Written questions by Bailey.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the article entitled European Study of Prostate Cancer Screening - 23 Year Follow-up published in the New England Journal of Medicine on 29 October 2025; and if he will ensure that this research is considered as part of the UK National Screening Committee’s review of prostate cancer screening options.

The article European Study of Prostate Cancer Screening – 23 Year Follow-up was published after the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) completed its formal modelling report as part of its evidence review into prostate cancer screening.However, given that it is a peer-reviewed update to one of only two large-scale prostate cancer screening trials, the UK NSC Secretariat has checked the key results of this research against the UK NSC’s evidence review.

Pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Health and Social Care on 17 June 2025, Official Report col 352, what his planned timescale is for a decision of the NHS England Clinical Priorities Advisory Group in relation to commissioning of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone for hormone-sensitive non-metastatic prostate cancer, following the sharing of updated cost impact modelling from Prostate Cancer UK.

In regard to funding for abiraterone specifically, abiraterone is not licensed for use in the treatment of high-risk, non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, and as such cannot be evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for routine use on the National Health Service. NICE makes recommendations for the NHS in England on the vast majority of new medicines and significant licence indications for existing medicines, but does not evaluate medicines that are used outside their marketing authorisations or “off-label”.Funding decisions for off-label medicines are the responsibility of NHS commissioners, who are required to make decisions on the basis of the available evidence. For cancer medicines, NHS England is the responsible commissioner and has an established mechanism to do so through its clinical prioritisation process. NHS England considered abiraterone as an off-label treatment for the treatment of hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer through its clinical policy development process in 2024/25. Through this process, NHS England confirmed that there was sufficient supporting evidence to support the routine commissioning of abiraterone in this indication and it was ranked as the top priority for routine commissioning. However, NHS England has not been able to identify the necessary recurrent funding to support the commissioning of abiraterone, or any other treatments within the prioritisation round. This position in being kept under review and will be progressed as soon as recurrent funding is identified.This position takes into account the need to ensure the affordability of introducing any new routine commissioning policies, alongside maintaining existing services for patients, and of meeting their legal requirement to fund all NICE approved drugs. Abiraterone for the treatment of high-risk, hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer remains the top priority for routine commissioning.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the evidence presented in Prostate Cancer Research’s report entitled Prostate Cancer Screening: The Impact on the NHS, on targeted prostate cancer screening for high-risk men; and if he will ensure that this is considered as part of the UK National Screening Committee’s review of prostate cancer screening options.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) Secretariat has noted Prostate Cancer Research’s report entitled Prostate Cancer Screening: The Impact on the NHS and has discussed it with the chair of the UK NSC.The UK NSC is currently undertaking a new evidence review of prostate cancer screening at both a population level and for targeted high-risk groups such as black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer. We anticipate a public consultation on the findings of this review soon and a recommendation by the UK NSC in the first quarter of next year.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the risk of wildfires crossing the rural-urban interface in London.

Outdoor fires, especially wildfires, are expected by many academics to increase in frequency and impact in the future, predominantly driven by climate change. Wildfires are difficult to predict as risk is based on many factors - such as weather and human activity - and can happen across a wide range of landscapes. Each fire and rescue authority, including the London Fire Commissioner, is required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), and having regard to the views of other key local responders. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) works closely with a wide range of stakeholders including the National Fire Chiefs Council, England and Wales Wildfire Forum and other Departments and Agencies including DEFRA and the Met Office to promote planning and prevention for wildfire incidents in England. This includes working closely with partners to consider options for enhancing forecasting, monitoring and public communications around wildfire.

Whether he plans to standardise the criteria for reservist call-out liability across the Armed Forces services.

Under the forthcoming Armed Forces Bill, we will standardise some of the criteria governing this liability, for those personnel who will form the Strategic Reserve (personnel who leave Service and retain a liability to be called back into permanent Service). Call-out liability for personnel on leaving Regular Service is determined by individual circumstances. These include the Service they were part of, the individual commitment or contract that governed their Service, their age, and other specific terms of their discharge such as if for medical or disciplinary reasons. The policies and processes that underpin call-out liability are under constant review, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose in the current geopolitical environment and beyond.

What steps he is taking to ensure the accuracy of data on the (a) location, (b) contact details, (c) health and (d) readiness of ex-Regulars held within the strategic reserve.

In support of the Strategic Defence Review recommendation to step-up engagement with the Strategic Reserve, the Military Strategic Headquarters, in partnership with the Military Commands, is leading work to gather and assure the relevant information to ex Regular Service personnel who still hold a Strategic Reserve liability. This includes gathering updated contact details and employer information. We are improving our assurance of this information, such as through the UK exercise programme in coming years.

Whether his Department has conducted a recent audit of the skills and health readiness of ex-Regular personnel who may be called upon during national emergencies.

In support of the Strategic Defence Review recommendation to step-up engagement with the Strategic Reserve, the Military Strategic Headquarters, in partnership with the Military Commands, is leading work to gather and assure the relevant information to ex Regular Service personnel who still hold a Strategic Reserve liability. This includes gathering updated contact details and employer information. We are improving our assurance of this information, such as through the UK exercise programme in coming years.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Play well toolkit on children's health.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever, which includes ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.We know that play is a vital part of childhood and health play services help build social-skills, support children’s wellbeing and improve outcomes. To ensure that children’s right to play is supported in healthcare settings, NHS England and Starlight, a national charity for children’s play in healthcare, co-published the Play Well Toolkit. NHS England encourages the use of this toolkit by managers of health play services across a wide range of healthcare environments accessed by children and young people. The Toolkit includes a checklist to support the auditing, monitoring, and evaluation of services.

Whether his Department is taking steps to publish a children’s health workforce plan.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. Ensuring that there is a robust children’s health workforce will be an essential component to delivering on this ambition.We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service, including the children’s health workforce. It will be more empowered, more flexible and more fulfilled. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, including children, when they need it. There are no plans to publish a separate children’s health workforce plan.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Defence Readiness Bill on balancing fefence mobilisation requirements with current and future industrial demand for specialist personnel working in (a) private sector industries critical to an effective national response to emergencies and (b) critical national infrastructure.

The Strategic Defence Review set out the need for Defence Readiness legislation this Parliament to give the Government more robust or additional powers to make the UK safe. This could include measures to improve the preparedness of key industries including nuclear, to better protect our Critical National Infrastructure and to support the mobilisation of wider Defence, including industry reserves. As this Government set out to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy on 30 June, a Defence Readiness Bill is potentially a legislative vehicle for the wider Government, not just Defence. We are therefore working closely across Government through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence programme to shape our key requirements, and understand and identify the measures needed. This will lay the groundwork to introduce legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

What estimate the UK Health Security Agency has made of the number of people who died from wildfire smoke in each of the last ten years.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made any estimates of deaths attributable to wildfire smoke in the United Kingdom in each of the last ten years.Whilst there is extensive evidence of health impacts from other countries linked to wildfires, there is relatively limited, but growing, evidence specific to the UK. The UKHSA monitors the broader impact of ambient air pollution on mortality in the UK.

When her Department plans to launch its consultation on settlement policy.

We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work.

Whether applicants from outside the UK who hold Commonwealth citizenship and are under the age of 18 at the time of joining are eligible to join the Army.

Commonwealth citizens, residing outside the UK, must be at least 18 years of age before being eligible to apply to join the Army.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor levels of political (a) violence and (b) persecution in Bangladesh; and what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in Bangladesh on those issues.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights globally. We are closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and held discussions about the importance of human rights with Chief Adviser Yunus, and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain. In February, UK Human Rights Ambassador Eleanor Sanders visited Bangladesh and met senior government officials to discuss justice, accountability and fundamental freedoms.To support democratic resilience, and reduce political tensions, the UK funded Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme aims at safeguarding civic space, encouraging political cooperation, tackling corruption and mitigating violence. We continue to stress to the Government, both in public and in private, the importance of respect for human rights and rule of law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing sanctions on Israel Katz in the context of his proposals for the Gazan population in Rafah.

As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 21 July, Minister Katz's proposal is a cruel vision that must never come to pass. We condemn it unequivocally. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.Sanctions can be used to achieve a range of foreign and security policy objectives. We use sanctions when they complement other tools as part of a wider strategy. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

What her planned timescale is for (a) consultation and (b) decision-making on long-term plans for the expansion of rail maintenance capacity around the Temple Mills depot in Leyton.

The Government is fully supportive of a thriving and competitive international passenger rail market and welcomes the prospect of new entrants. The Department recognises that depot capacity for international trains is a key barrier facing new entrants and officials are currently exploring options to address this. Any decision will be subject to the usual business case process and the Government will provide more details as this work progresses.

What steps she is taking to engage with (a) Waltham Forest local authority, (b) the Greater London Authority, (c) Transport for London, (d) existing cross-Channel train operators, (e) potential future cross-Channel train operators, (e) London St. Pancras Highspeed and (f) other stakeholders on long-term plans for the expansion of rail maintenance capacity around the Temple Mills depot in Leyton.

The Department is working at pace to further support the growth of international rail services and address the barriers to entry, including addressing capacity challenges. The Department is actively engaging with a range of stakeholders, including the Greater London Authority, Transport for London, Eurostar, London St. Pancras Highspeed and potential new operators to support the long-term growth of international rail passenger services.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a prostate cancer awareness campaign for people at high risk of prostate cancer through his forthcoming National Cancer Plan.

The Government understands that more needs to be done to improve outcomes for people at high risk of prostate cancer.NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and to address the barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.The Department continues to advise patients to follow National Health Service guidance on signs and symptoms of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. This advice is available publicly on the NHS.UK website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/ The forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England is in development and will include further details on how we will improve diagnostics, access to treatments, and outcomes for all tumour types, including prostate cancer. As such, the Department has no current plans for a separate assessment of the merits of a prostate awareness campaign.

How many Palestinian children have entered the UK for medical treatment since October 2023; and what steps her Department plans to take to increase the number of Palestinian children able to receive medical treatment in the UK.

The information requested on visas is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The UK has supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. On 1 May, the Minister for the Middle East announced that two children have arrived in the UK to begin treatment. The Government also announced a £7.5m package of support to bolster vital medical care in Gaza and the region, which includes additional funding for UK-Med, WHO Egypt and the OCHA OPTs Humanitarian Fund.

What estimate she has made of the costs of implementing the EHRC’s proposed Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations for railway stations.

I am not aware of any such estimates being made of implementing the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations for railway stations.