Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Snowden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 394 · Department of Health and Social Care
What progress has been made on implementing the NHS dental contract reforms announced in December 2025.
From April 2026, we began introducing the package of reforms announced in December to address some of the pressing issues that dentists and dental teams have been experiencing. These reforms will prioritise those with the greatest need, shifting care away...
What progress his Department has made on providing 700,000 additional urgent NHS dental appointments.
The Government is committed to ensuring people can access urgent dental care when they need it. In 2025/26, integrated care boards (ICBs) commissioned additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas ...
Whether he has assessed the potential merits of establishing new dental schools in areas with persistent shortages of NHS dentists.
We have recently announced that two new dental schools, in Portsmouth and East Anglia, have each been allocated 25 new dental school places. These new dental schools are located in areas that previously did not have Government-funded dental training place...
How much public funding has been allocated to brain tumour research in each of the last five financial years.
Government responsibility for delivering brain cancer research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation an...
Whether a National Specialty Lead for rare cancers has been appointed, in the context of the Rare Cancers Act 2026.
The Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026 by ensuring that a National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers is appointed by summer 2026.The National Specialty Lead will be based in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Researc...
What information his Department holds on the number of clinical trials relating to brain tumours that are currently recruiting participants in England.
The Department is supporting the delivery of brain tumour clinical trials through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, (NIHR) which funds research and research infrastructure to support patients and the public to participate in high-qualit...
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to NICE cost-effectiveness thresholds on access to medicines for rare cancers.
National Health Service patients will get improved access to life-changing treatments as a result of the changes to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold announced in the United States and United Kingdom ...
How many NHS dentists have left NHS practice in each of the last five years.
National Health Service dental statistics identify dentists who performed NHS dental activity in a given financial year. Within these statistics a ‘leaver’ is defined as a performer who carried out NHS dental activity in the previous financial year but no...
What steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to SABR for prostate cancer patients across all regions of England.
The Department does not hold information on the number of National Health Service radiotherapy centres that currently have the equipment and workforce to deliver stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment...
How many NHS radiotherapy centres currently have the (a) equipment and (b) workforce required to deliver SABR for prostate cancer treatment.
The Department does not hold information on the number of National Health Service radiotherapy centres that currently have the equipment and workforce to deliver stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment...
What estimate he has made of the average travel distance for patients accessing SABR treatment for prostate cancer.
The clinical commissioning policy for stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for localised prostate cancer was supported by an Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment. This identified several potential benefits for patients, including fewer ...
What timetable has been set for each NHS radiotherapy centre in England to begin offering stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for eligible prostate cancer patients.
In 2027, we will streamline the process for approving new uses of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). We will also ensure that centres are incentivized to use SABR, including for eligible prostate cancer patients.We know that SABR is often a better...
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards discharge their statutory duty under the Health and Care Act 2022 to reduce inequalities in access to commissioned speciali
The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy and healthy life expectancy varying widely both within and between communities. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to tackling the social determinants of health,...
What assessment he has made of the progress towards NHS England's 2018 commissioning target of 1,000 Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion procedures per annum.
Oversight of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) activity and delivery sits with integrated care boards and NHS England regional commissioning teams, who work in close collaboration with cardiac networks to monitor activity and equity of access for pat...
What assessment has been made of the potential impact of damp, mould and cold housing conditions on people living with (a) COPD and (b) chronic respiratory illnesses.
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
When he plans to implement the recommendations in Lord Mann’s review into antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS.
The Government supports all recommendations from the Lord Mann review, accepting in full the recommendations for the Department and NHS England, subject to consultation and further stakeholder engagement where appropriate. Work to implement the recommenda...
What timetable he has established for the national roll-out of the targeted prostate cancer screening programme.
Through the introduction of England's first ever targeted prostate cancer screening programme, and through the major package of investment of over £20 million to expand research and improve treatment announced on 2 June 2026, the Government is taking an i...
What estimate he has made of the number of men in Fylde constituency eligible for the targeted prostate cancer screening programme in each of the first five years of its operation.
Through the introduction of England's first ever targeted prostate cancer screening programme, and through the major package of investment of over £20 million to expand research and improve treatment announced on 2 June 2026, the Government is taking an i...
Whether an Equality Impact Assessment has been undertaken in relation to the introduction of the prostate cancer targeted screening programme.
Through the introduction of England's first ever targeted prostate cancer screening programme, and through the major package of investment of over £20 million to expand research and improve treatment announced on 2 June 2026, the Government is taking an i...
How many NHS trusts met the referral-to-treatment standard in each month since July 2024.
Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, set out the ambition to meet the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by March 2029. A number of NHS ...