§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the expenditure within the UK from (a) public and (b) private funds on research into the prevalence and causes (medical, social and psychological) of human infertility; and
What is the expenditure in the UK from (a) public and (b) private funds on research into the medical relief of human infertility.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Education and Science (Baroness Hooper)The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main government agency for the direct support of biomedical research. In the financial year 1986–87 I understand that the MRC spent £2.3 million on work directly relevant to human infertility and a further £1.2 million on research with a minor component related to fertility and infertility. Details of research into the medical relief, prevalence and causes of infertility cannot be identified separately.
Research into human infertility is also carried out in universities and medical schools using funds for teaching and research allocated by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science on advice from the University Grants Committee. Information on the extent of both this work and of research in the private sector is not held centrally.