§ 16. Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of CJD there have been in the United Kingdom over the last four years; and how many cases there have been in(a) France and (b) Germany. [23479]
§ Mr. HoramThe latest available data from the national CJD surveillance unit relates only to the years 1993 and 1994.
In 1993, there were 41 definite and probable cases of CJD in the United Kingdom compared with 41 in France and 21 in Germany—the latter referring to July to December only.
In 1994 the figures were: UK 54, France 47, Germany 58.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee to place in the Library all the research evidence on which the committee based its statement of 24 March. [24526]
§ Mr. HoramThe findings of the national Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease surveillance unit about a previously unrecognised form of CJD will be published 471W by the researchers in a scientific journal as soon as practicable. I will arrange for a copy of this to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made as to whether the provisional conclusions of the research commissioned by Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee about links between BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were(a) illegally and (b) prematurely disclosed to the Daily Mirror. [24666]
§ Mr. HoramWe have always said that we would inform the public immediately of any change in the scientific evidence for a link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It is clear that theDaily Mirror became aware that some form of public announcement was imminent some hours before the event. I have no evidence to suggest that there was an illegal disclosure of information.
§ Mr. Donald AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if vaccinations over the last 10 years have used(a) calf lymph and (b) other substances susceptible to BSE contamination. [24705]
§ Mr. HoramWe are not aware of calf lymph having been used in the manufacture of any United Kingdom licensed vaccines during the past 10 years.
All bovine materials currently used in the manufacture of UK licensed vaccines and used during the past 10 years belong to category IV in the guidelines produced by the European committee on proprietary medicinal products, "The rules governing medicinal products in the European Union", volume 3, addendum 2 "Minimising the risk of transmission of agents causing spongiform encephalopathies via medicinal products". Copies of the guidelines are available in the Library.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died in each of the last three years(a) from smoking or smoking-related illnesses, (b) from CJD, (c) from road accidents and (d) from conditions related to illegal drug use. [23660]
§ Mr. HoramThe UK figures for the latest three years available for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, motor vehicle accidents and drug abuse are shown in the table.
Year1 Deaths from drug abuse2 Death from vehicle accidents CJD deaths 1992 2,485 4,681 51 1993 2,458 3,924 45 1994 2,713 3,833 59 1For England and Wales, deaths for 1992 represent the number of deaths registered in that year, while deaths from 1993 are deaths which occurred in each year. Also, new procedures for coding cause of death from 1993, and the absence of medical enquiries, mean that figures for 1993 onwards may not be exactly comparable with earlier years. For most conditions, however these effects are small. More details may be found in OPCS Series DH2 for 1993, published in October 1995; copies are available in the Library. 2It is not possible to differentiate illegal drugs. International Classification of diseases 9th revision codes 304 (drug dependence) 305.2-305.9 (non-dependent use of drugs), 960-979 (poisoned by drugs, medicaments and biological substances). It is estimated that in the United Kingdom about 110,000 deaths each year are smoking related.
472W
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died in each of the last three years; and what proportion have died from(a) smoking-related conditions and (b) CJD. [23661]
§ Mr. HoramThe information for the United Kingdom for the latest three years available is shown in the table.
Year Deaths1 Proportion of deaths from smoking related illness 2 Per cent. Proportion of CJD deaths Per cent. 1992 634,238 17 0.008 1993 658,481 17 0.007 1994 627,636 18 0.009 1Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are registered deaths as are the 1992 figures for England and Wales. Later figures for England and Wales are deaths which occurred in that year. 2 The figure is based on 110,000, which is the estimated number of smoking-related deaths.
§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research conducted overseas into BSE-CJD type diseases his Department has evaluated; what assessment he has made of this research; and if he will make a statement. [23480]
§ Mr. HoramThe Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory committee provides the Government with expert scientific advice on BSE and CJD. This advice takes account of research in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will next be meeting the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee to discuss BSE. [23468]
§ Mr. HoramMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met the chairman of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee on a number of occasions over recent weeks. He will meet the chairman again when necessary to discuss the committee's advice.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the dangers to the health of children of eating dog or cat food; [23325]
(2) if he will make a statement on the risks to the health of humans from handling pet foods containing mammalian meats and bonemeal. [23324]
§ Mr. HoramSpecified bovine materials are banned from entering the human and animal food chains, and therefore, do not enter pet food. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee concluded that children were not at any greater risk of any possible bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection then adults.