Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of academic health science networks on uptake of medical technology.
Answered by George Freeman
Speeding up the adoption of innovation into practice to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience has been one of the four core contractual objectives for Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) since their establishment in 2013.
AHSNs have taken a range of approaches in delivering their objectives which have been selected in response to the priorities of their local populations and health economies. AHSNs are supporting over 150 active programmes and projects across a range of clinical and cross-cutting themes, many of which support the spread and adoption of innovations in their localities. In addition, AHSNs also host the Small Business Research Initiative and are facilitating the creation of Test Beds - both of which involve supporting the development and spread of healthcare technologies.
As part of NHS England’s assurance process, AHSNs are expected to publish annual reports to update their stakeholders on their achievements against their business plans. Annual reports can be found on individual AHSN websites.
Case studies and exemplars of how AHSNs are supporting the speed up adoption of innovation into practice can be found in the resources section of the AHSNs Network website: www.ahsnnetwork.com
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2015, what (a) value and (b) number of Small Business Research Initiative contracts has been awarded in 2014-15 (i) in total, (ii) by the Ministry of Defence, (iii) by the Department of Health, (iv) by NHS England, (v) by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, (vi) by the Department for Transport, (vii) by the Home Office, (viii) by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, (ix) directly by Innovate UK, (x) by research councils, (xi) by other parts of his Department and (xii) by other Government Departments and agencies to date.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
This information is being researched and will be placed in the Libraries of the House as soon as possible.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to encourage UK-based pharmaceutical companies to increase their contribution to global health research and development.
Answered by George Freeman
The UK life sciences sector, which includes pharmaceuticals, is one of the most productive in the world. The pharmaceuticals sector also remains the largest contributor to UK research and development, accounting for 22% of the total spend in 2013.
Since 2011, the Government has invested £2 billion in health and life science research, through the UK Research Councils, Innovate UK and the Department of Health’s research programme (National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)), leveraging over £3.5 billion of private sector investment, and making the UK the leading European destination for life science fundraising. Alongside, the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) has developed tools to help companies to deliver their research in the NHS to quality, time and target.
There has also been significant direct support to business including £232m of the £240m Biomedical Catalyst awarded to over 250 business and Higher Education Institutions, attracting £118m in industry match-funding and supporting fundamental research from discovery through to commercialisation to deliver patient benefit. The Regional Growth Fund and Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain provided over £92 million to 27 projects, leveraging a further £337 million. This funding has enabled companies from all parts of the life sciences sectors to invest in innovative research and development, and direct and indirect funding support for businesses and relevant wider infrastructure will continue to be available through successor public programmes.
The Small Business Research Initiative will continue to generate new business opportunities for companies, enabling the development of innovative products and services through the public procurement of research and development.
The Cell Therapy Catapult (CTC) Centre was set up to help translate promising scientific discoveries towards clinical impact for this new and emerging field. The CTC will be opening a world-leading manufacturing centre in Stevenage in 2017 to support companies to manufacture and supply Phase 3 clinical trials – important components of the research and development cycle.
Uptake and demand from the NHS for innovation complements industry investment in research and development in the UK by ensuring there is a market for new cost-effective products. The Accelerated Access review will make recommendations to Government by the end of this year, on accelerating access for NHS patients to cost-effective, innovative medicines and medical technologies.
The Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) provided a platform for drugs to be brought to patients at a much faster rate than ever before. Seven Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designations and the first early access Scientific Opinion were awarded in the first year. The Accelerated Access Review will include a review of the first year of EAMS.
Government has also introduced a series of measures through the taxation system to create the conditions for business growth and encourage business investment. These include R&D Tax Credits for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and relief for larger firms; The Patent Box; Enterprise Investment and Venture Capital Trust schemes as well as Entrepreneur’s Relief.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what technologies are being developed with support from the Small Business Research Initiative programmes of (a) his Department and (b) NHS England; and what assessment he has made of the future potential uses of those technologies.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Department, through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), is currently funding the development of a number of technologies aimed at promoting patient empowerment and sustainability in kidney care. Six phase 2 SBRI contracts valued at £2 million were awarded in February 2015. The technologies being developed range from diagnostics to digital solutions, for use in the home and in secondary care. Potential uses include early infection detection in patients on peritoneal dialysis, prevention of acute kidney injury and renal patient transport.
The Department is also supporting, through SBRI, the development of enabling technologies for genomics sequence data analysis and interpretation. In March 2015 five phase 2 SBRI contracts, valued at £8 million, were awarded for the development of next generation sequencing technologies which were assessed as having the potential to help deliver the Prime Minister’s 100,000 Genome Project. Potential uses are in the areas of diagnostics related to genome screening, clinical research, gene-discovery and wider use of stratified medicine. The technologies are hoped to provide more accurate variant calling and annotation pipelines, new ways of expressing the reference genomes, improving human leukocyte antigen genotyping and intuitive user interfaces to allow clinicians to interpret variants from next generation sequencing machines.
The NHS England SBRI Healthcare programme currently has 138 contracts with companies to develop innovative technologies to address known healthcare needs. These range from diagnostics to digital management solutions; embracing conditions such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia and patient safety and bringing solutions for mental health, primary and acute care. Assessment of the programme by the Office of Health Economics and the SBRI Healthcare team in 2014 has shown that since 2012 the pipeline has a potential to secure £434 million efficiency savings each year for the next decade. Assessment of the programme also shows that 150 jobs have been created, 31 patents awarded and over £10 million of additional investment has been leveraged.
The technologies supported include a light therapy sleep mask for the prevention of diabetic retinopathy; ultraviolet scope enabling intraoperative visibility of cancer cells in surgery; a point of care cardiac diagnostic to fully diagnose a heart attack within 20 minutes and a blood test to definitively rule out a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what value of Small Business Research Initiative contracts has been awarded in 2014-15 (a) in total, (b) by the Ministry of Defence, (c) by the Department of Health, (d) by NHS England, (e) by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, (f) by the Department for Transport, (g) by the Home Office, (h) by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, (i) directly by Innovate UK, (j) by research councils, (k) by other parts of his Department and (l) by other government departments and agencies to date.
Answered by Greg Clark
This information will be available following the close of the Financial Year 2014/15.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many and what value of Small Business Research Initiative Phase 1 contracts have been awarded in 2014-15 (a) in total, (b) by the Ministry of Defence, (c) by the Department of Health, (d) by NHS England, (e) by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, (f) by the Department for Transport, (g) by the Home Office, (h) by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, (i) directly by Innovate UK, (j) by research councils, (k) by other parts of his Department and (l) by other government departments and agencies to date.
Answered by Greg Clark
This information will be available following the close of the Financial Year 2014/15.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many and what value of Small Business Research Initiative Phase 2 contracts have been awarded in 2014-15 (a) in total, (b) by the Ministry of Defence, (c) by the Department of Health, (d) by NHS England, (e) by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, (f) by the Department for Transport, (g) by the Home Office, (h) by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, (i) directly by Innovate UK, (j) by research councils, (k) by other parts of his Department and (l) by other government departments and agencies to date.
Answered by Greg Clark
This information will be available following the close of the Financial Year 2014/15.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total (a) number and (b) value was of new Phase 3 Small Business Research Initiative contracts awarded by NHS England in 2014-15 to date; and what the total (i) number and (ii) value is of such contracts it has budgeted to award in 2014-15.
Answered by Dan Poulter
The table below relates to NHS England’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | 43 | 26 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | £4.08 million | £2.52 million |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 5 | 20 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.99 million | £18.52 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | £6.36 million | £0 |
Total | 0 | 56 contracts valued at £13.43 million | 46 contracts valued at £21.09 million |
2014-15: In addition to the above mentioned 26 Phase 1 contracts that have already been awarded, it is estimated that a further 15 Phase 1 contracts will be awarded in this financial year. It is budgeted to award a total of 41 Phase 1 contracts with a total value of £4.08 million in 2014-15.
2015-16: Budgets for 2015/16 programmes have not yet been agreed by the NHS England Board.
The table below relates to the Department of Health SBRI Contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 13 | 23 | 0 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | £1.07 million | £2.96 million | 0 |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 7 | 11 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.63 million | £10.15 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 13 contracts valued at £1.07 million | 23 contracts valued at £5.59 million | 11 contracts valued at £10.15 million |
2012-13: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the East of England Strategic Health Authority. The Department also contributed £500,000 to a Phase 1 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2013-14: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2014-15: The Phase 2 figures relate to the number and value of contracts that are being offered and not yet signed.
2015-16: The Department is currently engaged in its financial planning process and budgets for the next financial year have not yet been allocated.
In 2010, the Government set an aspiration that at least 25% of central Government procurement spend would go to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), both directly and through the supply chain, by 2015. The Department agreed its own target of 18% to contributing to the Government’s aspiration. The Department’s total as at September 2014 stands at 17.2%, the target being that at least 18% of the Department’s and its arms-length bodies’ (ALBs) spend shall be awarded to SMEs by 2015.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the value of new Phase 1 Small Business Research Initiative contracts which NHS England plans to award in 2015-16.
Answered by Dan Poulter
The table below relates to NHS England’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | 43 | 26 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | £4.08 million | £2.52 million |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 5 | 20 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.99 million | £18.52 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | £6.36 million | £0 |
Total | 0 | 56 contracts valued at £13.43 million | 46 contracts valued at £21.09 million |
2014-15: In addition to the above mentioned 26 Phase 1 contracts that have already been awarded, it is estimated that a further 15 Phase 1 contracts will be awarded in this financial year. It is budgeted to award a total of 41 Phase 1 contracts with a total value of £4.08 million in 2014-15.
2015-16: Budgets for 2015/16 programmes have not yet been agreed by the NHS England Board.
The table below relates to the Department of Health SBRI Contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 13 | 23 | 0 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | £1.07 million | £2.96 million | 0 |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 7 | 11 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.63 million | £10.15 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 13 contracts valued at £1.07 million | 23 contracts valued at £5.59 million | 11 contracts valued at £10.15 million |
2012-13: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the East of England Strategic Health Authority. The Department also contributed £500,000 to a Phase 1 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2013-14: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2014-15: The Phase 2 figures relate to the number and value of contracts that are being offered and not yet signed.
2015-16: The Department is currently engaged in its financial planning process and budgets for the next financial year have not yet been allocated.
In 2010, the Government set an aspiration that at least 25% of central Government procurement spend would go to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), both directly and through the supply chain, by 2015. The Department agreed its own target of 18% to contributing to the Government’s aspiration. The Department’s total as at September 2014 stands at 17.2%, the target being that at least 18% of the Department’s and its arms-length bodies’ (ALBs) spend shall be awarded to SMEs by 2015.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the value of new Phase 2 Small Business Research Initiative contracts which NHS England plans to award in 2015-16.
Answered by Dan Poulter
The table below relates to NHS England’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | 43 | 26 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | 0 | £4.08 million | £2.52 million |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 5 | 20 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.99 million | £18.52 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | £6.36 million | £0 |
Total | 0 | 56 contracts valued at £13.43 million | 46 contracts valued at £21.09 million |
2014-15: In addition to the above mentioned 26 Phase 1 contracts that have already been awarded, it is estimated that a further 15 Phase 1 contracts will be awarded in this financial year. It is budgeted to award a total of 41 Phase 1 contracts with a total value of £4.08 million in 2014-15.
2015-16: Budgets for 2015/16 programmes have not yet been agreed by the NHS England Board.
The table below relates to the Department of Health SBRI Contracts:
| 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
Number of Phase 1 Contracts | 13 | 23 | 0 |
Value of Phase 1 Contracts | £1.07 million | £2.96 million | 0 |
Number of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | 7 | 11 |
Value of Phase 2 Contracts | 0 | £2.63 million | £10.15 million |
Number of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Value of Phase 3 Contracts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 13 contracts valued at £1.07 million | 23 contracts valued at £5.59 million | 11 contracts valued at £10.15 million |
2012-13: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the East of England Strategic Health Authority. The Department also contributed £500,000 to a Phase 1 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2013-14: In addition to the above, the Department contributed £500,000 to a Phase 2 SBRI competition that was led by the Technology Strategy Board.
2014-15: The Phase 2 figures relate to the number and value of contracts that are being offered and not yet signed.
2015-16: The Department is currently engaged in its financial planning process and budgets for the next financial year have not yet been allocated.
In 2010, the Government set an aspiration that at least 25% of central Government procurement spend would go to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), both directly and through the supply chain, by 2015. The Department agreed its own target of 18% to contributing to the Government’s aspiration. The Department’s total as at September 2014 stands at 17.2%, the target being that at least 18% of the Department’s and its arms-length bodies’ (ALBs) spend shall be awarded to SMEs by 2015.