§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what sums have been spent by(a) his Department and (b) the NHS executive on external research on ethnic minority health in each of the last five years; and if he will list the recipient organisations and the amounts concerned. [37093]
§ Mr. Horam[holding answer 12 July 1996]: The Department attaches great importance to ensuring that the health needs of ethnic minority populations are recognised and met. Since 1989 it has allocated £0.5 million each year to fund a range of development projects aimed at improving access to health services. A directory listing the initiatives has recently been published and copies are available in the Library.
In addition, the Department's research programme currently funds a number of projects, to a combined value of £3.5 million, which have an ethnic dimension.
Information on research commissioned during the last five years by the Department of Health is contained in "Centrally Commissioned Research Programme" and "Centrally Commissioned Research Programme: Commission 1994–95", copies of which are also available in the Library.
The national health service executive has funded the following projects on ethnic minority health within the last five years:
- (i) Within the national research programme on cardiovascular disease and stroke a project on developing methods in primary care for prevention of vascular disease and diabetes in high risk ethnic groups. The total allocation was £99,353 to the department of public health, University of Manchester.
- (ii) Within the national programme on mental health, a project on screening tests for depression and dementia in elderly people from ethnic minorities. The total allocation was £116,302 to the University of Manchester.
In addition to these projects, the NHS executive has inherited programmes of research from the former regional health authorities which were replaced by regional offices of the executive on 1 April 1996. Complete information is not available on these programmes, which have an estimated value of £420,000. Within the executive, the west midlands regional office leads on research into ethnic health issues.