§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount of Government grants for medical research in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the approximate amounts spent on all kinds of medical research by Her Majesty's Government each year from 1945 to the nearest convenient date, and the total amount for that period; and if he will give an estimate of the amount spent on such research by other bodies.
§ Mr. CroslandI regret that records of expenditure by the various Government agencies on medical research in the 135W financial years 1945–46 to 1953–54 are not sufficiently detailed to enable reliable estimates to be made without a disproportionate amount of time and work.
Estimated amounts from 1954–55 to 1964–65 are as follows:
£ million 1954–55 … … … 5½ 1955–56 … … … 6½ 1956–57 … … … 7 1957–58 … … … 8 1958–59 … … … 9½ 1959–60 … … … 10½ 1960–61 … … … 12½ 1961–62 … … … 14½ 1962–63 … … … 16 1963–64 … … … 18½ 1964–65 … … … 23 These figures include the actual expenditure of the Medical Research Council, and the estimated expenditure of the Health Departments, the General Register Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Overseas Development together with the approximate amount which is estimated to be devoted to medical research out of the general grants which are made to the universities on the advice of the University Grants Committee.
It is not possible to give a reliable estimate of medical research expenditure by other bodies including the pharmaceutical industry and voluntary organisations.