Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 ensure that public health objectives do not adversely impact the agriculture and food producer sector, in the context of proposed changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to updating the standards behind the advertising and promotions restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink and we are consulting on proposals for applying the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) to these policies.
The NPM is used as part of a two-step process to determine ‘less healthy’ food or drink products in scope of the advertising and promotions restrictions. Products must first fall within one of the product categories in the legislation and second, score four or above for food, or one or above for drink in an NPM assessment. Fruit juices without added sugar are not in scope of our current promotions and advertising restrictions.
Our consultation seeks feedback on the impact and challenges associated with the proposal for industry and enforcement authorities and gathers views on what further support is needed to help adapt to the requirements of the new NPM. A consultation-stage impact assessment, setting out the direct costs to businesses for the proposed application of the new NPM to these restrictions, was published alongside the consultation.
We will use evidence from the consultation to inform the final impact assessment and welcome views from the fruit juice, agriculture, and food producer sectors. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the final impact assessment would be published ahead of any changes being made.
Detailed impact assessments for the current advertising and promotions restrictions, which set out the costs to industry, can also be found on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of classifying the fruit juice category as not healthy in proposed Nutrient Profiling Model reforms on UK businesses.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to updating the standards behind the advertising and promotions restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink and we are consulting on proposals for applying the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) to these policies.
The NPM is used as part of a two-step process to determine ‘less healthy’ food or drink products in scope of the advertising and promotions restrictions. Products must first fall within one of the product categories in the legislation and second, score four or above for food, or one or above for drink in an NPM assessment. Fruit juices without added sugar are not in scope of our current promotions and advertising restrictions.
Our consultation seeks feedback on the impact and challenges associated with the proposal for industry and enforcement authorities and gathers views on what further support is needed to help adapt to the requirements of the new NPM. A consultation-stage impact assessment, setting out the direct costs to businesses for the proposed application of the new NPM to these restrictions, was published alongside the consultation.
We will use evidence from the consultation to inform the final impact assessment and welcome views from the fruit juice, agriculture, and food producer sectors. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the final impact assessment would be published ahead of any changes being made.
Detailed impact assessments for the current advertising and promotions restrictions, which set out the costs to industry, can also be found on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model on (a) businesses and (b) employment within the fruit juice sector.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to updating the standards behind the advertising and promotions restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink and we are consulting on proposals for applying the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) to these policies.
The NPM is used as part of a two-step process to determine ‘less healthy’ food or drink products in scope of the advertising and promotions restrictions. Products must first fall within one of the product categories in the legislation and second, score four or above for food, or one or above for drink in an NPM assessment. Fruit juices without added sugar are not in scope of our current promotions and advertising restrictions.
Our consultation seeks feedback on the impact and challenges associated with the proposal for industry and enforcement authorities and gathers views on what further support is needed to help adapt to the requirements of the new NPM. A consultation-stage impact assessment, setting out the direct costs to businesses for the proposed application of the new NPM to these restrictions, was published alongside the consultation.
We will use evidence from the consultation to inform the final impact assessment and welcome views from the fruit juice, agriculture, and food producer sectors. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the final impact assessment would be published ahead of any changes being made.
Detailed impact assessments for the current advertising and promotions restrictions, which set out the costs to industry, can also be found on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to implement provisions accommodating elderly patients undergoing long waiting times in accident and emergency departments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the pressures facing urgent and emergency care services and are committed to restoring waiting times to the standards set out in the NHS Constitution. The proportion of patients in accident and emergency admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours was 76.9% in April 2026, 2.1 percentage points higher than April 2025.
For patients who experience longer waits, including older and more vulnerable patients, there is clear clinical guidance that their condition should continue to be monitored while they are waiting. This is to ensure patient safety, including the early identification of any deterioration in condition and escalation where required, in line with national clinical standards.
More broadly, the Government and NHS England are taking significant action to reduce waiting times and improve patient flow. The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework and the Model Emergency Department set out a clear trajectory to improve performance year-on-year, reduce long waits and overcrowding, and ensure patients are seen more quickly and in the most appropriate setting, supported by investment in staff, digital triage and community urgent care.
Expanding care outside hospital is also central to reducing pressure on emergency departments, improving outcomes, particularly for older and frail patients. Urgent community response services, including urgent community response teams and virtual wards, provide rapid care at home, helping to avoid unnecessary attendances and admissions and supporting independence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 reduce accident and emergency department waiting times for older patients.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the pressures facing urgent and emergency care services and are committed to restoring waiting times to the standards set out in the NHS Constitution. The proportion of patients in accident and emergency admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours was 76.9% in April 2026, 2.1 percentage points higher than April 2025.
For patients who experience longer waits, including older and more vulnerable patients, there is clear clinical guidance that their condition should continue to be monitored while they are waiting. This is to ensure patient safety, including the early identification of any deterioration in condition and escalation where required, in line with national clinical standards.
More broadly, the Government and NHS England are taking significant action to reduce waiting times and improve patient flow. The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework and the Model Emergency Department set out a clear trajectory to improve performance year-on-year, reduce long waits and overcrowding, and ensure patients are seen more quickly and in the most appropriate setting, supported by investment in staff, digital triage and community urgent care.
Expanding care outside hospital is also central to reducing pressure on emergency departments, improving outcomes, particularly for older and frail patients. Urgent community response services, including urgent community response teams and virtual wards, provide rapid care at home, helping to avoid unnecessary attendances and admissions and supporting independence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the service standard waiting times are for accident and emergency at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; and whether the Trust has been meeting those targets.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government monitors accident and emergency (A&E) waiting time performance against several standards. Performance data is published monthly by NHS England as part of the “A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions” statistics, which are available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/
Nationally, the NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework sets out a trajectory to improve urgent and emergency care performance year-on-year, supported by the Model Emergency Department guidance, which outlines core principles for high‑performing emergency departments and improved patient flow.
NHS England’s regional teams provide an additional layer of oversight by scrutinising performance and supporting local systems, alongside targeted national improvement support for the most challenged areas.
At a local level, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has redesigned its clinical operating model and expanded same day emergency care services to improve patient flow and reduce avoidable admissions.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 reduce accident and emergency department waiting times at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government monitors accident and emergency (A&E) waiting time performance against several standards. Performance data is published monthly by NHS England as part of the “A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions” statistics, which are available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/
Nationally, the NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework sets out a trajectory to improve urgent and emergency care performance year-on-year, supported by the Model Emergency Department guidance, which outlines core principles for high‑performing emergency departments and improved patient flow.
NHS England’s regional teams provide an additional layer of oversight by scrutinising performance and supporting local systems, alongside targeted national improvement support for the most challenged areas.
At a local level, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has redesigned its clinical operating model and expanded same day emergency care services to improve patient flow and reduce avoidable admissions.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 the recruitment freezes on cancer and diagnostic departments.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.
In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.
Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.
This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 workforce capacity in cancer and diagnostic services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.
In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.
Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.
This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
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 recruit in clinical oncology and radiology.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.
In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.
Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.
This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.