§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Committee on the action programme on rare diseases in the framework of the action plan for public health is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom348W representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [57472]
§ Ms BlearsThe Programme of Community Action on Rare Diseases was set up in accordance with Article 5(2) of Decision 1295–1299/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 1999.
The aim of the programme is to contribute, in coordination with other community measures, towards ensuring a high level of health protection in relation to rare diseases by improving knowledge, for example by promoting the setting-up of a coherent and complementary European information network on rare diseases, and facilitating access to information about these diseases, in particular for health professionals, researchers and those affected directly or indirectly by these diseases, by encouraging and strengthening transnational cooperation between voluntary and professional support groups for those concerned, and by ensuring optimimum handling of clusters and by promoting the surveillance of rare diseases.
The Committee consists of two representatives from each Member State, although both do not always attend. The Committee is chaired by the Commission. The Committee is required to deliver its opinion on draft measures submitted to it by the Commission.
The Committee has met twice in the last 12 months.
Costs to public funds were minimal, meetings last one day, the commission pay the travel costs of nominated representatives, UK Departments are required to pay subsistence and UK travel costs.
Details about the Committee, the programme and funded projects can be found on Europa, the EU on-line website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/index en.html
Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Decision to set up a network for 349W the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.[57473]
§ Ms BlearsThe Committee for the European Network for the Epidemiological Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases was set up in accordance with Article 7 of Decision 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up the Network, for the purposes of implementing the Decision.
The Committee consists of two representatives from each Member State: one representing the competent public health authority and the other the national body with responsibility for surveillance of communicable diseases. For the UK, this comprises representatives from the Department of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Diseases Surveillance Centre. The Committee is chaired by the Commission. The Committee is required to deliver its opinion on draft measures submitted to it by the Commission.
The Committee has met four times in the last 12 months.
Costs to public funds were minimal, meetings last one day, the commission pay the travel costs of nominated representatives, UK Departments are required to pay subsistence and UK travel costs.
Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.