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 promote NHS innovation in liquid biopsies.

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

The Government is committed to funding innovative technologies, including multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests such as liquid biopsies, to improve early cancer diagnosis rates for cancer patients in the National Health Service. The Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals programme is providing funding for a National Institute for Health and Care Research led trial to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of MCD tests in primary care for patients presenting with non-specific abdominal symptoms. The programme has also provided £2.35 million of funding to support the research and development of the miONCO-Dx multi-cancer early detection test, which can identify 12 of the most lethal and common cancers at even the earliest stages of the disease course.

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 promote NHS innovation in robotics.

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

Robotics is one of the Department’s 10-Year Health Plan’s five "big bets” and by supporting the innovation pipeline from research through to adoption we aim to stimulate greater innovation and more rapid delivery of these technologies for improved patient outcomes and an improved health system.

To support adoption, our 10-Year Health Plan commits to expand surgical robot adoption over the next decade, support National Health Service trusts to increase robotic process automation, and scale the use of robots in pharmacy. We have also committed to establishing national registries for robotic surgery data from 2029 and to developing telesurgery networks. Earlier this year, NHS England published the first national guidance for the implementation of robotic assisted surgery (RAS) in the NHS, offering guidance on procurement, commissioning, implementation, training, and evaluation. A national steering committee is already in place to support the adoption of RAS, ensure safe implementation, and to oversee the training requirements for surgeons and surgical teams. The NHS aims to increase the number of robotic-assisted procedures to 500,000 by 2035, up from 70,000 in 2023/24.

The Department supports innovation in NHS robotics research by funding the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and its NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Devices, Digital and Robotics, which is one of fourteen HRCs. This centre supports safe, effective, and efficient translation of new healthcare technologies, such as robotics, into routine care for NHS patients and follow-on social care.

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 promote NHS innovation in nano surgery.

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

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan, the Department encourages innovation in the health sector that helps to support the three big shifts in healthcare: moving care from hospitals to communities; transitioning from analogue to digital; and focusing on prevention over treatment.

The Department is actively supporting the development and evaluation of game-changing innovations as well as the adoption of technologies to give our world leading clinicians the technology and skills to improve outcomes for patients.

Improving innovation, adoption, and procurement of game-changing technology, including nano surgery, will help the National Health Service secure the best possible outcomes for patients whilst also delivering greater value-for-money and unlocking further economic growth. In addition, the National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As well as funding research directly through NIHR programmes, the Department also funds NIHR infrastructure which are centres of excellence and collaborations, services, and facilities to support health and care research.

The NIHR research infrastructure drives innovation through research across a range of health and care areas, including nano surgery. For example, the Surgical and Perioperative Care Translational Research Collaboration brings together NIHR infrastructure to develop new surgical interventions, improving patient safety and patient care before and after surgery.

The NIHR HealthTech Research Centres (HRCs) work with industry to develop medical devices, diagnostics, and digital technologies. The NIHR Accelerated Surgical Care HRC’s focus is on minimally invasive therapies which enable surgical care to be delivered with greater precision, minimal trauma, and improved outcomes.

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 has taken to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have enough resources to enforce planning conditions if developers do not comply with planning applications.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.

It is also for local planning authorities to ensure they have the resources in place to carry out their planning enforcement function effectively.

For a summary of the steps the government is taking to support capacity and capability within local planning authorities, including within their enforcement teams, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 67508 on 14 July 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is her Department’s timetable for announcing future rounds of funding for the Access for All programme.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Access for All funding for the current Spending Review period has been allocated, with projects to be announced in due course.

We would expect any future rounds to align to future Spending Review periods. Until then, accessibility upgrades can be funded via a variety of sources, such as Section 106 developer contributions.

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 increase access to continuous glucose monitors for people with diabetes.

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

There are currently over 200,000 people living with diabetes in England who benefit from real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)

In order to help integrated care boards (ICBs) improve access to CGM to eligible people, data is now collected as part of the National Diabetes Audit. NHS England routinely publishes this data in the NDA Core Quarterly dashboard in 2025/26, which provides the data insights ICBs require, including data on CGM uptake, variation, and health inequalities. Further information on this is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/national-diabetes-audit

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include leasehold houses in Right To Manage eligibility.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has commenced the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. They came into effect on 3 March 2025.

These changes implement the Law Commission recommendation to increase the non-residential floorspace limit from 25 to 50 per cent for Right to Manage claims. This means that more leaseholders in mixed-use buildings will qualify for the right to manage, gaining control over the management of their building. Further changes mean that leaseholders making right to manage claims will no longer have to pay their freeholder’s process costs for that claim.

As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government is determined to take action to address Law Commission recommendations omitted from the 2024 Act.

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 ensure that Green Belt protection is factored in when making decisions on new towns.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Green Belt policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 58228 on Planning: Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Local Authorities are upholding the Golden Rules under the revised National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025.

The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish further guidance to Local Planning Authorities on the weight given in the planning balance to a failure to comply with the Golden Rules.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025.

The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.

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 change the current bed capacity in the NHS across England.

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

In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts in England, 93,553 of which were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.

Decisions regarding the opening of additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by individual National Health Service trusts, in accordance with their operational requirements. The Department does not direct these decisions centrally.

The 10-Year Health Plan aims to expand urgent care capacity through Neighbourhood Health Services and virtual wards, enabling patients to receive care closer to home where clinically appropriate and easing pressure on hospitals. In addition, investment in digital tools will improve patient flow and further reduce reliance on inpatient beds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current bed capacity is in the NHS across England.

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

In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts in England, 93,553 of which were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.

Decisions regarding the opening of additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by individual National Health Service trusts, in accordance with their operational requirements. The Department does not direct these decisions centrally.

The 10-Year Health Plan aims to expand urgent care capacity through Neighbourhood Health Services and virtual wards, enabling patients to receive care closer to home where clinically appropriate and easing pressure on hospitals. In addition, investment in digital tools will improve patient flow and further reduce reliance on inpatient beds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in the NHS across England.

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

In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.

Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is a target for the number of virtual wards in the NHS across England.

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

In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.

Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the target number of virtual wards is in the NHS across England.

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

In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.

Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the phased implementation period for access to hybrid closed-loop technology for people with type 1 diabetes.

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

NHS England has developed a five-year national strategy with guidance to National Health Service providers on the phased uptake approach of hybrid closed loop (HCL) systems. Rollout started in April 2024 with pregnant women, children, young people, those planning to become pregnant, and adults already using pumps who want to transition to an HCL system.

So far under the strategy, over 600 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes have been provided with an HCL.

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 promote NHS innovation in genomics.

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

The ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, together with the 10-Year Health Plan, will enable the United Kingdom to remain firmly at the forefront of the genomics revolution by driving large-scale preventative care and enabling world-class research. A thriving life sciences sector reinforces the UK’s unique position as the place to discover, test, and roll out genomic innovations that drive better health for all. The Government has committed to investing more than £650 million over five years in Genomics England, up to £354 million in Our Future Health, and up to £20 million in UK BioBank, to ensure that, by 2030, the UK will lead globally in health data and genomics research.