Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which genomic and biomarker testing is routinely embedded at the point of cancer diagnosis across NHS England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory, which includes tests for over 200 cancer clinical indications.
From April 2026 NHS England has been embedding a new operating model for delivery of the NHS GMS through seven NHS GMS Lead Providers. Each NHS GMS will deliver a cancer genomics clinical function to bring together multi-profession leadership to embed and drive improvements in end to end cancer genomics pathways and deliver genomic testing in clinically relevant turnaround times. The programme also includes expanding the number of cellular pathology genomic centres to streamline the cancer diagnostic sample pathway and support timely return of genomic test results to inform clinical management and enable cancer patients to access innovative therapies.
In addition, the National Cancer Plan identified diagnostic technologies as a strategic research priority for improving survival rates for those living with or treated for cancer. The Office for Life Sciences has funded a primary care intervention study via the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment Programme to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of the use of multi-cancer detection tests in primary care to support future commissioning of diagnostic biomarkers in diagnostic pathways.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of barriers to the adoption of personalised treatment approaches for blood cancer patients.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring blood cancer patients can benefit from more personalised approaches to treatment where these are supported by the best available evidence.
The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will support this through expanding access to genomics, modernising diagnostic services, and accelerating the adoption of evidence-based innovation across the National Health Service. By 2028, genomic data will be integrated into the unified genomic record as part of the Single Patient Record, enabling clinicians to identify the most effective treatment pathway more quickly.
Decisions on the commissioning and adoption of individual tests and treatments are informed by the available clinical evidence and are the responsibility of NHS England. Decisions about an individual's treatment are made by clinicians and multidisciplinary teams, taking account of the patient's clinical circumstances.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential role of minimal residual disease testing in supporting more personalised treatment pathways for blood cancer patients.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring blood cancer patients can benefit from more personalised approaches to treatment where these are supported by the best available evidence.
The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will support this through expanding access to genomics, modernising diagnostic services, and accelerating the adoption of evidence-based innovation across the National Health Service. By 2028, genomic data will be integrated into the unified genomic record as part of the Single Patient Record, enabling clinicians to identify the most effective treatment pathway more quickly.
Decisions on the commissioning and adoption of individual tests and treatments are informed by the available clinical evidence and are the responsibility of NHS England. Decisions about an individual's treatment are made by clinicians and multidisciplinary teams, taking account of the patient's clinical circumstances.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that personalised approaches to blood cancer treatment are reflected in plans to shift care closer to home.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Cancer Plan sets out a modern cancer care model that is more personalised, coordinated and delivered closer to home where clinically appropriate. The Neighbourhood Health Service will support delivery of this model by bringing elements of cancer care into community settings such as neighbourhood health centres, alongside other local services.
Multi-disciplinary neighbourhood teams will coordinate care around the individual, including those with blood cancer, helping to reduce fragmentation between services, improve integration across health and community provision, and better align care with people’s day-to-day lives.
Furthermore, in 2025, we published Standardising Community Services which provides an overview of community health services. Further guidance was published in February 2026, providing more detailed descriptions of the core components of community health services for integrated care boards, and a copy of this is attached.
Clear definitions of core community health services will enable systems to measure demand, capacity and workforce, and streamline services to reduce unwarranted variations, including for cancer care. This guidance will also support commissioners in making investment choices when designing neighbourhood health services and in moving more care into the community.
We need to ensure that staff across the health and care system are supported to work as effectively as possible for their populations, in joined-up, integrated neighbourhood teams. That is why neighbourhood health is designed to support them, by bringing professionals together in new neighbourhood teams to cut duplication and use digital tools to make their day-to-day work more efficient so they can focus on patient care.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that community health services are equipped to support appropriate elements of blood cancer care.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Cancer Plan sets out a modern cancer care model that is more personalised, coordinated and delivered closer to home where clinically appropriate. The Neighbourhood Health Service will support delivery of this model by bringing elements of cancer care into community settings such as neighbourhood health centres, alongside other local services.
Multi-disciplinary neighbourhood teams will coordinate care around the individual, including those with blood cancer, helping to reduce fragmentation between services, improve integration across health and community provision, and better align care with people’s day-to-day lives.
Furthermore, in 2025, we published Standardising Community Services which provides an overview of community health services. Further guidance was published in February 2026, providing more detailed descriptions of the core components of community health services for integrated care boards, and a copy of this is attached.
Clear definitions of core community health services will enable systems to measure demand, capacity and workforce, and streamline services to reduce unwarranted variations, including for cancer care. This guidance will also support commissioners in making investment choices when designing neighbourhood health services and in moving more care into the community.
We need to ensure that staff across the health and care system are supported to work as effectively as possible for their populations, in joined-up, integrated neighbourhood teams. That is why neighbourhood health is designed to support them, by bringing professionals together in new neighbourhood teams to cut duplication and use digital tools to make their day-to-day work more efficient so they can focus on patient care.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that advanced therapy medicinal product clinical trials in the United Kingdom reflect the diversity of patient populations who might benefit from those treatments.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding the UK-funded World Food Programme cash assistance for conflict-affected Lebanese, (1) in which areas of Lebanon is the assistance is being delivered, (2) which organisations are acting as implementing partners and (3) what safeguards are in place to ensure that UK-funded assistance does not benefit Hezbollah.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Lebanon programme provides funding to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Lebanese Internal Security Forces (LISF) through targeted capacity building. In Financial Year 2025/26, UK assistance enabled LAF border deployments, training, essential equipment provision, and greater interoperability between the LAF and LISF. Palladium supports the delivery of UK funded programmes by providing technical advisory capacity.
World Food Programme (WFP) and other direct partners, including under the ISF, undergo enhanced due diligence to ensure strong controls preventing aid diversion, including risks of diversion to terrorists. UK cash assistance for vulnerable Lebanese households is distributed via WFP and downstream partners SHEILD, World Vision, Lebanese Red Cross and Caritas Lebanon and channelled nationwide through the Lebanese government's Shock Responsive Safety Net (SRSN) which targets the most vulnerable conflict affected families based on acute humanitarian needs. All funding is provided through reputable financial service providers.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what UK programmes were used to provide funding to the government of Lebanon or the Lebanese armed forces to support the dismantling of Hezbollah in the financial year 2025/26.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Lebanon programme provides funding to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Lebanese Internal Security Forces (LISF) through targeted capacity building. In Financial Year 2025/26, UK assistance enabled LAF border deployments, training, essential equipment provision, and greater interoperability between the LAF and LISF. Palladium supports the delivery of UK funded programmes by providing technical advisory capacity.
World Food Programme (WFP) and other direct partners, including under the ISF, undergo enhanced due diligence to ensure strong controls preventing aid diversion, including risks of diversion to terrorists. UK cash assistance for vulnerable Lebanese households is distributed via WFP and downstream partners SHEILD, World Vision, Lebanese Red Cross and Caritas Lebanon and channelled nationwide through the Lebanese government's Shock Responsive Safety Net (SRSN) which targets the most vulnerable conflict affected families based on acute humanitarian needs. All funding is provided through reputable financial service providers.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what role the company Palladium International Ltd plays in delivering UK-funded programmes in Lebanon.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Lebanon programme provides funding to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Lebanese Internal Security Forces (LISF) through targeted capacity building. In Financial Year 2025/26, UK assistance enabled LAF border deployments, training, essential equipment provision, and greater interoperability between the LAF and LISF. Palladium supports the delivery of UK funded programmes by providing technical advisory capacity.
World Food Programme (WFP) and other direct partners, including under the ISF, undergo enhanced due diligence to ensure strong controls preventing aid diversion, including risks of diversion to terrorists. UK cash assistance for vulnerable Lebanese households is distributed via WFP and downstream partners SHEILD, World Vision, Lebanese Red Cross and Caritas Lebanon and channelled nationwide through the Lebanese government's Shock Responsive Safety Net (SRSN) which targets the most vulnerable conflict affected families based on acute humanitarian needs. All funding is provided through reputable financial service providers.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Kingdom remains internationally competitive in attracting cell and gene therapy trials, including CAR-T; and to ensure that patients can access innovative treatments without delay.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the United Kingdom a world-leading destination for clinical research including cell and gene therapies such as CAR-T. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including gene therapy treatments.
The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, across the development pathway.
The NIHR Industry Hub, launched in October 2025, provides a single front door for companies in England, coordinating research infrastructure into one coherent, streamlined offer.
NIHR infrastructure offers innovators access to world-leading expertise, facilities, and support for the delivery of clinical trials, strengthening the UK’s position as a partner of choice for cell and gene therapy studies. The NIHR’s Biomedical Research Centres and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres support early translational and experimental medicine studies, offering world-leading scientific expertise and clinical capability for complex, early phase, and first-in-human trials, including CAR-T. This helps de-risk development and attract cutting-edge studies to the UK.
NIHR’s Clinical Research Facilities provide specialist environments and the skilled workforce required to deliver these complex therapies safely and efficiently. To improve delivery at scale, the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network and Commercial Research Delivery Centres are established to support rapid and efficient delivery of clinical trials and provide dedicated capacity and capability across the country. This will further enhance the UKs competitiveness by improving the speed and reliability of study setup and delivery.
In addition, the NIHR supported Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATTCs) play a key role in the development of advanced therapy medicinal products clinical trials. By developing national infrastructure, standardising delivery pathways, and supporting centres across a range of geographies, ATTCs help ensure that advanced therapies can be delivered beyond a small number of highly specialised sites.