To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to research into the use of probiotics to rebalance human skin microflora. [HL2075]

Neither the department's National Institute for Health Research nor the Medical Research Council (MRC) is currently funding research into the use of probiotics to rebalance human skin microflora.

The MRC contributes to the Diet and Health Research Industry Club. This is a £10 million, five-year partnership between the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and a consortium of leading companies, aimed at helping the food industry to develop products that deliver enhanced health benefits for consumers. The MRC has committed to fund research projects that fall within its remit although to date none has covered probiotics.