HC Deb 25 May 1994 vol 244 cc215-6W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of the research projects her Department has commissioned for 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. Mawhinney

[holding answer 20 May 1994]: The total cost of research commissioned by the Department for the past five years is shown in the table and includes the Department's centrally commissioned programme for health and personal social services research:

Year Cost £ million
1993–94 133.9
1992–93 31.3
1991–92 27.4
1990–91 23.7
1989–90 19.2
1 Estimate.

Source: Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology, HMSO, 1994.

This information does not include the cost of research carried out by Department of Health-sponsored non-departmental public bodies which is not commissioned by the Department, but by the NDPBs in line with their statutory responsibilities or in agreement with the Department of Health. The forward look includes research commissioned by the Department and by the NDPBs.

For the years before 1992–93 information about where the research was carried out was not collated centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.