§ 11.8 a.m.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress in the development of the Hoverbed has taken place over the last five years and whether any interest has been shown in this invention from abroad.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the development of the Hoverbed was financed by the National Research Development Corporation. The Department of Health and Social Security and the NRDC made substantial contributions to the capital and running costs of a special unit to evaluate the bed, and the Medical Research Council have supported a 1477 clinical trial of it, which is continuing. I understand that the licensee is actively negotiating with two potential overseas customers.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that informative reply, and realising that the Hoverbed is for the treatment of badly-burned patients. may I ask him how many patients have been treated at the Mount Vernon Hospital, where I understand that two such beds are fitted, and when the last patient was treated?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the last report from the unit, which was in mid-1974, said that 70 patients had passed through the unit, 11 of whom had been treated on the Hoverbed.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, as I understand it the present grant from the Medical Research Council is due to expire in about five five months' time. Can the noble Lord say whether that grant will be renewed to allow the bed to continue at the Mount Vernon Hospital?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I think I can satisfy the noble Earl on that point. The Medical Research Council gave a grant for the period from 1972 to May 1976, when it is due to end. There has been an undertaking that an extension of the grant will be considered on receipt of a revised protocol from the director of the unit.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, can my noble friend say what interim assessment has been made of the value of this appliance?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMNo, my Lords; not yet.
§ Lord LEATHERLANDMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend—and I do so as one whose knowledge of beds is somewhat restricted—whether he can explain to us what a Hoverbed is? Quite obviously, as this is being used at Mount Vernon Hospital, it is a matter of some serious importance.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMI can, my Lords. It uses the Hovercraft principle in suspending severely-burned patients above the bed so that they are not in contact with it. I could give more details, but 1478 the explanation would be extremely technical.
§ Lord WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, can my noble friend say what is the approximate cost of the Hoverbed?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, it is expensive. If I may, I should like to write to my noble friend, because all the elements which make up the figures are going up; but it is of a six-figure order.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, can the noble Lord advise us further on the interest abroad? Can he first say whether any other Governments have approached Her Majesty's Government as to whether they may develop this invention abroad? Secondly, the noble Lord said that the licensee has had two approaches. Can he confirm whether these include Canada and Russia, and whether the Government are willing to support the licensee in what is very much high technology?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the licensee of the patents is negotiating at this moment with Holland and the United States.