Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was between referral for and receipt of a colonoscopy in each trust in each year between 2020 and 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data is not held centrally on the average waiting time between referral for and receipt of a colonoscopy in each National Health Service trust, each year between 2020 and 2024.
Data is published on the median waiting times nationally for colonoscopies. The median waiting times value represents the point at which 50% of people have been in the waiting list for more than this value, and 50% of people have been in the waiting list, waiting less than this value. It does not directly capture the time from the referral to the test.
The following table shows the median waiting time measured in weeks, in August, which is the latest published month of data, each year from 2020 to 2024.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Median waiting time | 8.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.1 |
Source: monthly activity and waiting list data for diagnostics is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of colonoscopy procedures in each of the next five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not publish data on future projections for colonoscopy procedures, including projections over the next five years. However, demand modelling is a routine part of our work.
The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services, including for colonoscopies, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to support the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the diagnosis of bowel cancer; and whether he has made an assessment of the barriers to effective adoption of that implementation.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) in improving cancer diagnosis. We are supportive of the use of AI to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including bowel cancer. New AI technologies are being developed with the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and treatment for diseases such as cancer. The NHS AI Lab has provided £113 million, through the NHS AI Health and Care Awards, to 86 AI technologies, which are live in 40% of National Health Service acute trusts in England, and hundreds of Primary Care Networks across the United Kingdom. Many of these AI technologies are being tested to support with cancer diagnosis.
The Department is carrying out work to assess the barriers to effective adoption and improve the way AI tools are deployed across the NHS through a number of initiatives. The NHS AI Lab’s Ethics Initiative invests in research and practical interventions that could strengthen the ethical adoption of AI within health and care, and addresses risks and concerns over their use. Additionally, the NHS AI and Digital regulations service, in partnership with healthcare regulators, gives innovators and health and care providers a one-stop-shop for support, information, and guidance on the regulation and evaluation of AI technologies.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to require schools to make an assessment of the social, emotional and behavioural needs of pupils.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Schools and further education colleges are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the children and young people they support. In the case of mainstream settings, they must use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need.
Schools report on the pupils they identify with social, emotional and mental health needs through the School Census. In 2024, 316,327 pupils were identified as having a social, emotional and mental health need as a primary type of need.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average overall cost for bowel cancer patients was in each of the last five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on the average overall cost for bowel cancer patients is not specifically recorded.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out how the Department will receive an additional £22.6 billion in resource spending in 2025/26, compared to 2023/24, which will support the National Health Service to deliver 40,000 additional elective appointments a week, to help bring down waiting lists, which includes appointments for cancer patients.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the social value of the use of (a) outdoor areas and (b) waterways for (i) the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and (ii) other youth services.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing, including that of young adults, and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. This is why we have set out our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, expanding access to the great outdoors. We will make further announcements on plans to develop policy on access to nature in due course.
In addition the Government is providing funding to deliver a second phase of Generation Green, to help more disadvantaged children and young people experience the benefits of the great outdoors.
This Government also recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives. Youth services, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, utilise outdoor areas and waterways to provide young people with opportunities to take part in activities such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, cycling and climbing, as well as a range of volunteering opportunities. These experiences help build participants' core skills for life and work and support their mental and physical well-being.
Use of inland waterways specifically for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or other youth services, and any assessment of their social value for these purposes specifically, are matters for local arrangement with navigation authorities or other waterway owners.