The Events Research Programme (ERP), under the guidance of Chief Advisors Nicholas Hytner and Davd Ross, is aimed at providing key scientific data on how small and large-scale events could be permitted to safely reopen in line with the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown. The Chief Advisers will oversee the programme, reporting into the Prime Minister and will co-chair a small, advisory Senior Steering Board. There will also be a Joint Programme Board working across government to inform policy development and a Science Board to provide scientific assurance across the programme. Pilots, due to start in April, will investigate how a combination of testing and non-pharmaceutical interventions can be employed to allow venues to open safely. It is anticipated that findings will be reported to the Prime Minister at the end of May, to feed into wider discussions around Step 4 of the lockdown restrictions.

No such estimate has been made. However, we appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including publishing and the wider Creative Industries which is why the government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.

To ensure we are assisting all our sectors as effectively as possible, regular ministerially-chaired roundtables are held with business representative organisations as well as trade associations from across the Creative Industries. In addition, officials are in regular contact with stakeholders from these sectors, and we continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading media and Creative Industries.

The Department invests over £1 billion a year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR supports a broad spectrum of research on the health effects of air pollution through the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in the Health Impact of Environmental Hazards at King’s College London and the HPRU in Environmental Change and Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The NIHR also funds relevant research through its Public Health Research Programme, including an investigation on the impact of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone on children’s respiratory health.

The Department identifies priorities for research into air pollution using recommendations from the Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) and Public Health England (PHE). It also commissions PHE and COMEAP to review and conduct such research.

Between 2010-11 to 2018-19, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the UK Research Innovation have funded £6,976,001 of research on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

While funding fluctuates in response to projects funded, spend on ME/CFS has remained stable in recent years, ranging from around £700-850,000. Given that funding has remained stable, no assessment has been made about the impact of change in the level of research funding.

Between 2010-11 to 2018-19, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the UK Research Innovation have funded £6,976,001 of research on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

While funding fluctuates in response to projects funded, spend on ME/CFS has remained stable in recent years, ranging from around £700-850,000. Given that funding has remained stable, no assessment has been made about the impact of change in the level of research funding.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It is not usual practice to ring-fence funding for particular topics or conditions. The NIHR welcomes funding on applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurodevelopmental conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged on open competition, with awards being made on the basis of importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It is not usual practice to ring-fence funding for particular topics or conditions. The NIHR welcomes funding on applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurodevelopmental conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged on open competition, with awards being made on the basis of importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The Department invests £1 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

NIHR’s cancer research expenditure has risen from £101 million in 2010/11 to £132 million in 2018/19. This constitutes the largest investment in a disease area.

As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area, such as cervical cancer, is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications.

Applications to the National Institute for Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research programme are not published. Further information about the trial can be found at the following link:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/multicath/index.page

The Heath Research Authority (HRA) does not routinely publish applications for ethical approval or the minutes from Research Ethics Committee meetings, as they are commercially sensitive. A summary of the study is available at the following link:

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/multicath/

The Cliny intermittent catheter was identified as suitable for use in the trial. This catheter is CE-marked for re-use over 28 days provided a cleaning process is followed between uses.

Applications to the National Institute for Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research programme are not published. Further information about the trial can be found at the following link:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/multicath/index.page

The Heath Research Authority (HRA) does not routinely publish applications for ethical approval or the minutes from Research Ethics Committee meetings, as they are commercially sensitive. A summary of the study is available at the following link:

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/multicath/

The Cliny intermittent catheter was identified as suitable for use in the trial. This catheter is CE-marked for re-use over 28 days provided a cleaning process is followed between uses.

The right for patients to be referred to research was announced in the NHS Long Term Plan, the concept was developed during discussions with a range of stakeholders including charities. NHS England and NHS Improvement is at an early stage in developing the detailed proposal and patient and public involvement will be an integral part of this process.

No assessment has been made. The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes research funding applications into any aspect of human health, including cystic fibrosis.

Over the last five years, the NIHR has provided £8 million to fund 27 research studies into various aspects of cystic fibrosis and has provided just over £1 million to the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group to carry out systematic reviews in this area.

The NIHR has also supported 124 studies and trials on cystic fibrosis via the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres, Units and other research infrastructure, and a further 125 studies in this area through the NIHR Clinical Research Network.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is the largest public funder of health research in the United Kingdom. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including vector borne diseases.

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections total funding of nearly £4.7 million. It has five research themes all of which play a role in protecting England from emerging infections and zoonoses. One of these themes focuses specifically on Vector Biology and Climate Modelling, identifying mosquito- and tick-borne viral threats to the UK and how the climate impacts these threats.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is the largest public funder of health research in the United Kingdom. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including vector borne diseases. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit on Emerging and Zoonotic Infections is undertaking work on vector borne diseases including tick borne viral threats. The commissioning of the unit was subject to the same vigour processes as all other NIHR funded research.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research. A trial to compare mixed multi/single-use catheter management with single-use catheter management for people with intermittent catheter use was funded by the Programme Grants for Applied Research programme in 2013 with a funding level of £2,374,857.

The project consists of several work packages, leading up to the clinical trial, including: identifying and describing how and why different catheters are selected/prescribed from different viewpoints; developing, testing and comparing methods of reusing, storing and lubricating catheters to identify the most effective, safe and practical technique; developing a questionnaire to measure quality of life of people using indwelling catheters (IC); identifying which symptoms relate to urine infection in IC users; and finally carrying out a clinical trial to determine the acceptability of different catheter designs and the effect on quality of life and infection.

The clinical trial was approved by the South Central, Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee on 12 July 2019 and by the Health Research Authority on 9 August 2019.

As ethical approval has only recently been granted, no participants have been recruited to the trial to date.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research. A trial to compare mixed multi/single-use catheter management with single-use catheter management for people with intermittent catheter use was funded by the Programme Grants for Applied Research programme in 2013 with a funding level of £2,374,857.

The project consists of several work packages, leading up to the clinical trial, including: identifying and describing how and why different catheters are selected/prescribed from different viewpoints; developing, testing and comparing methods of reusing, storing and lubricating catheters to identify the most effective, safe and practical technique; developing a questionnaire to measure quality of life of people using indwelling catheters (IC); identifying which symptoms relate to urine infection in IC users; and finally carrying out a clinical trial to determine the acceptability of different catheter designs and the effect on quality of life and infection.

The clinical trial was approved by the South Central, Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee on 12 July 2019 and by the Health Research Authority on 9 August 2019.

As ethical approval has only recently been granted, no participants have been recruited to the trial to date.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research. A trial to compare mixed multi/single-use catheter management with single-use catheter management for people with intermittent catheter use was funded by the Programme Grants for Applied Research programme in 2013 with a funding level of £2,374,857.

The project consists of several work packages, leading up to the clinical trial, including: identifying and describing how and why different catheters are selected/prescribed from different viewpoints; developing, testing and comparing methods of reusing, storing and lubricating catheters to identify the most effective, safe and practical technique; developing a questionnaire to measure quality of life of people using indwelling catheters (IC); identifying which symptoms relate to urine infection in IC users; and finally carrying out a clinical trial to determine the acceptability of different catheter designs and the effect on quality of life and infection.

The clinical trial was approved by the South Central, Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee on 12 July 2019 and by the Health Research Authority on 9 August 2019.

As ethical approval has only recently been granted, no participants have been recruited to the trial to date.

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area, such as cancer, is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications.

The NIHR’s expenditure on cancer research constitutes the largest investment in a disease area, and expenditure since 2009 is set out in the attached table.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR has a large programme of work to look at the causes of obesity, in addition to research on prevention and treatment. The NIHR has invested £5 million over five years in an Obesity Policy Research Unit which has a programme of work to provide robust evidence and a deeper understanding of the causes of childhood obesity, including research on marketing, food environment and behaviour change.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including obesity; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.