HC Deb 14 December 1993 vol 234 cc551-2W
Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the numbers of British people suffering from haemochromatosis.

Mr. Sackville

Information is not available on which to base an estimate.

Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of publicly funded research programmes studying the connection between haemochromatosis and diabetes; if she will make a statement about the results from such research; and what is the cost of programmes of research.

Mr. Sackville

The Department is not currently undertaking any such studies into the connection between haemochromatosis and diabetes.

The main agency through which the Government conduct biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. We understand that the MRC is not currently funding any research into the connection between haemochromatosis and diabetes.