Written questions by Maguire.

How many eligible women have not had a breast cancer screening in (a) England and (b) Surrey for which the latest data is available.

The latest available screening data, for 2023/24, shows that in England, 6.69 million women were eligible for breast screening. Over 70%, or 4.6 million, of these eligible women had a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period. Approximately 30%, or 1.97 million, of these eligible women did not have a breast screening test result recorded in that last three-year period.In the 2023/24 screening year in Surrey, 141,778 women were eligible for breast screening and 71.3%, or 101,088, had a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period. This is higher than the national coverage of 70%. Approximately 28.7%, or 40,690, of these eligible women did not have a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period in Surrey.

What his Department's timetable is for implementation discussions on (a) establishing an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency and (b) ensuring the UK’s participation in projects that fall under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation mechanism.

The Security and Defence Partnership agreed with the European Union on 19 May 2025 is an example of this Government delivering on our manifesto commitments to strengthen European security, support growth and reinforce NATO. We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this Government’s NATO First defence policy as set out in the Security and Defence Review. The Security and Defence partnership outlines that possibilities for establishing an Administrative Arrangement between the UK and the European Defence Agency (EDA) will be explored. The Security and Defence Partnership also sets out how the UK and the EU are committed to strengthening cooperation on military mobility issues, including through the UK’s participation in PESCO project Military Mobility. Officials remain in discussions with the EU to identify practical ways to advance cooperation in these areas. Any UK commitment – financial or otherwise – will ensure value for taxpayers and support defence goals.

What steps his Department is taking to support the wellbeing of staff working in A&E.

The health and wellbeing of National Health Service staff, including those working in accident and emergency departments is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health. To further support this ambition, we will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

What progress his Department has made on talks with the EU on joining Security Action for Europe.

The UK and the EU are already working constructively to implement and build on our landmark Security and Defence Partnership. In order to effectively deter against increased aggression, we need to strengthen our shared defence industrial base to ensure Europe is able to secure the critical capabilities needed at the necessary speed, scale and value for money. As part of these efforts and recognising the important role that the UK’s world-leading defence industry already plays for European security, this Government is taking forward discussions on a bilateral participation agreement with the EU for enhanced cooperation under the SAFE instrument. While we will not pre-empt the outcome of discussions with our European partners, this Government would only agree to a deal if we were satisfied it provided value to the UK and UK industry. Discussions with our EU friends continues and we will update the House in due course of progress in the usual ways.

What information his Department holds on the number of women who suffered baby loss between 2020 and 2025.

Baby loss can include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and neonatal death. Official statistics published by the Office for National Statistics on stillbirths and neonatal deaths are available at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/childhoodinfantandperinatalmortalityinenglandandwales/2023 NHS England does not hold comprehensive data on miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies as it is not consistently or officially counted in the same way as live births, stillbirths, or neonatal deaths. The Maternity Services Data Set records information from the point of a person booking an appointment for maternity care and therefore does not include losses prior to contact with National Health Service maternity services, nor is the data of sufficient quality and completeness to produce any counts data. Information on miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies resulting in a hospital stay is published in the Hospital Episodes Statistics, although not all such pregnancies will involve an NHS hospital stay and therefore will not be included, with further information available in Table 1i, named Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies which resulted in an NHS hospital stay, in the document attached. The most recent available data shows that there were 31,046 finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of miscarriage in 2020/21, 33,352 in 2021/22, 33,126 in 2022/23, and 35,876 in 2023/24. In addition, there were 10,368 finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy in 2020/21, 11,088 in 2021/22, 10,999 in 2022/23, and 12,122 in 2023/24.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of poor dental health among (a) applicants, (b) recruits and (c) armed forces personnel on the UK's defence capability.

Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit force to enhance force generation and operational capability. The Defence Medical Services conducted a full Oral Health Needs Assessment in 2023 which delivered an overview of the oral health needs of the Defence population, including applicants, recruits and Armed Forces personnel. A large proportion of applicants and recruits come from deprived communities where poorer oral health is seen. For applicants who do not meet the minimum dental entry standards, recruitment partners may offer limited financial assistance towards the cost of dental treatment to bring the applicant to the minimum entry standard. If an applicant requires minor remedial dental work, the applicant may be able to join and the treatment provided during basic training; however, this treatment cannot impact basic training. For recruits and Armed Forces personnel, Defence Dentistry provides an occupationally focused service. Treatment delivered throughout Phase 1 and 2 of training normally addresses most dental issues; however, feedback from dental centres indicates a deterioration in the dental health of recruits, which could be attributed to difficulties in accessing NHS dental care. To monitor dental fitness, Armed Forces personnel are assigned a NATO classification (or Dental Fitness Class). NATO Category 2 patients require minor interventive treatment or treatment aimed at preventing disease and NATO Category 3 patients require treatment for conditions which are likely to result in issues within a year if left untreated. These categories of patients are a priority for treatment.

If he will review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy within the prescription charge exemption list.

While there are no plans to review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) within the prescription charge exemption list, the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate is available for patients who are prescribed HRT on the National Health Service. The price of the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) is the equivalent of two single prescription charges, currently £19.80, and covers all qualifying prescribed HRT medicines for the 12-month period of its validity, representing significant saving for patients compared to the single prescription charge. In financial year 2024/25, approximately 13.3 million HRT items were dispensed without charge, either because they were covered by the HRT PPC or the patient held an exemption from prescription charges.There are over 70 HRT products, and the majority are in good supply. We are aware of shortages affecting Estradot (estradiol) patches. We are engaging with the supplier to expedite deliveries. We have issued guidance to healthcare professionals and Serious Shortage Protocols to enable community pharmacists to supply specified alternative estradiol patches.We will also be asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS Health Check from 2026. This will support eligible women from across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support.Further data on HRT prescriptions is available via the NHS Business Services Authority at the following link:https://nhsbsa-opendata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/hrt/hrt_June_2025_v001.html

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) affordability of hormone replacement therapy; and what steps he is taking to reduce regional disparities in access to menopause-related healthcare.

While there are no plans to review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) within the prescription charge exemption list, the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate is available for patients who are prescribed HRT on the National Health Service. The price of the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) is the equivalent of two single prescription charges, currently £19.80, and covers all qualifying prescribed HRT medicines for the 12-month period of its validity, representing significant saving for patients compared to the single prescription charge. In financial year 2024/25, approximately 13.3 million HRT items were dispensed without charge, either because they were covered by the HRT PPC or the patient held an exemption from prescription charges.There are over 70 HRT products, and the majority are in good supply. We are aware of shortages affecting Estradot (estradiol) patches. We are engaging with the supplier to expedite deliveries. We have issued guidance to healthcare professionals and Serious Shortage Protocols to enable community pharmacists to supply specified alternative estradiol patches.We will also be asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS Health Check from 2026. This will support eligible women from across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support.Further data on HRT prescriptions is available via the NHS Business Services Authority at the following link:https://nhsbsa-opendata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/hrt/hrt_June_2025_v001.html

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Armed Forces Covenant Duty to include all (a) (i) UK and (ii) devolved government Departments and (b) policy areas.

The Government’s election manifesto committed to placing the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. During Armed Forces week in June, the Prime Minister announced that Service personnel, Veterans, their families and the bereaved are to have their unique circumstances legally protected by central and devolved Governments for the first time under new plans to extend the Covenant Legal Duty to more policy areas and across the UK. It is our ambition to include these statutory changes in the next Armed Forces Bill.

How many armed forces personnel were categorised as NATO dental fitness Category (a) 2, (b) 3 and (c) 4 on the basis that they needed dental care or treatment in order to be fully deployable in each of the last 10 years.

The following table provides the numbers of UK Armed Forces personnel categorised as NATO Category 2, 3 and 4, as at 1 April each year from 1 April 2015 to April 2025: NATO Category234201510,0968,01528,76720169,8936,94822,47820179,4966,08119,435201810,4096,30623,71220199,9666,42118,066202010,0057,26119,927202113,23713,52343,947202213,31812,34826,962202311,45110,68723,358202417,22112,28321,699202521,46113,74220,870 Personnel categorised as NATO Category 2 and 3 are those who require either preventative or interventive treatment to achieve optimal dental fitness. Personnel categorised as NATO Category 4 are those who require a periodic dental examination, have an undetermined dental status, or have missing or incomplete dental records.

With reference to the Strategic Defence Review 2025, if he will set out (a) a timeline and (b) interim milestones for increasing the number of active reserves by 20 per cent.

This Government is hugely grateful for the contribution made by our Reserve Forces, who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, in a cost-effective way. The Military Strategic Headquarters, in partnership with the Military Commands, is leading ongoing work to plan the increase in the number of Reserves by 20 per cent, when the financial situation allows. It is too early in the process to set out a defined timeline and associated milestones to achieve this target.

Whether she will have discussions with her international allied counterparts to reduce the level of the Oil Price Cap applicable to Russian exports.

The UK works closely with G7 partners to increase economic pressure on Russia. On 18 July 2025, the UK lowered the Russian Oil Price Cap alongside the EU, with the aim to reduce Russian oil revenues. On the 15th October the UK also announced new sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, with the United States taking similar action on Wednesday the 22nd. We will continue to collaborate with international partners, including the reviewing the oil price cap mechanism, to find furthers ways to increase this pressure.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) increase capacity and (b) reduce inequalities in accessing respiratory diagnoses.

The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests such as spirometry and full lung function tests as part of their core testing offer.The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support National Health Service performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

Whether veterans have their military compensation disregarded when means testing income for benefits.

The honourable member has previously raised this broad issue and I refer her to the answer given on 8 July 63814

What assessment his Department has made of the defence capabilities of the Armed Forces in response to China's (a) Dongfeng-5C intercontinental ballistic missile and (b) second-strike capability.

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific capabilities, as doing so could provide an operational advantage to those who may seek to harm the UK. The UK has a suite of capabilities to tackle the missile threat which is advancing, proliferating and converging. The Government has announced an investment of £1 billion to enhance our homeland air and missile defence through the Strategic Defence Review. The UK’s nuclear deterrent exists to deter the most extreme threats to the UK and our Allies. Its purpose is to preserve peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression.

How many candidates applying to join the armed forces were turned down on the basis of poor dental health in each of the last 10 years.

The Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force operate individual recruitment schemes and data on candidates who have been unable to join the Armed Forces for dental reasons is recorded separately for each Service. Data is provided for the period as held in accordance with medical record retention policies. For the Royal Navy, 17 candidates have been placed ‘Medically On-Hold’ since June 2025. Following dental treatment, six of the 17 candidates have since been assessed as medically fit to join the Royal Navy. Historic data on candidates to the Royal Navy who have been placed ‘Medically On-Hold’ for dental reasons is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. For the British Army, the following table provides the number of candidates who were rejected at medical review for dental reasons: Total Medical Failures2019202020212022202320242025Dental Only43161374Dental + Other Conditions0243552 For the Royal Air Force, the following table provides the number of candidates who were coded for dental failures: Years (completion date)Dental fail201812019520205202152022220235202421202513Total57

How much funding his Department plans to provide for primary care services in each of the next three years.

The Department’s settlement was announced at the 2025 Spending Review. The details of Spending Review budget allocations, inclusive of primary care services, within departments is still being determined for 2026/27 and we are working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans. The budget allocations for 2027/28 and 2028/29 will be determined through the business planning rounds for the corresponding years and will tie back to the 2025 Spending Review settlement.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce holdover wait times for trainees.

Holdover wait times for trainees vary across the single Services and it is not a universal picture; however multiple steps are being taken to reduce wait times across all three Services. Force growth and training have been prioritised, with training pipelines experiencing increased productivity with additional military, civil service and contractor workforce provisioned to deliver optimal sequencing. The efficiency of the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) continues to improve, with a consistently reducing number of trainees in holdovers, and the duration of holdovers also reducing significantly. Holdovers in UKMFTS Aircrew training pipelines are monitored through established tri-Service governance structures, particularly the Aircrew Pipeline Management Group (APMG) and Aircrew Pipeline Steering Group (APSG), both chaired by RAF 22 Group. These forums enable early visibility of emerging constraints and have directly contributed to reductions in both the number and duration of holdovers across UKMFTS.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent information her Department holds on the restrictions on (a) medicines and (b) medical equipment put in place by Israel at entry points into Gaza.

Humanitarian partners continue to report delays, restrictions, and denials of critical medical supplies getting into Gaza. On 18 October, the Foreign Secretary raised this directly with Foreign Minister Sa'ar and pressed for the reopening of the Rafah crossing. We continue to urge Israel to allow unhindered humanitarian access including lifting of restrictions on medical supplies.UK support includes funding for UK-Med and World Health Organization Egypt to deliver critical healthcare both in Gaza and the region. UK support has enabled UK-Med to complete nearly 750,000 patient consultations in Gaza.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty amongst service personnel.

Defence has made a concerted effort and is absolutely committed to raising awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty through our election manifesto commitment to fully extend the duty into law. This includes the creation of a Duty toolkit which explains the practical implications for the Armed Forces community and outlines the key policies that it encompasses. The toolkit is held on the Covenant’s dedicated website, available at the following link: https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/ Questions concerning the Duty are embedded within both the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey and Families Continuous Attitude Survey, helping to assess awareness levels and identify areas where Service personnel and families may face disadvantage. Through the implementation of the Covenant Legal Duty Extension, we will be producing and providing educational and communications’ resources to support understanding further.