§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether prompt release of results is a condition of Medical Research Council grants for prion research [HL1613]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe MRC expect all grant holders to disseminate the results of their work promptly and dissemination plans must be detailed in research proposals. This is generally through publication in peer reviewed scientific journals.
In addition, the main organisations that fund research on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) hold annual workshops where all current TSE grant holders present progress reports and preliminary findings. Such findings for particular studies may be made publicly available at an early stage, with the agreement of the investigators and the funders.
In circumstances regarding the release of sensitive information, the MRC may discuss the research outcome with relevant government departments prior to release, This is part of the normal process and would not be expected to delay release.