Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current level of funding for research into fungal infections is; and what the projected budget for such research is for the next five years.

The Department’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including fungal infection research. However, it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In the last five years, the NIHR has invested more than £6 million in research into fungal infection.