Written questions by Hayes.

What estimate he has made of the number of Band 7 CBT therapist posts created in each of the last five years.

The table attached shows the growth in the relevant subsection of the NHS Talking Therapies workforce over the five years to 2024. The high intensity workforce, which includes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) therapists, increased by 2,582 between 2019 and 2024 to 6,913 full time equivalent therapists. The number of qualified, Band 7 or over, CBT therapists grew over the same period by 1,049 to 3,853 full time equivalents.This data is published through the mental health national workforce census at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-national-workforce-census/The NHS Talking Therapies workforce includes staff employed by National Health Service providers and also staff in NHS-commissioned independent, local authority, and voluntary sector providers.The data is not available for Lambeth and Southwark as local data by service is not held centrally.

How many (a) NHS Talking Therapy trainees and (b) Band 7 CBT therapist posts have been created in (i) Lambeth and (ii) Southwark in each of the last five years.

The table attached shows the growth in the relevant subsection of the NHS Talking Therapies workforce over the five years to 2024. The high intensity workforce, which includes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) therapists, increased by 2,582 between 2019 and 2024 to 6,913 full time equivalent therapists. The number of qualified, Band 7 or over, CBT therapists grew over the same period by 1,049 to 3,853 full time equivalents.This data is published through the mental health national workforce census at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-national-workforce-census/The NHS Talking Therapies workforce includes staff employed by National Health Service providers and also staff in NHS-commissioned independent, local authority, and voluntary sector providers.The data is not available for Lambeth and Southwark as local data by service is not held centrally.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of applications for NHS Talking Therapies trainee positions.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training pathway.

No assessment has been made. To become an oral maxillofacial surgeon, surgeons will need to meet the requirements of both the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, who are responsible for the standard of training for doctors and dentists respectively.

What steps he is taking to support prospective students training to become Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons with the costs of dual degree qualifications.

A qualification in both medicine and dentistry is required to become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.If studying medicine or dentistry as a first degree, domestic students can access student loans from Student Finance England (SFE) from years one to four. From year five of an undergraduate course, and from year two of a graduate-entry course, medical and dental students can access the NHS Bursary. The NHS Bursary is non-repayable, and comprises of payments towards tuition fees and, where eligible, further grants and allowances.Students undertaking an undergraduate medical or dental course as a second degree are expected to self-fund their tuition fees for the first four years, but can apply to SFE for a means-tested maintenance loan. From their fifth year, eligible students can apply for the NHS Bursary.Medical and dental students who study the second degree via an accelerated graduate-entry course can apply to SFE for a partial tuition fee loan, and a partially means-tested maintenance loan in year one. They can then apply for an NHS Bursary from the second year of study.For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the Government has announced that maximum loans and grants for living and other costs from SFE will increase by the forecast inflation of 3.1%. The Government will also increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1% for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

What estimate his Department has made of the vacancy rate of (a) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts and (b) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants.

The Department does not hold information on the vacancy rate for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts or consultant positions.We 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. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.NHS England publishes quarterly NHS hospital trust vacancy and job advert data. The publication sets out vacancy rates for total NHS staff and, separately, for registered nurses and doctors at a national and regional level. The latest data for December 2024 shows the vacancy rate for doctors was 5.2%. The data is not detailed enough to identify vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants. Further information is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey

What steps he plans to take through the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan to reduce vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

The Department does not hold information on the vacancy rate for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts or consultant positions.We 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. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.NHS England publishes quarterly NHS hospital trust vacancy and job advert data. The publication sets out vacancy rates for total NHS staff and, separately, for registered nurses and doctors at a national and regional level. The latest data for December 2024 shows the vacancy rate for doctors was 5.2%. The data is not detailed enough to identify vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants. Further information is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey

If his Department will make the data on the use of symptomatic FIT for patients with suspected bowel cancer symptoms across each ICB publicly available.

The Department does not hold the data at an integrated care board level, however, data for the number of lower gastrointestinal referrals, at a practice level, with a Faecal Immunochemical Test attached, is publicly available through the Investment and Impact Fund. It can be found in the monthly data by the following codes: CAN03; and CAN04.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on increasing the use of symptomatic FIT for patients with suspected bowel cancer symptoms within General Practice.

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening program currently invites people aged 56 to 74 years old for a screening every two years. However, this age cohort is being expanded to people aged 50 to 74 years old in 2025, with the use of Faecal Immunochemical Test kits which can be sent directly to people's homes.Furthermore, the National Health Service is prioritising 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 diagnostics, including for those with bowel cancer.

What the total amount of research funding spent on lobular breast cancer research was in 2022- 2023.

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer. On 4 February 2025 the Department announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial is backed by £11 million of Government support via NIHR. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer.

What the total amount of research funding spent on lobular breast cancer research was in 2023- 2024.

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer. On 4 February 2025 the Department announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial is backed by £11 million of Government support via NIHR. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer.

When does he plans to publish allocations of the Public Health Grant for 2025-26.

The Government published the 2025/26 Public Health Grant allocations to local authorities on 7 February. Further details are available on the GOV.UK website.

What steps he is taking to ensure early identification of cardiac problems in young people.

NHS England has published a suite of national service specifications and standards for Paediatric Cardiac Services, which define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England, to support and improve the diagnosis and treatment of congenital cardiac problems in young people, with congenital heart disease constituting the bulk of paediatric cardiac cases. The specifications and standards cover all Paediatric Cardiac activity, including surgery and cardiology, taking place in the Specialist Children’s Surgical Centres, Specialist Children’s Cardiology Centres, and Local Children's Cardiac Centres, including activity undertaken by the Specialist Centres on an outreach basis where it is delivered as part of a provider network, with the aim of ensuring all patient care is of a consistent high quality. NHS England has also published a national service specification for Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICC), which covers young adults. The aim of ICC services is to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of patients with inherited cardiac conditions. NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification, working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of the review, including clinical experts in the National Health Service, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice and the British Heart Foundation. The Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme also sets out standards for antenatal screening by ultrasound of serious congenital abnormalities, including which abnormalities should be screened for and expected detection rates, with 68% of serious abnormalities detected antenatally.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of rolling out cardiac screening to young people.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under 39 years old in 2019 and concluded that screening should not be offered. More information on the review is available at the following link:https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/ Research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use in young people without symptoms, and that treatments and interventions were not based on good scientific evidence to prevent SCD.To stop SCDs in young people, the current consensus is to focus on rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of SCD due to a family link or because they have had symptoms, and to train people to carry out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and to use defibrillators.NHS England has published guidance for inherited cardiac conditions which requires services to investigate patients with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease, suggestive symptoms or from families with sudden unexplained deaths. Where a genetic variation is identified, cascade testing is offered to relatives based on risk.We are aware that the UK NSC has received a submission via its annual call process to consider SCD screening in young people aged between 14 and 35 years old engaging in sport. The UK NSC is currently reviewing all annual call proposals. More information on the annual call process is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposal

What steps his Department is taking to support the development of a (a) safe and (b) effective Group B Streptococcus vaccine.

The UK Health Security Agency’s Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC) has been supporting the creation of a safe and effective maternal vaccine for Group B Streptococcus (GBS).A maternal vaccine for GBS, which protects infants from both the early and late onset of the disease, will have a positive impact on infant mortality and morbidity. It will also lead to a sharp reduction in the use of antibiotics in neonatal units worldwide. By focusing on effectiveness, through advanced immune response evaluations, these efforts are accelerating the development of a reliable GBS vaccine that can protect vulnerable populations worldwide. Further information on how VDEC is supporting a GBS vaccine to prevent newborn deaths is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/vdec-is-supporting-a-gbs-vaccine-to-prevent-newborn-deaths.

If he will meet with Group B Strep Support to discuss the importance of (a) early and (b)consistent diagnosis of Group B Streptococcus.

Recruitment to the GBS3 trial ended in May 2024. The researchers are analysing the data, and a report is expected in Summer 2025. The UK National Screening Committee Secretariat is in close and regular contact with the researchers. The committee will review its recommendation, considering the evidence from the trial, once the report is available.As part of this, the UK National Screening Committee will engage with stakeholders, in line with its usual processes.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the results of the GBS3 trial can be acted upon (a) quickly and (b) effectively.

Recruitment to the GBS3 trial ended in May 2024. The researchers are analysing the data, and a report is expected in Summer 2025. The UK National Screening Committee Secretariat is in close and regular contact with the researchers. The committee will review its recommendation, considering the evidence from the trial, once the report is available.As part of this, the UK National Screening Committee will engage with stakeholders, in line with its usual processes.

What recent guidance his Department has issued to NHS Foundation Trusts on the provision of early pregnancy services (a) at weekends and (b) overnight.

The Government is determined to make sure all women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care, particularly when things go wrong.We will continue to work with NHS England to ensure that we listen to women and their families, and learn lessons from recent inquiries and investigations, including recommendations from the pregnancy loss review.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of early pregnancy services in A&E departments (a) at weekends and (b) overnight.

No assessment has been made of the adequacy of the availability of early pregnancy services in accident and emergency departments. It is vital that women seeking support, including in early pregnancy, get the care they need. We will continue to work with NHS England to improve the Early Pregnancy Assessment Units’ (EPAUs) services, where the Pregnancy Loss Review found variation in the availability of EPAUs.We encourage all women who have concerns about their pregnancy to seek help from a healthcare professional. Accident and emergency departments are 24-hour services, so a person presenting with concerns related to early pregnancy would initially be assessed by an emergency medicine clinician. Where further specialist care is needed, the person would be supported in an Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic, or through the attendance of an obstetrician at the accident and emergency.

What estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of out of court settlements for employment tribunal cases across the NHS in each of the last five years.

This information is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England. No estimate has been made on the total cost to the public purse of out of court settlements for employment tribunal cases across the National Health Service in the last five years.