Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the amount of funding available for research into (a) low grade glioma and (b) astrocytoma.

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). The NIHR spent £133 million on cancer research in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Whilst no assessment has been made of the adequacy of the funding available for research into low grade glioma and astrocytoma specifically, between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million into research projects focused on brain tumours. In addition, the NIHR’s wider investments in research infrastructure, for instance facilities, services, and the research workforce, are estimated to be £37.5 million, supporting the delivery of 261 brain tumour research studies and enabling over 11,400 people to participate in potentially life-changing brain tumour research in the National Health Service.

In September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain tumour research spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation.

The NIHR also supported the development of Dabrafenib with trametinib, a combined treatment for low grade glioma in children and young people, which is now recommended in guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including brain tumours. 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.

Welcoming applications on brain tumours to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.