Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure NHS England meets its target of 80 per cent breast screening uptake across all regions and eligible groups.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Breast Screening Programme is seeing improvement in uptake nationally with annual data from NHS England for 2024/25 showing 70.6% of women attending their appointment. However, there is much more to do.

NHS England recently published a review of national actions to improve uptake and next steps. This review details actions taken at a national level so far, such as working towards introducing digital options for sending out invitations and managing appointments, raising awareness of the importance of screening through the media, and facilitating learning and gathering evidence to inform programme policy, pathway changes, and guidance.

The review supports breast screening service providers with national solutions, as well as setting out the focus to drive uptake even further. The programme of work will continue to evolve, reflecting and learning from ongoing improvements to the programme, including from data intelligence and digital innovation. The review is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-the-uptake-challenge-a-review-of-progress-and-next-steps/tackling-the-uptake-challenge-a-review-of-progress-and-next-steps#national-actions-to-improve-uptake-and-next-steps

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in City of Durham constituency compared with national averages; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for City of Durham and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.

Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for County Durham can be found at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000047/iid/90933/age/314/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of modern service frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Modern service frameworks (MSFs) will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. The first wave was agreed as:

• Cardiovascular Disease;
• Sepsis; and
• Severe Mental Illness.

The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of MSFs. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for Science and Technology on the potential impact of a respiratory modern service framework on the life sciences ecosystem.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy opportunities in respiratory health.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a respiratory modern Service Framework on winter pressures on the NHS.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.

The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, took action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service during the winter of 2025/26. Further details of the actions taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce disparities in the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing disparities in the early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a specific priority within the National Health Service’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Core20Plus25 targets the most deprived 20% of the population and other underserved groups, prioritising five clinical areas where faster improvement can most effectively reduce health inequalities. This is a key way that the National Health Service will work to end variation in early diagnosis of breast cancer and ensure that access to the best diagnosis is possible for everyone.

We are determined to close inequalities in screening and early diagnosis for ethnic minority communities and underserved communities through our new Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, which is part of £200 million for Cancer Alliances.

The NHS in England collects and analyses data to identify disparities, including in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The data collected captures a patient’s complete journey from referral, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, experience, and survival. NDRS’s strategic priorities focus on making data more timely and accessible, and better understanding health inequalities. To reduce unwarranted variation in outcomes for breast cancer patients, NHS England also funds National Clinical Audits, including for breast cancer. By analysing routine clinical data from NHS settings, these audits identify regional variations in care quality and establish best practices.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service is taking to rectify technical errors in its automated billing system that result in paying parents receiving multiple, conflicting requests for different payment amounts within a single billing cycle; and what compensation is available to parents who have overpaid or underpaid as a result of these errors.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has not identified any errors in our accounting system. For each case CMS maintain a full record of what is owed, what has been paid, and any balances outstanding. It ensures any over- or under-payments are fully reconciled.

The CMS acknowledges receiving multiple letters may be confusing for a parent. CMS is legally required to issue written confirmation of every maintenance calculation generated, meaning where multiple changes occur in quick succession or when there is a change which impacts a previous calculation a letter must be issued. Each letter is dated and will include an accurate record of the changes made and an updated calculation. In addition, customers can check the position of their case at any time through their online My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC).

CMS is taking steps to improve communications with parents, including retiring outdated letters and updating current letters, with a view to making them more user friendly.

Financial redress is not automatic but may be considered where there is evidence of maladministration that has caused financial loss or significant distress.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Palestine.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Under the 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, the Government of Israel committed to the full entry of aid without interference. It is unacceptable that over the last 6 weeks, volumes entering Gaza are only 35 per cent of the minimum targets agreed in the Plan.

This is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and risks undermining the Peace Plan. More crossings and aid corridors must therefore be reopened, and restrictions on humanitarian partners and supplies must be lifted. We will continue to raise these issues directly with the Government of Israel.

13th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh

Legal protections for individuals making protected disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

Workers Memorial Day

Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz

Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners

Palestinian Nakba commemoration march

Use of restraint of children in the asylum system removal process

World Curlew Day

Planned reductions to BBC staff

Universal Credit health for under-22s

Found: meeting Members present: Cat Smith (Chair); James Asser; Bambos Charalambous; Mr Lee Dillon; Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative; Christchurch) Mr Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat; Newbury) Mary Kelly Foy