§ Ms BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent reports into the causes of asthma his Department has commissioned; what assessment his Department has made of these reports; and if he will make a statement. [71399]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]We have commissioned no recent reports into the causes of asthma. We have, however, sponsored extensive research on asthma and respiratory disease-related issues.
Our current research programme concentrates on practice improvement. The National Asthma Campaign (NAC), the leading voluntary organisation with an interest in asthma, manages the National Health Service research and development programme on asthma management. This has supported 33 projects throughout the United Kingdom at a total cost of £4.9 million since 1996. The strategy aims to create a research based health service in which reliable and relevant information is used to make decisions on health policy, clinical practice and management of services.
The overall spend on asthma research for the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Department was almost £4 million in 1999–2000 and £12.2 million including other respiratory disorders. The Departmental spend on directly commissioned research projects on asthma since 1997 is an estimated £7.24 million.
The Department's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has produced an interim statement on the effects of air pollution on asthma. This was in response to a series of articles published by the Independent on Sunday that claimed that air pollution caused asthma. The interim statement is available on the Committee's website at www.doh.gov.uk/comeap
A subgroup of the Committee has also now been set up to review the subject in more detail, and will report in 2003. The Department will consider this report carefully when it is published. The overall spend on asthma research for the MRC and the Department was almost £4 million in 1999–2000, and £12.2 million including other respiratory disorders. The Department's spend on directly commissioned research projects on asthma since 1997 is an estimated £7.24 million.