§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to make additional funds available to the National Health Service on (a) acquired immune deficiency syndrome research, (b) treatment and care of haemophiliacs and (c) other high risk groups; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Government are already financing research on AIDS. Research in the United Kingdom is being co-ordinated by the Government funded Medical Research Council (MRC) working party on AIDS. It is for the MRC to decide its research priorities in this area.
As regards haemophiliacs, we are acting to protect them from the risk of contracting AIDS through their use of blood products and making considerable investment in new plant and equipment to manufacture safer products. I refer the hon. Member to my replies on 4 February and 5 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill) at columns 450, 451, 525 and 527.
323WMore generally we are distributing nearly £500 million in additional cash to regional health authorities in 1985–86, and are also expecting health authorities to produce cost improvement programmes yielding in excess of £100 million. The cost of dealing with AIDS will be a comparatively small demand on these additional resources for the Service as a whole.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he proposes to have with Health Ministers of the Governments of France and the Federal Republic of Germany about measures which they have taken in their respective countries to combat the acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOur officials are in regular contact with the World Health Organisation AIDS reference centre in Paris which collates AIDS data from European countries.
There is United Kingdom membership of the Comité de la Recherche Medicale (CRM) working group on AIDS which is responsible for European Community medical and public health research on the disease.
As well as maintaining contact with the CRM working group, members of the United Kingdom Medical Research Council working party on AIDS are collaborating with research workers overseas who have isolated the AIDS related virus.
The Italian Presidency is planning a meeting of the European Community Council of Health Ministers in the near future and this subject may be on the agenda.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to increase the facilities for genito-urinary medicine to accommodate symptomatic acquired immune deficiency syndrome cases referred by general practitioners.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is for individual health authorities to decide the allocation of funds in this area in the light of local needs and circumstances.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assistance he intends to give to health authorities to enable them to raise the level of provision of counselling services in hospitals and communities for citizens who fear they are at risk of contracting the acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are distributing nearly £500 million in additional cash to regional health authorities in 1985–86 and are also expecting health authorities to produce cost improvement programmes yielding in excess of £100 milion identified this year. This money may be used for the development of services generally including, where it is considered appropriate, services in connection with AIDS.