Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours report Brain Tumours: Pathway to a Cure — breaking down the barriers, published on 28 February, whether they have accepted recommendation six contained in that report that specific funding should be ring-fenced for research into childhood brain tumours; and if so, what is the timescale for implementation.

It is not usual practice to ring-fence research funds for particular topics or conditions. As with other Government funders of health research, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. 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.

The Department welcomes the APPG report, recommendations of which continue to be worked through with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, and UK Research and Innovation and the Medical Research Council (MRC), and with the NIHR.