Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include diffuse astrocytoma brain tumours and all grades of brain tumour subtypes.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for all cancer patients, including those with brain tumours.

Although low-grade brain tumours are generally non-cancerous, they can have similar, serious symptoms and require surgery or radiotherapy to treat. The Government has invested in new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

The plan will include further details on how we will speed up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the last funding reviews of (1) the Medical Research Council, and (2) the National Institute for Health and Care Research, took place, and when the next funding reviews will be undertaken.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 2024 Autumn Budget set 2025/26 departmental budgets, including funding for health and social care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). The current Spending Review, which will conclude in June, will consider levels of Government funding for health and social care research through the NIHR, the MRC, and elsewhere for subsequent years.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the increase of incidents of (1) diffuse astrocytoma and (2) low grade gliomas will be considered when allocating research funding for these conditions to the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Over the last ten years, the Department has invested £407,665 across three projects into research for astrocytoma brain tumours, and £632,742 across four projects into research for low grade gliomas through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

More broadly, in the five years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the NIHR has directly invested £11.3 million in brain cancer research projects and programmes across 15 awards, with wider investments in NIHR research infrastructure, including facilities, services, and the research workforce, at a value of an estimated £31.5 million 2022/23, and has enabled 227 brain cancer research studies to take place over the same period. In total NIHR investments have enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research in the National Health Service over this time.

Over five years between 2020 and 2024, the Medical Research Council (MRC) also committed £12.6 million to brain tumour research, including £7.4 million for glioma research. This includes two PhD studentships related to low grade glioma. The MRC did not commit any specific funding for astrocytoma research in this period.

In September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. Further details can be found on the NIHR’s website, in an online only format.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including astrocytoma brain tumours and low-grade gliomas. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have spent and how much funding they have allocated for research into the treatment of (1) astrocytoma brain tumours and (2) low grade gliomas in each of the past 10 years.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Over the last ten years, the Department has invested £407,665 across three projects into research for astrocytoma brain tumours, and £632,742 across four projects into research for low grade gliomas through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

More broadly, in the five years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the NIHR has directly invested £11.3 million in brain cancer research projects and programmes across 15 awards, with wider investments in NIHR research infrastructure, including facilities, services, and the research workforce, at a value of an estimated £31.5 million 2022/23, and has enabled 227 brain cancer research studies to take place over the same period. In total NIHR investments have enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research in the National Health Service over this time.

Over five years between 2020 and 2024, the Medical Research Council (MRC) also committed £12.6 million to brain tumour research, including £7.4 million for glioma research. This includes two PhD studentships related to low grade glioma. The MRC did not commit any specific funding for astrocytoma research in this period.

In September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. Further details can be found on the NIHR’s website, in an online only format.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including astrocytoma brain tumours and low-grade gliomas. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Found: members’ bills include: • Richard Fuller (2021) Conservative MP for North Bedfordshire39 • Lord Randall of Uxbridge