§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what further research is planned on the causes of child asthma and bronchial conditions and its relationship to air pollution; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoThe main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology. As stated in my reply on 8 June, 1992, the MRC is sponsoring some research into factors contributing to the rise of asthma and has set up a working party to examine the aetiology of asthma under the chairmanship of Professor A. J. Newman Taylor. It is considering a range of possible contributory factors to current levels of asthma, including air pollution. The Department is represented on the working party and on the MRC committee on toxic hazards in the workplace and the environment, both of which will consider areas of need for further research.
In addition, the committee on the medical effects of air pollutants (COMEAP) which was established by the Chief Medical Officer last year has set up a sub-group on asthma which will make recommendations on research relating to asthma and air pollution.