Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's announcement that £375 million will be made available for research into neurodegenerative diseases, published on 14 November 2021, whether the new Motor Neurone Disease Research Unit will focus on human relevant methods such as the use of advanced cultures of human cells and tissues, artificial intelligence and organ-on-a-chip technology.

The Government delivers research on motor neurone disease (MND) through the Department of Health and Social Care, via the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and through the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Government has committed £50 million for MND research over the next five years through the NIHR and UKRI and to establish the NIHR’s MND Research Unit to coordinate innovative research applications.

The NIHR and UKRI rely on researchers submitting high-quality applications to access funding. The usual practice of the NIHR and UKRI is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics, such as research on advanced cultures of human cells and tissues. All applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. We are launching a MND partnership call across Government and charity funders to support collaboration and accelerate the delivery of new treatments.

The NIHR’s funding is focused on translational, clinical and applied health and care research. Research on the use of advanced cultures of human cells and tissues and organ-on-a-chip technology will therefore not be in the remit of the NIHR’s MND Research Unit. The NIHR has funding streams to support health and care research that involves artificial intelligence.