Written questions by Shannon.

What steps his Department plans to take to help ensure that the national cancer plan includes measures to support collaboration with partners across the cancer ecosystem.

The National Cancer Plan will seek to foster improved collaboration with partners across the cancer ecosystem, including the voluntary and community sector.The 10-Year Health Plan laid out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, which will rebalance our health system so that it fits around people’s lives, not the other way round. At its core, 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, in a hospital if necessary.The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean millions of patients are treated and care for closer to their home by new teams of professionals; and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.We will soon launch the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). The NNHIP will support systems across the country to test new ways of working, share learning, and scale what works, making Neighbourhood Health the norm, not the exception.The National Cancer Plan will be published later in 2025 and will set out further details on measures to support collaboration with cancer partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help uphold human rights in Kenya.

Over the past two weeks, in addition to regular engagement with Government of Kenya at all levels, we have issued three statements, on 11th, 18th and 24th June expressing concern at Kenyan police brutality and in support of fundamental freedoms, including a British High Commission Nairobi released joint statement reaffirming every Kenyan's right to peaceful protest, and the importance of preserving civic space, and called for swift, transparent and independent investigations into all instances of violence against protestors. The UK's development funding supports police reform, focusing on human rights compliant policing and accountability. We are committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Kenya which will enable us to pursue shared interests, support Kenya's most vulnerable people, deepen our strong people-to-people links and raise challenging issues such as human rights.

What steps he plans to take through the national cancer plan to help (a) reduce inequalities in cancer care and (b) improve outcomes in underserved communities.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Mid Leicestershire on 16 June 2025 to Question 58897.

What steps he is taking to ensure children with special needs have the required support in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the SEND system and restore the trust of parents by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate to crisis point.We will strengthen mainstream inclusivity and accountability through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.We are actively working with parents and experts on solutions, including more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating and £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools.Any changes we make will improve support for children and parents, stop parents having to fight for support, and protect effective provision currently in place. Details of the government's intended approach to SEND reform will be set out in a Schools White Paper in the autumn, including for early years and post-16.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the National Cancer Plan prioritises improving patient (a) 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, and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer.The 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.

How much funding his Department has allocated to support mental health facilities in each of the last three years.

It is for local commissioners and providers to decide the level of funding required to support the operation of individual mental health facilities, and this information is not collected centrally.

How many people have been diagnosed with Actinic keratoses in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with a recorded primary diagnosis of 'actinic keratoses', for the years 2019/20 to 2023/24, in English National Health Service hospitals:YearFAEs2019/2013,6752020/219,2782021/2212,5702022/2313,4592023/2415,346Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Notes:an FAE is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider;FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes; andthe data presented here is a count of the number of admissions rather than the number of patients. It's possible that the same person may have been admitted to hospital on more than one occasion within any given period. The majority of cases of actinic keratoses are treated by a general practitioner or elsewhere in the community, with only a small minority of cases, typically the most serious, requiring hospital admission. The data presented here will, therefore, only represent a small proportion of the total number of cases that were treated.

What steps she is taking to tackle smuggling in prisons.

Prisons in England and Wales have a range of specialist staff and equipment to tackle the smuggling of drugs, mobile phones, weapons and other contraband into prisons. This includes X-ray body scanners, airport-style Enhanced Gate Security, X-ray baggage scanners, detection dogs, and other specialist equipment to alert staff to the potential presence of drugs on a range of items and materials.We are also working hard to deter, detect and disrupt drones being used to smuggle contraband into prisons. Our approach is multi-faceted and includes physical security countermeasures, exploring additional legislation and working across Government and with international partners on this global issue.We are investing over £40 million in physical security across 34 prisons in this financial year. This includes around £10 million on anti-drone measures such as secure windows and improved netting at 15 prisons.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing early state pension access for people with a terminal illness.

There has been no recent assessment. The principle of having a State Pension age that is the same for everybody has the merit of simplicity and clarity through providing an important trigger moment for planning purposes. It has always been the case that nobody can claim their State Pension before they reach their State Pension age. For those nearing the end of their life, the Government’s priority is to provide people with financial support quickly and compassionately. The main way the Department does this is through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. These rules apply to five benefits that support people with health conditions or disabilities: Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle paramilitarism.

The work to tackle paramilitarism in Northern Ireland is led by the Northern Ireland Executive and delivered through the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime.The UK Government provides 50% of the funding for the cross-Executive Programme: currently £8m per year. As announced in the Spending Review, a further £8m has been secured for the period from April 2026 to March 2027. The allocation of funding across the Programme is a matter for the Executive and the Programme Sponsor Group.

How many and what proportion of children were privately educated in each of the last five years.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department publishes information on the number and proportion of children in England who attended independent schools in each of the last five years in the annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ accredited official statistics publication here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of apprentices in the renewable energy sector.

Energy and skills are generally devolved matters, and we have regular discussions with Ministers in the devolved governments on shared priorities for clean energy skills development. No formal assessment has been made of the adequacy of the number of apprentices specifically in the renewable energy sector. DESNZ estimates that the offshore and onshore wind sectors could support up to 145,000 direct and indirect jobs across Great Britain by the end of the decade.

How many hospitals are able to provide aquablation therapy for prostate cancer.

Improving access to cancer treatment and care are key priorities for the Government for all cancer types, including prostate cancer. Aquablation therapy is not used for prostate cancer and so no hospitals will be offering it for prostate cancer.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends aquablation therapy for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia.The treatment options available for prostate cancer are dependent on the individual circumstances of the patient, for example whether the cancer is localised. Treatment decisions are made between patients and their clinicians.

What discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on the investigation into the recent Air India crash.

The Government is regularly engaging with counterparts in India while the Indian Air Accident Investigation Bureau leads the investigation. This has been supported by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the US National Transportation Safety Board. The Indian Air Accident Investigation Bureau must be given the time and space to undertake a thorough investigation and make an official statement when ready to do so. I do want to reaffirm my deepest sympathies to those who lost their lives in the tragic incident of AI Flight 171, as well as to their loved ones.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent attacks on churches in El Fasher, North Darfur; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect religious minorities and (b) promote human rights and humanitarian access amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The UK condemns the reported bombing of churches in El Fasher, North Darfur, which killed and injured multiple people. We will continue to recognise the issue of Christian persecution globally, alongside the persecution of other individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. Our Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief, David Smith, made a statement at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 4 March, highlighting our concerns regarding the coercion of non-Muslims in Sudan to change their beliefs through denial of work, food aid, and education. We are also providing support to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to enable their human rights monitoring and reporting, and in October 2024, led the renewal of the UN Fact Finding Mission for Sudan's mandate as part of the Sudan 'Core Group' in the UNHRC. On 15 April, following the Sudan London Conference, the co-chairs' statement called on relevant parties to allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of need through all necessary routes in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law.

What steps he is taking to support women with postpartum psychosis.

The Government continues to increase spending on specialist community perinatal mental health services every year. Integrated care boards spent £212 million in 2024/25, which is an increase of £18 million compared to the £194 million spent in 2023/24. In addition, £58 million was spent on mother and baby units in 2023/24.Mother and baby units are specialist, in-patient units for some women who experience severe mental health difficulties during pregnancy, or after the birth of their child. These units specialise in treating severe mental conditions, including postpartum psychosis. Care is provided by specialist professionals, including perinatal mental health nurses, nursery nurses, perinatal psychiatrists, psychologists, and occupational therapists.

What steps she is taking to increase funding for local policing forces.

The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to effectively tackle crime. That is why we have committed £200 million to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs in communities across England and Wales.

What steps he is taking to improve patient safety in hospitals.

The Government’s commitment to advancing patient safety in the National Health Service is demonstrated by various measures.This includes delivery of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, which is overseen by NHS England. The strategy is now achieving its aims of saving an extra 1,000 lives per year. By April 2025, the strategy’s patient safety improvement programmes had led to over 1,500 neonatal lives saved, over 500 fewer cerebral palsy cases in premature babies, and more than 1,900 deaths prevented overall through medicine safety improvements, including work to reduce long term opioid use. Further information on the NHS Patient Safety Strategy is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/the-nhs-patient-safety-strategy/nhs-patient-safety-strategy-progress-so-far/The strategy includes other key programmes, such as the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, the Learn From Patient Safety Events service, the NHS Patient Safety Syllabus, and the Framework for Involving Patients in Patient Safety, that are focussed on improving the NHS’ systems, capability, and capacity to improve safety. Further information on the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, the Learn From Patient Safety Events service, the NHS Patient Safety Syllabus, and the Framework for Involving Patients in Patient Safety is available, respectively, at the following four links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/patient-safety-insight/incident-response-framework/engaging-and-involving-patients-families-and-staff-following-a-patient-safety-incident/https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/patient-safety-insight/learning-from-patient-safety-events/learn-from-patient-safety-events-service/https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/patient-safetyhttps://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/patient-safety-involvement/framework-for-involving-patients-in-patient-safety/Other measures include implementing Martha’s Rule in 143 hospital sites, which has led to hundreds of life-saving interventions and changes to care that have avoided harm, and implementation of scrutiny by medical examiners of all deaths that are not investigated by a coroner, in order to facilitate learning and improvement at a local level.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) justice for victims and (b) protection for at-risk communities in the Middle Belt.

The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria address security challenges, including intercommunal violence in the Middle Belt, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). The UK-Nigeria SDP works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities. As part of this dialogue, we previously welcomed a commitment from Nigeria on timely, effective and human rights compliant investigations of, and prosecutions for, terrorism. Additionally, through our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme (SPRiNG) the UK is providing up to £38 million over five years from 2024 to 2028 to help tackle the root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart following the killing of up to 200 internally displaced Christians in Yelewata, Benue State.

While the UK Government has not yet discussed the violent attacks on 13 June, UK officials have been actively engaging on broader security issues in Benue State. On 10 June, UK officials met Mr. Dickson Tarkighir, Member of the House of Representatives for Makurdi/Guma in Benue State and Chair of the House Committee on Constituency Outreach to discuss the root causes of insecurity in the region. The UK also maintains regular dialogue with key Nigerian institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and the Office of Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) to address conflict in Nigeria's middle belt. During his visit to Nigeria between 28-30 May, the Minister for Africa raised Freedom of Religion and Belief and the root causes of insecurity in discussions with Nigerian counterparts, including the Foreign Minister and Deputy Speaker.