Written questions by Eastwood.

What discussions his Department has had with NICE on the introduction of EURneffy for use in the emergency treatment of serious allergies.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Health and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that families of children and young people with cancer in Northern Ireland can benefit from support comparable to the travel cost scheme announced for England.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from Principal Treatment Centres. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.Health is predominately devolved. Devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved governments to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

What Barnett consequentials arise for Northern Ireland as a result of the £10 million per year funding announced to cover travel costs for children and young people with cancer in England.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from Principal Treatment Centres. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.Health is predominately devolved. Devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved governments to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Northern Ireland being the only part of the UK unable to offer abiraterone routinely to eligible prostate cancer patients.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the Northern Ireland (a) Department of Health and (b) Health and Social Care Board on levels of accessibility to abiraterone for non-metastatic prostate cancer across the UK.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Northern Ireland being the only part of the UK without routine access to abiraterone for men with non-metastatic prostate cancer on patient outcomes across the UK.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

What discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland executive on the potential introduction of a national screening programme for prostate cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises ministers and the National Health Service in the four nations of the United Kingdom about all aspects of screening. The implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.

What recent engagement he has had with the blood cancer community on the significance of implementing a proxy measure for early diagnosis in blood cancer.

The Department continues to support the National Health Service to diagnose and treat cancer as early and fast as possible. There have been improvements in the prognosis of blood cancer patients, with patients now living twice as long. However, we recognise that because of the damaged NHS this Government inherited, patients with cancers with non-specific symptoms such as blood cancer, are waiting too long for diagnosis and subsequent treatment.There are no current plans to introduce a specific proxy staging measure or a corresponding national target to support the earlier diagnosis of blood cancers. However, the Department will continue to engage with blood cancer charities and key stakeholders to determine how to support the best outcomes for blood cancer patients.At this time no current assessment has been made on the potential merits of a proxy measure for early diagnosis in unstageable blood cancers. However, we remain committed to making improvements across different cancer types and reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the NHS’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. The NHS currently track early diagnosis in stageable blood cancers by combining the percentage of diagnoses within stage 1 or 2, as it would for any other stageable cancer.Furthermore, to tackle late, emergency setting diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England with blood cancers being one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS), through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services, collects information on how many people in England have cancer. Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. The NDRS website also shows the number of people treated for different tumour types by treatment type, as well as survival rates, mortality rates, and data on urgent suspected cancer referrals. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/data/data-outputs/cancer-data-hubThe National Cancer Plan will include further details on improving outcomes for cancer patients in England, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment. It will ensure patients, including those with blood cancer, have timely access to the latest treatments and technology.

If he will commit to engaging with the blood cancer community to agree on an appropriate measure for early diagnosis in blood cancer.

The Department continues to support the National Health Service to diagnose and treat cancer as early and fast as possible. There have been improvements in the prognosis of blood cancer patients, with patients now living twice as long. However, we recognise that because of the damaged NHS this Government inherited, patients with cancers with non-specific symptoms such as blood cancer, are waiting too long for diagnosis and subsequent treatment.There are no current plans to introduce a specific proxy staging measure or a corresponding national target to support the earlier diagnosis of blood cancers. However, the Department will continue to engage with blood cancer charities and key stakeholders to determine how to support the best outcomes for blood cancer patients.At this time no current assessment has been made on the potential merits of a proxy measure for early diagnosis in unstageable blood cancers. However, we remain committed to making improvements across different cancer types and reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the NHS’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. The NHS currently track early diagnosis in stageable blood cancers by combining the percentage of diagnoses within stage 1 or 2, as it would for any other stageable cancer.Furthermore, to tackle late, emergency setting diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England with blood cancers being one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS), through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services, collects information on how many people in England have cancer. Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. The NDRS website also shows the number of people treated for different tumour types by treatment type, as well as survival rates, mortality rates, and data on urgent suspected cancer referrals. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/data/data-outputs/cancer-data-hubThe National Cancer Plan will include further details on improving outcomes for cancer patients in England, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment. It will ensure patients, including those with blood cancer, have timely access to the latest treatments and technology.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Department of Health on the (a) operation of the Foundation Programme allocation process and (b) its potential impact on applicants in Northern Ireland.

The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) manages the national application process for the UK Foundation Programme, issues guidance on foundation training, and promotes the consistent delivery of the Foundation Programme across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland. The UKFPO is funded by, and is accountable to, the four UK statutory education bodies, including the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency.NHS England is due to review the Foundation Programme allocation process. The review is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders on how they can input in due course.

Whether he plans to make changes to the Foundation Programme allocation process, following the most recent application round.

NHS England is due to review the Foundation Programme allocation process. The review is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders, including the British Medical Association, on how they can input in due course.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period, for specialty training.

If his Department will support the British Medical Association's Foundation Programme Recruitment Campaign.

NHS England is due to review the Foundation Programme allocation process. The review is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders, including the British Medical Association, on how they can input in due course.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period, for specialty training.

What steps his Department is taking to monitor the (a) fairness and (b effectiveness of the Foundation Programme allocation process.

NHS England is due to review the Foundation Programme allocation process. The review is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders, including the British Medical Association, on how they can input in due course.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period, for specialty training.

Whether the forthcoming national cancer plan will introduce new targets for reducing late-diagnosis of cancer.

Reducing late diagnosis of cancer is a priority for the Department. As a first step, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support early diagnosis and faster treatment.NHS England is continuing the roll out of community diagnostic centres to ensure that patients can access the diagnostic tests they need as quickly as possible. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed faster once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway.To further improve early intervention and reduce mortality rates, NHS England’s Help Us, Help You campaigns seek to address the barriers that are deterring patients from accessing the care they need. The campaign encourages people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner, focusing on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging ‘body awareness’ to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.Further actions on reducing late-diagnosis and improving survival for all cancers will be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer. The goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years, and the ambition will be set out as part of the National Cancer Plan.

Whether he has taken steps following receipt of the BMA letter dated 4 April 2025 requesting review of the Foundation Programme allocations.

NHS England is due to review the Foundation Programme allocation process to make sure it works well for applicants. The review is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders how they can input in due course.

What discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Health on working together on (a) research and (b) treatment for people with long covid.

The Department has not had any specific discussions in relation to working together on research and treatment for long COVID with Northern Ireland’s Department of Health.The Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR, through the Department, has had an arrangement with the devolved administrations, including in Northern Ireland, since 2008, based on investments from each nation that has allowed research hosts, including universities and research active National Health Service organisations, to apply for NIHR funding through the majority of our research programmes. This enables devolved nation-based researchers to lead studies across the range of health and social care priorities, and, importantly, allows more people to participate in an expanded range of research initiatives.

What recent progress his Department has made in preparing Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity. Although the Hughes Report and its recommendations only cover patients harmed in England, the Government recognises that any response will likely have implications for the whole of the United Kingdom, and is therefore engaging with the devolved administrations on the Hughes Report.

What consultation process has been followed with devolved nations in preparation for the Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity. Although the Hughes Report and its recommendations only cover patients harmed in England, the Government recognises that any response will likely have implications for the whole of the United Kingdom, and is therefore engaging with the devolved administrations on the Hughes Report.

What his planned timeline is for the Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity. Although the Hughes Report and its recommendations only cover patients harmed in England, the Government recognises that any response will likely have implications for the whole of the United Kingdom, and is therefore engaging with the devolved administrations on the Hughes Report.

What steps he is taking to raise awareness during Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month of the signs and symptoms of cancer in April 2025.

NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including those that are most common in teenagers and young adults. Further information on cancer signs and symptoms is available on the NHS.UK website.The Department is committed to improving outcomes for teenagers and young adults with cancer. That’s why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement in England, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people, including teenagers with cancer, are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan for England, due to be published later this year.As part of this work, the Department is committed to directly engaging with patients and their families to discuss their experiences. We are working with taskforce members to assemble a Patient Experience Panel, made up of young people with lived experience of cancer and their families, which will feed directly into the work of the taskforce.