Written questions by Blake.

Whether the Cancer Plan will specifically address the availability of products containing Melanotan II.

The Government is taking steps to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancers more quickly, including skin cancers. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will set out how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including by speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. We will publish the National Cancer Plan in the new year to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.We received over 11,000 responses to our call for evidence from individuals, professionals, and organisations, and we are reviewing the submissions from skin cancer partners. While no formal assessment has been made of the availability and levels of the use of tan-enhancing products containing Melanotan II, respondents shared concerns about tanning products and their potential links to cancer, particularly melanoma. Our expansive engagement will allow the National Cancer Plan to have patients at its heart.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom.Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II, there are no equivalent authorised medicines, and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the United Kingdom. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.

If he will consider introducing a more centralised process for Freedom of Information requests concerning surgeons across England.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request is a request for recorded information held by that public authority. The Department is only able to respond to requests for information that it holds at the time of the request, and interaction with other public authorities on FOIs is therefore limited. All requests must be handled in line with the principles of the FOI Act and the guidance issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, as the FOI regulator. There is therefore no ability at present for the Department to operate a separate process for any specific topics or areas of interest.

Whether the eligibility criteria for covid-19 boosters has changed for unpaid carers.

The Government’s policy on eligibility for vaccination programmes is based on advice from the independent scientific advisory committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). For autumn 2025, the JCVI advised that COVID-19 vaccination be offered to:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults; andpersons aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ section of tables three and four in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency’s Green Book.The eligibility of COVID-19 vaccines for unpaid carers in autumn 2025 is the same as it was in 2024 and has not changed this year. Unpaid carers are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the national programme. If unpaid carers quality on other grounds, for example, if they are immunosuppressed, then they can come forward to get a vaccine.The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in autumn 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure Physician Associates are supported to transition into new roles within the NHS on equal bands to their current roles.

The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician assistants (PAs) and physician assistants in anaesthesia, still legally known as physician associates and anaesthesia associates, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams. The review recommendations include ensuring that PAs have the opportunity for ongoing training and development in the context of a formal certification and credentialling programme. Professor Leng will be undertaking a temporary and continuing role to support the implementation of the recommendations, which will include driving wider discussions with a range of system partners including NHS England, the General Medical Council, royal colleges, professional bodies, and higher education institutions to consider further the changes needed to implement the recommendations. We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care, and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.

Whether he plans to take steps to reduce the waiting time for ADHD prescription under Sheffield Adult Autism and Neurodevelopmental Service.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.The NHS South Yorkshire ICB advises that the Sheffield Adult Autism and Neurodevelopmental Service is reviewing its diagnostic pathways and recruiting additional staff in order to improve efficiency within the service. The NHS South Yorkshire ICB has also commissioned the Adult Autism and ADHD Support Hub, delivered by the voluntary sector organisation, Mental Health Matters, to offer free support to autistic people and people with ADHD living in Sheffield. The hub provides a range of practical advice and information on areas such as confidence building, peer support, and wellbeing.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of excluding unpaid carers from the covid-19 booster shot scheme.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).In its advice for autumn 2024, the JCVI advised that in the era of highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccine against the transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. Therefore, the indirect benefits of vaccination, vaccinating an individual such as an unpaid carer in order to reduce the risk of severe disease in other people, are less evident now compared with previous years, and therefore unpaid carers were not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination in autumn 2024.In line with JCVI’s advice, the autumn 2025 programme is focused on targeted vaccination of the oldest adults, those aged 75 years old and over and residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals who are immunosuppressed. These are the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. Any unpaid carer who is eligible through age or immunosuppression for vaccination in this campaign is encouraged to take up the offer.

What steps he is taking to reduce regional differences in waiting times for ADHD services.

I commend my honourable friend for her dedication to improving support for people with ADHD and recognise the valuable perspective she brings through her lived experience. This government inherited a broken NHS with too many people facing long waits for assessments.NHS England’s ADHD taskforce is looking at how support for people with ADHD can be improved and I look forward to reading their report when it is published.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for adult ADHD assessments.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted the severe delays in access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments and that demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the report expected in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What progress NHS England’s ADHD Taskforce has made on improving access to (a) services and (b) support.

The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) taskforce, established by NHS England, is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors, to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support. The taskforce is working closely with the Department for Education’s Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group to ensure consideration of joined up services and support across the health and education systems. The taskforce expects to publish its report in the summer.

How much new funding healthcare providers in Sheffield Hallam have received since the general election, by provider; and what impact this has had on the number of appointments available for people in that constituency.

Through Phase 1 of the Spending Review for 2025, the Government has reset public spending for 2024/25 and set departmental budgets for 2025/26. The Government has prioritised investment into the National Health Service, and this is reflected by a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending and a £3.1 billion increase in capital for the Department over this year and next.This includes the additional £1.8 billion in direct support of elective activity since July 2024, which has supported the NHS to deliver an additional two million appointments. This settlement also makes progress towards meeting the commitment that, within our first term, patients should expect to wait no longer that 18 weeks from referral to consultant led treatment.The 2024/25 financial year has not yet concluded so we do not yet have final outturn figures for expenditure and activity by provider. The NHS is currently planning for 2025/26, including for the delivery of the elective targets that systems have been given. We currently do not have the outcome of the planning round for individual providers, including those in Sheffield.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce gaps in rehabilitation and long-term care provision for people living with acquired brain injury.

The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition such as an acquired brain injury (ABI), receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care, with their families and carers also supported.We will change the National Health Service so that it becomes not just a sickness service, but one able to prevent ill health in the first place. This will help us be better prepared for the change in the nature of disease and allow our services to focus more on the management of chronic, long-term conditions, like ABIs, including rehabilitation where appropriate. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing the guidance Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September 2025. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181 The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention met the original proponent of the ABI strategy, Sir Chris Bryant MP, in November to discuss ABIs, and had a very fruitful discussion about what might be achievable in both the short and long term. Sir Chris Bryant MP remains an advocate for those who have suffered an ABI and the Department agrees with him that we should, and importantly will, do more, including showcasing those areas that have effectively integrated post-hospital care and support, including rehabilitation, to other areas where patients are not getting the care and support they deserve.We have announced that we are setting up a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and the Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. The new forum will bring key stakeholders together to share learning across the UK, discuss the transformation of important neurology services, workforce challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions that will add to both the existing programmes of work and wider health plans. A decision on the next steps for ABIs at the national level will be taken in due course.Meanwhile, we have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future. We will be carefully considering input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan over the coming months. The engagement process has launched, and I would encourage my fellow parliamentarians and stakeholders to engage with that process to allow us to fully understand what is not working as well as it should and what the potential solutions are, including on ABIs. This is available at the following link: https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

If his Department will take steps to improve data collection on suicide rates of (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees.

The cross-Government suicide prevention strategy for England sets the direction for departments and a wide range of other organisations, and makes clear that nobody should be left out of suicide prevention efforts. This includes being responsive to the ne...

Whether his Department has conducted an equalities impact assessment on the NICE severity modifier for secondary breast cancer.

The Department has no plans to conduct an equalities impact assessment on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) severity modifier, or to undertake a review of its adequacy in the context of secondary breast cancer.The NICE is respon...

If he will undertake a review of the adequacy of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence severity modifier in the context of secondary breast cancer.

The Department has no plans to conduct an equalities impact assessment on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) severity modifier, or to undertake a review of its adequacy in the context of secondary breast cancer.The NICE is respon...