§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many(a) chief executives and senior managers have left the national blood transfusion service since June 1994 and (b) zonal managers have been appointed in advance of the conclusion of the consultation process by the National Blood Authority;
(2) if she will list the joint ventures entered into, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, by the National Blood Authority.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis is a matter for the National Blood Authority.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) the total number of units of blood collected by the blood transfusion service in 1994 and (b) 367W her future projections of the demand for blood for the years for which projections have been made.
§ Mr. SackvilleWe are informed by the National Blood Authority that in 1994 the number of donations collected increased by 5 per cent. to 2.4 million. The NBA's current demand projections estimate an annual increase of around 4 per cent.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to introduce screening of blood products and blood for Anti-HTLVI and II and Anti-HBc.
§ Mr. SackvilleNone.
The last advice which we received from the expert committee in September 1992 in the case of anti-HTLV and in November 1993 in the case of anti-HBc was that routine screening of blood donations for these antibodies should not be introduced. The expert committee is keeping its advice under review.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she expects to receive analysis of responses to the consultation document of the National Blood Authority together with its final proposals and publish the final proposals for reorganisation of the National Blood Authority;
(2) if she will publish (a) all the responses to the National Blood Authority consultation document and (b) a list of all the organisations and individuals who have opposed the reorganisation proposals of the National Blood Authority;
§ Mr. SackvilleThe National Blood Authority is currently considering the comments received during its thorough and widespread consultation. The authority will in due course produce and publish its final proposals, having taken account of the comments received, but cannot yet provide a firm date for this. The format of the publication is a matter for the NBA. The authority has announced the appointment of an independent panel who will ensure that the comments made on the original proposals receive due and objective consideration.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used in the selection of the independent committee members appointed to consider responses to the National Blood Authority's consultation process.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis is a matter for the National Blood Authority.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each regional blood transfusion centre(a) the date it received a Medicines Control Agency licence, (b) the date it acquired accreditation under BS5750 and (c) the date it made any unsuccessful application for either (a) or (b).
§ Mr. SackvilleI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 1 November 1994, columns1078–79. The manufacturers licence held by the National Blood Authority covering all centres was first issued on 8 August 1994 and was last updated on 7 December 1994. The wholesale dealers licence, No. WL/I3733/1, held by the authority was issued on 27 July 1994 and was last updated on 15 November 1994. No unsuccessful applications for licensing of blood transfusion centres has occurred. Accreditation under BS5750 is not a statutory requirement for the NBA. The pursuit of accreditation by individual transfusion centres is a matter for the NBA.
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§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will identify and list the immunoglobins currently exported by the National Blood Authority.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Bio Products Laboratory, a part of the National Blood Authority, occasionally exports human normal intramuscular immunoglobulin when it has supplies available which are surplus to requirements in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the joint ventures entered into, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, by the National Blood Authority.
§ Mr. SackvilleApart from those entered into in the course of research or normal commercial contracting activity, the National Blood Authority is not involved in any joint ventures either in the United Kingdom or abroad.