Written question asked by Alan Simpson (Labour) on Thursday, 31 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 November 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 7 November 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th October 2002 at 390 c498W, on biotechnology research projects, what proportion of (a) the medical research council's £362 million of research and development spending and (b) the Department of Health's £510 million research spending shown in Table 3 Looking Forward (Cm 5338) goes into biomedical research.

Answer: Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2002, Official Report, column 498W, on biotechnology research projects, what proportion of (a) the medical research council's--£362 million of research and development spending and (b) the Department of Health's--£510 million research spending shown in Table 3 Looking Forward (Cm 5338) goes into biomedical research. [79515] Ms Blears: All the research that the Medical Research Council (MRC) supports is biomedical research. An estimated 60 per cent. of the Department's research expenditure is used in the National Health Service to support research by the MRC, by medical research charities and by other research collaborators, a substantial part of which is to support the clinical stages of biomedical research. The Department and the NHS also directly fund health services' biomedical research; for example, through genetics knowledge parks and other programmes. Some 40 per cent. of the Department's policy research programme expenditure is on biomedical research.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 392 c536-7W;392 c548-9W; 79515
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Finance Medicine Research Department of Health Medical Research Council Biology Bioengineering
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk