Written questions by Jones.

How the National Cancer Plan will be funded; and whether the funding will include ring-fenced resources specifically for children's and young people's cancers.

The National Cancer Plan will focus on how we make things better for patients through reforming the cancer sector and improving efficiency, building on the steps announced in the Elective Reform Plan. This will support a more scrupulous and effective use of funds in the future.At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government made nearly £26 billion available to the health and care system over two years, to fix the foundations of our broken National Health Service. We will review cancer funding, including funding for children and young people’s cancers, as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that people living in the most deprived areas receive earlier cancer diagnoses.

We recognise that there are challenges for several different populations, particularly for people living in the most deprived areas of the country, and that this impacts early diagnosis rates. The National Health Service’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities includes early cancer diagnosis as a specific priority.To ensure that people living in the most deprived areas receive earlier cancer diagnoses, we are directly targeting our activity in areas we know will make a difference. This includes awareness-raising campaigns such as the NHS Help Us, Help You campaign, to increase awareness of cancer symptoms and encourage people to get checked.We know that some cancers disproportionately impact those living in deprived areas, notably lung cancer. People living in deprived areas are four times more likely to smoke, and smoking causes 72% of lung cancers. Through the lung cancer screening programme, early diagnosis rates have increased for all deprivation quintiles, with biggest gains among those living in most deprived areas. When fully rolled out, the programme is expected to detect approximately 9,000 cancers earlier each year.

With reference to Cancer52's report entitled, Improving diagnosis: Patient and clinician perspectives on increasing early diagnosis in rare and less common cancers, published in February 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a target that 75% of children and young people with cancer are diagnosed within ten days of first symptom presentation to a clinician.

We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more patients survive, including children, teenagers, and young adults.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has set out detailed guidance for general practitioners on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending referral within 48 hours for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms.The Department is also taking steps to improve waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment across all cancer patient groups, including children and young people. This will be achieved by delivering an extra 40,000 scans, appointments, and operations each week to ensure that patients are seen and treated as quickly as possible.To further support timely investigation after referral, we are working with the NHS to maximise the pace of the roll-out of additional diagnostic capacity, delivering the final year of the three-year investment plan for establishing community diagnostic centres, with capacity prioritised for cancer.On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce. The taskforce will explore a range of issues, including early detection and diagnosis, in order to identify improvements for this patient group.

With reference to page 10 of the report by Cancer Research UK entitled Cancer in the UK 2025: Socioeconomic Deprivation, published in February 2025, what steps he is taking to increase the 5-year net survival rate for lung cancer.

We welcome Cancer Research UK’s report on socioeconomic deprivation and will consider its findings as we develop a new National Cancer Plan. As part of this, my Department is working closely with individuals, professionals and organisations, including Cancer Research UK, to improve outcomes and address inequalities.To diagnose lung cancer earlier and boost survival rates, we are rolling out a national Lung Cancer Screening Programme, targeted at those aged between 55 and 74 years old with a history of smoking. This has led to over 3,000 more lung cancers being diagnosed at an early stage, with the biggest gains in early diagnosis rates among those living in the most deprived areas. We will build on these recent successes with the further roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme.NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach informs current action to reduce healthcare inequalities, including in early cancer diagnosis. To achieve this, we are improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. In addition, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, during our first year in government as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Cancer Research UK entitled Cancer in the UK 2025: socioeconomic deprivation, published on 21 February 2025; and what steps he is taking to help reduce the potential impact of socioeconomic deprivation on (a) the time taken to diagnose and (b) survival rates for cancer.

We welcome Cancer Research UK’s report on socioeconomic deprivation and will consider its findings as we develop a new National Cancer Plan. As part of this, my Department is working closely with individuals, professionals and organisations, including Cancer Research UK, to improve outcomes and address inequalities.To diagnose lung cancer earlier and boost survival rates, we are rolling out a national Lung Cancer Screening Programme, targeted at those aged between 55 and 74 years old with a history of smoking. This has led to over 3,000 more lung cancers being diagnosed at an early stage, with the biggest gains in early diagnosis rates among those living in the most deprived areas. We will build on these recent successes with the further roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme.NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach informs current action to reduce healthcare inequalities, including in early cancer diagnosis. To achieve this, we are improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. In addition, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, during our first year in government as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absorption of NHS England into his Department on his Department's timetable for the publication of the updated NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

Sir Jim Mackey will lead the transition team bringing the work of NHS England and the Department together over the next two years. This work will have no impact on the forthcoming publication of the 10-Year Health Plan and the subsequent reconsideration of the long-term workforce needs of the National Health Service which will follow.

What steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations made by NICE in the House of Commons Coronavirus: Long Covid Research Briefing, published on 31 October 2024 for future research into the management of long covid.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) research recommendations for managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 were made in 2020 and 2021. Since this time, the Government has invested £58 million in research through two specific funding calls to better understand long COVID and how to treat it. Many of the funded research projects address the NICE’s research recommendations.As findings emerge from the current research, we encourage researchers to apply for funding to build on and develop the newly established infrastructure, partnerships, and research capabilities. Government research funders remain available to support long COVID researchers in their applications for funding. For example, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has an open call for applications to meet the research recommendations identified in NICE guidance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 32470 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, if he will publish the funding allocation for the investment for replacing older radiotherapy machines.

NHS England has written to those trusts which have been allocated funding for replacement radiotherapy machines. There remain no plans to publish full details of the funding allocation.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming integrated care boards.

The Department has not taken any recent assessment to reform integrated care boards (ICBs). As part of the necessary changes to support the National Health Service to recover, NHS England has indicated that ICBs should reduce in size. The Government is supportive of NHS England taking the action needed to get the NHS back on its feet.

Whether his Department plans to take steps through the national cancer plan to help prepare for innovations in (a) diagnostics and (b) treatments.

The National Cancer Plan will look at how we can maximise our impact through the most up-to-date technology and innovations. The plan will ensure that we 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 National Health Service patients can benefit. We will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this.

Whether his Department plans to introduce accountability mechanisms through the national cancer plan.

Mechanisms for accountability will be considered as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan.

What independent bodies are part of NHS England.

NHS England is currently an executive non-departmental public body which is sponsored by the Department. In the last 10 years, NHS England has taken on the functions of what were once separate arm’s length bodies, including NHS Improvement, NHS Digital and Health Education England.As announced on 13 March 2025, NHS England will be brought into the Department. This will be done in the first instance by administrative means and will be followed by legislation to abolish NHS England once Parliamentary time allows.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the timing of the publication of the NHS 10-year plan.

We do not envisage that the changes set out by the Prime Minister on 13 March 2025 will affect the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan. We still intend to publish the Plan later in spring 2025.The changes will set the National Health Service up to deliver on the three big shifts needed to make the service fit for the future: from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the coordination of screening programmes.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by James Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job; we will empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up and getting waiting times down.

What NHS England's functions are; and which (a) existing and (b) new Government bodies will take those functions on.

NHS England is being abolished as an arm’s length body and being brought back into the department. Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir James Mackey, to lead this transformation and return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department.The functions of NHS England are set out in legislation, these include but are not limited to:- Commissioning services in the National Health Service;- The establishment, oversight and support of integrated care boards;- The oversight and support of NHS trusts and foundation trusts;- Designing, developing and operating national digital and technology products and services and disseminate data to support the health and care system;- Planning, recruiting, educating and training the health workforce; and- Overseeing and promoting the use of research and innovation within the health service.The team will be focussed on ensuring that layers of bureaucracy are cut and more resources flow to the frontline as well as grasping the untapped potential of the NHS as a single payer public service, to get cutting-edge technology and treatments into the hands of staff and patients much faster and secure a better deal for taxpayers.

How much funding his Department plans to provide for Community Diagnostic Centres in the 2025-26 financial year; and if he will take steps to improve access to these centres in each region.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, committed to expanding existing community diagnostic centres (CDCs), as well as building up to five new ones in 25/26, to support the National Health Service to return to meeting the elective waiting time constitutional standard. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations, an expanded range of tests, with direct referral from primary and community care, new consulting rooms and at least 10 straight-to-test pathways by March 2026.NHS England will work with local NHS systems to identify the most appropriate locations for investments, including new CDCs, and expansions of existing CDCs. A key factor they will consider is that new CDCs are positioned in a location which addresses local need and will address health inequalities.The 2025/25 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding will be allocated to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly.This includes £450 million which has been provisionally allocated for diagnostics including CDCs. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 schemes; as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs. £20 million has also been allocated directly to relevant trusts via separate processes for CDC pathway productivity.As detailed in the 2025/26 capital guidance, published on 30 January 2025, NHS England has also provided systems with their operational capital envelopes. These allocations are managed locally, with systems prioritising investments in line with their clinical and operational needs.Future capital investment beyond 2025-26 will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle potential barriers to investment for the life science industry; and whether his Department is taking steps to improve partnerships between the NHS and the life science industry in the context of cancer care.

The Government is committed to supporting the United Kingdom’s vibrant life sciences sector, which contributes £108 billion to the economy and approximately 300,000 jobs nationwide. A new Life Sciences Sector Plan, part of the upcoming Industrial Strategy, is due to be published in late spring 2025, and will set out a comprehensive plan for how we will drive up investment. In parallel, we continue to deliver our strategic partnership with BioNTech, which aims to provide up to 10,000 patients with personalised immunotherapies by 2030. BioNTech and its partners, supported by the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, are currently running 12 clinical trials in the UK, with over 50 trial sites covering the country. We have also co-funded £9 million to the MANIFEST cancer immunotherapy platform consortium composed of academia, the National Health Service and industry partners, to expand UK immunotherapy research and development capabilities and support better targeting and improved efficacy of treatments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 32470 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, for what reason his Department has not published the full details of the funding allocation for replacing older radiotherapy machines.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 32470 on 5 March 2025.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Leader of The House of the 27 February 2025, Official Report, column 954, when he expects the NHS England ADHD taskforce to be ready to report with recommendations.

We are supportive of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce that NHS England has established, which is working to bring together those with lived experience, experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer of 2025.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of AI radiotherapy auto-contouring on (a) patient outcomes, (b) productivity and (c) workforce retention.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have huge potential in improving productivity across the National Health Service by supporting clinicians with faster and more accurate diagnosis, enhancing clinical decision-making about treatment plans, and reducing the administrative burden faced by healthcare staff. The Department and NHS England are developing guidance for the responsible use of these tools and how they can be rolled out to make the day-to-day operations of the NHS more productive and provide better outcomes for patients. The Department is focusing the £21 million AI Diagnostic Fund on the integration of AI technologies in key, high-demand areas such as radiology, particularly for chest x-rays and chest computed tomography scans to enable faster diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in over half of acute trusts in England. This will not only allow patients to be diagnosed and treated sooner, but will also lower the demands on NHS staff, improving morale and staff retention. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), sponsored by the Department, evaluates new health technologies for NHS use, considering clinical effectiveness, value for money, and impacts on staff. As part of this, the NICE conducts Early Value Assessments (EVA) for developers, reviewing their AI tools before they are deployed. For the NHS, EVAs aim to give the NHS a clear signal about which innovations work, offer good value for money, and meet system needs, including productivity gains for staff. The NICE has recommended that AI technologies can be used in the NHS to help with the contouring of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans, to plan radiotherapy treatment for people having external beam radiotherapy. Technologies such as these have been shown to contour images almost two and a half times faster than a human. This reduction in time could support the reduction of backlogs, ensure patients receive treatment sooner, save money, and allow healthcare professionals to spend more time with patients.