Plea for cancer research funds to continue

EDINBURGH South Labour MSP Ian Murray is appealing to the UK government not to withdraw support for vital research into breast cancer and other potentially terminal illnesses.

The Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF) was set up by the last government in 2004 to help pay for scientists, materials, university labs and associated costs which would otherwise be unaffordable.

Without a commitment to maintain the current level of funding beyond 2011, a sharp fall is expected in medical research supported by charities, such as Breast Cancer Care.

Mr Murray said: "The CRSF is vital to enable charities to carry out research to find treatments that will ultimately improve patient outcomes."