Written questions by Jones.

With reference to the report by GPOnline entitled Registrars delaying GP qualification because they can’t find jobs, says LMC, published on 7 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of registrars putting off qualification as GPs due to a limited number of roles available.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and to secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26. We also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP Contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed, along with more details on the uplift and ARRS adjustments, following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.

What steps he is taking to promote the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) was introduced in 2019, and since then over 38,000 additional roles have been recruited under the scheme.In October 2024, the scheme was extended to include recently qualified general practitioners (GPs). In December 2024, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wrote to the profession to confirm that funding for the ARRS, including the GP roles, would continue into 2025/26.In January 2025, NHS England wrote to GPs to highlight the ongoing commitment and to encourage Primary Care Networks to utilise the available GPs in ARRS funding, to recruit recently qualified GPs this financial year.

What steps he is taking to encourage Integrated Care Boards to invest in Primary Care.

Primary care services are the front door to the health service for most people, and the key to earlier diagnosis. Improving primary care access is essential in supporting a move to a neighbourhood health service, with more care delivered in local communities.National Health Service planning guidance is now published for 2025/26 and sets out the funding available to integrated care boards (ICBs). It also sets out system priorities for 2025/26, including improving patients’ access to general practice, improving patient experience, and improving access to urgent dental care, by providing 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments.We have announced a proposed £889 million increase in funding for general practice in 2025/26, the largest uplift in years, reversing the recent trend and allocating a larger share of NHS resources to general practice. This will support our commitments and help drive reform in key areas. Additionally, the 2024 Spending Review introduced the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, which allocates £102 million in new capital funding to improve primary care facilities. ICBs also receive discretionary funding, allowing them to invest in initiatives such as local enhanced services, retention schemes, and transformation support, with the flexibility to direct both funding and capital allocations to meet local needs and encourage the shift from hospital care to the community.The NHS in England invests £3 billion into dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.The commissioning of NHS pharmaceutical services in Community Pharmacy in England remains a mixed model of nationally commissioned services and locally commissioned services, in which the ICBs play a role. The Government recognises the importance of retaining both approaches as we take steps to stabilise the sector and build a service fit for the future, including making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists. The Government recently resumed its consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding funding arrangements for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Who he plans to consult on the National Cancer Plan.

The Department launched the call for evidence for the National Cancer Plan on 4 February 2025. Individuals, professionals and organisations are invited to share their views on our new online platform on how we can improve cancer care and outcomes. The platform is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-planThe National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and we are committed to working closely with partners and patient groups to shape our long-term vision for cancer. Alongside the call for evidence, we will consult with partners and patient groups to get their views and priorities, and we will keep them updated throughout this process.Research is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will continue to maximise the access to and the impact of clinical trials in diagnostics and treatments, building on the success of projects such as the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad. The plan will also consider the ways that we can accelerate the uptake of innovative, life-saving treatments so all NHS patients can benefit. We will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this.

How the National Institute for Health and Care Research will be involved in the formulation of the National Cancer Plan.

The Department launched the call for evidence for the National Cancer Plan on 4 February 2025. Individuals, professionals and organisations are invited to share their views on our new online platform on how we can improve cancer care and outcomes. The platform is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-planThe National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart, and we are committed to working closely with partners and patient groups to shape our long-term vision for cancer. Alongside the call for evidence, we will consult with partners and patient groups to get their views and priorities, and we will keep them updated throughout this process.Research is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will continue to maximise the access to and the impact of clinical trials in diagnostics and treatments, building on the success of projects such as the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad. The plan will also consider the ways that we can accelerate the uptake of innovative, life-saving treatments so all NHS patients can benefit. We will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) has led to considerable diversification of the general practitioner (GP) workforce and has been key in delivering additional appointments. The ARRS has enabled primary care networks to recruit a diverse range of professionals into primary care. Between March 2019 and September 2024, 37,891 additional primary care professionals have been recruited into general practice. The scheme has allowed patients to be seen by a wider range of professionals and access the care they need whilst freeing up capacity for GPs to focus on the work that only GPs can do. The ARRS is subject to annual review through the consultation on the GP contract with the General Practitioners Committee (England) of the British Medical Association (BMA). NHS England works closely with the Department to implement any changes identified as part of this process.Following reports of newly qualified GPs struggling to find roles, £82 million of funding was announced in August 2024 to enable the recruitment of over 1,000 newly qualified GPs under the scheme for the year 2024-2025 under the scheme. My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.The Department and NHS England started consultation with the General Practitioners Committee in England (GPC England) of the BMA on proposed changes to the 2025/26 GP contract on 19 December. Changes will be confirmed before April 2025, which will include details of adjustments to the ARRS. The inclusion of practice nurses into the scheme is among the proposed extra flexibilities for 2025/26.

If he will publish the Terms of Reference for the Children and Young People's Cancer Taskforce.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer, from birth to 24 years of age. That is why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will identify tangible ways to drive improvements for cancer patients across this age range. The taskforce’s membership, which is currently being finalised, will reflect the diversity of needs across these patient groups.We recognise that cancer in teenagers and young people is different to cancer in adults and children, and so age-appropriate care is necessary, particularly regarding treatment, diagnosis, and wider support, as per the NHS England service specifications. Department officials are working with chairs of the taskforce to develop the Terms of Reference ahead of the first meeting, currently planned for March. The taskforce will consider the most appropriate dissemination routes or publication channels for taskforce materials in due course.

How much of the £70 million investment for replacing older radiotherapy machines will go to (a) the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB and (b) the Berkshire West sub-ICB.

The Department does not hold detailed information about the age of radiotherapy machines, as local systems are responsible for radiotherapy treatment services.The new radiotherapy machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million of central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems. Those trusts which have been allocated funding for a new machine from this £70 million central fund will be informed soon.

When he expects NHS trusts to reach the 62-day cancer waiting time standard.

As we set out in our new plan for reforming elective care, we are committed to improving performance on cancer waiting times. The National Health Service’s annual operational planning guidance set out a national commitment to improve waiting times, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement. Further details will be set out in a dedicated national cancer plan.

How many radiotherapy machines in the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire integrated care board area are beyond the recommended 10-year lifespan.

The Department does not hold detailed information about the age of radiotherapy machines, as local systems are responsible for radiotherapy treatment services.The new radiotherapy machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million of central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems. Those trusts which have been allocated funding for a new machine from this £70 million central fund will be informed soon.

If he will make an estimate of the number of GPs recruited through the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme in (a) 2024 and (b) 2023 (i) in total and (ii) per integrated care board.

731 places were available on the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme in 2023, while 777 places were available in 2024. The data is not available at integrated care board level.As set out on the NHS England website, a decision has been taken not to fund Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme places for their recruitment year, which is due to very high competition ratios and the need to prioritise budgets. Record numbers of applicants have applied to general practitioner specialty training in recent years, including in those areas where take up has been historically low, meaning that there is not currently a need to financially incentivise trainees to train in those areas.

Whether he has plans to extend funding for the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme for financial year 2025-26.

731 places were available on the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme in 2023, while 777 places were available in 2024. The data is not available at integrated care board level.As set out on the NHS England website, a decision has been taken not to fund Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme places for their recruitment year, which is due to very high competition ratios and the need to prioritise budgets. Record numbers of applicants have applied to general practitioner specialty training in recent years, including in those areas where take up has been historically low, meaning that there is not currently a need to financially incentivise trainees to train in those areas.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21831 on Cancer: Drugs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the findings on page 21 of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations’ publication entitled EFPIA Patients W.A.I.T. Indicator 2023 Survey, published in June 2024, that 25% of new oncology medicines approved by the European Medicines Agency had full public availability to English patients in 2019-2022.

The Government wants National Health Service patients to benefit from effective NHS treatments at a price that is fair to the NHS and the taxpayer. It is important that we have a system in place for making evidence-based decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends most new licensed cancer medicines for use in the treatment of eligible NHS patients in England. Since 2019, 89% of NICE appraisals of cancer medicines have resulted in a positive recommendation for some or all of the eligible patient population.Other countries operate very different health systems and direct comparisons in medicine availability are very difficult to make. The NICE’s methods establish what is considered value for money for the NHS in England and overall, the rate of the availability of cancer medicines in England is higher than the European average.

If his Department will provide financial support to the Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Trust prior to 2030 to assist them in securing land for the reconstruction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

As part of the New Hospital Programme announcement on 20 January, it was confirmed that the Royal Berkshire Hospital scheme is part of Wave 3, and would not begin main construction until 2037/39. We will continue to engage with trusts to establish the activities that should be progressed ahead of their main construction start.

Whether NHS England is providing training to help GPs to diagnose brain tumours at an early stage.

General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on brain tumours, remains up-to-date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.The training curricula for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and has to meet the standards set by the General Medical Council. The RCGP provides a number of resources on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and care for GPs, relevant for the primary care setting.The Government aims to ensure that the National Health Service diagnoses cancer earlier and treats it faster, so more patients survive, and improves patients’ experience across the system.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) research into drug delivery mechanisms in the brain and (b) blood-brain barrier research.

The Department delivers research into blood-barrier brain (BBB) and drug delivery research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services, which all help to support and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system, including on the BBB.Current projects into drug delivery mechanisms in the brain and BBB delivered through NIHR research infrastructure include filter-exchange imaging, a technique with the potential to lead to new clinical initiatives for improved diagnostic and monitoring tools, and a groundbreaking trial to administer a stem cell gene therapy to a child’s brain, circumventing accessibility through the BBB.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatments and (c) support from clinical nurse specialists for (i) patients and (ii) families affected by brain tumours.

We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer, including brain cancer, on time, diagnosing it earlier and treating it faster, so more patients survive this horrible set of diseases, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system. To do this, we will address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce cancer waits. In September 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation.NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients are offered Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. As well as this, all patients, including those with secondary cancers, will have access to the right expertise and support, including a Clinical Nurse Specialist or other support worker. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear in his view that there should be a National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes, including for brain cancer. We are currently in discussions about what form a potential National Cancer Plan for England should take, including its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission, and will provide updates in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the needs of people affected by brain tumours are considered in the Cancer Plan.

The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and the value in engaging in wide-ranging and meaningful engagement and consultation on how cancer services can meet the needs of those living with cancer, including for those affected by brain tumours. We plan to engage with a wide range of cancer partners, including charities and patient representative bodies.The Health Mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future. As part of that work, Lord Darzi’s report will inform our 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. In addition, following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including brain tumour patients.We are now in discussions about what form the National Cancer Plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and will provide updates on this in due course.Alongside this work, the Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health Care and Research (NIHR) are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients.NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients are offered a Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. As well as this, all patients, including those with secondary cancers, will have access to the right expertise and support, including a Clinical Nurse Specialist or other support worker.Further to this, in September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on the collection of patient data which indicates the level of disease progression of blood cancers at the point of diagnosis.

Unfortunately, not all blood cancers can be staged. Most types of leukaemia are not staged in the same way as cancers that form tumours, because they have typically spread through the body via the blood by the time they are found.However, all cases of cancer diagnosed and treated in the National Health Service in England are registered by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS). Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. This creates a clinically rich data resource that is used to measure diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with cancer. The data held by the NCRAS supports service provision and commissioning in the NHS, clinical audits, and public health and epidemiology.The Department and NHS England continue to discuss data insights across a range of areas. This includes patient data collection for all cancers, including blood cancer.

What plans his Department has to consult with (a) cancer charities and (b) patient representative bodies during the development of a national cancer plan.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 January 2025 to Question 25063.The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and the value in engaging in wide-ranging and meaningful engagement and consultation on how cancer services can meet the needs of those living with cancer. We plan to engage with a wide range of cancer partners, including charities and patient representative bodies.We are now in discussions about what form the National Cancer Plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and will provide updates on this in due course.