Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to increase funding allocated to medical research in the North East.

In 2018, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) spent over £32m on health-related research in the North East.

UKRI, funds medical research primarily through the Medical Research Council (MRC). UKRI welcomes investigator-led proposals from the North-East and a key consideration for a future strategy is how UKRI research can best benefit the regions in the UK.

The MRC has a number of investments based in the North East including the MRC-Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Musculoskeletal Research which is a collaboration between research and clinicians at Newcastle University, the University of Liverpool and the University of Sheffield. The Centre will focus on understanding 1) how muscles, bones and joints change as we age, 2) how this makes some people prone to problem with tissues such as arthritis, and 3) what each person can do to reduce the risk of developing these problems. Another recent investment based in the North East includes the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing based at Newcastle University which brings together scientists, industry, the NHS, the charitable and public sectors to bring products to market that optimise health and wellbeing as people age.