Written questions by McDonnell.

If he will include an expansion of (a) radiology and (b) oncology speciality training places in the next iteration of the Long Term Workforce Plan.

We are committed to training the staff we need, including radiologists and oncologists, to ensure 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.This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will set out next steps in due course.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS trusts to develop long-term plans for the (a) cancer and (b) diagnostic workforce including (i) training and (ii) consultant posts.

The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve outcomes for people living with cancer. Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new national cancer plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients. We will continue to ensure that we train the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it, and the cancer plan will reflect this.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of recruitment freezes in the NHS diagnostics workforce on plans to ensure same day scan results in Community Diagnostic Centres.

We are aware of cases where trusts have put recruitment restrictions in place for diagnostic services. How systems and trusts resource plan internally within their budgets is a matter for local discretion, and as such we will not be taking action at a national level.The National Health Service is committed to maintaining timely and high-quality diagnostic services, including delivering same-day scan results in Community Diagnostic Centres wherever possible.As set in the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, we will introduce more straight-to-test pathways, deliver the optimal standards of tests per hour, and make better use of technology, including by upgrading the NHS app. These initiatives intend to drive efficiencies within diagnostic pathways and support patients to be tested more quickly, using existing capacity.Investment in recent years has also enabled the NHS to grow the diagnostics workforce. This includes an increase in the number of specialty training places for key roles, such as radiologists, radiographers, and other diagnostic professionals, alongside initiatives to improve retention and reduce reliance on outsourcing.This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan, to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

With reference to the update to Non-structural tax relief statistics, published on 5 December 2024, if she will provide an annual breakdown of the relief from Corporation Tax received by qualifying shipowners in the Tonnage Tax between 2000-01 and 2023-24; and if she will make an estimate of Corporation Tax relief from Tonnage Tax in the 2024-25 tax year.

Tonnage Tax is an advantageous corporation tax regime for shipping companies. It was introduced in 2000 to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s shipping industry. As set out on GOV.UK, the Government forecasts that the cost of the regime in 2024-25 will be £185m: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs. However, this assumes that shipping companies would remain in the UK without a globally competitive UK Tonnage Tax regime; in its absence, there is a significant risk that shipping companies could leave the UK to join tonnage tax regimes in other countries, so this amount of revenue would not be collected. The UK would also not benefit from shipping companies (i) strategically and commercially managing their vessels in the UK and (ii) fulfilling the regime’s cadet training commitment. Annual cost figures dating back to 2000 are not available As with all taxes, the Government keeps Tonnage Tax under review. Phase 2 of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets for the rest of this Parliament – from 2026-27 until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending and 2029-30 for capital spending. Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK

Whether she plans to discuss the Tonnage Tax scheme with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) shipowners and (c) maritime trade unions as part of the current Spending Review.

Tonnage Tax is an advantageous corporation tax regime for shipping companies. It was introduced in 2000 to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s shipping industry. As set out on GOV.UK, the Government forecasts that the cost of the regime in 2024-25 will be £185m: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs. However, this assumes that shipping companies would remain in the UK without a globally competitive UK Tonnage Tax regime; in its absence, there is a significant risk that shipping companies could leave the UK to join tonnage tax regimes in other countries, so this amount of revenue would not be collected. The UK would also not benefit from shipping companies (i) strategically and commercially managing their vessels in the UK and (ii) fulfilling the regime’s cadet training commitment. Annual cost figures dating back to 2000 are not available As with all taxes, the Government keeps Tonnage Tax under review. Phase 2 of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets for the rest of this Parliament – from 2026-27 until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending and 2029-30 for capital spending. Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversi...

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential adverse impacts on equality grounds of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversi...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to help ensure that the children of the families of boat dwellers without a permanent mooring are able to reasonably achieve daily access to education without t

Navigation authorities are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, and that boaters using navigable waterways are required to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users. The Canal and River Trust has prov...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit has had recent discussions with the Canal and River Trust on a proposal for (i) an order under the Transport and Works

Defra officials meet regularly with Canal and River Trust senior management to discuss a range of issues. The Trust has recently announced the formation of an independent Commission to review the legal framework around boat licensing so that it reflects t...

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential impact on Black (a) communities and (b) audiences of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversi...

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on a race equality impact assessment for the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversi...

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on public sector duties under the Equality Act 2010.

No.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to prevent boat dwellers without a permanent mooring from (a) having their homes seized and (b) being financially penalised in enforcement action by (i) the Canal

All navigation authorities in England and Wales are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, including setting fees and charges for those using them and the use of corresponding enforcement powers, under the relevant statutory provisions. T...

How many targeted case reviews her Department expects to have carried by the end of 2024.

Since the start of Targeted Case Review, the Department expects to have completed around 815,000 Universal Credit claim reviews by the end of December 2024. Figure is rounded to the nearest 5000.

Whether algorithm driven risk scoring is being used in the process of selecting Universal Credit claimants for a Targeted Case Review.

Algorithm driven risk scoring is not used when selecting cases for a Targeted Case Review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 14622 on Alaa Abd El-Fattah, whether the Prime Minister made representations to his Egyptian counterpart on the case of

The UK Government remains committed to securing the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah. We continue to raise Mr El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian Government. The Prime Minister did not raise the case with President Sisi at the G20 summit...

What equality impact assessment has been made of the proposed changes to Border Force rosters at Manchester Airport from 1 April 2025.

Manchester Airport Group are investing £1.3 Billion in infrastructure transformation at Manchester Airport. During 2025, the Airport will transition from being a three-terminal operation to two terminals, and forecast passenger growth of 22% over the next...

What recent discussions her Department has held with the PCS union over proposed changes to Border Force rosters at Manchester Airport from 1 April 2025.

Manchester Airport Group are investing £1.3 Billion in infrastructure transformation at Manchester Airport. During 2025, the Airport will transition from being a three-terminal operation to two terminals, and forecast passenger growth of 22% over the next...

What redeployment options are available to Border Force staff who are potentially unable to work new rosters at Manchester Airport from 1 April 2025.

Manchester Airport Group are investing £1.3 Billion in infrastructure transformation at Manchester Airport. During 2025, the Airport will transition from being a three-terminal operation to two terminals, and forecast passenger growth of 22% over the next...

What his planned timetable is for bringing forward secondary legislation under the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill once enacted.

The Bill will give us the powers we need to make necessary changes to the product regulation framework. Secondary legislation is subject to the Bill receiving Royal Assent and subsequent parliamentary time in passing any secondary legislation. It is too e...