Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase research into treatments for sickle cell disease.

The Department funds research into sickle cell disease through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the last five years, the NIHR has funded nine studies into sickle cell disease with a total award value of £9,173,716 and supported the delivery of studies via its Clinical Research Network.

The NIHR spends over £1 billion on research each year, with research proposals in all areas competing for the funding available. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.