20. In January 2007, seven weeks after the publication of the Review, Sir David told us that the early stages of implementing his recommendations had begun. The interim Acting Chair of OSCHR, Professor John Bell, appointed by the Government in December 2006, will lead OSCHR's work on setting the joint UK's health research strategy. Part of this process involves OSCHR submitting a joint bid on behalf of the MRC and NIHR to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) which will cover departmental allocations for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. Sir David told us that:

"The team at OSCHR is being put together very rapidly and they have got to formulate their spending review bid within the next very few weeks, so there is a huge amount of effort going on there. I have been surprised at the speed at which the various recommendations are being addressed and, in some cases, already starting to be implemented. I think the signals are very positive at this moment".[25]

We welcome the initial stages in implementing the Review's recommendations. The Committee will take a close interest in reviewing progress and how the new institutional arrangements will work in practice.