Written questions by Cooper.

What discussions he has had with (a) NICE and the (b) MHRA about expediting the licensing and evaluation of the BREAKWATER treatment for advanced bowel cancer in England.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the equity of access to encorafenib with cetuximab treatments for bowel cancer between in England compared to (a) Scotland and (b) Wales.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2026 to Question 506 on Cancer: Vaccination, whether there will be further (a) webinars and (b) other engagement events for interested pharmaceutical companies in 2

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2026 to Question 506 on Cancer: Vaccination, whether those 15 companies have an interest in brain cancer vaccines.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 71118 on Prescriptions: Occupational Therapy, if he will provide an update on the work of his department relating to the medicines responsibilities of (a) a range of healthcare professionals and (b) occupational therapists.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2026 to Question 506 on Cancer: Vaccination, how many of those 15 companies were included in the 12 who attended the 2025 webinar.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of jobs for newly qualified (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) other medical professionals.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the Answer of 14 April 2026 to Question 127101 on Cancer: Vaccination, (a) (i) how many and (ii) which pharmaceutical companies attended the NHS England webinar in 2025, and (b) (i) how many and (ii) which pharmaceutical companies have since expressed an interest in working with the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.

The Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform that is increasing access and speeding up recruitment to clinical trials for personalised cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. In 2025, the scope of the CVLP was expanded beyond personalised cancer vaccines to also include other immunotherapies. NHS England is responsible for the overall delivery of the CVLP and has contracted the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit to manage the day-to-day delivery of the platform. The platform is designed to be company and clinical trial agnostic so any company can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research.NHS England hosted a webinar in 2025, and representatives from 12 pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies attended. Since then, discussions have been held with 15 companies to explore potential support from the CVLP. NHS England cannot release the names of the companies as this is commercially sensitive information.The list of clinical trials supported by the CVLP that were previously or are currently open to recruitment can be viewed on the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit website.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of acute mental health inpatient places in Hertfordshire.

Awaiting answer.

If he will bring forward from 2032 the New Hospital Programme construction work to redevelop Watford General hospital should capacity become available.

Watford General Hospital is part of Wave 2 of the New Hospital Programme, as set out in the published Plan for Implementation. Pre-construction activity, which includes business case development and enabling works, is expected to commence from 2028, with main construction expected to begin between 2032 and 2034. There are no current plans to bring forward the construction timetable for the scheme. As set out in the Plan for Implementation, delivery expectations may be subject to change depending on local and national factors and the programme reserves the right to adjust the delivery plan as schemes develop in the future.

If he will take legislative steps to end the five year rule on investigating sexual misconduct cases before the House rises for summer recess.

The Government is committed to modernising the regulation of all healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.As a first step, on 24 March 2026, we published our Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework consultation, which sets out proposals to modernise the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) regulatory framework. The consultation runs until 23 June 2026. More information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework-consultation-documentThe draft General Medical Council Order 2026 includes a modernised fitness to practise process for the GMC, which does not enable the GMC to replicate the five-year rule in its fitness to practise rules for doctors.Subject to the outcome of the consultation and the parliamentary process, the Government expects to lay the General Medical Council Order 2026 later this year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 March to Question 119469 on Cancer: Vaccination, how many pharmaceutical companies have been contacted by his Department with details of the expansion of eligibility of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad since May 2025.

The Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform that is increasing access and speeding up recruitment to clinical trials for personalised cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. In 2025, the scope of the CVLP was expanded beyond personalised cancer vaccines to also include other immunotherapies. NHS England is responsible for the overall delivery of the CVLP and has contracted the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit to manage the day-to-day delivery of the platform. The platform is designed to be company and clinical trial agnostic so any company can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research. NHS England hosted a webinar with interested pharmaceutical companies in 2025 after the expansion of the scope had been agreed, and continues to engage with companies through multiple avenues, including working with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Vaccine Innovation Pathway.

Whether his Department would consider commissioning MenB vaccination programmes through community pharmacy.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old, as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are in place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.

What assessment he has made of the role community pharmacy could play in providing a MenB vaccine catch-up service to students and young people at risk.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old, as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are in place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.

What assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of commissioning a MenB vaccination programme through community pharmacy.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old, as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are in place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.

Whether he is taking steps to help improve diagnosis of chronic kidney disease.

NHS England is delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with kidney disease. In 2023, NHS England published a renal services transformation toolkit to support earlier identification of chronic kidney disease and more joined-up services. These changes are intended to make it easier to deliver improvements along the whole patient pathway, including earlier diagnosis and treatment, that can potentially prevent or delay the need for dialysis and transplant further downstream in the pathway.In addition, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework in spring. As part of its development, officials are considering opportunities for earlier identification and diagnosis of chronic kidney disease and are engaging widely to identify the best evidenced interventions.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the uptake of kidney function tests among at-risk populations in primary care.

Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is supported through widespread access to blood and urine tests across the National Health Service. Phlebotomy is a key part of this pathway. The NHS delivers over one billion blood tests each year, supporting the diagnosis and monitoring of a wide range of conditions, including CKD. Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are increasing diagnostic capacity and improving access to testing closer to patients’ homes. Phlebotomy services are currently available in 119 CDCs. CDCs have delivered approximately 1.6 million tests between April 2025 and the end of February 2026. In addition, non-obstetric ultrasound, also used to examine kidneys, is available in 152 CDCs and delivered approximately 1.01 million tests over the same period. NHS England continues to work with integrated care boards to expand diagnostic capacity and improve referral pathways, helping clinicians access the tests needed to support earlier diagnosis and monitoring of long-term conditions, including CKD.

Whether the scope of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch pad has been expanded since 2024.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to the Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell on 24 November 2025 to Question 91780.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025 to Question 95904 on Health Professions: Regulation, if he will publish a consultation on secondary legislation to modernise the General Medical Council’s regulatory framework which would enable them to consider fitness to practise concerns arising from allegations of sexual misconduct that are more than five years old during this parliamentary session.

The Government is committed to modernising the regulatory frameworks for all healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.As a first step, we aim to consult on secondary legislation to modernise the General Medical Council’s (GMC) regulatory framework shortly with a view to laying this legislation before Parliament this year.As part of the consultation, we will be consulting on a reformed fitness to practise process for the GMC.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 105675 on NHS: Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment, what steps his Department is taking to improve accessibility of NHS services for Deaf BSL-users following the recommendations of the BSL Advisory Board’s Locked Out report.

We want disabled people’s access to, and experience of, healthcare services to be equitable, effective, and responsive to their needs. The 10-Year Health Plan specifically identifies disabled people as a priority group for the development of neighbourhood health care, offering more holistic ongoing support, noting the health inequalities they face.NHS England is rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag which enables the recording of key information about a disabled patient or client, and the reasonable adjustments to care and treatment that they need, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately and equitably. Under a new information standard, published on 19 December 2025, all publicly funded health and social care service providers must be able to share, read, and write reasonable adjustment data by 30 September 2026. This would include anyone who is a Deaf British Sign Language user, and anyone with another disability.