Bounty (Hansard, 22 March 2004)

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that data collected from new mothers by Bounty is(a) subject to the Data Protection Act and (b) not passed on for commercial reasons. [161730]
591W

§ Dr. Ladyman
It is not the role of the Department to regulate private organisations' compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Any concerns about whether Bounty is complying with the Data Protection Act 1998 should be raised directly with the Office of the Information Commissioner.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money the NHS has received from Bounty this year; and how much it has received in kind. [161731]

§ Dr. Ladyman
This information is not collected centrally.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that cotton nappies are available in all packs given to mothers of new-born babies. [161729]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Bounty is a commercial company who distributes packs containing free samples and leaflets to pregnant and recently delivered women. Decisions to include cotton nappies in these packs are a matter for Bounty and individual manufacturers of cotton nappies.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that Bounty bags distributed to new mothers through NHS facilities do not include products which(a) adversely affect the health of babies, (b) increase costs to the NHS through charges for the disposal of clinical waste and (c) adversely impact on Government targets for the disposal of clinical waste; and if he will make a statement. [160981]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Bounty is a commercial organisation that distributes packs containing information and product samples to pregnant and recently delivered women. The Government have received no evidence to suggest that the products contained in the packs adversely affect the health of babies. Information on costs to the national health service through charges for the disposal of clinical waste as a result of the Bounty pack contents and the impact on Government targets on disposal of clinical waste are not collected centrally.