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Week of 6^th December 2004

Major Developments
Links to information on recent major developments.

The Week Ahead
Upcoming business in Westminster.

This Past Week
Links to the business of both houses that has taken place over the last week. Including Ministerial and Prime Ministers Questions, debates in the Houses and in Westminster Hall, and links to written statements and answers.

DH, NHS and other agencies
Links to the main news from the Department of Health and the NHS, the Healthcare Commission, Monitor and other relevant bodies. Including topical health issues, press releases and recent publications.

APHG and Website
Information from the APHG including: News on forthcoming events, links to our own site, and access to constituency health data.

Useful Links
Links to other health pages.

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Major Developments (29^th Nov, 6^th Dec)

APHG Public Health series begins

The group’s seminar series on public health began last week with a Ministerial briefing with Melanie Johnson, Minister for Public Health. The series will now go on to look at key elements of the White Paper in more detail in three seminars with Dr Fiona Adshead, Deputy CMO.

Please see APHG and Website below for meeting details

Private Members Bill Ballot

The ballot for Private Member’s Bills was drawn on Thursday last week. The top six Members usually stand a good chance of receiving significant Parliamentary time, although with the election expected next summer it is unlikely any legislation will make it as far as statute.

It was initially rumoured that one of the Members in the top six may use the bill as an opportunity to press for legislation instituting a full ban on smoking in public places – but this now looks unlikely as backbench opinion is leaning towards amending the Government’s own legislation into a total ban.

See Private Members' Bill Ballot for more details

Healthcare Commission Standards Consultation

As indicated by Sir Ian Kennedy at the APHG breakfast briefing in October, the Healthcare Commission last week began their twelve-week consultation on standards and performance measurement in the NHS. See DH, NHS and other agencies below for details.

APHG will be hosting an event as part of this consultation, further details to be confirmed shortly.

Arm’s Length Body Review

Secretary of State Dr John Reid MP announced the next steps in implementing the DH Arm’s Length Body Review in an official statement to Parliament last week.

The ALB change programme aims to deliver a redistribution to the frontline of at least £0.5 billion a year by the end of 2007–08, with the number of ALBs reduced to 20. The 2005–06 budget for the ALB sector will cost about £100 million a year less to run than in 2003–04 and a further £200 million a year will become available for redistribution to the frontline by the end of 2006–07 and again in 2007–08.

Dr Reid noted, “This will inevitably mean significant changes in the organisation, staffing, financing and governance of the ALB sector.”

For details of the statement, see Chamber and Legislation below. For details of the document in full, see DH, NHS and other agencies below.

Pre-budget report and Queen’s Speech

Two major set pieces of the Parliamentary calendar took place in the last weeks – the Queen’s Speech and the pre-budget report. See Chamber and Legislation below for further details of the implications on health policy of both.

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The Week Ahead (6^th December – 10^th December)

Tuesday 7th December

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health.

Adjournment debate: Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas: Consultation with victims' families in the review of life tariffs.

Lords Committee - Assisted Dying For The Terminally Ill Bill

Wednesday 8th December

Draft Mental Health Bill Joint Committee (Lords)

Lords Unstarred Question - Vaccination and immunisation (L. Hodgson of Astley Abbotts / L. Warner).

Adjournment debate: Norman Baker: Eye treatment and the case of Mr Adrian Patrick.

Health Committee Annual Public Expenditure Inquiry: The Rt. Hon. Dr John Reid MP, Secretary of State for Health, Department of Health - 10:00 am in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

Science and Technology Committee: Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law - 11th Evidence Session at 10.30am in Committee room 8

Thursday 9^th December

Revised Health Committee Evidence session: Inquiry into The Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalised Patients. Wilson Room, Portcullis House at 10:30 am

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This Past Week (29^th Nov, 6^th Dec)

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Health Questions l Questions to the Prime Minister l Westminster Hall Debates l Written Ministerial Statements l Chamber and Legislation l Written Answers (A-Z) l The Committee Corridor l Early Day Motions

HOUSE OF LORDS

Lords Chamber l Written Answers (Lords)

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HOUSE OF COMMONS

Parliamentary Health Questions – Answered in the Chamber

Health Questions are this week

Questions to the Prime Minister (1^st December)

Mr. Colin Challen (Morley and Rothwell) (Lab)— Jane Tomlinson and Cancer services

Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)— Animal Rights Extremists [1 Dec 2004]

Backbench Debates

Westminster Hall

AIDS/TB/Malaria (Global Fund) [16 Nov 2004]

Adjournment debates

Health Service Funding (Barnsley) [15 Nov 2004]

Diabetes [16 Nov 2004]

GP Surgery (Romford) [24 Nov 2004]

Riverside Mental Health Care Unit [30 Nov 2004]

Health Services (Maidstone) [2 Dec 2004]

Written Ministerial Statements

Supplementary Estimates [15 Nov 2004]

Medicines Act Advisory Committees [15 Nov 2004]

NHS Research Ethics Committees [16 Nov 2004]

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Annual Report [25 Nov 2004]

National Health Service Estate Maintenance [25 Nov 2004]

NHS Bureaucracy [30 Nov 2004]

Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council [2 Dec 2004]

Chamber and Legislation

Public Health White Paper [16 Nov 2004]

Queen's Speech [23 Nov 2004]

Health and Education [30 Nov 2004]

Pre-Budget Report [2 Dec 2004]

Written Answers (A-Z by subject) – Select a letter.

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