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Sir David Cooksey this week opened his consultation on the structure of the single ring-fenced health research fund announced in the Budget. Comments are invited by July 28 on the possible merger of the Medical Research Council and the National Health Service Research and Development Programme.

"All that's been set is that all the funding will be put into one pot. There's no preordained template," Sir David said. The review will also make recommendations on funding, he said. "There's a minimum of ?1 billion but it could be ?1.4 billion - it's all to be decided."