Friedreich's Ataxia

HC Deb 25 June 1990 vol 175 c86W

Mr. Ted Garrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a separate unitary fund for research into Friedreich's Ataxia.

Mr. Dorrell

We have no plans to do so. The Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives grant in aid frorn the Department of Education and Science, is the main Government agency for the promotion of biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom. In 1988–89, the last financial year for which figures are available, the MRC spent £197,000 on research projects which were relevant to Friedreich's Ataxia. The council is always willing to consider soundly based proposals for research funding in competition with other applications. In addition to this, university departments and medical schools, with support from University Funding Council block grants and health authorities, may be undertaking research into Friedreich's Ataxia; information on this is not collected centrally.