HC Deb 18 June 1981 vol 6 cc426-7W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the research work being financed by his Department, by other public funds and by private funds at any recognised institute, into the prevention, cure and treatment of allergies; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if researchers into allergy conditions are allowed to produce small quantities of vaccine, or other preparations, in the treatment of patients suffering from allergies; if such research production is encouraged by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Macfarlane

The Medical Research Council, which receives a grant-in-aid from the science budget of my Department, is financing basic research into the causes of allergies and is also supporting studies designed to improve methods of treatment. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the Scottish Home and Health Department is also funding some research in these areas. I shall write to the hon. Member with details of all these research projects.

It is possible that some work of this nature is being undertaken in university departments, from public funds made available by my Department through the University Grants Committee as block grants for teaching and research. Details are not available, such research being a matter for the universities.

I have no information concerning research financed by private funds.

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services that, under the provisions of the Medicines Act 1968, a doctor is permitted to prepare small quantities of a medicinal product, including a vaccine, for the treatment of allergy or any other condition suffered by certain of his own patients. Neither the Medical Research Council nor my right hon. Friend's Departments would normally fund such activities, but they would welcom any properly conducted research which leads to the development of safe and effective medicines.

Great Britain Universities: Total Students 1979––80
University or College Undergraduates Postgraduates
Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time
Aston 4,667 45 932 372
Bath 2,961 517 209
Birmingham 7,312 193 1,617 565
Bradford 4,360 68 658 280
Bristol 6,117 108 777 346
Brunel 2,295 38 467 986
Cambridge 9,409 1,928 962
City 2,274 396 377
Durham 4,083 41 645 145
East Anglia 3,628 457 162
Essex 2,408 4 470 188
Exeter 4,308 92 655 614
Hull 4,844 38 609 276
Keele 2,472 346 420
Kent 3,383 100 452 194
Lancaster 4,102 550 287
Leeds 8,921 5 1,799 844
Leicester 3,790 752 690
Liverpool 6,560 112 980 419
London Graduate School of Business Studies 227 8
London University 29,848 1,757 10,004 6,885
Loughborough 4,565 143 633 461
Manchester Business School 145 7
Manchester 9,239 37 1,872 1,040
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology 2,925 907 310
Newcastle 6,460 104 1,252 399
Nottingham 5,902 44 945 601
Oxford 9,379 2,450 1,676
Reading 4,595 14 1,112 330
Salford 4,175 409 398
Sheffield 6,525 171 1,199 188
Southampton 5,252 965 371
Surrey 2,827 445 379
Sussex 3,579 862 220
Warwick 4,314 59 594 274
York 2,703 549 188
Aberystwyth U.C. 2,597 1 536 16
Bangor U.C. 2,318 17 535 142
Cardiff U.C. 4,395 80 1,097 462
St. David's Lampeter 677 36 24
Swansea U.C. 3,221 197 683 72
Welsh National School of Medicine 664 3 68 46
University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology 2,479 375 66
Aberdeen 4,878 634 171
Dundee 2,464 332 227
Edinburgh 8,323 129 1,219 620
Glasgow 8,940 430 787 884
Heriot-Watt 2,749 52 325 292
St. Andrews 3,176 1 222 107
Stirling 2,487 14 205 213
Strathclyde 5,552 24 992 450