Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) National Institute for Health Research and (b) Medical Research Council on research into improving treatments for Lyme disease.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had no recent discussions with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council specifically on research into improving treatments for Lyme disease.

The Department commissioned four independent separate systematic reviews of all relevant literature on the diagnosis, treatment, transmission and prevention of Lyme disease.

The four systematic reviews were completed and published in December 2017. Each review made conclusions which the Government is taking forward.

We are investing over £1 billion a year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including on Lyme disease. These 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, value for money and scientific quality.