Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set targets for reducing waiting lists by aligning them with (a) workforce growth and (b) deployment metrics.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the National Health Service, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. It is for trusts and integrated care boards to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible, and more fulfilled. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the average number of days taken to fill a consultant-level vacancy in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to fill consultant-level vacancies on waiting list recovery rates.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold data on the number of days taken to fill a consultant-level vacancy nor has it made an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken to fill consultant-level vacancies on waiting list recovery rates.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the National Health Service, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan.

It is for trusts and integrated care boards to manage staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to monitor progress on access to new NHS-approved drugs for blood cancer patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE has been able to recommend a number of medicines for use in the NHS for the treatment of different types of blood cancer.

NHS England funds NICE-recommended cancer medicines from the Cancer Drugs Fund from the point of a positive draft NICE guidance, bringing forward patient access by approximately five months than would otherwise be the case. All drugs on the Cancer Drugs Fund have reached expected uptake levels within three months of a positive NICE recommendation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of international best practice in the provision of osteoporosis diagnosis services; and whether he is applying lessons learned from those practices to NHS policy.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the last three years, two new drugs have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, namely abaloparatide and romosozumab. These medications help to strengthen the bones and prevent bone loss, thereby reducing the risk of fractures. The National Health Service is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended by NICE.

We have invested in 13 new bone density, or DEXA, scanners, which are expected to provide up to 29,000 extra scans per year to ensure people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

The National Fracture Liaison Service database is a clinically led national audit of secondary fracture prevention in England and Wales and is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and delivered by the Royal College of Physicians. It collects and publishes data on individual Fracture Liaison Services and uses internationally recognised standards as the key performance indicators that these services are measured against. The data is publicly available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to osteoporosis medication and early diagnosis services across all regions of England.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the last three years, two new drugs have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, namely abaloparatide and romosozumab. These medications help to strengthen the bones and prevent bone loss, thereby reducing the risk of fractures. The National Health Service is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended by NICE.

We have invested in 13 new bone density, or DEXA, scanners, which are expected to provide up to 29,000 extra scans per year to ensure people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

The National Fracture Liaison Service database is a clinically led national audit of secondary fracture prevention in England and Wales and is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and delivered by the Royal College of Physicians. It collects and publishes data on individual Fracture Liaison Services and uses internationally recognised standards as the key performance indicators that these services are measured against. The data is publicly available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the pace of workforce planning in addition to the long-term workforce plan.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the pace of workforce planning in addition to the long-term workforce plan.

We will publish our 10 Year Workforce Plan by the end of this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of adequacy of the time taken to recruit (a) allied health professionals, (b) doctors and (c) nurses in each of the last five years; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken to recruit allied health professionals on (i) rehabilitation and (iI) elective services.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has made no specific assessment of the adequacy of the time taken to recruit allied health professionals, doctors, and nurses in each of the last five years.

Currently, the Department has no plans to make an assessment on the potential impact of the time taken to recruit allied health professionals on rehabilitation and elective services.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the National Health Service, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. It is for trusts and integrated care boards to manage the recruitment and staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse and midwife in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for NHS trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing (a) workforce turnover and (b) waiting list lengths.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles, workforce burnout, reductions in the number of interim board positions, or regional retention offers on waiting lists, or of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times. No assessment has been made of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing workforce turnover.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff, including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

The health and wellbeing of all NHS staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the NHS, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. Trusts and integrated care boards are expected to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of Trusts have designated recruitment teams focused on elective care specialties; and whether he plans on rolling out this initiative to more Trusts.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold information on how many and what proportion of trusts have designated recruitment teams focused on elective care specialties.

Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles, workforce burnout, reductions in the number of interim board positions, or regional retention offers on waiting lists, or of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times. No assessment has been made of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing workforce turnover.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff, including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

The health and wellbeing of all NHS staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the NHS, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. Trusts and integrated care boards are expected to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles on waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles, workforce burnout, reductions in the number of interim board positions, or regional retention offers on waiting lists, or of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times. No assessment has been made of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing workforce turnover.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff, including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

The health and wellbeing of all NHS staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the NHS, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. Trusts and integrated care boards are expected to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of workforce burnout on waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles, workforce burnout, reductions in the number of interim board positions, or regional retention offers on waiting lists, or of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times. No assessment has been made of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing workforce turnover.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff, including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

The health and wellbeing of all NHS staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the NHS, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. Trusts and integrated care boards are expected to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in the number of interim board positions on the capacity of the executive to reduce waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of staffing shortages in non-clinical roles, workforce burnout, reductions in the number of interim board positions, or regional retention offers on waiting lists, or of creating temporary cross-trust staffing pools for specialties with high waiting times. No assessment has been made of the potential impact of regional retention offers on reducing workforce turnover.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff, including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

The health and wellbeing of all NHS staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health.

NHS England published its planning guidance for 2025/26 in January 2025. This guidance sets out clear priorities for the NHS, including the delivery of the interim electives ambition that nationally, 65% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, along with an expected minimum 5% improvement on current performance for each trust, as set out in the Elective Reform Plan. Trusts and integrated care boards are expected to manage the staffing of all professions to deliver on these priorities within their agreed financial allocations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has undertaken modelling on the potential impact of (a) retention incentives, (b) flexible working policies and (c) bursaries for different staff groups on waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not undertaken any such modelling. It is known that in the National Health Service, an engaged and supported workforce leads to better patient care. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.

To support this ambition, the Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for flexible modern NHS employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture that embeds retention.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the workforce capacity in community settings to help reduce pressure on elective backlogs.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan committed to shifting care from the hospital to the community and to introducing Neighbourhood Health Services to bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver these transformed services. The plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated to community mental health transformation programmes in the North East since 2022.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the funding allocated to community mental health transformation programmes in the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board area:

Source: NHS England

Note: These figures represent service development funding directed at transformation and do not represent the total amount allocated to community mental health services in the area.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has reviewed the (a) confirmation, (b) tracking and (c) communication of British Sign Language interpreter bookings between HMCTS staff and jurors.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been unable to complete jury service because of a lack of British Sign Language provision in the last 12 months.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether guidance has been issued to HM Courts and Tribunals Service staff on arranging (a) registered sign language interpreters and (b) deaf relay interpreters for jurors.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential impact of centralised specialist services on patient outcomes for different blood cancers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps with patient organisations to understand barriers to blood cancer care in local communities.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to issue guidance to NHS trusts on prioritising blood cancer patients for treatment when demand exceeds capacity.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to consider patient feedback when developing the national cancer plan for blood cancers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to expand the number of specialist centres for myeloma treatment.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of data sharing between hospitals and primary care in improving early diagnosis of blood cancers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to specialist blood cancer treatment for patients in rural areas.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve five-year survival rates for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and the Department has been working closely with patient organisations and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan. This includes patient and family engagement events with partners such as Macmillan and Maggies, and engagement with blood cancer charities and the NHS Patient and Public Voice Forum.

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. To tackle the late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Furthermore, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitment to putting digital health at the heart of the future health service, and integrating that with a single patient record and neighbourhood health services, will mean that cancer patients will get the joined-up care they deserve.

The National Cancer Plan will also seek to ensure that high-quality care is available to patients across the country, including patients in rural areas. This will build on the current national cancer audits, which are seeking to promote best practice and aim to reduce inequalities in the access to, or the quality of, treatment. Further details on the steps that will be taken to achieve this will be set out in the plan. Service providers are responsible for making clinical decisions about prioritisation in response to capacity constraints, taking into consideration national guidance, and access and waiting time standards, so that patients are prioritised.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potential treatment for a range of malignant and non-malignant indications, including myeloma. HSCT is a specialised service and is the commissioning responsibility of integrated care boards.

NHS England is the accountable commissioner for HSCT and has published a national service specification that all commissioned HSCT services need to meet. The list of commissioned indications is covered by the NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-HSCT-All-Ages.pdf

There are currently no plans to expand the number of specialised centres that deliver HSCT treatments.

Blood cancer in and of itself is not a disease that is specialised, however, some of the treatments used to manage blood cancers are within specialised services, such as HSCT. NHS England publishes national service specifications for specialised services and monitors the quality-of-service provision and patient outcomes via the NHS England quality dashboards, and in the case of HSCT, by also reviewing the service-level reports published by the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. The findings of the reviews of these reports are discussed with NHS England regional teams who determine any appropriate action that needs to be taken with the providers within their region.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people presenting with fragility fractures are systematically referred for a bone density scan.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on incorporating fracture liaison services into the national 10-Year Health Plan.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on rolling out Fracture Liaison Services in all NHS Trusts in England.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for the national roll-out of Fracture Liaison Services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that every NHS Trust in England commissions a Fracture Liaison Service.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased business rates on the viability of large-format retail stores.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

We are creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

From 2026-27, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values (RVs) under £500,000. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on properties with RVs of £500,000 or more. These high-value properties cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by the online giants.

The final design of the new multipliers, including the rates, will be set at Budget 2025 so that we can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes, as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, we intend to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost savings to the NHS from the expansion of Fracture Liaison Services in England.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Potential cost savings to the National Health Service from the expansion of Fracture Liaison Services will be taken into consideration in future policy development.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential long-term fiscal impact of closures in the hospitality sector on local economies.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government values the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

The Government closely monitors the health of different sectors across the UK economy and regularly engages with the hospitality sector. The recent Spending Review set out our new long-term local growth programmes to invest in communities across the UK, including to support local high streets and their hospitality businesses.

The hospitality sector makes significant contribution the exchequer, the UK economy, and society. We are determined to support hospitality businesses to succeed. We will introduce a permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, we extended the RHL relief for 2025-26 at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier.

In addition, we:

• increased the Employment Allowance to £10,500;
• established the Licensing Taskforce and issued a call for evidence on a National Licensing Policy Framework which will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value,
• introduced the English Devolution Bill, which will protect hospitality businesses from upward only rent clauses, and;
• are introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets – such as pubs.

We will continue to work with the hospitality sector to help drive economic growth, regenerate our high streets, and support vibrant and healthy communities across the UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to extend VAT relief for hospitality businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.

HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £13 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the financial contribution of the hospitality sector to the Exchequer.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government values the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

HMRC does not hold aggregated data on the financial contribution of the hospitality sector to the Exchequer, but sectoral breakdowns for individual taxes can be found on gov.UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made on the potential impact of changes to alcohol duty reforms on the (a) pub and (b) hospitality sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Following public consultation, a new duty structure for alcohol products was introduced in August 2023.

The alcohol duty system taxes all alcohol products according to their strength, so the duty owed increases with alcohol content. The system is also progressive, ensuring that higher strength products pay proportionately more tax

The 2023 reforms significantly reduced previous inconsistencies in treatment between different types of alcohol product and introduced two new reliefs: Draught Relief (DR); and Small Producer Relief (SPR).

DR enables products served on draught below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) to pay less duty. This relief provides support to pubs and other hospitality venues, as well as helping producers of eligible products.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor made DR more generous by cutting draught rates by 1.7%, taking a penny of duty off a typical strength pint.

SPR replaced and extended the previous Small Brewers Relief. SPR supports SMEs and new entrants by permitting smaller producers who make 4,500 hectolitres or less of alcohol per year to pay reduced duty rates on all products below 8.5 per cent ABV.

HMRC plans to evaluate the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023.  This will allow time for HMRC to gather a broad range of data. The Government welcomes evidence from industry on the impact of the changes so far.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full time equivalent NHS dentists were working in (a) the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and (b) the North East on 10 October 2025.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The latest available National Health Service workforce statistics reflect the situation as of December 2024. According to this data, there were 623 Full Time Equivalent NHS dentists within the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board area. The NHS vacancy rate was 19%.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS dentist posts are unfilled in the (a) Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and (b) North East.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The latest available National Health Service workforce statistics reflect the situation as of December 2024. According to this data, there were 623 Full Time Equivalent NHS dentists within the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board area. The NHS vacancy rate was 19%.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to ensure that recovered life jackets are not re-entered into circulation for use in further crossings.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The majority of life jackets seized arrive in very poor condition and may be damaged during the recovery process, and are disposed of by Border Force’s approved contractors and, where appropriate, any suitable materials are recycled.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the reuse of life jackets recovered from small boat crossings by criminal gangs.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The majority of life jackets seized arrive in very poor condition and may be damaged during the recovery process, and are disposed of by Border Force’s approved contractors and, where appropriate, any suitable materials are recycled.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of small business rate relief on the viability of small hospitality businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27.

Over a third of properties (more than 700,000) already pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR), with an additional c.60,000 benefiting from reduced bills as this relief tapers.

The Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, published on 11 September, brings together extensive feedback from a broad range of stakeholders and outlines the Government’s next steps to deliver a fairer business rates system, that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. This includes exploring a number of reforms to incentivise investment and improve the operation of the business rates system, including how SBRR could be enhanced to more effectively support investment and expansion among small businesses.

The Government will provide a further update at the Budget. Transforming the business rates system is a multi-year process. The Government will consider reforms beyond Budget 2025, and any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with industry representatives on ensuring fair access to finance for hospitality businesses.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector and officials in the Treasury and the Department of Business and Trade engage regularly with stakeholders in the sector to understand their views. We are dedicated to ensuring that businesses across the UK, including those in the hospitality sector, can access the capital they need to grow.

While the provision of financial services to companies is largely a commercial matter, the Government believes all customers should be treated fairly. The UK has a diverse and competitive financial services sector and businesses should consider a range of providers for their finance needs, as this encourages competition, improves choice, and helps keep prices competitive.

Working with the British Business Bank (BBB), we are delivering a range of targeted interventions for businesses, including those in the hospitality sector, such as loan guarantee programmes and equity investments, designed to address regional funding gaps and unlock investment opportunities.

The recent Spending Review settlement has increased the BBB’s total financial capacity to £25.6 billion, a two-thirds uplift compared to previous years, enabling the Bank to back tens of billions of pounds’ worth of additional lending and investment to SMEs and scale-ups.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that employees in the oil and gas industry in England have adequate skills to find new employment.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We will shortly be publishing a clean energy workforce strategy which will set out our approach to upskilling and reskilling the workforce into clean energy roles through initiatives including the Energy Skills Passport, in collaboration with industry, which is helping oil and gas workers to identify routes into roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance.

The skills system is delivering training for existing workers looking to retrain or upskill into clean energy. Support includes the announcement of 10 Technical Excellence Colleges for construction, which will transform existing further education colleges to deliver the skills needed for growth-driving sectors like clean energy; the Growth and Skills levy to deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England; and Skill Bootcamps to address the need for clean energy skills where this reflects regional priorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the absence of universal access to fracture liason services on the number of preventable deaths from hip fractures each year.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made an assessment of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on preventable deaths from hip fractures.