Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when people with brain cancer will have access to personalised vaccines as part of their NHS treatment.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are currently no personalised cancer vaccines with a marketing authorisation for use in the United Kingdom. All new, licensed medicines, including personalised cancer vaccines, are evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which makes recommendations on whether they should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims wherever possible to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing, and cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund from the point of a positive draft NICE recommendation, bringing forward patient access by up to five months.

The measures that we announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan will enhance NICE’s collaboration with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and will support faster access to medicines for NHS patients in England.

Further, the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform set up to accelerate the development of cancer vaccines and speed up access to mRNA personalised cancer vaccine clinical trials for cancer patients. The CVLP has been instrumental in accelerating trial activity in cancer research, with CVLP sites driving faster activation and enrolment timelines. The platform is designed to be company- and clinical trial type-agnostic. Any company that wishes to deliver trials via the platform, including those developing vaccines for brain tumours, can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether government departments meet duties to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled staff.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

All government departments are subject to the Equality Act 2010, which places a legal duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff and job applicants where they would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage. Government Departments meet this duty by providing adjustments such as assistive technology, flexible working arrangements, specialist furniture, interpreters, and accessible workplaces. The Department for Work and Pensions leads the Disability Confident scheme in its capacity supporting disabled people into work, which encourages all employers, including government departments, to recruit, retain and develop disabled people and those with health conditions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help prevent retaliatory actions against staff who have made internal disclosures about disability discrimination.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

As an accredited Disability Confident Leader, the Department for Work and Pensions take seriously its responsibility to support all staff, including those with a disability, who make disclosures about discrimination and preventing any retaliation.

The department has a number of mechanisms, including dedicated harassment, grievance, and HR policies and processes; regular promotion of Speak Up Safely Line and Ambassadors for Fair Treatment providing confidential, and if required anonymous support and guidance. We also provide wellbeing support (including mental health first aiders), as well as promoting a transparent and supportive approach to workplace adjustments, ensuring staff feel safe when disclosing disabilities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on the Land Precision Strike programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is assessing potential opportunities for a Land Deep Fires munition capable of destroying targets out to extended ranges. A decision on Land Precision Strike progress is pending publication of the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many unmanned aerial vehicles the armed forces have procured in 2025 and will procure in 2026.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence has had delivery of over 1,500 uncrewed systems over the last year, and has delivered approximately 95,000 drones to Ukraine since July 2024. For security reasons we cannot provide a breakdown of what systems have been procured.

Drones, including unmanned aerial systems, are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons gleaned from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced an increase in autonomy investment of £2 billion in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.

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 improve glioblastoma survival rates.

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

The Department is committed to supporting an innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that patients in this country can be among the first to benefit as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.

The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as glioblastomas, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the NHS will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.

Early next year, the Government will publish a National Cancer Plan which will set out targeted actions to reduce the lives lost to cancers and improve the experience of patients, including rarer cancers such as glioblastomas.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current lead times are for procuring new tanks, artillery systems and missile platform and how do those times compare to other NATO countries; and what steps he is taking to reduce those timelines.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Industrial Strategy set out an average of six years to contract for major defence platforms. Whilst differing procurement systems make direct comparisons with other countries challenging, our new segmented approach to procurement, supported by accelerated commercial pathways, is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster. We are making progress towards the target date of 1 April 2026 for establishment of the segmented approach in line with the Strategic Defence Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on reducing procurement timelines for major military platforms from six years to two.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Industrial Strategy set out an average of six years to contract for major defence platforms. Whilst differing procurement systems make direct comparisons with other countries challenging, our new segmented approach to procurement, supported by accelerated commercial pathways, is designed to enable programmes to get to contract faster. We are making progress towards the target date of 1 April 2026 for establishment of the segmented approach in line with the Strategic Defence Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We can confirm that additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status is of the Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155 gun system programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 November to Question 88294, which remains extant:

The project aims to achieve Minimum Deployable Capability (MDC) within this decade and will deliver the Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) Calibre Wheeled Artillery System. The project remains in its assessment phase and therefore it remains too early to provide an exact in-service date

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on adapting Type 45 destroyers to carry Sea Ceptor missiles.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Sea Ceptor is already in service on all Type 23 frigates and work is underway to introduce it onto the Type 45 destroyers, as well as the new Type 26 and Type 31 frigates. This expansion of Sea Ceptor will further strengthen local air defence capabilities in the surface fleet.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of whether current and planned orders for Starstreak and Lightweight Modular Missiles are sufficient to replenish stockpiles provided to Ukraine.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We are committed to investing more in munitions as set out in the Strategic Defence Review and details of what we will be investing in will be in the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status is of the Future Combat Air System Tempest programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2024 to Question 79701 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Obese-Jecty).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the UK’s ability to sustain production of major defence equipment during a high-intensity conflict without reliance on overseas supply chains.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out how we must move to warfighting readiness, that includes increasing industrial production and capacity and adding resilience. We are delivering on the SDR vision and the Defence Investment Strategy (DIS) sets out steps forward in this respect.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) is strengthening its supply chains to ensure procurement is more resilient, innovative, and agile. Under the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy, we are developing a collaborative wargaming capability focused on supply chain resilience. This includes surge capacity planning, investment in UK industrial capability, and circular economy initiatives to secure critical raw materials and enable rapid production scaling during times of conflict.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the replacement for Hawk fast jet trainer aircraft will be manufactured in the UK.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review stated the intent to seek cost effective replacements for the Hawk aircraft. Decisions regarding the production, sustainment, and replacement of these aircraft will be made following the completion of the Defence Investment Plan.

The Hon. Gentleman will be aware of this Government’s strong support for making more defence equipment in the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the UK’s ability to improve Challenger 3 production rates.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the supply chain to ensure the timely development of Challenger 3. Focus remains on securing the necessary materials, identifying opportunities and mitigating risk to deliver tanks to users as soon as practicable.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential operational risks arising from reliance on funding from European allies in Ground-Based Air Defence and Integrated Air and Missile Defence.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Whilst the UK works with European partners on a range of air and missile defence issues, the UK is not reliant on funding from European allies for our Ground Based Air Defence or Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities.

His Majesty’s Government announced a £1 billion UK spend on Integrated Air and Missile Defence in the Strategic Defence Review. Further announcements on Integrated Air and Missile Defence investment will be made within the Defence Investment Plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to expand the UK industrial footprint for Boxer vehicle assembly to increase surge capacity in the event of a prolonged conflict.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We have made significant investments in the UK industrial base, including factories, the workforce, and supply chains, to support the manufacture of Boxer vehicles. The Boxer programme is now in full production, with the potential to accommodate additional orders for surge delivery or export customers.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status is of the SKYNET 6 programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Skynet 6 programme continues to progress to meet Defence’s satellite communication needs. The build of the Skynet 6A satellite has transitioned into the testing and validation phase, and the competition and final negotiations for the remaining Skynet 6 satellites are nearing conclusion. The Skynet 6 programme will ensure that the UK retains a resilient satellite communications enterprise out to 2040.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status is of the New Medium Helicopter programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 November 2025 to Question 91436:

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to expand the Short-Range and Medium-Range Air Defence launcher fleet beyond the eight Sky Sabre units set out in the Strategic Defence Review.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The British Army’s Land Ground Based Air Defence programme intends to increase the mass of the current Medium Range Air Defence fleet.

The programme strives to modernise Defence’s ground-based air defence capabilities in the face of rapidly developing threats and is a high priority for the Army.

It was only a short time ago that I was in Bolton to order more Sky Sabre Systems.

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

Lisa Petrie's response to her son's fatal stabbing

Durham Gilesgate Primary School Parents, Teachers and Friends Association Award

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Steve Barclay (Chair); Luke Akehurst; Irene Campbell; Paul Davies

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Steve Barclay (Chair); Luke Akehurst; Irene Campbell; Paul Davies

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Steve Barclay (Chair); Luke Akehurst; Irene Campbell; Paul Davies

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Steve Barclay (Chair); Luke Akehurst; Irene Campbell; Paul Davies