To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's medical translational research capabilities; and what steps he is taking to improve those capabilities.
Answered on
26 July 2022
No specific assessment has been made as the United Kingdom’s capability to deliver medical research is dependent on a variety of organisations, including funders, regulators, and research organisations.
The majority of the Government’s investment in medical research is made through the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In 2016, the NIHR reviewed its performance in health research in the previous 10 years and identified areas to improve the UK’s research capabilities. In 2019, the MRC reviewed its support for translational research over the past 10 years and how this could be enhanced.