Written questions by Maguire.

What steps his Department is taking to use screening programmes to share information and boost prevention awareness of Bowel Cancer.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department is taking steps to limit the hours that alcohol can be delivered directly to homes.

The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol. The Government recognises that consumer purchasing habits have evolved in recent years, particularly with a notable growth in alcohol sales made via online platforms and rapid delivery services.The Department for Health and Social Care, which has responsibility for policy on health harms, and the Home Office are looking at how current licensing rules apply to these services and monitoring emerging evidence on the impact they may be having on people’s health. I am clear that we will act where necessary to protect public safety.To this end, I will shortly hold a roundtable jointly with the Minister for Public Health and Prevention to consider solutions with healthcare professionals and experts in the field.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the recommendations of the Tackling the GP Work Crisis report by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

We welcome the findings from the Royal College of General Practitioners’ report on Tackling the GP workload crisis. Many of the recommendations align closely with our ongoing commitment to fixing the front door of the National Health Service by cutting red tape and ensuring general practitioners (GPs) can spend more time treating patients.The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our commitment to delivering the recommendations of the Red Tape Challenge, including making improvements at the interface between primary and secondary care. These recommendations also highlight our ambition to improve customer service and experience through better patient communication, support, and navigation, as well as strengthening underpinning infrastructure.The report also mentions simplifying incentives such as Quality Outcomes Frameworks (QOF), which for the 2025/26 GP Contract year, was streamlined significantly, with 32 out of the 76 indicators retired to reduce the administrative burden for practices. For the 2026/27 GP Contract year, QOF remains streamlined with 43 indicators.We are continuing to work across the Government to better understand where additional burdens are being placed on GPs and, where possible, to remove unnecessary requirements and improve ways of working.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a pause between the order and delivery of alcohol from delivery apps when the order is over a certain amount.

The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol. The Government recognises that consumer purchasing habits have evolved in recent years, particularly with a notable growth in alcohol sales made via online platforms and rapid delivery services.The Department for Health and Social Care, which has responsibility for policy on health harms, and the Home Office are looking at how current licensing rules apply to these services and monitoring emerging evidence on the impact they may be having on people’s health. I am clear that we will act where necessary to protect public safety.To this end, I will shortly hold a roundtable jointly with the Minister for Public Health and Prevention to consider solutions with healthcare professionals and experts in the field.

What his planned timeline is for (a) implementing and (b) making available the cancer manuals.

The Department and NHS England will establish clear quality standards for cancer delivery through cancer manuals, published by tumour type. Quality standards will incorporate clinical-effectiveness, safety, and experience of care, in line with the definition of quality set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The manuals will provide a consistent framework against which clinicians, trust boards, and commissioners can assess the quality of their service.Over time, cancer manuals will be transformed into a continuous learning platform, informed by real-time feedback from patients and artificial intelligence supported learning. Publication will begin in 2027.

What progress his Department has made on implementing the National Cancer Plan.

The National Cancer Plan was published in February 2026. The Department has taken steps to implement the plan’s commitments and ambitions to be delivered within the next ten years. While immediate focus is on those to be delivered in 2026, all commitments are being considered by the various delivery partners involved.A reformed National Cancer Board, jointly chaired by the Department and an independent representative, will track progress and provide regular updates to ministers.Across the life of the plan, ministers will publish an annual summary of progress, along with a more in-depth report after three years to assess where the plan may need updating and refreshing.

What steps he is taking to help protect (a) resources and (b) infrastructure for the delivery of the National Cancer Plan in the context of the NHSE and DHSC merger.

The Government has protected specialist cancer leadership, confirmed Cancer Alliances as the main delivery partners, and aligned national resources and infrastructure within a single system. Clear accountability, safeguarded workforce capacity, and shared digital and delivery infrastructure ensure the plan will continue to be implemented consistently across England during organisational change.Progress against commitments will be monitored through a reformed National Cancer Board, jointly overseeing delivery and providing regular updates to ministers to ensure momentum is maintained during and after the merger.We will work to ensure a smooth transition during the merger of NHS England and the Department, so that the public continues to have access to high-quality cancer care.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of a specific criteria to determine which providers were included in the Neighbourhood Health Framework on the equality of local care provisions.

The Neighbourhood Health Framework is designed to empower local leaders to develop and scale neighbourhood health, and to provide clarity and consistency to support joined-up working between integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities.The framework outlines the national minimum aims and objectives of Neighbourhood Health Services and maps the process systems should go through to establish local metrics and plans. The framework references how general practice, primary care, pharmacy, mental health provider, civil society partner, and social and community health services can work together to shift care from hospitals to communities. This is not an exhaustive list of all possible providers of neighbourhood health services but illustrates the types of providers with whom we are actively working. It is not prescriptive.No specific criteria were used to determine the providers that were included in the framework. The framework does not prevent other providers from being part of neighbourhood health services.It is important that reforms are locally led, as ICBs and local authorities are best placed to design services that make sense for their local populations. However, there are actions that work everywhere, so the framework sets out a minimum set of interventions for all ICBs to deliver over the next three years. This will provide the building blocks of an effective, joined-up Neighbourhood Health Service.We recognise that delivering a Neighbourhood Health Service will be an incremental process, as both local understanding develops and national reforms progress. We will regularly update the Neighbourhood Health Framework to reflect learning from communities.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of developing a specific criteria to determine which providers are included in the Neighbourhood Health Framework.

The Neighbourhood Health Framework is designed to empower local leaders to develop and scale neighbourhood health, and to provide clarity and consistency to support joined-up working between integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities.The framework outlines the national minimum aims and objectives of Neighbourhood Health Services and maps the process systems should go through to establish local metrics and plans. The framework references how general practice, primary care, pharmacy, mental health provider, civil society partner, and social and community health services can work together to shift care from hospitals to communities. This is not an exhaustive list of all possible providers of neighbourhood health services but illustrates the types of providers with whom we are actively working. It is not prescriptive.No specific criteria were used to determine the providers that were included in the framework. The framework does not prevent other providers from being part of neighbourhood health services.It is important that reforms are locally led, as ICBs and local authorities are best placed to design services that make sense for their local populations. However, there are actions that work everywhere, so the framework sets out a minimum set of interventions for all ICBs to deliver over the next three years. This will provide the building blocks of an effective, joined-up Neighbourhood Health Service.We recognise that delivering a Neighbourhood Health Service will be an incremental process, as both local understanding develops and national reforms progress. We will regularly update the Neighbourhood Health Framework to reflect learning from communities.

If he will make it his policy to confirm governance arrangements and progress reports for the National Cancer Plan to Parliament.

The National Cancer Plan, published on the 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and to provide regular updates to ministers. The board will be co-chaired by the Director General for Planned Care in the Department and an independent representative. It will meet once a co-chair is appointed.Across the life of the plan, ministers will publish an annual summary of progress, along with a more in-depth report after three years to assess where the plan may need updating and refreshing. The annual summary will be available publicly and ministers would welcome the opportunity to update the House when it is published.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the National Cancer Plan receives adequate long-term funding.

The National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, aims to get more from the resources already in the system, improving productivity and modernising services to deliver better outcomes for patients.Through the plan, the Department has announced some targeted new commitments. This includes a £10 million fund to support children and young people with cancer and their families with travel costs, which is reprioritised funding, as well as £200 million of ring-fenced funding for Cancer Alliances in 2026/27, as part of system development funding.

If he will set out the support currently in place for women on gynaecology waiting lists and for the workforce delivering that care.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

If he will put Women’s Health Hubs at the centre of the Neighbourhood health framework.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What criteria the Department used to determine which providers were included in the Neighbourhood Health Framework; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the exclusion of optometrists from the list of providers on eye health.

The Neighbourhood Health Framework is designed to provide clarity and consistency to integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, and their partners, in developing and scaling neighbourhood health.General practice, primary care, pharmacies, mental health providers, community health services, social care services, local authorities, and civil society partners are included, to illustrate how services can work together to shift care from hospital to communities, improve access, and provide proactive, holistic care for people with complex needs. This is not an exhaustive list and does not prescribe which providers must be involved locally.No specific criteria were used to determine which providers were included in the framework. The framework does not prevent other providers, including optometrists, from being part of neighbourhood health services.The framework outlines the national minimum aims and objectives of Neighbourhood Health Services. It is important that reforms are locally led, as ICBs and local authorities are best placed to design services that make sense for their local populations. Local systems can therefore choose to go further than the minimum, including in relation to optometry.ICBs are already able to commission enhanced services from high street optometrists including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral filtering services.

What his criteria are for introducing digital breast tomosynthesis into the NHS breast screening programme.

The Government is committed to providing quality and timely care and treatment to people with breast cancer, including through equitable access to modern breast screening technology. The NHS Breast Screening Programme is seeing improvement in uptake nationally with annual data from NHS England for 2024/25 showing 70.6% of women attending their appointment.Digital mammography, which offers high quality images, currently remains the primary screening tool for the programme. At present, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is an optional tool in the assessment of screen detected soft tissue breast abnormalities following mammography.In 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), who advises the Government on all screening matters, set up a working group of breast cancer screening experts to help it consider new and emerging evidence and developments that could further improve the United Kingdom’s breast screening programme. This includes exploring DBT in addition to other tests and technologies, to detect breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. Other modalities are magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, using either hand-held or automated modalities, and contrast-enhanced mammography.If, following this work, the UK NSC makes a recommendation regarding DBT, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, would be asked to make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation, alongside wider policy and operational advice.Service providers are responsible for purchasing and maintenance of breast screening equipment, and where there are issues and updates are required, they apply to the local capital investment programmes or the funding available in the current Spending Review period via the NHS England National Diagnostics Transformation Programme.

Whether his Department has had discussions with HM Treasury on the potential merits of introducing ringfenced, multi-year capital funding upgrading for breast screening equipment, including digital breast tomosynthesis, to help ensure equitable access to modern breast screening technology.

The Government is committed to providing quality and timely care and treatment to people with breast cancer, including through equitable access to modern breast screening technology. The NHS Breast Screening Programme is seeing improvement in uptake nationally with annual data from NHS England for 2024/25 showing 70.6% of women attending their appointment.Digital mammography, which offers high quality images, currently remains the primary screening tool for the programme. At present, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is an optional tool in the assessment of screen detected soft tissue breast abnormalities following mammography.In 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), who advises the Government on all screening matters, set up a working group of breast cancer screening experts to help it consider new and emerging evidence and developments that could further improve the United Kingdom’s breast screening programme. This includes exploring DBT in addition to other tests and technologies, to detect breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. Other modalities are magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, using either hand-held or automated modalities, and contrast-enhanced mammography.If, following this work, the UK NSC makes a recommendation regarding DBT, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, would be asked to make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation, alongside wider policy and operational advice.Service providers are responsible for purchasing and maintenance of breast screening equipment, and where there are issues and updates are required, they apply to the local capital investment programmes or the funding available in the current Spending Review period via the NHS England National Diagnostics Transformation Programme.

What conversations he has had with Business and Trade colleagues regarding improving employment conditions for those in the mental health sector.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, meets regularly with colleagues in the Department of Business and Trade to discuss a range of topics.We are committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals, including those working in the mental health sector. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will deliver this change by making sure that staff are better treated, have more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future.We are taking a number of steps to improve working conditions for NHS staff, including the development of a new set of staff standards for modern employment. The standards will focus on the areas that we know matter the most to staff, including: supporting line management; improving staff health and wellbeing; promoting flexible working; violence prevention and reduction; and tackling racism and sexual safety.

What steps he is taking to improve working conditions including pay for those in the mental health sector.

We are committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals, including those working in the mental health sector. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will deliver this change by making sure that staff are better treated, have more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future.We are taking a number of steps to improve working conditions for NHS staff including the development of a new set of staff standards for modern employment. The standards will focus on the areas that we know matter the most to staff, including: supporting line management; improving staff health and wellbeing; promoting flexible working; violence prevention and reduction; and tackling racism and sexual safety.On 5 February we received the NHS Pay Review Body report and on 12 February we accepted their independent recommendation for a 3.3% consolidated headline pay award for 2026/27. For the first time in six years, this pay increase for NHS Agenda for Change staff will be in April pay packets, demonstrating our commitment to getting money to NHS staff earlier than in previous years. Additionally, on 17 March, we received the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration’s report and on 20 March accepted their independent recommendations for a headline pay increase of 3.5% for doctors and 3.75% increase to the pay element of high-street dental contracts and community dental service dentists.

Whether decisions on mandatory and additional General Ophthalmic Services contract fees are subject to an Equality Impact Assessment.

Decisions on mandatory and additional General Ophthalmic Services contract fees are informed by an Equality Impact Assessment, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty.

What steps his Department is taking to develop national guidelines for PICA.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Mid Dunbartonshire on 9 February 2026 to Question 110183.