AQW 31536/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the level of government-funded cancer research investment allocated to each of the less survivable cancers including; (i) brain; (ii) liver; (iii) lung; (iv) oesophageal; (v) pancreatic; and (vi) stomach, since 2022.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 18 September 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 18 September 2025
- Answer due by
- 3 October 2025
- Answered
- 6 October 202518 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Health and Social Care (HSC) Research & Development (R&D) Division within the Public Health Agency are responsible for the administration of the Department’s budgetary allocation for Research & Development.
At present, HSC R&D do not specifically commission cancer research studies and therefore the level of cancer research investment allocated to specific types of cancer including less survivable cancers is not recorded.
HSC R&D do however invest significantly in clinical research that supports and enables cancer research to take place, with funding provided to cancer research infrastructure including:
Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network (£5,037,690 investment since 2022)
Belfast Experimental Medicine Centre (£1,095,097 investment since 2022)
Northern Ireland Biobank (£1,613,371 investment since 2022)
A portfolio of ongoing cancer trials, including trials for less survivable cancers, can be viewed at https://cancertrials.hscni.net/portfolio/portfolio-open-trials/.