Written questions by Munt.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 41044 on Radiotherapy, by how much the National Health Service’s capital settlement for 2024-2025 was underspent; how much of the total 2024-2025 settlement was allocated for radiotherapy equipment; whether the £15 million additional funds were in addition to the 2024-2025 radiotherapy equipment settlement; and how much has been allocated from the 2025-2026 capital settlement for new radiotherapy equipment.

The National Health Service’s capital settlement for 2024/25 underspend figure is not yet available, although it should be included in the NHS’s annual accounts, which will be published later this year.£15 million was allocated from capital underspend to replace ageing radiotherapy equipment, as per the answer I gave on 7 April 2025 to Question 41044. Any other spending on radiotherapy equipment was allocated at local level, and we do not hold details on this spend.£70 million of central capital funding was announced as part of the Autumn Budget in 2024, which will be used to replace 28 machines during 2025/26.

What estimate she has made of the number of private prosecution cases brought by the RSPCA under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The Ministry of Justice does not collate or record detailed data on individual private prosecutions, although some prosecutors may publish their own data separately. Therefore, it is not possible to provide data on the number of prosecutions which have been brought by the RSPCA under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.This Government recognises that greater transparency is needed in relation to private prosecutions, in order to improve confidence in the criminal justice system. This is why we have launched a public consultation on options to improve the oversight, regulation, and transparency of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system, which closes on 8 May. The consultation seeks respondents’ views on improvements to the available data on private prosecutors and the prosecutions they bring, and this includes prosecutions brought by the RSPCA.

What the average waiting time for cancer patients requiring radiotherapy treatment is before they commence that treatment in each region in England.

The Department does not hold the data in this format. Data on cancer waiting times for specific treatments can be found on NHS England’s website, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/monthly-data-and-summaries/2024-25-monthly-cancer-waiting-times-statistics/

Whether he plans to allow radiotherapy machines purchased by charities for hospitals to stop treating patients if charitable funds are not available to renew those machines.

Only radiotherapy machines purchased with Government funds are eligible for replacement through Government funding. There are no plans to change this position.

What guidance he has provided to NHS England on maximising the the potential utilisation of artificial intelligence for radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients.

No specific guidance has been provided to the National Health Service, however we expect that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, to ensure that they receive the best possible care. This includes the use of artificial intelligence where available.

How many new radiotherapy machines were applied for from the funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024; and which hospital trusts applied.

31 trusts submitted applications for funding to replace a total of 40 machines, with some trusts having applied to replace two machines. This became 30 trusts after the North Middlesex University Hospital Trust joined the Royal Free London Group on 1 January 2025, during the application process. Each trust had submitted a separate request.Of the 30 trusts that submitted applications, two withdrew their applications, namely the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, having received funding for a replacement machine from National Health Service capital underspend. University Hospitals Birmingham did receive a contribution from this funding towards the refurbishment of its radiotherapy bunker infrastructure.The 28 trusts that submitted applications, and who have been awarded funding to replace one machine, are as follows:Barts Health NHS Trust;Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust;Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust;Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust;Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust;Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust;North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (Royal Free London Group);Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust;Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust;Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust;Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust;Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust;Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;The Christie NHS Foundation Trust;The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust;The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust;United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust;University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust;University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust;University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust; andWorcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

How much funding was allocated to the emergency radiotherapy capital equipment fund in 2024-25; and which hospital trusts have been awarded that funding.

Providers were awarded a total of £15 million to replace ageing radiotherapy equipment from an underspend in the National Health Service’s capital settlement for 2024/25. The providers who were allocated money, and the amount they were allocated, are as follows:£2.5 million for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust;£2.3 million for the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust;£2.2 million for the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust;£3.2 million for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;£2.4 million for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; and£2.4 million for the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust received funding for two machines.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23297 on Radiotherapy Finance, how many members of each working group have (a) clinical and (b) radiotherapy experience treating cancer.

The working groups include members with a wide range of experience and expertise across and beyond the health and care system. We have ensured that groups have a range of lived experience, organisational views, and technical expertise, as well as diversity of characteristics and geography. We are keen that these groups should be able to provide constructive challenges to articulate how we make the National Health Service fit for the future.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 23295 on Radiotherapy Equipment, for what reason NHS England did not consult (a) cancer patient groups and (b) the radiotherapy community.

NHS England invited the trusts which deliver radiotherapy services to submit an expression of interest for funding for a replacement machine. NHS England then reviewed the responses, and used allocation criteria to determine which trusts would be allocated funding for a replacement machine. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy. Funding decisions for the purchasing of equipment do not usually include wider consultation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23294 on Radiotherapy Medical Equipment, what (a) guidelines, (b) regulations and (c) restrictions have been issued to trusts on the use of NHS England funding to purchase new radiotherapy machines; and whether NHS England has a database of radiotherapy machines including (i) installation and (ii) renewal dates.

Trusts were given a range of potential machines to purchase, and the use of these machines is the responsibility of the trust which houses the machine. Providers of National Health Service-funded radiotherapy services are required to submit a monthly return on their delivery of radiotherapy treatments, and this data is held in the Radiotherapy Data Set.The National Equipment Tracking and Inventory System highlights radiotherapy cancer treatment machines within the NHS, as well as their associated ages.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 23296 on Radiotherapy Infrastructure, how NHS England plans to improve the treatment of cancer patients with radiotherapy without such an assessment.

The Government is committed to improving the treatment of cancer patients and reducing waiting times for those undergoing treatment. Further details of how we will do this will be set out in the National Cancer Plan.We have launched a call for evidence, seeking contributions from individuals and organisations to help shape this plan, including ideas on how to improve treatment for those cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.The call for evidence is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan

Which trusts have been granted linear particle accelerator renewal funds from the additional funding in the Autumn Budget 2024; what criteria was used by NHS England to make those awards; and whether trusts awarded those funds have to fund bunker modifications from their own budgets.

NHS England will be writing to those trusts which have been allocated funding for a replacement machine soon. The allocation criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy. A small amount of the £70 million of funding has been made available to support refurbishment costs.

Pursuant to the Answers of 22 January 2025 to Questions 24638, 24639 and 24640 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, whether the criteria developed by NHS England for funding exclude (a) replacing radiotherapy machines purchased by charities for use by the NHS and (b) the costs of artificial intelligence products; and what the three technical specification options are for linear accelerators from which providers need to choose.

The criteria developed by NHS England excludes the replacement of radiotherapy machines purchased by charities. These machines fall outside the scope of National Health Service capital replacement funding, as they are not originally procured through NHS-funded budgets.The costs of artificial intelligence products are not typically covered under NHS capital radiotherapy equipment replacement programmes.

Media and Sport, which of the 106 Listed Places of Worship in Wells and Mendip Hills constituency have received Grants under the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme since its inception.

Since 2022, the Department has awarded 50 grants, totaling £173,587.94, to Listed Places of Worship in the constituency of Wells and Mendip Hills. This includes grant funding to Wells Cathedral, Holy Trinity Church and St Mary's Church East Brent.

What involvement (a) he and (b) his Ministers had in setting the (i) guidance and (ii) spending limits for the Government's radiotherapy machine fund.

The £70 million of funding for new radiotherapy machines will be allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. Officials from the Department have been engaged with NHS England officials in discussions about how the funding will be allocated.

With reference to the letter from NHS England to NHS Trusts of 24 December 2024, for what reasons the radiotherapy machines fund guidelines exclude the cost of updating critical bunker protections.

The £70 million of funding is for new radiotherapy machines. The responsibility for costs relating to other aspects of radiotherapy treatment remains with local systems.

If he will extend the 22 January deadline for NHS Trusts to apply for funding towards new radiotherapy machines.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems.There are no plans to extend the 22 January 2025 deadline, nor has the relevant NHS England team received any requests from providers to do so. NHS England is working with providers to ensure they can get applications completed in time.There are no plans for an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to include the cost of artificial intelligence products with this funding.NHS England does not hold any data on the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines relative to the number of doses that they deliver. NHS England has set out a technical specification for linear accelerators with three options that providers need to choose between, however, the technical specification does not make any requirement about the number of fractions to be delivered.

If NHS England will publish the data it holds on the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines which deliver more doses of radiation; and for what reason guidance on future purchases of radiotherapy machines requires a minimum of 9,000 fractions per annum.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems.There are no plans to extend the 22 January 2025 deadline, nor has the relevant NHS England team received any requests from providers to do so. NHS England is working with providers to ensure they can get applications completed in time.There are no plans for an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to include the cost of artificial intelligence products with this funding.NHS England does not hold any data on the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines relative to the number of doses that they deliver. NHS England has set out a technical specification for linear accelerators with three options that providers need to choose between, however, the technical specification does not make any requirement about the number of fractions to be delivered.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to include the cost of AI products in the funding for updating radiotherapy machines.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems.There are no plans to extend the 22 January 2025 deadline, nor has the relevant NHS England team received any requests from providers to do so. NHS England is working with providers to ensure they can get applications completed in time.There are no plans for an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to include the cost of artificial intelligence products with this funding.NHS England does not hold any data on the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines relative to the number of doses that they deliver. NHS England has set out a technical specification for linear accelerators with three options that providers need to choose between, however, the technical specification does not make any requirement about the number of fractions to be delivered.

Whether additional funding to update radiotherapy machines includes a commitment to renew every machine aged 10 years and older commissioned by the NHS to deliver radiotherapy.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments. The £70 million central funding is not intended to replace every machine aged 10 years and older, and the spending on machines remains the responsibility of local systems.There are no plans to extend the 22 January 2025 deadline, nor has the relevant NHS England team received any requests from providers to do so. NHS England is working with providers to ensure they can get applications completed in time.There are no plans for an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS England to include the cost of artificial intelligence products with this funding.NHS England does not hold any data on the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines relative to the number of doses that they deliver. NHS England has set out a technical specification for linear accelerators with three options that providers need to choose between, however, the technical specification does not make any requirement about the number of fractions to be delivered.