§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing research programmes into conditions of dystonia;[7711]
(2) what research his Department is sponsoring into (a) a cure for and (b) treatment of conditions of dystonia.[7710]
§ Mr. HuttonThe cause of dystonia is unknown and there is not, currently, an effective cure. That is why the research being carried out by the Medical Research Council (MRC) is so important. The MRC is the main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatment of disease and is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC has provided substantial funding for research into the causes of dystonia and other movement disorders. The Medical Research Council spent £2.25 million in 2000–01 on dystonia research.
Current projects being supported are:
Dr. R. Apps—"Role of climbing fibre pathways in movement controlProfessor R. N. Lemon—"Neural control of movementProfessor Rothwell—"Neuronal pathways underlying central nervous system responses to injury and diseaseProfessor P. G. Morris—"Fundamental improvements to functional magnetic resonance imaging and their application to hearing, movement disorder and stroke29WProfessor Rothwell—"Physiology and pathophysiology of voluntary limb and trunk movement" 'Dr. A. M. Bronstein "Visual and autonomic influences on balance mechanisms.The Department keeps priorities for research under review and these are determined through discussion with the departmental research committee and others. In the national health service, priorities are identified through widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services.