Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of access scanner capacity to support increased brain tumour research.

The Department invests approximately £1.8 billion each year on research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Department’s investment in the NIHR facilitates the direct funding of research projects through NIHR programmes, support for researchers to develop and conduct research through NIHR translational infrastructure, and a workforce to deliver research on behalf of other funders through NIHR research delivery infrastructure.

The NIHR capital investment funding opportunity provides funding for cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets to strengthen research capacity. In March 2026, the NIHR launched a new £55 million Capital Investment Funding call, funded in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry’s Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth Investment Programme. Medical scanning equipment and related items that support commercial research are eligible for funding through this call. No assessment has been made of the adequacy of funding allocated for scanner capacity specifically for brain cancer research.

In addition, we have demonstrated our commitment to transforming diagnostic services through a £2.3 billion investment into diagnostic capacity, which will provide the National Health Service with the tools they need to deliver an additional 9.5 million tests by 2029.