§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from 407W the National Meningitis Trust concerning the incidence of meningitis (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.
§ Mrs. CurrieMy noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State visited Stonehouse on 7 August 1986 and spoke at a public meeting concerning meningitis in that area. My noble Friend also met members of the meningitis trust during a later visit to Gloucester. At the request of my noble Friend the secretary of the trust and a small delegation will be meeting her on 5 March to discuss these matters.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what initiatives he has already taken and intends to take to combat the rising incidence of meningitis, especially in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire;
(2) what funds have been allocated to research into meningitis in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Currie[pursuant to her reply, 23 February 1987, c. 128]: The Department provided funds totalling £57,000 for the Stonehouse meningococcal survey, which commenced last November and is proceeding. It is not possible to quantify precisely the funds allocated to other continuing work on meningitis, particularly in the public health laboratory service; this includes monitoring of incidence by the communicable disease surveillance centre, development of a vaccine against the B15 strain of meningococcal meningitis at the centre for applied microbiological research at Porton Down, and investigation of the causes of the disease at the PHLS's Manchester laboratory.