Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates he has made of the potential costs to the NHS as a consequence of the loss of income to medical charities as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Science and innovation is a priority for the Government. That is why we have committed to increase economywide investment in R&D to 2.4%, and at Budget 2020, announced the biggest ever uplift in public R&D investment. The Budget also provided the British Business Bank with £200 million of additional funding for health technology and life sciences firms. Over the next five years this is expected to attract a further £400 million of additional private investment for the sector which will also help bring new and promising health innovation to the market and reach more people.

To deal with the immediate situation, the Government has set out a £750 million package of support for charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis. Part of the funding for charities is being disbursed with £360 million directly allocated by government departments. The most up to date information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector#government-financial-support-for-charities. Our aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.

Health services have never been more needed than they are now. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is responsible for allocating funding to health charities and making decisions about the criteria and effectiveness of the services they are funding. Further details about funding awarded to this sector and the types or organisations supported is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/22-million-awarded-to-life-saving-health-charities-during-virus-outbreak.