§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the publication Instructions to Medical Inspectors was last updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [156839]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson"Instructions to Medical Inspectors" was last updated in 1992. It was marked for disclosure "only to persons authorised to receive it", but it is no longer known why this restriction was placed on the document. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library. We will consider the need to review the "Instructions" in the light of any decisions taken as a result of the Cabinet Office review of imported infection.
§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for making appointments of medical inspectors of immigrants; who employs them; who is responsible for the policy to be operated by medical inspectors; and what changes to these arrangements will occur if the Health Protection Agency Bill is enacted. [156841]
635W
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonParagraph 1(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 (c.77) provides that medical inspectors for the purposes of the Act may be appointed by the Secretary of State, or in Northern Ireland, by the Minister of Health and Social Services or other appropriate Minister of the Government of Northern Ireland in pursuance of arrangements made between that Minister and the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State's responsibilities for appointing medical inspectors in Scotland was transferred to Scottish Ministers by The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc) Order 1999 (Statutory Instrument 1999 No. 1750).
Medical inspectors are employed by the National Health Service (in England, in some cases by primary care trusts and in others by the Health Protection Agency). The policy to be operated by medical inspectors is governed by the Immigration Act and Immigration Rules (HC 395 as amended) and is the joint responsibility of the Home Office (which is responsible for immigration policy) and the Department of Health and the devolved administrations (which are responsible for health policy).
Paragraph 3 of Schedule 3 to the Health Protection Agency Bill will allow the Secretary of State to direct that his function of appointing medical inspectors is also exercisable by such persons specified in the direction who exercise functions relating to health in England or Wales. The intention is to use this power to delegate the appointment of medical inspectors to the National Assembly for Wales in Wales, and to the Health Protection Agency in England. Such delegation takes
Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Burnley Health Care NHS Trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03 All specialties (excluding day only)
General and acute
Acute Geriatric Mental illness
Learning disability
Maternity Day only 1996–97 858 659 458 201 163 0 36 51 1997–98 879 669 475 194 163 0 47 30 1998–99 838 627 627 — 163 — 48 35 1999–2000 837 626 626 — 163 — 48 33 2000–01 840 643 643 — 149 — 48 25 2001–02 810 620 620 — 141 — 49 26 2002–03 680 632 632 — — — 48 31 Source:
Department of Health form KH03
Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03 All specialties (excluding day only)
General and acute
Acute Geriatric Mental illness
Learning disability
Maternity Day only 1996–97 824 588 478 110 157 — 79 57 1997–98 857 618 532 86 166 — 73 53 1998–99 824 603 511 91 150 — 72 56 1999–2000 808 604 517 87 138 — 66 67 2000–01 833 623 531 93 143 — 67 67 2001–02 825 633 530 104 122 — 70 67 2002–03 680 611 505 106 — — 70 67 Source:
Department of Health form KH03
636Waccount of the fact that arrangements for identifying medical inspectors are best made locally. The Bill does not change the responsibility for the policy operated by medical inspectors.