Dr. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he is aware that several distinguished workers in psychiatric research have recently left this country to work overseas; and what proportion of the total sum spent on medical research in this country is spent on research into the causes of mental illness.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am not aware that any appreciable number of psychiatric research workers have left this country to work overseas. The total sum spent on medical research in this country and the proportion of this total spent on research into the causes of mental illness cannot be accurately calculated, since they combine expenditure by hospital authorities, universities and medical schools, and private research funds, as well as by the Medical Research Council. Of the Medical Research Council's budget of approximately£2,300,000 for 1956–57,£58,000 was spent on work directly connected with the causes of mental illness. The latter figure does not include expenditure of a similar order in the fields of neurology and psychology which are closely allied to psychiatry.