§ Mr. Matthew BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to include targets for improving the diagnosis and treatment of clinical depression in a future review of the "The Health of the Nation" programme. [20200]
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from clinical depression in the United Kingdom each year. [20201]
§ Mr. BurnsThe Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey of psychiatric morbidity carried out in Great Britain in 1993 revealed that 21 per thousand people aged between 16 to 64 years suffered from depression in the preceding week before the survey.
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent his Department currently supports research into clinical depression; and what future plans he has for such support. [20202]
§ Mr. BurnsThe Department's policy research programme has commissioned a number of studies into severe mental illness, many of which are related to depression. The national health service research and development programme strategy established a national mental health programme in 1992. The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC has a comprehensive portfolio of research on depressive illness, both at its own establishments and in the form of grant support to universities. These programmes are on-going.