§ Ms KeebleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department is funding into the causes of and treatment for infertility; and if he will make a statement; [5387]
(2) what research his Department is funding into the causes of treatment for infertility; and if she will make a statement. [5387]
§ Ms JowellThe main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant-in-aid from my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. In 1995–96, the latest year for which figures are available, the Council spent some £2.4 million on research related to infertility and fertility in general in both males and females. Much of the research is carried out at the Council's Reproductive Biology Unit in Edinburgh.
In addition, there is also research within the National Health Service Executive. The Trent Research Scheme, run by Trent Regional Office of the NHS Executive, is funding two relevant studies. These are:
Psychological outcome and adjustment to parenthood in couples conceiving through IVF treatment (1 February 1997 to 31 January 1999; £23,690);The incidence of sex chromosome aneuploidy in spermatozoa from men with semen parameters necessitating intracytoplasmic sperm injection (1 March 1997 to 28 February 1998; £26,000).