Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research into new treatments for people living with Parkinson's disease.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government has committed to invest at least £375 million in neurodegenerative disease research over the next five years to fund projects into a range of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. This funding will be made available through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The NIHR and UKRI welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including new treatments for people living with Parkinson’s disease. The usual practice of the NIHR and UKRI is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics. All applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In 2019/20, the NIHR and UKRI provided a combined £15.3 million for research into Parkinson’s disease.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been provided by the Government for site-specific brain tumour research each year in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021 and (e) 2022 to date.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The information is not held in the format requested.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The following table shows the funding provided for site-specific brain tumour research in each financial year since 2018/19. This does not include the NHIR’s infrastructure spending.
2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
£2.9 million | £432,000 | £2.1 million | £5.3 million |
The decrease in funding in 2019/20 was due to the number of unsuccessful brain tumour applications. We rely on researchers to submit high-quality funding proposals within a difficult area with a small research community. The NIHR released an announcement to the research community in April 2018, making clear the desire to receive brain tumour research funding applications. Additionally, working closely with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, we have held customised workshops to support the research community in submitting more fundable research applications to the NIHR. All applications which were fundable in open competition have been funded. We will also provide funding for the research training elements of the Tessa Jowell Fellowships to train specialist brain tumour oncologists and therefore increase the research community.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on creating a national vaccine strategy; and if he will publish a timeline for its publication.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
England’s national all vaccine strategy has been delayed as a result of the Department’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy is being kept under review given the continuously evolving understanding of COVID-19, its vaccines and vaccination programmes and the impact of these developments.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been allocated by Government bodies and agencies to (a) site-specific brain tumour research, (b) site-specific breast cancer research, (c) site-specific prostate cancer research and (d) site-specific leukaemia research since 2002.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government funds research via many routes therefore there is not a single repository of funding. Government funders of health research do not allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area is determined by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications.
The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), which is a strategic partnership of United Kingdom cancer research funders. The following table shows total site-specific research spending by the NCRI’s Government partners for the period 2002/03 to 2019/20, the most recent data available.
Brain tumour | £24,848,028.73 |
Breast cancer | £148,744,495.51 |
Leukaemia | £130,655,832.13 |
Prostate cancer | £128,591,592.80 |
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on how much is spent annually on cancer research in the UK (a) through NCRI partners and (b) by all those that conduct cancer research.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The following table shows annual spending on cancer research in the United Kingdom through National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) partners between 2017/18 and 2019/20. Data for 2020/21 is not yet available.
2017/18 | £682 million |
2018/19 | £687 million |
2019/20 | £669 million |
Data on research funded by all those that conduct cancer research is not held centrally. NCRI is a UK-wide partnership between research funders to maximise the value and benefits of cancer research for patients and the public. NCRI’s partners consist of over 20 organisations, including UK Research and Innovation; the Medical Research Council; Blood Cancer UK; Brain Tumour Research; Cancer Research UK; Breast Cancer Now; Cancer Research Wales; and the National Institute for Health Research. The full list of partners is available at the following link:
https://www.ncri.org.uk/about-us/our-partners/
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, how much and what proportion of the additional funding for health research and development his Department plans to allocate to improving understanding of the (a) causes, (b) prevention and (c) treatment of dementia.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Funding for dementia research is provided through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The NIHR and UKRI rely on researchers submitting high-quality applications to access funding, therefore details of allocations are not currently available. All 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.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect immunosuppressed people from covid-19 and (b) ensure that they have access to quick and accurate testing for covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19, is available at the following link:
NHS England and NHS Improvement has written to General Practices (GP) and hospital trusts in England to raise awareness of this new guidance.
All those who are severely immunosuppressed are eligible for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of their primary course, and a booster (fourth dose).
From 16 December 2021, the National Health Service (NHS) is offering new monoclonal antibody and antiviral treatments to people at greater risk from COVID-19. These treatments are licensed for use in non-hospitalised patients to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death. These include the two oral antivirals procured by the Antivirals Taskforce, as well as the monoclonal antibody treatment.
There are two routes to accessing new COVID-19 treatments for non-hospitalised patients this winter. People who are higher risk of COVID-19 (potentially including where this is due to their immune system) can access this or other treatment through the COVID Medicine Delivery Units. The second route has made oral antivirals available through a national study called PANORAMIC, run by the University of Oxford in close collaboration with GP hubs. It is for United Kingdom patients at risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
We have multiple channels through which both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and lateral flow device (LFD) testing is available for all. PCR tests can be ordered to the home, and can also be carried out at test sites. LFDs can be ordered through gov.uk and collected from pharmacies.
For immunosuppressed people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and antivirals, we have a bespoke priority PCR testing system in place to ensure they have swift turnaround times on their tests should they require further treatment if they are positive. All eligible people have been contacted by the NHS.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure the HIV prevention drug PrEP is made available in settings other than sexual health services.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
‘Towards Zero: the HIV Action Plan for England - 2022 to 2025’ published in December 2021 commits to develop a bespoke plan to drive innovation in pre-exposure prophylaxis delivery to improve access for key groups, including provision in settings other than sexual health services.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish data on the uptake of the HIV prevention drug PrEP; and whether that data will be broken down by (a) key population groups at risk of HIV and (b) region.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The deployment of routine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) began in England in autumn 2020. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is analysing data on the uptake of PrEP among different population groups in various geographical regions. The GUMCAD STI Surveillance System collects data on PrEP eligibility, offer and use and the number of tablets prescribed. Data on PrEP need and use will be published in routine sexually transmitted infections and HIV surveillance data. A phased approach to publication will take place starting later this year after a full year of data for 2021 has been reported to the UKHSA. Where possible and depending on the intended publication, the indicators will be presented by key population group and geographical region.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of potential effective treatments for MND; and what assessment he has made of the impact of funding levels on research into effective treatments for MND.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
There have been no specific assessments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of motor neurone disease (MND). This aims to improve care from the time of diagnosis and covers information and support, organisation of care, managing symptoms and preparing for end of life care. In addition, NICE has published technology appraisals guidance on riluzole, which is recommended for the treatment of individuals with the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis form of MND.
We have committed £50 million for MND research over the next five years. New, innovative projects will help researchers to better understand the disease and its related conditions, develop and test treatments and improve care for those living with MND. We will also establish the National Institute for Health Research’s MND Research Unit to coordinate innovative research applications with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.