Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of research published in Environment International in February 2022 on the presence of microplastics in human blood, what plans they have for creating a National Plastic Health Research Impact Fund for further research in this area.

Since 2018, the Government has committed over £100 million for research and innovation support to tackle the broad range of issues that arise from plastic waste. This includes funding research into the health impacts of plastic through UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Whilst it is not typical to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, both funders welcome funding applications for research into the health impacts of plastic.