§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Medical Research Council on the link between sheep dip and cot deaths.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 23 March 1989]: There have been no discussions between the Secretary of State and the Medical Research Council (MRC) on the possibility of a link between sheep dip and cot deaths.
The MRC, which is the main agency through which the Government supports medical research, receives a grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. Over the years, the MRC has funded a wide range of research related to cot deaths. Officials will be discussing with the MRC what further avenues can be fruitfully pursued.