§ Mrs. RoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to increase the funding of research into Alzheimer's disease being carried out at St. Mary's hospital, Paddington;
(2) if he will make a statement on the funding of research into Alzheimer's disease.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe Medical Research Council, the main Government agency for the support of medical research in this country, is funded from this Department's science budget. The MRC's grant-in-aid from the science budget has increased by about 28 per cent. in real terms since 1979–80. It is an independent body, however, and our policy is not to intervene in the MRC's judgment of its research priorities. Last month we announced a planned rising profile for the science budget generally over the next three years. That will enable the MRC to launch its "Neurosciences Approach to Human Health", so expanding its programme of research on the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Region1 Kidney Pancreas Liver Heart Lung Northern 242 0 0 38 38 Yorkshire 220 0 6 2 1 Trent 354 1 0 9 0 East Anglia 120 0 11 23 20 North West Thames 233 1 8 152 48 North East Thames 466 0 5 16 2 South East Thames 309 1 16 0 0 South West Thames 81 1 0 9 0 Wessex 108 0 0 0 0 Oxford 93 0 0 0 0 South Western 216 0 0 0 0 West Midlands 381 0 34 0 0 Mersey 131 0 0 0 0 North Western 340 1 0 32 2 Total 3,294 5 80 281 111 1 Based on information provided by the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority as at 3 January 1992. In addition to research council funding, substantial public funding for medical and other research at universities is provided by the Universities Funding Council as part of its block grant to institutions, which are free to dispose of it in accordance with their academic and research priorities. The distribution of grant between universities is a matter for the UFC. Research funding is also provided through the health departments and health authorities. The Government welcome, moreover, the very important contribution made by the medical research charities and has introduced a more favourable tax regime to encourage support for charities.