§ 64. Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much funding has been made available by his Department for the London School of Hygiene's small area health statistics unit; and what progress has been made to date by the unit in analysing the incidence of childhood cancer in Humberside.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe costs for the small area health statistics unit so far total £507,894 of which the Department has provided £167,605. As I explained to my hon. Friend in my letter of 20 March 1989, the unit is not yet fully operational and has not so far been able to undertake studies in specific areas. However, the question of the SAHSU analysing the incidence of childhood cancer in Humberside has been referred to the steering committee for the unit and I should expect the committee to reach an early decision on whether further investigation would be worthwhile and should be undertaken.