Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the NICE (NG12) Suspected Cancer: Recognition and referral guidelines.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline on suspected cancer. NICE keeps all its guidance under review and its guideline on the recognition and referral of suspected cancer was updated in April 2026. There are no current plans for a further update of the guideline, including a review of the age criteria for urgent investigations within two-weeks.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to review the age criteria for two week cancer referrals.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline on suspected cancer. NICE keeps all its guidance under review and its guideline on the recognition and referral of suspected cancer was updated in April 2026. There are no current plans for a further update of the guideline, including a review of the age criteria for urgent investigations within two-weeks.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much the (1) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (2) Equality and Human Rights Commission has spent on social media influencers since July 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
1) The Office for Equality and Opportunity has not incurred any expenditure on social media influencers since July 2024.
2) The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government. As an independent arm's length body, it is for the EHRC to decide on how it allocates its budget and operational activity. The Equality Act 2006 sets out the legal duty for the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament a copy of EHRC's Annual Reports and Accounts for the previous financial year. On 21 July, the EHRC published its Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year 2025-2026, which can be found here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/transparency-and-corporate-reporting/annual-reports.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what specific diversity and inclusion (a) days, (b) weeks and (c) months, were recognised and marked by the (i) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (ii) Equality and Human Rights Commission, in the calendar year 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
During the 2025 calendar year, the Office for Equality and Opportunity publicly marked a variety of different days, which can be seen through communications materials and social media content. The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government. As such, it is for the EHRC to decide on how it allocates its budget and operational activity including in relation to external communications marking significant themed days, weeks or months.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will list each industrial dispute live within the (1) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (2) Equality and Human Rights Commission, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Industrial disputes are handled at a departmental level. The Office for Equality and Opportunity is a business unit that is in the process of moving from the Cabinet Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. These departments would have handled any relevant industrial disputes.
The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, further to the answer of 3 June 2026, to Question 3339, on Special Advisers: Public Appointments, how many delivery advisers have been appointed to date, broken down by (a) special advisers, (b) Direct Ministerial Appointments, (c) civil servants appointed by exception, and (d) permanent civil servants appointed through open competition.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
A list of special advisers is published each year in the Annual Report on Special Advisers.
The Department for Work and Pensions has not appointed any Delivery advisors to date.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, further to the answer of 8 July 2026, to Question 14349, on Civil Service: Temporary Employment, if they will list each of the internship schemes have been made available in the last 12 months through the (1) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (2) Equality and Human Rights Commission, other than the Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The OEO took part in the pilot Cabinet Office Future Leaders Policy Internship scheme during summer 2026. This was organised by Cabinet Office HR with OEO volunteering to accept two candidates for an 8 week internship.
The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government. As an independent arm's length body, it is for the EHRC to decide on how it allocates its budget and operational activity. The Equality Act 2006 sets out the legal duty for the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament a copy of EHRC's Annual Reports and Accounts for the previous financial year. On 8 July, the EHRC published its Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year 2025-2026, which can be found here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/transparency-and-corporate-reporting/annual-reports
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what was the total cost of facility time to the (1) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (2) Equality and Human Rights Commission in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26; and what was the headcount number of facility time staff in each; how many were 100% facility time; and whether funding was provided for trade union activities in each of those years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Data on facility time is not held centrally. The Office for Equality and Opportunity does not centrally hold information/data on individuals facility time spent and the costs associated.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the outturn spending was by the (1) Office for Equality and Opportunity and (2) Equality and Human Rights Commission on communications, marketing and advertising in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information is released in regular transparency returns by the Department.
Without targeted campaigns, millions of citizens would miss out on services, rights, and support to which they are entitled.
Campaigns across government have included the NHS Fit for the Future campaign which directly benefits patients by informing them how, where, and when to access transformed health services. The Defence investment campaign also generates thousands of skilled jobs and millions in regional economic growth through awareness.
The Office for Equality and Opportunity incurred expenditure on marketing and media of £189,000 in 2024-25 and £164,000 in 2025-26.
The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government. As an independent arm's length body, it is for the EHRC to decide on how it allocates its budget and operational activity. The Equality Act 2006 sets out the legal duty for the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament a copy of EHRC's Annual Reports and Accounts for the previous financial year. On 8 July, the EHRC published its Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year 2025-2026, which can be found here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/transparency-and-corporate-reporting/annual-reports.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many departmental Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In calendar year 2026 to date, the Ministry of Justice has held two departmental Senior Civil Service events.
The first event was a Senior Leadership Group (SLG) Connect event for Senior Civil Servants at SCS2 level and above. This was held on 5 February 2026 at the Ministry of Justice headquarters at 102 Petty France, London and focused on the future direction of the Justice system and the role of senior leaders. As the event took place in government premises, there were no venue hire costs. Associated expenditure totalled £6,617.65, comprising facilitation, speakers, and stationery costs.
The second event was an all Senior Civil Service conference held on 12 May 2026 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre focused on strengthening performance, leadership and culture across the organisation.
Venue hire costs were £23,028. Associated expenditure totalled £10,987.23 and related to speakers, facilitation, and administration. The total cost of the event was therefore £34,015.23.
Both events were business-focused leadership and engagement events designed to support the effective leadership of the Department, provide opportunities for senior leaders to discuss departmental priorities, and support organisational delivery.
No social or team-building activities were funded at public expense as part of either event.
The total cost of the two events was £40,632.88.