§ Baroness Masham of Iltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why diabetes is increasing at a higher rate in groups of ethnic people in the United Kingdom than in other groups; and what research into this increase is being undertaken. [HL3379]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman)Diabetes is particularly prevalent in communities of Asian and African-Caribbean origin, although it is not known to be increasing any more rapidly in these groups than in others. The Medical Research Council, which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the Department of Trade and Industry, spent about £3.5 million on diabetes research in 1998–99, including epidemiological work on causal factors and incidence of diabetes in different ethnic groups. The Department of Health and the National Health Service research and development programmes are also supporting a number of research projects on diabetes. The National Service Framework for diabetes will take account of the particular needs of minority ethnic groups.