§ Ms. LynneTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much Government aid has been given since 1979 for research into(a) the causes and (b) potential cures of (i) cancer and (ii) AIDS.
§ Mr. Robert Jackson[holding answer 18 November 1992]: The main Government agency for the funding of medical research is the Medical Research Council. Between 1979–80 and 1991–92, MRC total expenditure on research specifically related to cancer was £142 million. The MRC also supports research which is more general in its application but is also likely to be relevant to cancer; it estimates that it spent £73 million on such research in 1991–92. Information is not collected centrally on other Government-funded expenditure on cancer research undertaken by university departments and medical schools, health departments or health authorities.
Information on Government support for AIDS research has been collected since 1986–87. Over the period 1986–87 to 1992–93 an estimated £105 million has been devoted by Government to AIDS research. This figure excludes expenditure by university departments and medical schools on research funded by the Government through the Universities Funding Council.
It is not possible separately to identify research expenditure on the causes and cures of cancer or AIDS.