Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the support for travel costs for children and young people with cancer introduced in the National Cancer Plan for England will be for England only or whether support will also be available for those in other nations, who may travel to England for some or all of their care; and whether any Barnett consequentials will arise from this funding.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.

Through the National Cancer Plan for England, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from treatment. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people. The Department is currently working with its partners to define the scope and parameters of the scheme and further detail will be announced in due course.

Health is predominately devolved. Devolved governments receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. This funding is not new and so Barnett consequentials do not apply. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved governments to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve targeted case-finding and earlier diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in community settings.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To enable faster diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and earlier treatment, access to spirometry tests in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) is growing and will continue to do so as more sites come online. The first five months of 2025/26 saw an increase in CDC spirometry testing of approximately 2,000 tests per month more than in the previous year.

As of November 2025, CDCs are now delivering additional tests and checks in 170 sites across the country. 101 CDCs across the country now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives.

Research into new diagostic tests for COPD, such as computed cardiopulmonography and N-Tidal Diagnose, is underway. Discussions on whether new diagnostic pathways could be developed will be dependent on the research findings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the National Cancer Board will be accountable for the children and young people’s chapter of the National Cancer Plan for England; and, if so, how it will ensure sufficient representation from the children and young people sector.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Cancer Plan for England, published on the 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and provide regular updates to ministers.

The board will be co-chaired by the Director General for Planned Care in the Department, as well as an independent representative. It is important to choose the most suitable appointment process for selecting an independent representative to co-chair the board. Officials from NHS England and the Department are carefully following the required public appointments procedures for the selection of the independent representative.

The reformed National Cancer Board will be established once a co-chair is appointed, which will include a children and young people cancer lead that will support the delivery of the children and young people commitments in the National Cancer Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enable the adoption of innovative diagnostic technologies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease within the NHS; and what engagement they have had with clinical bodies to support large-scale implementation of targeted case-finding pathways that promote earlier diagnosis and help prevent disease progression.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service is working to expand access to innovative diagnostic technologies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Research into new diagnostic tests for COPD, such as computed cardiopulmonography and N-Tidal Diagnose, is underway.

Discussions on whether new diagnostic pathways could be developed will be dependent on the research findings.

NHS England continues to work closely with Respiratory Clinical Networks and bodies such as the British Thoracic Society to support improvements to services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with clinicians and relevant professional bodies regarding the development of new diagnostic pathways for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that reduce reliance on a single test and enable diagnosis in a wider range of care settings.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To enable faster diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and earlier treatment, access to spirometry tests in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) is growing and will continue to do so as more sites come online. The first five months of 2025/26 saw an increase in CDC spirometry testing of approximately 2,000 tests per month more than in the previous year.

As of November 2025, CDCs are now delivering additional tests and checks in 170 sites across the country. 101 CDCs across the country now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives.

Research into new diagostic tests for COPD, such as computed cardiopulmonography and N-Tidal Diagnose, is underway. Discussions on whether new diagnostic pathways could be developed will be dependent on the research findings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish a response to the The Hughes Report: Options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, published on 7 February 2024; and when they expect redress schemes to be approved for sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which sets out options for redress for those harmed by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. The Minister for Health Innovation and Patient Safety recently met with the Patient Safety Commissioner to provide an update on the ongoing health initiatives led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. Though a decision to provide financial compensation has not yet been made, the Government is determined to make meaningful progress on this area.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the communiqué for the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs meeting held on 5 February will be published on gov.uk.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The communiqué was published on 5 March 2026 at Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs communiqués - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what diagnostic and performance data will be collected by services as part of the modern service framework for frailty and dementia, and whether this data will be reported publicly.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with frailty and dementia.

As part of this exercise, we will consider what interventions and performance data should be supported to improve care for those living with dementia and frailty. We are considering all options to help reduce variation and to improve care, including reviewing metrics, data, and targets.

We are working to develop the content of the framework as soon as possible and we will keep partners updated on progress and timings as this work unfolds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures will be included in the modern service framework for frailty and dementia to address current waiting times, and whether this will include a specific target for referral-to-treatment waiting times.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with frailty and dementia.

As part of this exercise, we will consider what interventions should be supported to improve diagnosis waiting times, which we know are too long in many areas. We are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.

We are working to develop the content of the framework as soon as possible and we will keep partners updated on progress and timings as this work unfolds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure transparency and accountability in evaluation of the modern service framework.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia and frailty.

We are working to develop the content of the framework as soon as possible and we will keep partners updated on progress and timings as this work unfolds. We will also consider how best to evaluate the implementation of the modern service framework.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of libraries in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 2 March DCMS announced £150,000 for public libraries to support the National Year of Reading. Funding will be delivered by The Reading Agency in support of the Go All In campaign to reconnect people with reading for pleasure.

The £150,000 fund is expected to support projects across 72 library authority areas which are disadvantaged by high deprivation, weak social infrastructure and low library engagement with the aim of encouraging greater library use and new members.

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading across the UK. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.

Within Northern Ireland, the Department of Communities funds the public library service and it is administered by the Northern Ireland Library Authority, known as Libraries NI. The National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland was launched on 2 February at Stormont with a roundtable event that brought together primary school pupils, authors, government officials, community groups, charities and businesses to explore how the initiative can help more of the nation’s children, young people and adults to rediscover reading through the things they already love. Libraries NI is actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches throughout the year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they are supporting stronger protection of civilians and improved humanitarian access in Sudan, particularly in the areas most affected by conflict.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 19 February before the UN Security Council on Sudan. She highlighted the continued work the UK is doing as the third largest bilateral donor to Sudan, on securing humanitarian access across Sudan and on protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding to account those who are perpetrating or profiting from the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan. I will continue to keep the House updated on the actions the UK is taking alongside our international partners to secure a ceasefire in Sudan, and support the humanitarian needs of its people, including the millions currently suffering from food insecurity and starvation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what additional humanitarian measures they are considering in response to worsening food insecurity across Sudan.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 19 February before the UN Security Council on Sudan. She highlighted the continued work the UK is doing as the third largest bilateral donor to Sudan, on securing humanitarian access across Sudan and on protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding to account those who are perpetrating or profiting from the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan. I will continue to keep the House updated on the actions the UK is taking alongside our international partners to secure a ceasefire in Sudan, and support the humanitarian needs of its people, including the millions currently suffering from food insecurity and starvation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what they are doing to ensure that nutrition remains a properly funded priority within their development portfolio for the people of Sudan.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 19 February before the UN Security Council on Sudan. She highlighted the continued work the UK is doing as the third largest bilateral donor to Sudan, on securing humanitarian access across Sudan and on protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding to account those who are perpetrating or profiting from the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan. I will continue to keep the House updated on the actions the UK is taking alongside our international partners to secure a ceasefire in Sudan, and support the humanitarian needs of its people, including the millions currently suffering from food insecurity and starvation.

Found: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee; Baroness Goudie; Baroness Ludford; Baroness O’Loan; Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

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