Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been allocated to (a) the treatment of asbestos-related illnesses and b) research into asbestos-related illnesses.

There is no pre-allocated funding amount for the treatment of asbestos-related health conditions. The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes applications on any aspect of health and care, including research into asbestos-related illnesses.

Between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 financial years, through the NIHR, the Department committed over £8.6 million for new research projects alongside supporting infrastructure into asbestos-related illnesses. Research supported by the NIHR is improving our understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning lung diseases caused by asbestos, including mesothelioma and interstitial lung disease, as well as investigating novel diagnostics and treatment. Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network supported 22 new studies on asbestos-related illnesses, which recruited over 2,900 participants.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides guidance on the health effects and toxicology of asbestos, including advice to support incident response for the general public and inform wider public health management. This published guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asbestos-properties-incident-management-and-toxicology/asbestos-general-information

UKHSA also provides scientific support to other Government departments, including contributions to risk assessment work on asbestos in consumer products.