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 potential merits of using Functional Electrical Stimulation devices to support people with Parkinson's disease.

The Department delivers research into Parkinson’s disease via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). While no specific assessment has been made, the NIHR is funding the STEPS II trial, which aims to determine whether Functional Electrical Stimulation improves walking speed for people with Parkinson’s disease, and which is due to complete in September 2026. Further information is available at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131791

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Parkinson’s disease. 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 Parkinson’s disease to all NIHR programmes enables the maximum flexibility both in terms of amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.