§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding the Government has contributed towards research and development into affordable anti-malarial drugs in 2003–04; and how much it plans to spend in(a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06. [141191]
Mr. Gareth ThomasDFID is supporting public-private partnerships to develop the new generation of affordable drugs required for malaria control in developing countries. In 2003–4, we are contributing £1 million in support of the work of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). We will also contribute £1 million to MMV in 2004–5 and a further £1 million in 2005–6.
We are working in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, the World Health Organisation and the University of Liverpool to develop an effective, safe and affordable drug called Lapdap, for treating drug resistant malaria. DFID is currently funding compliance and pharmacovigilance trials of Lapdap. Our funding in 2003–4 will be £213,000 and in 2004–5 it will be £286,000.
DFID contributes to the Medical Research Council whose activities include funding research projects to develop medicines for resistant strains of malaria. We provide a core contribution to WHO, some of which is used to support the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease (TDR) to develop new approaches for treating infectious diseases, including malaria.
Future funding plans beyond current commitments to September 2006 are under review.
550W
Number (million) 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 (a) £5000 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (b) £7,500 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 (c) £10,000 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 (d) £15,000 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2