HC Deb 07 May 2002 vol 385 cc107-8W
Mr. Simmonds

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total level of Government funding for research specifically related to Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the last six years has been; and what percentage this represents of the Government's total commitment to medical research in the last six years. [51141]

Jacqui Smith

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friends the Members for Aberavon (Dr. Hywel Francis) and for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) today.

Dr. Francis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding went into research that is directly related to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the last 12 months; [51830]

(2) what percentage of the Government's annual medical research budget research on finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy represented in the last 12 months; [51831]

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has collated on total funding in each of the past three years for research on Duchenne's muscular dystrophy.[52050]

Jacqui Smith

The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology.

In the last six years the Medical Research Council (MRC) has spent around £3.8 million on muscular dystrophy as a whole. It is not possible to pull out Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy spending from this total, as much of the work is basic in nature and could apply to all forms of the disease. This represents 0.2 per cent. of the MRC's gross expenditure over this period.

MRC spending on muscular dystrophy research for 2001–02 is an estimated £950,000 which represents 0.24 per cent. of the total £394 million gross expenditure.

MRC spend in muscular dystrophy research for the last three years is in the table:

£
MRC spend
1999–2000 587,000
2000–01 1,108,000
2001–02 950,000

Note: Figures for 2001–02 are estimates only. The figure for 2000–01 is higher than the £920,000 previously notified in parliamentary questions, UIN numbers 37124 and 37125 which we replied to on 26 February 2002. The MRC has now been able to produce a revised figure for spending on muscular dystrophy.

Clinical and laboratory services for Duchenne muscular dystrophy are available through existing networks of regional genetics centres. There has been an increased level of investment in genetic services in general. In his speech in April 2001 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a £30 million investment aimed at improving national health service genetics services, which families of people suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy will benefit from.

The Department has provided support over the last decade to the umbrella charity the genetic interest group, of which the Duchenne family support group is a member organisation. This funding has been targeted to a range of initiatives intended to raise awareness of all inherited diseases.