HC Deb 03 December 1974 vol 882 cc421-2W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if any further research is being undertaken by his Department into agoraphobia; and if he will make a statement on the present situation.

Mr. Prentice

The present situation is that the Medical Research Council supports studies in agoraphobia at its unit for epidemiological studies in psychiatry in Edinburgh, and is giving long-term grant support to a clinical trial on the treatment of phobic disorders at the Warne-ford Hospital, Oxford, and for therapeutic studies of resistant nemosis, including phobias, at the Institute of Psychiatry, London.

The council is also carrying out basic neurobiological studies which may throw light on the problems of agoraphobia Other relevant research is being carried out in university departments with support from University Grants Committee funds.