To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to reduce levels of MRSA in hospitals since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to reduce levels of MRSA in hospitals since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the prevalence of (a) clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA was in each of the last three years using the definition of prevalence included in the Third Prevalence Survey of Healthcare Associated Infections in Acute Hospitals in England 2006, published by his...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the prevalence of (a) clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA was in each of the last three years using the definition of prevalence included in the Third Prevalence Survey of Healthcare Associated Infections in Acute Hospitals in England 2006, published by his...

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) people and (b) people under the age of (i) one and (ii) five died from (A) clostridium difficile and (B) MRSA infection in each year from 1997 to 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) people and (b) people under the age of (i) one and (ii) five died from (A) clostridium difficile and (B) MRSA infection in each year from 1997 to 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2007, Official Report, column 1843W, on healthcare: acquired infections, when his Department expects the project to evaluate environmental cleaning for MRSA using Steris vaporised hydrogen peroxide equipment along with wet disinfection to be completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2007, Official Report, column 1843W, on healthcare: acquired infections, when his Department expects the project to evaluate environmental cleaning for MRSA using Steris vaporised hydrogen peroxide equipment along with wet disinfection to be completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of MRSA were reported in each hospital in the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of MRSA were reported in each hospital in the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

I, too, am a former nurse, and I remember the smell of cleanliness in hospitals. Is the Minister aware that, in 1982, 170,520 ancillary staff worked in NHS hospitals in England, but, by 1995, that number had fallen to 66,760? At the same time, there was a corresponding increase in...

I, too, am a former nurse, and I remember the smell of cleanliness in hospitals. Is the Minister aware that, in 1982, 170,520 ancillary staff worked in NHS hospitals in England, but, by 1995, that number had fallen to 66,760? At the same time, there was a corresponding increase in...

The Secretary of State has made it very clear that he is taking legal advice. Sadly, that is not going as fast as people in the Department, and certainly Ministers would like. However, the Secretary of State is taking advice and meeting regularly with the strategic health authority and chief...

The Secretary of State has made it very clear that he is taking legal advice. Sadly, that is not going as fast as people in the Department, and certainly Ministers would like. However, the Secretary of State is taking advice and meeting regularly with the strategic health authority and chief...

I agree. Of course, given that we both worked in hospitals back then, we know how important domestic staff are to the well-being of patients and of the contribution that they make to the team. If they are designated to be in one ward or clinical area, they take pride,...

I agree. Of course, given that we both worked in hospitals back then, we know how important domestic staff are to the well-being of patients and of the contribution that they make to the team. If they are designated to be in one ward or clinical area, they take pride,...

It is now nearly two weeks since the report was published, but still people are employed by the trust who were directly criticised in it, including non-executives, with the exception of the chairman, who approved, we are told, the pay-off to the former chief executive. That seems to be an...

It is now nearly two weeks since the report was published, but still people are employed by the trust who were directly criticised in it, including non-executives, with the exception of the chairman, who approved, we are told, the pay-off to the former chief executive. That seems to be an...

I am glad to have the opportunity to follow the oral statement made by the Secretary of State for Health last week. Indeed, he was forced to make it, following the urgent question by my hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), whom I am glad to see...

I am glad to have the opportunity to follow the oral statement made by the Secretary of State for Health last week. Indeed, he was forced to make it, following the urgent question by my hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), whom I am glad to see...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley) on securing this important debate. I appreciate the comments that he and other hon. Members have made, and, in particular, the seriousness of the tone with which they have been expressed. Other Members from the area who...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley) on securing this important debate. I appreciate the comments that he and other hon. Members have made, and, in particular, the seriousness of the tone with which they have been expressed. Other Members from the area who...

My right hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, as ever. Will he confirm our understanding that the new hospital is absolutely imperative, if we are to have a long-term solution to these problems? Does he welcome the Secretary of State's assurance that no expenditure on infection control will stand...

My right hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, as ever. Will he confirm our understanding that the new hospital is absolutely imperative, if we are to have a long-term solution to these problems? Does he welcome the Secretary of State's assurance that no expenditure on infection control will stand...

My hon. Friend has correctly anticipated my concluding remarks. I have been somewhat critical of the answers given by the Secretary of State for Health last week, but I should like to finish by saying that I wholly agreed with the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend, when...

My hon. Friend has correctly anticipated my concluding remarks. I have been somewhat critical of the answers given by the Secretary of State for Health last week, but I should like to finish by saying that I wholly agreed with the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend, when...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA there were in hospitals in each London constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA there were in hospitals in each London constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing MRSA screening for (a) elective and (b) all admissions to hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing MRSA screening for (a) elective and (b) all admissions to hospital.

My hon. Friend raises a really important point about the science of tackling infection control and improving the processes of screening, isolation, hand cleaning and deep cleaning. We all recognise that this is something that needs to be improved. I will bring the matter to the attention of my right...

My hon. Friend raises a really important point about the science of tackling infection control and improving the processes of screening, isolation, hand cleaning and deep cleaning. We all recognise that this is something that needs to be improved. I will bring the matter to the attention of my right...

Does the Leader of the House accept that the top concern for many people is health-care-acquired infection? Businesses in Stafford—and, no doubt, throughout the country—are offering the NHS solutions on how to make hospitals and other places of treatment cleaner. May we have a debate in which the Department of...

Does the Leader of the House accept that the top concern for many people is health-care-acquired infection? Businesses in Stafford—and, no doubt, throughout the country—are offering the NHS solutions on how to make hospitals and other places of treatment cleaner. May we have a debate in which the Department of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA were reported in (a) each London hospital and (b) each London primary care trust in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA were reported in (a) each London hospital and (b) each London primary care trust in each of the last five years.