§ Mr. EtheringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the individuals or organisations receiving Health Department research funds for projects investigating the effects of medium and long-term use of benzodiazepine tranquillisers; and if he will indicate the total moneys allocated, a brief description of research hypothesis, the length of time for research projects and the expected date of publication of research results for each project. [6325]
§ Mr. BowisNone. The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. EtheringtonTo ask the secretary of State for Health if he will list all the guidance notes issued to health authorities and general practitioners regarding the prescription of benzodiazepine tranquillisers since 1985. [6326]
§ Mr. BowisGuidance on the prescribing of benzodiazepines was given to doctors by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in "Current Problems" No. 21 issued in January 1988; in theBritish National Formulary, a twice yearly publication which is issued free to all doctors; in "Drug Misuse and Dependence: Guidelines on Clinical Management" issued to all doctors in 1991; in "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence" published by the Mental Health Foundation, sent to all family health services authorities in March 1994; and in the MeReC bulletin issued to all doctors in October 1995. "The Health of the Nation" key area handbook, published in 1993, suggested that family health services authorities should agree with general practitioners local targets for reducing benzodiazepine prescriptions.