§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many tuberculosis tracing nurses are currently employed in the national health service, listed by district; and what has been the change in the number of such appointments in each year since 1982–83.
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§ Mr. SackvilleIt is not possible, from the data collected centrally, to identify those nurses specifically involved with tuberculosis tracing.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the unit cost of a single BCG vaccination to her Department.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe cost is subject to commercial confidence.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) of 30 March,Official Report, column 890, if she will list by region those district health authorities which routinely offer BCG vaccinations to all new-born babies.
§ Mr. SackvilleI refer the hon. Member to the reply, I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 29 April,Official Report, column 370.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation recommended in 1985 and 1990 on the continuation of the BCG schools immunisation programmes;
(2) what written instruction she has circulated to health authorities on restarting the school BCG vaccination programme.
§ Mr. SackvilleFollowing consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, DA(85)27 was issued on 17 December 1985 recommending continuation of the schools' BCG programme. On 21 August 1990, EL(90)166 was issued following further consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and immunisation recommending continuation of the programme at least until 1995–96 when a further review would take place. Copies of both letters are available in the Library.
In addition to the above, a reminder of the importance of the BCG immunisation programme has been brought to the attention of regional health authorities through the regional review process; regions have been asked to consider carefully whether their arrangements to protect against tuberculosis are adequate.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list members of the departmental task force for tuberculosis; and when the task force will submit a final report to her.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe inter-departmental working group on tuberculosis will include officials from the Departments of Health, of Social Security, of Transport, of the Environment, the Home Department, the Department of Health and Social Security Northern Ireland Office, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office Home and Health Department. There will also be a representative from the Public Health Laboratory Service and experts representing health care professionals.
The working group will oversee a number of sub-groups who will address the following issues:
- the need for guidance on local control procedures;
- screening of immigrants and refugees;
- the impact of tuberculosis on the homeless;
- the need to review prevention and control measures in prisons;
- the need to review monitoring and surveillance mechanisms.
These groups will consist of officials from the interested Departments and others with expertise in the prevention 592W and control of tuberculosis in each of these areas. Each sub-group will provide a paper for ministerial consideration with a final report giving key outcomes and recommendations. At this stage it is not possible to give a date for the final report.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of respiratory and non-respiratory tuberculosis have been notified via the Home Office to her Department in each year since 1985.
§ Mr. SackvilleIt is not part of the notification procedures for the Home Department to provide the Department of Health with data on cases of tuberculosis.
Statutory notifications of tuberculosis are made by registered medical practitioners to the proper officer of the local authority or port health district. Reports of these notifications are sent to the Registrar General at the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.
Immigration Service officials have the power to refer for medical examination persons covered by the Immigration Act 1971 seeking to enter the United Kingdom. If any of these were found to have tuberculosis, notification would then be made to the proper officer of the relevant local authority or port health district.
The number of notifications of tuberculosis reported to the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys for England and Wales during the years 1985–92 are shown in the table.
Notification of tuberculosis 1985–92, England and Wales Tuberculosis (excluding chemoprophylaxis) Respiratory Non-respiratory Total 1985 4,660 1,197 5,857 1986 4,759 1,234 5,993 1987 4,010 1,076 5,086 1988 4,022 1,142 5,164 1989 4,146 1,286 5,432 1990 3,942 1,262 5,204 1991 3,950 1,486 5,436 1992 4,205 1,593 5,798
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the specific level of research funding allocated by her Department via the Medical Research Council into the prevention and cure of tuberculosis in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Medical Research Council is already funding a considerable amount of basic research into tuberculosis. The Department has not allocated any specific research funds via the MRC, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, into the prevention and cure of tuberculosis since 1979.