HC Deb 29 March 1971 vol 814 cc269-72W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that myo-electric hands have been developed in Russia, Austria, Italy and in Germany which are all now in regular clinical use; if he will now take steps to make sure that British amputees, for whom myo-electric prehension devices are suitable, are enabled to enjoy the same benefits as those available to their counterparts in some European countries; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

A myo-electric hand which is at least the equal of any available overseas has been developed in this country. Nevertheless the value of such devices has yet to be proved and comparative trials of myo-electric and other forms of control are now in progress.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money, including that paid to contractors and that portion of the running costs of the Department's and Medical Research Council's establishments concerned, has been expended over the years in producing myo-electric arms; if he will list the places with details where such expenditure has been made; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

The Department has so far paid approximately £26,000 to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment for developing myo-electric arms. A smaller amount has been paid to one contractor for the same purpose. Expenditure by Medical Research Council establishments is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the appropriate statement regarding myo-electric hands from the Chief Medical Officer's Annual Reports for 1964 to 1969; how many patients have been fitted with this device on clinical trial; how many of these hands have been produced; how many patients have been fitted; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

The Chief Medical Officer's Report dealt with the evaluation of the Russian and the development of a British myo-electric hand. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the relevant extracts.

Thirteen sets of myo-electric hands have been issued to patients for clinical trials; 12 sets have been produced in Britain and a further 10 will shortly become available.

The response to the trials and evidence from other countries have so far been insufficient to warrant making these prostheses generally available.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the amount of money spent on developing pneumatically powered hands and arms at public, charitable and commercial units; if he will give the details of direct and indirect costs involved at Medical Research Council and Government Research and Development Units since 1966; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

I am not aware of any expenditure on the separate development of pneumatically-powered hands in England and Wales. The central control hand/hook interchange system mentioned in the reply to the previous question will be equally applicable to pneumatic power. I will be writing to the hon. Member regarding pneumatically powered arms under the auspices of my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many examples of the Biomechanical Research and Development Unit design for pneumatically powered arms have been fitted to children for trial purposes and for home use; and if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of this design.

Mr. Alison

One pneumatically powered arm of Biomechanical Research and Development Unit design has been fitted to a child for trial purposes, but there has not yet been sufficient clinical experience to enable conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness of this design.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is aware that after approximately seven years' development of powered artificial arms for limb-deficient children, several dierent designs of such arms are fitted in Great Britain, but that in general a child attending any one centre will be fitted only with arms of the design produced or favoured by that centre; and if he will take steps to provide a greater choice;

(2) why adequate arrangements have not been made for every limb-deficient child to be fitted with the design of arm most likely to satisfy his or her needs irrespective of the place of origin; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

In all cases the type of arm is fitted which, in the opinion of the child's clinicians, is most suitable for the particular deformity. The problems to be overcome in providing an adequate replacement for a normal arm are very great and development of powered artificial arms is continuous. Each of the systems developed in the various centres has merits, but it is not unreasonable to expect that a better service will be given to patients at any particular centre by using the system mainly developed there since, through familiarity with the system, a more eective training can be given. Nevertheless the Department actively encourages an exchange of information and of components, assemblies and control systems between the centres, and many arms issued incorporate desirable features evolved by a number of centres.