Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many members will be on the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, how many have been appointed to date, and what are the names and backgrounds of those appointed.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock chairs the independent commission into adult social care (the Commission) alongside a dedicated secretariat team. No commissioners have been appointed.

Baroness Casey and the Commission’s secretariat are based in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat has a total of 11 officials, nine are employed by the Department of Health and Social Care, and two by the Cabinet Office. One external individual has been hired as contingent labour to support the work of the Commission’s secretariat. There are a further four officials working in the Commission’s sponsorship function based in the Department of Health and Social Care.

As the Commission is independent, the secretariat may expand as it carries out its work and as Baroness Casey considers what further skills and expertise she needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, and following the published impact assessment and equality impact assessment, what estimate they have made of the proportion of people who would be eligible for assistance to end their own life who have a history of depression, self-harm or other mental health conditions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The published Impact Assessment and Equality Impact Assessment provides illustrative figures for aspects of the service where sufficient information and evidence is available and where the level of detail contained in the bill permits.

The Government does not have an estimate of the proportion of people who would be eligible for assistance to end their own life who have a history of mental health conditions.

Further considerations for information regarding Cohort Estimates and Impacts on individuals and specific groups of individuals can be found in section 7 and section 8 of the bill’s impact assessment, a copy of which is attached.

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 the safety of North West Ambulance Service personnel in the context of a trends in the number of violent and abusive incidents directed at frontline NHS staff.

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

Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work, including those in the ambulance setting. Trends in violence towards NHS staff have generally stayed at the same levels in recent years and there is in place a zero-tolerance approach to any violent and abusive incidents.

Individual employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff, and they put in place measures, including, security, training, and emotional support for staff affected by violence. These measures will be strengthened by the introduction of a new set of staff standards, as detailed in the 10-Year Health Plan, which will cover issues that matter most to NHS staff including tackling violence in the NHS workplace.

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 changes to PET-CT procurement in England on diagnostic access for patients from Northern Ireland who rely on specialist capacity elsewhere in the UK.

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

NHS England is in the process of reprocuring some positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) services to replace current contracts that are due to expire at the end of March 2027. The geographies covered by the existing contracts will continue to be covered under the new arrangements, so no impact on diagnostic access is expected for patients from Northern Ireland who rely on specialist capacity elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The current arrangements for patients travelling to England for PET-CT and other treatments remains unchanged.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92091 on NHS England: Carbon Emissions, what estimate has been made of the cost to the NHS of delivering the net zero targets; and whether those costs have been broken down between capital spending, operational changes and procurement requirements.

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

These targets are system–led and were set by NHS England, in collaboration with its Net Zero Expert Panel, to support the United Kingdom’s legislative target in a way that is ambitious but achievable. NHS England has been clear that its approach is designed to align with different sectoral pathways, and to be consistent with the UK's overall approach on decarbonisation. No National Health Service specific cost-estimate of achieving Net Zero has been made, and both NHS England and Department are clear that NHS budgets will only be used to support the targets where this can deliver better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for patients.

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 avoid creating a single point of failure in PET-CT diagnostic services.

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

NHS England’s specialised commissioning function commissions positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) diagnostic services and is responsible for ensuring that there is sufficient capacity across England to meet planned demand. To avoid creating a single point of failure in these services, NHS England has ensured that PET-CT services in England are delivered by a range of different organisations, including National Health Service trusts, the independent sector, and charities, often working in partnership. They help to provide resilience across the system.

NHS England is in the process of reprocuring some PET-CT services to replace current contracts that are due to expire at the end of March 2027. NHS England has recently concluded a round of market engagement on its proposals. NHS England has not yet finalised its proposals for the procurement, as the point of market engagement is to receive feedback and take this into account in the final design.

PET-CT scans use isotopes from a comprehensive network of United Kingdom based cyclotrons. The Government has made up to £520 million available through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund to support UK manufacture of medicine and medical technology products. This includes applications looking to establish, expand, or improve UK-based manufacture of medical radioisotopes for diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have changed since the start of the winter season; and what geographical variation there has been in those admissions.

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

The information requested is not collected centrally. NHS England publishes annual data on the number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In 2024/25, there were 121,506 admissions. This data is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity/2024-25

NHS England also publishes winter situation reports, which are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/uec-sitrep/urgent-and-emergency-care-daily-situation-reports-2025-26/

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 merits of embedding routine and cross-system commissioning and provision of post-pregnancy contraception in post-partum care.

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

No assessment has been made. The renewed Women’s Health Strategy will set out how the Government will take the next steps to improve women's healthcare as part of the 10-Year Health Plan and create a system that listens to women. Steps to improve contraception access are being fully considered as part of the renewal.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to address multiple sclerosis in the updated Women’s Health Strategy; and whether there will be discussions on how this can inform development of the Northern Ireland Women’s Health Action Plan.

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

We know that women can be impacted by a range of different health conditions at the same time, including those that only affect women, those that affect women differently or more severely to men, or those that affect everyone equally. This is why the renewed Women’s Health Strategy will set out how we are improving experiences and outcomes for all women as we deliver the 10-Year Health Plan.

At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.

We have set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including MS.

Health policy and delivery are devolved to the administration of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. As a UK Government department, the Department of Health and Social Care engages constructively and works collaboratively with the devolved administrations on areas of shared interest, including information sharing, coordination, and issues that have UK wide or cross-border implications.

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 ensure the NHS, ICBs and local authorities collaboratively commission women’s health and contraceptive services.

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

Local integrated care systems are responsible for the collaborative commissioning of women’s health and contraceptive services.

The Women’s Health Programme Board provides direction and strategic oversight to NHS England’s Women’s Health Programme.

The board monitors progress and delivery of the Women’s Health Programme, and delivers the ambitions of the Women’s Health Strategy, reflecting the vision to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and amplify women’s voices in healthcare.

The board is also responsible for ensuring alignment with wider interdependencies, including the 10-Year Health Plan, and neighbourhood health models, as well as ensuring the delivery, oversight, and performance management of women’s health provision are consistent across the seven regions of England.

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 merits of creating a permanent and protected ICB role for the appointed Women’s Health Champion in every Integrated Care System.

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

Integrated care boards are responsible for the planning, commissioning, and delivery of women’s health services, including oversight of the dedicated Women’s Health Champion role.

The network of women’s health champions brings together senior leaders in women’s health from integrated care systems and local authorities to share best practice to improve women’s health outcomes across the life course and reduce health inequalities. The role is a voluntary commitment, and the Government has no plans to change this.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department records how many patients are experiencing delays of more than 12 months before being added to a consultant led elective care waiting list following GP referral.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to NHS England and integrated care boards on the recording, monitoring and reporting of delays between referral and formal waiting list entry.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have received a GP referral but who have not yet been allocated an NHS number on a consultant led waiting list.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

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 average length of time patients are currently waiting between GP referral and being added to an NHS consultant-led elective care waiting list; and whether any such waiting periods are included in official waiting list statistics.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England includes the period between receipt of a GP referral and the issuing of the first appointment offer within published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targeted support his Department is providing people with asthma during the winter period.

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

NHS England has provided £2.61 million of funding in 2025/26 to support people with respiratory conditions this winter, including improving access to diagnostic tests such as spirometry to support early and accurate diagnosis of asthma.

The funding builds on the work of NHS England to improve asthma outcomes, including the publication of commissioning standards for spirometry and the inclusion of Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators to support asthma diagnosis and management. These measures will support asthma patients to manage their condition throughout the year, including during the winter period.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of extended pre-listing delays on patient outcomes and clinical risk in high-volume specialities.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department monitors variation between NHS trusts in the time taken to convert GP referrals into entries on consultant led elective waiting lists.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the period between GP referral and a patient being added to an elective waiting list has increased or decreased in the past five years.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department monitors variation between NHS trusts in the time taken to convert GP referrals into entries on consultant led elective waiting lists.

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

In line with referral to treatment rules, a patient's waiting time clock starts from the moment they are referred for consultant-led elective treatment. According to these rules, there should be no time between a general practice referral and entry onto a consultant-led elective waiting list. The complete time elapsed between referral and treatment will be recorded on the published consultant led referral to treatment waiting time data, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/

Guidance is provided to NHS England and integrated care boards through the Referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times: rules suite, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-start-consultant-led-treatment-within-18-weeks/referral-to-treatment-consultant-led-waiting-times-rules-suite-october-2022

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department records how many patients have withdrawn from treatment or deteriorated clinically while waiting to be added to an elective care waiting list.

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

The Department does not hold the data in this format.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the level of rising healthcare demand in England over the next five years.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Growth in healthcare demand, alongside wider financial considerations and the cost of new commitments for the National Health Service, is analysed in the round as part of the Spending Review process. The outcome of the most recent Spending Review 2025 is given in the Spending Review 2025 policy paper, on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format.

As set out in the document, this level of funding growth will support the NHS to deliver on the Government's priorities, including delivery of the Government’s Plan for Change commitment, meaning that by the end of the Parliament, 92% of patients will start consultant led treatment for nonurgent conditions within 18 weeks of referral.

At the 2025 Autumn Budget the Government protected the NHS envelope announced at the 2025 Spending Review. This will see the NHS in England receiving an over £15 billion real terms increase in annual resource budgets by the end of the period, between 2025/26 and 2028/29.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether ensuring that high-risk men get access to prostate cancer screening will be an objective of the national cancer plan.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will build on the shifts in care set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to diagnose cancers earlier. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including prostate cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s survival rates.

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 whether to accept the recommendation, including any decisions on implementation 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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the expected (1) total and (2) per capita reduction in daily calorie intake for (1) adults and (2) children in England as a result of the extension of the soft drinks industry levy announced on 25 November.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget are:

• reducing the lower sugar threshold to 4.5 grams per 100 millilitres, as it is currently at five grams per 100 millilitres; and
• removing previous exemptions for milk-based and milk substitute drinks.

These changes will apply from 1 January 2028. They are designed to encourage producers to reformulate their products to reduce sugar levels and avoid paying the levy, thus reducing the calories consumed from the drinks in scope.

The Department carried out a health benefit assessment to estimate the calorie reduction from these changes through reformulation and substitution to alternative drinks. Together, these changes reduce sugar and calorie intake from drinks across all age groups.

The analysis used nutrition data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, sales data from Worldpanel by Numerator, formerly Kantar WorldPanel, and a series of assumptions to estimate the sugar and calories removed from diets due to the changes. The approach, data sources, and assumptions are set out in detail in the published assessment.

This analysis estimates per person per day calorie reductions of 0.3 kcal in five to 10 year olds, 0.4 kcal in 11 to 18 year olds, 0.3 kcal in 19 to 64 year olds, and 0.2 kcal in those aged 65 years old and over. This is equivalent to approximately four million kcal per day in children and 13 million kcal per day in adults.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government on the basis of what evidence they have estimated that the extension of the soft drinks industry levy, announced on 25 November, could prevent almost 14,000 cases of adult obesity and nearly 1,000 cases of childhood obesity.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget are:

• reducing the lower sugar threshold to 4.5 grams per 100 millilitres, as it is currently at five grams per 100 millilitres; and
• removing previous exemptions for milk-based and milk substitute drinks.

These changes will apply from 1 January 2028. They are designed to encourage producers to reformulate their products to reduce sugar levels and avoid paying the levy, thus reducing calories consumed from the drinks in scope.

Evidence shows that energy dense diets such as those that are high in sugar can contribute to excess calorie intake, which if sustained leads to weight gain and obesity. Population-level policies therefore aim to create a healthier food environment to reduce excess calories and obesity prevalence across the entire population.

The Department carried out a health benefit assessment to estimate the calorie reduction from these changes through reformulation and substitution to alternative drinks. Together, these changes reduce sugar and calorie intake from drinks across all age groups.

The analysis used nutrition data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, sales data from Worldpanel by Numerator, formerly Kantar WorldPanel, and a series of assumptions to estimate the sugar and calories removed from diets due to the changes. The approach, data sources, and assumptions are set out in detail in the published assessment.

This analysis estimates per person per day calorie reductions of 0.3 kcal in five to 10 year olds, 0.4 kcal in 11 to 18 year olds, 0.3 kcal in 19 to 64 year olds, and 0.2 kcal in those aged 65 years old and over.

The BMI Prevalence Model was then used to simulate the change in obesity prevalence from the estimated change in calorie intake at a population level. This model is based on weight loss equations by Henry (2005), a sample of height and weight data from Health Survey for England, and population data from Office for National Statistics.

This modelling estimates that a calorie reduction of this scale could translate into reducing cases of adult obesity by almost 14,000 and childhood obesity by almost 1,000.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of strikes within the NHS in the past six months; and what new proposals are being considered to protect patient services during any further strikes.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The five-day resident doctor strike in July 2025 had an estimated cost to the National Health Service of approximately £240 million, and this is a starting estimate for the planned November strike. The costs were lower than in July 2024 as a result of lower turnout. We continue to update estimates as new data becomes available, in line with receiving business as usual financial data from NHS systems.

The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and will work with partners to ensure that safe care for patients continues to be available and emergency services continue to operate. Data published on 23 November shows that the NHS met its ambitious goal to maintain 95% of planned care during the November round of strike action, surpassing the 93% protected during action in July, while still maintaining critical services, including maternity services and urgent cancer care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of people being held in Accident and Emergency departments due to unavailability of local NHS mental health beds on patients.

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

While no such specific assessment has been made, we know that in some local areas there is a need for more beds. This is being addressed in part through investment in new units, although this should be considered as part of a whole system transformation approach.

Investment of £75 million of capital funding this year aims to improve inpatient care and help stop mental health patients being sent far from home for treatment. Our neighbourhood mental health centres will also improve continuity of care, drive down waits, and reduce inpatient admissions. These centres provide round the clock, open-access to treatment and support for adults with severe mental health needs. We have opened the first of six 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres in England, in Tower Hamlets, and other local areas are looking to rollout the model more widely.

We also know that pressures in accident and emergency are best addressed by clear, efficient, and adequately resourced routes to appropriate crisis care. NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2025/26 tasks local health systems to improve patient flow through mental health crisis pathways and reduce waits longer than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments. Systems should do this by maximising the use of crisis alternatives and through robust system oversight.

Substantial progress has been achieved in building more robust crisis care pathways across all ages ensuring that people in mental health crisis have access to timely and appropriate support. Key developments include the introduction of the NHS 111 ‘select mental health’ option, investment in alternative crisis services, roll-out of the Mental Health Response Vehicles programme, and full national coverage of 24/7 liaison mental health teams in general acute hospitals. We are also investing up to £120 million to bring the number of mental health emergency departments up to approximately 85. Mental health emergency departments provide rapid assessment and support in a therapeutic setting, helping those with mental health needs get the right care quickly and reducing reliance on emergency departments.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what evidence NICE has identified as the basis for its clinical assessment of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria; and whether NICE has undertaken (a) scoping and (b) evaluation exercises since 2015.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not developed guidance on, or made a clinical assessment of, puberty blockers for gender dysphoria. In 2020, NICE developed two evidence summaries:

• Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria; and
• Gender-affirming hormones for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria.

These summaries were commissioned by NHS England and developed by NICE to an NHS England process. They helped inform the Cass review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Cancer Plan will specifically address the availability of products containing Melanotan II.

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

The Government is taking steps to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancers more quickly, including skin cancers. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will set out how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including by speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. We will publish the National Cancer Plan in the new year to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.

We received over 11,000 responses to our call for evidence from individuals, professionals, and organisations, and we are reviewing the submissions from skin cancer partners. While no formal assessment has been made of the availability and levels of the use of tan-enhancing products containing Melanotan II, respondents shared concerns about tanning products and their potential links to cancer, particularly melanoma. Our expansive engagement will allow the National Cancer Plan to have patients at its heart.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom.

Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.

In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II, there are no equivalent authorised medicines, and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.

Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the United Kingdom. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the impact of the findings by the study of 1,005 GPs entitled “General practitioners’ adoption of generative artificial intelligence in clinical practice in the UK: An updated online survey”, published in the Digital Health science journal on 25th November 2025 that stated that 35% of doctors used AI for writing documentation, 27% for differential diagnoses and 24% for treatment or referrals despite having no formal training or oversight.

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

The Department is aware of the study published in Digital Health on 25 November 2025 regarding the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) by general practitioners (GPs). AI has the potential to transform health and care services by improving health outcomes, enhancing patient safety, and reducing costs. However, it is crucial to rigorously and regularly evaluate AI technologies to ensure they work safely, ethically, and effectively in different clinical settings.

The Department is currently assessing the implications of these findings through engagement with NHS England, the General Medical Council, and other stakeholders. Guidance is also being developed to ensure safe and ethical use of AI in clinical settings, which includes requirements for training and accountability, and working with regulators such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for health and Care Excellence to develop evaluation pathways for AI tools. This is to ensure the AI tools meet standards equivalent to other regulated medical technologies, and whether additional safeguards or standards needed to mitigate risks to patient safety and data security are explored.

We will continue to monitor emerging evidence and ensure that any integration of AI into clinical practice is underpinned by appropriate oversight, transparency, and professional responsibility.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what evidence his Department has received on the potential over-diagnosis of mental health conditions and neurodivergence.

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

The most recent evidence about the prevalence of mental health conditions and neurodiversity comes from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/24, which provides data on the prevalence of both treated and untreated mental health disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions in the English adult population.

The survey found that common mental health conditions among adults, especially young adults, have become more widespread over time. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of adults screening positive for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In contrast, the prevalence of autism in adults has remained steady over the years.

We are deeply concerned that many adults, young people, and children with mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism have been let down by services and are not receiving timely or appropriate support and treatment. That is why we have launched an independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism.

The review will examine the similarities and differences between mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism, focusing on prevalence, prevention, treatment, and current challenges in clinical services. It will assess how diagnosis, medicalisation, and treatment impact individual outcomes, including the risks and benefits of medicalisation, and will identify approaches to provide varied support models and pathways, both within and beyond the National Health Service, that promote prevention and early intervention alongside clinical care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department reviews NHS England expenditure reports relating to the prescribing of puberty blockers for children; and whether (a) financial oversight and (b) risk assessments have been conducted since 2010.

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

All arms-length bodies, including NHS England, are held to high standards of financial responsibility and publish annual reports and accounts which are laid before Parliament.

Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues, or puberty blockers, have been prescribed to children under 16 years of age in England for licenced uses, for instance precocious puberty and endometriosis, and off label uses, such as gender dysphoria. The cost of prescribing drugs to a patient is met by the patient's integrated care board.

Regarding risks assessments conducted since 2010, in March 2024 NHS England published a suite of documentation relating to its decision to remove gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues as a routine treatment option in the National Health Service for children under 18 years old with gender dysphoria. This documentation included a review of the published evidence, which concluded that there is very limited evidence about safety, risks, benefits, and outcomes for the use of this medication in children with gender dysphoria.

Restrictions on the sale and supply of these medicines via private and NHS prescriptions were introduced in May 2024. As part of that legislation the Government conducted a targeted consultation and sought advice on patient safety from the independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and Cass Review.

The Government response to the consultation, the full report of the CHM, and the Cass review are available publicly, and respectively, at the following three links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-the-availability-of-puberty-blockers-for-under-18s/outcome/governments-response-to-the-targeted-consultation-on-proposed-changes-to-the-availability-of-puberty-blockers

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chms-report-on-proposed-changes-to-the-availability-of-puberty-blockers/commission-on-human-medicines-report-on-proposed-permanent-order-to-restrict-the-sale-and-supply-of-gnrh-agonists-in-children-and-young-people-under-1

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20250310143633/https://cass.independent-review.uk/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which patients and their families have been engaged in NICE's project to appraise the effectiveness of vorasidenib.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS on the basis of an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE develops its guidance through extensive engagement with interested parties, including patient groups.

NICE is currently evaluating vorasidenib for treating astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with IDH1 or IDH2 mutations after surgery in people 12 years old and over. As part of the appraisal process, NICE’s independent committee was provided with evidence submissions from three patient groups. The committee also heard expert personal perspectives from two patient experts.

The draft guidance was shared with all stakeholders as well as being published on the NICE website for public comment as part of the consultation which took place between 15 October and 4 November 2025. The committee reviewed the consultation comments at the committee meeting on 20 November 2025. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in January 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to change their genomic testing strategy.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Genomic Medicine Service’s (NHS GMS) service specification, published in July 2025, sets out future testing strategy, including focus on improved turnaround times and requirements to deliver the Genomic Population Health Service, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan. The final service specification was published in Autumn 2025 following stakeholder feedback. The new NHS GMS will be operational from April 2026 and will set out the new model up to 2036.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate have they made of the effect of the agreement recently concluded between the UK and USA as part of the Economic Prosperity Deal on the cost of purchasing drugs for the NHS for each of the financial years 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28, and 2028/29; and whether any such costs were included in planning for the recent Budget 2025.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences sector.

Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will clearly depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these. This is not something that we can pre-empt at this time as it depends on which drugs come to market, and which are assessed as approved for use on the NHS accordingly.

At the Spending Review we delivered a record real terms increase for day-to-day spending for the NHS in England up to April 2029. This deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where front line services will remain protected through the record funding secured. Future year funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow accredited artificial intelligence assistants to perform simple administrative tasks in the NHS.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are already supporting healthcare staff with routine administrative tasks and clinical decision making. AI-powered tools, such as ambient voice technologies, help ease the administrative burden faced by staff and make systems more efficient.

One study has found that ambient voice technologies can generate time savings of up to 30 minutes per person per day when staff are supported by AI for basic administrative tasks.

AI tools that assist with other common administrative tasks have also been developed and trialled, such as tools that can automatically generate patient discharge summaries, forecast demand for accident and emergency services, and support with staff rostering based on availability and skillsets. The former two of these examples are two of the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars, as announced in August this year.

The Department and NHS England are working to test, support, and regulate promising new technologies that can augment, not replace, our National Health Service and care staff. In April, NHS England published guidance on the use of AI-enabled ambient scribing products in health and care settings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the draft service specification for the Genomic Medicine Service, and if so, when.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Genomic Medicine Service’s (NHS GMS) service specification, published in July 2025, sets out future testing strategy, including focus on improved turnaround times and requirements to deliver the Genomic Population Health Service, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan. The final service specification was published in Autumn 2025 following stakeholder feedback. The new NHS GMS will be operational from April 2026 and will set out the new model up to 2036.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will begin the consultation for the new Autism Strategy.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In developing the next national autism strategy, we will consider evidence and outputs from all relevant work including the recently published House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Committee’s report Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new strategy. We will be responding to the committee’s helpful recommendations, including regarding a new national autism strategy, in the new year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to WPQ 89628 answered on 20 November 2025, whether his Department plans to set targets regarding the improvement of community care for young people with eating disorders.

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

Eating disorders have a devastating impact on young people’s lives and Lord Darzi’s investigation found that people accessing National Health Service mental health services are waiting too long, receive variable quality of care, and suffer from entrenched inequalities. This Government has already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve NHS mental health services but there is much more to do.

Although there are currently no plans to set targets regarding the improvement of community care for young people with eating disorders, more young people are being supported to access NHS mental health services. Between July and September 2025, 3,010 young people with eating disorder issues entered treatment, which is an increase of 14% compared to the same period last year. This is helped by almost 7,000 extra mental health workers being recruited since July 2024, against our target of 8,500 by the end of this Parliament.

The 10-Year Health Plan aims to shift more care to the community and reform the health system, including eating disorder services, to adopt more neighbourhood models of working where cross-sector collaboration is the norm.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the report into the cost of clinical negligence being prepared by David Lock KC.

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

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office’s report.

The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 7 November (HL11405), what monitoring processes are in place to ensure that the national sample handling guidance for the whole genome sequencing of solid tumours is being implemented fully.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The performance of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service is monitored quarterly through an assurance framework, which ensures all seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs are operating to national quality standards. This identifies and minimises any potential variation and ensures consistent delivery of the criteria outlined in the National Genomic Test Directory.

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 reverse the long-term decline in the amount spent on medicines as a percentage of the NHS budget.

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

We continue to support the United Kingdom’s world leading life sciences sector through investment, innovation and reform as set out in our Life Sciences Sector Plan and 10-Year Health Plan, through which we committed to accelerating growth in net spend on innovative medicines to unlock the potential for patients.

As announced as part of our world-leading agreement with the United States, we will increase the amount which the UK pays for life-changing medicines by 25% through changes to the way that medicines are evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), including an increase to the NICE cost-effectiveness threshold. In this way, we are increasing the value that we place on innovations that deliver improvements to patient health, ensuring faster patient access for vital medicines for cancer, rare diseases and other conditions.

We are giving a clear signal that we want to bring innovative medicines to National Health Service patients, encouraging the life sciences industry to prioritise the UK as an early launch market, and help get the newest available treatments to those who need them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what aggregated safety data, including adverse-event summaries, the MHRA has recorded relating to the use of puberty blockers in under-18s since 2010; and whether the Department has been informed of any safety signals during that period.

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

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and seeks advice from their independent advisory committee, the Commission on Human Medicines, where appropriate to inform regulatory decisions.

Puberty blockers are also known as gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. These medicines are licenced for conditions such as young children who enter puberty too early, also known as precocious puberty, prostate cancer, and endometriosis. The use of GnRH analogues to suppress puberty in children and young people with gender dysphoria is off-label prescribing. This means that the use of these medicines for this purpose is outside of the licensed uses, and as such the benefits and risks of the medicine for use in this specific population have not been assessed. The MHRA does not regulate off-label use.

The MHRA has received three United Kingdom suspected adverse drug reaction reports in which a GnRH analogue has been reported as being used in a child or young person for the purpose of puberty suppression in gender dysphoria. The GnRH analogues included in this search were buserelin, leuprorelin, goserelin, gonadorelin, nafarelin, and triptorelin. Please note it is not mandatory to provide information on indication when submitting an adverse drug reaction report.

It is important to note that a reaction reported to the Yellow Card scheme does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the medicine, only that the reporter had a suspicion it may have. Underlying or concurrent illnesses may be responsible, or the events could be coincidental.

The MHRA has not identified any safety signals which concern the off-label use of the GnRH analogues for the purpose of puberty suppression in gender dysphoria. However, we acknowledge that there is a clear lack of clinical evidence for the safety and efficacy of using these medicines for gender incongruence and/or dysphoria in those aged 18 years old and under. That is why NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research have commissioned a carefully designed clinical trial to assess the relative benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones on young people’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, for the purposes of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, what assessment they have made of the adequacy of current adult safeguarding and mental capacity training among GPs, hospital consultants and community nurses.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government remains neutral on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The Government has not made an assessment of the current adult safeguarding and mental capacity training among general practitioners, hospital consultations, and/or community nurses in the context of that bill.

The Government’s consideration of the provision and training of a voluntary assisted dying service can be found in section 10 of the bill’s impact assessment, a copy of which is attached.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many a) neurologists with specialist training in Parkinson’s, b) geriatricians with specialist training in Parkinson’s, and c) specialist Parkinson’s nurses are currently practising in the NHS.

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

While the Department does not hold data specifically on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England, we do hold data on the number of doctors working in the wider specialities of neurology and geriatric medicine. As of August 2025, there were 2,010 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology and 6,284 in geriatric medicine in National Health Service trusts and other organisations in England. This includes 1,025 FTE consultant neurologists and 1,687 FTE consultant geriatricians.

These figures are based on NHS Digital’s workforce data and reflect staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations in England. They do not include doctors working in private practice or outside NHS organisations.

The Department does not hold specific data on the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses currently working in the NHS in England. These roles are commissioned and managed locally by NHS trusts and integrated care boards as part of neurology and movement disorder services.

NHS England has published a service specification for specialised adult neurology services, which includes Parkinson’s disease as part of its scope. This specification sets out requirements for multidisciplinary care, including access to Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists, consultant neurologists, and allied health professionals.

NHS England is also implementing initiatives such as the Neurology Transformation Programme and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aim to improve access to specialist care, reduce variation, and develop integrated models of service delivery for conditions including Parkinson’s disease. These programmes align with the National Institute for Care Excellence guidance on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, which recommends that people with Parkinson’s have regular access to specialist staff with expertise in the condition.

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 South Central Ambulance Service’s decision on crew break arrangements on ambulance wait times in Newbury.

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

No specific assessment has been made. Operational arrangements such as scheduling and management of crew breaks is the responsibility of individual ambulance trusts which are required to comply with United Kingdom employment law and National Health Service contractual standards.

The South Central Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust is currently piloting a new approach to ambulance crew breaks. The change is designed for the benefit of both staff and patients, supporting crews to take their meal breaks at allocated times alongside responding effectively to patient demand by maintaining coverage over the region during peak periods.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department holds complete archived referral, assessment, prescribing, and safeguarding data from the former Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service; and whether the Department will publish an aggregated historical summary.

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

NHS England, as the responsible commissioner of the service at the time, will hold some relevant data, of the type and nature that would routinely be reported through the commissioning process. This would not include patient identifiable information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms will ensure accountability for primary care outcomes within merged ICBs, particularly where decision-making is centralised elsewhere.

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

The NHS Oversight Framework will continue to provide the approach to assessing integrated care boards, including in relation to primary care.

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 tackle racial disparities in maternity care.

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

The Department recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.

The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred. It is crucial that we also ensure the system is supported to achieve any target set.

Baroness Amos is chairing a national independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from black and Asian backgrounds, those from deprived groups, and those from other marginalised groups when receiving maternity and neonatal care. The Government is currently establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, to be chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, that will then develop a national action plan based on the recommendations of the investigation.

A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are now underway. These include an anti-discrimination programme, which aims to ensure that all service users and their families receive care free from discrimination and racism, and that all staff will experience a work environment free from discrimination and racism. We are also developing an inequalities dashboard and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity.

Additionally, all local areas have published equity and equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.

We are also putting in place wider actions to improve safety across maternity and neonatal care, which will also contribute to reducing inequalities. This includes the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, a package of evidence-based interventions to support staff to reduce stillbirth, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and pre-term births. It includes guidance on managing multiple pregnancies to ensure optimal care for the woman and baby. NHS England is also introducing a Maternal Mortality Care Bundle to set clear standards across all services, and to address the leading causes of maternal mortality. Women from black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle will target these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.

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 ensure that every ICB retains its Women’s Health Champion.

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

The network of women’s health champions brings together senior leaders in women’s health from every integrated care system (ICS) to share best practice to improve women’s health outcomes across the life course and reduce health inequalities. The role is a voluntary commitment.

The network continues to meet every one to two months to share insight and discuss best practice on local implementation of women’s health services across ICSs. Meetings continue to be well-attended with insightful, positive discussion. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health also attended the March 2025 Network of Champions meeting and had the opportunity to hear firsthand about their excellent work and ideas for the future.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the current planned completion date for the rebuild of Hinchingbrooke Hospital as part of the New Hospital Programme.

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

Pursuant to my answer of 11 February 2025 to Question 29225, the expected completion date will be confirmed following the approval of a Full Business Case as set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book and as is usual for large infrastructure projects.

Construction of the main hospital build at Hinchingbrooke Hospital is expected to commence in 2027/28 as set out in the published Plan for Implementation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what instructions his Department issued to NHS regional gender hubs on prescribing restrictions.

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

In March 2024, NHS England published its clinical policy on puberty suppressing hormones for children and young people who have gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria.

This set out that puberty supressing hormones are not available as a routine commissioning treatment option for the treatment of children and young people who have gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria.

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 tackle health inequalities affecting women.

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

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer. Our reimagined National Health Service will tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms. This financial year the Department has invested approximately £53 million in direct research awards on research to support the health of women. This includes conditions that are unique to women, such as endometriosis, and health topics that are relevant to women, such as violence and abuse.

Significant progress has been made towards delivering the ambitions in the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, for example improving women and girls’ awareness and access to services and driving research to benefit women’s health, but we know there is more to do.

That is why we are renewing the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far, and to continue progressing delivery.

The renewed strategy will update on the delivery of the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy and set out how the Government is taking further steps to improve women’s health as we deliver the 10-Year Health Plan. It will also address gaps from the 2022 strategy and drive further change on enduring challenges, such as creating a system that listens to women and tackling health inequalities.

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 adequacy of the number of GPs in Great Yarmouth constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As of 31 October 2025, there were 66 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) in the Great Yarmouth Constituency. The median number of FTE doctors per 10,000 registered patients was 5.5, compared to the England median of 5.6.

Since October 2024 we have funded primary care networks with an additional £160 million to recruit recently qualified GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Over 2,600 individual GPs have now been recruited, preventing them from graduating into unemployment. This was a measure to respond to feedback from the profession and to help solve an immediate issue of GP unemployment.

We have committed to training thousands more GPs across the country which will increase capacity and take the pressure off those currently working in the system.

Found: State for Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Secretary of State for Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Science, Research and Innovation and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: This will be further supported with annual increases and an additional £5 million from DHSC each year

Found: This will be further supported with annual increases and an additional £5 million from DHSC each year

Found: This will be further supported with annual increases and an additional £5 million from DHSC each year

Found: But this year has been quite extraordinary with the amount of funding that we have received from DHSC

Found: If you take the elective waiting list, that is predominantly a DHSC responsibility.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the findings of PwC’s Youth Employment Index regarding the role of long-term sickness in driving youth economic inactivity.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity in the working age population. Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity.

Young disabled people and young people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.

Additionally, the Youth Guarantee and Pathways to Work will guarantee specialist support for young people with long-term health conditions and disabled young people. We have announced an £820 million funding package for the Youth Guarantee to overhaul support and give a generation of young people a brighter future.

We set out our plan for the “Pathways to Work Guarantee” in our Pathways to Work Green Paper and we are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade. We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement, and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support.

In recognition of employers’ vital role in addressing health-related economic activity, we appointed Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the independent Keep Britain Working Review. The Report was published on 5 November. In partnership with DBT and DHSC, we are immediately launching Vanguards to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work and develop a Healthy Workplace Standard, putting Sir Charlie’s key recommendations into action from day one.  Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health.

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Additionally, Alan Milburn will author an independent report to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training. The report will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun, with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability. It will make recommendations for policy response to help young people with health conditions access work, training or education, ensuring they are supported to thrive and are not sidelined. It will complement the Timms Review by focusing specifically on the links between youth mental health, economic inactivity and the benefit system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on reviewing care plans where new diagnoses of (a) special educational needs, (b) disabilities or (c) neurodevelopmental conditions are identified after a child has entered foster care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department has published a comprehensive suite of guidance to ensure that children in care have their needs identified and supported, as part of a dynamic and continuous cycle of care planning. This includes:

• The Children Act 1989 guidance, Volume 2.
• Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children (joint Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care guidance).
• Promoting the educational outcomes of looked-after children.
• The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice.

As part of this, each child must have a care plan, bringing together information from assessment across the dimensions of their developmental needs, incorporating a health plan and a personal education plan. Reviews must occur within 20 days of entering care, again within three months, and at least every six months thereafter, and can be brought forward if circumstances change significantly, including to account for significant health, medical events, or diagnoses.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to improve a) universal, b) targeted and c) specialist speech, language and communication support.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs) play a critical role in early intervention for children and young people. By breaking down communication barriers, they unlock learning, inclusion, and opportunity for every child.

The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes extending the Early Language and Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.

We are also continuing to grow the pipeline. In addition to the undergraduate degree route, speech and language therapists can also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is now in its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.

Further plans to bolster this critical workforce will be set out in the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it mandatory for all schools to hold spare AAIs, and ensure relevant staff are trained in their use.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 have allowed all schools to buy adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI devices) without a prescription for emergency use on children who are at risk of anaphylaxis but whose own device is not available or not working.

The Department of Health and Social Care has published non-statutory guidance to accompany this legislative change, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-emergency-adrenaline-auto-injectors-in-schools.

The department is working with DHSC and NHS England to consider how we might extend the availability of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the (a) name, (b) job title, (c) annual remuneration, (d) time commitment and (e) expected end date is for each direct ministerial appointment in her Department.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Please see a list of all the Direct Ministerial Appointments (DMAs) in DSIT to date, including job title, renumeration, time commitment and expected end date.

Live Appointments:

• Matt Clifford: the Prime Minister’s AI Opportunities Advisor. 1 day per week, Term Dates: 13/01/2024 - 13/01/2026.
• Dr Dan Mahoney: Life Sciences Investment Envoy. 15 days per year, Term Dates:18/11/2024 - 18/05/2026.
• Theo Blackwell: Local Digital Champion. 2 days per week, Term Dates: 13/01/2025 - 31/12/2025.
• Yoshua Bengio: International AI Safety Report Chair. 26 days per year, Term Dates: 29/01/2025 - 31/03/2026.
• Lord David Willetts: Regulatory Innovation Office Chair. 36 days per year, Term Dates: 07/03/2025 - 07/03/2027
• Steve Bates: Office for Life Sciences Executive Chair. Full-time, Term Dates: 29/09/2025 - 29/03/2027.
• Anne Lingford-Hughes, Peter Johnson, Hilary Evans-Newton, Nadeem Sarwar, Husseini Manji, Kathryn Abel and Naveed Sattar: OLS Healthcare Goals Chairs, 4-8 days per month, Term Dates: 30/09/2025 - 05/03/2027 (DHSC appointments with joint accountability between DHSC, DSIT and DBT)
• Simon Johnson, Tom Blomfield and Raia Hadsell: AI Ambassadors. 2 days per year, Term Dates: 21/11/2025 - 21/11/2026.
• James Wise: Sovereign AI Champion, 10 days per year. Term Dates: 21/11/2025 - 21/11/2026.
• Anne Marie Imafidon: Women in Tech Envoy. 20 days per year, Term Dates: 15/12/2025 - 15/06/2027.
• Prof. Sir Jonathan Irving Bell: Life Sciences Champions, 30 days per year, Term Dates: 01/01/2011 - 31/122025
• Sir Jon Symonds: Life Sciences Champions, 30 days per year, Term Dates: 01/01/2021- 31/12/2025.

Appointments that have now ended

• Matt Clifford: Lead Reviewer of the Artificial Intelligence Action Plan. 4-8 days per month, Term Dates: 22/07/2024 - 03/09/2024.
• Martha Lane Fox (Co-Chair), Poppy Gustafsson, Paul Willmott (Co-Chair), Jeni Tennison, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, Lou Cordwell, Aaron Maniam, David Eaves, Sarah Hunter, Lisa Harrington, Josie Cluer and Lord Richard Allan: Digital Centre Design Panel Members. 1 day a month, Date: 30/09/2024 - 04/01/2025.
• Ian Hogarth: AI Safety Institute Chair. 10 days per year, Term Dates: 10/02/2025 - 09/12/2025.

Appointments made before July 2024 (publicly available information)

• David Morris: UK Government Space Advisor. 2022 to 2024.
• Simon Fell: Rural Connectivity Champion. 2023 to 2024.
• Hilary Evans: Co-Chair for Dementia Mission. 2023 to 2024.
• Nadeem Sarwar: Co-Chair for the Dementia Mission. 2023 to 2024.
• Stephen McPartland: Chair of the McPartland Review. 2024.
• Alice Sullivan: Independent Reviewer of Data Collection. 2024.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing clinical trial set-up times.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Reducing clinical trial set-up times is a priority across government, and the Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology are working closely together to fulfil the Prime Minister’s target of achieving study set-up in under 150 days by March 2026.

Cross-departmental monitoring takes place via the UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) programme, a cross-sector programme that brings together delivery partners and key stakeholders, and through the joint-ministerial Life Sciences Delivery Board, which provides strategic oversight of progress on the Government’s ambitions for the Life Sciences sector, including targets to reduce set-up times for clinical trials.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will establish a cross-government protocol with the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care setting out roles, referral routes and timescales between schools, police forces and health services when responding to allegations of child-on-child sexual abuse.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is taking the strongest action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. This includes setting up a new national inquiry, with which government departments will cooperate fully, to ensure we are tackling this vile crime and supporting victims and survivors.

Working Together is the national multi-agency statutory guidance for all practitioners working with children and their families. Local safeguarding partners (local authorities, police and health) already have a statutory duty to set out in their threshold document and local protocols the process for referrals, assessments, support and services for children who need help or protection. This guidance underpins Ofsted’s Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services framework.

We are also delivering the biggest reform to children’s social care in a generation, investing £2.4 billion in the Families First Partnership programme, introducing multi-agency child protection teams through our landmark Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and establishing a national Child Protection Authority.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve (a) universal, (b) targeted and (c) specialist speech, language and communication support for children in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes extending the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.

We are also continuing to grow the pipeline. In addition to the undergraduate degree route, speech and language therapists can also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is now in its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to promote research into treatments for glioblastoma.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests approximately £200 million annually in cancer research via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spent £141.6 million in 2024/25 via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Government does not ringfence funding for specific cancers, but is committed to advancing brain tumour research, including glioblastoma. In recent years, NIHR directly invested £11.8 million and UKRI invested £46.8 million into brain tumour research. This included two new glioblastoma research projects funded by the Medical Research Council in 2023.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration her Department has given to including milk in government-funded breakfast clubs without reducing funding for existing milk provision schemes.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department funds schools taking part in the free breakfast clubs programme to buy breakfast foods and drinks, as well as to cover staffing and delivery costs.

Schools are required to provide a breakfast adhering to the school food standards, which could include a glass of lower fat milk. However, it is up to schools to decide what they serve in line with the standards. Where schools provide milk, they can also choose whether to participate in the national school milk subsidy scheme which can be used to reduce the cost of the milk

Additionally, the Nursery Milk Scheme is operated and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and provides free milk to children under five at participating schools and childcare settings.

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 support research teams undertaking long-term cancer prevention and early-detection research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests approximately £200 million annually in cancer research via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spent £141.6 million in 2024/25 via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Office for Life Science’s Cancer Healthcare Goal Programme has invested over £16 million to support development of early detection innovations, such as multi cancer detection tests. DHSC will be publishing a National Cancer Plan for England in the new year. This will set out the Government’s long-term strategy to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including prevention and early-detection R&D.

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