Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussion he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, (b) trade unions and (c) employers on the Health and Safety Executive's news report entitled Offshore process isolation failures present major accident hazard risk, published on 17 December 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Energy Division within the Health and Safey Executive (HSE) leads on regulatory activity in the offshore oil and gas sector. As part of their regulatory activity they regularly engage with employers, their representatives, and other government departments. One such forum is the Offshore Major Accident Hazards Advisory Committee (OMAHAC). OMAHAC is a tripartite committee that includes HSE, members who represent regulators, operators and owners and worker representatives. The matters identified in the news report have been discussed in that forum as well as with other relevant stakeholders.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with radiotherapy professionals on the upcoming national cancer plan.

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

We have been working closely with radiotherapy professionals and the national clinical adviser for radiotherapy, throughout the development the National Cancer Plan to understand the specific challenges that radiotherapy services face. We will continue to work with professionals to identify how we can reduce barriers to access, cut waiting lists, and improve outcomes for cancer patients who require radiotherapy services. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years.

All key evidence from clinicians, stakeholders and parliamentarians has been considered in the plan's development, as well as over 11,000 responses, many of which were from clinicians to our Call for Evidence. We are grateful for everyone's involvement in this important work.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the fatal incident on the Valaris 121 jackup drill rig on 14 November 2025, whether the Maritime Accident and Investigation Branch (a) registered the UK as a Substantially Interested State and (b) provided assistance to the Liberian Shipping Registry.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is aware of the accident on the Valaris 121 jack-up drilling rig that occurred on the 14 November 2025. The MAIB has been in contact with the Liberian Ship Registry and received confirmation that the registry is conducting a preliminary assessment into the incident, which is in the evidence gathering phase.

As Valaris 121 was jacked-up, immobile and carrying out drilling operations, its operations fall under the purview of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore. The MAIB has received confirmation that HSE (Offshore) has commenced an investigation into the accident, and HSE’s contact details have been passed to the Liberian Ship Registry.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in light of the fatal incident on the Valaris 121 jackup drilling rig on the UK Continental Shelf on 14 November 2025, if she will provide an update on the Liberian Ship Registry’s investigation into its causes.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is aware of the accident on the Valaris 121 jack-up drilling rig that occurred on the 14 November 2025. The MAIB has been in contact with the Liberian Ship Registry and received confirmation that the registry is conducting a preliminary assessment into the incident, which is in the evidence gathering phase.

As Valaris 121 was jacked-up, immobile and carrying out drilling operations, its operations fall under the purview of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore. The MAIB has received confirmation that HSE (Offshore) has commenced an investigation into the accident, and HSE’s contact details have been passed to the Liberian Ship Registry.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the additional number of people expected to be diagnosed with cancer as a result of increases in NHS cancer screening uptake in a) 2026, b) 2027 and c) 2028.

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

As a Government, we are taking decisive action so that the National Health Service diagnoses cancer earlier and treats it faster.

Last year, we announced the introduction of self-test kits for under-screened women in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Under-screened women will receive home testing kits starting with those that are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from life-saving screening.

In the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, a more sensitive threshold for the bowel screening faecal immunochemical test is being piloted, and if rolled out nationally could find 700 more colorectal cancers per year and 2,000 high risk polyps.

In February 2025, NHS England launched the first ever NHS breast screening campaign nationally to widespread media attention. It ran across television, radio, social media, and outdoor advertising, targeting women of breast screening age, with a focus on those least likely to attend, including younger women, those in deprived areas, ethnic minorities, and disabled women.

This Government is committed to focusing on early intervention and helping people to live longer, healthier lives. These initiatives, among others, mean we expect to identify more people who are living with cancer in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and catch those cancers earlier.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people expected to be diagnosed with cancer as a result of NHS cancer screening programmes in a) 2026, b) 2027 and c) 2028.

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

As a Government, we are taking decisive action so that the National Health Service diagnoses cancer earlier and treats it faster.

Last year, we announced the introduction of self-test kits for under-screened women in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Under-screened women will receive home testing kits starting with those that are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from life-saving screening.

In the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, a more sensitive threshold for the bowel screening faecal immunochemical test is being piloted, and if rolled out nationally could find 700 more colorectal cancers per year and 2,000 high risk polyps.

In February 2025, NHS England launched the first ever NHS breast screening campaign nationally to widespread media attention. It ran across television, radio, social media, and outdoor advertising, targeting women of breast screening age, with a focus on those least likely to attend, including younger women, those in deprived areas, ethnic minorities, and disabled women.

This Government is committed to focusing on early intervention and helping people to live longer, healthier lives. These initiatives, among others, mean we expect to identify more people who are living with cancer in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and catch those cancers earlier.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of firefighters to meet operational demand.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) does not have data on firefighter vacancies and recruitment, but it does publish fire and rescue service (FRS) workforce numbers. The latest published statistics say that while the full time equivalent (FTE) number of firefighters has reduced by 0.5%, the total number of FRS staff (FTE) has increased by 0.6% on the previous year.

Decisions on how fire and rescue services are run, their resources and crewing numbers, are for the local Chief Fire Officers and their democratically elected fire and rescue authority. They are responsible for ensuring the needs and demands of their local community are met and are able to direct their resources where they are needed most.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help increase firefighter recruitment.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

While the Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work, is it individual fire and rescue authorities that are responsible for recruitment and decisions around deployment of resources.

The provisional 2026-27 Settlement will make available almost £1.99bn in Core Spending Power for standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities in England, a 4.4% increase compared to 2025-26. By the end of the multi-year period (2026-27 to 2028-29), we will have provided a 12.6% increase compared to 2025-26. (NB: this excludes Greater Manchester and York and North Yorkshire mayoral authorities.)

Public inquiry into Epstein links

New US sanctions on Cuba

Civil service pension scheme

Trends in the level of poverty

British forces on the front line in Afghanistan

Right To Food UK Commission

Local news journalism and STV regional broadcasting

Situation in Iran

Food insecurity amongst workers in food processing, manufacturing and retail sectors