§ 29. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Health what the outcome was of the Paris meetings of officials with regard to the proposals by President de Gaulle for an international cancer research programme; and whether he will make 29 a further statement about the cooperation of this country in that proposal.
§ Mr. BarberI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison); the further meeting to which he referred has been postponed at the request of other Governments until the end of this month.
§ Sir B. JannerWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether he is giving the fullest support to the scheme, particularly in view of the fact that it is highly essential that the treatment of cancer should be regarded as an international as well as a national matter? Will he say what information is being available to the team which President de Gaulle has in contemplation with reference to the new developments which have taken place?
§ Mr. BarberI believe that there is a Question on the Order Paper about the new developments, and I imagine that the hon. Gentleman is referring to matters published recently in the newspapers. In answer to a Question on 3rd December my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said that we are certainly sympathetic to the idea. So far at the meeting in Paris there has been a discussion concerning international co-operation in cancer research on its scientific merits. We must now wait until the next meeting. It was postponed, not at our instigation, but at the instigation of other Governments.