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26 May 2004 : Column 1696W—continued
Typhoon Programme
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent to date by the United Kingdom on the Typhoon programme, including the Experimental Aircraft Programme; and what expenditure is planned in each of the next 10 years, in cash terms. [175342]
Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence spend on Typhoon up to 31 March 2004 is some £9 billion. This excludes expenditure on the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP), which was a precursor to the Eurofighter programme. These costs are not readily available and I will therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Funding is allocated for in-year expenditure only. Provision for future years' expenditure is made in the annually revised Equipment Plan. In the case of Typhoon, the allocation for equipment acquisition for 2004–05 is £783 million.
UN Operations
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received on the number of Iraqi civilians killed since the United States coalition forces began their attack on Falluja this month. [167610]
Mr. Ingram: I am aware of a number of organisations who have published their estimates of the numbers of Iraqi civilians killed since coalition operations began.
There is no reliable means of accurately ascertaining numbers of civilian fatalities. It is not always possible to confirm whether fatalities have occurred, as Iraqi injured or dead are sometimes removed from the scene of incidents by their compatriots. The Coalition always
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takes great care to minimise the risks to civilians. However, I cannot comment in detail as Fallujah is in the United States' area of operations.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he plans to the number of British Forces in Iraq following the handover of power on 30 June 2004. [169387]
Mr. Hoon: We always keep the size and composition of forces in Iraq under close review. Along with our coalition partners we continue to consider the levels and dispositions of forces that may be appropriate for the period following 30 June. If any decision is taken significantly to alter the British military contribution I will inform the House in the normal way at the earliest opportunity.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women Iraqi prisoners were being held by UK military forces in Iraq on 10 May. [174355]
Mr. Ingram: Data on the number of detainees held by UK forces in Iraq is reported to the Permanent Joint Headquarters three times a week. The Ministry of Defence does not have a figure for the number of detainees held on 10 May 2004. We do have a figure for 11 May 2004 when UK forces held 118 internees. All were male.
HEALTH
Alzheimer's Disease
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to increase his Department's budget allocation to genetic research into the causes of Alzheimer's in the current financial year; [173265]
(2) what percentage of his Department's budget has been allocated to genetic research into the causes of Alzheimer's in each year since 2000. [173268]
Dr. Ladyman: The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the United Kingdom and receives its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology. Available figures since 2000 for MRC spend on research into the genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease are shown in the table.
| Research into the genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease | Total expenditure | |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 1.8 | 430 |
| 2001–02 | 1.6 | 418 |
| 2000–01 | 0.8 | 370 |
Source:
Medical Research Council
The MRC does not allocate funds to particular topics. Research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available and awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.
Ashford Hospital
Mr. Wilshire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the deadline is for concluding contractual
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negotiations with Capio for the creation of an independent sector treatment centre at Ashford hospital, Middlesex. [175546]
Mr. Hutton: An initial contract was agreed with Capio UK on 13 May for the group of independent sector treatment centres called "the spine chain". However, because of a number of technical issues it was agreed with national health service sponsors and the strategic health authority that, to avoid delay for the majority of the chain, West Surrey would not be included in that contract. It has been agreed that a further period of up to 120 days will be allowed to enable the contract discussions to reach conclusion. We are hopeful of agreement within that period, and that if reached quickly, it shall not have an impact on the opening date of the treatment centre at Ashford, which is still expected to open by April 2005.
Bowel Cancer Screening
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reduce the waiting time from four to two weeks for bowel cancer screening for symptomatic patients, as recommended in the pilot report of the first bowel cancer screening programme. [173835]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The final report of the evaluation of first phase of the United Kingdom colorectal cancer screening pilot, published in May 2003, stated that, ideally, waiting times for symptomatic patients should be reduced to two to four weeks before commencement of screening. This, along with other recommendations of the report, is being taken into account as we develop a national screening programme for bowel cancer and improve symptomatic services as part of the national health service bowel cancer programme.
Breastfeeding
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to develop a breastfeeding strategy. [174623]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government do not currently have any plans to develop a breastfeeding strategy. We have a commitment in the NHS Plan to increase support for breastfeeding and we have set a target in the Priorities and Planning Framework (2003–06) to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by two percentage points, focusing particularly on women from disadvantaged groups. The Commission for Health Improvement has set an indicator, which will look at progress towards meeting the target.
Bronzefield Prison
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected cost is to the North Surrey Primary Care Trust of providing health services to Bronzefield Prison, Ashford, Middlesex during 2004–05; and what additional funds are being made available. [175549]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
When Her Majesty's Prison Bronzefield opens in June 2004, primary health care will be provided by the contractors, UKDS.
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Within the framework set out in the NHS Plan and the "Shifting the Balance of Power" initiative, decisions about funding for local health services are made by primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders.
Clinical Trials
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the parameters used for clinical trials. [172793]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government's policy is to foster scientific innovation and strengthen the evidence base for modern health care in partnership with universities, charities and industry. High quality clinical trials are an important means of testing pharmaceutical and other innovations. Through the new clinical research collaboration announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in March, the Government aim to increase opportunities for people to take part in clinical research. There is now a legal framework across the European Union to ensure that clinical trials with medicines are conducted to internationally agreed principles and standards of safety.
The randomised controlled trial is one of a range of research techniques that generate benefits for patients and users of health and social care. As a research funder the Department takes independent expert advice on the design and methods that are most appropriate for a particular question. Accordingly, research supported by the Department has covered the full range of qualitative and quantitative, randomised and non-randomised research methodologies.
The national health service research and development methodology programme promotes the identification, development and use of appropriate research methods so that health and social care can be built on the best possible evidence base. Publications from this programme have included reports on the following areas of particular relevance to the question:
Evaluating non-randomised intervention studies (2003).
Can randomised trials rely on existing electronic data? A feasibility study to explore the value of routine data in health technology assessment (2003).
Using routine data to complement and enhance the results of randomised controlled trials (2000).
These documents are available from the health technology assessment programme website at www.hta.nhsweb.nhs.uk. Details of the methodology programme are available at www.publichealth. bham.ac.uk/nccrm/index.htm.
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