Written questions by Onwurah.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) data protection and (b) ethical implications of commercial DNA testing services used by minors without age verification.

All companies providing DNA testing kits or DNA testing services must comply with the provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004 relating to consent. This provides the ethical framework for DNA testing. Under the Act, a person who has not attained the age of 16 years old cannot give consent for a DNA test. Any company failing to appropriately verify that a person using a DNA testing service is legally able to give consent, may be liable for prosecution under the act.

What assessment he has made of the capacity of local health committees to respond promptly to local clinical trial requests.

Clinical trial requests are responded to by the Health Research Authority (HRA). The Department routinely monitors the performance of Research Ethics Committee approval timelines delivered by the HRA to ensure these meet targets for clinical trial approvals.Currently, 100% of HRA ethics reviews are completed by committees within the legal timeframe of 60 days. The median review time is consistently less than 40 days, and there is special provision for expedited reviews of urgent studies, such as were seen as part of regulators’ response to COVID-19, with approval being issued within days.Additionally, the HRA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency are broadly delivering combined reviews for clinical trials within the 60-day target, and backlogs have been cleared since September 2023.The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the United Kingdom a world-leading destination for clinical research. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the repayment rate for newer medicines under the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth on the UK life sciences sector.

The voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access, and growth (VPAG) is a unique partnership between the Government and the pharmaceutical industry and includes a range of commitments to support innovation and improve National Health Service access and uptake of newer medicines. This also includes the novel £400 million investment programme which aims to boost the global competitiveness of the United Kingdom, stimulate economic growth, and support patient access to medicines through targeted investment.The Department has been engaging closely with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) to understand the potential impact of the higher-than-expected VPAG headline payment percentage in 2025. In recognition of the pressure that the increased headline payment percentage is putting on industry we have committed to bringing forward the mid-scheme review of the VPAG from Autumn 2025 to June 2025.As part of this review, the ABPI and their member organisations have been invited to put forward their proposals for discussion, as well as suggestions for how the pharmaceutical sector can actively work alongside the Government to increase the UK’s overall share of global research and development activity, and drive economic growth.

o ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on commissioning research into the health and productivity impacts of working night shifts.

The Department funds research into work and health through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). This includes research into the health and productivity impacts of working night shifts. The Department has recently commissioned research to develop and test an intervention for shift work sleep disorder in National Health Service workers.To build the evidence base on work and health, last year the NIHR funded the Work and Health Development Awards, leading to four major collaboration awards.The NIHR launched a second round of Work and Health Awards in November 2024, and will launch a call in Spring 2025 to assess the labour-market outcomes of NIHR-funded health interventions. Alongside these initiatives, the NIHR launched a call in July 2024 to identify the most effective interventions that organisations can adopt to improve the physical and mental health of the United Kingdom’s workforce.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the health impacts of working night shifts. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on work and health to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

Whether he plans to continue funding for PCARP Digital Pathways in the 2025-26 financial year.

As part of the Primary Care Access and Recovery Plan for 2024/25, integrated care boards (ICBs) received non-recurrent funding to support the uptake of highly usable and accessible digital tools in practices. This funding is not separately available in 2025/26. ICBs are expected to continue funding digital tools for general practices from their core allocations, and to prioritise as necessary within those allocations, as part of delivering Government and planning priorities on general practice access, and to support the move from analogue to digital.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies on the role women's health hubs in the 10-year health plan of the guidance by his Department entitled Women's health hubs: cost benefit analysis, published on 21 March 2024.

We are committed to improving women’s health. This will be taken forward as an important part of the 10 Year Plan. The plan will draw on a range of evidence and analyses when establishing our priorities for rebuilding and reforming our health system over the next ten years.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the progress on developing new treatments for sickle cell disorder; and whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to accelerate the development of new treatments.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as sickle cell disease. Priority four of the framework aims to improve access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs for all rare conditions.In February 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved exagamglogene autotemcel (Casgevy) for use on the National Health Service in England through the Innovative Medicines Fund, and it is now available for eligible patients. People in England with severe sickle cell disease will be among the first to receive treatment using revolutionary CRISPR gene editing technology, providing a potential cure for some people with severe sickle cell disease.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not discussed steps to accelerate the development of new treatments for sickle cell disease with Cabinet colleagues.

What steps he plans to take to improve clinical trial availability across different cancer types.

The Department is committed to maximising the United Kingdom’s potential to lead the world in clinical research, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including those with different types of cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The Department is working closely with the National Health Service, industry, academia, research regulators, and charities to make clinical research in the UK more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK, including clinical trials for cancer patients.The Department-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical research across different cancer types. The NIHR also provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

What steps he is taking to treat individuals with sensory processing sensitivity.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to ensure that the providers they commission make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including for those experiencing sensory processing sensitivity. In October 2023, NHS England produced a sensory-friendly resource pack to support ICBs to develop sensory-friendly environments.

What assessment he has made of the safety of nitrate compounds used to colour preserved meat pink.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) considers the existing levels of nitrites in the United Kingdom to be sufficiently protective for consumers, and they remain important preservatives in a range of foods, which control a range of harmful micro-organisms. However, as with all additives, this remains under review.The FSA has recently worked with industry across the United Kingdom to understand the levels used in processed meat, cheese, and fish products. This is in light of the recent changes in the European Union (EU). Currently, the UK’s position on the EU’s changes is being formulated, whilst ensuring foods remain safe.

What steps his Department plans to take to involve young cancer patients in discussions about clinical trial designs.

Patient and public involvement and engagement in research is an essential part of delivering world-class clinical trials, improving the accessibility of health and care studies, and increasing recruitment rates and retention of participants.The Department-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) expects patient and public involvement in the research it supports. Applicants for NIHR funding are required to set out plans for involving patients and the public in funding applications, which are assessed by funding committees. Patients and the public work with researchers to help shape aspects of the work, including what research is done, the research design, and how the results are shared.The NIHR has operated the Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES) since 2015/16, which aims to offer as many research participants as possible the chance to contribute their experiences of taking part in research. The PRES currently operates nationally across the NIHR Research Delivery Network portfolio, and is offered to all participants in eligible cancer studies, including young people.On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify ways to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with cancer. The taskforce will be engaging with experts from across the sector, including clinicians, researchers, advocates, and young cancer patients with lived experience as part of its work.

What steps he is taking to provide (a) resources and (b) expertise to (i) assess digital health technologies and (ii) maintain the safety of its recommendations.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is equipped with both the resource and expertise to assess regulated Digital Health Technologies used across the National Health Service. The NICE produces guidance for the use of technologies, indicating their clinical and cost effectiveness, which can be used by local NHS organisations to inform commissioning decisions.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for technology safety and the NICE responds to any relevant MHRA alerts issued as appropriate. This includes updating guidance or withdrawing NICE recommendations when appropriate.

What the planned timetable is for the UK National Screening Committee review of its advice on screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The UK National Screening Committee last reviewed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2018, and recommended against a national screening programme for three reasons:the lack of an accurate test to detect the condition at an early stage;it is not known if medicines for COPD are effective in people with mild symptoms; andthe best treatment for early COPD is to stop smoking, but people with few or no symptoms may not be willing to do this.The Secretariat hopes to be able to commission a further evidence update within the next three years.

With reference to the Full government response to the Lord O'Shaughnessy review into commercial clinical trials, published on 8 December 2023, if he will publish an assessment of progress on implementing the review’s recommendations.

The Department is committed to implementing recommendations from the Lord O'Shaughnessy independent review of commercial clinical trials in full, in order to maximise our potential to be a world leader and develop a more competitive, efficient, and accessible clinical research system.The Department will publish progress against the commitments, aiming to align with the upcoming publication of the 10-Year Health Plan.