§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he has commissioned to investigate the causes of cerebral palsy.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Scottish Home and Health Department has not funded any research specifically to investigate the causes of cerebral palsy. It has funded some research which might be relevant to this condition. Funds are available and applications for soundly based research will be sympathetically considered.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to monitor trends in cerebral palsy.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythHealth boards monitor the numbers of children with cerebral palsy who are less than 16 years old. The information is held by the information services division of the Scottish Health Service's common services agency in the handicapped children's register.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of children born in Scotland, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, who have been diagnosed as having cerebral palsy.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe information is as follows:
Children with cerebral palsy new registrations in year ending 31 December Year Number 1978 79 1979 n/a 1980 69 1981 78 1982 124 1983 75 1984 69 1985 100 1986 70 1987 92