§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of research into the sudden infant death syndrome and the Government's contribution to such research.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Medical Research Council (MRC), the main agency through which the Government sponsors biomedical and clinical research, has, over the years, funded a wide range of research related to sudden infant death syndrome.
I am, however, advised that no particular clinical factors have yet been unequivocally identified as the cause of sudden infant death syndrome. For current MRC research I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend, the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) on 20 February at columns 524–5. A number of epidemiological factors have been shown to be associated with sudden infant death syndrome. But again none have been unequivocally identified as the cause.