Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve funding for sarcoma cancer research at hospitals in Surrey Heath constituency.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.6 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR has invested in 11 projects with a total award value of £5.2 million to directly funded sarcoma research over the last five years, from 2020/21 to 2024/25.

Examples of these investments include the MILI trial, a Phase II study investigating metformin's potential to reduce cancer risk in individuals with Li Fraumeni Syndrome, and the SarcoSIGHT trial, which is a randomised controlled trial of fluorescence guided sarcoma surgery versus standard care, involving 500 participants. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including sarcoma cancer. 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.

The Frimley Park Integrated Care System, located within the constituency, is part of the NIHR Research Delivery Network, and they play a key role in supporting the delivery of research, including into sarcoma cancer. The NIHR’s flagship recruitment service, Be Part of Research, is a free, quick, and simple way for people to register and take part in research by allowing users to search for relevant studies. This makes it easier for people, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency, to find and take part in health and care research. Be Part of Research is central to the Government’s plans to turbocharge medical research and a key priority in the 10-Year Health Plan, set to be published over the coming weeks.