The government has pledged £50 million for research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) intended to enable faster progress towards treatments.

£29.5 million will be spent on specialist research centres and partnerships with researchers.

£20.5 million will be used to accelerate work on the most promising treatments.

Health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, and business secretary, Grant Shapps have announced that "the government will cut red tape in order to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, with immediate investment so NHS patients can benefit from cutting edge treatment and medicines".

They said that removing red tape will ensure funding reaches frontline researchers more quickly, enabling faster progress towards treatments.

Biomedical Research Centres, collaborations between academics and clinicians, will be used to translate breakthroughs in the lab into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: "Motor neurone disease can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and I’m determined to help accelerate research to find a cure and develop innovative treatments.

"We’ve already invested millions to improve treatments and our understanding of this condition but there’s more we can do and that’s why I’m now slashing red tape to fast-track funding and ensure it reaches frontline researchers more quickly.

"I’m grateful to the United to End MND campaign, for their work raising awareness and I warmly congratulate Kevin Sinfield on his epic achievement completing seven ultra-marathons, as well as remembering the late Doddie Weir for his outstanding contribution over the past five years."