Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 adequacy radiotherapy capacity to meet the Government’s target of returning cancer waiting times to the 62-day standard by March 2029.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
The Government announced the allocation of new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, machines on 26 May 2025, and within this, a breakdown of trust allocation was given and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-cancer-treatment-thanks-to-new-radiotherapy-machines
The following table shows allocations by National Health Service region:
Region | Total value |
East of England | £7,507,000 |
North East and Yorkshire | £7,586,000 |
Midlands | £12,406,000 |
London | £14,993,000 |
S West | £10,502,000 |
S East | £10,015,000 |
N West | £6,595,000 |
The Department knows that there is a long way to go to improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment, and that there is significant regional variation in performance. The National Cancer Plan has set out how we intend to tackle these issues, reduce backlogs and provide an NHS that there is when people need it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a breakdown by NHS region of where the radiotherapy machines (LINACS) funded by the £70 million announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
The Government announced the allocation of new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, machines on 26 May 2025, and within this, a breakdown of trust allocation was given and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-cancer-treatment-thanks-to-new-radiotherapy-machines
The following table shows allocations by National Health Service region:
Region | Total value |
East of England | £7,507,000 |
North East and Yorkshire | £7,586,000 |
Midlands | £12,406,000 |
London | £14,993,000 |
S West | £10,502,000 |
S East | £10,015,000 |
N West | £6,595,000 |
The Department knows that there is a long way to go to improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment, and that there is significant regional variation in performance. The National Cancer Plan has set out how we intend to tackle these issues, reduce backlogs and provide an NHS that there is when people need it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the £70 million radiotherapy machine funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 has been allocated to each NHS region.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
The Government announced the allocation of new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, machines on 26 May 2025, and within this, a breakdown of trust allocation was given and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-cancer-treatment-thanks-to-new-radiotherapy-machines
The following table shows allocations by National Health Service region:
Region | Total value |
East of England | £7,507,000 |
North East and Yorkshire | £7,586,000 |
Midlands | £12,406,000 |
London | £14,993,000 |
S West | £10,502,000 |
S East | £10,015,000 |
N West | £6,595,000 |
The Department knows that there is a long way to go to improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment, and that there is significant regional variation in performance. The National Cancer Plan has set out how we intend to tackle these issues, reduce backlogs and provide an NHS that there is when people need it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the allocation of the £70 million for radiotherapy machines took account of existing regional variation in radiotherapy access.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
The Government announced the allocation of new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, machines on 26 May 2025, and within this, a breakdown of trust allocation was given and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-cancer-treatment-thanks-to-new-radiotherapy-machines
The following table shows allocations by National Health Service region:
Region | Total value |
East of England | £7,507,000 |
North East and Yorkshire | £7,586,000 |
Midlands | £12,406,000 |
London | £14,993,000 |
S West | £10,502,000 |
S East | £10,015,000 |
N West | £6,595,000 |
The Department knows that there is a long way to go to improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment, and that there is significant regional variation in performance. The National Cancer Plan has set out how we intend to tackle these issues, reduce backlogs and provide an NHS that there is when people need it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have timely access to cutting-edge cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. This commitment has been demonstrated by a £70 million investment into 28 new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, radiotherapy machines, which are currently being rolled out and replacing outdated, inefficient radiotherapy equipment.
The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, ensuring they receive the best possible care.
The responsibility for commissioning radiotherapy services was delegated to integrated care boards from 1 April 2025, and this responsibility includes planning service provision with appropriate National Health Service trusts and taking local factors into account. NHS England has included some guidance about access to radiotherapy and population needs within the national Service Specification for External Beam Radiotherapy, which is pertinent to considering satellite service provision and should assist local determination, as appropriate.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have timely access to cutting-edge cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. This commitment has been demonstrated by a £70 million investment into 28 new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, radiotherapy machines, which are currently being rolled out and replacing outdated, inefficient radiotherapy equipment.
The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, ensuring they receive the best possible care.
The responsibility for commissioning radiotherapy services was delegated to integrated care boards from 1 April 2025, and this responsibility includes planning service provision with appropriate National Health Service trusts and taking local factors into account. NHS England has included some guidance about access to radiotherapy and population needs within the national Service Specification for External Beam Radiotherapy, which is pertinent to considering satellite service provision and should assist local determination, as appropriate.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 cancer patients in England have equitable access to advanced radiotherapy techniques where clinically appropriate.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have timely access to cutting-edge cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. This commitment has been demonstrated by a £70 million investment into 28 new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, radiotherapy machines, which are currently being rolled out and replacing outdated, inefficient radiotherapy equipment.
The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, ensuring they receive the best possible care.
The responsibility for commissioning radiotherapy services was delegated to integrated care boards from 1 April 2025, and this responsibility includes planning service provision with appropriate National Health Service trusts and taking local factors into account. NHS England has included some guidance about access to radiotherapy and population needs within the national Service Specification for External Beam Radiotherapy, which is pertinent to considering satellite service provision and should assist local determination, as appropriate.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many proposals for new satellite radiotherapy units have been submitted to NHS England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have timely access to cutting-edge cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. This commitment has been demonstrated by a £70 million investment into 28 new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, radiotherapy machines, which are currently being rolled out and replacing outdated, inefficient radiotherapy equipment.
The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, ensuring they receive the best possible care.
The responsibility for commissioning radiotherapy services was delegated to integrated care boards from 1 April 2025, and this responsibility includes planning service provision with appropriate National Health Service trusts and taking local factors into account. NHS England has included some guidance about access to radiotherapy and population needs within the national Service Specification for External Beam Radiotherapy, which is pertinent to considering satellite service provision and should assist local determination, as appropriate.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the methodology used to allocate the £70 million radiotherapy funding announced in the National Cancer Plan.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
The Government announced the allocation of new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, machines on 26 May 2025, and within this, a breakdown of trust allocation was given and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-cancer-treatment-thanks-to-new-radiotherapy-machines
The following table shows allocations by National Health Service region:
Region | Total value |
East of England | £7,507,000 |
North East and Yorkshire | £7,586,000 |
Midlands | £12,406,000 |
London | £14,993,000 |
S West | £10,502,000 |
S East | £10,015,000 |
N West | £6,595,000 |
The Department knows that there is a long way to go to improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment, and that there is significant regional variation in performance. The National Cancer Plan has set out how we intend to tackle these issues, reduce backlogs and provide an NHS that there is when people need it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the report by Science for Sustainable Agriculture entitled UK Food Security – Outlook to 2050, published in September 2025.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the recently published Land Use Framework, the Government made a clear, long-term commitment to maintain overall food production in England by increasing farm productivity and profitability.
The Government will support this ambition through a range of measures, including the new Farming and Food Partnership Board, developing sector plans to underpin our future food security and drive economic growth and safeguarding the best and most versatile farmland from permanent land use change.
Defra monitors all key agricultural commodities closely. The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group tracks UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade, and recent developments.
The UK Food Security Report in 2027 will assess dependence on food imports, and any permanent changes in agricultural land use will be included in future Food Security Reports.