Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Government funding there was into sickle cell research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT funds medical research through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) supports the best scientific research to improve human health, with work ranging from molecular level science to public health medicine. MRC plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific disease but will benefit medical research more generally.
UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. This includes a wide variety of areas including physiological, biological and mechanistic aspects that are applicable to many diseases, disorders and other conditions.
Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:
| UKRI funding committed in 2023 and 2024 to date | NIHR funding in FY 2023/24 |
Hodgkin Lymphoma | UKRI did not commit any funding for Hodgkin lymphoma research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Hodgkin Lymphoma during financial year 2023-24. |
Myelodysplastic Syndrome | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Myelodysplastic Syndrome research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Myelodysplastic Syndrome during financial year 2023-24. |
Stem Cell | The total commitment in 2023/24 from UKRI for research concerning Stem Cells was £63,966,085 for 69 awards (14 awards from BBSRC; 4 awards from EPSRC; 6 awards from Innovate UK; 27 awards from MRC with a value of £28,347,161; 3 awards from NC3Rs; 15 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not funded any research concerning Stem Cells during financial year 2023-24. |
Haemophilia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Haemophilia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £154,000 for high-quality research concerning Haemophilia in 2023-24 |
Sickle Cell | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Sickle Cell research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £336,368 for high-quality research concerning Cickle Cell research in the financial year 2023-24 |
Thalassaemia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Thalassaemia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £158,900 for high-quality research concerning Thalassaemia in the financial year 2023-24 |
Human Immunodeficiency Disease | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 was £13,983,734 for 13 awards (1 award from EPSRC; 8 awards from MRC with a value of £10,800,617 for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) research; 4 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR allocated £5,620,876 for high quality research concerning Human Immunodeficiency Disease (HIV and AIDS) in 2023-24 |
Vitamin B12 deficiency | The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for Vitamin B12 deficiency research was £470,348 for 2 awards from Innovate UK. | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Vitamin B12 Deficiency during financial year 2023-24. |
Neural Tube Defect Prevention | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention was £4,289,077 for 4 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,949,400; 1 award from ESRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention research during the financial year of 2023-24. |
Malaria vaccination | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Malaria vaccination was £11,697,976 for 7 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,387,100; 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Malaria Vaccination research during the financial year of 2023-24. The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre supports the development and testing of malaria vaccines, such as the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. |
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Government funding there was into neural tube defect prevention research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT funds medical research through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) supports the best scientific research to improve human health, with work ranging from molecular level science to public health medicine. MRC plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific disease but will benefit medical research more generally.
UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. This includes a wide variety of areas including physiological, biological and mechanistic aspects that are applicable to many diseases, disorders and other conditions.
Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:
| UKRI funding committed in 2023 and 2024 to date | NIHR funding in FY 2023/24 |
Hodgkin Lymphoma | UKRI did not commit any funding for Hodgkin lymphoma research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Hodgkin Lymphoma during financial year 2023-24. |
Myelodysplastic Syndrome | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Myelodysplastic Syndrome research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Myelodysplastic Syndrome during financial year 2023-24. |
Stem Cell | The total commitment in 2023/24 from UKRI for research concerning Stem Cells was £63,966,085 for 69 awards (14 awards from BBSRC; 4 awards from EPSRC; 6 awards from Innovate UK; 27 awards from MRC with a value of £28,347,161; 3 awards from NC3Rs; 15 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not funded any research concerning Stem Cells during financial year 2023-24. |
Haemophilia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Haemophilia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £154,000 for high-quality research concerning Haemophilia in 2023-24 |
Sickle Cell | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Sickle Cell research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £336,368 for high-quality research concerning Cickle Cell research in the financial year 2023-24 |
Thalassaemia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Thalassaemia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £158,900 for high-quality research concerning Thalassaemia in the financial year 2023-24 |
Human Immunodeficiency Disease | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 was £13,983,734 for 13 awards (1 award from EPSRC; 8 awards from MRC with a value of £10,800,617 for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) research; 4 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR allocated £5,620,876 for high quality research concerning Human Immunodeficiency Disease (HIV and AIDS) in 2023-24 |
Vitamin B12 deficiency | The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for Vitamin B12 deficiency research was £470,348 for 2 awards from Innovate UK. | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Vitamin B12 Deficiency during financial year 2023-24. |
Neural Tube Defect Prevention | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention was £4,289,077 for 4 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,949,400; 1 award from ESRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention research during the financial year of 2023-24. |
Malaria vaccination | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Malaria vaccination was £11,697,976 for 7 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,387,100; 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Malaria Vaccination research during the financial year of 2023-24. The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre supports the development and testing of malaria vaccines, such as the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. |
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much Government funding there was into malaria vaccination research in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that funding.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT funds medical research through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) supports the best scientific research to improve human health, with work ranging from molecular level science to public health medicine. MRC plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific disease but will benefit medical research more generally.
UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. This includes a wide variety of areas including physiological, biological and mechanistic aspects that are applicable to many diseases, disorders and other conditions.
Details of UKRI and NIHR funding on specific areas is provided in the table below:
| UKRI funding committed in 2023 and 2024 to date | NIHR funding in FY 2023/24 |
Hodgkin Lymphoma | UKRI did not commit any funding for Hodgkin lymphoma research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Hodgkin Lymphoma during financial year 2023-24. |
Myelodysplastic Syndrome | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Myelodysplastic Syndrome research in 2023-24. | NIHR has not allocated funding for research concerning Myelodysplastic Syndrome during financial year 2023-24. |
Stem Cell | The total commitment in 2023/24 from UKRI for research concerning Stem Cells was £63,966,085 for 69 awards (14 awards from BBSRC; 4 awards from EPSRC; 6 awards from Innovate UK; 27 awards from MRC with a value of £28,347,161; 3 awards from NC3Rs; 15 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not funded any research concerning Stem Cells during financial year 2023-24. |
Haemophilia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Haemophilia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £154,000 for high-quality research concerning Haemophilia in 2023-24 |
Sickle Cell | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Sickle Cell research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £336,368 for high-quality research concerning Cickle Cell research in the financial year 2023-24 |
Thalassaemia | UKRI did not commit any new funding for Thalassaemia research in 2023-24. | NIHR allocated £158,900 for high-quality research concerning Thalassaemia in the financial year 2023-24 |
Human Immunodeficiency Disease | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 was £13,983,734 for 13 awards (1 award from EPSRC; 8 awards from MRC with a value of £10,800,617 for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) research; 4 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR allocated £5,620,876 for high quality research concerning Human Immunodeficiency Disease (HIV and AIDS) in 2023-24 |
Vitamin B12 deficiency | The total commitment across UKRI in 2023-24 for Vitamin B12 deficiency research was £470,348 for 2 awards from Innovate UK. | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Vitamin B12 Deficiency during financial year 2023-24. |
Neural Tube Defect Prevention | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention was £4,289,077 for 4 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,949,400; 1 award from ESRC; 1 award from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Neural Tube Defect Prevention research during the financial year of 2023-24. |
Malaria vaccination | The total commitment from UKRI in 2023/24 for research concerning Malaria vaccination was £11,697,976 for 7 awards (2 awards from MRC with a value of £3,387,100; 5 awards from centrally managed UKRI schemes). | NIHR has not allocated any funds concerning Malaria Vaccination research during the financial year of 2023-24. The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre supports the development and testing of malaria vaccines, such as the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. |
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to integrate HIV (a) prevention and (b) care into the broader health system.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Integration of services and strengthening the delivery of HIV prevention and care will be key objectives of the plan, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.
The voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been a key partner in the development and implementation of the existing HIV Action Plan, and will continue to be a key partner in the new plan. The Terrence Higgins Trust, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the National AIDS Trust have led engagement with the VCS and the wider community to develop recommendations for the new plan, including relating to culturally competent interventions. These were published on 25 November and will be considered in the development of the new HIV Action Plan.
In addition, as part of its HIV Prevention England programme, the Department will host three further engagement sessions with the VCS during February and March 2025, including patients with lived experience.
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role the voluntary sector will play in the new HIV Action Plan; and what steps he will take to support that role.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Integration of services and strengthening the delivery of HIV prevention and care will be key objectives of the plan, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.
The voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been a key partner in the development and implementation of the existing HIV Action Plan, and will continue to be a key partner in the new plan. The Terrence Higgins Trust, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the National AIDS Trust have led engagement with the VCS and the wider community to develop recommendations for the new plan, including relating to culturally competent interventions. These were published on 25 November and will be considered in the development of the new HIV Action Plan.
In addition, as part of its HIV Prevention England programme, the Department will host three further engagement sessions with the VCS during February and March 2025, including patients with lived experience.
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that the new HIV Action Plan includes culturally competent interventions.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Integration of services and strengthening the delivery of HIV prevention and care will be key objectives of the plan, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.
The voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been a key partner in the development and implementation of the existing HIV Action Plan, and will continue to be a key partner in the new plan. The Terrence Higgins Trust, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the National AIDS Trust have led engagement with the VCS and the wider community to develop recommendations for the new plan, including relating to culturally competent interventions. These were published on 25 November and will be considered in the development of the new HIV Action Plan.
In addition, as part of its HIV Prevention England programme, the Department will host three further engagement sessions with the VCS during February and March 2025, including patients with lived experience.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of (a) HIV and (b) AIDS have been diagnosed due to mandatory opt-out testing in hospitals.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The bloodborne viruses (BBVs) opt-out testing in emergency departments programme has identified 391 people with new HIV diagnoses between April 2022 and December 2023. In addition, 314 people were identified with HIV who had been previously diagnosed. Data on AIDS is not collected via the emergency department opt-out BBV testing programme. The published report is available at the following link:
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what projects his Department funds to help tackle HIV globally.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
The UK makes significant contributions to the global HIV response through funding to multilateral partners, including UNAIDS, the Global Fund and UNITAID.
Our wider health investments also contribute to ending AIDS-related deaths and preventing new HIV infections. In particular this includes our support for:
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) European Union, and (2) G7, about action to be taken to end HIV, tuberculosis and malaria globally.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has regular discussions with G7 members as part of the G7 Health and Development Tracks. The recent (10-11 October 2024) G7 Health Ministers' Communiqué recommits the G7 to ending HIV, tuberculosis and malaria as public health threats by 2030. In addition, the UK engages regularly with the European Commission, EU member states and G7 countries as part of our role on the Board at the Global Fund to Fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK is the third largest historical donor to the Global Fund, investing over £4.55 billion to date and contributing to saving 65 million lives and cutting the combined death rate of the three diseases by over half (61 per cent).
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was their bilateral expenditure on programmes targeting HIV and AIDS in 2022 and 2023, through Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development input sector codes 13041 and 13042.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains a significant funder of the HIV response. In (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023 total bilateral expenditure for HIV and AIDS was (i) £7,928,506 and (ii) £10,311,308 respectively. This includes our funding to the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to further improve access to essential HIV medicines and our funding to the Robert Carr Fund to support initiatives with grassroots organisations, including key populations, as part of the global HIV response.