asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research programmes have currently been authorised in Scotland into the early diagnosis of spina bifida during pregnancy, with particular reference to ensuring that the present amniocentesis test has increased reliability.

I understand that at present there are two major programmes of research in Scotland into the diagnosis of spina bifida in early pregnancy, one in Glasgow University and one in Edinburgh University. These programmes are concerned with methods of diagnosis other than through amniocentesis, which has largely passed the research stage, but are inevitably concerned with that procedure also.