§ Mr. Terry Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to commission new studies into possible links between male unemployment and (a) attempted suicides, (b) mental illness and (c) other illnesses.
§ Mrs. CurrieWe have no plans to commission such studies in the financial year 1987–88. I understand that the 585W Medical Research Council, which receives grant-in-aid from the science vote of the Department of Education and Science and is the main Government body for biomedical research in the United Kingdom, is conducting research in this area.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what studies have been undertaken into possible links between male unemployment and the incidence of attempted suicides;
(2) how many attempted male suicides were recorded for each year from 1979 to 1986 inclusive; and how many of these involved unemployed males.
§ Mrs. CurrieI shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.