HC Deb 12 August 1947 vol 441 cc2249-50
20. Colonel Stoddart-Scott

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is aware that the present epidemic of infantile paralysis is more than double the size of any previous recorded epidemic in this country; and whether he is satisfied that £2,000 per year is a sufficient amount of public money to be spent on research into the causation, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of this disease.

The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

As I indicated last week, the sum mentioned is only part of the considerably larger provision for research on virus diseases, any part of which might shed light on the problem of infantile paralysis. Further funds would be available for following up any promising line of inquiry.

Colonel Stoddart-Scott

Does the Lord President realise that the number of new cases of infantile paralysis last week was no less than six times as great as in any previous week and in any previous epidemic in this country; and does he think that this amount of money is adequate for the research into this disease? Can he tell us what form the research is taking and whether nutritional deficiencies and the effect of the incidence of the disease is one type of research that has been adopted.

Mr. Morrison

No, Sir. There is no difficulty about money. If promising lines of research open up, more money can be provided. I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that I quite agree with him on the seriousness of the matter and we are spending all the money that can usefully and profitably be spent at the moment. If further lines of research are opened up, I can assure him that money will not be a difficulty.

Mr. Frank Byers

Is it not possible that the spending of a little more money now would be likely to open up these lines of research by having more research workers on the job? Would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this matter, which is causing some concern to the parents of small children.

Mr. Morrison

What am I to do with the money?

Mr. Byers

Try to get more workers.

Mr. Morrison

If there is more work requiring to be done, the money is available. It is no good scattering the money around: that is squandermania.