§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Medical Research Council in relation to the closure in 1995 of the epidemiology unit at Llandough hospital; what provision he will arrange in relation to the Caerphilly study into factors affecting heart disease incidence; what other proposals for medical research in Wales he has exchanged with the research council; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gwilym Jones[holding answer 11 January 1993]: Officials were involved in the review of the Medical Research Council-funded epidemiology unit and keep in close touch with the MRC as a matter of course. Senior officials, including the chief medical officer, met the Secretary of the Medical Research Council in Cardiff on 12 November 1992 to discuss the closure of the unit, and the future Medical Research Council developments in Wales. I am pleased to say that the Medical Research Council has endorsed the recommendation of its systems board that the Caerphilly study should continue to be supported through to the completion of phase IV, which will require work beyond the closure date of the unit.
I consider a sound research base very important and I am keen to see Medical Research Council investment in Wales maintained. Thus, I am encouraged to note that the Medical Research Council is discussing with researchers in Wales a number of possible projects under the clinical research initiative.