HC Deb 13 March 1987 vol 112 cc326-8W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government have issued instructions to dentists concerning the transmission of the AIDS virus and the appearance of hairy leukoplakia.

Mr. Newton

The Department issued guidance to all dentists in April 1986 which stressed the importance of following high standards of cross-infection control when treating all patients. In addition, the guidance recommended particular precautions to be followed where the patient is a known carrier of the AIDS virus.

Hairy leukoplakia is an oral condition suffered by patients who have actually contracted AIDS. They will therefore normally be given dental treatment in hospital by dentists who would be aware of this and other clinical conditions associated with AIDS. We would expect a general dental practitioner to refer any patient with hairy leukoplakia to hospital for treatment.

Mr. Cormack

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the attitude towards the behaviour which puts people most at risk from AIDS contained within the accepted teaching of all main religions, he will hold discussions with the leaders of all the principal religious communities within the United Kingdom to consider a co-ordinated national campaign of information and counselling designed particularly to assist young people between the ages of 16 and 30 years.

Mr. Newton

In our discussions with religious leaders there has been general agreement that their work with young people and the Government's public education campaign complement each other. We shall continue to keep in touch with religious leaders on this issue, since we all share the objective of doing everything possible to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Mr. Dickens

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance his Department has issued in connection with the anti-AIDS campaign about the multiple use of needles for blood testing in schools.

Mr. Newton

[pursuant to his reply, 23 February 1987, c. 118]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) the Under-Secretary of State for Education, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn) on 25 February at column 253.

Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's estimate of the total sums spent (a) by Government and (b) by all sources on AIDS research in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) the United States of America and (iii) France.

Mr. Newton

[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: Research on AIDS in the United Kingdom is coordinated by the Medical Research Council which receives grant in aid from the science Vote of the Department of Education and Science. In December 1986 my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science, announced the addition of £1 million per annum to the Council's grant for the purpose of AIDS research. I understand that in addition to work being carried out at its own research establishments MRC has to date awarded 21 special project grants costing about £2.4 million for research on AIDS and immunodeficiency viruses. Included in that total is an annual special allocation of up to £300,000 by the health departments for epidemiological studies and support of the United Kingdom centre for co-ordinating epidemiological research on AIDS. We have accepted in full the MRC's proposal for a new directed research programme aimed at both developing a vaccine to prevent infection and new antiviral drugs to treat those already infected. The M RC's grant in aid will be increased by £14.5 million over the next three years to fund the programme.

In addition the Department is supporting directly AIDS-related research projects costing £50,000 in 1986–87 and, so far, £80,000 in 1987–88. I understand that the Scottish Home and Health Department has funded seven projects at a total cost of approximately £250,000.

The following Government funded agencies are also involved in AIDS research:

  1. (a) The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control: £60,000 on research in 1986–87.
  2. (b) The Public Health Laboratory Service Board: expenditure on service elements including some research was £740,000 in 1986–87 plus a further £50,000 mainly for screening.
  3. (c) The National Blood Transfusion Service (with the Middlesex Hospital School): £82,000 in total on two research studies.

Information on the amount spent on AIDS research by non-governmental organisations, in the United States or France is not available.