Written questions by Mathew.

If he will set out how his Department will roll out breast cancer gene (BRCA) testing nationally.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) define populations with high risk of carrying harmful breast cancer (BRCA) gene variants and (b) increase testing levels amongst those communities.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a proactive approach to offering breast cancer gene (BRCA) testing to those who have lost a family member to ovarian or breast can

Awaiting answer.

What additional resources are being given to the NHS Business Service Authority to clear the backlog of NHS Pension applications.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to support retiring NHS staff whose pensions are not processed within the target processing time.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his department has have made of the effectiveness of the NHS Business Services Authority in processing NHS pension applications.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support inclusive and representative governance in Syria and to help protect the rights of religious communities.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that new treatment options for glioblastoma are reviewed and made available as quickly as possible.

The Government recognises that glioblastoma is a rare and aggressive brain tumour and is committed to improving outcomes for people affected by rare and less common cancers such as this.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes re...

What mechanisms are in place to assess the performance of care providers which have been commissioned by the Integrated Care Board.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assuring the quality, effectiveness, and value of the services they commission for their populations.ICBs assess provider performance through a range of mechanisms, including contract management arrangemen...

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions in funding for Integrated Care Boards on their ability to provide oversight of contracted services.

We are looking to reduce the cost of running integrated care boards (ICBs) to free up resources for frontline services. To support this, we have refocused their role on strategic commissioning and reduced their involvement in functions such as performance...

What mechanisms are available to remove an underperforming commissioned service provider before the expiry of a contract.

The NHS Standard Contract allows a commissioner to terminate a contract either by issuing notice in accordance with the contract notice period, or in a number of other circumstances which include where a provider:is in persistent or repetitive breach of t...

How many civil servants are waiting for payment of a civil service pension in (a) Melksham and Devizes constituency and (b) the UK.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension q...

What the backlog is of Civil Service Pension Scheme cases.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension q...

How his Department ensures individuals with (a) hidden and (b) fluctuating disabilities are properly assessed and receive adequate support.

The Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) conducting the Work Capability Assessment and the Personal Independence Payment assessment are trained specialists in disability analysis. Their focus is on understanding the functional impact of a customer’s condition,...

What assessment his Department have made of the impact of delays to Disability Living Allowance decisions on families caring for children with hidden disabilities in (a) Melksham and Devizes and (b) the

We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for our claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working to make impr...

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for Disability Living Allowance Mandatory Reconsideration decisions.

We have approved overtime and reallocated decision makers to clear our outstanding Disability Living Allowance Child Mandatory Reconsideration cases more quickly. This will help us to reduce clearance times.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's policies on (a) water management practices between Israel and Palestine and (b) the salinity of Gaz

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 May in response to Question 1592.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a public inquiry into the effects of diethylstilbestrol.

On 12 December 2025, Professor Peter Johnson, the National Clinical Director for Cancer, sent a letter to all cancer alliances highlighting the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES). The message was meant for healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and referenced existing National Health Service guidance on screening. The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to DES in utero, to attend regular cervical screening which tests for human papilloma virus, the cause of most cervical cancers. The guidance also states that local arrangements, such as regular colposcopy, should be made for women who believe or know they were exposed to DES in utero.Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver safe and effective treatment for patients. The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the effects of DES. The Department is currently collaborating with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to explore opportunities for research into the long-term and intergenerational effects of DES, including DES grandchildren.

What training healthcare professionals are given on the impacts of diethylstilbestrol.

On 12 December 2025, Professor Peter Johnson, the National Clinical Director for Cancer, sent a letter to all cancer alliances highlighting the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES). The message was meant for healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and referenced existing National Health Service guidance on screening. The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to DES in utero, to attend regular cervical screening which tests for human papilloma virus, the cause of most cervical cancers. The guidance also states that local arrangements, such as regular colposcopy, should be made for women who believe or know they were exposed to DES in utero.Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver safe and effective treatment for patients. The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the effects of DES. The Department is currently collaborating with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to explore opportunities for research into the long-term and intergenerational effects of DES, including DES grandchildren.

Communities and Local Government, how the Department monitors local authority performance in supporting young people facing homelessness.

We are taking action across government to provide targeted support to young people and their families at an earlier stage. The government is providing more than £3.6 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, which councils can use to meet the needs of people in their area including young people. Housing authorities have a duty to assess any eligible applicant who is homeless or at risk of homelessness. They must work with the applicant to develop a personalised housing plan with actions to be taken by the authority and the applicant to try and prevent or relieve homelessness. We have also committed to develop a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit and develop a dedicated chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people, to support councils to work collaboratively with other public services to prevent youth homelessness.