Written questions by Cooper.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 25911 on Fractures: Health Services, if he will set targets for making fracture liaison services available for all NHS trusts.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030. Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services.In the meantime, we are investing in 14 high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 27888 on Brain: Tumours, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the National Institute for Health and Care Research provides feedback to each application for brain tumour research which does not secure funding.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR funding opportunities relevant to brain tumours are advertised, highlighting scope and remit, with guidance documents to assist applicants in shaping their applications. All unsuccessful applications receive extensive committee feedback and, where a study may be fundable with changes, applicants may be invited to resubmit at either the outline or full stage. In areas of strategic importance, including commissioned calls relevant to brain tumours, the NIHR will support with direct engagement with the study team to ensure the feedback is well understood and adequate support is in place, including that provided by the NIHR Research Support Service.Brain tumours remain one of the hardest to treat cancers in both adults and children. More research is urgently needed to inform efforts. This is why in September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. The Department is committed to increasing our support for high quality brain tumour research, ensuring that funding is used in the most meaningful and impactful way. Further information on the new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research is available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-funding-opportunities-novel-brain-tumour-research-launched

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 19779 on Health Professions: Regulation, what his timetable is for announcing his priorities in relation to the applicability of the five year rule by professional regulators on fitness to practise in cases which involve allegations of historic sexual abuse.

The Government has been considering its priorities for professional regulation and will be setting these out shortly.

Whether he has made an assessment of the (a) adequacy of access to and (b) reliability of the supply of Sustanon in the UK.

The Government is not aware of any current supply issues regarding the provision of Sustanon. Decisions about which medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care. Prescribers are accountable for their prescribing decisions.It is for the responsible clinician to work with their patient and decide on the best course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the patient always being the primary consideration. Prescribers must always satisfy themselves that the medicines they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that they take account of the appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards.

How many funding applications the National Institute of Health and Care Research received for brain tumour research on (a) diagnosis and screening and (b) drugs and treatment therapies in each of the last ten years; and how many of those applications secured funding.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.5 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24. Cancer is a major area of NIHR spend, reflecting its high priority.Over the ten financial years from 2013/14 to 2023/24, the NIHR received 179 applications for brain tumour research in total. Of these:54 were for research on diagnosis and screening, five of which were funded;80 were for research on drugs and treatment, 11 of which were funded and one of which is still under consideration;12 were for a combination of both categories of research, six of which were funded; and32 were for other categories of research, five of which were funded. The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including brain cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.In September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation. Further information on these new research funding opportunities is available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-funding-opportunities-novel-brain-tumour-research-launched

Whether his Department’s cancer strategy will include (a) a prostate cancer screening programme and (b) alternative measures to improve prostate cancer diagnosis for people at higher risk.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those living with prostate cancer. The Plan will aim to speed up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world. Updates will be provided in due course.The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not recommend screening for prostate cancer, because the current best test is inaccurate, offering insufficient benefits in relation to harms caused by misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis, such as invasive investigative procedures and unnecessary treatment. The UK NSC is now undertaking an evidence review into prostate cancer screening which is due to be completed this year.The Department is also investing £16 million into the Prostate Cancer UK led Transform screening trial, which seeks to find better ways to detect prostate cancer. This trial will compare the most promising tests that look for prostate cancer in men that do not have symptoms and aims to address disparities in detection rates across different groups.

How much funding his Department has allocated for the public consultation on a new NHS 10-year-plan.

The public and staff must be at the centre of developing the Plan to make the National Health Service fit for the future, so it makes a positive impact on their day-to-day lives. That is why we are running a series of in-depth deliberative events and have launched an open platform to hear from members of the public and those who work in health and care. The events are being delivered within the Department's budget as part of its responsibility to promote the health and wellbeing of everyone in England. We are determined to do this in a way that gives everyone the chance to get involved while also ensuring value for money. At this point in time, we are not able to provide accurate costs for the whole engagement exercise, because it is still ongoing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2024 to Question 403 on Health Professions: Regulation, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of expediting the removal of the five-year rule i

The Government has been considering its priorities for professional regulation and will be setting these out shortly.

Whether he plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence products.

There are no plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence, as there is already existing guidance to which the National Health Service must have regard.NHS England published Excellence in Continence Care o...

If he will take steps to ensure the weekly personal expense allowance for those living in care homes is increased by the rate of inflation each financial year.

The social care allowance rates, which include the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA), are reviewed each year. The PEA rates have been uprated in line with inflation every year since 2022, and the rates for the 2025/26 financial year will be published in e...

What steps his Department plans to take to support NHS services in West Hertfordshire, in the context of his Department's review of the New Hospital Programme.

The Government recognises that delivering high quality healthcare services in the National Health Service requires the right facilities and support systems in the right places. We understand that investment in capital projects, whether through allocations...

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 6540 on Kidney Diseases: Transplant Surgery, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of providing psychological and social care suppor

A financial assessment for all aspects of renal replacement therapy provision, including transplantation, will be completed as part of the work NHS England is currently undertaking to update the specialised renal service specifications, again including tr...

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the number of health visitors available to support babies with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children. The child health workforce, including health visitors, is central to how we support all families to give their child the best start in life. Their contact with parents, carers, ...

Whether he plans to visit Watford General Hospital before his Department's review of the New Hospital Programme is complete.

Ministers regularly consider visits across the country. Any plans to visit specific locations will be notified to the Hon. Members in advance.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of permitting GPs to prescribe a third epi pen to school children with severe allergies when school policies require them to leave one of the two

Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients and, where appropriate, can prescribe the number of EpiPens needed, taking into account best practice, the patient's needs, and any local or national guidance. There are alread...

Whether he has received recent representations from the charitable hospice sector on the impact of statutory funding levels on the adequacy of (a) service levels, (b) staffing levels and (c) patien

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life,...

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 3798 on NHS: Training, how many of the rejected or unsuccessful direct entry applicants were not accepted (a) due to the lack of a suitable p

The Department does not hold the specific information requested. The number of posts available on the Science Training Programme each year is derived from a process of expressions of interest from host bodies, which are reviewed by national and regional c...

Whether any Integrated Care Boards fund programmes which (a) find and (b) re-engage with people living with HIV who have not accessed HIV care in the last year

We are making progress in ending new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 but we know more work needs to be done to achieve our ambitions. The Department, the UK Health and Security Agency, NHS England and a broad range of system partners are worki...

Whether any HIV peer support services were (a) wholly or (b) partially funded by the public purse in 2023-24

The Adult service specification for people living with HIV sets out the requirement for HIV services to ensure that people living with HIV have access to emotional and psychological support, including peer support. However, NHS England Specialised Commiss...

With reference to the oral contribution of Baroness Merron of 11 September 2024, House of Lords, Official Report, column 1565, what steps he is taking to engage with people who have been diagnosed

We are making progress in ending new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 but we know more work needs to be done to achieve our ambitions. The Department, the UK Health and Security Agency, NHS England and a broad range of system partners are worki...