Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Maguire this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 441–460 of 1,125 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding access rights for (a) paddling, (b) swimming and (c) other non-motorised craft on inland waters.
The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for people’s health and well-being. We are considering our approach to improving access, including to unregulated inland waterways, and are committed to working with stakeholders as this develops.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) free dental (i) check-ups and (ii) treatment and (b) an increased level of access to (i) speech and language therapy, (ii) psychological support, (iii) ongoing dental rehabilitation and (iv) other NHS secondary care for mouth cancer patients .
Dentists and other dental professionals, including hygienists, routinely check the soft tissues of a patient’s mouth for signs of cancer during dental visits and as part of the check-up will make an assessment and record an individual’s oral cancer risk.Dentists will prioritise patients at a higher risk of oral cancer for more frequent recall and review in line with guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Members of the public who are worried about their oral health in relation to cancer should seek advice from their dentist or general practitioner. Patients with symptoms of concern should be assessed and offered an urgent dental appointment based upon clinical need, in line with advice from NHS England.The Government is working across the system to ensure that patients who have a diagnosis of cancer receive timely, safe and effective dental care. While a diagnosis of cancer does not qualify patients for free dental care and there are no current plans to extend the list of people eligible for free dental care, some cancer patients may qualify for an exemption of dental charges based on other factors. Support is also available through the National Health Service Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for a full exemption. More information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-can-get-free-nhs-dental-treatment/Where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns. This can include speech and language therapy support if necessary. The NHS is supporting adults experiencing cancer with access to psychosocial support which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, which provide evidence-based psychological therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making symptomatic faecal immunochemical testing available in community pharmacies for people with bowel cancer symptoms.
The United Kingdom Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is undergoing several updates to its standards aimed at improving coverage, accessibility, and early detection. This includes updated performance thresholds, and improved accessibility of bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test kits for people who are blind or partially sighted.It is recognised that pharmacies frequently serve as the initial point of contact for individuals presenting with non-specific bowel symptoms. We recommend that individuals maintain a dialogue with pharmacists; however, those exhibiting potential signs of cancer are strongly advised to contact their GP practice to support earlier diagnosis. Therefore, no assessment has been made.
What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) planning and (b) training to help staff to enable supported home births.
The Department and NHS England fully support women to make informed choices about their care, including the choice to give birth at home. We expect local services to work collaboratively to ensure the provision of safe, personalised care in all settings.The Core Competency Framework, which sets out the essential training for staff to address variations in the quality of support provided, outlines that training should be tailored to specific staff groups, for example, home birth, or birth centre teams. Staff should also receive training in the management of emergencies, using clinical simulation at the point of care and across a range of settings, including in the community.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning maternity services and for determining how those services are configured to meet local needs. There may be occasions when home birth services need to be temporarily suspended or interrupted for safety reasons. When this occurs, trusts are required to re-open services as soon as it is safe to do so and report it nationally through the Maternity and Neonatal SitRep reporting tool, which collects essential data to monitor the performance of maternity and neonatal services.NHS England will be writing to all services and systems asking them to review their service provision.
What steps he is taking explore potential (a) genomics and (b) AI opportunities for (i) preventing, (ii) diagnosing and (iii) treating bowel cancer.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will use genomics, predictive analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to shift from sickness to prevention, enabling earlier diagnosis and personalised care.The National Health Service Genomic Medicine Service provides equitable access to cancer genomic testing, guided by the National Genomic Test Directory, which includes over 200 cancer indications. NHS England’s Cancer Genomics Improvement Programme is delivering quality improvement initiatives and establishing Cellular Pathology Genomic Centres to streamline clinical pathways and accelerate genomic testing.In addition, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department of Health and Social Care fund research via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) into AI applications for cancer diagnosis. This includes the £21 million AI Diagnostic Fund, the £10 million Cancer Data-Driven Detection programme, and the £11 million Early Detection using Information Technology in Health Trial.The Office for Life Sciences (OLS) is also funding the £11 million NIHR i4i/OLS Cancer Healthcare Goals: Early Cancer Diagnosis Clinical Validation and Evaluation programme, which includes a project to assess a breath test technology's effectiveness by using AI for gastrointestinal cancers in over 8,000 patients (including bowel cancer). AI offers significant opportunities for faster triage and improved outcomes, and evaluations of its impact are ongoing.
What steps his Department is taking to help tackle disparities in the provision of home birth services.
The Department and NHS England fully support women to make informed choices about their care, including the choice to give birth at home. We expect local services to work collaboratively to ensure the provision of safe, personalised care in all settings.The Core Competency Framework, which sets out the essential training for staff to address variations in the quality of support provided, outlines that training should be tailored to specific staff groups, for example, home birth, or birth centre teams. Staff should also receive training in the management of emergencies, using clinical simulation at the point of care and across a range of settings, including in the community.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning maternity services and for determining how those services are configured to meet local needs. There may be occasions when home birth services need to be temporarily suspended or interrupted for safety reasons. When this occurs, trusts are required to re-open services as soon as it is safe to do so and report it nationally through the Maternity and Neonatal SitRep reporting tool, which collects essential data to monitor the performance of maternity and neonatal services.NHS England will be writing to all services and systems asking them to review their service provision.
What recent discussions his Department has had with NICE on updating update its Type 1 Diabetes guidance to incorporate screening for Type 1 Diabetes.
The Department has had no discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on updating its guideline on type 1 diabetes. NICE is an independent body and is responsible for making decisions on whether its guidance should be updated in the light of new evidence.NICE translates research into evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of NHS patients, but it does not make recommendations on the use of screening programmes in its guidance. The Government is led by the advice of the UK National Screening Committee on all matters relating to targeted and population screening. A screening programme is only recommended where the evidence shows it will do more good than harm.
What steps his Department is taking to help tackle the (a) restriction, (b) suspension and (c) interruption of the provision of home birth services.
The Department and NHS England fully support women to make informed choices about their care, including the choice to give birth at home. We expect local services to work collaboratively to ensure the provision of safe, personalised care in all settings.The Core Competency Framework, which sets out the essential training for staff to address variations in the quality of support provided, outlines that training should be tailored to specific staff groups, for example, home birth, or birth centre teams. Staff should also receive training in the management of emergencies, using clinical simulation at the point of care and across a range of settings, including in the community.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning maternity services and for determining how those services are configured to meet local needs. There may be occasions when home birth services need to be temporarily suspended or interrupted for safety reasons. When this occurs, trusts are required to re-open services as soon as it is safe to do so and report it nationally through the Maternity and Neonatal SitRep reporting tool, which collects essential data to monitor the performance of maternity and neonatal services.NHS England will be writing to all services and systems asking them to review their service provision.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including primary eye care in the NHS 10 year plan.
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan was published on the 3 July and can be accessed at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future.The 10-Year Health Plan will support more eye care services being delivered in the community and better joint working between primary and secondary eye care services.
What estimate he has made of the number of bowel cancer patients diagnosed in emergency NHS settings in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking to help reduce this number.
The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The service is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrsRapid Cancer Registration Data (RCRD) provides a quick, indicative source of cancer data. It is provided to support the planning and provision of cancer services. The data is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/data/data-outputs/cancer-data-hub/rapid-cancer-registration-data-dashboardsUsing the latest available Routes to Diagnosis estimates from the RCRD, there were 7310 bowel cancer patients diagnosed through Emergency Presentation between January and December 2024. This includes emergency routes via accident and emergency, emergency general practitioner referral (not urgent suspected cancer referral), emergency transfer, emergency admission, or attendance.To support earlier diagnosis, the National Health Service is improving referral and diagnostic pathways, including the use of non-specific symptom pathways for patients whose symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, fatigue, or abdominal discomfort, do not clearly align with a single cancer type. NHS England has also expanded general practice direct access to diagnostic tests, enabling faster investigation of concerning symptoms.
What steps he is taking to support families impacted by the Chinook ZD576 crash.
The Ministry of Defence has supported families, and upheld our commitment to transparency and accountability, by fully cooperating with previous inquiries and investigations into this tragic accident. My noble friend Lord Coaker has written to the Chinook Justice Campaign inviting family members to meet with him before the end of the year.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out a plan with (a) clear aims for stakeholders and (b) other steps to tackle issues facing chalk streams.
Chalk streams are embedded in our plan to reform the water industry. The Government has announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment. The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029. The Government recognises that catchment planning is a vital part of improving the water system. Local Catchment Partnerships are a well-established way to plan and deliver improvements to water quality, manage quantity and reduce flood risk. Following the IWC report and the Costa Beck Court of Appeal judgment, we are moving to a catchment-based model and developing a targeted, ground-up approach to review and identify new measures in a small number of catchments.
If he will meet with the families impacted by the Chinook ZD576 crash.
I can confirm that my noble friend the Lord Coaker has written to the Chinook Justice Campaign inviting representatives to meet with him before the end of the year.
If he will undertake a full review of the (a) technical, (b) legal and (c) regulatory failures that led to the Chinook ZD576 crash.
The Mull of Kintyre crash of 1994 has been extensively investigated, including in two independent, judge-led processes, and in independent inquiries by House of Commons and House of Lords select committees, as well as the original Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry, including a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. The Department has received a formal claim for a Judicial Review of our decision to reject the demand for a further Judge-led inquiry into the circumstances of the crash from the Chinook Justice Campaign and we are committed to engaging fully with this process.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase regenerative farming.
Regenerative agriculture is based on an understanding that the health of the entire food system is intrinsically linked to soil health.Healthy soils, rich in nutrients and organic matter, abundant pollinators and clean water, are essential for sustainable food production. We will support farmers and land managers to help restore nature, to safeguard our long-term food security, support productivity and build resilience to climate change.We are investing £2.7 billion a year into sustainable food production and nature's recovery. Overall, farmers and land managers will benefit from an average of £2.3 billion a year through the Farming and Countryside Programme and up to £400 million from additional nature schemes, including those for tree planting and peatland restorations. Funding for the Environmental Land Management schemes paid to farmers will increase by 150% from £800 million in 2023/24 to £2 billion by 2028/29.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve Catchment partnerships for chalk streams.
Chalk streams are embedded in our plan to reform the water industry. The Government has announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment. The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029. The Government recognises that catchment planning is a vital part of improving the water system. Local Catchment Partnerships are a well-established way to plan and deliver improvements to water quality, manage quantity and reduce flood risk. Following the IWC report and the Costa Beck Court of Appeal judgment, we are moving to a catchment-based model and developing a targeted, ground-up approach to review and identify new measures in a small number of catchments.
What steps he is taking to learn from the Ministry of Defence’s handling of the Chinook ZD576 crash.
One of the primary purposes of each of the investigations and inquiries following the tragic loss of life in the Chinook ZD576 crash, was to ascertain what went wrong and why, in order to prevent a recurrence. This is the aim of all Service Inquiries and consequently the process of learning and applying lessons is a constantly evolving one. My noble friend Lord Coaker has written to the Chinook Justice Campaign inviting family members to meet with him before the end of the year.
If the Government will publish the date for the planned full rollout targeted lung screening as recommended by the UK National Screening Committee.
The National Health Service is taking crucial steps to improve cancer outcomes for patients across England, including for lung cancer. The NHS is currently rolling out the National Lung Cancer Screening Programme to people with a history of smoking.The timescale for full implementation of the lung cancer screening programme, alongside further 10-Year Health Plan initiatives, will be specified in due course.
What the current volume is of the civil plutonium stockpile in tonnes.
As of 31 December 2023, the total holding of separated civil plutonium in the UK was 140.9 tonnes. The Office for Nuclear Regulation publishes annual figures on the UK's separated plutonium inventory. The most recently published data can be found at the following link: 2023 annual figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium | Office for Nuclear Regulation
What quantities of unprocessed plutonium remain within discharged irradiated spent nuclear fuel at (a) nuclear reactor sites and (b) Sellafield.
Plutonium is a by-product of nuclear fission, and it is present in small quantities in spent irradiated fuel. However, the quantities would vary based on the fuel and reactor type. The Office for Nuclear Regulation publishes annual figures on estimated amounts of plutonium contained in spent civil reactor fuel in the UK. The most recently published data can be found at the following link: 2023 annual figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium | Office for Nuclear Regulation