Written questions by Maguire.

What comparative assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of (a) respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in (i) Epsom and Ewell constituency and (ii) nationally; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.Provisional data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of emergency FAEs with a primary diagnosis of respiratory conditions for Epsom and Ewell and for England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)Epsom and Ewell670530England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Surrey can be found at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E10000030/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.Through our community diagnostic centres, we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get diagnosed closer to home. 101 community diagnostic centres across the country now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives. This is alongside action being taken to expand capacity and improve the quality of pulmonary rehabilitation services to support patients living with respiratory conditions.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve digital infrastructure and IT connectivity for community care in primary care settings.

In 2026/27, and as per the Medium Term Planning Framework – delivering change together 2026/27 to 2028/29, all integrated care boards and community health services providers must identify and act on productivity opportunities, including ensuring teams have the digital tools and equipment they need to connect remotely to health systems and patients, and expanding point-of-care testing in the community.Through the Community Health Services Data Plan (2024/25-2026/27), work is underway to improve the quality, relevance, and timeliness of community health service data and, in turn, improve the patient experience in community health services.In addition, our 10-Year Health Plan will help put services at the heart of the community and expand digital tools to manage health, including through the Single Patient Record. It will give patients real control over a single, secure, and authoritative account of their data and enable more coordinated, personalised, and predictive care. It will improve clinical outcomes, make decision-making more informed, and speed up the delivery of care.

With reference to the National Cancer Plan, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that there will be enough pathologists to support the Plan’s delivery.

The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will strengthen the cancer workforce, including for diagnostics, such as pathology. The plan sets out sustainable workforce growth, focused not on simply expanding numbers but on ensuring staff are properly trained, supported, and able to work at the top of their skills.The plan sets out how we will support pathologists to work more efficiently through a £604 million investment in digital diagnostics, including digital pathology, and £96 million in the automation of histopathology, as well as further investment in digital technology and artificial intelligence. Expansion of advanced clinical practice for scientists will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the pathology workforce as a whole.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will be published in spring, setting out further action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What his Department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of Modern Service Frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

With reference to the publication of the National Cancer Plan, if he will present the Plan's annual summary of progress to the House.

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.The annual summary will be available publicly and I will update the House when it is published.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and the Home Secretary on the Child Protection Authority consultation.

Ministers meet regularly through the Keeping Children Safe Ministerial Board and the Inter-Ministerial Group on Child Sexual Abuse, where the Child Protection Authority (CPA) is regularly discussed. Both of these groups will continue to monitor progress on the delivery of the CPA.

What steps his Department is taking to decrease treatment wait times for patients with metastatic ocular melanoma.

The Department remains committed to ensuring that cancer patients, including those with metastatic ocular melanoma, have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support. The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the National Health Service will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for patients with cancer, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. This will benefit all cancer patients, including metastatic ocular melanoma patients.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on the publication date for the draft commissioning policy for Chemosaturation therapy.

The Department and the National Health Service in England are committed to ensuring that cancer patients have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support. In 2016, NHS England concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make chemosaturation treatment available to patients on the NHS. NHS England is currently in the early stages of policy development for chemosaturation to treat metastatic uveal melanoma where surgery to remove or destroy affected cells and tissue in the liver is not feasible.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends that chemosaturation can be used for patients with secondary liver metastases resulting from a primary ocular melanoma, provided special arrangements are in place. A special arrangements recommendation states that clinicians using the procedure should inform the clinical governance lead in their trust, tell the patient about the uncertainties regarding the safety and efficacy of the procedure, and collect further data by means of audit or research. NICE is in the process of updating its guidance, with final guidance expected on 15 October 2026. The first committee meeting, to discuss the evidence, is expected to take place on 16 April 2026. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ipg10448

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of removing the exceptionality requirement for Individual Funding Requires for Chemosaturation therapy and comparable intervention for people whose lives are at risk.

The Department and the National Health Service in England are committed to ensuring that cancer patients have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support. In 2016, NHS England concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make chemosaturation treatment available to patients on the NHS. NHS England is currently in the early stages of policy development for chemosaturation to treat metastatic uveal melanoma where surgery to remove or destroy affected cells and tissue in the liver is not feasible.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends that chemosaturation can be used for patients with secondary liver metastases resulting from a primary ocular melanoma, provided special arrangements are in place. A special arrangements recommendation states that clinicians using the procedure should inform the clinical governance lead in their trust, tell the patient about the uncertainties regarding the safety and efficacy of the procedure, and collect further data by means of audit or research. NICE is in the process of updating its guidance, with final guidance expected on 15 October 2026. The first committee meeting, to discuss the evidence, is expected to take place on 16 April 2026. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ipg10448

What steps his Department is taking to deliver safe staffing levels for midwives.

The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure it remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes the new Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives to ensure there are enough positions for every newly qualified midwife in England.As of October 2025, there were 25,281 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts. This is an increase of 878, or 3.6%, compared to October 2024.We are also developing a new 10 Year Workforce Plan which will set out how the NHS workforce will align with the future direction of healthcare reform set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity estates and clear the fixable maintenance backlog.

We are investing over £131 million through the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling better care for mothers and their newborns. The funded works will deliver vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and support National Health Service productivity by reducing disruptions across NHS clinical services.Improving the standard of maternity and neonatal departments is also a core component of the New Hospital Programme. 11 of the 16 hospitals that are expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030 will be rebuilding maternity and women and children’s services.

What steps his Department is taking to expand ophthalmology services to help early detection of Glaucoma.

NHS sight tests play a vital role in the early detection of glaucoma. Integrated care boards (ICBs) can also commission community-based glaucoma services, which support earlier identification, ongoing monitoring and management, helping to prevent avoidable sight loss.Some ICBs are already using a Single Point of Access to speed up the referral and triage of patients between primary and secondary care.In addition, the Getting It Right First Time programme is developing best practice guidance for glaucoma services, to support the consistent adoption of high standards of care from detection onwards.

How many urgent dental appointments were delivered in each month from January 2024 to January 2025.

The following table shows the number of National Health Service urgent treatments delivered each year between 2020/21 and 2024/25:Financial yearNumber of urgent dental treatments delivered2024/253,658,2732023/243,674,7102022/233,785,9522021/223,819,2262020/213,646,868Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Dental statistics - England 2024/25, avaiable at the following link: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425 Comparable monthly data on the number of urgent dental appointments delivered is not published. We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most. The Surrey Heartlands ICB, which includes the Epsom and Ewell constituency, has been asked to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.Data on delivery of urgent dental care, including additional delivery, will be published annually as part of the NHS Dental Statistics England Official Statistics series. These statistics are released each August and are the primary source of data on the delivery of NHS dental care.

With reference to his Department's press release of 21 February 2025 entitled Dental patients to benefit from 700,000 extra urgent appointments, how many of the additional urgent care appointments were purchased in 2025 by integrated care board.

The following table shows the number of National Health Service urgent treatments delivered each year between 2020/21 and 2024/25:Financial yearNumber of urgent dental treatments delivered2024/253,658,2732023/243,674,7102022/233,785,9522021/223,819,2262020/213,646,868Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Dental statistics - England 2024/25, avaiable at the following link: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425 Comparable monthly data on the number of urgent dental appointments delivered is not published. We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most. The Surrey Heartlands ICB, which includes the Epsom and Ewell constituency, has been asked to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.Data on delivery of urgent dental care, including additional delivery, will be published annually as part of the NHS Dental Statistics England Official Statistics series. These statistics are released each August and are the primary source of data on the delivery of NHS dental care.

How many urgent dental appointments were delivered each year from 2020 up to and including 2025.

The following table shows the number of National Health Service urgent treatments delivered each year between 2020/21 and 2024/25:Financial yearNumber of urgent dental treatments delivered2024/253,658,2732023/243,674,7102022/233,785,9522021/223,819,2262020/213,646,868Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Dental statistics - England 2024/25, available at the following link: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425 Comparable monthly data on the number of urgent dental appointments delivered is not published. We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most. The Surrey Heartlands ICB, which includes the Epsom and Ewell constituency, has been asked to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.Data on delivery of urgent dental care, including additional delivery, will be published annually as part of the NHS Dental Statistics England Official Statistics series. These statistics are released each August and are the primary source of data on the delivery of NHS dental care.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure people with learning disabilities receive screenings for cervical cancer.

The Government is committed to its ambition to change the National Health Service so that it diagnoses earlier and treats faster. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme plays a vital role in this. Across the NHS, local systems and partnerships are working together to find ways to make cervical screening more accessible for people with a learning disability.Following the launch of the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Information Standard, NHS England is considering the role this digital flag has in further personalisation in the programme.Reasonable adjustments can include:a longer or double appointment;information in other languages or formats, or an interpreter;a chaperone in the room; and/oran appointment with a trusted doctor or nurse who the individual already has a good relationship with.Additionally, in early 2026, the NHS Cervical Screening Programme will be offering a self-testing kit to under-screened women, starting with those who are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from screening.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of digitalised the Learning Disability Health Passport across ICBs.

NHS England published guidance in June 2024 on health and care passports, which are designed to provide health and social care professionals with essential information about people with a learning disability and other disabled people to ensure appropriate care and treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/health-and-care-passports/The guidance makes clear that the passport can be in a physical or digital form, or a combination of formats, and that embedding the passport should take account of local population needs, local digital strategies, and reasonable adjustments.The National Health Service is working towards a digitally enabled health and social care system to allow information to flow between IT systems, care providers, and settings. However, there remains a significant digital inclusion gap for people with a disability, so digital approaches must remain inclusive and avoid excluding those experiencing digital poverty.Local systems are therefore encouraged to make both paper and digital versions of the passport available, and to explore ways to convert paper-based passports into digital formats to support interoperability. This aligns with the principles set out in NHS England’s guidance.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reinstating the annual health check target of 75% for people with learning disabilities.

The Department and NHS England have not undertaken a specific assessment of reinstating the 75% annual health check target for people with a learning disability. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, wrote to general practitioners (GPs) in October 2025 emphasising the importance of the learning disability register and providing high quality annual health checks. These checks are the first line of defence for people with a learning disability, many of whom live with additional health needs, including long-term conditions. Strong support from GPs to maintain learning disability annual health checks has enabled more people than ever before to receive a health check and health action plan, an increase of more than 20% since 2020. As of March 2025, 81.5% of eligible people on the GP learning disability register received an annual health check, surpassing the previous 75% National Health Service target.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people with learning disabilities do not remain in hospital beds when there is no medical need for them to do so.

Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out to tackle health inequalities and offer people more holistic, on-going support in the community. It is important that people are discharged promptly from hospital with the right support, both for their outcomes, and to free up beds for other patients.The Department is working to ensure that patients, including people with a learning disability, can leave hospital promptly by strengthening access to appropriate community-based services. Local systems, supported through the £9 billion Better Care Fund, are required to plan jointly for integrated health and social care that supports individuals to live independently. This includes commissioning supported living arrangements, residential care where needed, and tailored packages of domiciliary care. For 2025/26, National Health Service trusts have been asked to focus on eliminating discharge delays of more than 48 hours caused by issues within acute hospitals, and to work with local authorities on eliminate the longest delays, starting with those of over 21 days. NHS Operational Planning Guidance also sets an objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2025/26. The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework maintains this focus, with an ambition for a 10% year-on-year reduction up to 2028/29.

What steps his Department is taking to regulate health advice on AI overviews on internet browsers.

NHS England and the Department are taking steps to ensure that health related information is easily available and well-structured to support safe and reliable answers by artificial intelligence (AI), including AI overviews in internet browsers. The NHS.UK website and information provided through the NHS App on different health conditions is clinically assured and we are working with different technology providers to encourage the use of verified and trusted health information to train their AI models to provide content to citizens.Where AI tools meet the definition of a medical device, they fall under the regulation of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). General‑purpose AI systems that do not qualify as medical devices, such as AI‑generated summaries within search engines, may fall within the scope of the Online Safety Act. Services covered by the act must protect users from illegal and harmful content, including misleading health information. The Government has asked Ofcom to use its existing powers to safeguard users and will consider further action if needed.