Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Department is taking to improve early identification and monitoring of precursor conditions for blood cancer, such as MGUS and smoldering myeloma.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose blood cancer and precursor conditions as quickly as possible and to treat them faster, to improve outcomes.

To improve diagnoses of blood cancers and precursor conditions, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations.

The Government will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancers earlier and treating them faster, and will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.

The National Cancer Plan, which will be published in the new year, will include further details on how the NHS will improve outcomes for all cancer patients, including 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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a data-driven system to (a) identify and (b) address disparities in the early diagnosis of cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department remains committed to making improvements across different cancer types and to reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the National Health Service’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities.

The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The data collected captures a patient’s complete journey from referral, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, experience, and survival. The data collected is used to inform trends and monitor and detect changes in health and disease in the population, including disparities in diagnosis. NDRS’s strategic priorities focus on making data more timely and accessible, and better understanding health inequalities.

Furthermore, the National Cancer Plan, to be published in the new year, will include further details on how we will use data to improve outcomes for cancer patients in England, including by driving earlier diagnosis and reducing the gap in early diagnosis between those living in the richest and poorest areas.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the Child Nutrition Fund to ensure safe and nutritious diets are accessible to more women and children.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 November to Question 89032.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much she has (a) committed and (b) disbursed to the Child Nutrition Fund.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 November to Question 89032.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the results-based target for improving nutrition for women and children is measurable and time-bound.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 November to Question 89032.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans she has to facilitate discussions between Post Office and the major banks on expanding in-person banking services at post offices.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of access to cash and banking services for businesses and individuals, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or require assistance and is supportive of industry initiatives that improve access to these vital services.

The Post Office plays a key role in supporting access to banking services. Under the Banking Framework, a commercial agreement between the Post Office and 30 banking firms, personal and business customers can withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK. The specific services provided under the Framework are subject to commercial negotiations between individual banks and the Post Office, and the Government has no role in deciding what these arrangements are.

The Government would welcome continued collaboration between Post Office and the banking sector, on a commercial basis and will look to host joint discussions with Post Office and the banking sector in the coming months.

Found: Back UK legislation proposed by Bambos Charalambous MP, to mandate private creditors’ participation in

Found: Back UK legislation proposed by Bambos Charalambous MP,xvi to mandate private creditors’ participation

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Cat Smith (Chair); James Asser; Bambos Charalambous; Mr Lee Dillon

Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) are an important tool for Members of Parliament to obtain detailed and targeted information to aid in the scrutiny of Government policy and operations. The long-established purpose of WPQs is to uphold transparency and accountability by ensuring that the Government provides clear and timely information to Parliament, and to the public via their publication.