Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (Hansard, 4 March 1994)

§ Mr. Donohoe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the incidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

§ Mr. Sackville
The incidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been estimated as 2.5 in 100,000 population per year—The British Medical Journal, 13 February 1993.

§ Mr. Donohoe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration she has given to research undertaken into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy outside the United Kingdom;
(2) if she will make funding available from her Department for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy research;
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(3) how much money her Department has allocated for research into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

§ Mr. Sackville
The main agency through which the Government support 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. Within the Department of Health research funding is determined by priorities identified in accordance with national policy and the advice of specialist committees which take into account existing domestic and international research. Hypertrophic car-diomyopathy is not one of the Department's research priorities. The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association does, however, currently receive a section 64 grant from the Department.

§ Mr. Milburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people, broken down into age categories, have received private eye tests in each year since the introduction of NHS sight test charges.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
This information is not available.

§ Dame Jill Knight
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of eye tests carried out following the introduction of regulations on visual display unit usage.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
No such estimate has been made.

§ Dame Jill Knight
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received an NHS eye test in each of the last 10 years; and if she will indicate the numbers in groups(a) under 16, (b) between 16 and 40, (c) between 40 and 60 and (d) over 60 years of age for each year.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The number of sight tests paid for by family health services authorities is shown in the table:

Sight tests - England

Millions

Year Total Children under 16

1983–84 9,266 —

1984–85 9,882 —

1985–86 10,246 —

1986–87 10,615 —

1987–88 11,695 —

1988–89 12,493 —

1989–90¹ 1,631 —

1989–90² 3,649 ³1,541

1990–91 4,154 1,560

1991–92 4,979 1,843

1992–93 5,528 2,013

¹ Old scheme.

² New scheme. From 1 April 1989, national health service sight tests were restricted to certain groups in the population. The sight tests paid for in this period are split between those conducted prior to 1 April and those conducted after 1 April.

³ This figure is not comparable with those for subsequent years since there will be an additional number of sight tests paid for in this period which were conducted prior to 1 April 1989. Since everyone was then entitled to a NHS sight test, patient eligibility was not relevant.

Note: Apart from children under 16 for the years shown, information on the age of patients is not available.

Sight tests - England
Millions
Year	Total	Children under 16
1983–84	9,266	—
1984–85	9,882	—
1985–86	10,246	—
1986–87	10,615	—
1987–88	11,695	—
1988–89	12,493	—
1989–90¹	1,631	—
1989–90²	3,649	³1,541
1990–91	4,154	1,560
1991–92	4,979	1,843
1992–93	5,528	2,013
¹ Old scheme.
² New scheme. From 1 April 1989, national health service sight tests were restricted to certain groups in the population. The sight tests paid for in this period are split between those conducted prior to 1 April and those conducted after 1 April.
³ This figure is not comparable with those for subsequent years since there will be an additional number of sight tests paid for in this period which were conducted prior to 1 April 1989. Since everyone was then entitled to a NHS sight test, patient eligibility was not relevant.