§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the level of funding of tropical medicine research; and what conveniently available figures he has for the funding of tropical medicine research from 1978 to 1984.
§ Mr. BrookeThe Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through the Department, is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical research in the United Kingdom. I understand that the expenditure by the council in the field of tropical medicine research between 1978 and 1984, including both grant-in-aid funds and funds provided by, and administered on behalf of, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, was as follows:
Financial Year £000 (cash) 1978–79 3,692 1979–80 4,847 1980–81 5,878 1981–82 6,718 1982–83 7,618 1983–84 8,388 1984–85 N/A See below It is for the council to decide on the distribution of the resources available to it between research in the various areas of medical science, including tropical medicine research. I understand that the reduction in the recurrent expenses budgets of the council's units for 1984–85, which was implemented early in the present financial year, affected the units engaged in tropical medicine research equally with MRC's other units.
Tropical medicine research is also supported by universities and medical schools using funds allocated for teaching and research on the advice of the University Grants Committee. No figures are available. The voluntary charities also fund valuable work in this area.