§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the occasions on which the Medical Research Council has sought funding for research on AIDS since 1983; and what was the outcome in each case.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply of 18 December 1986 to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley) at columns 666–67.
The Medical Research Council has supported research on AIDS from within its science budget allocation since 1983. They have sought additional funding for this research on two occasions.
In 1985 the council sought £0.5 million a year from 1986–87 to fund an epidemiological research centre to monitor the spread of AIDS in the United Kingdom. The greater part of the cost (£0.3 million) was met by a contribution from the health departments. The council met the remaining £0.2 million from its science budget allocation for 1986–87 onwards (which included £2.5 million new money).