HL Deb 23 November 1987 vol 490 cc407-8
The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are prepared to co-ordinate and support the work of bodies researching into genetic disorders.

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, the Government support the work of the five research councils. The Medical Research Council does research into human genetic disorders. All research councils maintain contact with and sometimes collaborate with other bodies doing similar research both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his reply. In view of the fact that between 2 per cent. and 5 per cent. of children are born with genetic disabilities of some sort and up to 50 per cent. of these children die before they reach adulthood, would it not be a considerable saving to the National Health Service in the long term if the Government actually took an active part in co-ordinating and funding research?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, in the United Kingdom research into human genetic disorders is supported by the Medical Research Council, government departments, universities and charities. It might be impracticable to attempt co-ordination of some 2,000 different disorders and attempting to do so might discourage unconventional but potentially fruitful approaches to research.

Baroness David

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the research has continued for a long time? It is at least 20 years since DNA was discovered. What we need now is the provision of money for services which have come out of that research? Is the noble Earl aware that a great many women would be much happier if they knew when the embryo they were carrying might potentially have Huntingdon's chorea, multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy? It is the provision of services to make use of the research that we need money for, together with the co-ordination?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, the Medical Research Council's grant-in-aid is currently £140 million per annum and about 90 per cent. is spent directly on research. Of that £140 million, some £8 million is spent on inherited diseases.

Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe

My Lords, since the research into genetic disorders is now proving so successful and promises so much for the future health of the country in mitigating historic scourges such as haemophilia, familial cancer and so on, will the noble Earl bring especially to the attention of his right honourable friend the Secretary of State the suggestions made by the noble Countess?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, I am indeed grateful for the remarks of the noble Baroness, and I shall do exactly as she suggests.