Written questions by Davies.

What steps his Department plans to take to support colonoscopy services following the extension of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to include people aged 50-74.

The age extension for bowel screening started in April 2021 with the 56 year old cohort and, based on modelling and clinical advice, has followed the planned gradual reduction to age 50 by 2025. This has been done to ensure that screening centres could manage the required increase in colonoscopy capacity.Services have increased screening capacity. Screening and symptomatic endoscopy services are working closely together as part of the ongoing endoscopy transformation of symptomatic pathways, which aims to release colonoscopy capacity through, for example:the use of the faecal immunochemical test as a clinical triage tool in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance;the use of alternative imaging modalities such as colon capsule endoscopy/computed tomography colonography; andthe use of other pre diagnostic tools such as the capsule sponge.Bowel cancer screening is a crucial aspect of prevention, helping identify apparently healthy people who may have an increased risk of a particular condition, preventing bowel cancer and promoting earlier diagnosis and detection. NHS England is committed to delivering bowel cancer screening uptake across the whole population and is working to reduce inequalities. As part of this, NHS England is developing public communications to increase awareness of screening amongst younger age groups, particularly in those 50 years old and over cohorts, who are newly eligible. This includes updating online and digital channels and working with key external stakeholders.

What steps he is taking to improve the regulatory environment for business.

On 17 March 2025 this Government published the Action Plan for Regulation, outlining reforms to streamline regulation and support growth. As part of this we are cutting regulatory administrative costs to business by 25%, strengthening accountability for regulators and simplifying their duties to ensure the regulatory environment is focusing on growth, investment, and transparency. This will include finding ways to reduce costs for the manufacturing sector, which I know is important to businesses such as New Holland who have been making tractors in my honourable friend for Reading West and Mid Berkshire's constituency for over 60 years.

What steps he is taking to support research into Adrenal cancer through (a) funding, (b) clinical trials and (c) collaboration with academic institutions.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer as one of the largest areas of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including research into adrenal cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.The NIHR also welcomes applications for training awards from the clinical and non-clinical academic workforce conducting research into any aspect of human health, including adrenal cancer. The Department is the United Kingdom’s largest funder of clinical academic training, working with academic institutions and the wider health and care system to deliver a comprehensive research career pathway for the full range of clinicians.The Department is committed to working with delivery partners, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, and other key stakeholders, to achieve the common aim of creating a faster, more efficient, more accessible, and more innovative clinical research delivery system. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK, so that we can provide innovative treatment options for patients, including those with adrenal cancer.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) early diagnosis and (b) specialist treatment pathways for patients with Adrenal Cancer.

The Government recognises that diagnosing and treating rare cancers, including adrenal cancer, can be difficult due to their non-specific symptoms, which are often shared with other more common conditions.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, but which may indicate a rare cancer like adrenal cancer. NHS England has also expanded general practice direct access to diagnostic tests, enabling faster investigation of concerning symptoms.We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the NHS to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. Community diagnostic centres will also help reduce the number of patients waiting too long for a confirmed cancer diagnosis, and will ensure capacity is available for both common and rare cancers.To improve access to timely treatment, the NHS is delivering an additional 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will set out further actions to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with rare and less common cancers. It will focus on speeding up diagnosis and treatment, and ensuring access to the latest treatments and technologies for all.

What steps NHS England plans to take to improve (a) awareness and (b) training for (i) GPs and (ii) frontline healthcare professionals to better (A) recognize and (B) refer suspected cases of adrenal cancer.

General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on adrenal cancer, remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and has to meet the standards set by the General Medical Council. The RCGP provides a number of resources on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and care for GPs, relevant for the primary care setting.NHS England supports initiatives aimed at enhancing early cancer diagnosis and awareness among healthcare professionals. These initiatives include GatewayC, an online education platform providing modules on early cancer diagnosis for primary care professionals, and the Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development programme, designed to improve cancer-related knowledge and capabilities across the non-medical workforce. These measures aim to equip GPs and frontline professionals with the skills necessary to identify and act on potential cancer symptoms, including those of rare cancers such as adrenal cancer.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure the equitable geographic distribution of health research funding.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds health research across the UK, primarily through their Medical Research Council (MRC). The UKRI place toolkit underpins MRC’s vision to encourage and support excellent and impactful research, wherever it is found in the UK. MRC recognises the importance of place for strengthening capacity across the UK, for the long-term benefit of UK science. MRC draws on and fosters talent, research communities and capacity from across the UK to address major health challenges and the recently published MRC Place Framework sets out MRC’s principles for place and how it is used to guide decision making.

How many incidents of battery fires on (a) converted and (b) non-converted e-bikes were reported to the Office for Product Safety and Standards in the last 12 months for which data are available.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards received reports of 161 UK e-bike fires in 2023, of which 46% were post-market conversions. Data for 2024 is being complied and will be published in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential risk of e-bike battery fires caused by products manufactured outside the (a) UK and (b) EU.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards leads a programme of activity to tackle the fire risks from unsafe lithium-ion e-bike batteries. All e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries placed on the UK market must be safe and producers are responsible for ensuring their products comply with the law. Last year, the Government published statutory guidelines on lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes, setting out the safety mechanisms they must contain.

Whether she has consulted with independent retailers on the development of the new Business Growth service.

My department is working closely with independent retailers and the wider business community on the design of the Business Growth Service. We’ve held roundtables and consultation events across the country, in partnership with local organisations, to hear directly from entrepreneurs and small business owners about the support they need to grow. My department continues to engage regularly with retailers through key trade associations, and feedback will remain central to how the service evolves. Our goal is to build a service shaped by business, for business.

What progress he has made towards publishing the Small Business Command Paper.

The Government will publish its SME Strategy later this year. The Strategy will set out the Government’s ambition to champion entrepreneurship, create an environment for SMEs to thrive and support them in their growth ambition.

What steps she plans to take to ensure that pensioners who are earning below £11,400 are able to obtain winter fuel allowance.

Pension Credit provides extra money to help with living costs for people over State Pension age and on a low income. The Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit tops up a person’s other income and also prompts recipients to receive a Winter Fuel Payment to a minimum of £227.10 per week for a single person and £346.60 per week for couples with extra amounts paid in respect of severe disability, caring responsibilities and certain housing costs. We want to ensure as many people as possible who are entitled to this support receive it, which is why the Government has taken action to maximise the take-up of Pension Credit by undertaking the biggest ever awareness campaign. This has included promoting Pension Credit on television, radio, social media as well as directly contacting pensioners who we think could be eligible alongside working with stakeholders and partners.The latest Pension Credit applications and awards statistics were published on 27 February. Details can be found at: Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.The statistics show that the Department received 235,000 Pension Credit applications in the 30 weeks since the Winter Fuel Payment announcement – an 81% increase on the comparable period in 2023/24 and made 117,800 new Pension Credit awards – a 64% increase or 45,800 extra awards on the comparable period in 2023/24.

What steps she plans to take to ensure autism is considered in the Youth Employment Strategy.

As a Government, we want to support all forms of neurodiversity in the workplace, and we are looking to build on the findings of the Buckland Review of Autism Employment by gathering expert evidence in line with this expanded focus.As part of plan to Get Britain Working, we will launch a Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.Our Youth Guarantee will meet the needs of those facing disadvantages relating to mental or physical health. Collaborating closely with stakeholders from a range of sectors will be integral to improving opportunities for young people. And that is why we have launched eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to test and learn before further roll out of the Youth Guarantee. These Trailblazers are testing joining-up locally and nationally delivered work, health and skills approach.Autism creates employment barriers that can affect young people's daily lives and mental health. As outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we have ambitious plans to better support our young people to lead fulfilling lives and careers.Jobcentre Plus already offers extensive assistance to young disabled people and those with health conditions, focusing on individual needs and collaborating with local partners for appropriate support. In addition, work coaches in Youth Hubs and Youth Employability Coaches, provide targeted interventions to build skills, confidence, and employment opportunities.

What the evidential basis is for age-based exclusion criteria in cancer clinical trials; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that young people have equitable access to participation in such trials.

The Department is committed to maximising the United Kingdom’s potential to lead the world in clinical research, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including teenagers and young adults with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The eligibility of patients for a clinical trial is determined by a set of criteria designed to ensure the safety of participants and the scientific validity of the study. These criteria are decided by each study's sponsors and researchers, based on scientific evidence, study goals, and safety considerations.The Department is working closely with the National Health Service, industry, academia, research regulators, and charities to make clinical research in the UK more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK, including clinical trials for teenagers and young adults with cancer.The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trial participation for young people with cancer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of age-related eligibility criteria on the inclusion of teenagers and young adults in cancer clinical trials.

The Department is committed to maximising the United Kingdom’s potential to lead the world in clinical research, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including teenagers and young adults with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The eligibility of patients for a clinical trial is determined by a set of criteria designed to ensure the safety of participants and the scientific validity of the study. These criteria are decided by each study's sponsors and researchers, based on scientific evidence, study goals, and safety considerations.The Department is working closely with the National Health Service, industry, academia, research regulators, and charities to make clinical research in the UK more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK, including clinical trials for teenagers and young adults with cancer.The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trial participation for young people with cancer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the collection and reporting of age-disaggregated data on participation in cancer clinical trials, in addition to collecting participation data through NIHR.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), funded by the Department, funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including cancer clinical trials.The NIHR Research Delivery Network collects age-disaggregated data on participation in cancer clinical trials across all age groups, for studies supported by NIHR infrastructure, and reports on this data where appropriate.The Department is working with NHS England and other partners to develop a new data collection approach which will include the age of people participating in NIHR funded studies, including for cancer clinical trials. Once established, this could be expanded to include age data from studies supported by other funders.The Department is committed to maximising the United Kingdom’s potential to lead the world in clinical research, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including those with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

What steps he plans to take to ensure the gonorrhoea vaccination programme reaches (a) young people aged 15-24 (b) women, (c) gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and (d) other communities most at risk.

In November 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued advice on standing up a targeted, routine vaccination programme for protection against gonorrhoea.Officials across the Department, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have been developing options based on the JCVI advice, assessing all the relevant factors to ensure that the United Kingdom’s high standards for world-leading vaccination programmes are maintained, and the best value for money for taxpayers is delivered. A decision on a vaccination programme for the prevention of gonorrhoea is expected shortly, following the outcome of this process.NHS England will work with partners across national, regional, and local levels to ensure that plans for any new vaccination programme will meet local need, ensure equity of access and support a high level of uptake of the vaccination offer by those who are eligible.

What steps his Department plans to take to implement the targeted roll-out of the Gonorrhoea vaccine.

In November 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued advice on standing up a targeted, routine vaccination programme for protection against gonorrhoea.Officials across the Department, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have been developing options based on the JCVI advice, assessing all the relevant factors to ensure that the United Kingdom’s high standards for world-leading vaccination programmes are maintained, and the best value for money for taxpayers is delivered. A decision on a vaccination programme for the prevention of gonorrhoea is expected shortly, following the outcome of this process.NHS England will work with partners across national, regional, and local levels to ensure that plans for any new vaccination programme will meet local need, ensure equity of access and support a high level of uptake of the vaccination offer by those who are eligible.

What steps he is taking to improve the geographical spread of cancer clinical trial sites to enable equitable access for teenagers and young adults.

The Department is committed to maximising the United Kingdom’s potential to lead the world in clinical research, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including teenagers and young adults with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), funded by the Department, funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical research for teenagers and young adults with cancer.This research infrastructure includes a network of Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, co-funded by the NIHR, Cancer Research UK, and the Little Princess Trust, which work across the whole of the UK, bringing together world-leading laboratory and clinical researchers to test new treatments for adults and children with cancer.The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) supports patients, the public, and health and care organisations across England to participate in high-quality research. The RDN consists of 12 regional RDNs, which support sites across England to deliver clinical research, including clinical research for teenagers and young adults with cancer.The newly designated Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs) will build further capacity in delivering commercial clinical research. There are 21 CRDCs spread across the UK, and one of the CRDCs, based at the Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, is dedicated to the delivery of commercial clinical trials for treating children and young people.

When her Department last reviewed the level of penalties for (a) driving without insurance and (b) keeping a vehicle without insurance.

The Government keeps motoring offences under review, including those for driving uninsured. In respect to how many and what proportion of road traffic offences were committed by uninsured drivers, my Department does not hold this information.

If she will include measures to help tackle uninsured driving in the forthcoming road safety strategy.

The Government keeps motoring offences under review, including those for driving uninsured. In respect to how many and what proportion of road traffic offences were committed by uninsured drivers, my Department does not hold this information.