I should like to thank the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) for raising this important topic. As he said, multiple sclerosis is a complex and distressing condition, which is estimated to affect more than 80,000 people in the UK, often starting in early adulthood. It places a major burden on health and social services, and, most significantly, on the individuals who suffer from it and their carers, who play such a vital role in looking after family members or friends who, sadly, are afflicted with this condition.

My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to doing all we can to help the health service alleviate the symptoms of people with multiple sclerosis, so that they can get on with their lives, because unfortunately there is as yet no cure. That is why the Government are funding—through the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health—research designed to investigate the causes of multiple sclerosis and the effectiveness of new treatments, as well as research in the two broader areas of auto-immune diseases and diseases of the central nervous system, which both underpin MS research.

With respect, the hon. Gentleman was a little churlish when he talked about the Government funding of research for MS and other related problems. In the past six years, Department of Health and Medical Research Council funding for MS has amounted to more than £2 million. As the hon. Gentleman may be aware, the Multiple Sclerosis Society has made an application for section 64 funding, which is being considered by the Department. I hope that it will be able to decide and make an announcement in the not too distant future. The MRC is also funding research into auto-immune diseases. We are committed to providing resources from central Government to help with that research

I applaud the work that is being done by the Multiple Sclerosis Society, both in providing information, support and advice to people with MS and their families, who need this assistance now, and in looking to the future by funding a major programme of research. Its "Manifesto for Multiple Sclerosis" highlights the critical importance of co-ordinated care and of planning services to enable funding to be used more effectively, and that is a message that I wholeheartedly support. It is relevant to all NHS services, not just to those for people with MS, and it is at the heart of the purpose of the NHS: To secure through the resources available the greatest possible improvement in the physical and mental health of the people of England. We are gradually witnessing the emergence of new therapies for multiple sclerosis. In the past year or so, there has been particular interest in the development of the group of drugs known as beta interferons, as the hon. Gentleman said.

So far, only one beta interferon drug—a beta interferon 1b drug known as Betaferon—has been licensed for prescription in the United Kingdom. This drug received a European marketing authorisation in December 1995 and is licensed for use by certain people who suffer from the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis.

The drug is not a cure. It is not suitable for all those with MS. So far, our experience of it has been limited. However, it has been described as a "promising newcomer", and, in line with the Government's commitment to ensuring that patients receive treatments that doctors judge to be clinically necessary, it has been available under the NHS since it was licensed.