§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has collected any information relating hypertension to possible kidney function abnormality through inheritance.
§ Mr. William Shelton:The Medical Research Council supports a wide range of research on hypertension, on renal function and genetics. I understand that there is no hard evidence to support the hypothesis that kidney malfunction causes hypertension except in comparatively rare cases where raised blood pressure occurs as a result of obstructions in the main blood vessels leading to the kidneys. In such instances the problem can be rectified by surgery.