Written questions by Farron.

What estimate he has made of the average travel distance for cancer patients from South Cumbria and North Lancashire required to attend Royal Preston Hospital for radiotherapy.

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring healthcare needs of local communities in England are met. For the Royal Preston Hospital, this is the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.The National Health Service in England runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.The Department has not made any assessment of average travel distances in the South Cumbria and North Lancashire area.

How many patients resident in the postcode district (a) LA2, (b) LA5, (c) LA6, (d) LA7, (e) LA8, (f) LA9, (g) LA10, (h) LA11, (i) LA12, (j) LA13, (k) LA14, (l) LA15, (m) LA16, (n) LA17, (o) LA18, (p) LA19, (q) LA20, (r) LA21, (s) LA22 and (t) LA23 received radiotherapy treatment at the Rosemere Cancer Centre, Royal Preston Hospital in each of the last five years.

The attached table shows the number of patients who received radiotherapy treatment at the Rosemere Cancer Centre, Royal Preston Hospital each year between 2019 and 2024 for the postcode districts requested.

What steps his Department has taken to increase availability of Megestrol 160mg tablets for surgery based pharmacies.

We are aware of supply issues affecting Megestrol Acetate 160 milligram tablets, for which we issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service. This supply issue should start being resolved the week commencing 14 July 2025. We continue to work with the supplier to ensure full resolution.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential reasons for the level of availability of Megestrol 160mg tablets.

We are aware of supply issues affecting Megestrol Acetate 160 milligram tablets, for which we issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service. This supply issue should start being resolved the week commencing 14 July 2025. We continue to work with the supplier to ensure full resolution.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increased regulation on the nutritional value of baby food.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influences many aspects of wellbeing in later life.It is vital that we maintain the highest standards for foods consumed by babies and infants, which is why we have regulations in place that set nutritional and compositional standards for commercial baby food. The regulations also set labelling standards to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information about the products they buy. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure they reflect the latest scientific and dietary guidelines.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the availability of dental appointments for women.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist and are committed to reducing health inequalities.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards across England.

Whether the NHS was instructed to proceed with engagement on AI auto contouring funding in 2024 following the previous Government's funding announcement.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. While no assessment has been made, we will continue to monitor developments and any potential impacts on waiting times.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.We will be spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.The Department will continue to look at opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to diagnostic performance and ultimately bring down waiting times.

For what reason the NHS was preparing for AI auto contouring funding in September 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of not providing this funding on planning by radiotherapy departments.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. While no assessment has been made, we will continue to monitor developments and any potential impacts on waiting times.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.We will be spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.The Department will continue to look at opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to diagnostic performance and ultimately bring down waiting times.

What (a) webinars, (b) meetings and (c) other engagements NHS England undertook with radiotherapy networks on access to the AI auto contouring funding announced on 21 May 2024; and whether alternative funding will be made available to support AI use in radiotherapy.

The information requested is not held by the Department, but we are seeking advice from NHS England on the impact of these webinars and subsequent engagement that they have undertaken.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.The Department supports the National Health Service in reviewing opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to transform performance, bring down waiting times, and support staff with their workload. We expect that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, to ensure that they receive the best possible care. This includes the use of artificial intelligence where available.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of AI auto contouring funding on NHS waiting times for radiotherapy treatment.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. While no assessment has been made, we will continue to monitor developments and any potential impacts on waiting times.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.We will be spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.The Department will continue to look at opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to diagnostic performance and ultimately bring down waiting times.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the webinars held by NHS England with hospital staff on AI auto contouring funding in September 2024 on staff expectations for that technology.

The information requested is not held by the Department, but we are seeking advice from NHS England on the impact of these webinars and subsequent engagement that they have undertaken.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.The Department supports the National Health Service in reviewing opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to transform performance, bring down waiting times, and support staff with their workload. We expect that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, to ensure that they receive the best possible care. This includes the use of artificial intelligence where available.

If his Department will publish all correspondence between the NHS, his Department and Ministers on AI auto contouring funding in 2024.

The Department does not plan to publish correspondence between the National Health Service and Ministers on this topic from 2024.

Whether he plans to attend the World Health Organisation’s Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in March 2025.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is unable to attend this World Health Organisation (WHO) conference. We aim to support attendance at relevant international events where possible and as appropriate, and work across Government to determine if and how Ministers can undertake travel, considering availability and finite resources.The Government recognises that air pollution is a local, regional, and global issue and continues to be a long-standing supporter and member of the WHO. In advance of the Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, the United Kingdom is providing funding to the WHO to refresh and synthesize the evidence base on the health impacts of air pollution.

How many radiotherapy machines are (a) over the 10-year recommended age and (b) at risk of being out of date by the end of 2025; and how many of such machines he plans to replaced with funding announced in paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Government will continue to support the provision of radiotherapy machines, however, since April 2022 the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines has been with local systems. NHS England will allocate funding to trusts to purchase new radiotherapy machines, and trusts may purchase different types of machines. Therefore, it is not yet known how many machines will be purchased.The number of radiotherapy machines in use which are over the 10-year recommended age is not published by NHS England.

Whether his Department (a) has consulted and (b) plans consult with (i) clinical experts, (ii) the radiotherapy industry, (iii) patients and (iv) charities on how best to allocate the funds announced in the Budget for new radiotherapy machines.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed, so that the new machines can best meet the needs of patients across the country. The Department has no plans to consult on this matter.

With reference to paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, what criteria he plans to use to prioritise the allocation of the funds for radiotherapy cancer treatments.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments.

With reference to paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, what estimate he has made of the number of radiotherapy machines that will be replaced; and whether his Department plans to fundi a rolling replacement programme.

NHS England will allocate funding to trusts to purchase new radiotherapy machines, and trusts may purchase different types of machines. Therefore, it is not yet known how many machines will be purchased. There are currently no plans to have a rolling replacement programme.

What percentage of cancer patients have access to radiotherapy as their primary treatment; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of barriers to increasing that percentage.

Radiotherapy is available to all patients. Clinicians will help patients to determine the best treatment option for their cancer. No assessment has been made of the potential implications, as all patients have access to radiotherapy treatment on the National Health Service.

With reference to paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, whether the £70 million for new radiotherapy machines will be made available to upgrade machines.

The funding for new radiotherapy machines will be used to replace outdated machines, and allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. The new machines will support the recovery of cancer waiting times and help ensure that patients have access to the most up-to-date treatments.

If his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of radiotherapy infrastructure.

There are currently no plans to make an assessment of radiotherapy infrastructure.