Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
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 take steps to ensure Enhertu remains available on the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England are made on the basis of recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) following an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently and on the basis of the available evidence.
NICE has recommended Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) for use through the Cancer Drugs Fund for the treatment of HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after one or more anti-HER 2 treatments and for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after two or more anti-HER2 therapies. Enhertu is now funded for eligible patients in England through the Cancer Drugs Fund in line with NICE’s recommendations. NICE will consider the evidence collected on the use of Enhertu through the Cancer Drugs Fund into account in making recommendations for the NHS on whether it should be routinely funded by the NHS.
NICE published guidance in July 2024 on the use of Enhertu for the treatment of HER-2 low metastatic and unresectable breast cancer and was unfortunately unable to recommend it for routine NHS funding.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 improve the collection of data on triple-negative breast cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on triple negative breast cancer for England is collected through the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS). An NDRS Quality Assurance Team is in place to identify, investigate, and monitor data quality issues, with over 130 Quality Assurance reports being run each month as well as quarterly reports to assess the completeness of key data.
To drive up the completeness of the data, progesterone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor in situ hybridization status, and oestrogen receptor status are assessed as part of the Cancer Outcomes and Services Data set, which supports national registration.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 utilise electronic health records indicating familial genetic predisposition to improve risk identification for men at increased risk of prostate cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme is using electronic health records to identify people who have had a cancer diagnosis, between 2008 and 2018, making them eligible for inherited breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing on R208/R207 panels in line with the criteria set out in the National Genomic Test Directory, but who have not received testing. This will identify more people and their family members who have cancer susceptibility genes, including BRCA1/2 variants, enabling them to access relevant National Health Service screening and care pathways as appropriate.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. He will make a decision on implementation, including any changes to the identification of men at risk of prostate cancer at that point.
It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12 week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:
- offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from 45 years old to 61 years old;
- not recommend population screening;
- not recommend targeted screening of black men;
- not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; and
- collaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history as soon as the trial data becomes available, and to await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of benefit and harm of screening.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to expand BRCA testing to men, including those with male relatives of confirmed BRCA carriers.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. He will make a decision on implementation, including any changes to BRCA testing eligibility, at that point.
It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12 week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:
- offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from 45 years old to 61 years old;
- not recommend population screening;
- not recommend targeted screening of black men;
- not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; and
- collaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history as soon as the trial data becomes available, and to await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of benefit and harm of screening.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 monitor the success of the NHS scheme to identify breast cancer risk by testing for the BRCA gene.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Genomic Medicine Service provides a national genomics unit which is responsible for strategic oversight, direction, commissioning and funding, and performance monitoring of genomics service.
The National Health Service is ensuring that people have access to tests that can help them to understand any inherited risks to their health. This includes the offer of ‘catch up’ BRCA testing for people who are eligible, but who have no record of having received a genetic test to date and other initiatives, such as our NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. This initiative has identified 551 BRCA carriers to date, of which 279 are eligible and have been referred into the Very High-Risk Breast Screening Programme for regular screening, demonstrating the potential for this initiative to identify cancer earlier.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what action his Department is taking to ensure that 85 per cent of breast cancer patients start treatment within 62 days of urgent referral.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. The Government is investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS and is opening up community diagnostic centres at evening and weekends, to help catch cancer earlier, including breast cancer.
The NHS has exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million appointments, having now delivered over five million more appointments as the first step to ensuring earlier and faster access to treatment. Between October 2024 to September 2025, approximately 139,000 more patients were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days compared to the previous 12 months.
To ensure that the most advanced treatment is available to the patients who need it, and so that patients can be treated sooner, the Government has invested £70 million of central funding to replace outdated radiotherapy machines.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 increase clinic capacity to help ensure that urgent breast referrals meet the 28 day Faster Diagnosis Standard.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. The Government is investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS and is opening up community diagnostic centres at evening and weekends, to help catch cancer earlier, including breast cancer.
The NHS has exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million appointments, having now delivered over five million more appointments as the first step to ensuring earlier and faster access to treatment. Between October 2024 to September 2025, approximately 139,000 more patients were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days compared to the previous 12 months.
To ensure that the most advanced treatment is available to the patients who need it, and so that patients can be treated sooner, the Government has invested £70 million of central funding to replace outdated radiotherapy machines.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 implications for his policies of the (a) findings of and (b) recommendation on alcohol and breast cancer in the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report entitled Dietary and Lifestyle Patterns for Cancer Prevention: Evidence and Recommendations from CUP Global.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report.
The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines and the NHS webpage on the risks of alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.
The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) collects patient data on cancer, congenital anomalies and rare diseases. The NDRS does not collect data on the causes of cancer. Therefore, the Department has not made a formal assessment on the annual cost to the NHS of treating breast cancer cases in the United Kingdom that are attributable to alcohol consumption.
The National Cancer Plan for England, which will be published in the new year, will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption, alongside other risk factors, given alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many breast cancer cases in the UK are estimated to be caused by alcohol consumption each year; and what percentage of total breast cancer cases this represents.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report.
The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines and the NHS webpage on the risks of alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.
The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) collects patient data on cancer, congenital anomalies and rare diseases. The NDRS does not collect data on the causes of cancer. Therefore, the Department has not made a formal assessment on the annual cost to the NHS of treating breast cancer cases in the United Kingdom that are attributable to alcohol consumption.
The National Cancer Plan for England, which will be published in the new year, will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption, alongside other risk factors, given alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 increase levels of public awareness on the potential impact of alcohol consumption on levels of breast cancer risk.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report.
The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines and the NHS webpage on the risks of alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.
The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) collects patient data on cancer, congenital anomalies and rare diseases. The NDRS does not collect data on the causes of cancer. Therefore, the Department has not made a formal assessment on the annual cost to the NHS of treating breast cancer cases in the United Kingdom that are attributable to alcohol consumption.
The National Cancer Plan for England, which will be published in the new year, will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption, alongside other risk factors, given alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, including breast cancer.