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Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his policy is on the publication of advice to the Chief Medical Officer from the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health; [189362]

(2) when the next report of the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health on smoking and health will be published; [189363]

(3) when the latest annual statement from the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health will be published; [189364]

(4) whether the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health has issued recent advice to the Chief Medical Officer on the impact of passive smoking on health. [189378]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH), an independent committee that provides advice to UK chief medical officers on scientific matters concerning tobacco and health, issued a comprehensive report on second-hand tobacco smoke in 1998. The final version of the SCOTH report updating their review of research into the health effects of second-hand smoke since 1998 was submitted to UK Health Departments in July. This report is a summary of previously published scientific literature. It will be published with the forthcoming white paper on public health.

Sickness Absence

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of means other than family doctors for the verification of absence from work through sickness. [188655]

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.

As announced in 'Pathways to work: Helping people into employment: the Government's response and action plan' [CM 5830] the Government have undertaken research to explore the potential for extending statutory certification to non-medical health care professionals.

The findings are due to be published before the end of the year.

Thames Gateway (Primary Health Care)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional primary health care centres he estimates will be required under the Government's plan for an additional 120,000 houses to be built between 2003 and 2016 in the Thames Gateway. [190941]

 
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Mr. Hutton: The national health service is actively working with local partners to plan additional services, both primary and secondary, to meet the needs of population growth arising from new housing in the Thames Gateway.

The Department allocated an extra £8.75 million revenue to primary care trusts (PCTs) within the Thames Gateway for both 2004–05 and 2005–06 in recognition of the growth in housing that is already taking place. Future allocations to PCTs, from 2006–07 onwards, will factor in the impact on population of future increases in housing in the Thames Gateway as well as other growth areas across the south-east.

Transplantation

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications have been received by the Unrelated Live Transplant Regulatory Authority since its creation for (a) live unrelated altruistic donations and (b) live unrelated paired donations. [191715]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Unrelated Live Transplant Regulatory Authority (ULTRA) has received no applications since its creation, but it discussed two theoretical applications; one for altruistic and one for paired donation, which, although not formally considered by an ULTRA panel, was used to inform thinking around this area.

Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust met its performance target for responding to Category A calls in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [191076]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information is published in the statistical bulletin, "Ambulance services, England: 2003–04", a copy of which is available in the Library. It is also available on the Department's website at www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0411.htm.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Airline Services

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government incentives are available to encourage airline route development in Northern Ireland; how much funding was allocated, and to what airlines, for this purpose in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [191833]

Mr. Gardiner: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment introduced a Route Development Fund in September 2003. £4 million was allocated to the fund and it is envisaged that the fund will operate for three years. To date the fund has contributed to the development of the following new routes:

Belfast to New York, to be operated by Continental Airlines;

Belfast to Paris, operated by Easy Jet;

Belfast to Nice, operated by Easy Jet;

Londonderry to Manchester, and Londonderry to Birmingham, operated by Aer Arann.

 
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The fund operates by means of providing an incentive to local airports; Government does not directly aid the airline operator.

In line with part II, paragraph 13 (Third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it would be inappropriate to disclose the individual amounts invested in each route, however the initial allocation of 4 million has not yet been exhausted.

The Government have commented on the successful operation of this fund in their submission to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, which is currently examining the matter.

Breast Cancer

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women are being HER2 tested for breast cancer; how long they have to wait for test results; what guidelines are followed for this type of testing; and if he will make a statement. [192032]

Angela Smith: All women diagnosed with breast cancer in Northern Ireland are automatically tested for HER2.

Urgent test results are received within one week. Routine test results are available within one to four weeks. This time scale is sufficient as Herceptin is not a first line treatment and may not be necessary until several months or some years after diagnosis.

National guidelines are followed for HER2 testing. Practice in Northern Ireland takes into account the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendation that Trastuzumab, more commonly called Herceptin, should be made available for women with HER2 positive advanced breast cancer.

Cardiac Treatment

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety expects the Royal Hospitals Trust to achieve the 1,100 target of cardiac surgical operations annually set in 1992. [192452]

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 12 October 2004, Official Report, column 237W.

Cod Conservation Scheme

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the fishing vessel owners who were awarded transitional aid under the 2004 Transitional Aid Cod Conservation Scheme lease away kilowatt days to other vessel owners to fish within the UK Cod Recovery Zone while being paid compensation to remain in port; and how many of the successful grant applications were for vessels owned exclusively by women. [192460]

Mr. Pearson: Of the number of vessels awarded transitional aid under the 2004 Temporary Cessation (Tie-up/transitional aid) Scheme, 10 also leased away
 
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days at sea to other vessel owners to fish within the UK Cod Recovery Zone while simultaneously being paid compensation to remain in port.

Of the total number of successful grant applications, one vessel was owned exclusively by a woman.

Delayed Discharges

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to use the independent sector to relieve the problem of delayed discharges. [192448]

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety recognises the importance of promoting the development of a flourishing independent sector, alongside good quality public services, and the positive impact this could have on the number of people awaiting discharge from hospital. This is being addressed as part of the second phase of the Community Care Review.

Intermediate Care has been accepted as a means of supporting timely discharge from hospital. In recognition of this, the Department has commissioned a report from the Independent Health and Care Providers to provide an accurate picture of the current level and type of intermediate care provision available in the independent sector in Northern Ireland. This will help to gauge the feasibility of expanding this type of provision, and inform policy in this area.

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