Rheumatic Diseases (Hansard, 13 February 1957)

§ Mr. Collick
asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what has been the amount of money spent by the Medical Research Council on research into the causes and cure of the rheumatic diseases in each of the years since 1945.

§ Mr. Vosper
The following are the figures:

£

1945–1946 … … … 2,100

1946–1947 … … … 3,600

1947–1948 … … … 4,200

1948–1949 … … … 4,700

1949–1950 … … … 5,300

1950–1951 … … … 11,300

1951–1952 … … … 16,400

1952–1953 … … … 21,900

1953–1954 … … … 27,400

1954–1955 … … … 27,400

1955–1956 … … … 30,800

1956–1957 … … … 28,700^*

^* estimate

§ Mr. Collick
asked the Minister of Health the estimated number of people in Britain suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, and kindred diseases; and what proportion of the population this figure represents.
193W

§ Mr. Vosper
Precise figures are not available, but surveys in particular areas and other evidence suggest that the rate of incidence of the chronic rheumatic diseases may be between 2 and 4 per cent. of the population per annum.

				£
1945–1946	…	…	…	2,100
1946–1947	…	…	…	3,600
1947–1948	…	…	…	4,200
1948–1949	…	…	…	4,700
1949–1950	…	…	…	5,300
1950–1951	…	…	…	11,300
1951–1952	…	…	…	16,400
1952–1953	…	…	…	21,900
1953–1954	…	…	…	27,400
1954–1955	…	…	…	27,400
1955–1956	…	…	…	30,800
1956–1957	…	…	…	28,700^*
^* estimate