§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into back pain in school children; [6818]
(2) what (a) discussion and (b) joint actions his Department has initiated with the Department for Education and Employment in respect of (a) research and (b) solutions for back problems in school children. [6834]
§ Mr. BoatengThe main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The Council is not currently funding any research into back pain in school children. Nevertheless, it always welcomes high-quality applications and these are judged in open competition with other demands for funding, and awarded according to their scientific quality.
Both the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Employment are aware of the research which the National Back Pain Association is currently conducting into factors which might cause back pain in school children. Once the results of that research are available, we will be better able to judge what joint initiatives might be appropriate.