§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the work being done on the problem of agoraphobia by his Department and indicate what research is being done in this field; if he will give financial and other support to voluntary organisations concerned with this complaint; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephThere is no current research on the specific problem of agoraphobia being undertaken by the Department, but the Department is able and prepared to consider proposals for research related to the provision of services for psychiatric disorders, including82W phobias, within its normal research programme. Studies in agoraphobia form a significant part of the programme of research of the Medical Research Council's unit in epidemiological studies in Edinburgh. The council is also giving support to a controlled clinical trial on the treatment of phobic disorders at the Warne-ford Hospital, Oxford, and other studies. I would be willing to consider requests for support from national voluntary organisations concerned with agoraphobia.