§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being undertaken or funded by his Department into the relationship between the drinking of alcohol during pregnancy and foetal harm; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungThe Medical Research Council, from funds provided by the Department of Education and Science and the Health Departments, is currently supporting research at the Royal Postgraduate medical school, London, into the effects of ethyl alcohol on cell acquisition, migration and differentiation in the developing brain.
The Department funded and has recently received a final report by Professor Kessel and Dr. Philippa Woolf at the University of Manchester on detection of alcoholism in ante-natal clinics, which has been submitted for publication. We are considering funding a research grant application to investigate racial differences between women and the occurrence of mental deficiency due to maternal alcoholism and discussing with prospective researchers the possibility of a further study.
The Health Education Council's "Mother and Baby" campaign contains specific advice to mothers on the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy and I am in continuing consultation in this respect with the council. Similar advice was also given in two of the follow-up booklets in the "Prevention and Health" series: "Reducing the Risk: Safer Pregnancy and Childbirth"(September 1977) and "Eating for Health"(September 1978).