This week I attended a British Heart Foundation event in parliament to call on the Government to guarantee the future of the science budget to protect lifesaving research. For every £1 charities spend directly on medical research, the Government pays 26p to help fund the indirect costs. The BHF is calling on the next government to maintain the current ring-fencing of the science budget and to commit to future increases.

During the event I met Emily Sullivan who gave me a lesson in science to illustrate the importance of charities being able to continue funding medical research. Emily, 8, has had three open heart surgeries after being born with three large holes in her heart, a condition that more and more people are surviving because of BHF research.

If we are to prevent and treat devastating conditions such as cardiovascular disease in places like Castle Point, we need continued investment in pioneering research and to guarantee the future of the science budget.