§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money was spent in the last five years on research into(a) heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) stroke and stroke-related problems. [4098]
§ Yvette CooperFunding for research in cancer, heart disease and stroke is provided from a number of different sources, including the Government, charities and industry. The Department does not routinely collect information on all research expenditure.
The 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 funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the national health service. The Department also provides NHS support finding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that takes place in the NHS.
Management of much of the research supported by NHS research and development funding is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department. The information is therefore not available in the format requested for all years.
We are currently investing over £150 million a year in research that is directly relevant to cancer. Detailed figures for departmental and MRC estimated expenditure on cancer research are available for the following years:
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£ million Department of Health Medical Research Council 1999–2000 77.4 52 1998–99 75.4 28.5 1997–98 53 27 It is important to note that scientific definitions have evolved over time and that the MRC has improved methods of capturing data and identifying spend. For these reasons, spend figures from one year to the next are incommensurable.
The MRC' s estimated expenditure on stroke research for the last five years was:
£ million 2000–01 3.4 1999–2000 4.0 1998–99 4.0 1997–98 3.3 1996–97 2.6 The MRC spent £12.3 million on heart disease research in 1998–99 and £10.5 million in 1999–2000. The Department spent approximately £48.9 million on research for cardiovascular disease and stroke in 1998–99 and approximately £49.1 million in 1999–2000. Research is currently being supported in these areas via regional and national research and development programmes.