§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked 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. MacfarlaneThe 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.
427WI 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