§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to(a) improving awareness and education and (b) research regarding autistic spectrum disorders in each of the last five years. [187774]
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§ Dr. LadymanThrough grants to the National Autistic Society, the Department has funded a range of projects to increase awareness and understanding of autism. The funding since 1999 is shown in the table. An additional £156,000 grant, over three years, was announced in May 2004.
£ 1999–2000 40,000 2000–01 40,000 2001–02 86,000 2002–03 97,000 2003–04 100,000 2004–05 56,000 The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology, part of the Department of Trade and Industry 'Be MRC spend on autism since 1998 is shown in the table.
£ million 1998–99 1.04 1999–2000 1.11 2000–01 1.18 2001–02 1.26 2002–03 1.30 In addition the Department allocated a further £2.5 million to the MRC in 2001–02, earmarked specifically for autism research. The Scottish Executive has given the MRC a further £250,000.