Written question asked by Greg Knight (Conservative) on Wednesday, 11 February 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 February 2009. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Monday, 23 February 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on MRSA prevention research in the last 12 months.

Answer: The Department's policy research programme invested some £1.04 million on health care acquired infection research in 2007-08. A large part of this expenditure was on projects concerned specifically with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government supports biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.The MRC spent £3.6 million on research into hospital-acquired infections, including MRSA, in 2007-08.

Secondary information