The health and wellbeing of our Armed Forces personnel is one of this Government’s top priorities. Specialist treatment for Service personnel with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), including traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is facilitated by Defence Medical Command (DMedC) at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC). Veterans can access physical health support through Op RESTORE and mental health services through Op COURAGE, with significant recent investment.

Further, with the introduction of Op VALOUR; a new £50 million UK Government-backed initiative, Veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care, improved coordination and visibility of services.

The UK is a world leader in ABI, and Defence will continue its dedicated work and collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on ABI with a specific focus on TBI and mild Traumatic Brian Injury (mBTI) to ensure the best outcomes for our military community and society as a whole.

The UK is investing heavily in research to advance the diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of patients with ABI, which will help both military and civilian patients. Defence has invested £3.65m in the world’s first mobile quantum-enabled magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain scanner, built in the UK, to tell us what happens in the minutes and hours after blast exposure.

This government will publish the first ABI Action Plan this year. The plan will lay out the action that is needed to improve the lives of people who have experienced ABI.

We are committed to furthering our investment in brain cancer research and have already taken steps to stimulate scientific progress and build scientific capacity to do research on brain cancer.

In January 2026, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced increased investment of over £25 million in the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium. This includes an initial investment of £13.7 million announced in December 2025, and a further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million through funding of work packages announced in January 2026.

Future payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to 10 years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between the NIHR and the Consortium.

Information on all awards will be made publicly available in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.

In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourage brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.

My Ministerial team and I meet with Ofgem regularly to discuss a range of issues, including how the retail market works for vulnerable consumers.

Ofgem require suppliers to identify and support vulnerable domestic consumers’ needs, make it easy for them to update their circumstances, and provide accessible support with tailored, easy-to-understand communications that are specific to their needs so they can engage with suppliers without facing exclusion.

Ofgem’s recent Call for Input on Consumer Outcomes has also signalled a move away from prescriptive regulation to a more outcomes-focused approach, including improving support for vulnerable consumers.

The consultation closes on 22 July 2026, with a final decision expected in early 2027. If this approach is adopted, suppliers would have to operate within these requirements, as they are intended to be sufficiently flexible to accommodate consumers with a wide range of communication and support needs.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) which provides genomic testing in the National Health Service in England, through a network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory, which includes tests for over 7,000 rare diseases and over 200 cancer clinical indications, including both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and non-WGS testing.

WGS for brain cancer is available under the National Genomic Test Directory under the GT1432 Test Code.

NHS England publishes testing activity and performance data through Patient Level Contract Monitoring data across all seven NHS GLHs on the NHS.UK website.

Yes, the Government does collect data on clinical research studies and numbers of participants through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network’s Central Portfolio Management System.

This includes data on clinical trials supported by the NIHR Research Delivery Network’s portfolio, including clinical trials for brain tumours, and the number of participants recruited to those trials.

NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity. 

The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

The Department is looking at ways to support trusts to expand freezer capacity, and will provide an update on this in the autumn.

There are no plans to publish the full gap analysis. The data is management information which is not routinely published.

NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity. 

The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

The Department is looking at ways to support trusts to expand freezer capacity, and will provide an update on this in the autumn.

There are no plans to publish the full gap analysis. The data is management information which is not routinely published.

This project, among other research, sits within the Government’s broader strategy to support research that advances the understanding of major public health challenges. The expected scientific benefits of this work include improving understanding of how brain cells, together with brain chemicals, support key mental processes including learning, memory, planning and decision-making. In the longer term, this evidence base is expected to aid the development of therapies for neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions, such as depression, addiction and dementia.

All project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) are assessed by medically or veterinary qualified inspectors within the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU). Under ASPA, no project can be granted without a harm-benefit analysis, where an ASRU inspector makes a rigorous assessment of the scientific rationale for the programme of work, and must assess that the harms of the proposed project are justified by the likely benefits. Inspectors assess the appropriateness of the scientific methods being proposed for achieving the stated benefits and must be confident that these benefits are likely to be realised. The project must also demonstrate full application of the legal requirements of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs). This means that animal use cannot be approved if a practicable nonanimal alternative method exists, the number of any animals used must be minimised, and the most refined methods must be used for animal testing to minimise harms.

I thank the hon. Member for raising such an important issue, and I thank Clint and Carol for their service. Our blast injury support is world leading. We have invested £3.65 million in cutting-edge scanning technology, and we collaborate internationally to drive forward research on blast-induced and traumatic brain injuries. Our work on traumatic brain injuries complements wider efforts to ensure that no veteran falls through the cracks. We have invested more than £25 million in Op Courage since the election so that veterans in England can continue to access specialist mental health and wellbeing services.

My constituent Clint is a veteran who suffered blast-related traumatic brain injuries during his service. Clint and his partner, Carol, are campaigning to get the MOD to recognise such injuries and provide more support to veterans. What is the Minister doing to address this issue, and will he please meet me to discuss how services across Government can be more joined up to support constituents such as Clint and veterans up and down the country?

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients.

NHS England and the Department will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work includes guidance on the consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, and has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality, and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England, to improve personalised treatments and further support research.

In addition, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity.

The Department has demonstrated our commitment to transforming diagnostic services through a £2.3 billion investment into diagnostic capacity, which will provide the National Health Service with the tools they need to deliver an additional 9.5 million tests by 2029. However, we know that there is a lot more to do.

The  National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, aims to redesign cancer services around people’s lives, not just around hospitals, recognising that more people are living for longer with and beyond cancer and need ongoing, coordinated support.   More cancer care and support will be delivered closer to home, including a universal digital-first prehabilitation offer, expanded supportive oncology, greater use of virtual monitoring, with growing opportunities for treatment and follow-up in community settings where safe and appropriate.

Where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns, with support increasingly delivered through neighbourhood services and accessible digitally through the NHS App.

Additionally, as part of stage 2 of the development of the Diagnosis Connect Programme, the department will work with cancer charities, including those from rare cancers, so that patients can be connected to patient led communities and sources of expert support and advice.

The Government recognises the impact that waiting for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can have on patients, including for patients with suspected brain tumours.

We are taking a range of steps to improve access to imaging, including expanding capacity through community diagnostic centres, which are providing millions of additional tests, such as MRI scans, in convenient community settings.

We are also supporting the National Health Service to increase workforce capacity, make better use of existing diagnostic equipment, and prioritise patients based on clinical need. These measures are helping to reduce waiting times and ensure patients with the most urgent needs are seen as quickly as possible.

We do not hold information on what the median time is from symptom onset to diagnosis for patients with brain tumours. Brain tumours include both non-cancerous, or benign, and cancerous, or malignant, brain tumours.

Diagnosing cancer faster and earlier remains a key priority for the Government, and we will continue to look for opportunities to optimize pathways, reduce waiting times, and ultimately improve outcomes, including for patients with brain tumours.

The Government recognises the impact that waiting for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can have on patients, including for patients with suspected brain tumours.

We are taking a range of steps to improve access to imaging, including expanding capacity through community diagnostic centres, which are providing millions of additional tests, such as MRI scans, in convenient community settings.

We are also supporting the National Health Service to increase workforce capacity, make better use of existing diagnostic equipment, and prioritise patients based on clinical need. These measures are helping to reduce waiting times and ensure patients with the most urgent needs are seen as quickly as possible.

We do not hold information on what the median time is from symptom onset to diagnosis for patients with brain tumours. Brain tumours include both non-cancerous, or benign, and cancerous, or malignant, brain tumours.

Diagnosing cancer faster and earlier remains a key priority for the Government, and we will continue to look for opportunities to optimize pathways, reduce waiting times, and ultimately improve outcomes, including for patients with brain tumours.

The Department has not made a specific, standalone assessment of how brain tumour tissue is fresh frozen and stored. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh-freezing, or snap-freezing, of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity for neurosurgery services. Furthermore, NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is now looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity.

NHS England has also produced national sample handling guidance of solid tumours to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and access to precision diagnostics. The guidance is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority, so that human tissue is removed, stored and used in an appropriate, respectful and well-managed way, with consent from patients and families. This ensures human tissue, including brain tumour tissue, can be used to assist in clinical trials, personalised treatment and research. The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

The Government recognises how difficult a diagnosis of a cancerous brain tumour can be for patients, carers, and families, and that treatment options remain limited. All new licensed medicines, including those for brain cancer, are assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE advises the National Health Service on whether a medicine is effective and represents good value for NHS resources.

All three medicines that NICE has evaluated for the treatment of brain tumours in the last 10 years have been recommended for use on the NHS. These are, carmustine implants and temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed high-grade glioma, dabrafenib with trametinib for treating BRAF V600E mutation-positive glioma in children and young people aged one year old and over, and vorasidenib for treating astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with IDH1 or IDH2 mutations after surgery in people 12 years old and over.

Recently, the increase to the cost-effectiveness threshold that NICE uses, announced in April as part of the United States and United Kingdom partnership, has enabled NICE to recommend vorasidenib for eligible patients with IDH mutant low grade glioma as an option to treat grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma in eligible patients aged 12 years old and over, if it is considered the most suitable treatment option.