Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate access for scientists who wish to access the £50 million funding for motor neurone disease research announced in November 2021.

The committed funding can be accessed through applications to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). We are working closely with DHSC, NIHR and UKRI to support the MND research community in submitting high quality applications to access funding. NIHR and Medical Research Council (part of UKRI) are also delivering a new £4.25 million partnership, co-funded by government and charity partners, to bring together the MND research community to coordinate research efforts, and develop programmes and proposals to boost access to research funds.