Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to support research and development into novel antimicrobials by small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Government has a range of measures in place to support research and development into novel antimicrobials by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as part of our strategy to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

The Department funds investment of £1 billion annually in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). This includes funding for research infrastructure in the National Health Service which actively supports collaboration with the life sciences industry and supports the commercialisation of new research and related technologies to help grow new companies (including SMEs) and funding. The NIHR also funds the Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme that supports collaborative research and development projects in medtech SMEs, universities and the NHS on the development of innovative medical technologies.

Other investments that provide opportunities for SMEs include:

- The £50 million Global AMR Innovation Fund to target investment globally in neglected and underinvested areas in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research and development for the benefit of people in low and middle income countries. The scope includes the development of novel antimicrobials, including opportunities arising from traditional Chinese medicine; and

- A call for AMR capital research proposals for Departmental funding of £4 million delivered by Innovate UK in 2016/17. The Department plans to invest a further £43 million on a portfolio of AMR capital research investments over the next three years, subject to appropriate business case approvals.