Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Cancer Plan will include measures to improve cancer research capacity in hospitals in the North of England.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.6 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is a major area of NIHR spending at £141.6 million in 2024/25, reflecting its high priority. Research is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. The plan will seek to ensure advances in cancer research benefit patients across the country, including the North of England.

The Department is committed to funding health and care research via the NIHR across England, to ensure that the research we support is inclusive and representative of the populations we serve.

NIHR research infrastructure has national coverage across the whole of England across all geographies and settings. Our infrastructure schemes aim to build research capacity and capability across the country across all geographies and settings. In line with prior commitments, the Department has increased funding for research infrastructure schemes delivering cancer research in northern regions, including Biomedical Research Centres, Clinical Research Facilities, and HealthTech Research Centres.

Through the NIHR Research Delivery Network, the NIHR provides funding and support to the National Health Service and other providers to deliver research, operating across 12 regions throughout the country. The North West, North East and North Cumbria, and Yorkshire and Humber Regional Research Delivery Networks operate in all NHS trusts that span the north of England, giving researchers and delivery teams the practical support they need locally so that more research can take place, and more people can take part.