Written questions by Jones.

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 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 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 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.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49854 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, how much of the funding allocated for charging infrastructure in the Autumn Budget 2024 has been spent; and how that money has been spent.

The £200m to accelerate EV chargepoint roll out announced at Autumn Budget 2024 will be invested in the financial year 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026) to support local, en-route, and home and workplace charging.

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.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in response to the question from the hon. Member for Wokingham of 12 February 2025, Official Report, column 176WH, when further information in writing will be provided.

It is not currently possible to accurately identify all pensioner households who may be entitled to Pension Credit from Council or DWP data. This is because eligibility for Pension Credit depends on a household’s specific financial and personal circumstances – information which the Department does not usually hold but requires from the customer. However, there are significant opportunities for DWP and Councils to work together, not least on the overlap between Pensions Credit and Housing Benefit. As part of our Pension Credit campaign, the Department wrote to 120,000 pensioner households in receipt of Housing Benefit inviting them to claim Pension Credit. Using existing Housing Benefit data, which local authorities also have access to, enabled the Department to make an assessment of potential Pension Credit eligibility and target those households directly. Since February, we have been targeting all new Housing Benefit claimants who we identify as potentially eligible for Pension Credit in this way. More generally, the Department shares extensive data with local authorities for a variety of purposes. Despite what is sometimes claimed, local authorities are allowed to re-use that data under the terms of a data sharing Memorandum of Understanding, subject to them seeking their own legal advice, and subject to them notifying the Department of their intent. This data reuse process can include reusing data originating from DWP to help identify people eligible for Pension Credit.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Whether he has had discussions with Integrated Care Boards on commissioning pathways for suspected brain tumours in primary care.

The Department and NHS England published the 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance, which instructs integrated care boards (ICB) and primary care services to reform pathways in the National Health Service for all patients, including for cancer patients and those with brain tumours.The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, also specifies the actions systems and providers are expected to take in 2025/26, including driving pathway reform, for instance through straight to test pathway approaches. General practice (GP) teams are currently able to directly access tests for patients in several imaging modalities, including ultrasound, X-ray, computerised tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.NHS England also achieved the full implementation of the non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways across England, which allows GPs to refer patients for further tests when they display symptoms that could indicate cancer, but which do not align to specific cancers, including for brain cancer symptoms. There are currently 115 live NSS services.Furthermore, the Department announced the development of a new National Cancer Plan, to be published this year. The plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and aftercare. In developing the plan, the Department will consider how to streamline cancer pathways and ways to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with brain cancer.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the regional variation in GP direct access to brain MRI and CT head scans.

The Diagnostic Imaging Data set (DID) provides data on where a test was requested via GP Direct Access (GPDA). This information is available for the following tests:- chest X-rays;- computed tomography chest scans;- computed tomography abdomen and pelvis scans;- ultrasounds for the abdomen and pelvis; and- brain magnetic resonance imaging.Data for computed tomography head scans is not included as part of the DID, under the current collection. Further information on the DID is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/The data shows that for the five tests where data on GPDA referral information is collected, the total number of GPDA tests has increased by 23% or 695,000 tests when comparing activity in 2023/24, the latest 12 months for which data is available, and 2021/22, the financial year prior to the publication of the draft GPDA guidance in November 2022. For brain magnetic resonance imaging specifically, the number of GP Direct Access tests increased by 33% or 32,000 tests between 2021/22 and 2023/4.Assessments of variation in the referral rates of each test were conducted prior to the publication of the guidance and are set out in the published data linked above. The data shows there is still variation in referral rates.NHS England is undertaking an extensive programme of communications and engagement to improve awareness of the GPDA guidance, including general practice webinars, dissemination through key partner organisations, inclusion with National Health Service planning guidance, and press releases.We know there is further to go to ensure all parts of the country are using this scheme where appropriate and we are working to see these approaches adopted on a much wider scale.

What steps his Department is taking to improve awareness among GPs of NHS England guidance on direct access to brain imaging.

The Diagnostic Imaging Data set (DID) provides data on where a test was requested via GP Direct Access (GPDA). This information is available for the following tests:- chest X-rays;- computed tomography chest scans;- computed tomography abdomen and pelvis scans;- ultrasounds for the abdomen and pelvis; and- brain magnetic resonance imaging.Data for computed tomography head scans is not included as part of the DID, under the current collection. Further information on the DID is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/The data shows that for the five tests where data on GPDA referral information is collected, the total number of GPDA tests has increased by 23% or 695,000 tests when comparing activity in 2023/24, the latest 12 months for which data is available, and 2021/22, the financial year prior to the publication of the draft GPDA guidance in November 2022. For brain magnetic resonance imaging specifically, the number of GP Direct Access tests increased by 33% or 32,000 tests between 2021/22 and 2023/4.Assessments of variation in the referral rates of each test were conducted prior to the publication of the guidance and are set out in the published data linked above. The data shows there is still variation in referral rates.NHS England is undertaking an extensive programme of communications and engagement to improve awareness of the GPDA guidance, including general practice webinars, dissemination through key partner organisations, inclusion with National Health Service planning guidance, and press releases.We know there is further to go to ensure all parts of the country are using this scheme where appropriate and we are working to see these approaches adopted on a much wider scale.

What data his Department holds on the uptake of the NHS England 2023 guidance on GP direct access to diagnostic services.

The Diagnostic Imaging Data set (DID) provides data on where a test was requested via GP Direct Access (GPDA). This information is available for the following tests:- chest X-rays;- computed tomography chest scans;- computed tomography abdomen and pelvis scans;- ultrasounds for the abdomen and pelvis; and- brain magnetic resonance imaging.Data for computed tomography head scans is not included as part of the DID, under the current collection. Further information on the DID is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/The data shows that for the five tests where data on GPDA referral information is collected, the total number of GPDA tests has increased by 23% or 695,000 tests when comparing activity in 2023/24, the latest 12 months for which data is available, and 2021/22, the financial year prior to the publication of the draft GPDA guidance in November 2022. For brain magnetic resonance imaging specifically, the number of GP Direct Access tests increased by 33% or 32,000 tests between 2021/22 and 2023/4.Assessments of variation in the referral rates of each test were conducted prior to the publication of the guidance and are set out in the published data linked above. The data shows there is still variation in referral rates.NHS England is undertaking an extensive programme of communications and engagement to improve awareness of the GPDA guidance, including general practice webinars, dissemination through key partner organisations, inclusion with National Health Service planning guidance, and press releases.We know there is further to go to ensure all parts of the country are using this scheme where appropriate and we are working to see these approaches adopted on a much wider scale.