§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report details of the amount of funding currently at the disposal of the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust; and if he will make a statement on the criteria used in allocating sums from the Trust's funds.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThe trust had at its disposal £495,447 in the financial year ending 31st July 1978, of which £197,658 is expected to be disbursed in support of research work approved by it.
Before giving assistance in any particular case the trust is required by statute to consult the biomedical research committee of the Scottish Home and Health Department's Chief Scientist Organisation, and that committee recommends assistance for work which it assesses as being of scientific merit and relevant to the needs of the health services in Scotland.
§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Galloway, Official Report, 25th May, column 687, he will publish a table showing the real value of sums disbursed by the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust in each of the last 10 years, taking the value of the £ sterling in the financial year 1967–68 as base.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThe sums disbursed by the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust in the last 10 years, con-294W verted to 1967–68 values by using the all-items retail price index, were:
£000s 1967–68 125 1968–69 132 1969–70 132 1970–71 165 1971–72 128 1972–73 92 1973–74 58 1974–75 79 1975–76 50 1976–77 46
§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that full and correct use is being made of the funds at the disposal of the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust.
§ Mr. Harry EwingYes.