HC Deb 28 July 2000 vol 354 cc1000-1W
Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000,Official Report, columns 511–12W, what (a) staff, (b) staff-time, (c) services and (d) in-laid support are provided to the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas's by the agrochemical industry; and on what basis information relating to pesticides is provided from the Medical Toxicology Unit to agrochemical companies. [133290]

Yvette Cooper

I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (1) pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000,Official Report, column 511–12W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the outstanding National Poisons Information Service Centre reports for the year 1999–2000 that were scheduled to be completed by the end of June; [133299]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, columns 511–12W, if he will make it his policy to allow a lay representative on the National Poisons Information Service; [133288]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, column 511–12W, if he will place in the Library the reports made by the National Poisons Information Service Centre to comply with the provisions of European Commission Resolution 90/C 329/03. [133300]

Yvette Cooper

The Management Board of the National Poisons Information Service is not a statutory body. It exists to support the internal funding and management arrangements between the NPIS centres and the United Kingdom Health Departments. Membership is drawn from the UK Health Departments and from specialists in the field representing users of the service, for example: accident and emergency consultants; general practitioners; purchasers; paediatricians; general physicians and nursing. We believe that lay membership is not appropriate to the work of this Board.

I am happy to place copies of the National Poisons Information Service Centre Reports for the year 1999–2000 in the Library. The hon. Member may wish to know that plans are in hand to make the reports routinely available on a wider basis in the future.

I am also happy to provide a copy of the last report (1998) required under the provisions of the European Commission Resolution 90/C 329–03 which comprises contributions from each of the NPIS centres.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000.Official Report, columns 511–12W, on the National Poisons Information Service, if he will list the other associated activities that take place at the Medical Toxicology Unit. [133297]

Yvette Cooper

The other associated activity that take place at the Medical Toxicology Unit are:

Chemical Incident Response Service: Medical Toxicology Laboratory providing a wide range of services to the National Health Service and the coroners. The laboratory undertakes funded contract work but not for the agrochemical industry. Medical Toxicology Clinical Service—funded by referring health authorities and the trust;

Veterinary Poisons InformationResearch within the Department of Health contracts and as funded by outside bodies such as South East Asia Regional Office, World Health Organisation; Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000,Official Report, columns 511–12W, on the National Poisons Information Service Board, from what sources the establishment of the equipment and testing procedures at the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guys' and St. Thomas' has been funded. [133289]

Yvette Cooper

The establishment of the equipment and testing procedures at the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas's has been funded from trust contracts with health authorities and the Charitable Foundation at Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospital.

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