§ Baroness Nicolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any research has been undertaken, or is being planned, to establish the cause of recent birth deformities of the hand and arm of babies on the Isle of Wight.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege):At various times during the past 10 years there have been reports of apparent clusters of congenital limb defects including those on the Isle of Wight. In October 1994 the Government established the Advisory Group on Congenital Limb Defects to advise whether useful new information could be gained from further epidemiological research and, if so, to determine the best way of making progress. The group's report, published on 3 February, copies of which are available in the Library, sets out a programme of action which we intend to take forward. The group recommended a detailed, thorough review of all current relevant research and this is already in hand. Three other lines of enquiry identified by the group are being explored by the Department of Health in consultation with the Medical Research Council.