Written questions by Morris.

What steps he has taken to roll out the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme.

Awaiting answer.

What plans he has to address a) low pay, b) a lack of formal training and development pathways, and c) job insecurity and organisational changes, highlighted in the May 2025 Ipsos Drug and Alcohol treatment and recovery workforce survey as key reasons why 54% of those surveyed were either leaving or considering leaving the sector within the next two years.

Awaiting answer.

What his Department currently estimates the cost of alcohol harm to be in a) England, b) Wales, c) Scotland and d) Northern Ireland.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps his Department has taken to implement the 2024 Drug and Alcohol Workforce Plan.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps he has taken in relation to plans announced in the July 2024 Drug and Alcohol Workforce Plan for a national Centre for Addiction.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he will take to address unmet treatment needs for dependence on a) alcohol and b) other drugs, in the context of a recent report from the Forward Trust that estimates that 750,000 UK citizens are currently addicted to alcohol and 400,000 are addicted to other drugs.

Awaiting answer.

What his planned timetable is for appointing a Chair to the statutory public inquiry into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

The Department is fully committed to setting up the Statutory Public Inquiry into the serious harms that have taken place at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.The Department has begun work to set up the inquiry, the Inquiry Secretary is ...

Whether he plans to provide additional support to rural community pharmacies to mitigate the potential impact of increases in costs, including for (a) wages, (b) energy, (c) business rates and (d) medicines.

In 2025/26 funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This included funding for the Pharmacy Access Scheme, which provides additional funding to more isolated pharmacies to support patient access.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. The new lower tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery, including rural pharmacies, and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments.The Department is currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

What steps he is taking to reform NHS Drug Tariff reimbursement to ensure community pharmacies are not required to dispense medicines at a loss.

We already have two arrangements in place to reduce community pharmacies dispensing at a loss and to ensure that overall, they are paid enough as part of their Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) funding. These are the medicine margin arrangements and concessionary prices.Regarding the medicine margin arrangements, the medicine margin is the difference between the reimbursement price and the price the pharmacy was charged by the supplier. Community pharmacy reimbursement arrangements include an amount of medicines margin that pharmacies are allowed to retain as part of CPCF funding. The Department assesses the medicine margin through a quarterly medicine margin survey, which ensures that in totality, pharmacies are paid the allowed medicine margin above what it cost them to purchase medicines overall.For concessionary prices, the Department relies on competition and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to keep prices of medicines down. This has led to some of the lowest prices in Europe and allows prices to react to the market. In an international market this ensures that when demand is high and supply is low, prices in the United Kingdom can increase to help secure the availability of medicines for UK patients. When the market price of a medicine suddenly increases, concessionary prices can be granted in that month, increasing the reimbursement price above the Drug Tariff price, with the aim of mitigating pharmacy contractors dispensing at a loss. In addition, there is a ‘retrospective top-up payment for concessionary prices’, which provides an additional payment to contractors when the margin survey indicates that despite a concessionary price, there was an under payment for a specific product.More broadly, medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated. There are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the UK and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, and use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product and expediting regulatory procedures. In addition, we utilise sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.

What steps he is taking to address the shortage of and the level of prices paid for basic medicines by community pharmacies.

We already have two arrangements in place to reduce community pharmacies dispensing at a loss and to ensure that overall, they are paid enough as part of their Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) funding. These are the medicine margin arrangements and concessionary prices.Regarding the medicine margin arrangements, the medicine margin is the difference between the reimbursement price and the price the pharmacy was charged by the supplier. Community pharmacy reimbursement arrangements include an amount of medicines margin that pharmacies are allowed to retain as part of CPCF funding. The Department assesses the medicine margin through a quarterly medicine margin survey, which ensures that in totality, pharmacies are paid the allowed medicine margin above what it cost them to purchase medicines overall.For concessionary prices, the Department relies on competition and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to keep prices of medicines down. This has led to some of the lowest prices in Europe and allows prices to react to the market. In an international market this ensures that when demand is high and supply is low, prices in the United Kingdom can increase to help secure the availability of medicines for UK patients. When the market price of a medicine suddenly increases, concessionary prices can be granted in that month, increasing the reimbursement price above the Drug Tariff price, with the aim of mitigating pharmacy contractors dispensing at a loss. In addition, there is a ‘retrospective top-up payment for concessionary prices’, which provides an additional payment to contractors when the margin survey indicates that despite a concessionary price, there was an under payment for a specific product.More broadly, medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated. There are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the UK and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, and use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product and expediting regulatory procedures. In addition, we utilise sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pharmacy First payment thresholds on smaller rural community pharmacies.

In 2025/26 funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This included funding for the Pharmacy Access Scheme, which provides additional funding to more isolated pharmacies to support patient access.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. The new lower tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery, including rural pharmacies, and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments.The Department is currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) increases in the levels of wages and (b) the level of staff shortages on community pharmacies' ability to deliver additional NHS services.

In 2025/26 funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This included funding for the Pharmacy Access Scheme, which provides additional funding to more isolated pharmacies to support patient access.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. The new lower tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery, including rural pharmacies, and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments.The Department is currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

Which stakeholders the Department engaged in the development of the forthcoming Action Plan on Acquired Brain Injury, including any (a) sports governing bodies, (b) football organisations, and (c) relevant charities, in relation to football-related chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

The Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Action Plan is being developed as a cross‑Government initiative, recognising that preventing, diagnosing, and supporting people with ABI involves multiple departments, health bodies, and external partners. The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with other Government departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which leads on engagement with the sport sector.This engagement will ensure that the plan reflects the diverse causes and impacts of ABI, including those relating to football‑related chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

If he will extend the upper age limit beyond 74 years for routine invitations under the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.

For screening programmes, the Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). It is only where the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended. The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process.The UK NSC considers all of the latest scientific evidence when reviewing the case for screening for different conditions. As the policy is based on the benefits and harms to whole populations, the screening decisions are based on the effect on the whole population, rather than individual circumstances. Where there is a lack of evidence, the committee cannot be confident that screening would benefit the population as a whole. In these circumstances, the proportionate approach is to screen within the range that has evidence to back the policy.The National Health Service bowel screening programme in England was recently extended from people aged 60 to 74 years old to people aged 50 to 74 years old. This aligns with the evidence of where the screening programme can do the most good with the least harm caused. Harm can include increased anxiety, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis, where unnecessary and invasive follow up tests are offered, or unnecessary treatment.The UK NSC is awaiting the results of the AgeX trial which is looking at extending the upper and lower age thresholds for breast screening.The UK NSC keeps these age brackets under review. The committee recognises that screening programmes are not static and that, over time, they may need to change to be more effective.In both bowel screening and breast screening, individuals can request to continue to receive testing beyond the upper age threshold.

Will he extend the upper age limit beyond 71 years for routine invitations under the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

For screening programmes, the Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). It is only where the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended. The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process.The UK NSC considers all of the latest scientific evidence when reviewing the case for screening for different conditions. As the policy is based on the benefits and harms to whole populations, the screening decisions are based on the effect on the whole population, rather than individual circumstances. Where there is a lack of evidence, the committee cannot be confident that screening would benefit the population as a whole. In these circumstances, the proportionate approach is to screen within the range that has evidence to back the policy.The National Health Service bowel screening programme in England was recently extended from people aged 60 to 74 years old to people aged 50 to 74 years old. This aligns with the evidence of where the screening programme can do the most good with the least harm caused. Harm can include increased anxiety, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis, where unnecessary and invasive follow up tests are offered, or unnecessary treatment.The UK NSC is awaiting the results of the AgeX trial which is looking at extending the upper and lower age thresholds for breast screening.The UK NSC keeps these age brackets under review. The committee recognises that screening programmes are not static and that, over time, they may need to change to be more effective.In both bowel screening and breast screening, individuals can request to continue to receive testing beyond the upper age threshold.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies entitled Now You See It, Now You Don't, published on 29 January 2026.

The Government recognises the harms associated with alcohol consumption and has taken crucial steps in the 10-Year Health Plan to support people to make healthier choices. There is a balance to be struck, and the Government continues to consider carefully what other measures might be needed to turn the tide on alcohol harms, while continuing to support economic growth.Currently, alcohol advertising and promotion in the UK is regulated primarily through the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which administers the mandatory Advertising Codes, written by the Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), across media through self-regulation for non-broadcast advertising and co-regulation, with Ofcom as a statutory backstop, for broadcast advertising. The ASA’s Advertising Codes contain specific rules about how alcohol can be advertised, as they recognise the social imperative of ensuring that alcohol advertising is responsible.The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as the lead Government department responsible for advertising, to consider if additional statutory restrictions on marketing and advertising are needed to reduce alcohol related harms.

What discussions he has had with radiotherapy professionals on the upcoming national cancer plan.

We have been working closely with radiotherapy professionals and the national clinical adviser for radiotherapy, throughout the development the National Cancer Plan to understand the specific challenges that radiotherapy services face. We will continue to work with professionals to identify how we can reduce barriers to access, cut waiting lists, and improve outcomes for cancer patients who require radiotherapy services. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years.All key evidence from clinicians, stakeholders and parliamentarians has been considered in the plan's development, as well as over 11,000 responses, many of which were from clinicians to our Call for Evidence. We are grateful for everyone's involvement in this important work.

Whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people expected to be diagnosed with cancer as a result of NHS cancer screening programmes in a) 2026, b) 2027 and c) 2028.

As a Government, we are taking decisive action so that the National Health Service diagnoses cancer earlier and treats it faster.Last year, we announced the introduction of self-test kits for under-screened women in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Under-screened women will receive home testing kits starting with those that are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from life-saving screening.In the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, a more sensitive threshold for the bowel screening faecal immunochemical test is being piloted, and if rolled out nationally could find 700 more colorectal cancers per year and 2,000 high risk polyps.In February 2025, NHS England launched the first ever NHS breast screening campaign nationally to widespread media attention. It ran across television, radio, social media, and outdoor advertising, targeting women of breast screening age, with a focus on those least likely to attend, including younger women, those in deprived areas, ethnic minorities, and disabled women.This Government is committed to focusing on early intervention and helping people to live longer, healthier lives. These initiatives, among others, mean we expect to identify more people who are living with cancer in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and catch those cancers earlier.

What estimate his Department has made of the additional number of people expected to be diagnosed with cancer as a result of increases in NHS cancer screening uptake in a) 2026, b) 2027 and c) 2028.

As a Government, we are taking decisive action so that the National Health Service diagnoses cancer earlier and treats it faster.Last year, we announced the introduction of self-test kits for under-screened women in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Under-screened women will receive home testing kits starting with those that are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from life-saving screening.In the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, a more sensitive threshold for the bowel screening faecal immunochemical test is being piloted, and if rolled out nationally could find 700 more colorectal cancers per year and 2,000 high risk polyps.In February 2025, NHS England launched the first ever NHS breast screening campaign nationally to widespread media attention. It ran across television, radio, social media, and outdoor advertising, targeting women of breast screening age, with a focus on those least likely to attend, including younger women, those in deprived areas, ethnic minorities, and disabled women.This Government is committed to focusing on early intervention and helping people to live longer, healthier lives. These initiatives, among others, mean we expect to identify more people who are living with cancer in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and catch those cancers earlier.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement UIN HCWS1118, of 2 December 2025, and the transition to the statutory gambling levy system and consequential changes in April 2026, what steps he is taking to safeguard charities providing gambling harm reduction and treatment.

In April, the new statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm. NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) are working collaboratively on the development of their respective gambling treatment and prevention programmes in England during this transition period.To maintain continuity, commissioners are working with GambleAware on a managed transition, which includes the extension of GambleAware’s system stabilisation funding until March 2026, ensuring existing charities can continue to support people seeking help.In January 2026, OHID will formally launch its Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Gambling Harms Prevention and Resilience grant for those voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations wishing to deliver prevention activity over the next two years, following a market engagement process which will end in the new year. Funding will be released from April 2026.National Health Service regional gambling services currently receive over 1,000 referrals each quarter, with plans to extend capacity. NHS England intends to run a grant funding scheme for voluntary, community, and social enterprise treatment and support services. This will ensure that those affected by gambling-related harms can continue to access much-needed third sector services, whilst integrated care boards look to implement longer-term commissioning arrangements.