Committee to question Secretary of State about funding for brain tumour research

Committee to question Secretary of State about funding for brain tumour research

Tuesday 15 January, 2.20pm in the Wilson Room in Portcullis House.

Witnesses: Rt Hon Matt Hanock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care; Mike Batley, Deputy Director, Research Programmes, and Helen Campbell, Portfolio Manager for DHSC Research Network, Clinical Research Facilities, and Cancer Research, Department for Health and Social Care

On Tuesday 15 January, the Petitions Committee will follow up on its report, Funding for research into brain tumours, published in March 2016, with an evidence session. This can be watched live at https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons

The Committee’s inquiry and report was the result of a petition started by Maria Lester in August 2015, to the mark the anniversary of the death of her brother, Stephen Realf. Stephen, an RAF officer from Rugby, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 19 and died at 26. The petition emphasised that brain tumours received only 1.5% (£7.7 million) of national cancer research funding in 2014. It called for funding for brain tumour research to be increased to £30 – £35 million per year, to help brain tumour research catch up with research into other cancers and diseases. The petition stated “Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.”

In 2016, the Committee supported the petition’s demand for increased funding for research, concluding that “patients with brain tumours are failed at every stage—from diagnosis and treatment to research funding.” It called on the Government to take remedial action to correct decades of under-funding, improve awareness, medical training and diagnosis and ensure better use of drug treatments. In response, the Government established a Task and Finish Working Group on Brain Tumour Research.

In February 2018, the Government announced a total government and charitable sector funding package of £45 million over five years following the Working Group’s report. .

In May 2018, the Government announced it was increasing taking further steps and increasing its contribution by £20 million, taking the total funding package up to £65 million, in honour of the campaigning work of the late Baroness Tessa Jowell.

Notes to Editors:

The Committee’s report, Funding for Research into Brain tumours is published on the Committee’s website.

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry and the evidence it received can be found on the inquiry page.

The Report on the Task and Finish Working Group on Brain Tumour Research is published on gov.uk.

The Government made two funding announcements in 2018:

“Brain cancer research to receive £45 million funding”, Department for Health and Social Care press release, 22 February 2018

“Government doubles investment in brain cancer research with £40 million 'Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Research Mission’”, Prime Minister’s Office press release, 13 May 2018

The petition

Maria Lester (nee Realf) started her petition on the jointly run Parliament and Government site in August 2015 to mark the anniversary of her brother’s death, Stephen Realf. Stephen, a RAF Officer, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 19 and died at the age of 26. Her petition read:

“Fund more research into brain tumours, the biggest cancer killer of under-40s

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer. One of those young lives lost was my brother Stephen, who was diagnosed at just 19 and died aged 26. More funding for research is urgently needed - read on for some shocking statistics from the charity Brain Tumour Research:

• Unlike most cancers, brain cancer incidence is rising. 
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with brain cancer survive beyond 5 years. 
• In 2014, brain tumours received 1.5% (£7.7 million) of the £498 million national spend on research into cancer. At this rate, it could take 100 years to catch up with developments in other diseases.

The charity is calling on the Government and larger cancer charities to raise investment to £30-£35 million a year, and this petition aims to support its campaign.”