Alzheimer's Disease: Research (Hansard, 4 February 1992)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)
My Lords, the Government support biomedical research through the Medical Research Council which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. In 1990–91, the council spent well over £3 million directly on research into Alzheimer's disease generally and a considerable sum on basic research which may be relevant to the disease. In addition, the Department of Health directly funds research about policy and service delivery for mentally ill people including those with Alzheimer's disease; and there are further European Community studies.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, what are the Government doing to encourage those organisations outside the Medical Research Council and the Universities Funding Council which are doing important work in this field? Is the noble Baroness aware, for example, of what is being done by two bodies with which I am connected? The Teesside Development Corporation has contributed a substantial amount to the new £1.34 million Alzheimer's building in the area? It is a unique project; it will offer residential and day care. The noble Baroness, Lady Blatch, sits next to the Minister on the Front Bench. She visited the building on Friday. I am sure that she was impressed with it.
155 Is the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, aware of the significant and costly research undertaken by the Parke-Davis research laboratories? Are the Government showing an interest in the impressive work carried out by the Royal Society of Chemistry? Such projects ought to be fully supported by the Government.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, the examples that the noble Lord quotes fully accord with government policy in this matter; namely, that decision making should be at the lowest possible level. Local funding of local projects is therefore very desirable. The noble Lord has pointed to an example.
Through our director of research and development in the Department of Health, we are able to co-ordinate all research that goes on. He directs our efforts towards encouraging further research at a local level to meet local needs.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Alzheimer's research team at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, has two sections the clinical research section and a laboratory section? The whole of the laboratory section is moving to the United States in the course of the next year. Are the Government satisfied that the move is in the best interests of Alzheimer's research in this country?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I am of course aware of that. I am also aware that my noble friend Lady Denton answered a specific question on the matter less than two weeks ago.

§ Lord Gisborough
My Lords, is it true that Alzheimer's disease is linked to aluminium and, therefore, aluminium cooking pots? That is an important factor when one considers the number of aluminium pots used in cooking.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I understand that the danger from cooking in aluminium utensils represents a very small degree in relation to the normal aluminium content of, for example, water. The risk is therefore very slight.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, perhaps I may refer the Minister to the answer that she gave. She stated that the noble Baroness, Lady Denton, answered the question about St. Mary's Hospital. In fact, the noble Baroness, Lady Denton, stated that the question on St. Mary's Hospital was wide of the Question on the Order Paper at the time. Will the Minister now answer my question? Are the Government satisfied that the move of the whole of the laboratory section from St. Mary's Hospital Paddington, to the United States is in the best interest of Alzheimer's research in this country?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, my noble friend's response pointed out that the whole team was certainly not moving from St. Mary's Hospital to the United States.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Gisborough, will my noble friend Lady Hooper accept that 156 unconfirmed results of research can cause health scares? What are the Government doing to prevent that?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we are encouraging the dissemination of responsible information to older people about their needs. For example, a booklet issued recently counters some of the scare stories. It gives sober, sensible, factual information to older people in order to help them with some of the conditions which they face and counteracts the unnecessary scare stories.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, can we in this country afford to lose to the United States the director and all the members of the laboratory section? The House will wish to have an answer to that question. Can the Minister say why they are going? Is it the case that they are being tempted to go because in the United States the salaries paid to research workers are very much better?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, the noble Lord must consult the individuals concerned if he wishes to know exactly why they are choosing to go. I can reassure him only that the research work will continue at St. Mary's Hospital.

§ Lord Peyton of Yeovil
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that it is time that the rewards offered to scientific workers in this country were surveyed because in many cases they are pitifully low?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, no. My noble friend will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with him. As I said in my original Answer, the MRC alone has spent some £3 million directly on research into Alzheimer's disease. The overall figure spent on research into diseases affecting older people is considerably more.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, does the Minister agree with the widely held view that Alzheimer's disease is now the fourth most common cause of death in the Western world? In those circumstances, does she really accept that the £3 million said to be spent directly on research is sufficient if proper progress is to be made?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, that sum is spent directly on research into Alzheimer's disease. Considerable additional moneys are spent on basic research which could be relevant to the disease. Departmental research, local research projects, such as that mentioned by the noble Lord, and surveys are also being carried out. In any event, what counts is not merely the amount of money that is spent on this area of research but the quality of the research.