HC Deb 05 December 1996 vol 286 cc787-8W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by(a) he Scottish Office Home and Health Department and (b) the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department on research into (i) E. coli 0157 and (ii) campylobacter in each year since 1990, and from 1 January to date. [7206]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

[holding answer 2 December 1996]The information requested is set out in the tables. The majority of research in this area is funded by the Departments of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, but in the light of the current outbreak in Scotland, my Department will review with those Departments the future funding of research into E. coli 0157 and campylobacter.

The Scottish Office Department of Health
£000
E. coli 0157 Campylobacter
1990–91 19
1991–92 9 5
1992–93 39 4
1993–94 25
1994–95 5 21
1995–96 58 33
1996–97 14 11

The Scottish Office, Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department
£000
E. coli 0157 Campylobacter
1990–91
1991–92 36
1992–93 48
1993–94 48
1994–95 50
1995–96 70
1996–971 170
1Committed to be spent.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the research applications his Department has(a) granted and (b) rejected to study (i) E. coli 0157 and (ii) campylobacter in each year since 1990, and from 1 January to date. [7207]

Mr. Robertson

[holding answer 2 December 1996]Eleven research applications were submitted to the Scottish Office between 1990 and 1996, of which eight were successful and three unsuccessful. The latter projects were rejected following assessment by external referees and the expert research committee which advises my Department on the grounds that they were either of insufficient scientific quality or were in the area of basic science and had little immediate relevance to public health and clinical practice. The applications are listed in the table.

Date
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
E.Coli 0157
1. Epidemiology of enteric diseases with special reference to E.coli. 1991
2. Innate immunity in breast milk and colostrum: characterisation of glycoproteins which bind to fimbraie and other adhesins of pathogenic E.coli. 1991
3. Human E.coli 1057 infection in Scotland—an epidemiological study. 1992
4. Antagonistic interactions between gut organisms. 1995
5. Epidemiology of verotoxin-producing E.coli in Scotland with particular reference to serogroup 01157: application and development of molecular typing methods. 1995
6. A study of inter-relationships between livestock conditions, slaughterhouse practices and the microbiological safety of carcases. 1996
Campylobacter
1. Effect of ammonia production by campylobacter pylori on gastric function. 1990
2. Epidemiology of pathogenic campylobacter Spp in Scotland: development of genotyping methods. 1994
UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
E.coli 0157
1. The pathophysiology of haemolytie—uraemic syndrome in association with infection by vetotoxin—producing E.coli 0157. 1995
2. Final structure analysis of VTEC in Scotland. 1996
Campylobacter
1. Genetic characterisation of clinical isolates of campylobacter pylori. 1990

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much it cost the national health service to treat cases of food poisoning in Scotland during the last financial year.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The information requested is not collected.