§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what investigations or research have been undertaken on the health risks, including any carcinogenic properties of bracken;
(2) if he has any information on studies linking rates of cancer incidence to the contamination of water supplies by chemicals emanating from bracken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyI am advised that there is little evidence to link human disease in the United Kingdom with bracken. No research in this field is being undertaken by the Department or by the Medical Research Council which is the main Government-funded body dealing with cancer and is funded from the science vote of the Department of Education and Science.