§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what resources the Medical Research Council devotes to studying the causes of or cures for multiple sclerosis; and which of its publications describes progress of any work or investigations completed on its progress;
(2) what resources her Department devotes to studying the causes of and possible cures for multiple sclerosis; and what publication or paper summarises progress in this field.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe Medical Research Council's expenditure on research specifically concerned with multiple sclerosis in the financial year 1976–77 amounted to £735,000, an element of which was provided by the Health Departments. The Council also supports a substantial amount of other work which may be of considerable relevance such as studies on the nervous system and aspects 21W of immunology and virology. The fullest account of progress and plans in this field is contained in "Multiple Sclerosis Research" (HMSO 1975)* based on the proceedings of a conference organised by the Council and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in October 1974. Some of the ideas discussed in it are mentioned in a review article published in the MRC Annual Report 1975–76 summarising the main lines of work supported by the Council.
* A copy of which is available in the Library.