§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what support the Government provide to research into motor neurone disease; what involvement the Motor Neurone Disease Association has had in the channelling of Government resources into this research; what support the Government provide to the Motor Neurone Disease Association; what the level of Government funding will be for research into motor neurone disease in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [120735]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Government support research into motor neurone disease through the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Department of Health.
The MRC is the main Government agency through which we support research on the causes and treatment of disease and receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. In 1999–2000, the MRC spent approximately £1.6 million on motor neurone disease and on basic work on the function of motor neurones. They are also funding relevant underpinning research, for example on nerve function and damage. The MRC involve the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) whenever they consider an application for clinical trials in motor neurone disease.
The Department funds research to support policy development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research sponsored by charities, such as MNDA, and by the MRC that takes place in the NHS. The current commitment of centrally commissioned research projects relating to motor neurone disease is approximately £241,000. Information about expenditure on NHS service support and devolved Departmental research in the NHS are not held centrally. The total level of Department of Health support for motor neurone disease may therefore be higher than the expenditure for centrally commissioned research.
Project details of Department funded research can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom, and on the Internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm.
It is not possible to predict what the future level of Government expenditure will be on specific areas of research as new research proposals are regularly being considered and commissioned.
The Government do not provide financial support directly to the MNDA.