Written questions by Campbell.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that patients in emergency departments of hospitals are treated in appropriate spaces.

This Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so patients can be treated with dignity.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps that we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding.We will also publish new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care which will support better hospital flow, aimed at reducing overcrowding and long waits.We have been taking key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on accident and emergency departments, increasing vaccination rates and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing integrated care board and trust winter plans to confirm they are able to meet demand and support patient flow.

Whether his Department plans to hold discussions with the hospitality sector on the promotion non-sugar sweeteners.

Most people are regularly consuming double the recommended amount of free sugars. Diets high in sugar increase the risk of tooth decay and weight gain. Being overweight or living with obesity is associated with a range of negative health impacts such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some kinds of cancers.On 2 April 2025, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its position statement on the World Health Organisation guideline on non-sugar sweeteners. SACN concluded that the evidence of risk to health, including type 2 diabetes, from consuming non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) is inconsistent. SACN also made a precautionary recommendation that intakes of NSS should be minimised. As there is greater certainty of the negative impact of sugars on health, including type 2 diabetes, SACN recommended that “swapping sugars for NSS may help reduce sugar intake from foods and drinks (and so reduce energy intake), at least in the short term. The long-term goal is to limit both sugar and NSS intake”. It is up to businesses to decide whether they choose to use NSS when reformulating products to reduce sugar levels. While some businesses have used them, others have chosen not to which may be due to legislative restrictions on their use in some products or in recognition of consumer preferences. It is recognised, though, that there are benefits in businesses not using NSS as this maintains a highly sweet taste in a food or drink and does not allow people’s palates to adapt to a less sugary taste. This applies to businesses in all sectors. The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has led to reductions of 47% in sugar levels in drinks in scope. Much of this reduction has been delivered by using NSS. Many reformulated drinks are available in the out of home sector as well as supermarkets.

What estimate he has made of the number of women who did not have a postnatal check-up with their general practitioner after six to eight weeks in each of the last three years.

The Department does not hold this information. NHS England has published guidance written in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners on the six-to-eight week postnatal check-up for all women who have given birth. This provides an important opportunity for general practitioners to listen to women in a discreet, supportive environment to provide personalised postnatal care for their physical and mental health and support them with family planning.

What the change in obesity rates has been among young adults in the last 10 years.

NHS England publishes data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) which collects data annually on measured height and weight of adults in England which is used to calculate the prevalence of obesity in the population.The following table shows the prevalence of obesity among young adults aged between 16 and 24 years old from 2012 to 2022, the latest period for which data is available:Survey yearPercentage of adults aged between 16 and 24 years old living with obesity201213.1%201311.1%201410.8%201516.4%201611.3%201715.5%201813.5%201912.9%2020no data20217.9%202213.9%Source: HSENotes:There is no HSE data for 2020. Pandemic-related restrictions meant that fieldwork for HSE 2020 could not be carried out during most of the year.The data for 2021 is produced using adjusted self-reported height and weight, as pandemic-related restrictions meant the survey was not conducted as a face to face interview. The self-report data was adjusted to better align with measured height and weight, but the estimates are not directly comparable with other years of HSE data that uses measured height and weight. Obesity prevalence among young adults has remained stable in the last 10 years, with some variation in the estimates which may be due to the small sample size of the HSE when split by age. It is expected that data from the 2024 survey will be published in early 2026.

Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the NHS England Help Us Help You campaign on cancer symptom awareness.

The Department and NHS England recognise the importance of directly targeting awareness campaigns at areas that we know will make a difference, to increase awareness of cancer symptoms and encourage people to get checked.NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and to address the barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns are evaluated in line with best practice, considering media metrics, campaign awareness, understanding and intention to act, along with analysis of operational data.The most recent phases of Help Us Help You, which ran between January and March 2025, saw increases in symptom knowledge and intention to act. NHS England is undertaking operational data analysis, with early data showing an increase in cancer diagnosis at the same time as campaign activity. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.

When he expects to receive the report of the latest review of prostate cancer diagnosis from from the UK National Screening Committee.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) received two evidence review reports about screening for prostate cancer and is considering them alongside experts. Subject to no further revisions being required, a public consultation will start this calendar year. This will run for three months as usual, and the UK NSC will then make a recommendation on prostate cancer screening. Once the recommendation is made, ministers will consider whether to accept it or not.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 67821 on Dementia, what steps he is taking to help tackle the increasing rates of dementia diagnosis.

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan is underlined by three big shifts in healthcare: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention.As part of this shift from sickness to prevention, we will tackle ill health, prevent premature deaths, and build a fairer country where everyone lives longer, healthier lives.Following the 10-Year Health Plan, we will deliver the first ever Modern Service framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, including on its causes, diagnosis and prevention. Through partnerships with patients, researchers, funders and charities, we continue to play a significant role in global efforts against the disease.

Whether the outcome of the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial will be shared with Health Departments in each of the devolved institutions.

The TRANSFORM screening trial, funded in partnership with Prostate Cancer UK, is investigating new prostate cancer screening methods. This national randomised control trial will provide data to policymakers for a decision on recommending prostate cancer screening. Results will be shared with the UK National Screening Committee, representing all four nations.

How many people were diagnosed with dementia in (a) 2020 and (b) 2024.

The data requested is not collected centrally.We can provide a count of patients with a recorded diagnosis of dementia. This is a count of patients with a dementia diagnosis on their general practice record at the specified point in time irrespective of when the diagnosis was made. The data has been published under the Primary Care Dementia Data publication series since April 2022, and under the Recorded Dementia Diagnoses publication series prior to that.The following table shows the dementia diagnosis figures for all ages for December of each year for 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024:DateRecorded dementia diagnoses for all agesDecember 2024498,221December 2023479,540December 2020438,361December 2019472,890 It is worth highlighting that these represent an estimate of the total number of people living with a diagnosis of dementia, and that changes over 2020 and over 2024 do not reflect only new diagnoses.

What information his Department holds on the number of children recommended to have annual eye tests who have not done so in each of the past five years.

Free National Health Service sight tests are widely available for children under 16 years old and under 19 years old in full time education. It is recommended that all children under 16 years old should have an annual sight test. Sight tests for children under seven years old with binocular vision anomaly or corrected refractive error and children over seven and under 16 years old with binocular vision anomaly or rapidly progressing myopia are recommended every six months.Although data on the number of NHS sight tests is collected, it is not routinely broken down to be able to identify the numbers of sight tests provided to children. We are therefore unable to estimate the number of children who have not had a sight test.

What steps he is taking to reduce the number of deaths from late diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The Department remains committed to diagnosing all cancer types earlier, including prostate cancer. We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnosis and treatment.To combat late diagnosis, the Government is investing £16 million towards the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which is seeking to find ways to catch prostate cancer in men as early as possible.The Department will publish a National Cancer Plan which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients in England, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, and ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. The overarching goal is to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates and provide a National Health Service that is there when you need it.

What estimate he has made of the number of people with dementia in (a) 2025 and (b) 2029.

No specific estimate has been made for the number of people with dementia in 2029.The Dementia Surveillance Factsheet estimates that, in May 2025, there were 740,640 people aged 65 years old and over estimated to have dementia in England. Of these, 485,653 have been formally diagnosed.This factsheet uses Primary Care Dementia Data, which replaced the Recorded Dementia Diagnosis data in October 2022.

What steps is he taking to support national campaigns which (a) raise awareness of glaucoma and (b) encourage regular eye tests for preventable sight loss conditions.

The Department seeks to support national campaigns where possible, such as national eye health week. The NHS.UK website provides information about glaucoma and the importance of regular sight tests whilst also providing information about entitlement to free National Health Service sight tests.

What data his Department holds on the current number of people with Activated P13K-delta syndrome.

NHS England does not hold data on the current number of patients diagnosed with activated P13K-delta syndrome.

What funding he plans to provide for the National Institute for Health and Care Research Brain Tumour Research Consortium by 2029.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Brain Tumour Research Consortium was established in December 2024 to bring together researchers from a range of different disciplines and institutions, with the aim of driving scientific advancements in how we prevent, detect, manage, and treat brain tumours in both adults and children. The NIHR is working closely with the consortium to support the development of high-quality funding proposals.The consortium is in the process of collaboratively developing its programme of work, which will be submitted to the NIHR for independent peer review by 31 July 2025. There is no set funding window for their proposal, which we hope will be ambitious in scope and potential impact.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48852 on Diabetes, what his planned timetable is for responding to the (a) research and (b) other recommendations made in the position statement by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on the on the World Health Organization’s guideline on Non Sugar Sweeteners.

The Department welcomed the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN’s) statement on the World Health Organisation’s guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), published in April 2025.As a result of these recommendations, we are in the process of updating our consumer advice on the NHS.UK website, which will focus on the long-term goal to reduce both sugar and NSS intake, with NSS being a useful swap for sugar in the short-term.SACN’s recommendations to Government will be considered as part of our ongoing activities and in discussion with the Food Standards Agency; no timeline has been set.The Department encourages the research community and industry to take up SACN’s recommendations directed at them.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 52196 on Prostate Cancer: Preventive Medicine, when he expects to receive the outcome of UK NSCs comprehensive evidence review.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has commissioned work to update its recommendation on population screening for prostate cancer screening last made in 2020. The review this time round however has been expanded in response to calls to consider evidence that looks at targeted screening using prostate-specific antigen testing and other high-risk factors, as well as screening specifically Black men of a set age group and looking at other screening tests. To do this comprehensive review, the UK NSC has commissioned a cost effectiveness model to explore these various screening strategies.It is expected that the model will report back to the UK NSC in early autumn 2025. The committee is in contact with the reviewers and stands ready to review this and consider next steps before opening a public consultation on this.

What recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on increasing the availability of NHS dental (a) practices and (b) other services in all parts of the UK.

State funded healthcare is a devolved matter outside of England, and is the responsibility, respectively, of the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish administrations. However, governments across the United Kingdom routinely work together to share best practice and to deliver on our common goals for improving patients’ experience of healthcare services, including access to dentistry.

When was data added to the NHS Federated Data Platform for (a) NHS trusts and (b) integrated care systems.

The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) began rolling out to National Health Service trusts in April 2024, following a pilot phase from 2022. Integrated care boards began receiving their local instances from September 2024. Each organisation controls its own instance, enabling secure data sharing, where permitted by data protection law and supported by the appropriate governance. Information on uptake and benefits is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/

What recent progress his Department has made on reducing the rate of prostate cancer among younger men.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 May 2025 to Question 52196.