Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the outcomes for brain tumour cancer patients by establishing a targeted funding bespoke panel solely for brain tumour research.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) encourages the research community to submit high quality proposals. 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, scientific quality and value for money.

The NIHR ensures that relevant experts are involved in the assessment of the research applications it receives. Assessment committees comprise individuals with a broad range of expertise due to the wide diversity of topics it reviews, which may include brain tumour experts. However, committees ensure that before an individual application is assessed, detailed written peer review reports from experts chosen for their specific expertise are considered.