Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the randomised control trial study report entitled Cost utility analysis of adding abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone to long term hormone therapy in newly diagnosed advanced prostate cancer in England: Lifetime decision model based on STAMPEDE trial data, published in June 2022, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of that study on the cost utility of adding abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone to long term hormone therapy in men with newly diagnosed high risk non metastatic prostate cancer.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England considered abiraterone as an off-label treatment for hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer through its clinical policy development process in 2024/25. Through this process, NHS England confirmed that there was sufficient supporting evidence to support the routine commissioning of abiraterone in this indication, and it was ranked in the highest priority level. However, at this point in time, it has not been possible to identify the necessary recurrent headroom in revenue budgets to support the funding of any treatments under consideration. This position is being kept under review.
NHS England examined papers from the STAMPEDE trial, including Cost utility analysis of adding abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone to long term hormone therapy in newly diagnosed advanced prostate cancer in England: Lifetime decision model based on STAMPEDE trial data, as part of the review of evidence for the policy proposition.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of delays in the S106 process; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of standardised agreements.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognise that protracted negotiations on section 106 agreements increase costs for local authorities and developers, and can have a disproportionate impact on SME builders.
On 28 May 2025, the government published the Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds (which can be found on gov.uk here). The working paper seeks views and evidence as to how section 106 obligations can be agreed more quickly, and the role national government should play in improving the process – including the merits of a standardised s106 template for medium sites. We will consider comments received on this working paper, which will inform a consultation later in the year.
Planning practice guidance on planning obligations encourages local planning authorities to use and publish standard forms and templates to assist with the process of agreeing planning obligations. These could include model agreements and clauses (including those already published by other bodies), that could be made publicly available to help with the planning application process. The guidance also states that planning obligations should be negotiated to enable decisions on planning applications to be made within the statutory time limits or a longer period where agreed in writing between the local planning authority and the applicant.
The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions, including section 106 planning obligations, to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to court infrastructure of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be considered as part of the agency’s annual budgeting cycle.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to courts of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be considered as part of the agency’s annual budgeting cycle.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the potential legal costs for her Department of implementing the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
No such estimates have been produced. Any financial implications of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised Code of Practice at MoJ HQ will be considered as part of the Department’s annual budgeting process.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to prisons of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in prisons will be considered as part of HM Prison and Probation Service’s annual budgeting cycle.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to update the existing regulations on (a) composition, (b) marketing and (c) labelling of commercial infant and toddler foods to ensure products are suitably nutritious.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
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.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which departments are contributing to ensuring that the distinct needs of young people are reflected in the development of the cross-governmental homelessness strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people.
We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy.
We have also established an Expert Group to bring together representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector, local and combined authorities and wider experts. The role of this expert group is to provide knowledge, analysis and challenge to help Government understand what is working well nationally and locally and where improvements are needed. We will continue to meet with a range of stakeholders, including mayors and MPs, to make sure the strategy is informed by a range of expertise.
As well as work on the Inter-Ministerial Group and Expert Group we are also working closely with the sector to deliver a number of lived experience forums to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are reflected in the homelessness strategy.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the trail hunting consultation; and if he will an assessment of the potential merits of (a) reviewing current exemptions within the Hunting Act to prevent exploitation, (b) introducing stronger deterrents to illegal hunting, and (c) enhancing protections for (i) deer and (ii) other wildlife from being hunted with dogs.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England and Wales only.
This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans in a generation to improve animal welfare and that is exactly what we will do. As part of this, we are committed to banning trail hunting. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further details will be set out on due course.
The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs, except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions in the Act.
Enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including longer-term funding settlements for homelessness services in the (a) Comprehensive Spending Review and (b) Homelessness Strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Future funding for homelessness services is subject to the outcome of phase 2 of the Spending Review.
Councils can also draw from the wider local government finance settlement to help meet homelessness costs. We know that the sector has long called for long-term certainty on its budgets. That is why the government is committed to providing a multi-year funding settlement starting in 2026-27.