§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount of public expenditure on kidney research during 1979, 1980 and to the latest available date in 1981; and if he will now allocate additional funds for research in this area.
§ Mr. William SheltonThe figures for the last three financial years of actual expenditure on research directly relevant to kidney and urinary tract diseases by the Medical Research Council—MRC—and on kidney research and development by the Department of Health and Social Security are as follows:
1978–79 £ 1979–80 £ 1980–81 £ MRC 365, 000 584, 000 640, 000 DHSS 231, 700 427, 400 559, 200 Funds were not allocated to kidney research in these years by the universities, using money from the block grants made available through the University Grants Committee for teaching and research.
It is for the MRC to decide the apportionment of its grant-in-aid from my Department's science budget. The MRC is always prepared to consider support for scientifically sound research proposals.
I understand that the health departments regularly review their research priorities.