Written questions by Farron.

How many proposals for new satellite radiotherapy units have been submitted to NHS England in each of the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his department has issued guidance to Integrated Care Boards on the inclusion of radiotherapy services in local strategic plans for cancer that were outlined in Action 20 of The National Ca

Awaiting answer.

If he will publish a breakdown by NHS region of where the radiotherapy machines (LINACS) funded by the £70 million announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy radiotherapy capacity to meet the Government’s target of returning cancer waiting times to the 62-day standard by March 2029.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.

Awaiting answer.

What proportion of the £70 million radiotherapy machine funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 has been allocated to each NHS region.

Awaiting answer.

What accountability mechanisms will apply in instances where local strategic plans for cancer do not adequately address radiotherapy access, capacity or variation.

Awaiting answer.

Whether local strategic plans for cancer will be required to assess radiotherapy treatment access and capacity.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the level of unmet need for radiotherapy among cancer patients in England.

Awaiting answer.

If he will publish the methodology used to allocate the £70 million radiotherapy funding announced in the National Cancer Plan.

Awaiting answer.

Whether the allocation of the £70 million for radiotherapy machines took account of existing regional variation in radiotherapy access.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to ensure that cancer patients in England have equitable access to advanced radiotherapy techniques where clinically appropriate.

Awaiting answer.

What plans his Department has for the NHS to do cardiac testing on young people.

The Government recognises how worrying heart health can be for the families of young people. The National Health Service already offers cardiac tests for young people who present with symptoms that could indicate a cardiac issue. Testing young people who have no symptoms in order to look for potential cardiac problems would, however, be classed as a screening programme.In considering whether any screening programme should be introduced, the Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. Where the committee is confident that offering screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.The UK NSC last reviewed screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019. The conclusion of that review was that population screening should not be offered, as research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use on young people with no symptoms.The UK NSC is due to open a public consultation to seek comments from members of the public and stakeholders on screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death this spring, and we would encourage those with an interest to contribute.

What assessment he has made of whether the newborn screening programme is fit for purpose and screens for all conditions.

The NHS Newborn Blood Spot Programme screens for ten rare but serious conditions and consistently achieves very high coverage, with the most recent figure at 98% in quarter two of 2025/26.Coverage of babies who move into the area after birth is lower, at 83%, so the programme is less effective for this subgroup, although numbers are much smaller.A total of 570,865 babies were screened in 2024/25, demonstrating the programme is operating effectively at scale, and the system is robust enough to deliver screening across a large cohort.Over one million babies have been screened for severe combined immunodeficiency since the launch of the in-service evaluation (ISE) in 2017. NHS England’s report on the 30-month ISE evaluation period found that screening detected ten babies with the condition who would otherwise have gone undetected until infections developed, thus preventing serious illness.NHS England is currently planning a large-scale ISE of screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in newborn screening services, which will help inform a future UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation on whether screening for SMA should be added to the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, asked officials to explore whether the ISE, which was due to start in January 2027, could be expanded to cover the whole of England and start earlier. It has now been confirmed that the ISE will start three months earlier, in October 2026. We will announce further updates regarding its expansion in due course.

Whether he plans to increase the provision of TMS for depression.

There are no plans at present to increase the provision of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression based on current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations.

How many NHS mental health Trusts currently provide a TMS service to people experiencing depression and how many people have received a full course of TMS treatment.

There are no plans at present to increase the provision of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression based on current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent recall of Aptamil and SMA on NHS infant‑formula supply; and what discussions his Department has had with UK manufacturers on that recall.

Following the recent recalls of specific batches of infant formula due to the possible presence of the cereulide toxin, the Food Standards Agency has led the incident response, engaging directly with the manufacturers concerned and coordinating public notifications and recall activity across the United Kingdom. The Department and the UK Health Security Agency have participated in these crisis management arrangements to ensure all relevant health partners are engaged.In respect of National Health Service supply, the Department’s National Supply Disruption Response team has been actively engaged throughout in assessing and mitigating any potential impacts on infant formula availability in healthcare settings. The Department has not experienced any supply shortages and there remain alternative suitable products available.For the specialist amino acid formula SMA Alfamino, Nestlé prioritised supply for the most clinically vulnerable babies, while alternative suppliers, including Danone and Reckitt, had adequate stock to support any temporary shortfall. As of 16 February, Nestle’s supply of Alfamino recovered and they are now able to meet prescription demand at normal demand levels.The Department remains in ongoing contact with both Nestlé and Danone, as well as other formula manufacturers who supply the UK. This engagement includes monitoring supply positions, ensuring continuity of provision in hospitals and community settings, and supporting industry efforts to stabilise stock levels as recall actions progress.

What information his Department holds on air pollution impacting people's health in relation to (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air in England.

The Department and the UK Health Security Agency have published a range of information and evidence on health impacts of air pollution, to support action to reduce exposure to harmful emissions.The Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2022: Air Pollution sets out a detailed overview of this evidence of the impact on health of both indoor and ambient air quality. The report can be accessed at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2022-air-pollution

If he will set out the types of health impacts of poor (a) ambient and (b) indoor air quality by (i) geography and (ii) socioeconomic groups.

Ambient and indoor air pollution are harmful to health in the United Kingdom. Long-term exposure to air pollution, over years or lifetimes, reduces life expectancy, mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, dementia and lung cancer. Short-term exposure, over hours or days, to elevated levels of air pollution can also cause a range of health impacts, including effects on lung function, exacerbation of asthma, increases in respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, and mortality. Some groups may be more affected by air pollution exposure due to their location or socioeconomic background, but the types of health impacts from exposure to poor air quality in indoor and ambient settings remains similar. A combination of high ambient air pollution levels and substandard housing in income-deprived areas, pre-existing health issues, and lifestyle factors contribute to a disproportionate burden of air-pollution-related ill health among more deprived groups.