§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason sensory impairment does not feature on the list of priorities for research published on his Department's website; [149704]
(2) for what reason none of the research and development work on assistive technology listed in his Department's statutory report that was laid before Parliament in November 2003 related to sensory impairment. [149726]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 21 January 2004]The report, published in November 2003, outlines a selection of the research and development activity relating to assistive technology funded by the Government in 2002. Full details of all the work funded are available on the Foundation for Assistive Technology website at www.fastuk.org. The website contains details of some twenty Government-funded projects related to sensory impairment that are current or were completed in 2003.
The report for 2001 contains sections on navigational aids for people with visual impairments and technologies to assist deaf and hearing-impaired people.
Table 1: Rates of diagnoses of infectious syphilis (primary and secondary) by sex and age group, GUM clinics, North West England, 1998–2002 Rates (per 100,000 population) Sex Region 13–15 16–19 20–24 25–34 35–44 45+ Total 1998 M North West 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.1 0.4 0.1 0.2 1999 M North West 0.0 0.6 3.8 2.7 1.3 0.1 0.9 2000 M North West 0.0 0.0 3.7 6.5 4.6 0.5 2.0 2001 M North West 0.0 2.9 18.8 12.0 10.0 1.8 5.3 2002 M North West 0.0 5.2 16.7 17.9 11.7 2.2 6.3 1998 F North West 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.6 0.4 0.1 0.2 1999 F North West 0.0 1.2 2.1 1.2 0.0 0.1 0.4 2000 F North West 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.2 2001 F North West 0.0 0.6 2.5 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.3 2002 F North West 0.7 1.2 1.0 1.5 0.2 0.1 0.4 334W
Table 2: Rates of diagnoses of uncomplicated gonococcal infection by sex and age group, GUM clinics, North West England, 1998–2002 Rates (per 100,000 population) Sex Region 13–15 16–19 20–24 25–34 35–44 45+ Total 1998 M North West 7 73 153 222 28 4 31 1999 M North West 6 107 201 99 45 8 43 2000 M North West 5 167 285 140 57 10 58 2001 M North West 4 145 292 148 74 11 61 2002 M North West 9 171 309 147 64 11 62 1998 F North West 9 95 73 50 4 0 12 1999 F North West 19 143 93 26 8 1 18 2000 F North West 14 166 111 29 10 1 21 2001 F North West 18 156 122 32 13 0 22 2002 F North West 27 175 112 32 10 1 22 Projects relating to sensory impairment will also be highlighted in the report for 2003. This will be laid before Parliament by July 2004.
The Department's website lists major strategic research developments in key Departmental priority areas, including cancer, mental health and coronary heart disease. In the national health service, research priorities are identified through widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services. They take account of the burden of disease, potential benefits and departmental objectives as well as the responsibilities and work of other funders—including the charities. Current projects relating to sensory impairment include a £0.3 million study of the acceptability, benefit and costs of early screening for hearing disability, and a £0.8 million study of interventions for mild to moderate permanent childhood hearing impairments identified by neonatal hearing screening.