§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available the amount spent on research into(a) Parkinson's disease and (b) stem cell therapy; and if he will make a statement. [139280]
§ Mr. DenhamThe main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that takes place in the NHS.
629WThe estimated expenditure figures available for directly commissioned research into Parkinson's disease and stem cell therapy are as shown. They include Medical Research Council and Department of Health support:
£ million Parkinson's disease Stem cell therapy and related basic research 1995–96 1.7 2.5 1996–97 1.7 2.2 1997–98 1.8 2.1 1998–99 1.8 2.4 1999–2000 1.9 2.4 The stem cell research undertaken by the MRC involves mainly projects relating to stem cell transfer involving adult stem cells, for example in the treatment of leukaemia using bone marrow transplantation, which the MRC have been undertaking successfully for many years.
In addition, the MRC has funded basic research into the development of animal embryos and the properties of stem cells—involving mostly mouse embryos—which, along with studies of human reproduction, informs current assessments of the potential for new stem cell therapies. None of this work involves specially created human embryos or the use of human cells for cell nuclear transfer.
In addition, the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council has a diverse programme of research in the basic science of stem cells, potentially underpinning therapeutic applications, which has involved about £15 million of expenditure over the last 10 years.