Written questions by Anderson.

What steps she is taking to support victims of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of victims reporting spiking to the police.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to ensure perpetrators of spiking are (a) detected and (b) arrested.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to raise awareness of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to improve reporting rates for incidents of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) testing and (b) support in hospitals for victims of spiking.

The requested data is not collected centrally. NHS England does not routinely collect hospital admissions data specifically related to spiking, nor the number of tests conducted explicitly labelled as being for spiking in hospitals.The Home Office has published public guidance for victims and witnesses of spiking, and a statutory report setting out measures to tackle spiking including training for door staff, research into testing, and coordinated policing. The guidance signposts victims to emergency medical care, police reporting, and victim support services. This information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/spiking-advice-and-support

How many tests for spiking were conducted in hospitals in England in each of the last five years.

The requested data is not collected centrally. NHS England does not routinely collect hospital admissions data specifically related to spiking, nor the number of tests conducted explicitly labelled as being for spiking in hospitals.The Home Office has published public guidance for victims and witnesses of spiking, and a statutory report setting out measures to tackle spiking including training for door staff, research into testing, and coordinated policing. The guidance signposts victims to emergency medical care, police reporting, and victim support services. This information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/spiking-advice-and-support

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of offering CT scans to former miners.

No assessment has been made on the potential merits of offering computed tomography (CT) scans to former miners. As set out in the recently published Men’s Health Strategy for England, we will expand the existing Respiratory Pathways Transformation Fund initiative by investing an additional £1 million this year through the Oxfordshire Health Innovation Network to develop targeted case-finding initiatives in former coalfield areas, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This will help us to identify the individuals who need support to access appropriate local services. Investigations such as CT scans will be considered for those reporting symptoms in areas in which we are targeting support, if clinically appropriate.

What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to diagnose Parkinson's.

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses.

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.

What steps he is taking to reduce wait times to see a neurologist.

Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having delivered 5.2 million more appointments across elective care services. This marks a vital first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029.Between September 2024 and 2025, we reduced the number of incomplete neurology pathways by over 15,000, from 234,720 to 219,221, and reduced the average waiting time for neurology services from 16.2 to 15.2 weeks. 57.2% of patients referred were waiting within 18 weeks, up from 54% at the same point last year. This is still lower than the national average and we are continuing efforts to improve this, recognising that this is a challenged specialty.The January 2025 Elective Reform Plan commits to reforming outpatient services, including by supporting general practitioners and hospital doctors to work better together to ensure referrals are used only when a patient really needs hospital care, through increased uptake of Advice and Guidance. There are a number of initiatives at the national level supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.

What data her Department holds on the proportion of children choosing the EBacc subjects for GCSEs in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England.

The department publishes data on entry into English Baccalaureate subjects in the annual Key stage 4 performance statistics release available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-4-performance/2024-25. The latest data has been available since 16 October 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequate availability of apprenticeships for people leaving (a) secondary school and (b) college.

We have introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors of the economy, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. To support employers to offer apprenticeships, the government provides £1,000 payments to employers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19 to 24-year-old apprentices who have an education, health and care plan or have been, or are, in care. Government also pays employers up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. In addition, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for the processing of Disabled Facilities Grants applications for people with motor neurone disease.

The government recognises the importance of timely and efficient delivery of home adaptations including through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to help enable people with progressive conditions such as motor neurone disease (MND) to live independently in a safe and suitable environment.Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.Local authorities have discretion in managing their DFG funding, and can publish a local housing assistance policy including detail on how they will respond to rapidly progressing conditions such as MND. For example, they can waive the means test or fast track the DFG process for people with MND.This is clearly set out in government guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-facilities-grant-dfg-delivery-guidance-for-local-authorities-in-england) which encourages local authorities to streamline the application process to improve the delivery of adaptations, including for people living with MND. While it is for local authorities to determine the flexibilities that best meet the needs of their residents, the guidance also encourages them to prioritise urgent cases and work towards good practice timescales.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure teachers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools remain politically neutral when teaching.

I refer the hon. Member for Ashfield to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43267.

What steps he is taking to help improve access to affordable home adaptations for people with motor neurone disease.

We recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in supporting people to live as independently and safely as possible. In England, we continue to fund the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which is administered by local authorities. This grant helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes, including people with motor neurone disease, to adapt their homes.We have provided an additional £172 million over this and the last financial year to uplift the DFG. This uplift could provide approximately 15,600 extra home adaptations to give people more independence in their homes. This brings the total funding for the DFG to £711 million in each of 2024/25 and 2025/26.

What discussions he has had with private social care providers on levels of challenges for their staff.

I regularly hold discussions with providers from across the social care sector, including private and voluntary sectors, and with local authority providers. This includes roundtables and site visits.Department officials also regularly engage with private adult social care providers and sector representatives to understand the challenges faced by their workforce.In order to gain a full understanding of issues affecting the workforce, the Department commissioned ‘The Adult Social Care workforce and their work-related quality of life survey’ which provides detailed evidence on the issues most affecting staff.The full survey report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-asc-workforce-and-work-related-quality-of-life

What steps he is taking to support social care staff working in supported living accommodation.

The Government recognises the vital role of social care staff working in supported living accommodation in enabling people to live independently with dignity.We are committed to transforming adult social care and supporting adult social care workers, turning the page on decades of low pay and insecurity. That is why we plan to introduce the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028, backed by £500 million of funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce. This will improve recruitment and retention and give staff better recognition for their vital work. The £500 million forms part of an increase of over £4 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared to 2025-26.Ensuring staff have the skills and training needed to work in social care is also essential, both to attract people to join and remain in the workforce, and for the provision of high-quality care and support. That is why we have developed the Care Workforce Pathway, the first national career framework for adult social care, and, we are investing £12 million in learning and development through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, to enable eligible staff to complete eligible courses and qualifications.These actions form part of our wider commitment to improving skills and support for the social care workforce.

What steps he is taking to improve care for people with motor neurone disease.

NHS England commissions the specialised elements of motor neurone disease (MND) care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. Within these specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals and specialised treatment and support, according to their needs. At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with MND, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically-led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with MND. In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. The service specification outlines that specialised neurology centres must include services for neuromuscular disorders, including MND. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.

What steps his Department is taking to support research into motor neurone disease.

Government responsibility for delivering research into motor neurone disease (MND) is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Medical Research Council for MND.The Government is investing in MND research across a range of areas, including an £8 million investment via the NIHR into the EXPERTS-ALS. This is a pre-clinical study which is designed to accelerate the identification and testing of the most promising treatment candidates for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): the most common form of MND.The MND Translational Accelerator, supported by £6 million of Government funding, is connecting the UK Dementia Research Institute, the UK MND Research Institute and Dementias Platform UK. Twelve projects have been funded through the Accelerator; all aimed at speeding up the development of treatments for MND.The NIHR and UKRI continue to welcome funding applications for research into MND.