To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on research into treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in each year since 1997; and what percentage of his Department’s budget for research and development activity this constituted in each year. (198694)

The information requested is not available.

Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department’s total expenditure on health research has been devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual NHS supported research projects undertaken during that time are available on the archived national research register at:

https://portal.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/NRRArchiveSearch.aspx

Implementation of the Department’s research strategy ‘Best Research for Best Health’ has led to an expansion of our research programmes and in significant new funding opportunities for health research. A copy of the research strategy is available in the Library. Work relevant to musculoskeletal function will be undertaken in several of the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres (BRC). For example, the Cambridge BRC has a musculoskeletal disorders research theme to which £2.2 million has been allocated over five years; and the Newcastle BRC has a musculoskeletal disorders research theme for which £0.3 million has been allocated over five years.

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 has funded and continues to fund research into understanding the pathophysiology of ankylosing spondylitis in search of possible new therapeutic approaches. MRC’s spend in this area since 1997 is shown in the following table.

In addition, the MRC funds a large portfolio of research on arthritis, rheumatism and mechanisms of inflammation which will have relevance to our understanding of ankylosing spondylitis and its possible treatment. Available MRC expenditure figures for research relevant to arthritis and rheumatism are shown in the following table.