Written questions by Naish.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of NICE’s severity modifier on people with secondary breast cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. The severity modifier was introduced in January 2022 as part of a number of changes intended to make NICE’s methods fairer, faster, and more consistent.NICE carried out a review of the implementation of the severity modifier in September 2024 and found that it is operating as intended. This showed that the proportion of positive cancer recommendations is higher, at 84.8%, than with the end-of-life modifier it replaced, at 75%, and the proportion of positive recommendations for advanced cancer treatments is also higher, 81.1% compared to 69%.Since the introduction of the severity modifier, NICE has recommended all but one of the treatments for breast cancer that it has assessed. These treatments are now available to eligible National Health Service patients.NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future methods reviews.

What steps he is taking to ensure that people with incurable secondary breast cancer have access to world-leading treatments.

NHS England announced in April 2025 that eligible women with secondary breast cancer could soon have access to a new targeted treatment, capivasertib, used alongside fulvestrant, on the National Health Service.In May, NHS England announced the world’s first roll out of liquid biopsy testing, which is now available for all eligible breast cancer patients, and which aims to speed up diagnosis and inform better treatment options for those with breast cancer.

What estimate he has made of the proportion of UK solar-panel imports sourced from Xinjiang-based polysilicon manufacturers sanctioned by the United States; and whether he plans to introduce a full import ban on such products.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring UK businesses are not complicit in forced labour and human rights violations. In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review of its approach to responsible business conduct policy. The review will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current Responsible Business Conduct measures and alternative policy options to support responsible business practices.

Whether the Pensions Regulator has issued guidance to trustees on the (a) financial and (b) reputational risks of holding equities in Hong Kong-listed companies named in overseas sanctions orders for human rights violations.

The Pensions Regulator does not give investment advice, including on ethical grounds. It has not published specific guidance on these matters. HMG offers Overseas Business Risk information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.

Whether the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation plans to issue updated guidance to asset managers on the risks of holding Hong Kong-listed securities that track sanctioned Chinese parent companies through Stock Connect.

UK businesses should ensure compliance with all UK sanctions regulations as part of their business operations, including performing due diligence checks on all of their clients, suppliers and partners. Non-compliance with UK sanctions is a serious offence and punishable through financial penalties or criminal prosecution.OFSI has delivered a wealth of guidance, advisories, alerts and threat assessment reports assessing sectoral threats and vulnerabilities relating to financial sanctions. These products have been produced to support industry to comply with UK sanctions, including as part of their global operations. OFSI is not currently working on further guidance for the Hong Kong securities sector. If firms are unclear on their obligations, they should seek legal advice.If somebody has evidence or information of activity that contravenes UK financial sanctions, this should be reported to OFSI immediately using the reporting form available on GOV.UK(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/suspected-breach-of-financial-sanctions-what-to-do).

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local authorities offer adequate reasonable adjustments during recruitment assessments for candidates with declared disabilities.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces, including recruitment practices. It is the duty of local authorities to comply with all relevant employment and equalities legislation and there is no role for central government intervening in this, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.

o ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has considered publishing a consolidated UK list of Chinese companies (a) credibly implicated in forced-labour abuses in Xinjiang and (b) linked to the People’s Liberation Army.

The human rights situation in China, including China's persecution of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities, remains a priority for the government. The UK regularly discusses issues of common concern with likeminded partners, including through the G7.There are a number of ways in which His Majesty's Government currently tackles the issue of Uyghur forced labour in supply chains. The Overseas Business Risk Guidance makes clear to UK companies the risk of operating in certain regions and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence when making business decisions.Last month, this Government launched a review of its approach to ensuring responsible business conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK. This includes a review of alternative measures to tackle forced labour.

If she will commission a review of UK (a) pension fund and (b) insurance fund exposure to Chinese corporations sanctioned by allied jurisdictions.

There are currently no plans to commission a review of UK pension fund and insurance fund exposure to Chinese corporations sanctioned by allied jurisdictions.The Government does routinely assess the impacts of its sanctions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in the G7 on creating a common investment-ban list for companies credibly implicated in (a) forced labour, (b) genocide and (c) mass surveillance in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.

The human rights situation in China, including China's persecution of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities, remains a priority for the government. The UK regularly discusses issues of common concern with likeminded partners, including through the G7.There are a number of ways in which His Majesty's Government currently tackles the issue of Uyghur forced labour in supply chains. The Overseas Business Risk Guidance makes clear to UK companies the risk of operating in certain regions and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence when making business decisions.Last month, this Government launched a review of its approach to ensuring responsible business conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK. This includes a review of alternative measures to tackle forced labour.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has considered secondary sanctions on UK-based financial institutions that continue to (a) underwrite, (b) trade and (c) market securities issued by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps subsidiaries listed in Hong Kong.

In March 2021, the UK, along with international partners, imposed sanctions relating to human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including sanctions against Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. 'Secondary sanctions' can be understood in different ways. UK sanctions apply and are enforced only in relation to UK nationals and entities (wherever they are in the world) and to any activity in the UK or its territorial sea. Consistent with this approach, and across diverse contexts, we continue to keep any potential future sanctions under review.

What steps he is taking to ensure that suppliers (a) linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and (b) named in allied sanctions lists are excluded from public procurement frameworks.

The UK Government is committed to tackling human rights abuses including modern slavery and human trafficking in public supply chains. On 24 February 2025 the Procurement Act came into force, providing contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains. Contracting authorities are encouraged to review a wide range of information on suppliers when seeking to determine whether an exclusion ground applies, including sanction lists. The Act’s new debarment powers also enable us to take stronger and broader action in relation to supplier misconduct which we will use, where appropriate, to effectively hold organisations to account. The Cabinet Office has, in addition, published extensive risk-based policy and guidance for commercial teams to tackle labour rights abuses in UK and global supply chains.

Communities and Local Government, what recent steps she has taken on the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

The fiscal position means that there have been tough choices to get us back on the path to recovery. It is in this context that the department is considering the request made for funding by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.I was pleased to meet with Andy Lock to discuss the outstanding work done by the organisation across Britain’s coalfields. I recognise that addressing the acute challenges faced by our coalfield communities will require greater partnership working between government and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, and I am committed to working in partnership with them to explore opportunities for collaboration.This government remains committed to supporting our most disadvantaged communities. At Spending Review, we announced funding for up to 350 places. Of the 100 places announced, 15 are in coalfield areas. Details of the remaining places will be announced in due course.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of reasonable adjustments in public sector recruitment processes for disabled applicants.

The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), which protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act prohibits direct and indirect disability discrimination and requires employers - including those in the public sector - to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants who meet the Act’s definition of disability, to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues. The reasonable adjustment duty on employers requires them to make adjustments to any element of a job, job application or interview process, whether on an anticipatory basis or at the request of the disabled person. The failure of an employer to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee or job seeker, or discounting a job application simply because the applicant is disabled could amount to direct disability discrimination under the Act. The Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and the interests of employers. What is ‘reasonable’ will vary from one situation to another. This is because factors like the practicability and cost of making the reasonable adjustment, and the resources available to different employers will be different. It will therefore be for the courts to decide, in the event of a claim of alleged disability discrimination, and on a case-by-case basis, what reasonable adjustments should be made. It is a matter for individual public sector employers as to how they ensure compliance with their legal obligations under the Act, but many will be subject to the Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination (including on grounds of disability), advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. The duty to have “due regard” obliges a public authority to consider the equality aims set out in the duty when exercising its functions, like taking decisions, and then to decide what weight to accord to them. Public authorities place themselves at greater legal risk if they do not interpret the law correctly. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website. and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. You can access the website here: http://www.acas.org.uk. Acas also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve/settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of steps that local authorities are taking to help improve the representation of people with (a) a working class background, (b) a minority ethnic background and (c) disabilities in local government.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces, including recruitment practices. It is the duty of local authorities to comply with all relevant employment and equalities legislation and there is no role for central government intervening in this, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.

What steps he is taking to improve accessibility for disabled candidates seeking employment in the public sector.

The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), which protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act prohibits direct and indirect disability discrimination and requires employers - including those in the public sector - to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants who meet the Act’s definition of disability, to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues. The reasonable adjustment duty on employers requires them to make adjustments to any element of a job, job application or interview process, whether on an anticipatory basis or at the request of the disabled person. The failure of an employer to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee or job seeker, or discounting a job application simply because the applicant is disabled could amount to direct disability discrimination under the Act. The Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and the interests of employers. What is ‘reasonable’ will vary from one situation to another. This is because factors like the practicability and cost of making the reasonable adjustment, and the resources available to different employers will be different. It will therefore be for the courts to decide, in the event of a claim of alleged disability discrimination, and on a case-by-case basis, what reasonable adjustments should be made. It is a matter for individual public sector employers as to how they ensure compliance with their legal obligations under the Act, but many will be subject to the Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination (including on grounds of disability), advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. The duty to have “due regard” obliges a public authority to consider the equality aims set out in the duty when exercising its functions, like taking decisions, and then to decide what weight to accord to them. Public authorities place themselves at greater legal risk if they do not interpret the law correctly. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website. and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. You can access the website here: http://www.acas.org.uk. Acas also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve/settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

What recent evaluation his Department has made of the adequacy of the Disability Confident scheme’s conversion rate from interview to appointment for disabled applicants across government departments.

The purpose of the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) is to ensure that disabled candidates are given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their skills at interview. Of those who applied for a vacancy using the Civil Service Jobs website in the approximately five year period 2019-2024: c.13% of applicants applied under the DCSc.12% of candidates who were invited to interview had applied under DCSc.9% of applicants who were successful at interview had applied under DCS The Department for Work and Pensions is continuing to explore whether any reforms to the criteria for DCS are needed.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) anonymised CVs and (b) name-blind recruitment on diversity outcomes in Government departments.

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service.Anonymous CVs and name-blind recruitment, which are already used widely across the civil service, limit the impact that bias may have on recruitment, so that candidates are judged on the skills and experience they have outlined.

What steps he is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help tackle potential civil service recruitment barriers for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.

The Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027 outlines our commitment to having a Civil Service that reflects the composition of our society, attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. This includes better socio-economic representation and investing in our young people. We have recently launched a two year Careers Launch Apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham, Manchester and London, to support our young people. In addition, the Cabinet Office develops and supports Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) recruitment pathways across government. GFiE brings people who face barriers to employment into the Civil Service. There are over 20 GFiE pathways in place and over 3,600 people have joined the Civil Service through GFiE since 2018. These are just two of the ways in which we demonstrate our ambition regarding underrepresented backgrounds. Diversity data is collected from candidates during the recruitment process and made available to departments to support their people strategies.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the removal of potential bias relating to (a) class, (b) race and (c) disability in civil service recruitment.

The Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027 outlines our commitment to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Appointment to the Civil Service must be based on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. To support this, and reduce the potential for bias in the recruitment process, the Cabinet Office uses name-blind recruitment where applications are anonymised during sifting. Information on candidates' socio-economic background and race is collected for monitoring and reporting purposes, but hiring managers are not provided with access to this information for individual candidates. The Cabinet Office also uses the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), ensuring disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a role are given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their skills at interview.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the progress of the civil service in increasing the proportion of recruits from (a) lower socio-economic backgrounds, (b) with disabilities and (c) from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We are committed to having a Civil Service that reflects the composition of our society, attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. This includes better socio-economic representation and investing in our young people. We have recently launched a two year Careers Launch Apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham, Manchester and London, to support our ambition.We continue to monitor the diversity of our candidates and workforce to improve our recruitment in these areas and tackle barriers to employment.