Page:Hansard (UK) - Vol 566 No. 40 August 29th 2013.pdf/82

987W The former Secretary of State appointed a Trust Special Administrator to South London Healthcare NHS Trust in July 2012. Details about the appointment were set in a written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 47-49WS.

Anna Soubry: Although hospital episode statistics data show an apparent increase in the incidence of rickets between 2010-11 and 2011-12, these data are based on the recorded admission figures and may overestimate the incidence for a number of reasons. These include counting individuals who have been admitted to hospital more than once in a year with a diagnosis of rickets. However, we have not made a detailed assessment of the reasons for the apparent recorded increase in admission episodes of rickets.

There are a number of causes of rickets including a lack of vitamin D and/or calcium. The Government continues to promote and recommend that young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women take a daily supplement of vitamin D, to prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Dr Poulter: This information is not collected centrally.

We have written to David Wakefield, Chair of the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, informing him of the hon. Member’s inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Anna Soubry: Responsibility for Health and Social Care has been devolved since the Government of Wales Act 1998. So the vast majority of health and social care services utilised by people resident in Wales are overseen by the Welsh Assembly Government.

On some occasions Welsh residents need to access health care in England, perhaps because it is a specialist service only available in England. From April 2011 to March 2012 there were 57,4771 inpatient finished admission episodes of Welsh residents in English hospitals.

Some services are provided regardless of residence, such as the issuing of European Health Insurance Cards, which is done by the NHS Business Authority for both England and Wales.

Dr Poulter: This Government is fully committed to the Welsh language and fully committed to providing Government services in the Welsh language where there is demand for them.

As health is a devolved responsibility and Department of Health publications do not normally impact on Wales, there is not a policy of routinely translating documents into Welsh. If there was demand for publications to be available in Welsh this would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review and considers their effects in the round. Air Passenger Duty (APD) is a relatively efficient and nonregressive tax, which makes an important contribution to the public finances.

It would not be possible under EU law to have different rates of APD on intra-UK flights than on flights from UK to other EU destinations.

The UK currently has excellent connectivity. London’s five airports serve more destinations worldwide than any other city in Europe, and the UK has the third largest aviation network in the world. The Government has set up the Airports Commission to provide an assessment of how to meet the UK’s international connectivity needs and maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub.

Sajid Javid: I can confirm that neither the Chancellor nor any Civil Servants within his Department have incurred any expenditure in relation to external assistance to prepare for appearances before select committees and contact with the media during 2011-12 and 2012-13.