Written question asked by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Thursday, 2 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 November 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) undertaken at (i) a local and (ii) a national level into potential clusters at vCJD cases in (A) Queniborough, Leicestershire and (B) Armthorpe, South Yorkshire; what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of establishing (a) a standardised protocol and (b) a dedicated core team for the investigations of potential clusters of vCJD. - Includes figure.

Answer: Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) undertaken at (i) a local and (ii) a national level into potential clusters at vCJD cases in (A) Queniborough, Leicestershire and (B) Armthorpe, South Yorkshire; [137115] (2) what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of establishing (a) a standardised protocol and (b) a dedicated core team for the investigations of potential clusters of vCJD. [137116] Yvette Cooper: The National CJD Surveillance Unit investigate all cases of vCJD to identify common factors. All possible groupings of cases are being considered. Local health authorities are involved where localised investigations of groups of cases are appropriate. The Department is actively working with scientists from the CJD Surveillance Unit, health care specialists and others to draw up a protocol to investigate all suspected "clusters". One investigation has already been set up into the grouping of cases at Queniborough.

Secondary information