Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the life sciences sector to develop drugs to eliminate TB.

The Government is committed to renewing UK leadership in Life Sciences, working in partnership with industry to drive innovation and treatments in key disease areas which help patients.

The Medical Research Council have funded a project at University College London to develop new antibiotics for the treatment of TB. Our Joint Global Health Trials Scheme is also collaborating between MRC, FCDO, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Welcome Trust on a project specifically looking to improve outcomes for children with TB. We will continue to work with and support the sector in developing treatments for diseases such as TB.