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): There are no plans to issue central criteria for access to podiatric services or to establish a national foot assessment scheme. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, outlined in the national service frameworks (NSFs), and to commission services accordingly. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community, including the provision of podiatry.
Guidance for access to podiatric services is available in the NSFs for older people, diabetes, and long-term conditions. Further information is available in the National Diabetes Support Team Diabetic Foot Guide. These documents are available in the Library.
Our Health, Our Care, Our Say sets out the future direction for healthcare. The implementation will address improved access to allied health professions, including podiatry. We are establishing pilot sites for the introduction of self-referral to physiotherapy. Lessons learnt from these pilots will be applicable to other therapies and we will be working closely with the professions on this.
Health: Private Prescription Forms
Lord Colwyn asked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidelines they have issued to primary care trusts concerning the administration charges for the provision of private prescription forms. [HL3432]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The National Health Service prescription form supplier levies a charge on primary care trusts (PCTs) for supplies of FP10PCD prescription forms for the private prescription of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs. PCTs in turn may charge private prescribers a modest sum for these prescription forms.
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This practice is outlined in the department's guidance, Safer Management of Controlled Drugs (CDs): Private CD Prescriptions and Other Changes to the Prescribing and Dispensing of Controlled Drugs (CDs)—Guidance for Implementation, copies of which have been placed in the Library, and it is available on the department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/ Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4131465.
Health: Stem Cell Therapy
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of total stem cell research funds go into adult stem cell or cord blood stem cell research. [HL3341]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Statistics on what proportion of total stem cell research funds go to adult stem cell or cord blood stem cell research are not held centrally by my department.
Stem cell research shows great promise for understanding the basic development of different cell types. They also show considerable promise for new therapies. This is why the United Kingdom continues to support all forms of stem cell research based on the quality of the science.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will support cord blood stem cell research both in the private sector and in universities. [HL3343]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The United Kingdom Government continue to support all forms of stem cell research based on the quality of the science.
In the March 2005 Budget, the Chancellor announced the establishment of the UK Stem Cell Initiative (UKSCI). This was a task force, led by Sir John Pattison and drawing on membership from the academic and commercial sectors, charged with developing a vision and costed strategy, covering the period 2006-15, in order to make the UK a global leader in stem cell research. The UKSCI report, consisting of 11 recommendations to the Government, was published in December 2005. In response, the Government accepted the recommendations in full. As a result, the Government have allocated an additional £50 million, bringing total investment up to £100 million, for stem cell research between 2006-08. This figure includes support for both public and private sector research.
Heritage Lottery Grant
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many culture museums received heritage lottery grant in 2004, 2005 and 2006; and how many of these museums are in north-west England. [HL3390]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) collects data for museums and galleries only. HLF awards to museums and galleries for the UK and the north-west in 2004-05 and 2005-06 are shown below.
Information for 2006-07 is still being gathered and will be made available shortly.
| HLF awards to museums and galleries | ||
| Financial year | North-west (number of awards) | UK (number of awards) |
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many buildings within Victorian parks in England and Wales have received heritage lottery grants in 2004, 2005 and 2006. [HL3391]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Since 1994, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a total of over £440 million to historic public parks. Fifty-two public parks in England and Wales received HLF grants in 2004-05, and 36 in 2005-06. The HLF does not separately record the buildings that form part of the public parks projects it funds, but many include work to buildings within the park, including houses, cafés, bandstands and other buildings. The HLF does not classify the public parks that it funds by historic period. Information is not yet available for financial year 2006-07.
Justice: European Court of Human Rights
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider reforming the law so as to allow the reopening of proceedings in appropriate cases following judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. [HL3416]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): It is possible in criminal cases to apply to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) following a successful application to the European Court of Human Rights. For cases to which the Government were party in domestic proceedings, which have then been the subject of a decision of the Strasbourg court against the United Kingdom, the Government would be expected to take such measures as necessary to rectify the position as part of the implementation of the judgment. The Government do not believe that it would be appropriate to make general provision for the reopening of cases between private parties following a successful application by one party to the Strasbourg court. There is a substantial risk that a general ability to reopen proceedings would adversely affect the rights and interests of other parties to domestic proceedings: an application to the Strasbourg court by a unsuccessful litigant in domestic proceedings could take some years to be resolved finally, during which period the other
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Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, when considering how to implement the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Hirst v United Kingdom on prisoners' voting rights, they will have regard to the way in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus have amended legislation to give effect to the judgment by conferring the right to vote on all prisoners remanded in custody. [HL3417]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Prisoners on remand within the UK already have the right to vote, as conferred by Section 7A of the Representation of the People Act 1983. This was introduced in 2000, prior to the European Court of Human Rights judgment in Hirst v the United Kingdom.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they intend to implement the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on the common law of contempt of court in the case of Kyprianou v Cyprus. [HL3418]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 7 November 2006 (Official Report, col. WA 119). The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights did not regard it as necessary or desirable in Kyprianou v Cyprus to review generally the law on contempt and the practice of summary proceedings in Cyprus and other common-law systems. The decision by the Grand Chamber was made on the facts of the particular case and the Government do not believe that any change in UK law is needed as a result of this judgment.
NHS: Finances
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether money was taken from or put into the budgets of Suffolk primary care trusts in the last financial year to balance the financial position of the National Health Service across the east of England; and, if so, how much money was taken or received; and [HL3318]
Whether money was taken from or put into the budgets of Norfolk primary care trusts in the last financial year to balance the financial position of the National Health Service across the east of England; and, if so, how much money was taken or received; and [HL3319]
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Whether money was taken from or put into the budgets of Bedfordshire primary care trusts in the last financial year to balance the financial position of the National Health Service across the east of England; and, if so, how much money was taken or received; and [HL3320]
Whether money was taken from or put into the budgets of Hertfordshire primary care trusts in the last financial year to balance the financial position of the National Health Service across the east of England; and, if so, how much money was taken or received; and [HL3321]
Whether money was taken from or put into the budgets of Cambridgeshire primary care trusts in the last financial year to balance the financial position of the National Health Service across the east of England; and, if so, how much money was taken or received. [HL3322]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): A table showing primary care trust (PCT) top-slice forecast outturn, baseline allocation and percentage of top-slice allocation at quarter three, 2006-07, was made available in the Library in a written response to the honourable Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Phil Willis) on 19 March 2007 (Official Report, col. 737W).
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