§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (I) what effect the public expenditure cuts have had on kidney research programmes;
(2) what is the Government's policy regarding research into kidney disease.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsIt is not yet possible to forecast the implications of reductions in public expenditure for the detail of the research programmes of the Medical Research Council, some of which are funded in part by commissions from the Departments of Health. But the council sees no early prospect of increase in its overall support for renal research.
262WThe council and the Departments of Health have jointly decided to give high priority, within this general field, to research on urinary incontinence and bacteriuria. In order to permit developments in these areas it is unlikely that other aspects of renal research can for the time being be actively promoted. The council considers that research into glomerulonephritis and transplantation immunology is on the whole adequately supported, but advises that active steps to support new work on renal physiology will not be possible for the time being.