HC Deb 29 March 1971 vol 814 cc272-3W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the direct and indirect costs of running the Biomechanical Research and Development Unit since its inception; if he will give a list of the practical designs which have been produced at this Centre; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

The total direct and indirect running cost has been about 733,600. Some of the more important practical designs which the Unit has produced relate to:

  1. (a) Immediate post-operative fitting, including the development of stump environment control equipment;
  2. (b) Modular assembly prostheses;
  3. (c) Improved socket-making techniques;
  4. (d) Gas-powered arm for investigating the structural design of powered upper limbs;
  5. (e) Development of gas storage cylinders and regulators to provide power for pneumatic arms;
  6. (f) A central control hand/hook interchange system for forearm amputees for use with harness and power-operated prehension devices.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the appropriate statements regarding pneumatically powered arms designed at Biomechanical Research and Development United from the Chief Medical Officer's Annual Report for 1967, 1968 and 1969; to what extent he estimates that the Biomechanical Research and Development Unit device is ahead of the Edinburgh design; and if he will make a statement on comparative performance.

Mr. Alison

It is too early to make any meaningful comparison of performance.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of extracts from the Chief Medical Officer's Reports to which he refers.