Healthcare Sector: Clinicians

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Those important discussions will take place. I refer the noble Lord to the Life Sciences Sector Plan, which followed on from the 10-year health plan and which addresses exactly the point he rightly makes. I also refer him to the updated NHS intellectual property guidance, which provided organisations that provide or commission NHS services with much clearer routes to identify, protect and commercialise innovation. That, along with a number of other steps we are taking, will do what he seeks, which is important.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab)]

My Lords, some three months ago I visited the Institute of Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital. I met several clinicians and research scientists, who were clear that innovation was vital in bringing forward therapies to deal with the various types of cancer. But they said that there was one gap: in the funding for university research. So, as a follow-up to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Patel, what additional funding will the Government provide to university research to ensure that new therapies can come that will accelerate improvements in cancer care?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I will of course raise the points made by my noble friend and the noble Lord, Lord Patel, about funding for universities. But, as I mentioned, it is worth saying more broadly that the life sciences sector leads the drive for investment into the UK economy. For example, the sector raised the third-highest amount of equity finance in 2023 among comparator countries, leaving us behind only the United States and China. That gives some idea of the status and the activity in the UK, and I am glad that we continue to build on it.