Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for the funding of the UK stem cell donor register and cord blood programme over the next five years.

Since 2011, the Department has provided our delivery partners, NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan, a total of £16 million in additional, new funding to improve stem cell transplantation services in the United Kingdom. Further funding of £3 million has already been confirmed for 2015-16. Budgets for 2016-17 will be determined following the next Spending Review.

This funding already provided has led to a tangible improvement in the availability of stem cells in the UK and the achievements include:

- More UK patients received a stem cell transplant in 2014 than ever before.

- Over 60% of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) patients are now able to find a well matched donor compared to only 40% in 2010.

- A single unified bone marrow donor registry has been created streamlining the provision of stem cells and reducing the time to provide cells from adult donors.

- The proportion of patients receiving cord blood from UK donors has significantly increased.

- The increased use of UK-sourced stem cells has meant that more donors than ever are available to donate leading to a significant cost saving by reducing the need to import stem cells.