Depression (Hansard, 14 October 1996)

§ Mr. Barry Porter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into (i) how many working days in the UK each year are lost as a result of and (ii) the cost of depression. [40303]

§ Mr. Burns
We are not aware of any such studies.

§ Mr. Porter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of depression have been diagnosed in the UK in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [40302]

§ Mr. Burns
This information is not available centrally for England. Questions relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

§ Mr. Porter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the cost of the incidence of depression to the UK economy. [40304]

§ Mr. Burns
We have made no such studies or estimates.