HC Deb 29 June 1995 vol 262 cc785-6W
Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Tenovus charity to cancer research; and if she will make a statement. [31073]

Mr. Malone

The Government welcome the valuable contribution made by medical research charities such as Tenovus. We work closely with cancer charities to identify gaps in funding and opportunities for collaborating in funding cancer research. The Government are committed to ensuring the best use of resources for health and medical research and seek, in collaboration with the cancer charities, to avoid unnecessary duplication in this field.

No specific assessment of this charity's contribution to cancer research has been made.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has made to ensure that cancer research which would have been funded by the Tenovus charity will receive funding from alternative sources. [31075]

Mr. Malone

None. The Government place a high priority on health and medical research and will spend about £385 million in 1994–95 on research and research-related expenditure. The Government also support biomedical and clinical research through the Medical Research Council, which receives its funding from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Charities provide an independent source of research funding.

The Department of Health has established a national forum to advise Government and the NHS on research issues. The forum brings together the major funders of health and medical research, including the Association of Medical Research Charities, and provides an important means of establishing closer working links between research interests in the NHS and elsewhere. Within this framework, the Department is working with the Association of Medical Research Charities—of which Tenovus is a member—to promote better understanding of the charities' respective strategies and priorities.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for National Heritage regarding the impact of the national lottery on the Tenovus charity. [31076]

Mr. Malone

None.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring she has carried out of the income of medical research charities following the introduction of the national lottery, with particular reference to the Tenovus cancer research charity; and what has been the result to date. [31074]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

I have been asked to reply.

It is too early to assess the effect of the lottery in a number of areas, including charitable income. The Government are, however, committed to monitoring any changes in this respect. A programme of research is being drawn up which will include surveys of individual charitable giving and analysis of the income of charities covering the periods before, during and after the introduction of the national lottery.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of finished consultant episodes for neurosurgery by region and district health authority for each of the last five years. [30815]

Mr. Sackville

This information will be placed in the Library.