Written questions by Riddell-Carpenter.

(a) what the total amount spent by the Government on cancer research was in the financial year 2024/25; and (b) if he will provide a breakdown of this expenditure by cancer type where available.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the financial year 2024/25, the NIHR’s reported spend on cancer research was over £141.6 million through its research programmes and infrastructure, reflecting cancer’s high priority.A breakdown of total reported spend on cancer research by cancer type is not available. This is because much of the NIHR’s investments are for cross-cutting cancer research delivery within the National Health Service and wider health and care system, including research facilities and workforce, known as NIHR infrastructure. In addition, the NIHR cancer research portfolio contains non-specific cancer research projects, such as research which explores the use of artificial intelligence to support cancer early diagnosis in general practice.

When the government plans to publish the National Cancer Plan.

The National Cancer Plan is due to be published in the new year. We have received more than 11,000 responses to our Call for Evidence and have had significant ongoing engagement with patients, clinicians, and charities. This decision has been taken in consultation with patient groups and key stakeholders. It is right to take time to ensure the National Cancer Plan is ambitious, strategic, and sustainable, setting the direction for the next 10 years. This is essential in achieving the Prime Minister's Health Mission goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer and build a National Health Service that is fit for the future.

What support is available to physician associate students approaching qualification (a) in general and (b) who have self-funded training to help them enter employment in the NHS.

In response to the Independent Review of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates (the Leng Review), NHS England wrote to the individuals most affected by the recommendations, setting out where they can find support if required. Further information on NHS England’s response to the Leng Review is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/response-to-the-recommendations-of-the-independent-review-of-physician-associates-and-anaesthesia-associates-the-leng-review/NHS England is working closely with partners and listening to stakeholders to design the implementation plan by the end of the year, to deliver the recommendations of the Leng Review, starting with those focused on patient safety, as requested by the Government.Whilst this work takes place, we recognise the challenges for the current cohort of physician associate students, and NHS England is actively consulting employers regionally and at the national level to understand the employment issues. This will inform how we steward and guide the system to support employers to resolve barriers to employment. In the meantime, we expect universities to provide support to physician associate students as part of their pastoral care policies.As a starting point, NHS England has published frequently asked questions document (FAQs), a copy of which is attached, reflecting queries received to date, to provide further information and guidance. The FAQs document will be updated as the work of implementation progresses across the relevant organisations.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that hospitals provide (a) (i) access to specialist support and (ii) appropriate medication management for people with Parkinson's disease and (c) staff training in Parkinson’s-specific needs.

NHS England has established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with Parkinson’s. This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology, and improving community neurology services.Hospital providers are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s, receive the appropriate medication on time, and that there are a variety of different mechanisms that can be used to support timely administration. These include:training on time critical medications, which is part of the delivery of safe and effective medicine optimisation, through the operation of each organisation’s medicines policy;electronic prescribing and medicines administration, which continues to be rolled out in the National Health Service in England. This is recognised to be essential to record compliance with time critical medications; andself-administration, which may help some patients, following a shared risk assessment and where providers have the space and facilities to offer patients personalised secure storage for their medicines and where there is facility to monitor when doses have been taken independently.Furthermore, NHS England is leading the Medicines Safety Improvement Programme, as part of the wider NHS Patient Safety Strategy. A focus on time critical medicines has been agreed as a priority for this programme and work is underway involving 80 NHS trusts, with 48 of them receiving active support for innovation and improvement.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it, including for patients with Parkinson’s.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the accurate communication of the responsibilities of physician associates to (a) patients, (b) healthcare professionals and (c) the general public.

Individual employers and professionals are responsible for ensuring that patients and other healthcare professionals understand their role. Professor Leng published her review into the safety of the physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia (still legally known as physician associate and anaesthesia associate roles) and their contributions to multidisciplinary healthcare teams in July. Recommendation 7 sets out the importance of being able to identify roles and as part of taking this recommendation forward, NHS England is working with stakeholders, including NHS Employers, to review existing guidance for employers. The Department and NHS England will work closely and collaboratively with partners from across the National Health Service, the clinical professions, and their representative bodies to implement the Leng Review recommendations whilst ensuring that patients receive safe, effective, and compassionate care in line with the relevant legal and clinical processes. Following the publication of the review, NHS England published a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document, setting out what the Leng Review recommendations mean for employees and employers, both in the immediate and longer term. This is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leng-review-nhs-england-faqs-on-actions-for-nhs-organisations.pdf

How many job vacancies there were for (a) Foundation Year 1 doctors, (b) Foundation Year 2 doctors and (c) specialty training posts in (i) England and (ii) Suffolk NHS region at the most recent date for which data is available.

The Department does not hold information on the number of vacancies for Foundation Year 1, Foundation Year 2, and specialty training posts in England or in the Suffolk National Health Service region.NHS England collects and publishes data relating to the fill rates for training places in medical specialties. These are for the entry point of the initial recruitment processes for the specific training programme, rather than a measure of total vacancies at a given point in time. Further information is available at the following link:https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/fill-rates

What steps he is taking to tackle the challenges that medical graduates face in securing positions within medical specialty training programmes.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of mandating the installation of defibrillators in all (a) visitor attractions and (b) entertainment venues in the UK that accommodate over a specified number of visitors annually.

No assessment has been made and there are no plans to mandate the installation of defibrillators at such locations, in light of the rapid expansion of automated external defibrillators across the United Kingdom.There are now over 100,000 defibrillators in the UK registered on The Circuit, which represents an increase of 30,000 since September 2023. 58.6% of the over 100,000 defibrillators are accessible on a 24/7 basis.The Circuit is operated independently by the British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, and the National Health Service.

What support he provides for the (a) health and (b) wellbeing needs of thalidomide survivors.

The Thalidomide Health Grant is awarded to meet the health and wellbeing needs, present and future, of thalidomide survivors living in England.In 2023, the Department put in place a new four-year grant agreement with the Thalidomide Trust, to administer the grant of approximately £40 million. The grant was made in recognition of the complex and highly specialised needs of people affected by thalidomide in England, particularly as they approach old age. The funding helps beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust to maintain control over their own health, enabling them to personalise the way their health and care needs are met, maintain independence, and minimise any further deterioration in their health.

What steps he has taken to ensure that thalidomide survivors have effective representation in negotiations with Diageo on long-term (a) assistance and (b) compensation.

There is a Deed of Covenant agreed between Diageo plc and the Thalidomide Trust, which is subject to periodic review by both parties, with beneficiary representatives involved in the process. The Department has no role in these periodic reviews.

How many dentists have been recruited under the Dental recruitment incentive scheme in (a) Suffolk Coastal constituency, (b) Suffolk and (c) the East of England.

Within the Suffolk and Northeast Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), three dentists have been recruited, although none of these are within the Suffolk coastal constituency. In the East of England in total, 11 dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment scheme. The ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years.