§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answers of 2 December 1992, to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter),Official Report, column 230 and of 3 December 1992, Official Report, column 321, what progress her Department is making in its review of the research units it funds; and when it expects to announce details of its plans for setting up a larger research centre as a pilot project.
§ Dr. MawhinneyA programme of peer review including site visits has now been arranged for all 13 units and should be completed by early 1994. I expect to announce details for setting up a pilot research centre shortly.
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§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of the research projects her Department has commissioned for each of the past five years; and what was the total cost of projects undertaken by staff employed by(a) universities and polytechnics, (b) independent research institutes, (c) health authorities, (d) management consultants and (e) other organisations in each of those years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe total cost of the research projects commissioned under the Department's centrally commissioned programme for health and personal social services research, for each of the last five years is shown in the table:
Year Total cost of research £ million 1988–89 12.9 1989–90 15.4 1990–91 18.3 1991–92 22.3 1992–93 23.4 The majority of research projects commissioned in this way is undertaken by staff employed by universities. Of this, about 10 per cent. is carried out under the auspices of the Medical Research Council. About 3 per cent. of the research is carried out by independent research institutes, health authorities or management consultants: details of this research are not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether research projects commissioned by her Department from management consultants are subject to peer review in the same way as those commissioned from universities and research institutes.
§ Dr. MawhinneyMost projects commissioned in the centrally commissioned research programme undergo scientific/peer review, irrespective of whether the research is being carried out by management consultants, universities or research institutes.
Management consultants are used in many capacities by the Department. When not engaged for research purposes, they are selected by commercial competitive tendering rather than subject to peer review.