HC Deb 18 November 1996 vol 285 cc408-9W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in the United Kingdom undertake mandatory ante-natal screening for hepatitis B. [3874]

Mr. Horam

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) on 22 July 1996,Official Report, column 118.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of hepatitis B carriers in the United Kingdom. [3875]

Mr. Horam

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Ms. Mahon) on 12 July 1996,Official Report, column 559.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of hepatitis B carrier is accounted for by "at risk" groups. [3876]

Mr. Horam

There are no national data collected on the number of chronic carriers of hepatitis B that fall into "high risk" groups. The Public Health Laboratory Service communicable disease surveillance centre receives reports of acute hepatitis B infection through the voluntary confidential reporting by laboratories of confirmed cases. Information on risk exposure is available with approximately two thirds of these reports. For details, by former regional health authority for the three years 1993–95, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) on 22 July 1996, Official Report, columns 120–21.