§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by her Department to co-ordinate research into the causes of asthma among(a) adults and (b) children; and how much is spent on research in this area.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department of Health is a founder member of the Respiratory Research Liaison Committee, which includes the major organisations with a research interest in respiratory diseases. The committee has a considerable interest in asthma. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 February at column627. In addition, the national health service research and development strategy is determining research priorities on a range of difficult problems of direct relevance to the NHS and work is planned to establish detailed priorities in the field of respiratory diseases across all age groups.
The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1992–93 the MRC spent £759,000 on research into asthma and a further £757,000 on research which may be relevant to the condition.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have been held with the Department for Education concerning children's asthma and the effect on education; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. BowisRecent discussions have related to inquiries from teachers about children in need of medication for the relief of asthma. It has been agreed that teachers should, in consultation with parents and with appropriate medical advice, do all that is reasonable to enable these children to obtain maximum benefit from education and to participate as fully as possible in school life. Where possible children should be encouraged to manage their own condition with the support, as necessary, of teaching and school health service staff.