§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how much was spent on research into(a) Alzheimer's disease, (b) cancer, (c) stroke, (d) heart disease and (e) HIV-AIDS in each financial year since 1989 in constant prices; and if he will make a statement. [1398]
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 6 November 1996]All the data provided are in 1995–96 prices.
Data on Government funding of HIV-AIDS research are collected centrally by the Department of Health. Funding from 1989–90 is summarised in the table:
£ million HIV-AIDS 1995–96 n/a 1994–95 23.2 1993–94 22.7 1992–93 21.5 1991–92 22.8 1990–91 21.9 1989–90 17.3 Research funding from the Medical Research Council for the other areas between 1989–90 and 1995–96 is summarised in table:
£ million Alzheimer's disease1 Cancer Stroke Heart disease 1995–96 (where available)2 1.97 n/a n/a n/a 1994–952 1.40 13.5 3.5 11.7 1993–943 n/a 13.9 0.9 6.4 1992–933 n/a 14.5 1.1 5.8 1991–923 n/a 15.2 0.7 5.9 1990–913 n/a 16.1 0.5 7.0 1989–903 n/a 17.1 0.5 7.1 1Data earlier than 1994–95 are not readily available. 2Figures using previous definitions of research areas. 3Figures using current definitions of research areas. The Scottish Office's expenditure on the other areas is as follows:
517W
Alzheimer's disease £ Cancer £ Stroke £ Heart disease £ 1995–96 52,124 433,447 134,068 148,647 1994–95 53,070 781,171 118,061 260,216 1993–94 70,448 1,004,889 147,865 376,769 1992–93 58,280 487,314 69,666 317,441 1991–92 36,720 202,408 101,339 156,466 1990–91 66,187 98,179 8,215 28,941 1989–90 41,733 273,342 102,698 92,853 Department of Health/national health service expenditure, including England and Wales, on the other areas is summarised as follows:
Alzheimer's disease2 £ Cancer £ Stroke and heart disease £ 1995–961 91,000 7,438,000 3,580,000 1994–95 154,653 7,353,694 1,699,134 1993–94 148,037 7,671,858 468,648 1992–93 82,579 7,623,011 269,186 1991–92 83,819 7,968,350 251,456 1990–91 108,215 7,402,607 309,185 1989–90 0 7,694,481 333,873 1Estimated figures. 2NHS figures are not available. The Northern Ireland Office does not hold the information in the form requested and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
When inspecting these data on the funding of research, it is important to bear in mind the way different research areas support each other—many diseases and conditions are multi-factorial. For example, if we consider the Medical Research Council's portfolio, cancer studies are underpinned by a significant amount of basic research in other areas—for example, the genetic blueprint and health, some £37 million; molecules and cells, £65 million, infections and immunity, £60 million; and some of the more basic research into HIV-AIDS has added enormously to our understanding of viral disease in general.