HC Deb 10 February 1995 vol 254 cc441-2W
Mr. Elletson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has undertaken into the connection between car exhaust fumes and the incidence of asthma among(a) adults and (b) children in the last three years.

Mr. Malone

Relevant research studies undertaken on correlations between atmospheric pollution and the incidence of asthma and respiratory illnesses, with funding through the Department of Health centrally commissioned programme, areHealth Effects of the Nitrogen Dioxide Episode in London, December 1991—St. George's Hospital Medical School; Modified National Study of Health and Growth, which includes the prevalence of asthma in children—United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas's; Middlesbrough Childhood Asthma study—University of Teeside.

Two further studies are now being commissioned: Impact of Air Pollution and Temperature on GP Consultations—University College Medical School; Personal Exposure to Air Pollutants and Severity of Hay Fever Symptoms in London Traffic Wardens—Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.

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 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available, the MRC spent £919,000 on research into asthma and a further £1,000,000 on research which may be relevant to the condition.

The Departments of Health and of the Environment are collaborating with the MRC to commission by competitive tender a programme of interrelated research projects covering 10 key areas identified in the Institute for Environment and Health report "Air Pollution and Respiratory Disease: UK Research Priorities". The IEH reviewed the knowledge gaps and priority research issues in the area of air pollution and respiratory disease with a special emphasis on asthma. A total of £5 million has been made available for research in this area from the three funders.

Mr. Elletson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for(a) asthma and (b) bronchial complaints in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Mr. Sackville

From "Morbidity Statistics from General Practice" it is estimated that during the year 1991–92 there were 2,049,000 patients treated for asthma, and 3,905,000 treated for bronchitis1. Figures are not available for the other years requested. For in-patients the number of finished consultant episodes, ordinary admissions and day cases, are shown in the table:

Asthma Bronchitis1
1992–93 96,659 33,131
1991–92 99,717 37,209
1990–91 93,277 30,334
1989–90 100,188 33,847
1988–89 113,928 34,364

Source:

Hospital Episodes Statistics.

Notes:

1Diagnostic codes ICD9 466, 490 and 491.

Information on numbers of out-patients treated for asthma and bronchitis is not available centrally.

Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.