Written question asked by Steve Webb (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 6 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 10 October 2006. It was answered by Caroline Flint (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 October 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Childhood Obesity

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Department has withdrawn its funding for the study into the link between childhood obesity and diabetes at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth.

Answer: The Department has never made a commitment to long-term funding of the EarlyBird study into the link between childhood obesity and diabetes, but responded in 2005 to a request for ““stop-gap”” funding to contribute to the continuity of staff contracts pending the outcome of their bid to a major research funder. Although a figure of up to £90,000 had originally been discussed with the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, funding was limited to a payment of £50,000.

Secondary information