HC Deb 16 February 1982 vol 18 c133
10. Mr. Whitehead

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent, in fixing the budget of the Medical Research Council, he takes into account the provision of postgraduate medical education by universities (a) in total and (b) in London.

Mr. William Shelton

The Medical Research Council is not concerned with postgraduate professional training for medical practitioners.

Mr. Whitehead

When medical research within the universities is being calculated by the Department, what figure of lost posts in England and Wales, particularly in medical schools, is taken into account? In view of the threatened sacking of the medical school unit at the Westminster medical school, whose work on Vitamin B12 deficiencies is, literally, life-saving, can the hon. Gentleman assure us that such valuable research will be safeguarded by his Department?

Mr. Shelton

That is not a matter for my Department. It is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Security, which is responsible for all medical training. The Medical Research Council is not responsible for medical training. It is responsible for research training and biomedical sciences. The people who do that do not usually have medical degrees, and they study in the science departments of universities.

Mr. Carter-Jones

In allocating resources, whether in or out of London, will the Under-Secretary ensure that resources are made available to those parts of the economy with the greatest needs—the elderly, the incontinent, arthritics, prevention, and rehabilitation—and not so much to esoteric research, which yields little for our people?

Mr. Shelton

I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services will take notice of what the hon. Gentleman said.

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