Written questions by Jones.

When he plans to respond to Question 51207 tabled by the hon. Member for Wokingham on 9 May 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 2 June 2025 to Questions 51207, 51208 and 51210.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, how that funding will be delivered to the NHS; and how much funding each Integrated Care Board will receive.

The £750 million Estates Safety Fund is part of the overall 2025/26 capital allocation announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Autumn Budget last year, and is an essential first step towards addressing the poorest quality estates across the National Health Service.Integrated care systems have prioritised this funding between their organisations to deliver maximum safety benefits. Funding will be issued to NHS trusts on the basis of individual schemes. Descriptions of the planned works and funding allocations, grouped by integrated care board, are available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68398c46c99c4f37ab4e86ef/estates-safety-fund-2025-to-2026.csv/preview.

With reference to the APPG for Less Survivable Cancer's report entitled Inquiry into earlier detection and faster diagnosis published in June 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure GPs identify less survivable cancers.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including rare and less common cancers, earlier, in order to improve outcomes, including survival rates.We are streamlining referral routes and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. Additionally, we are streamlining referral routes through the implementation of a non-specific symptom pathway, for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.We are also investing an additional £889 million in general practices (GPs) to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.The National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve early diagnosis, including GP referral for suspected cancer. The plan will also consider how we can better identify and monitor people at increased risk of developing cancer.

With reference the New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation, published 20 January 2025, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the construction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital; and what proportion of that funding will be from (a) public dividend capital, (b) land sales and (c) charitable donations.

We have put the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on a sustainable footing, with a timeline that can be met, and a budget that is consistent with the fiscal rules under which the Government is operating. We are backing this plan with investment which will increase to up to £15 billion over each consecutive five-year wave, averaging approximately £3 billion a year from 2030. The exact profile of funding will be confirmed in rolling five-year waves at regular Spending Reviews, as with all government capital budgets in future.As set out in the NHP Plan for Implementation, the cost estimate of the Royal Berkshire Hospital is expected to be £2 billion or more; however, the final individual amount for the scheme will only be confirmed once its Full Business Case has been approved, as set out in the HM Treasury Green book and is standard for large infrastructure projects. The proportion of funding, including those from additional sources such as land sales and charitable donations, will be confirmed through this business case process.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s severity modifier on the availability of cancer medicines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) carried out a review of the severity modifier in 2024 and found that it is operating as intended. Since its introduction, the severity modifier has resulted in a higher approval rate for cancer medicines than under the NICE’s previous methods, and has also allowed greater weight to be applied to non-cancer medicines.The NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future methods’ reviews, but the severity modifier is unlikely to change in the near future, and any future changes would need to be consistent with the principle of cost neutrality.In 2024, the NICE reported that where the new severity weighting had been used, there had been a higher proportion of positive recommendations, 84.4%, compared with the end-of-life modifier, 82.7%.The proportion of positive cancer recommendations was also higher, at 80%, than with the end-of-life modifier, at 75%, and the proportion of positive recommendations for advanced cancer treatments was also higher, at 81% compared to 69%.Further information on the severity modifier and the impact that it has had on the health and care system is available at the following link:https://indepth.nice.org.uk/what-is-nices-severity-modifier/index.html

What steps he plans to take through the NHS 10 Year Plan to improve early diagnosis in (a) ovarian cancer and (b) other women’s health conditions.

The Department is committed to improving early diagnosis of all cancer types, including ovarian cancer.The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving early diagnosis and support for women’s health conditions in all parts of the country.As a first step, the NHS is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer. NHS England is continuing the roll out of community diagnostic centres to ensure that patients can access the diagnostic tests they need as quickly as possible. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed faster once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help to improve the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reduce misdiagnosis, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will follow the 10-Year Health Plan.The Department is also committed to improving the diagnosis of women’s health conditions more broadly by taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan, supporting innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and by piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres. Moreover, the Department supports the use of clinical guidelines that help healthcare professionals identify and manage these conditions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published guidelines on a range of women’s health conditions, including heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and menopause.

What steps NICE is taking to ensure that its methods continue to evolve in line with advancing technologies.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically effective and cost-effective use of resources.NICE is responsible for the methods and processes it uses to develop its recommendations and concluded a comprehensive review of the methods and processes it uses for health technology evaluation in January 2022. NICE carried out the review through extensive engagement with stakeholders, including Departmental officials. NICE introduced several changes that make its methods fairer, faster and more consistent, and appropriate to the evaluation of emerging new technologies, such as cell and gene therapies.NICE is monitoring the impact of the changes following the methods review and has committed to considering modular updates to its methods and processes in the future.NICE has also developed a Health Technology Assessment Innovation Laboratory that aims to address challenges that may arise in the assessment of innovative health technologies. Recent projects include looking at the use of artificial intelligence in health technology assessment and identifying the potential issues that may emerge in the evaluation of disease-modifying dementia treatments.Optimised recommendations are used when the case for the adoption and potential benefits of a treatment are partially supported, for example, it is supported for specific circumstances or populations. As such, the treatment would be recommended for a smaller or sub-group of patients than if recommended within its marketing authorisation.

Whether the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency plans to adapt its regulatory framework for innovative medicines.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is transforming its regulatory model to better support innovative medicines while maintaining world-class standards of safety and efficacy. The agency is developing a more agile and proportionate approach and is creating new regulatory frameworks and specific guidance in response to innovative product horizon scanning and our knowledge of the product pipeline. For instance, the MHRA have recently consulted on regulatory guidance for individualised mRNA cancer immunotherapies, colloquially referred to as cancer vaccines. The draft MHRA guidance aims to clarify and streamline pathways for bringing these therapies through to patients, without compromising on robust safety principles. This is an important step in bringing these promising therapies closer to clinical practice. In addition, the MHRA updated the requirements to better improve clarity and transparency on 3 April 2025 for all National Licence Submissions. In July 2025, the United Kingdom will be the first country to introduce a tailored framework for the regulation of innovative products manufactured at the point where a patient receives care, following work from the MHRA that means new medicines with very short shelf lives and highly personalised medicines can more easily be made in or near a hospital setting or ambulance and can get to the patients who need them much more quickly. This work supports the UK’s ambition to be one of the most attractive places globally to develop, trial, and launch innovative treatments.

What steps the MHRA is taking to improve (a) transparency and (b) predictability for companies seeking UK Market Authorisations.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken significant steps to improve transparency and predictability for companies seeking United Kingdom market authorisations. This includes clearer guidance, enhanced pre-submission scientific advice, published performance standards, and expanded use of international reliance frameworks. The agency’s 2024/25 Business Plan gave a commitment to its focus being the optimisation of its service delivery for customers. It introduced key performance indicators (KPIs) and a corporate objective to enhance the transparency and accessibility of our performance data. The agency provides its performance data for every month and year to date performance for each KPI on its GOV.UK website. Its aim is to help applicants with decision making, based on its performance data, and to ensure greater accountability for its service delivery. The business plan is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6703f0a83b919067bb482d5a/MHRA_Business_Plan_2024_to_2025.pdf The RegulatoryConnect portal will provide greater transparency and visibility for regulatory assessments to industry. The functionality will let industry users log in using existing MHRA submission credentials and access RegulatoryConnect, where they will be able to: use the Applications page to track the status of an application and see which stage it is at; and use the Current Granted View page to view live authorisation details, including status, key data and documents held against existing licences.

What steps he is taking to increase the proportion of NICE recommendations that are optimised.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically effective and cost-effective use of resources.NICE is responsible for the methods and processes it uses to develop its recommendations and concluded a comprehensive review of the methods and processes it uses for health technology evaluation in January 2022. NICE carried out the review through extensive engagement with stakeholders, including Departmental officials. NICE introduced several changes that make its methods fairer, faster and more consistent, and appropriate to the evaluation of emerging new technologies, such as cell and gene therapies.NICE is monitoring the impact of the changes following the methods review and has committed to considering modular updates to its methods and processes in the future.NICE has also developed a Health Technology Assessment Innovation Laboratory that aims to address challenges that may arise in the assessment of innovative health technologies. Recent projects include looking at the use of artificial intelligence in health technology assessment and identifying the potential issues that may emerge in the evaluation of disease-modifying dementia treatments.Optimised recommendations are used when the case for the adoption and potential benefits of a treatment are partially supported, for example, it is supported for specific circumstances or populations. As such, the treatment would be recommended for a smaller or sub-group of patients than if recommended within its marketing authorisation.

What steps the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is taking to increase access to innovative treatments.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) plays a vital role in delivering the Government’s Life Sciences Vision and wider Plan for Change by enabling earlier and broader patient access to innovative treatments. The agency’s ambition is to be a world-leading, innovation-enabling regulator that accelerates the availability of safe, effective products without compromising patient safety. The MHRA supports the development and availability of innovative medicines through a range of regulatory initiatives designed to enable earlier patient access while maintaining uncompromising standards of safety. Central to this is the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP), which offers a joined-up approach between the MHRA, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and National Health Service bodies including within the Devolved Administrations. ILAP provides early regulatory input through an “Innovation Passport” and a tailored roadmap to authorisation, helping promising new medicines reach patients more quickly. Innovators can access early scientific advice and regulatory engagement to help de-risk development and support high-quality applications. By providing expert guidance at the pre-submission stage, the MHRA helps developers navigate complex regulatory pathways.

Whether the Life Sciences Sector Plan will include medical technology.

Medical technology (MedTech) is a key pillar of the forthcoming Life Sciences Sector Plan, alongside the pharmaceutical sector. The United Kingdom’s MedTech industry employs approximately 154,000 people, underscoring its significant contribution to the economy. Through the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the broader Industrial Strategy, the Government will take targeted and concerted action to unlock growth. The plan will focus on enabling world-class research and development, making the United Kingdom a leading destination to start, scale, and invest in life sciences, and driving innovation and reform across the healthcare system.

What steps the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is taking to ensure that commercial clinical trials take place in the UK.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced significant progress in modernising the United Kingdom’s clinical trials framework, marking the most substantial update in two decades. The announcement, made on International Clinical Trials Day, highlights a shift toward a more efficient, inclusive, and participant-focused regulatory system. The new regulations, developed in partnership with the Health Research Authority and shaped by feedback from patients, researchers, clinicians, and industry, will come into full effect in April 2026 following a 12-month implementation period. The reforms aim to streamline clinical trial approvals and place participants at the heart of trial design. Already, the MHRA has embedded improvements into its standard operations, with 100% of clinical trial applications processed within statutory timelines since September 2023. The average time for Combined Review determinations was just 40 days in March 2025, with all approvals completed within 60 days. We are working with system partners to ensure that the whole process of Clinical Trials delivers as needed for all to encourage research in the UK.

What steps he is taking to plan the (a) resources and (b) workforce capacity required for new (i) medical technologies and (ii) medicines.

The Department recognises that the successful adoption of new medical technology and medicines depends on robust planning for both resources and workforce capacity. We are taking a multi-pronged approach through the 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan (LSSP) to ensure that the health system will be equipped to deliver at scale, and incentives are in place for the National Health Service and industry to optimise the uptake of innovative medical technology and medicines. The NHS is actively investing in, and implementing, digital infrastructure to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of healthcare services. One of the three big shifts of the 10-Year Health Plan is from analogue to digital, and we will harness the digital revolution for the benefit of patients and staff. The Government is investing more than £2 billion into NHS technology and digital capabilities, to run essential services and drive NHS productivity improvements. This will free up staff time, ensure all trusts have electronic records, improve cyber security, and enhance patient access via the NHS App. The Government’s Medical Technology Strategy instigated work to improve the innovation and procurement pathways. The LSSP and 10-Year Health Plan will build on this progress, and we will set out our plans shortly. This will also include investment in digital infrastructure and policy plans for the modernisation of procurement pathways to accelerate the safe and effective deployment of new medical technologies. Regarding workforce capacity, the Department will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again. This will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.

Who will be responsible for (a) identifying and (b) addressing (i) risks and (ii) safety failures in national screening programmes after the abolition of NHS England.

National Health Service screening programmes save approximately 10,000 lives every year, and enable many other people to make better informed decisions around their health.Work is progressing at pace to map functions, appraise options, and inform decision making on where NHS England’s current functions will best sit in the future. There are important choices to be made, and ministers and senior departmental officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre.

What steps she is planning to take to enable the (a) collection and (b) publication of (i) quarterly KPI performance data and (ii) annual reports on cancer screening programmes after the abolition of NHS England.

National Health Service screening programmes save approximately 10,000 lives every year, and enable many other people to make better informed decisions around their health.Work is progressing at pace to map functions, appraise options, and inform decision making on where NHS England’s current functions will best sit in the future. There are important choices to be made, and ministers and senior departmental officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre.

What steps his Department is planning to take to (a) develop and (b) maintain (i) national service specifications and (ii) minimum service requirements for the breast screening programme once commissioning of screening is delegated to ICBs.

As set out in the NHS England Board paper of 6 February 2025, it is proposed that the development and maintenance of service specifications and minimum service requirements, quality assurance, and the overall oversight of screening services will remain a national function.In light of the recently announced organisational changes, a review of screening delegation decisions is being undertaken, alongside other directly commissioned services. Work is progressing at pace to map functions, appraise options, and inform decision making on where NHS England’s current functions will best sit in the future. There are important choices to be made, and ministers and senior departmental officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre.

If he will make it his policy to publish NHS England’s uptake improvement plan to increase uptake of attendance for routine breast screening to the 80% target.

The National Health Service is planning to publish a Breast Screening Programme Uptake Improvement Plan to help improve uptake and address inequalities.The plan supports breast screening service providers by developing national solutions, such as introducing digital options for sending out invitations and managing appointments, raising awareness of the importance of screening through the media, and facilitating learning and gathering evidence to inform programme policy, pathway changes, and guidance. Discovery work commenced with key stakeholders in 2023/24 to support the development of the plan, which highlights key deliverables from 2024/25 alongside future priorities. The programme of work will continue to evolve, reflecting and learning from ongoing improvements to the programme, including from data intelligence and digital innovation.

Which national body will be responsible for (a) quality assurance activities and (b) oversight of breast screening services after the commissioning of screening is delegated.

As set out in the NHS England Board paper of 6 February 2025, it is proposed that the development and maintenance of service specifications and minimum service requirements, quality assurance, and the overall oversight of screening services will remain a national function.In light of the recently announced organisational changes, a review of screening delegation decisions is being undertaken, alongside other directly commissioned services. Work is progressing at pace to map functions, appraise options, and inform decision making on where NHS England’s current functions will best sit in the future. There are important choices to be made, and ministers and senior departmental officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre.

What data his Department holds on the number of patients diagnosed with a brain tumour through emergency presentation in each of the last five years.

We are unable to answer the question exactly as asked as the Hospital Episode Statistics, the data set from which the data for this answer is drawn, does not identify how a diagnosed condition initially presents. However, the following table shows the total number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of a brain tumour from May 2020 to December 2024, based on the admission date of the episode, broken down into the elective admission types, those being booked, planned, or from the waiting list, the emergency admission types, via accident and emergency or other unplanned admissions, and the other admission types, which are not recorded in either of the above, and which include maternity related admission and transfers from other hospital or care facilities:Admission periodElectiveEmergencyOtherTotalMay 2020 to December 202012039780343920281January 2021 to December 2021198611183560432300January 2022 to December 2022208121171355833083January 2023 to December 2023214221168045533557January 2024 to December 2024224381169444134573Notes:this data is not a count of patients, as an individual may be admitted on more than one occasion in any given period with the same diagnosis; andthe data for April 2024 to December 2024 is provisional, so the admission period from January 2024 to December 2024 is subject to change.