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Spinal Cord Injuries
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the incidence of spinal cord injury; [49724]
- (2) how many people with spinal cord injury were awaiting admission into a spinal injury Unit in each year from 1990 to 1997; [49725]
(3) what is the total number of beds in spinal injury units; [49726]
(4) how many people with spinal cord injuries waiting for a bed in a spinal injury unit were (a) dealt with in the community and (b) admitted to a district general hospital in each year between 1990 and 1997; [49727]
(5) what assessment he has made of the protocol for the treatment of spinal cord injuries drawn up by the Spinal Injuries Association. [49898]
Ms Jowell: Information on the incidence of spinal cord injury is not held centrally. However, estimates based upon the number of hospital admissions suggest that there are about 400 new cases of spinal cord injury in England each year. We know this figure is an overestimate, since spinal injury patients who are transferred to Spinal Injuries Units in other trusts will count as two admissions.
Data on waiting times for individual procedures are not collected centrally. Information on people waiting for a bed in a spinal injury unit and where they were treated is not available.
1995-96 was the last financial year in which bed data were collected separately for spinal unit wards. In 1996-97, beds in spinal units were added to beds in other units and classified as "Younger Physically Disabled". The information is given in the table. Information on beds is
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contained in the publication "Bed availability and occupancy for England", copies of which are available in the Library.
| 1995-96 Number | 1995-96 Per cent. | 1996-97 Number | 1996-97 Per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger Physically Disabled | 1,364 | 100 | (4)1,294 | 100 |
| Spinal Unit | 221 | 16.2 | -- | -- |
| Other | 1,143 | 83.8 | -- | -- |
(4) Figure includes spinal units and other units
Source:
1. Bed Availability for England, 1995-96
2. Bed Availability for England, 1996-97
The Department is aware of the protocol drawn up by the Spinal Injuries Association. At present, the drawing up of guidelines for good practice in any area of medicine, including spinal injury, is a matter for the Medical Royal Colleges.
Dental Services
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the funding provision of NHS dentistry in Herefordshire. [51249]
Mr. Milburn: The amount spent on general dental services is dependent upon the activity of National Health Service dentists. Dentists providing general dental services receive payment from the NHS for the dental treatment and care they provide.
Residential Care
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide guidance to local authorities on the funding responsibility for residential accommodation for elderly people who have chosen to move from a residential home in one council's area to a residential home in another council's area. [51225]
Ms Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Cotter) on 7 July 1998, Official Report, column 453.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Disabled Student Allowance
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if local education authorities are required to follow national criteria when allocating disabled student allowance; and if he will make a statement. [51427]
Dr. Howells:
Disabled Students Allowances can be paid by local education authorities to students who can prove that they have a disability or medical condition which affects their ability to study. These allowances are payable as part of a mandatory award. The Mandatory Awards Regulations therefore provide the legal framework under which LEAs administer the allowances.
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They have written guidance from my Department available to them on how to assess a student's eligibility for these allowances within that framework.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if businesses contributing in cash or in kind to education action zones will be prevented from entering into any form of preferred trading agreements with the schools in those zones, or with the Education Action Forum; and how such arrangements will be monitored. [51307]
Mr. Byers:
Education Action Forums must secure best value in any contract they enter into. We will be issuing guidance to them on how to do this.
Each Forum will be under a legal duty to send its accounts to the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Comptroller and Auditor General will report on them to Parliament.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he has set for the receipt of contributions in kind from businesses involved in the education action zones. [51303]
Mr. Byers:
Each zone will raise £250,000 a year in cash or kind from the private sector.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice his Department provides to schools on the use of gum shields in contact sports. [51389]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The Department does not issue advice to schools on the use of gum shields in contact sports.
The National Curriculum for physical education requires schools to ensure safe practice and to teach pupils why particular protection is worn for different activities.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of the fixed-price school meals provided by Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire education authorities for the most recent five years for which records are available. [51125]
Ms Estelle Morris:
The Department does not collect this information.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average estimated cost to public funds of an industrial accident or illness resulting in (a) death, (b) serious injury incapacitating the victim from further employment, (c) other serious injury and (d) minor injury; and if he will make a statement. [50627]
Angela Eagle:
I have been asked to reply.
The costs to public funds of work-related accidents or work-related ill-health arise principally through social security payments and medical provision. However, the
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records maintained do not enable the costs to public funds of injury accidents or ill-health arising from work activities to be separately identified.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what financial help has been given in each of the last five years towards the education costs of young people from St. Helena studying in the United Kingdom. [50707]
Clare Short:
I have been asked to reply.
Since 1993 the overseas aid programme to St. Helena has provided the sum of £659,542 towards the education costs of St. Helenians studying in the United Kingdom which is broken down in each of the last five years as follows:
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria were used in determining the need for an OFSTED inspection of Easternside Primary School in Middlesbrough within three years of the previous inspection. [50874]
Mr. Byers:
The timing of school inspections is a matter for Ofsted. Easternside Primary School, Middlesbrough, was inspected in July 1995 and I understand that HM Chief Inspector has arranged for the school to be inspected in October 1998. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend, to explain the reasons for that decision, and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what procedures are in place to assess the effectiveness of the investment of extra resources in beacon schools. [50910]
Mr. Byers:
Each beacon school will be required to produce an annual report accounting for the additional expenditure and assessing the impact of its activities on raising standards in other schools. Those schools receiving support and advice from beacon schools will also be asked to evaluate its impact.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what basis beacon schools were selected; and what involvement local education authorities had in the process. [50954]
Mr. Byers:
The beacon schools were selected from those commended in Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools' latest Annual Report as the best performing during 1996-97. Local Education Authorities were not involved in the process.
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Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of beacon schools on the planning of school admission limits and the management of empty places in schools. [50911]
Mr. Byers:
Beacon schools will have no impact on the planning of school admissions limits or the management of empty places in schools.
1993-94: £144,365
1994-95: £102,740
1995-96: £143,472
1996-97: £166,804
1997-98: £102,161.
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