Oral Answers to Questions

Frank McNally Excerpts

Wednesday 26th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Peter Kyle]

The hon. Gentleman is right to ask that question. The Government are acting on it, and the Health Secretary has been acting on it. I myself have contacted all Government Departments on the back of that important review to ensure that every Department is aware of it, of some of its contents, and of its relevance to different Departments, and I will be meeting the author in the coming days and weeks to ensure that she is satisfied with the action that the Government are taking.

[Frank McNally (Coatbridge and Bellshill) (Lab)]

2. If he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on providing additional support for research into motor neurone disease.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Feryal Clark)]

We work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to support research into this terrible disease. UK Research and Innovation invested £10 million in MND research in 2023-24, and it also plays a key role in funding the underpinning research that benefits medical research more generally. Since 2022, the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research have awarded £2.8 million to MND projects led by Scottish research organisations.

[Frank McNally]

My hon. Friend will know of the important work of MND campaigners, including my constituent Mark Sommerville, who are seeking more Government investment in MND research. I recognise that any further plans for research and development investment would be outlined after the spending review in June, but can my hon. Friend give some reassurance to those with MND and their families, for whom time matters so much, that the Department is giving consideration to boosting investment in MND research, working with key partners to accelerate the development of new treatments?

[Feryal Clark]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to the work of the Mark Sommerville Foundation in this important area. Government funders are investing in MND research to accelerate progress. Let me give just one example. Through UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Government are investing £6 million in the MND translational accelerator, led by Dementias Platform UK. The aim of the funded projects is to accelerate the development of treatment for MND.

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[The Prime Minister]

I have full confidence in the Chancellor—thank you.

[Frank McNally (Coatbridge and Bellshill) (Lab)]

Q14. Albion Rovers has been a football institution in Coatbridge since 1882. However, following relegation and the lack of financial support for teams leaving professional leagues, it now faces a deeply perilous situation, and the very future of one of Scotland’s oldest football clubs is at risk. Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that clubs such as Albion Rovers are integral to the fabric of our communities? Will he join me in encouraging all parties to be solution-focused on this matter, and in encouraging football authorities to strengthen our clubs in the lower leagues to help protect their future?