Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has (a) set and (b) considered setting a national standard for the maximum timeframe within which brain tumour tissue should be placed into a fresh-frozen state following surgical excision.

The Department has neither set nor considered setting a national standard for the maximum timeframe within which brain tumour tissue should be placed into a fresh-frozen state following surgical excision.

Fresh-freezing, also referred to as snap-freezing, is a standard technique used by pathology networks to preserve tissue architecture without chemical fixatives, allowing for subsequent molecular or histological analysis, typically supporting research or advanced diagnostic applications.

Pathology services in England are delivered through 27 regional pathology networks, and offer a comprehensive range of tests, including the analysis of brain tissues. Individual pathology services in England maintain their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh, or the snap-freezing, of tissue samples. These SOPs outline local capabilities and practices. While NHS England does not routinely set detailed technical standards for specific laboratory processes, relevant professional bodies, such as Royal College of Pathologists, may develop guidance to support consistent practice across services.