Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to recruit an additional 2,000 radiotherapy professionals by 2040.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In June 2023, NHS England published the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver a workforce that meets the changing needs of the population, over the next 15 years. The plan recognises the need to increase numbers of allied health professionals (AHPs), including therapeutic and diagnostic radiographers. To address this, we will increase AHP training places from a little over 15,000 in 2021/22 to 17,000 by 2028/89, and then 18,800 by 2031/32, a total increase of approximately 25%. National funding is available to train 150 enhanced practice radiographers a year, to support the diagnosis of cancer and other conditions.
We have already seen increases in the radiotherapy workforce in NHS trusts and other care organisations in England. In November 2023, there were 894 full-time equivalent (FTE) consultants working in the specialty of clinical oncology, an increase of 40, or 4.6%, since November 2022 and 395, or 79.0%, since November 2010. There are also 3,141 FTE therapeutic radiographers, an increase of 133, or 4.4%, since November 2022 and 1,046, or 50.0%, since November 2010. We are also focused on improving cancer treatment, and are supporting advances in radiotherapy, such as using cutting-edge imaging and technology to help target radiation doses at cancer cells more precisely.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions she has had with Integrated Care Boards in England on replacement programmes for radiotherapy machinery (LINACS); and what mechanisms are in place to allow her Department to oversee the effectiveness of those replacement programmes.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines has sat with local systems. This is supported by the 2021 Spending Review, which set aside £12 billion in operational capital for the National Health Service, from 2022 to 2025.
The Government and NHS England are already taking steps to ensure that cancer patients can receive high quality radiotherapy treatment across England. This includes supporting advances in radiotherapy, using cutting-edge imaging and technology to help target radiation doses at cancer cells more precisely.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the response on the consultation on Pavement parking: options for change.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to our consultation, and we are currently working through the policy options and the possible legislative opportunities for delivering them. Following conclusion of this process, we will publish our formal response.
The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of establishing a cross-departmental roadmap to transition away from animal testing.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has no current plans to establish a cross-departmental roadmap. The Government supports advances in biomedical science to reduce the use of animals in research, including stem cell research, cell culture, imaging and computer modelling techniques. UK Research & Innovation funds the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs) through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs). UK law requires that animals are only used in science where there are no alternatives, where the number of animals used, and potential harm is the minimum needed to achieve scientific benefit.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help facilitate an increase in non-animal testing methods.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of technologies that support non-animal research. UK Research & Innovation funds the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs) through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs). Since it was established the NC3Rs has invested £89.3 million in research and £27 million in contracts through its CRACK IT Challenges scheme. UK law requires that animals are only used in science where there are no alternatives, where the number of animals used, and potential harm is the minimum needed to achieve scientific benefit.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if her Department will take steps to create (a) partnerships and (b) collaborations with industry stakeholders to (i) establish best practice for and (ii) increase the uptake of non-animal testing.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of technologies that support non-animal research. UK Research & Innovation funds the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs) through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs). Since it was established the NC3Rs has invested £89.3 million in research and £27 million in contracts through its CRACK IT Challenges scheme.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Elective recovery taskforce: implementation plan, published on 4 August 2023, what steps she is taking to ensure equity of access for those unable to use digital platforms.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In September 2023, NHS England published a framework for action on digital inclusion to help the system design and implement inclusive digital approaches and technologies, including actions to build digital skills and capability among patients and National Health Service staff. This covers all NHS digital platforms. Patients unable to use digital channels will continue to be able to access services via telephone and through face-to-face services.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the SEND and alternative provision improvement plan does not make specific reference to (a) cerebral palsy and (b) physical disability; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children with cerebral palsy are not overlooked by the SEND and alternative provision implementation board.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan is designed to support all children, rather than being restricted to specific conditions, and to meet those needs within a fair and financially sustainable system, by improving national consistency. This will mean that the right support is provided in the right place at the right time for children and young people with SEND.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure any child or young person who has Special Educational Needs, including those with cerebral palsy and physical disabilities, gets the special educational provision they need. Alongside this, all schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with cerebral palsy in (a) Bootle constituency and (b) England and Wales have been assigned education, health and care plans.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s ambition is for all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Need (SEN), to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department wants them to achieve well in early years, at school (whether mainstream or special), in further education and to live more fulfilling and independent adult lives with improved employment outcomes. The department is creating a new single national SEN and disability system in England for how needs are identified and met across education, health and care, including for those with cerebral palsy.
The department does not hold the data requested.
The department collects data from schools in England on pupils with SEN, but type of need is held according to the categories specified in the school census.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children with cerebral palsy attend mainstream schools.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s ambition is for all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Need (SEN), to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department wants them to achieve well in early years, at school (whether mainstream or special), in further education and to live more fulfilling and independent adult lives with improved employment outcomes. The department is creating a new single national SEN and disability system in England for how needs are identified and met across education, health and care, including for those with cerebral palsy.
The department does not hold the data requested.
The department collects data from schools in England on pupils with SEN, but type of need is held according to the categories specified in the school census.