§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports have been(a) commissioned and (b) received by his Department since 1997 on the usefulness of screening immigrants for TB by X-ray at the ports of entry; and if he will publish them. [156844]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonA four-month pilot study of the medical inspection function was conducted at Heathrow airport in 1997 which tested an approach whereby immigrants who were high risk for Tuberculosis were screened by the health control unit only if they had no valid United Kingdom address; in other cases the unit simply forwarded their contact details to the districts concerned to arrange screening. The report was distributed to those involved in the study, including Hillingdon health authority. Copies have been placed in the Library.