asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was spent on research programmes on drug-taking in the last calendar year for which figures are available.

During 1985, £234,000 was spent in England and Wales on centrally-funded research into the health and social services aspects of drug misuse. This includes £141,000 spent on researching and evaluating a national campaign of education and information.I understand that the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science, is also funding research on addictions.