HC Deb 21 October 1998 vol 317 cc1138-9W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the National CJD Surveillance Unit about the screening of appendicectomy and tonsillectomy specimens; and if he will make a statement. [55539]

Ms Jowell

The Department has received applications from researchers, including the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit, for anonymised pilot surveys to assess the prevalence in appendices and tonsils removed during routine surgery of the abnormal prion protein associated with new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. These proposals are now the subject of expert scientific review before we make a final decision on funding.