Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how brain tumour tissue is fresh frozen and stored; and whether they plan to issue clear national guidance to standardise this across the country to assist with future clinical trials, personalised treatments and research.

The Department has not made a specific, standalone assessment of how brain tumour tissue is fresh frozen and stored. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh-freezing, or snap-freezing, of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity for neurosurgery services. Furthermore, NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is now looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity.

NHS England has also produced national sample handling guidance of solid tumours to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and access to precision diagnostics. The guidance is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority, so that human tissue is removed, stored and used in an appropriate, respectful and well-managed way, with consent from patients and families. This ensures human tissue, including brain tumour tissue, can be used to assist in clinical trials, personalised treatment and research. The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.