§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the occurrence in children of(a) tuberculosis, (b) rickets, (c) iron deficiency and (d) gastroenteritis. [11839]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food commissioned a comprehensive survey of diet and nutrition in pre-school children in 1993 entitled "National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Children Aged 11/2to41/2. This
497Wshowed that no particular socio-economic group was malnourished, and that average heights and weights continue to increase.
The Department is aware of occasional cases of rickets, caused by vitamin D deficiency. To address this issue, vitamin D has been made available to pregnant women and new mothers, and children under the age of five. Asian infants are thought to be at the highest risk of rickets, and a current departmental survey, "Infant Feeding in Asian Families", will determine whether further action is needed. The results of the survey are due in February.
The Department's policy research programme—PRPis funding a research initiative into improved nutritional health, with a budget of £2.4 million. Target groups covered by this include children. The research initiative is jointly managed by the Department and the Medical Research Council.
On a regional level, South West region has funded research into "Infant anaemia—who should be screened and when?", which was undertaken at the university of Bristol with a contribution of £50,000 from the NHS.