Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase funding for breast cancer research.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of the largest areas of spend at over £141.6 million in 2024/25, reflecting its high priority.

In the period 2020/21 to 2024/25, NIHR Programme and Career Development and Capacity Awards invested approximately £28.6 million into breast cancer research awards. As well as funding cancer research, the Department also invests in centres of excellence, and services and facilities to enable the delivery of cancer research in England. This includes a contribution of £21.6 million over five years to the network of Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, a United Kingdom-wide network for delivery of early phase cancer trials, and the NIHR’s five-year £29 million investment in Biomedical Research Centres, fostering collaborations between world-leading universities and National Health Service organisations, bringing together academics and clinicians to do translational research, including for all cancer types. The NIHR also works closely with industry to bring innovative research to the UK. This creates a strong portfolio of research and innovation to improve breast cancer outcomes.

The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial is another important example of investment. In February 2025 the Department announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used in the breast cancer screening pathway. The trial is backed by £11 million of Government support via the NIHR, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-leading-ai-trial-to-tackle-breast-cancer-launched

The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including breast cancer. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve diagnosis and outcomes for cancer patients in England.