§ 18. Mr. Gibsonasked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, why the Report of the Medical Research Council on the effect of small doses of alcohol on the driving skill of motor drivers has not yet been published; and when the House will have an opportunity of seeing the report.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) on 5th November.
§ Mr. GibsonThe Minister must be aware that that reply was completely unsatisfactory. Is he aware that the vital information that the Medical Research Council has secured is already leaking in various ways, some of which has appeared in the British Medical Journal? In view of the admitted connection between excessive drinking of alcohol and accidents on the road, does not the Minister think it is time that this Report, which is already many months old, should be published so that the whole country can know all about it?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithIt is not a question of a report being made to the House of Commons. This is an ordinary piece of research undertaken under Medical Research Council arrangements. There has already been a paper giving the broad results of it quite properly published by the British Medical Journal. Later on, Professor Drew's full conclusions will be published.