§ Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health what annual sum is provided for research in the Estimates for his Department; how this sum was spent in the year 1963–64; what research projects were initiated and what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BarberSpecific provision in the Estimates for research in 1963–64 amounts to £3295,000, compared with actual expenditure in 1962–63 of £210,000, but clinical research is also carried out in the course of treatment and building and management research is conducted by the hospitals as part of the ordinary run of business; information about the cost of these activities is not available.
The provision of £295,000 for 1963–64 covers:
£ (a) Payment of part of the cost of the Common Cold Research Unit 32,600 (b) Hospital clinical research 222,000 (c) Operational research by outside organisations 15,000 (d) Other services 25,400 Major clinical research is not financed from my Department's Vote and the funds provided enable a large number of small projects to be carried out. I propose that for 1964–65 there should be a considerable increase in the research provision.