§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider halting the Medical Research Council's study of the effect of folic acid in reducing the incidence of neural tube disorders until his Department studies the details and implications of the study proposed to be carried out on 15,000 normal mothers by Professor Nevin at Queen's university, Belfast.
§ Mr. William SheltonI understand that the Medical Research Council is aware of the study now under consideration by Professor Nevin in Belfast, which is still in the planning stage. The fact that it is likely to be based on a population of women who have not had a neural tube defect pregnancy indicates that it will study a different question from that addressed by the MRC trial. I endorse the MRC's view that the need to undertake the trial remains unchanged.