Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with NICE on ensuring that updates to the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary for prostate cancer facilitate proactive discussions by clinicians with individuals they believe are at high risk of prostate cancer.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical knowledge summaries (CKS) are developed independently of government on the basis of the latest available evidence, but officials continue to work with NICE to ensure the CKS for prostate cancer and other conditions are as helpful as possible for general practitioners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for an update on the date of publication of the NHS workforce plan.

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

The Government has committed to introduce a new 10 Year NHS Workforce Plan to complement the 10-Year Health Plan for England, and we will keep Parliament updated on the timetable for publication of that plan in the normal way.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve wildfire mitigation.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Wildfires are already more frequent and more severe because of climate change. The science is clear that wildfire risk will continue to increase, and that we need to act now to increase our resilience.

Tomorrow, the Government will convene a wildfire summit focused on the core components of wildfire mitigation from response to landscape resilience. The summit will bring together the fire and rescue services, and the owners and managers of the landscapes most at risk from wildfire.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of increasing the proportion of that department's research and development funding allocated to regions that have historically received a lower share of health research funding.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to ensuring that health and care research is inclusive and representative of the population geographically and demographically.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 June in response to Question 4102.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to monitor trends in the incidence and survival rates of primary liver cancer in England.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England’s National Disease Registration Service collects and publishes cancer registration data, enabling trends in cancer incidence in England, including liver cancer, to be monitored. Cancer survival statistics are also used to monitor changes in outcomes over time.

The National Cancer Plan commits to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates, with a core priority of earlier detection, particularly for cancers like liver cancer that are often diagnosed too late. The Plan aims for three out of four people diagnosed with cancer to survive for five years or more by 2035.

Early diagnosis is critical to improved chances of survival, however existing evidence suggests only 50% of liver cancers are currently diagnosed at an early stage (1 or 2). Detecting liver cancer at an early stage is especially challenging as it is often asymptomatic. We will develop more proactive approaches to identifying people at risk, including symptomatic case finding, enhanced general practitioner support and genomic testing.

The Community Liver Health Checks programme will continue to offer FibroScans to people with cirrhosis and fatty liver disease, aiming to identify 4,000 individuals each year at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Those identified at high risk will be offered regular cancer checks, including ultrasound surveillance.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of the independent review of Arts Council England by Baroness Margaret Hodge, published December 2025; and what progress has been made on recommendation 3.1 relating to amendments to Theatre Tax Relief to include additional costs of touring.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government strongly welcomes Baroness Hodge’s Independent Review of Arts Council England (ACE) and has a roadmap for implementation with ACE

We are working closely with ACE to implement the Review’s recommendations. Already, ACE has published a strategic framework to replace Let’s Create and published revised guidance for the National Portfolio Investment Programme in September.

On Recommendation 3.1 regarding Theatre Tax Relief, the Government recognises the value of cultural tax reliefs to the sector. DCMS will be providing evidence to HM Treasury to support consideration of these proposals. Any changes to tax policy are made by the Chancellor at fiscal events, in the context of the wider public finances.

Found: Section 7.1 – Licences Surrendered OC1111170 R Licence surrendered WEF 8 October 2026 PAUL DAVIES