Diabetes (Hansard, 19 July 2004)

§ Mr. David Stewart
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of(a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetics. [R] [183715]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
An estimated 1.3 million people in England have diabetes. About 15 per cent. of these have type 1 diabetes.

§ Mr. David Stewart
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects the UK Scrutiny Committee to report on the future provision of screening for type 2 diabetes; [183717]
(2) what evidence he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the number of individuals suffering from diabetes who have not yet been formally diagnosed. [183718]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
The United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) is undertaking a development project on the feasibility and impact of screening patients at greatest risk of diabetes in disadvantaged areas, reaching high risk groups through primary care. The Department has also commissioned some additional research to look at the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the population.
This work will inform the advice the NSC has been asked to give on the most effective policy for screening for type 2 diabetes. It will report to the Department in 2005.