§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will commission research into the mechanisms of central fatigue in multiple sclerosis; [81343]
649W(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the impact of clinical psychology in the management of multiple sclerosis. [81344]
§ Ms JowellThe Government fund health and medical research in a number of ways.
The Department funds research and development to support its work on policy development and evaluation in health and social care. The Department also manages the National Health Service research and development levy which is used to support research and development of relevance to the National Health Service in hospitals, general practice and other health care settings, and to fund the NHS research and development programme. In addition, the Medical Research Council (MRC)—which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry—funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base.
Priorities for departmental research and development support for the development of policy are determined through discussion with policy colleagues, the Departmental Research Committee and Ministers. In the NHS R&D Programme, priorities take account of widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services, within a framework overseen by the Central Research and Development Committee for the NHS. In all cases, priorities for our budgets reflect analysis of the burden of disease, potential benefits, Government priorities and take account of the responsibilities and work of other funders.
Management of much of the research supported by the NHS R&D Levy is devolved and details of expenditure at project level are not collected routinely by the Department.
Project details of work directly funded by the Department or supported through the NHS R&D Levy can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom, and on the Internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm. The NRR also contains many details of projects/trials funded by the MRC and other funders.
Within our programmes of research there is nothing specifically relating to clinical psychology or the mechanism of central fatigue.
The Department is currently considering work to look at care packages for those with multiple sclerosis, and has funded a study entitled "Health and independence through education: a controlled evaluation", which aims to assess the value of education in promoting health and independence for people with progressive neurological disorders such as MS.
We have asked those who manage the priority setting process to ensure that the mechanism of central fatigue in multiple sclerosis is included in consideration of future research priorities.
The Medical Research Council support for research into MS and associated demyelinating diseases was estimated at £640,000 in 1997–98. This work covered both basic and applied research.
650WIn addition, the MRC funds a considerable amount of basic underpinning research in broad related areas such as immunology and cellular medicine.
The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. In addition, regional offices of the NHS Executive run response mode funding schemes to which applications of relevance to the NHS can be made. Awards are made by both the NHS and the MRC according to the scientific quality and importance of proposals.