To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the average cost to the NHS of a case of active tuberculosis disease in each of the five years. (75367)

The exact costs of treating people with tuberculosis are not routinely collected, and treatment costs can vary widely from patient to patient.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the cost benefits of early and accurate diagnosis of (a) latent tuberculosis and (b) active tuberculosis disease. (75366)

The Department has not undertaken a formal cost benefit analysis on the benefits of early and accurate diagnosis of latent or active tuberculosis (TB) disease.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of TB, and measures for its prevention and control in March 2006. NICE made recommendations about the effectiveness, including cost effectiveness, of diagnostic tools for early and accurate diagnosis of latent TB and active TB. The clinical guideline and associated reports are available on NICE'S website at:

www.nice.org.uk.