HC Deb 15 April 1985 vol 77 c5W
Mr. John Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what Government funded research is at present being conducted into the cause and cure of muscular atrophy.

Mr. Brooke

The Medical Research Council, which receives 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 MRC is currently funding 37 projects into the cause and cure of muscular atrophy and that total expenditure on such research in the financial year 1983–84 (including expenditure on projects which could prove relevant to muscular atrophy) amounted to £1.1 million. I understand that research work relevant to muscular atrophy may also be conducted in universities and medical schools using funds allocated for teaching and research on the advice of the University Grants Committee, but details of such work are not collected centrally.