Oral Answers to Questions

Ian C. Lucas Excerpts

Tuesday 27th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow]

The Bill will not lead to fragmentation. It actually supports greater integration of health, social care and public health and, at a local level, it allows health and wellbeing boards to become the means by which to co-ordinate all the agencies that have a part to play when it comes to tackling TB, not least in ensuring that the advice of public health officials benefits not just the NHS but wider public services that also have a role to play in raising awareness of the disease and ensuring that it is properly tackled.

[Ian Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab)]

4. What discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on the treatment by the NHS of patients with defective breast implants.

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)]

My officials have kept colleagues in the Welsh Government closely informed about the advice of Sir Bruce Keogh’s expert group and about our plans for the NHS treatment of patients with PIP breast implants.

[Ian Lucas]

The Secretary of State has said that private providers have a moral duty to replace faulty implants for free. Will he tell the House how many private providers have carried out that moral duty?

[Mr Lansley]

I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the latest figures and place a copy of the letter in the Library. Overall, however, I am aware of 5,232 referrals to private providers, as a result of which 2,704 scans have been conducted. Consequently, the decision to explant breast implants has been taken in 298 cases. Some 75 such operations have been completed.