Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of workplace (a) guidance and (b) protections for employees experiencing menopausal symptoms; and if her Department will issue new guidance to (i) small and medium-sized enterprises and (ii) other employers on reasonable adjustments.

It is important that those who experience substantial and longer-term menopausal effects should be adequately protected from discrimination in the workplace, and that employers are fully aware of the issues their employees may be experiencing at work, and their current legal obligations, including under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act).Depending on circumstances, the Act provides protection from discrimination on grounds of sex and/or age and/or disability for employees experiencing the effects of the menopause. An employee may bring a discrimination claim under more than one of these grounds, which the courts can then consider sequentially, where appropriate.As part of the plan to Make Work Pay, the government has committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures to consider relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. Guidance can currently be found on the government’s Help to Grow Site: Menopause in the Workplace - Help to Grow. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the content is relevant and to raise awareness and promote best practice amongst businesses. As part of the Employment Rights Bill, this government is taking the first steps towards requiring large employers to publish action plans alongside their gender pay gap figures; detailing the steps they are taking to narrow their gap and support employees during the menopause. These will ensure that they recognise and tackle the barriers that women still face, as well as opening up space to have broader conversations about women’s health in the workplace. Organisations will be required to detail the evidence-based steps they are taking, supported by government guidance, with the aim of speeding up progress towards workplaces that actually work for everyone.

How many cancer patients are waiting for radiotherapy treatment in (a) England and (b) Surrey for which the latest data is available.

The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the 31-day cancer treatment waiting time standard, including the number of patients who received radiotherapy and whether their treatment was within the 31-days, is available for England and the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB). The following table shows the number of people receiving radiotherapy for cancer, as of August 2025, for England and the Surrey Heartlands ICB:AreaTotalWithin 31 daysPercentage treated within 31 daysEngland10,7989,62989.2%Surrey Heartlands ICB22321395.5%Source: NHS England’s Cancer Waiting Times statistics: Commissioner Based, August 2025, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/AUGUST-2025-CWT-CRS-COMMISSIONER-WORKBOOK-PROVISIONAL.xlsx

What steps his Department is taking to support prepayment meter customers unable to access (a) heating and (b) power.

Customers who are unable to top up their prepayment meter may be able to obtain a fuel voucher, access to emergency credit or be eligible for Cold Weather Payments, the Warm Home Discount or the Winter Fuel Payment. Customers should contact their energy supplier if they have concerns and information on support with paying energy bills can be found on Citizens Advice's website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bills. On 25 September we published a consultation setting out our intention to continue support for those 6 million households. The consultation sets out proposals for the next scheme period (up to winter 2030/31), after current regulations expire on 31 March 2026. Government is gathering feedback from stakeholders on: the design of the core elements of the schemeoptions for delivery of the scheme in Scotlandproposals to change some elements of the scheme for suppliersa call for evidence on Industry Initiativesa call for suggestions for future improvements during the next scheme period The consultation closes on Thursday 20 November.

What his Department's timetable is for implementation discussions on (a) establishing an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency and (b) ensuring the UK’s participation in projects that fall under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation mechanism.

The Security and Defence Partnership agreed with the European Union on 19 May 2025 is an example of this Government delivering on our manifesto commitments to strengthen European security, support growth and reinforce NATO. We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this Government’s NATO First defence policy as set out in the Security and Defence Review. The Security and Defence partnership outlines that possibilities for establishing an Administrative Arrangement between the UK and the European Defence Agency (EDA) will be explored. The Security and Defence Partnership also sets out how the UK and the EU are committed to strengthening cooperation on military mobility issues, including through the UK’s participation in PESCO project Military Mobility. Officials remain in discussions with the EU to identify practical ways to advance cooperation in these areas. Any UK commitment – financial or otherwise – will ensure value for taxpayers and support defence goals.

What steps he is taking to increase NHS England's baseline number of speciality training places in (a) clinical radiology and (b) clinical oncology.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that cancer patients have effective radiotherapy treatment.

Radiotherapy is vital in cancer care, and it remains a key priority for the Government to provide the highest quality of treatment available. This is why the Government has invested £70 million of central funding on 28 new LINAC radiotherapy machines across the country to replace older, less efficient radiotherapy machines.

What information his Department holds on the number of working days of armed forces personnel lost due to dental issues in each of the last 10 years.

The number of working days Armed Forces personnel were absent owing to dental issues is not centrally recorded by the Department.

What information his Department holds on the number of women who suffered baby loss between 2020 and 2025.

Baby loss can include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and neonatal death. Official statistics published by the Office for National Statistics on stillbirths and neonatal deaths are available at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/childhoodinfantandperinatalmortalityinenglandandwales/2023 NHS England does not hold comprehensive data on miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies as it is not consistently or officially counted in the same way as live births, stillbirths, or neonatal deaths. The Maternity Services Data Set records information from the point of a person booking an appointment for maternity care and therefore does not include losses prior to contact with National Health Service maternity services, nor is the data of sufficient quality and completeness to produce any counts data. Information on miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies resulting in a hospital stay is published in the Hospital Episodes Statistics, although not all such pregnancies will involve an NHS hospital stay and therefore will not be included, with further information available in Table 1i, named Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies which resulted in an NHS hospital stay, in the document attached. The most recent available data shows that there were 31,046 finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of miscarriage in 2020/21, 33,352 in 2021/22, 33,126 in 2022/23, and 35,876 in 2023/24. In addition, there were 10,368 finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy in 2020/21, 11,088 in 2021/22, 10,999 in 2022/23, and 12,122 in 2023/24.

What information his Department holds on the 10 most common medical conditions that kept British armed forces personnel from being deployed in the latest year for which data is available.

The following table provides information held by the Ministry of Defence on all principal cause of downgrading for Medically Not Deployable (MND) UK Armed Forces personnel as at 1 September 2025: Table 1: Medically Not Deployable (MND) UK armed forces personnel1 by principal ICD-10 cause code group2, numbers and percentages3 as at 1 September 2025 Number % Total Medically Non Deployable13,113 All ICD-10 coded Medically Non Deployable12,3991001. Musculoskeletal disorders (M00 - M99) and Injuries (S00 - T98)5,376432. Mental and behavioural disorders (F00 - F99)2,747223. Factors influencing health status (Z00 - Z99)94274. Clinical and laboratory findings (R00 - R99)56144 Digestive system disorders (K00 - K93)4263 Ear and mastoid process diseases (H60 - H95)4093 Circulatory system disorders (I00 - I99)3983 Neoplasms (C00 - D48)2762 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic (E00 - E90)2351 Nervous system disorders (G00 - G99)2331 Genitourinary system diseases (N00 - N99)1941 Skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (L00 - L99)1781 Respiratory system disorders (J00 - J99)1281 Eye and adnexa diseases (H00 - H59)107<115. Blood disorders (D50 - D89)48<1 Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00 - B99)39<1 Congenital malformations (Q00 - Q99)33<1 Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00 - O99)16<1DMICP description not codable in ICD-10321 No board information on DMICP393 1 Figures provided are for full time trained (Royal Navy and RAF)/trade trained (army) and serving againstrequirement personnel.2 Principal read code and description recorded at medical board was converted to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coding scheme.3 All percentages are of the number of cause coded Medically Not Deployable downgrades.4 Pregnancies reported within the ‘Factors influencing health status’ ICD category include all healthy pregnancies. Any downgradings related to complications with pregnancy are included within the ‘Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium’ category.5 Clinical and laboratory findings include symptoms and abnormal clinical findings - such as irregular heartbeat and abdominal pain - which are ill-defined and may not have a diagnosis that can be elsewhere classified. Personnel graded as MND are not fit to deploy on Operations; however, they may be deployable on UK based exercises. Personnel graded MND as at 1 September, and included in this response, may not have been scheduled to deploy and the medical condition may not have prevented deployment.

How many eligible women have not had a breast cancer screening in (a) England and (b) Surrey for which the latest data is available.

The latest available screening data, for 2023/24, shows that in England, 6.69 million women were eligible for breast screening. Over 70%, or 4.6 million, of these eligible women had a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period. Approximately 30%, or 1.97 million, of these eligible women did not have a breast screening test result recorded in that last three-year period.In the 2023/24 screening year in Surrey, 141,778 women were eligible for breast screening and 71.3%, or 101,088, had a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period. This is higher than the national coverage of 70%. Approximately 28.7%, or 40,690, of these eligible women did not have a breast screening result recorded within that last three-year period in Surrey.

What progress his Department has made on talks with the EU on joining Security Action for Europe.

The UK and the EU are already working constructively to implement and build on our landmark Security and Defence Partnership. In order to effectively deter against increased aggression, we need to strengthen our shared defence industrial base to ensure Europe is able to secure the critical capabilities needed at the necessary speed, scale and value for money. As part of these efforts and recognising the important role that the UK’s world-leading defence industry already plays for European security, this Government is taking forward discussions on a bilateral participation agreement with the EU for enhanced cooperation under the SAFE instrument. While we will not pre-empt the outcome of discussions with our European partners, this Government would only agree to a deal if we were satisfied it provided value to the UK and UK industry. Discussions with our EU friends continues and we will update the House in due course of progress in the usual ways.

What progress his Department has made on reducing the rate of (a) stillbirths and (b) (i) neonatal and (ii) maternal deaths in England by 50% by 2030.

The national maternity safety ambition is to reduce the rates of stillbirth, neonatal and maternal mortality, and infant brain injury to half of the 2010 rates by 2025, and to reduce the rate of preterm birth to 6% by 2025. These aims are unlikely to be met, and while considerable progress has been made overall in reducing the stillbirth rate and neonatal mortality rate since 2010, both rates increased in 2021, and progress has since stalled. There has also been an increase in maternal mortality.The national maternity safety ambition for stillbirths is to halve the 2010 rate by 2025, down to 2.5 stillbirths per 1,000 births. The most recent figure is 3.8 stillbirths per 1,000 births in 2024. In addition, the safety ambition for neonatal death is to halve the 2010 rate by 2025, down to one neonatal death per 1,000 live births. The most recent figure is 1.4 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. Finally, the safety ambition for maternal mortality is to halve the 2010 rate by 2025, down to 5.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 maternities. The most recent figure is 12.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 maternities in 2021 to 2023.On 23 June 2025, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent, national investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care.We are also taking action now, including: a new Maternity Outcome Signalling System that will flag unusually high rates of term stillbirth, neonatal death, and brain injury to prompt rapid review of any safety concerns; developing a Maternal Care Bundle to tackle the main causes of maternal death and harm; and piloting Martha’s Rule in maternity and neonatal units in 14 trusts in six regions.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making the National Bereavement Care Pathway training mandatory for all healthcare professionals that come into contact with families experiencing (a) pregnancy loss and (b) the death of a baby.

All trusts in England are signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway, with the aim to ensure that all bereaved parents are offered equal, high quality, individualised, safe, and sensitive care.Training is the responsibility of individual trusts, overseen by their integrated care boards, so NHS England does not mandate its adoption.There is ongoing work between NHS England and Sands, the national charity for baby loss awareness who support families with baby loss, to explore the next steps for the pathway, and we will update in due course.Many trusts have specialist bereavement midwives, who are trained to care for and support parents and families who have suffered from the loss of their baby. Bereavement midwives are responsible for offering immediate and long-term emotional support, information, and practical guidance, at a time of great difficulty and sadness.

What steps his Department is taking to support the wellbeing of staff working in A&E.

The health and wellbeing of National Health Service staff, including those working in accident and emergency departments is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health. To further support this ambition, we will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of poor dental health among (a) applicants, (b) recruits and (c) armed forces personnel on the UK's defence capability.

Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit force to enhance force generation and operational capability. The Defence Medical Services conducted a full Oral Health Needs Assessment in 2023 which delivered an overview of the oral health needs of the Defence population, including applicants, recruits and Armed Forces personnel. A large proportion of applicants and recruits come from deprived communities where poorer oral health is seen. For applicants who do not meet the minimum dental entry standards, recruitment partners may offer limited financial assistance towards the cost of dental treatment to bring the applicant to the minimum entry standard. If an applicant requires minor remedial dental work, the applicant may be able to join and the treatment provided during basic training; however, this treatment cannot impact basic training. For recruits and Armed Forces personnel, Defence Dentistry provides an occupationally focused service. Treatment delivered throughout Phase 1 and 2 of training normally addresses most dental issues; however, feedback from dental centres indicates a deterioration in the dental health of recruits, which could be attributed to difficulties in accessing NHS dental care. To monitor dental fitness, Armed Forces personnel are assigned a NATO classification (or Dental Fitness Class). NATO Category 2 patients require minor interventive treatment or treatment aimed at preventing disease and NATO Category 3 patients require treatment for conditions which are likely to result in issues within a year if left untreated. These categories of patients are a priority for treatment.

If he will review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy within the prescription charge exemption list.

While there are no plans to review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) within the prescription charge exemption list, the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate is available for patients who are prescribed HRT on the National Health Service. The price of the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) is the equivalent of two single prescription charges, currently £19.80, and covers all qualifying prescribed HRT medicines for the 12-month period of its validity, representing significant saving for patients compared to the single prescription charge. In financial year 2024/25, approximately 13.3 million HRT items were dispensed without charge, either because they were covered by the HRT PPC or the patient held an exemption from prescription charges.There are over 70 HRT products, and the majority are in good supply. We are aware of shortages affecting Estradot (estradiol) patches. We are engaging with the supplier to expedite deliveries. We have issued guidance to healthcare professionals and Serious Shortage Protocols to enable community pharmacists to supply specified alternative estradiol patches.We will also be asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS Health Check from 2026. This will support eligible women from across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support.Further data on HRT prescriptions is available via the NHS Business Services Authority at the following link:https://nhsbsa-opendata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/hrt/hrt_June_2025_v001.html

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) affordability of hormone replacement therapy; and what steps he is taking to reduce regional disparities in access to menopause-related healthcare.

While there are no plans to review the inclusion of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) within the prescription charge exemption list, the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate is available for patients who are prescribed HRT on the National Health Service. The price of the HRT prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) is the equivalent of two single prescription charges, currently £19.80, and covers all qualifying prescribed HRT medicines for the 12-month period of its validity, representing significant saving for patients compared to the single prescription charge. In financial year 2024/25, approximately 13.3 million HRT items were dispensed without charge, either because they were covered by the HRT PPC or the patient held an exemption from prescription charges.There are over 70 HRT products, and the majority are in good supply. We are aware of shortages affecting Estradot (estradiol) patches. We are engaging with the supplier to expedite deliveries. We have issued guidance to healthcare professionals and Serious Shortage Protocols to enable community pharmacists to supply specified alternative estradiol patches.We will also be asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS Health Check from 2026. This will support eligible women from across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support.Further data on HRT prescriptions is available via the NHS Business Services Authority at the following link:https://nhsbsa-opendata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/hrt/hrt_June_2025_v001.html

Whether veterans have their military compensation disregarded when means testing income for benefits.

The honourable member has previously raised this broad issue and I refer her to the answer given on 8 July 63814

With reference to the Strategic Defence Review 2025, if he will set out (a) a timeline and (b) interim milestones for increasing the number of active reserves by 20 per cent.

This Government is hugely grateful for the contribution made by our Reserve Forces, who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, in a cost-effective way. The Military Strategic Headquarters, in partnership with the Military Commands, is leading ongoing work to plan the increase in the number of Reserves by 20 per cent, when the financial situation allows. It is too early in the process to set out a defined timeline and associated milestones to achieve this target.

Whether she will have discussions with her international allied counterparts to reduce the level of the Oil Price Cap applicable to Russian exports.

The UK works closely with G7 partners to increase economic pressure on Russia. On 18 July 2025, the UK lowered the Russian Oil Price Cap alongside the EU, with the aim to reduce Russian oil revenues. On the 15th October the UK also announced new sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, with the United States taking similar action on Wednesday the 22nd. We will continue to collaborate with international partners, including the reviewing the oil price cap mechanism, to find furthers ways to increase this pressure.