§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into(a) the incidence of multiple sclerosis and (b) the incidence of clusters of multiple sclerosis, with particular reference to West Craven. [9692]
§ Mr. BowisThe Government are funding research designed to investigate the causes of multiple sclerosis and the effectiveness of new treatments. My Department has no current proposals for research in the areas suggested. However, the main agency through which the Government supports biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade. The MRC is always willing to consider high quality research proposals.