Brain Tumours: Causes and Treatment

Lord Winston Excerpts

Monday 24th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

It is an important point, as the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, raised. As I said, the national cancer plan will give that opportunity to address challenges and needs such as those the noble Lord raised. We are also establishing a brain tumour research consortium through the NIHR, which will bring together researchers from different disciplines. The scientific advancements it will drive will be how to prevent, detect—to the point raised by the noble Lords—manage and treat brain tumours. That will also be of great assistance.

[Lord Winston (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government should be congratulated on trying to improve their work on brain cancer. Talking about treatment, one of the issues is that one of the greatest advances and most important areas is brain imaging using magnetic resonance imaging, PET scanning and even electrical recording in a sophisticated way, but access to these important technologies still seems somewhat deficient. Will the Minister say whether the NHS has plans to increase access to brain imaging? It seems a very important area in treatment.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

We certainly want to see services properly available across the country and people not being disadvantaged because of where they live or what the services are. Again, from what I know of it—we will soon see it—the national cancer plan will improve every aspect of cancer care, including outcomes for those with brain tumours and access to the services my noble friend outlines.