§ Vernon CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on research into the causes and treatment of(a) prostate and (b) testicular cancer in (i) 1971, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1990 and (iv) 2000. [4274]
§ Yvette CooperI apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
821WThe main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatment for diseases is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department's direct expenditure is on research into policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department's indirect expenditure provides national health service support funding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that takes place in the NHS.
Figures are not available centrally for expenditure on prostate and testicular cancer research in 1971, 1980 and 1990. The MRC spent £340,000 on prostate cancer research in 2000–01. The Department's direct expenditure was £1,150,000 in 2000–01 but figures for the Department's indirect expenditure on prostate cancer research were not collected centrally in 2000–01. The MRC spent £220,000 on testicular cancer research in 2000–01. The Department had no direct expenditure in 2000–01 on testicular cancer research and figures for indirect expenditure were not collected for 2000£01.