Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what percentage of total research expenditure has been spent on research into (a) Giloma, (b) Glioblastoma, (c) Astrocytoma, (d) DIPG and (e) DMG brain tumour types in the last decade.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of NIHR’s largest areas of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million in research projects focused on brain tumours. These investments are pivotal towards efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes. Data for 2024/25 is not yet available.

The following table shows the percentage of research expenditure invested on specific cancer subtypes for the period 2014/15 to 2024/25:

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.

Working with stakeholders from across the research community, in September 2024 NIHR launched a package of support to stimulate high-quality research applications through:

i. establishing a national Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage and treat brain tumours;

ii. a dedicated funding call for research into wraparound care and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours; and

iii. a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to fund the next generation of researchers through the Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme.

The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas in advance. The level of research spend in a particular area is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including all cancer types.