Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish how the Government allocates new funding for (a) the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Research Mission and (b) other brain tumour research.

The Department’s funding for all brain tumour research will be invested through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR focusses on supporting health and care research, and translating discoveries into practical products, treatments, devices and procedures.

Applications to the NIHR for research funding are subject to scientific peer review, with awards being made on the basis of value for money, scientific quality and the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services. Details on the NIHR’s general assessment criteria can be found at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-and-support/documents/funding-for-research-studies/how-to-apply/general-assessment-criteria.pdf

We are relying on researchers to submit high-quality research proposals in this very difficult area. To encourage such applications we have released an NIHR Highlight Notice on brain tumour research asking research teams to submit collaborative applications building on recent initiatives and investments. We are also working closely with research funding partners such as Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, and brain tumour charities, who fund research into new scientific discoveries. We stand ready to translate these new discoveries as quickly as possible into new treatments and diagnostics for patients via the NIHR.