Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to support research into mesothelioma.

The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including mesothelioma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition. These funders together spent over £3 million on mesothelioma research in 2014/15.

Following a themed call for mesothelioma research proposals, the NIHR has approved funding for two new projects (a total of about £0.5 million subject to contract) and a further two applications are currently under review.