§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much expenditure is undertaken by his Department each year on research into the causes and treatment of food and chemical allergies.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe Department does not fund research into the causes and treatment of food and chemical allergies. I understand that the Medical Research Council which is funded by grant-in-aid from the Science Vote of the Department of Education and Science, is carrying out some research in this area.
I am also advised that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has commissioned a study to obtain better information on the frequency with which allergic reactions to foods and food additives occur. The cost of this study is estimated to be £300,000 over a 3-year period.