Written questions by Shannon.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of benefit rules on the risk of supported housing residents who increase their working hours being in rent arrears.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.Like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has an income taper. As Housing Benefit may be claimed by those both in work and out of work, there are no rules around the number of hours that someone may work; instead, there are income tapers which apply. The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than that of Universal Credit. Therefore, although customers living in Supported Housing are better off working than doing no work at all, they can be financially better off limiting the hours they work to ensure they retain a small amount of Universal Credit entitlement.Changing the current rules would require a fiscal event and funding at a Budget. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of harm reduction policies on levels of drug-related crime.

The Government is determined to tackle drug harms and drug-driven crime. This includes investment in drug treatment and wider healthcare services, support for those recovering from drug dependence, enforcement to tackle drugs supply overseas, at the border and within the UK, and prevention and education in schools and through public health services. The legislative framework is also a key underpinning of reducing harm by ensuring the most harmful drugs are controlled and can only be accessed with a HO licence, as well as giving police the powers they need to act against the violent and exploitative criminal gangs behind the drug trade and others involved in drug-related crime.The government is committed to a long-term, system-wide approach to reducing drug harms, learning from what works and ensuring this supports delivery of the government’s missions.

What steps he is taking to (a) improve early diagnosis of glaucoma and (b) monitoring of deterioration of the condition in patients.

Regular sight tests play a crucial role in the early detection of glaucoma, which is often symptomless in the early stages. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many, including individuals diagnosed with glaucoma or aged 40 years old and over with a close family history of glaucoma. Over 13 million free NHS sight tests were provided to eligible groups in 2024/25.Patients with suspected glaucoma will be referred for further investigation and any clinically necessary treatment. We also recognise the importance of glaucoma monitoring which can delay its progression. Integrated care boards can commission enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including glaucoma monitoring.NHS England has been testing how IT connectivity between primary and secondary eye care services and the development of a single point of access, could improve the referral and triage of patients, reduce unnecessary referrals and support more patients being managed in the community to help create capacity within hospital eye services.

What steps he is taking to increase job creation in the UK.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade outlined a clear mission: to support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and economic growth across the UK. Key departmental initiatives that support job creation include championing free trade agreements, securing foreign investment, supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to export, reforming regulations for economic growth, developing the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, and investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies. Since taking office, the Government has welcomed over £100 billion in investment announcements. And the latest ONS data shows that from June 2024 to March 2025 the number of jobs in the UK increased by around 384,000.

What steps his Department plans to take to build partnerships with (a) charities, (b) community organisations and (c) people with lived experience of cancer.

The Department is committed to engaging with charities, community organisations, and people with lived experience of cancer to make sure that the Government hears and learns from different voices to meet the challenges in cancer care in England.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England, due for publication in the second half of 2025, will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway. The Department’s goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years, and the Department has sought the views of charities, community organisations, and people with lived experience of cancer to understand how we can do more to achieve this ambition.The Department also has the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Programme, which is a mechanism through which the Department, NHS England, and UK Health Security Agency work together with VCSE organisations to: drive the transformation of health and care systems; promote equality; address health inequalities; and help people, families, and communities to achieve and maintain wellbeing.

What steps he is taking to help improve the protection of cargo ships in the Red Sea from Houthi missile and drone attacks.

The UK Government strongly condemns the illegal and abhorrent attacks by the Houthis on merchant vessels; we are clear the Houthis must end their aggression immediately. The Department for Transport, supported by the Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation, continue to provide UK-flagged shipping with advice on the risk posed by the Houthis to merchant vessels.We continue to seek to work with regional partners on a long-term strategy to contain the Houthi threat and are committed to a future Yemen Peace Process.

What steps he is taking to (a) increase clinical and public awareness of small bacterial overgrowth symptoms and (b) ensure that patients with digestive problems receive the proper diagnosis and treatment.

In the diagnosis and treatment of digestive conditions like small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) we expect health professionals to take into account best practice guidance, including that published by the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) and professional organisations.In NICE’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on the assessment, investigation, and referral of chronic, which is more than four weeks' duration, diarrhoea in adults, health professionals are advised to consider SIBO when looking for features suggestive of an underlying cause such as systemic illness affecting gastrointestinal motility. The guidance is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/diarrhoea-adults-assessment/management/chronic-diarrhoea-more-than-4-weeks/The British Society of Gastroenterology provides resources and guidelines on SIBO, particularly in the context of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While not all individuals with IBS have SIBO, there's a significant overlap, with studies suggesting that up to 80% of IBS patients may also have SIBO. Additionally, the British Dietic Association provides resources and guidelines on dietary management for IBS, which can be relevant for SIBO due to the overlap in symptoms and potential dietary triggers.The NHS.UK website offers extensive information for the public on gut health, covering topics from digestive health tips and healthy eating for a healthy gut to specific conditions that are associated with SIBO including IBS, coeliac disease, and diverticular disease. The site provides advice on diet and managing common digestive issues. The national charity Guts UK also offers information, support, and resources for people with digestive health conditions, including on SIBO.The Getting it Right First Time gastroenterology programme aims to improve the diagnosis and management of digestive problems by streamlining referrals, promoting early specialist triage, and implementing proactive care. The programme focuses on ensuring that patients are seen by the right specialists promptly, leading to earlier diagnosis and more appropriate management of digestive issues.Additionally, community diagnostic centres (CDCs) offer a variety of diagnostic tests and scans for digestive problems, providing faster, more convenient access to diagnostic services closer to patients’ homes. NHS England is continuing to roll out CDCs, with additional capacity being delivered in 2025/26.

When the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan will be published; and what support he plans to provide to the community pharmacy workforce to deliver this plan.

We will publish our 10 Year Workforce Plan by the end of this year. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will replace the Long Term Workforce Plan with a more sustainable model. Instead of asking ‘how many staff do we need to maintain our current care model over the next 10 years?’, it will ask ‘given our reform plan, what workforce do we need, what should they do, where should they be deployed and what skills should they have?’.To support community pharmacy employers in developing their staff and delivering quality National Health Services, NHS England provides a number of funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This includes independent prescriber training, clinical examination skills, and training the next generation of education supervisors.

Whether he plans to increase funding within the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework to help pharmacists deliver on their expanded roles under the 10-Year Health Plan.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level to deliver services.We expect services, including those that make use of pharmacist prescribing qualifications, to be commissioned both nationally, where that is most cost effective, and locally, to meet specific local needs and to support local populations. Commissioning arrangements and funding streams will vary depending on the service being commissioned and arrangements for local health provision.National commissioning of pharmacies includes vaccination and related services and the services commissioned through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. As is custom and practice, we will consult Community Pharmacy England on the scope of those services and the funding available.

How the expanded Independent Prescribing and clinical services granted to community pharmacists in the 10-year health plan will be funded.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level to deliver services.We expect services, including those that make use of pharmacist prescribing qualifications, to be commissioned both nationally, where that is most cost effective, and locally, to meet specific local needs and to support local populations. Commissioning arrangements and funding streams will vary depending on the service being commissioned and arrangements for local health provision.National commissioning of pharmacies includes vaccination and related services and the services commissioned through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. As is custom and practice, we will consult Community Pharmacy England on the scope of those services and the funding available.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to establish an agreement in principle with pharmaceutical companies that commercial flexibility may be granted for a multi-indication medicine pending the outcome of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluation of such medicines.

Indication-specific pricing can support access to treatments, including for rare conditions, by enabling companies to propose a specific price for smaller indications that would otherwise be commercially unviable under a uniform price.In January 2025, following public consultation, NHS England published an updated NHS Commercial Framework for New Medicines, setting out their approach for assessing the eligibility of medicines with multiple indications to qualify for indication-specific pricing.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been able to recommend many medicines licensed for the treatment of rare and very rare diseases through its standard technology appraisal process which are now available to National Health Service patients in England. In addition, NICE operates a separate Highly Specialised Technologies evaluation programme for medicines that meet specific criteria for very rare conditions. This programme applies a higher cost-effectiveness threshold than standard appraisals to support access to treatments for very rare conditions.As set out in the Life Sciences Sector plan, we will be introducing a new and proportionate approach to NICE appraisals and NHS indication-specific based pricing agreements for medicines with large numbers of indications, strong long-term outcome data, and low affordability risk.The NHS Commercial Framework encourages early and open dialogue between companies and NHS England where indication-specific pricing or other commercial flexibilities may be needed to support access to treatments. NHS England is open to providing early guidance on such arrangements and to working with companies to explore suitable commercial options.

With reference to the NHS commercial framework for new medicines, updated on 29 January 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the requirement to provide value at or below the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cost-effectiveness threshold on access to treatments for (a) rare and (b) ultra-rare diseases.

Indication-specific pricing can support access to treatments, including for rare conditions, by enabling companies to propose a specific price for smaller indications that would otherwise be commercially unviable under a uniform price.In January 2025, following public consultation, NHS England published an updated NHS Commercial Framework for New Medicines, setting out their approach for assessing the eligibility of medicines with multiple indications to qualify for indication-specific pricing.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been able to recommend many medicines licensed for the treatment of rare and very rare diseases through its standard technology appraisal process which are now available to National Health Service patients in England. In addition, NICE operates a separate Highly Specialised Technologies evaluation programme for medicines that meet specific criteria for very rare conditions. This programme applies a higher cost-effectiveness threshold than standard appraisals to support access to treatments for very rare conditions.As set out in the Life Sciences Sector plan, we will be introducing a new and proportionate approach to NICE appraisals and NHS indication-specific based pricing agreements for medicines with large numbers of indications, strong long-term outcome data, and low affordability risk.The NHS Commercial Framework encourages early and open dialogue between companies and NHS England where indication-specific pricing or other commercial flexibilities may be needed to support access to treatments. NHS England is open to providing early guidance on such arrangements and to working with companies to explore suitable commercial options.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's polices on air travel safety of the plane crash at Southend airport in July 2025.

I would like to reassure you that UK airspace and operators are among the safest in the world. However, we are not complacent, and the government is committed to maintaining and improving high safety standards in aviation in the UK and across the world.The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is currently leading the investigation into the recent accident at Southend Airport. At this stage, we are unable to comment on the progress or findings of the investigation. However, should any safety concerns arise regarding the aircraft or its operator, the Department stands ready to take prompt and decisive action to mitigate any risks in collaboration with the AAIB and Civil Aviation Authority.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the (a) pricing and (b) reimbursement system for multi-indication medicines is adequate for patients with (i) rare and (ii) ultra-rare conditions.

Indication-specific pricing can support access to treatments, including for rare conditions, by enabling companies to propose a specific price for smaller indications that would otherwise be commercially unviable under a uniform price.In January 2025, following public consultation, NHS England published an updated NHS Commercial Framework for New Medicines, setting out their approach for assessing the eligibility of medicines with multiple indications to qualify for indication-specific pricing.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been able to recommend many medicines licensed for the treatment of rare and very rare diseases through its standard technology appraisal process which are now available to National Health Service patients in England. In addition, NICE operates a separate Highly Specialised Technologies evaluation programme for medicines that meet specific criteria for very rare conditions. This programme applies a higher cost-effectiveness threshold than standard appraisals to support access to treatments for very rare conditions.As set out in the Life Sciences Sector plan, we will be introducing a new and proportionate approach to NICE appraisals and NHS indication-specific based pricing agreements for medicines with large numbers of indications, strong long-term outcome data, and low affordability risk.The NHS Commercial Framework encourages early and open dialogue between companies and NHS England where indication-specific pricing or other commercial flexibilities may be needed to support access to treatments. NHS England is open to providing early guidance on such arrangements and to working with companies to explore suitable commercial options.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on (a) releasing people detained and (b) lifting travel bans imposed on people for participating in peaceful protests.

No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights. The UK is concerned over the arrests and continued detention of a number of individuals, particularly those detained for expressing their political views. We regularly raise concerns with the Saudi authorities about individual cases, and continue to call for detainees to be given adequate legal representation. The UK also recognises that travel bans can cause significant hardship and distress to those affected.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the case of Turki al-Jasser.

No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights. We regularly raise concerns about individual cases, and officials in our Embassy in Riyadh have raised Turki Al-Jasser's case with the Saudi authorities. The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and circumstances.

What step his Department plans to take to build neighbourhood health services in partnership with (a) Macmillan and (b) other charities that have experience in (i) designing and (ii) delivering community-based services for people with long-term conditions.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for neighbourhood health. The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a patient’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and they should be co-designed with communities and system partners. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need.Through our National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, we will work with places across all systems to spread and scale up good practice and learning, create exemplars, and build the culture and capability required for delivery. This will be an inclusive, large-scale change programme for all system partners, including the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector.The Department is developing the National Cancer Plan which will seek to foster improved collaboration with partners across the cancer ecosystem, including the voluntary and community sector. We will continue to work closely with Macmillan and other cancer partners as part of our engagement to inform the development of the plan.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure that work undertaken by community pharmacists is not unnecessarily duplicated in neighbourhood health centres.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.What a Neighbourhood Health Service or Neighbourhood Health Centre looks like is best decided locally, depending on local needs. We expect that the skills of community pharmacists and their teams will be fully used by local commissioners and that community pharmacies will be provided with access to local phlebotomy pathways in those neighbourhoods where they are commissioned services that require blood tests.

If his Department will provide community pharmacists full access to phlebotomy pathways to help enable them to deliver their expanded roles as outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan for England.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.What a Neighbourhood Health Service or Neighbourhood Health Centre looks like is best decided locally, depending on local needs. We expect that the skills of community pharmacists and their teams will be fully used by local commissioners and that community pharmacies will be provided with access to local phlebotomy pathways in those neighbourhoods where they are commissioned services that require blood tests.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the upcoming national cancer plan prioritises improving (a) patient experience and (b) quality of life.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, research, and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer. The National Cancer Plan will build on the three shifts set out by the 10-Year Health Plan. These shifts will enable rapid progress on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, as well as supporting those living with cancer to better manage their condition and improve their quality of life.The National Cancer Plan will aim to improve how the physical and psychosocial needs of people with cancer can be met, with a focus on personalised care to improve quality of life. It will address how the experience of care can be improved for those diagnosed, treated, and living with and beyond cancer.