Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Institute for Health and Care Research's news story entitled NIHR launches £13.7 million investment into brain tumour research, published on 19 December 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of funding the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium and Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence on the level of patient access to tumour tissue freezing within routine NHS neuro-oncology pathways, including access for patients treated outside specialist centres to sequencing, research, and clinical trials.

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

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year in research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In January 2026, the NIHR announced increased investment of over £25 million in the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium. The world-leading consortium aims to transform outcomes for adults and children and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing lives lost to cancer. Its activities will include:

• enrolling patients to a ‘Real World’ study tracking their progress in everyday medical settings, before matching them to new clinical trials based on their cancer subtype;
• developing pioneering new clinical trials, including platform trials, to test medicines and radiotherapy technologies, immunotherapies, and novel gene therapies. This includes targeted precision medicine; and
• developing new training programmes for those working in brain cancer research to build capacity and increase skills among the next generation of researchers.

It is anticipated that this funding will include costs associated with freezer capacity to house frozen tissue and liquid biopsy samples specifically to support the consortium’s activities. The consortium will also engage with partners on the standardised pathways for tissue storage and whole genome sequencing for all patients for stratification into clinical trials.

In addition, the NIHR’s investments for capital equipment, technology, and modular buildings support National Health Service trusts across England to deliver high-quality research to improve the health of the population. This investment includes cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets such as ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, to strengthen research capacity and improve access to samples for research.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Institute for Health and Care Research's news story entitled NIHR launches £13.7 million investment into brain tumour research, published on 19 December 2025, whether the funding allocated to brain tumour research through the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium includes specific funding to increase tissue freezing capacity and standardise access to tumour storage across NHS trusts and health boards to allow all eligible brain cancer patients to have genomic sequencing, clinical trials, and advanced diagnostics.

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

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year in research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In January 2026, the NIHR announced increased investment of over £25 million in the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium. The world-leading consortium aims to transform outcomes for adults and children and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing lives lost to cancer. Its activities will include:

• enrolling patients to a ‘Real World’ study tracking their progress in everyday medical settings, before matching them to new clinical trials based on their cancer subtype;
• developing pioneering new clinical trials, including platform trials, to test medicines and radiotherapy technologies, immunotherapies, and novel gene therapies. This includes targeted precision medicine; and
• developing new training programmes for those working in brain cancer research to build capacity and increase skills among the next generation of researchers.

It is anticipated that this funding will include costs associated with freezer capacity to house frozen tissue and liquid biopsy samples specifically to support the consortium’s activities. The consortium will also engage with partners on the standardised pathways for tissue storage and whole genome sequencing for all patients for stratification into clinical trials.

In addition, the NIHR’s investments for capital equipment, technology, and modular buildings support National Health Service trusts across England to deliver high-quality research to improve the health of the population. This investment includes cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets such as ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, to strengthen research capacity and improve access to samples for research.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to increase access to GP appointments.

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

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the backlog of medical driving licence applications; whether this includes (a) staffing and (b) other resource changes; and whether target processing times have been set for these applications.

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

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications. This has unfortunately led to longer waiting times for some customers.

The DVLA keeps applicants informed of key updates on their case, including when medical information is requested or chased.

To improve performance, the DVLA is updating its online service, and launching a new casework system. A new digital medical services portal will also launch in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

In 2024/25 the DVLA achieved 85 per cent against its customer service measure to make a licensing decision in 90 days in 90 per cent of medical driving licence cases.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) reduce the time taken to process medical driving licence applications and (b) ensure applicants receive timely updates on the status of their applications.

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

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications. This has unfortunately led to longer waiting times for some customers.

The DVLA keeps applicants informed of key updates on their case, including when medical information is requested or chased.

To improve performance, the DVLA is updating its online service, and launching a new casework system. A new digital medical services portal will also launch in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

In 2024/25 the DVLA achieved 85 per cent against its customer service measure to make a licensing decision in 90 days in 90 per cent of medical driving licence cases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure dementia diagnosis pathways align with NHS access standards for timely assessment and treatment.

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

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis and remain committed to increasing diagnosis rates and ensuring people can access any treatment licensed or recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and support they need.

We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year.

As part of this exercise, we are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of pausing deductions being taken from Carer's Allowance payments as a result of earnings-related overpayments while the Department reassesses those cases.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have been clear that the Sayce review into earnings related Carer’s Allowance overpayments was not a substitute for legal proceedings. The report’s findings do not prejudice business-as-usual activity by DWP. The department must balance fairness for unpaid carers and its duty to taxpayers.

The department’s guidance on averaging earnings, for those with fluctuating earnings, did not accurately reflect the legislation between 2015 and summer 2025. We are, in response, planning a reassessment exercise. Overpayment recovery work will continue during the reassessment exercise. Should reassessment lead to an amended decision in an individual case, we will adjust entitlement to Carer’s Allowance and take the appropriate action depending on the customer’s circumstances. We will set out more details about the reassessment exercise in the coming weeks.

For anyone who has had an overpayment, DWP’s Debt Management Service is available to discuss their repayment terms.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight his Department exercises over the MHRA’s use of GMDN Level 2 classifications in the registration and regulation of medical devices in the UK.

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

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) derives most of its income from charging statutory fees for its services. Generally, wherever the MHRA provides a service for regulatory work, a statutory fee is set to recover the cost of the work involved.

This means the regulated bear the cost of regulation, and Government bodies do not make a loss which must be subsidised by wider Government and ultimately the taxpayer, including patients themselves.

This is in line with the HM Treasury guidance “Managing Public Money” which states that ‘the standard approach is to set charges to recover full costs’. The MHRA does not make any profit from statutory fees.

In 2024, the MHRA consulted on proposals regarding ongoing cost recovery, and a Government response was published in March 2025. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/mhra-consultation-on-statutory-fees-proposals-on-ongoing-cost-recovery

Going forward, the MHRA intends to update its fees every two years as regularity provides more certainty to customers and enables financial planning. This is standard practice amongst government bodies operating on a cost recovery basis.

The modified Medical Device Registration Fee will be calculated by relating staff costs for post-market work to the number of Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN®) codes registered to each manufacturer. The GMDN® is a comprehensive set of terms that name and group all medical device products. The Department has an agreement with the GMDN Agency for the use of the GMDN® Codes and Categories. However, these Codes and Categories are managed by the GMDN Agency.

The MHRA, as an executive agency of the Department, may use the GMDN® Codes and Categories. It does so for the purposes of devices registration and vigilance reporting, which is essential for the MHRA’s work to implement the regulations for medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics.

There will be an annual fee for each of the GMDN® codes under which a manufacturer registers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what process is available to manufacturers to seek reassignment or review of a GMDN Level 2 classification used by the MHRA where the published description no longer reflects the device’s intended purpose.

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

Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN®) codes and categories are managed and determined by the GMDN Agency. The structure is managed independently of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) who is not involved in assigning GMDN® codes to categories. Questions regarding GMDN® code allocations to categories should therefore be directed to the GMDN Agency.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the MHRA is taking to address circumstances in which a previously used GMDN Level 2 code has been obsoleted or materially amended at the point of mandatory device registration renewal.

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

Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) Codes and Categories are managed by the GMDN Agency. The GMDN Agency may obsolete GMDN Codes within a hierarchy of GMDN Categories. If a GMDN Code is obsoleted, the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will receive a feed notifying it of the GMDN Code obsolescence. When a GMDN Code becomes obsolete, the MHRA notifies all registrants that are impacted by the obsolescence. Applicants are notified within the MHRA Device Online Registration System (DORS). The applicant can then update the obsolete GMDN Code to an active GMDN Code within DORS.

If a newly selected active GMDN Code falls within a different GMDN Level 2 Category, or Level 1 Category where no Level 2 Category exists, an annual fee may become payable from 1 April of the following year at the time of renewal. The fee will be charged if the newly selected GMDN Code is the only device within the chargeable category.

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 implications for his policies of the impact of breast density on the reliability of mammogram screening for breast cancer; and what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that women with high breast density receive appropriate (a) information and (b) access to supplementary screening methods.

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

The Government is guided by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the UK NSC is confident that to screen would provide more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended, as all medical interventions carry an inherent risk.

A review by the UK NSC of the evidence in 2019 of supplementary ultrasound for women with dense breasts and negative mammograms showed insufficient evidence to balance the risks, benefits, and costs. In the field, there are concerns that undertaking notification of increased density without provision of any modification of screening may increase inequity and capacity issues, as well as leading to increased anxiety and confusion.

The UK NSC is considering the best approach for women with dense breast tissue. It reviewed the evidence relating to the provision of additional breast screening for women who have dense breast tissue and invited stakeholders’ feedback on the findings to inform future work. The consultation closed in August 2025. Further work is needed to understand the clinical impact and costs of adding breast density to the screening pathways in the United Kingdom.

In the meantime, the Breast Screening Risk Adaptive Imaging for Density (BRAID) trial is looking into the use of supplementary imaging techniques for women within the standard breast screening programme who are found to have radiographically dense breast tissue. The different tests include magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. The UK NSC is in contact with the researchers and is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available. It will make recommendations to ministers in light of this.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme advises all women, as part of its literature, that cancer may be missed and that breast symptoms should be reported even if they have recently had a negative screening mammogram.

Heating oil prices

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank

International Women's Day 2026 and women’s inclusion in placemaking

Dual nationals without British passports

Cardiac risk in the young

Conduct of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

High street bank closures

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

New US sanctions on Cuba

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

Palantir and the NHS

Review of the student loan system

Health and Care Worker visas

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Securing the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme

Chalk stream river protection

The Chilterns National Landscape boundary review