Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate the Department has made of waiting times for diagnostic imaging for suspected liver cancer; and what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times in diagnosis.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of reducing cancer diagnostic waiting times which is why we have committed to meeting all of the cancer waiting time standards, including the 28-day faster diagnosis standard (FDS), by 2029. This will improve outcomes for all cancers, including liver cancer.

We do not hold waiting time data specifically on diagnostic imaging for suspected liver cancer. While we collect data on the FDS performance for suspected upper gastrointestinal cancer, this does not differentiate between imaging and non-imaging pathways. FDS performance for suspected upper gastrointestinal cancer has increased 2.9% from 73.2% in January 2025 to 76.1% in January 2026, exceeding the 75% performance target.

We will improve waiting time performance by modernising the entire cancer pathway, expanding diagnostic capacity and streamlining diagnostic services. This modernisation will be supported by a £6 billion investment in diagnostic and urgent care capacity which will transform diagnostic care and provide the National Health Service with the tools they require to diagnose cancer, including liver cancer, faster and earlier.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of variation in liver cancer survival outcomes between integrated care systems; and what steps it is taking to reduce that variation.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As set out in the National Cancer Plan, the Department is committed to increasing survival rates across all cancer types, including liver cancer. We are working to end the postcode lottery for cancer care, by increasing access to cancer services, expanding screening, and modernising the entirety of the cancer pathway.  We will continue to implement the community liver health checks programme which proactively offers fibroscans to people with cirrhosis and fatty liver disease, which will identify 4,000 patients each year at high-risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.

The recently published National Cancer Plan sets out how we will deliver a crackdown on geographical inequalities in cancer care to drive up standards across England. New cancer manuals will set out what good care looks like, with regional partnerships of health leaders and clinicians utilising data to drive improvements where services are falling short.

National Health Service regions and Cancer Alliances will jointly identify underperforming trusts and provide intensive support, including leadership intervention, peer-to-peer mentoring, seconding senior managers from stronger trusts, and access to £200 million of ringfenced cancer funding in 2026/27 to improve cancer pathway performance and reduce delays. We publish survival data by integrated care board, with further information available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-survival-in-england/cancers-diagnosed-2016-to-2020-followed-up-to-2021

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the level of waiting times for Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor tests; and what steps she is taking to ensure trainees can complete the qualification process within the validity period of their theory test certificates.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on the current waiting time for an approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 or part 3 test at any of its test centres. ADI examiners are a national team and are not assigned to specific test centres.

There are currently 36 full time equivalent driving examiners employed by the DVSA who can conduct ADI part 2 and 3 tests. DVSA has ongoing training and recruitment with its next training course starting in May for six new driving examiners, with two further courses planned later in the year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce the cost of living for working parents.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

It is our ambition that families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving the life chances for every child, and the work choices for every parent. The evidence is clear that high quality early education and childcare boosts child development, especially for the most disadvantaged children, and makes it easier for parents to work. Through our best start in life strategy, we are ensuring that families across the country can access affordable early education and childcare that supports them to achieve and thrive.

As the government builds a stronger economy with sustainable public finances, it is continuing to invest in the early years sector, supporting the successful delivery of the entitlements. In 2026/27, we are expecting to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24. The successful expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents is saving eligible families using their full entitlement an average of £8,000 per year.

National average funding rate increases continue to reflect forecast cost pressures on the early years sector, including the National Living Wage announced at Autumn Budget 2025, and go further, taking into account the wider workforce pressures felt by the sector since April 2025.

We want to look at how we can make government support simpler for providers and parents, improve access and increase the overall impact for children and families. We will work across government to look at how early education and childcare support provided by government works for families and children. We will be driving take up of the 15-hour entitlements to ensure that disadvantaged children are benefiting, holding local authorities to account for their take up through the Local Government Outcomes Framework to ensure those children and households that stand to benefit the most do so.

David Colraine

Greenwheel Electric electric vehicle charging and business hub

100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough

Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence law

Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners

Glasgow 850 Interfaith Sponsored Walk

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Found: the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Harriet Cross; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas McAllister