§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether primary care trusts will be required to audit the number of asthma deaths; and if he will make a statement. [71398]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: There are currently no plans to require primary care trusts to audit the number of asthma deaths.
The number of deaths from asthma is gradually declining. The Department's hospital episode statistics show in-hospital deaths, where the patient's main diagnosis was asthma, falling from 301 in 1998–99 to 213 in 2000–01.
The Office for National Statistics report that the international classification of disease, ICD9 493 (Asthma) recorded for England and Wales that in 1998 there were 1,366 deaths caused by asthma and by 2000 that had fallen to 1,272 deaths.
§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Medical Research Council to give further priority to research into asthma; and if he will make a statement. [72096]
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§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: Asthma is a priority area for the Medical Research Council (MRC) and it supports a wide range of research projects looking at asthma ranging from basic research to applied clinical studies. The MRC spend in the area in 2000–01 was approximately £3 million. Under the terms of the Concordat, the Health Departments will be meeting with the MRC later this year. Respiratory disease will be a major item for discussion at this meeting.