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Written question asked by Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 23 February 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 27 February 2007. It was answered by Caroline Flint (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 March 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Departments: Databases

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what databases are controlled by her Department and its agencies; and what percentage of the data in each database she estimates is inaccurate or out of date.
Answer

Information relating to the number of databases held electronically and controlled by the Department and its agencies is contained in the following table and is listed by:"Department/agency name; and""Number of databases controlled."

Databases controlled by Department of Health and its agencies
Department/agency name Number of databases controlled
Department of Health 974
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 47
NHS Connecting for Health 150
NHS Purchasing And Supply Agency 35

The accuracy and currency of the data contained in the Department and its agencies' databases varies according to the business requirement the database is designed to meet. Where the output from a database is intended for publication as a matter of public record (for example, as a report to Parliament or a press statement), every precaution is taken to ensure that that data within the database has been fully validated to ensure the highest achievable levels of accuracy. However, where the data contained is intrinsically dynamic and is not intended for public: record (for example, the Department's internal staff location database), a lower degree of accuracy and currency is acceptable to meet business needs.It is not possible to undertake an estimate for the accuracy and currency of the data contained in each database because of disproportionate cost.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
458 c1002W; 124033
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Databases Department of Health
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk