To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to fund and carry out research into multiple sclerosis.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. CSO is largely a response mode funder of research and this role is well known and advertised throughout the health care and academic community.

CSO is not currently directly funding any research projects into multiple sclerosis (MS) but would be pleased to consider funding research proposals for innovative MS studies of a sufficiently high standard. These would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.