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 improve (a) access to training and (b) the integration of Ukrainian doctors into the NHS.

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

There are various local schemes to support refugee health and care staff into National Health Service employment. The training and integration of refugee doctors into the NHS, including those from Ukraine, is managed at a local level by NHS employers according to local requirements.

It is our ambition that all Ukrainian refugees who are healthcare professionals in their home country and who meet the standards required in the United Kingdom are able to achieve registration efficiently and use their skills within our NHS.

A page has been published on the GOV.UK website specifically for Ukrainian refugees which aims to provide an overview of the processes required by specific healthcare professional regulators, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-in-healthcare-in-the-uk-homes-for-ukraine

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of all medical doctors in the UK. The GMC has introduced a number of measures to support applications from refugees. Information about these measures is available at the following link:

https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-our-registers/before-you-apply/help-for-refugee-doctors

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospital admissions were recorded for inflammatory bowel disease in the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset in (a) Hazel Grove constituency and (b) England in each of the last five years.

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

The following table shows the annual number of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis recorded for inflammatory bowel disease in England, in each of the last five years:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics.

Data on the number of admissions for the Hazel Grove constituency is not available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) support and (b) resources his Department are providing to help support medical facilities in Crewe and Nantwich constituency.

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

The Crewe and Nantwich constituency, like all constituencies, will benefit from a fair share of the £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and the £3.1 billion increase to the capital budget over the 2024/25 to 2025/26 period, as announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been provisionally allocated £43.3 million from our Constitutional Standards Recovery Fund for 2025/26 to deliver new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds to increase capacity for elective and emergency care. In addition, it has been provisionally allocated £5 million from our Primary Care Utilisation Fund to modernise and upgrade general practice surgeries, and £18.1 million from our Estates Safety Fund to address critical infrastructure and safety risks.

The ICB has also been provisionally allocated £61.7 million for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) mitigation and eradication for trusts that are part of the National Health Service’s RAAC programme. This includes funding for the RAAC mitigation works at Leighton Hospital. Funding is subject to business case approval.

Alongside national programme allocations, the ICB has been provisionally allocated £214.7 million in operational capital funding, including primary care business-as-usual capital, for 2025/26, to be prioritised according to local needs such as investing in hospital infrastructure.

Leighton Hospital in Crewe is part of Wave 1 of the New Hospital Programme (NHP) with construction of the new hospital expected to commence in 2027/28. As an RAAC scheme, we are working at pace to ensure Leighton Hospital will be replaced as quickly as possible and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned an updated site by site report, due in summer 2025, to inform decisions on the delivery of the replacement RAAC hospitals. The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is also being supported by the NHP to develop their Strategic Outline Case as part of the business case process for their main hospital.

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 regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists.

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

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the adequacy of the regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists. The Government is clear that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public, and that statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to public and patient protection cannot be addressed in other ways, such as through employer oversight or accredited voluntary registration.

The Government believes that anyone using counselling or psychotherapy services deserves to have confidence and trust in their healthcare professionals, which is why we urge the use of qualified practitioners holding voluntary registration accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the Continuing Healthcare Assessment for dementia patients.

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

The Department has no plans at this time to review the NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessment in relation to individuals with dementia.

Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis, condition, or financial means, as it is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of an individual’s needs. This ensures a person-centred approach to CHC, where the individual is placed at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process. We continue to work with our partners, including NHS England, who are responsible for oversight of CHC delivery, external organisations, and people with lived experience, to seek feedback on CHC policy and implementation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average number of patients per GP is in (a) Wiltshire (b) England.

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

As of 31 March 2025, the median number of full time equivalent doctors in general practice (GP) per 10,000 registered patients was:

• 6.6 in Wiltshire; and
• 5.6 in England.

GPs employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme are not included as they are employed by primary care networks (PCNs), rather than directly by practices. PCNs’ work may occur across county borders, so it is not possible to say how many PCN employed staff work in Wiltshire.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices there (a) are (b) were in 2019 in Wiltshire.

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

As of February 2025, there were 45 main practices and 28 branch practices in Wiltshire. This compares to 47 main practices and 27 branch practices in December 2019.

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 ensure equitable access to pharmacies across geographic areas, in the context of pharmacy closures.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

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 prevent community pharmacy closures in (a) rural and (b) deprived areas.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

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 tackle instances of inequitable access to pharmacies across geographic areas.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

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 increase the number of brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to help shorten waiting times for dementia diagnoses.

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

A timely diagnosis is vital to ensuring that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care, and support that can help them to live well and remain independent for as long as possible.

We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%. The Government is also committed to transforming diagnostic services, including the detection and diagnosis of dementia, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scanners.

The Dementia Care Pathway: Full Implementation Guidance, commissioned by NHS England, outlines the dementia care pathway and the associated benchmarks to support improvements in the delivery and quality of care and support. It showcases good-practice examples of services that have successfully reduced their waiting times. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/nccmh/dementia/nccmh-dementia-care-pathway-full-implementation-guidance.pdf

To support recovery of the dementia diagnosis rates and implementation of the Dementia Care Pathway, NHS England has developed a dashboard for management information purposes. The aim is to support commissioners and providers of memory services with appropriate data and enable targeted support where needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether consideration has been given to the importance of (a) gardening and (b) nature-based therapies in improving (i) physical, (ii) social and (iii) mental health in the development of a neighbourhood health service.

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

We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Heath Service, with more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier, supporting people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer. There will be a focus on shifting the way services are delivered to put the needs of people and places at the heart of the health and care system.

We recognise the value of social prescribing for addressing the wider determinants of health that can impact on an individual’s wellbeing. Green social prescribing is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities, and can include gardening and nature-based therapies. We know that it can help people from a range of backgrounds to connect with nature to improve their physical, social, and mental health. We remain committed to the development of social prescribing through our ambition to focus on a preventative approach to health inequalities and to deliver support closer to home, in our communities.

The full vision for the health care system will be set out in 10-Year Health Plan. However, Neighbourhood Health Guidelines were published alongside the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning Guidance and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, to help integrated care boards, local authorities, and health and care providers to continue to progress neighbourhood health in 2025/26.

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 welfare reforms on (a) unpaid carers and (b) their access to (i) respite and (ii) support services.

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

The Government is committed to supporting unpaid carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people.

In the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, we announced a broad package of reforms to the health and disability benefit and support system, including changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). For those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including for linked entitlements such as Carer’s Allowance, we are consulting on how best to support this group, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

The Government will consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of its wider consideration of responses to the consultation as it develops its detailed proposals for change. Through the Green Paper we are consulting on the support needed for those who may lose any entitlements as a result of receiving PIP daily living and what this support could look like. The Department for Work and Pensions will also work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and others on how the health and eligible care needs of those who would lose entitlement to PIP could be met outside the benefits system.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services.

The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for unpaid carer support, including short breaks and respite services for carers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 27 March 2025 on Mental Health: Expected Spend for 2025-26, HCWS562, whether he has carried out an impact assessment of reducing the proportion of NHS spending on mental health.

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

For 2025/26, mental health spending is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion. This represents a significant uplift of £320 million in real terms spending on mental health compared to the previous financial year. In addition, integrated care boards are forecast to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over 2025/26, meaning that local health services will invest a greater share of their budgets into frontline mental health services. The Department continues to engage with a range of stakeholders about future plans for mental health services.

No formal impact assessment has been made, as mental health spending is forecast to be almost the same as it was for 2024/25, with a small reduction of just 0.07% in the share of recurrent National Health Service spending for 2025/26. This change is driven by additional investment in the NHS to support elective recovery, and by investment to improve general practice and pharmacy services and meet the rising costs of new medicines and medical devices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Written Statement on 27 March 2025, HCWS562, what consultation was undertaken with stakeholders prior to the decision to reduce the proportion of NHS spending on mental health.

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

For 2025/26, mental health spending is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion. This represents a significant uplift of £320 million in real terms spending on mental health compared to the previous financial year. In addition, integrated care boards are forecast to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over 2025/26, meaning that local health services will invest a greater share of their budgets into frontline mental health services. The Department continues to engage with a range of stakeholders about future plans for mental health services.

No formal impact assessment has been made, as mental health spending is forecast to be almost the same as it was for 2024/25, with a small reduction of just 0.07% in the share of recurrent National Health Service spending for 2025/26. This change is driven by additional investment in the NHS to support elective recovery, and by investment to improve general practice and pharmacy services and meet the rising costs of new medicines and medical devices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that all households with at least one disabled resident have adequate access to (a) adapted housing, (b) support services and (c) local authority assistance in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

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

We recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in supporting people to live independently, and the need to support people to live behind their own front door wherever possible.

In England, we fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes, through practical changes like installing stair lifts or level access showers - to make them safe and suitable for their needs. We have provided an additional £172 million across this and the last financial year to uplift the DFG, which could provide around 15,600 home adaptations to give older and disabled people more independence in their homes. The total allocations for Basildon and Thurrock in 2025/26 are £1,785,144 and £1,636,074 respectively.

Funding for local authorities in England for housing-related local support services is through the wider Local Government Finance Settlement and it is for local authorities to determine which services they wish to fund, as they best understand local priorities and circumstances.

More widely, to enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. The additional funding available to Thurrock Council in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 6.9% in cash terms.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of appeals against decisions on NHS Continuing Healthcare funding by integrated care boards were upheld in favour of the applicant in the last 12 months.

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

If an individual disagrees with the outcome of an NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessment, they may apply to the integrated care board (ICB) for a Local Resolution procedure. Where it has not been possible to resolve the matter through the Local Resolution procedure, the individual may apply to NHS England for an Independent Review of the decision.

We have interpreted ‘appeals against decisions’ as a request for Local Resolution or Independent Review of CHC eligibility decision requests, and ‘were upheld in favour of the applicant’ to mean the number of these found eligible. The following table, provided by NHS England, shows the number of Local Resolution requests to review a CHC eligibility decision completed by ICBs, and the number and percentage of those found eligible, from Quarter four of 2023/24 to Quarter three of 2024/25, for England:

In addition, the following table show the number of Independent Review requests to review a CHC eligibility decision carried out by NHS England, and the number and percentage found eligible, from Quarter four of 2023/24 to Quarter three of 2024/25, for England:

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 reduce CAHMS waiting times in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

We know children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need and that waits for mental health services are too long across England. We are determined to change that.

Nationally, the Government is providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 Early Support Hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England and roll out Young Futures Hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.

In addition, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to ease pressure on busy mental health services.

Responsibility for onward commissioning of mental health services sits with integrated care boards (ICB). It is the role of local ICB decision-makers to consider the implications of mental health services, specific to each geography and including the perspectives of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and local authorities.

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 mental health support for (a) fathers and (b) partners impacted by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby provided by (i) maternal mental health services, (ii) improving access to psychological support services and (iii) community mental health services.

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

We recognise that experiencing baby loss can be devastating and we are committed to ensuring that all families receive safe, personalised, equitable and compassionate care.

Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services offer mental health assessments and signposting to support as required for partners of women accessing services. This contributes to helping to care for the 5-10% of fathers who experience mental health difficulties during the perinatal period.

To date, we have not undertaken an assessment of the adequacy of mental health support for fathers and partners impacted by baby loss provided by Maternal Mental Health Services.

Mental health services within the National Health Service can support adults who are experiencing mental health problems because of baby loss. The Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies. These offer well-governed, evidence-based, and effective psychological therapy services for common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress reactions. These services are available in every integrated care system through self-referral.

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 (a) service delivery and (b) patient care standards are maintained in community pharmacies following the dissolution of NHS England.

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

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the NHS, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

All services delivered within a community pharmacy are delivered under the supervision of a pharmacist who are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the independent regulator of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and registered pharmacy premises in Great Britain, and will remain unaffected by any changes to NHS England. GPhC sets standards for the education and training of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support staff, inspects pharmacies to ensure standards are met and acts if there are concerns about a registered pharmacy or pharmacy professional.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) impact, (b) economic and (c) equalities assessments for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill before 8 May 2025.

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

The Government expects to publish the impact assessment and equalities impact assessment before Members consider the Bill on Report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet the honourable Member for Dorking and Horley to discuss his proposed amendment to the Mental Health Bill.

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

I would be happy to meet with the Hon. Member to discuss his proposed amendment to the Mental Health Bill. My Private Office will be in touch with him shortly to make the arrangements.

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 8 April 2025 to Question 44058 on General Practitioners: Pay, how regularly the New Earnings Survey is published by the Office for National Statistics.

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

The New Earnings Survey has now been replaced with the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, which is carried out annually. It provides information about the levels, distribution, and make-up of earnings and paid hours worked for employees in all industries and occupations.

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 8 April 2025 to Question 43400 on GP Practice lists, what the national average death rate is for each age group for all wards in Huntingdon constituency.

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

The standardised mortality ratio for those aged under 65 years old was calculated by the Office for National Statistics as a special exercise. The death rates for each age group were not provided.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to provide additional support to carers of people with Parkinson’s disease.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support that they need.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers and carers of people with Parkinson’s disease.

To support unpaid carers, on 7 April 2025 the Government increased the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.

We are also providing support for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund can be used for unpaid carer support, including short breaks and respite services for carers. The Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) has also provided a total of £42.6 million to support innovation and scaling in adult social care. More than half of the ARF projects are focused on identifying, recognising, and supporting unpaid carers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what percentage of each individual GP practices' funding is made up of the Global Sum Payment in Huntingdon constituency.

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

The following table shows what percentage of each individual general practice’s National Health Service funding is made up of the Global Sum Payment for 2022/23, in the Huntingdon constituency:

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of NHS GP registrations that were for non-UK nationals in the past five years.

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

The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practice registrations that were for non-United Kingdom nationals.

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 the discharge process on patients in cross-county areas.

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

Enabling people to be discharged from hospital more quickly and with the right support contributes to speedier recovery and better outcomes. In some instances, this may mean discharging a patient outside of their local area so that they can receive the most appropriate short-term care after discharge. Some hospitals have excellent relationships and processes for cross-county discharges, although we know that in other instances these can cause delays whilst the care transfer hub determine responsibility for funding post discharge care.

The Hospital Discharge and Community Support Guidance sets out that integrated care boards and local authorities should agree local arrangements to ensure that any decisions about the joint funding of care can be made swiftly. These arrangements should follow the ‘Who Pays?’ guidance for services funded by the National Health Service, and reference ‘ordinary residence’ rules for services funded by local authorities, so that there is no adverse effect on timely discharge. Both sets of guidance are available at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/who-pays-determining-which-nhs-commissioner-is-responsible-for-commissioning-healthcare-services-and-making-payments-to-providers/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of health services for (a) blind and (b) partially sighted people in North Cornwall constituency.

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

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population, including blind and partially sighted people.

Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, including blind and partially sighted people. NHS England has been undertaking a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. A revised AIS will be published in due course. In the meantime, the current AIS remains in force and therefore there should not be a gap in provision for people using services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) social care providers and (b) local authorities on ensuring (i) choice, (ii) control and (ii) flexibility in the provision of care as enshrined in the Care Act 2014.

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

We are committed to working in partnership with social care professionals and providers, local authorities, and crucially the people who draw on care and support, to give people more choice and control over their care.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing local authorities' delivery of their adult social care duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments undertaken by CQC identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, helping us to target support where it is most needed. If CQC identifies a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to implement the supervised tooth-brushing scheme for children in Wiltshire; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the scheme is available in Chippenham.

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

On 7 March 2025, we confirmed plans to implement targeted supervised toothbrushing programme to reach up to 600,000 children between three and five years old in the most deprived areas of England. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supervised-toothbrushing-for-children-to-prevent-tooth-decay

£11 million of additional funding for 2025/26 has been allocated to eligible local authorities, including Wiltshire Council, through the Public Health Grant. Full details are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2025-to-2026/public-health-ring-fenced-grant-financial-year-2025-to-2026-local-authority-circular

Implementation will be led locally to ensure this targeted investment best meets local needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to enable all patients to book primary care appointments through the NHS app.

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

Currently, patients can book general practitioner (GP) appointments via the NHS App. Availability of GP appointments is dependent on practices making their appointments available online. Many practices use triage processes to make an initial assessment of patients’ needs, rather than making online appointments available with a GP on a ‘first come first served’ basis. Routine or planned appointments that do not require prior assessment, such as cervical screening, asthma reviews or regular B12 injections, are more likely to be made available in the NHS App.

Work is underway to understand how the NHS App can support patients, who have been triaged and assessed as needing an appointment, with the ability to find and book an appropriate appointment.

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 improve sustainable funding for community pharmacies to (a) support people with lung conditions and (b) reduce hospital admissions.

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

We have concluded the most recent consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26 with the community pharmacy sector. This deal represents a funding increase of over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26 and will support community pharmacies in continuing to provide clinical services.

This includes the New Medicine Service, which focuses on treatments for long-term conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Pharmacists provide advice on side effects and address issues or questions that patients who are prescribed a new medicine may have. In addition, patients moved from secondary to primary care continue to be supported by the Discharge Medicines Service providing advice on medication changes. Interventions of this type seek to improve medication adherence and patient outcomes as well as to reduce pressure on the wider National Health Service. Community pharmacies are further funded to support patients with asthma through the Pharmacy Quality Scheme, providing additional support to patients aged between five and 15 years old using a spacer and patients using short-acting bronchodilators.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the accessibility of the NHS for autistic people.

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

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, from 1 July 2022, Care Quality Commission-registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role. This will help to ensure that staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide safe and informed care. To support providers to meet the statutory training requirement, we have been rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism to the health and adult social care workforce. Over two million people have now completed the e-learning module, which is the first part of the training.

To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to make sure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments for people. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information, including if a person is autistic, and their reasonable adjustment needs, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

In June 2024, NHS England published a Health and Care Passport guidance and template which aims to support personalised care to autistic people including when they go into hospital or access any health or care services.

Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. NHS England has been undertaking a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. A revised AIS will be published in due course. In the meantime, the current AIS remains in force and therefore there should not be a gap in provision for people using services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review Shared Care arrangements to ensure they are delivering effective outcomes for patients.

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

There are currently no plans to review shared care agreements.

General practices (GPs) are independent contractors that provide National Health Services. Shared care agreements between a GP and a specialist are voluntary and are not part of the GP Contract. The General Medical Council is clear that a GP cannot be mandated to enter into a shared care agreement, and there is guidance in place to help GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities.

On initiating a treatment, the specialist clinician must follow General Medical Council guidance, that if continuation of the treatment is dependent on shared care, then an agreement with the GP must be in place before the treatment is started.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which GP practices in the Huntingdon constituency have (a) a GMS contract, (b) a PMS contract and (c) an APMS contract.

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

There are 12 practices in the Huntingdon constituency, all of which hold General Medical Services contracts.

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 protection of autistic people in pandemics.

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

Ensuring that the United Kingdom is prepared for a future pandemic is a top priority for the Government, and we are embedding lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in our approach to pandemic preparedness. We aim to have flexible, adaptable, and scalable capabilities that can respond to any infectious disease or other threat, rather than relying on plans for specific threats. The strategic approach to pandemic preparedness recognises the disproportionate impacts that pandemics can have on particular people and groups.

The Government’s response to module one of the COVID-19 inquiry sets out the changes we have made to risk planning and data management to help ensure that we reduce potential unequal impacts on particular groups or individuals and targeting support where it can be of best help in civil emergency planning and management. The response is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-government-response-to-the-covid-19-inquiry-module-1-report

The Department commissioned independent research by the Policy Innovation Research Unit into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic people and their families, which was published in May 2021 and is available at the following link:

https://piru.ac.uk/research/completed-projects/covid-19-impact-on-autistic-people-in-the-uk.html

More broadly, we are taking steps to improve the accessibility of services and information for autistic people. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to make sure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments for people. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, including if a person is autistic, and their reasonable adjustment needs, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

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 patients' (a) blindness and (b) partial sightedness on levels of attendance at (i) GP and (ii) hospital appointments.

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

The Department has made no formal assessment of the impact of visual impairment on levels of attendance. However, we are aware of the challenges that visual impairments can present when accessing healthcare services.

Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people, are not disadvantaged. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers have been expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The standard details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, including blind and partially sighted people. NHS England has been undertaking a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. A revised AIS will be published in due course. In the meantime, the current AIS remains in force and therefore there should not be a gap in provision for people using services.

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 2 April 2025 to Question 42329 on General Practitioners: Finance, what the average salary was within the earnings data used in the staff market forces factor element of the Carr-Hill formula for (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) nationally.

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

The Market Forces Factor used in the Carr-Hill formula is the difference in relative earnings due to geographical location alone, after removing the modelled impact on earnings differences across the country due to differences in the industry, occupation and age of employees. The value for Cambridgeshire after removing the impact of these factors is £15.94 per hour. A national figure was not produced as only the relative impact of geographical locations across the country is required for the Market Forces Factor. The research report did not include unadjusted earnings figures.

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 8 April 2025 to Question 43400, from what year is the national average death rate for each age group taken.

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

The death rates used by the Office for National Statistics to calculate the standardised mortality ratio for those aged under 65 years old are for the years 1996 to 2000 combined.

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 improve access to (a) primary and (b) specialist healthcare services for disabled people whose activity is significantly limited in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

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

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population, including disabled people.

Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services.

To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

For primary care services in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, NHS Mid and South Essex has launched the ‘MSE (Mid and South Essex) Expand programme’ to improve access to general practice services across the area. Up to £3 million of capital funding is available in 2025/26 to enhance general practice premises, with a focus on accessibility and increased capacity. The programme aims to deliver at least 26 additional treatment and consultation rooms, one per primary care network, enabling an estimated 990 extra appointments per day, or a 3.7% increase. This supports increasing care delivered closer to home and reducing health inequalities.

For specialist services, a new community diagnostic centre (CDC) is due to open in Thurrock in August 2025, the first of its kind in mid and south Essex. The CDC will improve access to key diagnostic services locally, reducing the need for hospital travel. The new centre is fully Disability Discrimination Act compliant and accessible for disabled people.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve ocular health in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

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

Prevention, early detection, and access to timely treatment are all key to maintaining good eye health. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for children, those aged 60 years old and over, individuals on low incomes, and those at increased risk of certain eye diseases, including glaucoma. Free NHS sight tests are also being rolled out for children and young people attending special educational settings across England. Diabetic Retinopathy screening is also offered to individuals aged 12 years old or over with diabetes.

NHS England has been testing how integrating primary and secondary eye care services, through IT connectivity and the development of a single point of access, could improve the referral, triage and management of patients with eye care needs and reduce the time from diagnosis to treatment. The North East London Integrated Care System, which includes Romford, have a number of measures in place to improve eye health including a single point of access to improve referrals into secondary care and minor eye care services in the community.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the recruitment of dentists in (a) Chippenham and (b) Wiltshire; and how many dentists he plans to recruit in those areas by 31 December 2025.

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

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For Chippenham and Wiltshire, this is Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB.

ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 10 March 2025, in England, 45 dentists have commenced in post and a further 36 dentists have been recruited but are yet to start in post.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

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 benefits of regulating private-owned retirement residential services.

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

In November 2024, the Government published the independent Older People’s Housing Taskforce report, originally commissioned prior to the July 2024 General Election. The Taskforce undertook an assessment of public and private specialised and supported older people’s housing, with a particular focus on the private market for those on middle incomes, and explored options for the provision of greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people. The full report and recommendations alongside two pieces of research undertaken for the Taskforce are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-older-peoples-housing-taskforce-report

The Government is currently considering the recommendations set out in the report and remain fully committed to providing homeowners with greater rights, powers and protections over their homes by quickly implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of adults with visual impairments in England.

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

We recognise the importance of supporting people with sight loss to maintain or improve their visual function so they can live independently in the community. It is important that individuals with visual impairments continue to have regular sight tests to monitor any further changes to their vision.

Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many individuals, including children, who are registered as sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired, or who have been diagnosed with glaucoma. Further information on sight test eligibility can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

Low vision services can also be provided to help individuals with sight loss to live independently, and can include access to low vision aids such as magnifiers. Low vision services can be provided within the hospital eye service or in the community.

The Department supports the publication by the Royal National Institute of Blind People of an eye care support pathway, which aims to improve the support available at every stage of an individual’s sight loss journey, including helping them to understand their condition.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of children with visual impairments in England.

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

We recognise the importance of supporting people with sight loss to maintain or improve their visual function so they can live independently in the community. It is important that individuals with visual impairments continue to have regular sight tests to monitor any further changes to their vision.

Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many individuals, including children, who are registered as sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired, or who have been diagnosed with glaucoma. Further information on sight test eligibility can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

Low vision services can also be provided to help individuals with sight loss to live independently, and can include access to low vision aids such as magnifiers. Low vision services can be provided within the hospital eye service or in the community.

The Department supports the publication by the Royal National Institute of Blind People of an eye care support pathway, which aims to improve the support available at every stage of an individual’s sight loss journey, including helping them to understand their condition.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were registered at each GP surgery in Huntingdon constituency in each of the last five years.

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

A table showing the number of patients that were registered at each general practice surgery in the Huntingdon constituency in each of the last five years is attached. This information can also be found at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/general-and-personal-medical-services/31-march-2025

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 merits of funding research into the (a) causes of and (b) potential cures for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

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

As indicated in the interim delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), the Government is keen to increase and improve research in this area. ME/CFS can have a devastating effect on the lives of those who suffer from it, and those close to them, and research can hold the key to improving the quality of life for people with ME/CFS.

The Government funds ME/CFS research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Funding is available and we welcome funding applications for research into ME/CFS. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

In areas, like ME/CFS, which are underserved by research, we work with other relevant funders to develop strategic solutions. For example, the MRC and NIHR co-funded the DecodeME project. The NIHR, Scottish Chief Scientist’s Office, and the MRC also funded the James Lind Alliance PSP for ME/CFS, facilitated by the charity Action for ME. We will outline further research actions as part of the Final Delivery Plan.

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 improve (a) gender parity, (b) equitable investment and (c) the focus on women for HIV (i) prevention, (ii) research, (iii) data and (iv) services.

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

We are committed to ensuring that everyone benefits equally from HIV prevention, treatment, and care, and the Department, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS England, and a broad range of system partners are working together to develop a new HIV Action Plan which we aim to publish this year.

We know from the UKHSA’s latest data that women are not benefitting equally from the progress made on HIV as other key groups are, and as part of the new HIV Action Plan we are exploring ways to improve this. The plan will be informed by the UKHSA’s annual data, including the monitoring and evaluation report, which sets out key indicators to track progress towards our 2030 ambitions, including by gender. This data also helps system partners to understand where services can be improved and made more accessible to key populations.

The Department supports research and development, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which has commissioned research focused on women living with HIV, including the impact of menopause on HIV-positive women's wellbeing and engagement with HIV care, and the intersectional experiences of black women in the digitalisation of sexual and reproductive healthcare, including but not limited to HIV. In addition, the NIHR is funding a £20 million research project to evaluate an expansion of HIV opt-out testing in 47 emergency departments in England where HIV prevalence is high. Emergency department opt-out testing has successfully targeted those who are unlikely to engage with local sexual health services, such as women, and results from the research will be considered in the development of the new plan.

There has also been significant progress through the Department’s national HIV Prevention Programme, which supports communities disproportionately affected by HIV, including women, in particular black African and heterosexual women. The programme delivers National HIV Testing Week, aimed at improving testing and increasing awareness of HIV prevention. During 2024 Testing Week, self-testing was particularly popular amongst women, with a nearly 41% increase in total self-testing orders compared with 2023.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve support for people with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; and whether he plans to consult (a) the MS Society and (b) people with those conditions on future policy decisions.

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

Initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, and the Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP). NHS England’s NTP is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services.

NHS England is also updating its specialised neurology service specification, which includes multiple sclerosis. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.

Involving relevant patient advocacy organisations, including people with lived experience, like the Multiple Sclerosis Society, is central to developing our policies for the National Health Service.

The consultation for our 10-Year Health Plan received over 190,000 responses, including responses from staff and patients. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention. We also plan to publish our refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver a transformed health service over the next decade and treat patients, including those with multiple sclerosis, on time again

The Department has convened a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, which brings together the devolved administrations, health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. The forum will share learning across the UK, and will discuss important neurology service transformation and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many non-cancer medicines have been approved for use by the Innovative Medicines Fund in each year since June 2022.

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

The following table shows the number of non-cancer medicines that have been approved for use by the Innovative Medicines Fund, broken down by those available via managed access agreements and interim funding agreements:

Source: NHS England.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s overall approval rate for non-cancer medicines is very high, with 88% of all of medicines it has evaluated recommended for National Health Service funding for some or all of the eligible patient population.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve respiratory disease (a) prevention, (b) diagnosis and (c) care.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community will allow earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation, can further help prevent lung conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the national cancer strategy will include commitments to improve outcomes for (a) acute myeloid leukaemia and (b) other rare and less common cancers.

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

The National Cancer Plan will seek to improve the experience and outcomes for people with rarer and less common cancers, including acute myeloid leukaemia. The plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.

The plan will foster opportunities for UK researchers to collaborate on international cancer research, which is particularly important for areas where affected populations are small, such as with rare cancers. The plan will also consider the ways that we can accelerate the uptake of innovative, life-saving treatments so all NHS patients can benefit. We will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to repurpose spending on (a) hospital care and (b) emergency admissions for people at the end of life into community care services.

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

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.

The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.

Funding provision for hospital care and community care services is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review, the outcome of which will be announced on 11 June.

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 7 April 2025 to Question 41043, what the criteria was for these funding awards to NHS foundation trusts.

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

Funding was allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.

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 7 April 2025 to Question 41043 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, what devices have been purchased; and from which companies they have been purchased.

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

Specific information relating to which machines were purchased, including the supplier and the cost, is considered commercially sensitive, and as such will not be made public.

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 7 April 2025 to Question 41043 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, what the cost was of each machine.

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

Specific information relating to which machines were purchased, including the supplier and the cost, is considered commercially sensitive, and as such will not be made public.

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 support people impacted by long covid in Twickenham constituency.

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

Commissioning, service provision and staffing of long COVID services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards.

General practitioners (GPs) continue to act as the primary point of contact to ensure patients receive the appropriate advice and care. Patients experiencing symptoms of long COVID are advised to seek support from their GP in the usual way.

A directory of public health, community, and voluntary sector resources has been developed and is available to local GPs and primary care partners. This directory enables healthcare professionals to signpost patients to a wide range of local support services that address the various impacts of long COVID. Further information on the support services available in the Twickenham constituency is available at the following link:

https://www.kingstonandrichmond.nhs.uk/patients-and-families/patient-leaflets/long-covid-information

At a national level, NHS England has also published commissioning guidance for post-COVID services, which sets out the principles of care for people with long COVID.

Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Medical Research Council, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical 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 help tackle the sale of illegal nicotine pouches.

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

In Great Britain, nicotine pouches are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they are subject to general product safety requirements enforced by Trading Standards, including labelling with safety information and warnings about nicotine's addictive nature.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance the regulation of nicotine pouches by providing powers to restrict product packaging and flavours. Powers in the bill will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful.

The Government is taking a range of action to tackle illegal nicotine pouches and protect young people from potential harms. The bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The bill also provides powers to develop a new registration system for all tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. This will help Trading Standards to enforce our rules on product requirements and support improving consumer safety.

Alongside the bill, the Government has announced £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 to Trading Standards, to tackle illicit and underage sales, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding will be used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

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

The relevant departments are currently considering the committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the United Kingdom’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

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 7 April 2025 to Question 41044, what was the criteria for the award of this funding to NHS foundation trusts.

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

In 2024/25, we prioritised funding for a small number of trusts to replace the most aged radiotherapy equipment. Funding was allocated based on the age of the equipment to be replaced, replacement machine availability, and the trust’s ability to take delivery and pay for the equipment by 31 March 25.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnoses, (b) treatment options and (c) support for people living with chronic urinary tract infections; and whether he plans to increase levels of funding for research into (i) alternative therapies, (ii) phage therapy and (iii) advanced drug delivery methods to combat antimicrobial resistance.

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

Support for those affected by chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) is locally led and commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs) to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England is supporting research and working with industry to horizon scan for new innovations in point-of-care tests for diagnosing UTIs, to better guide treatment options. The importance of ensuring rapid, accurate diagnostic testing is available to guide effective antibiotic use is highlighted in the policy paper, Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to-2029/confronting-antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to-2029

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Over the past five years, the NIHR has allocated a total of over £20 million to the development of new antibiotics and alternative therapies. The Department has a large anti-microbial resistance (AMR) research portfolio, with over £88 million invested over the last five years in NIHR research programme funding for AMR. Building on previous NIHR funding, a dedicated NIHR Health Protection Research Unit on healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance recently launched with funding increased to £11 million over the next five years.

The policy paper also acknowledges the potential of alternative therapies, including bacteriophage (phage) therapy, in combating AMR. The Government continues to engage with phage researchers and industry stakeholders, including the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network Phage Innovation Network, chaired by the UK Health Security Agency. By fostering research, adapting regulations, and engaging key stakeholders, the United Kingdom is working to unlock the potential of phage therapy in the fight against AMR.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Food Standards Agency on its plans to publish its response to the consultation entitled Best Practice Guidance - Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods; and what steps he is taking with the Food Standards Agency to improve the allergen information available to consumers.

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

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for food safety, including food allergen labelling, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is working to improve the availability and accuracy of allergen information for non-prepacked foods.

A summary of the responses to the consultation entitled Best Practice Guidance - Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods, along with corresponding guidance with supporting tools, was published on 5 March 2025. This is available at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/summary-of-stakeholder-responses-consultation-on-best-practice-guidance-allergen-information-for-non-prepacked-foods

The guidance is a positive step in improving the provision of allergen information for non-prepacked foods.

Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health and Social Care are in close contact with the FSA, receiving regular updates on the implementation of this guidance.

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 the Food Standards Agency reducing the discount rate for official control fees on abattoirs.

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

The meat charging rates for 2025/26 have been calculated and were published on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) website on 28 February 2025. The 2025/26 Charges Guide and full details about the calculation of the FSA’s charges, including the discount applied, are available at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/charges-for-controls-in-meat-premises

In February and March 2025, the FSA held stakeholder engagement sessions in Belfast, Cardiff and London. The sessions provided an opportunity for stakeholders to offer insight to help the FSA better understand the importance and value of the discount provided. Analysis of the information gathered at the stakeholder sessions is currently taking place. The key findings from both the stakeholder engagement and internal economic analysis are to be discussed by the FSA Board at its June 2025 meeting.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase routine heart screening for young people participating in (a) school and (b) university sports.

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

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 in 2019 and concluded that population screening should not be offered. More information on the recommendation is available at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/

The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider SCD screening in young people aged between 14 and 35 years old engaging in sport. The Committee decided to explore this proposal further and the next step will be an evidence-mapping process. Young people engaging in organised sport was one of the population groups included in the 2019 review, so the evidence map in this area will form part of the work to update the last review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of training convenience store staff and managers on the (a) administration and (b) acceptance of NHS Healthy Start cards.

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

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) runs the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Retailers do not need to register to be part of the Healthy Start scheme. Retailers can accept Healthy Start card payments where they sell eligible Healthy Start foods, and where their store accepts Mastercard. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/retailers/

The NHSBSA does not provide training for convenience store staff or managers. The NHSBSA provides a range of materials to help retailers promote the scheme and understand where the prepaid card is accepted. The NHSBSA provides a guide for retailers to explain how the scheme works, their role, and how to promote the scheme. A copy of this guide for retailers is attached.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be offered by the NHS in the Spring booster programme.

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

The spring 2025 campaign will continue to use mRNA vaccine supply secured under existing pandemic contracts with Pfizer and Moderna. Those eligible will be offered either Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines during the spring 2025 campaign.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the results of the data linkage study recommended by the Cass Review will be published, and whether the results will be published before the commencement of the NHS England puberty blocker trial.

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

The Government and NHS England are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review in full. NHS England’s ambitious two-year implementation plan sets out how it will continue to transform services, while ensuring safe and holistic care.

NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research have jointly established a programme of research that is underpinning the design and delivery of new services for children and young people with gender incongruence. The programme reflects the recommendations of the Cass Review and the need for more high-quality evidence to inform the advice and care provided to an increasing number of children with gender incongruence, and their families, when making important treatment decisions. The current research programme includes the following studies: the data linkage study, which will enable us to learn from the experience and outcomes of a particular group of up to 9,000 adults who, as children, were cared for under a previous and now decommissioned model of National Health Service care; and the PATHWAYS study, which has several elements, including a longitudinal observational study of children and young people attending NHS Gender Services, charting their development over time, and longitudinal qualitative interviews to explore the needs and care experiences of children, young people, and their families, and how these change over the course of time and the treatment

These studies are independent investigations and will run to their own timescales.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging blood marrow donation when a new blood donor registers online.

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

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation services in England, and also manages the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, previously the British Bone Marrow Registry, which facilitates the donation of stem cells either via blood or bone marrow donation, used to treat forms of leukaemia and some other serious inherited conditions. In 2024/25 there were 27,945 NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry registrations, 23,108 of which were recruited via blood sessions.

Eligible blood, plasma, and platelet donors aged between 17 to 40 years old are asked to join the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry when they attend a donation session. Due to the need to take an additional blood sample for typing, registration takes place during the session. NHSBT emails new and returning donors who are eligible for stem cell donation ahead of their blood donation appointment to highlight the impact of stem cell donation and to encourage them to sign up to the stem cell registry when they attend. NHSBT also periodically contacts eligible new blood donors who have not yet attended a blood donation session, and lapsed blood donors, offering a buccal swab sample which can also be used for typing.

To further encourage sign up, NHSBT uses stem cell champions on blood donation teams, which are nationally and specially trained event assistants that are present at sessions with high numbers of minority ethnic donors and young men. NHSBT is also looking at ways to capture a new donor’s intention to join the stem cell registry during their registration online by asking them to register an interest, which is then highlighted to staff on their donor record during donation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy for all patients with suspected measles to be sent an oral fluid kit.

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

In the UK, an appropriate test to confirm or discard cases is essential. As per the guidelines, all suspected measles cases reported to Health Protection Teams are sent an oral fluid kit for testing at the Virus Reference Department at UKHSA Colindale.

The UK Health Security Agency publishes national clinical and public health guidelines for the management of all suspected measles cases at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-measles-guidelines

High quality surveillance is a fundamental component of the UK measles and rubella elimination strategy, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-and-rubella-elimination-uk-strategy

Measles is a notifiable disease and healthcare professionals are legally required to report all suspected cases to their local Health Protection Team.

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 blood donor centres that are asking (a) new and (b) returning blood donors to sign up to donate bone marrow.

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

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation services in England, and also manages the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, previously the British Bone Marrow Registry, which facilitates the donation of stem cells either via blood or bone marrow donation, used to treat forms of leukaemia and some other serious inherited conditions. In 2024/25 there were 27,945 NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry registrations, 23,108 of which were recruited via blood sessions.

Eligible blood, plasma, and platelet donors aged between 17 to 40 years old are asked to join the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry when they attend a donation session. Due to the need to take an additional blood sample for typing, registration takes place during the session. NHSBT emails new and returning donors who are eligible for stem cell donation ahead of their blood donation appointment to highlight the impact of stem cell donation and to encourage them to sign up to the stem cell registry when they attend. NHSBT also periodically contacts eligible new blood donors who have not yet attended a blood donation session, and lapsed blood donors, offering a buccal swab sample which can also be used for typing.

To further encourage sign up, NHSBT uses stem cell champions on blood donation teams, which are nationally and specially trained event assistants that are present at sessions with high numbers of minority ethnic donors and young men. NHSBT is also looking at ways to capture a new donor’s intention to join the stem cell registry during their registration online by asking them to register an interest, which is then highlighted to staff on their donor record during donation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to help increase public (a) awareness and (b) understanding of sickle cell disorder and the impact on that disorder on (i) individuals and (ii) families.

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

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as sickle cell disorder.

To improve awareness of sickle cell disorder, NHS England has carried out a range of activities including developing and launching a national Can You Tell its Sickle Cell campaign in 2022 including a hand-held patient card that could be used in a sickle cell crisis. It has also produced and published a series of four podcasts, featuring three sickle cell patients, placed partnered editorials in Black media to promote awareness of the condition and the potential impact on people’s daily lives, and piloted a successful free monthly e-learning sickle cell series for patients in London. This course will soon be available both nationally and globally.

NHS England has designed a prescription savings campaign to raise awareness of two available money-saving schemes among those living with conditions such as sickle cell, and in deprivation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to work with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to expedite market access to the personalised immunotherapy developed to treat the malignant brain tumour glioblastoma DCVax-L via the NHS.

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

DCVax-L has not yet been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the United Kingdom. The manufacturer has confirmed that it has submitted an application, and it is fully engaged with the Marketing Authorisation process. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether all new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the time of licensing by the MHRA. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is in discussions with the manufacturer of DCVax-L about a potential appraisal, subject to licensing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of children in England.

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

All babies should receive a routine eye screening within 72 hours of birth as part of the newborn physical examination and again at around six weeks of age. Parents and carers are also encouraged to raise any concerns about their child’s health during the health and development reviews carried out with the health visitor.

The UK National Screening Committee also recommends vision screening in school for children aged four to five years to look for reduced vision in one or both eyes.

In addition, all children aged under 16, and under 19 in full time education are eligible for a free NHS eye test, available at opticians. Integrated Care Boards are also in the process of rolling out free NHS sight tests in special educational settings for children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism across England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape will be published.

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

The review of patient safety across the health and care landscape, by Dr Penny Dash, is planned to be published shortly.

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 effectiveness of the Innovative Medicines Fund in providing access to non-cancer medicines.

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

The Innovative Medicines Fund was launched in June 2022, building on the successful Cancer Drugs Fund and supporting patient access to the most promising new medicines while further evidence is collected on their use to address clinical uncertainty.

Since the fund’s establishment in June 2022, over 1,050 patients have been registered to receive treatment with 16 products treating 16 different conditions. NHS England has made interim funding available via the fund for 14 products, and two products have been recommended for managed access across three indications in the fund.

A high proportion of topics assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as having potential for managed access have gone on to secure a positive recommendation for routine commissioning, bypassing the need for further data collection and reappraisal through the fund. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s overall approval rate for non-cancer medicines is very high, with 88% of all of medicines it has evaluated recommended for National Health Service funding for some of or all the eligible patient population.

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 taking immunosuppressant drugs in cases of pregnancy after organ transplant on babies in utero.

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

Some immunosuppressive drugs are known to cause a structural or functional change in the foetus, known as teratogenic drugs, and so this is a critical area of concern in transplant medicine, and discussion with a patient’s transplant team is important to ensure the most appropriate immunosuppressive regime is provided for the best care of both parent and embryo.

NHS England Specialised Commissioning has not undertaken a specific impact assessment of taking immunosuppressant drugs during pregnancy on babies in utero, specifically in the context of transplant recipients. However, guidance is typically informed by a combination of clinical experience, research literature, and recommendations from broader medical bodies. The policies and practices in place in solid organ transplant centres are evidence based, and consider the safety and efficacy of the use of these drugs, including where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluations have taken place.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish national plans to improve (a) respiratory health and (b) other major conditions following the publication of the NHS England 10 Year Health Plan.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan will focus on the three shifts needed to deliver a modern National Health Service: hospital to community, analogue to digital, sickness to prevention. We want to see more tests and scans in the community, in high street settings, reducing the need for people to take multiple trips to hospitals to get diagnosed.

The 10-Year Health Plan will describe a shared vision for the health and care system in 2035, drawing directly from the extensive engagement underway with the public, patients and staff. The plan will include how care models and pathways will need to change or evolve to better meet their needs, and the cultural and behavioural changes we want to see.

The Department, following the merger with NHS England, will continue the work undertaken by NHS England to improve the services for major conditions in line with the vision of the 10-Year Health Plan.

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 help reduce the correlation between deprivation and lung conditions.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community will allow for earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation, can further help prevent lung conditions.

It is the most disadvantaged who suffer the most from the financial and health burden of smoking, with 230,000 households living in smoking induced poverty, and with smoking being the number one cause of preventable death, disability, and ill health, claiming the lives of approximately 80,000 people a year in the United Kingdom, as well as being the leading cause of lung cancer. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create the first smoke-free generation, ending the cycle of addiction and disadvantage, and putting us on track to a smoke-free UK.

The NHS England Core20PLUS5 approach strives to inform action that targets the most deprived 20% of the population and other inclusion health groups, with the aim of reducing health inequalities.

The approach focuses on improving the five clinical areas at most need of accelerated improvement, those being cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory, maternity, and mental health outcomes, in the poorest 20% of the population, along with other disadvantaged population groups identified at a local level.

The Department is also working across Government on ways to reduce the health harms of air pollution, including with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support their plans for cleaner air, so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) monitor and (b) assess the impact of the Dentistry Rescue Plan in (i) Wiltshire and (ii) Chippenham; and what criteria he uses to assess improved access to NHS dental services in those areas.

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

The Government’s ambition is to make sure that everyone who needs dental treatment can access a dentist. The Government will tackle the immediate crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.

We are working with NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, and the integrated care boards to set out the requirements for monitoring and reporting progress against the 700,000 urgent appointments, which will enable us to identify where further support is needed. Data on the number of dentists recruited under the Golden Hello scheme is regularly collected by NHS England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of variations in commissioning by integrated care systems of digital solutions for primary care.

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

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are the responsible commissioning bodies for digital technology in general practice. ICBs support practices to source the digital tools and services they need to deliver the requirements of the GP contract, as set out in the GP IT Operating Model. They also help practices with business change, training and optimisation to help practice staff use new technology safely and effectively.

NHS England provides commercial and procurement support to help ICBs ensure all digital solutions in general practice meet nationally specified clinical safety and technical standards, and minimum capabilities to support the digitally enabled shift to modern general practice. Within this, practices have flexibility, working with their ICB, to deploy different solutions to best meet their local patient care needs.

Within the community pharmacy sector, funding of up to £8 million has been secured to support digital developments as part of the recently agreed Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2025/26. Through the CPCF, the Department and NHS England have expressed their commitment to continuing to work with the pharmacy sector and IT suppliers to streamline the ‘Manage Your Service’ claim process through using payment and data APIs, for all national clinical services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings he has had on (a) assisted dying and (b) palliative care since his appointment.

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

Department ministers have attended 16 meetings on assisted dying and palliative care since July 2024.

These were a combination of introductory meetings to the policy area, meetings with the bill team and bill meetings with officials and the sponsor.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for releasing funds to support the UK National Screening Committee’s review of newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

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

Following the 2023 UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation for an in-service evaluation (ISE) of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), partnership planning between the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and other stakeholders has been in progress to implement an ISE in the National Health Service.

An ISE is a programme of work to develop high quality evidence in live NHS services. Successfully implementing the ISE will require funding, however, departmental budgets, including for the NHS beyond 2025/26, will be set through Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will conclude and be published in June 2025.

The findings of the ISE, which will run over a few years, will provide the UK NSC with real-world evidence on feasibility, acceptability, and clinical and cost-effectiveness, as well as longer term health outcomes. Along with an SMA screening modelling study, these will inform a UK NSC recommendation on whether SMA should be added to the newborn blood spot screening programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the planned timetable is for the UK National Screening Committee's review of its advice on screening for spinal muscular atrophy.

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

Following the 2023 UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation for an in-service evaluation (ISE) of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), partnership planning between the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and other stakeholders has been in progress to implement an ISE in the National Health Service.

An ISE is a programme of work to develop high quality evidence in live NHS services. Successfully implementing the ISE will require funding, however, departmental budgets, including for the NHS beyond 2025/26, will be set through Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will conclude and be published in June 2025.

The findings of the ISE, which will run over a few years, will provide the UK NSC with real-world evidence on feasibility, acceptability, and clinical and cost-effectiveness, as well as longer term health outcomes. Along with an SMA screening modelling study, these will inform a UK NSC recommendation on whether SMA should be added to the newborn blood spot screening programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards and hospital trusts to prevent falls inside hospitals.

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

We are informed by NHS England that there have been no recent discussions or directives to hospitals or integrated care boards on the prevention of falls inside hospitals, although we are aware of wider work to support fall prevention, including NHS England’s public health initiative, Harnessing the benefits of physical activity, and the ongoing National Audit of Inpatient Falls that NHS England commissions via the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. Further information on Harnessing the benefits of physical activity and the National Audit of Inpatient Falls is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/public-health/harnessing-the-benefits-of-physical-activity/

https://www.rcp.ac.uk/improving-care/national-clinical-audits/falls-and-fragility-fracture-audit-programme-fffap/national-audit-of-inpatient-falls-naif/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial implications for the devolved authorities of the decision to abolish NHS England.

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

The budgets of devolved nations are primarily funded through block grants from the Government, with annual changes determined by the Barnett formula, which aims to allocate funding based on population and the extent of devolved services.

Any saving from the decision to bring NHS England and the Department together to form a joint centre will be reinvested in frontline services within the National Health Service. The formation of a new joint centre will not impact on the Barnett formula, and the finances of the devolved nations.

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 (a) urban and (b) rural access to pharmacies.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

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 increase the number of high street pharmacies.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure that GPs continue to receive (a) funding and (b) support following the dissolution of NHS England.

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

We inherited a broken National Health Service which penalises hard working staff by hampering them with layers of bureaucracy, unclear lines of accountability, and a fragmented, duplicative system. It is a bad use of taxpayers’ money to have two national organisations doing the same jobs. This has left patients worse off and staff unable to do their jobs properly.

Creating a more efficient, leaner centre will free up capacity and help deliver significant savings of hundreds of millions of pounds a year which will be reinvested in frontline services and cutting waiting lists.

We remain committed to fixing the front door of the NHS, building on the progress to date to deliver meaningful reform to establish a modern general practice (GP) at the heart of a neighbourhood health service.

We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. The 7.2% boost to the GP Contract is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole, helping to reverse the decade-long trend of GPs receiving an ever-decreasing percentage of NHS funding.

GPs will continue to be a core element of the future of the NHS during and after the integration of NHS England into the Department.

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 prevent the creation of pharmacy deserts in the south west of England.

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

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to (a) support and (b) expand the clinical role of community pharmacies.

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

We have concluded the most recent consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26 with the community pharmacy sector. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26, and will support community pharmacies in providing clinical services.

As part of this deal, we have increased the fees for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Pharmacy First Clinical Pathways and Minor Illness, and the New Medicine Service, to support contractors offering these services. We will also expand the Pharmacy Contraception Service and the New Medicine Service.

The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including by making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists. NHS England is currently testing how prescribing in community pharmacy could work to inform the commissioning of prescribing from community pharmacies in future.

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 online appointment booking systems on the ability of people without regular access to the internet to book GP appointments.

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

We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. To ensure that such patients are not excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice. Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to a telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.

The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will ease pressure on phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to raise awareness about prostate cancer and to promote testing, especially among black men.

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

The Government understands that more needs to be done to improve outcomes for all people with prostate cancer, including for black men.

NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns in England to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point. These campaigns are developed and tailored to reach and resonate with people who are more likely to experience health inequalities, such as black people. Cancer alliances across the country are engaging with their local communities to deliver campaigns, community engagement, and partnership activity to increase symptom knowledge and encourage earlier presentation.

To address disparities and find ways to better detect prostate cancer earlier, we have invested £16 million in the United Kingdom-wide TRANSFORM trial, aimed at helping find the best ways of detecting prostate cancer in men, even if they are not displaying any symptoms. This research will aim to address some of the inequalities that exist in prostate cancer diagnosis by targeting black men in trial recruitment, ensuring that one in ten participants are black men. This is vital as previous trials have not included enough black men to adequately demonstrate the harms and benefits of screening for this group specifically, despite their significantly higher risk.

In addition, following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will develop a new National Cancer Plan. The plan will seek to improve outcomes and address disparities for people diagnosed with cancer, including for prostate cancer. A call for evidence, seeking contributions from individuals and organisations, including ideas on how to improve outcomes for prostate cancer, is available on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commission research on the outcomes following gender affirming surgery on young adults under the age of 25.

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

In line with the findings of the recent Cass Review, the Government is committed to supporting the development of research that delivers a robust, evidence-based understanding of gender dysphoria and transgender issues, especially where these issues relate to children and young people. The programme of research includes investments in research capacity, to enable National Health Service clinicians to dedicate time to research and ongoing service evaluation, and a living systematic review that will provide a regularly updated review of the latest international evidence to inform policy and frontline and clinical practice. These may produce new evidence on the outcomes following gender-affirming surgery on young adults, and contribute to ensuring that children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria are well-safeguarded.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research, welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the outcomes following gender-affirming surgery on young adults. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS cancer trusts are (a) delivering radiotherapy contouring planning manually and (b) using AI auto contouring for radiotherapy.

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

NHS England undertook a baseline assessment of artificially intelligent (AI) auto-contouring systems in summer 2024 which indicated that, at that time, 39 trusts had some AI arrangements in place.

The use of AI auto contouring technology to plan for treatments is not always suitable, useful, or available for all areas of the body, therefore, the actual percentage of cases where AI technology was used is not known.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the average (a) distance travelled and (b) cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in North Cornwall constituency.

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

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.

The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

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 merits of introducing a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund.

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

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.

The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of (a) the number of cases of leptospirosis and (b) the epidemiology of those cases.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes routine surveillance for leptospirosis infections in humans and publishes a quarterly report on the common animal-associated infections, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-animal-associated-infections-2024/common-animal-associated-infections-england-second-quarter-2024#leptospirosis

The following table shows the most recent figures of confirmed cases of leptospirosis in each quarter, from quarter one of 2023 to quarter two of 2024:

Leptospirosis cases in England show seasonality, with more cases reported in summer and autumn. Many cases diagnosed in England report exposure to potentially contaminated water or direct contact with rodents as the probable source of infection. Reported infections are most common in adult men, likely due to occupational and recreational exposures. However, infection can occur in anyone directly exposed to urine or urine-contaminated environments, regardless of age or sex.

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 used nappies discarded in public places on Public Health.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of discarded used nappies on public health. The UKHSA and other agencies provide support to local authorities and their directors of public health for localised incidents, such as risks associated with household waste.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have produced the statutory guidance Waste duty of care: code of practice, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice

Guidance for waste planning policy is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will introduce a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund to provide financial support for children and young people travelling to specialist cancer centres for treatment.

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

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.

The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

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Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling medical students to receive their student loan provision at the same rate as previous years alongside the NHS Bursary in their final years of study.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.

The government needs to ensure that the student funding system is financially sustainable, and funding arrangements are reviewed each year. We will continue to engage with DHSC to consider the financial support that medical students receive.

Students attending the fifth and sixth years of undergraduate medical courses and years 2 to 4 of graduate entry medical courses qualify for NHS bursaries. The government has announced an increase to all NHS bursary maintenance grants and allowances for the 2025/26 academic year by forecast inflation, 3.1%, based on the Retail Price Index Excluding Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation index.

Medical students qualifying for NHS bursary support also qualify for non-means tested loans for living costs from the department. The government has announced that maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year, including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students undertaking NHS bursary years, will also increase by 3.1%.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Department for Health and Social Care on (a) medical student finance and (b) the adequacy of total financial support during NHS Bursary funded years of study.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.

The government needs to ensure that the student funding system is financially sustainable, and funding arrangements are reviewed each year. We will continue to engage with DHSC to consider the financial support that medical students receive.

Students attending the fifth and sixth years of undergraduate medical courses and years 2 to 4 of graduate entry medical courses qualify for NHS bursaries. The government has announced an increase to all NHS bursary maintenance grants and allowances for the 2025/26 academic year by forecast inflation, 3.1%, based on the Retail Price Index Excluding Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation index.

Medical students qualifying for NHS bursary support also qualify for non-means tested loans for living costs from the department. The government has announced that maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year, including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students undertaking NHS bursary years, will also increase by 3.1%.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the Personal Independence Payment on social care costs for local authorities.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Pathways to Work Green Paper announced our plans to bring forward reforms to the Personal Independent Payment (PIP) eligibility criteria. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the eligibility changes and we will work closely with DHSC and others to consider how people’s health and eligible care needs could be met outside the benefits system. As we develop our detailed proposals for change, we will work with local partners to consider their important role and how the reforms could affect them.

We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead. We will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of registering eligible households for (a) free school meal and (b) NHS Healthy Start entitlements through the Universal Credit system.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

No such assessment has been made.

The Universal Credit system permits Department for Education to check eligibility for Free School Meals and Department of Health and Social Care to check a citizen’s entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using the Universal Credit system to automatically register eligible households for (a) free school meals and (b) the NHS Healthy Start scheme.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

No such assessment has been made. The Universal Credit system permits Department of Health and Social Care to check a citizen’s entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers, and Department for Education to check eligibility for Free School Meals.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Statement 2025, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of welfare reforms on costs to the NHS.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Chancellor discussed welfare reforms with Cabinet colleagues in the usual way ahead of the publication of the Pathways to Work Green Paper and Spring Statement 2025.

As the Chancellor and the Work and Pensions Secretary have set out, these reforms will make the benefits system more pro work, and putting it on a more fiscally sustainable trajectory so that it can continue to protect the most vulnerable.

The Government is committed through its Plan to Change to getting the NHS back on its feet and has prioritised investment into it through a £22.6bn increase in resource spending for DHSC from 23/24 to 25/26.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the process and criteria for triggering an economic impact assessment of a new disease in the Treasury; and whether they are undertaking an assessment of the suitability of that process and criteria against long Covid, as a condition that did not exist five years ago.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury has a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing potential risks to the economic and fiscal outlook, including those posed by new diseases. This framework involves systematic monitoring through internal risk monitors, risk governance forums, and collaboration with other government departments such as the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). In escalatory scenarios, such as where a new disease with high transmission rates emerges, HM Treasury is prepared to conduct economic impact assessments to inform policy and response plans.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HM Treasury officials engaged with other Government departments to consider the implications of long COVID, including assisting with preparations for the DHSC long COVID Oversight Board. HM Treasury will provide more information on its efforts to understand the economic implications of long COVID-19 to the ongoing COVID-19 inquiry.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what meetings (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have had to discuss the potential spread of leptospirosis, in the context of the bin strikes in Birmingham.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has been supporting Birmingham City Council (BCC) in its efforts to address the backlog of waste that had been building up on the city’s streets. MHCLG has worked with a number of key Government Departments to provide support to BCC including engagement with both DHSC and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). UKHSA has been monitoring any potential health impacts and BCC have undertaken regular public health assessments lead by BCC’s Director of Public Health.

UKHSA undertakes routine surveillance for leptospirosis infections in humans and publishes a quarterly report on the common animal-associated infections - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-animal-associated-infections-2024/common-animal-associated-infections-england-second-quarter-2024#leptospirosis

The Council have reported that all on street waste and fly tipping waste has been cleared, waste estimated to be held at properties is now back to near normal levels. Around 100 to 120 Council waste collection vehicles are out daily collecting around 1,300 tonnes of waste. This is near normal levels of waste collection and normal household collection for all Birmingham residents has resumed.

BCC will continue to assess levels of rubbish and their potential impact on the local area, and the government continues to monitor the situation on a daily basis.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of uncollected rubbish on the risk of fire in Birmingham.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has been supporting Birmingham City Council (BCC) in its efforts to address the backlog of waste that had been building up on the city’s streets. MHCLG has worked with a number of key Government Departments to provide support to BCC including engagement with both DHSC and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). UKHSA has been monitoring any potential health impacts and BCC have undertaken regular public health assessments lead by BCC’s Director of Public Health.

UKHSA undertakes routine surveillance for leptospirosis infections in humans and publishes a quarterly report on the common animal-associated infections - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-animal-associated-infections-2024/common-animal-associated-infections-england-second-quarter-2024#leptospirosis

The Council have reported that all on street waste and fly tipping waste has been cleared, waste estimated to be held at properties is now back to near normal levels. Around 100 to 120 Council waste collection vehicles are out daily collecting around 1,300 tonnes of waste. This is near normal levels of waste collection and normal household collection for all Birmingham residents has resumed.

BCC will continue to assess levels of rubbish and their potential impact on the local area, and the government continues to monitor the situation on a daily basis.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of proposed reforms to the Personal Independence Payment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The reforms to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility criteria will be brought forward via Primary Legislation, so that Parliament can fully consider, debate and vote on these changes.

We have and will continue to consider the potential impacts of our reforms, including through engagement with other departments. That is why, for those who are affected by the new PIP eligibility changes, we are consulting on how best to support this group. We will also work closely with the DHSC and others on how the health and eligible care needs of those who would lose entitlement to PIP could be met outside the benefits system.

We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead. We will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to (a) Personal Independence Payment, (b) Universal Credit and (c) Carers’ Allowance on (i) adult social service capacity and (ii) housing demand.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP is working across Government, including with DHSC and MHCLG, to consider the impact of the reforms to the welfare system.

We will also consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider consideration of responses to the consultation as we develop our detailed proposals for change.

Through the Green Paper we are consulting on the support needed for those who may lose any entitlements as a result of receiving PIP daily living and what this support could look like.

We will also work closely with the DHSC and others on how the health and eligible care needs of those who would lose entitlement to PIP could be met outside the benefits system.

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Found: payments made by or on behalf of public authorities, including but not limited to the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: and young people who have SEN or disabilities.151 151 Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: The 151 Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care (2015). 78% 45% 23% 22%

Found: The 151 Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care (2015). 78% 45% 23% 22% 8%

Found: month that the world’s biggest quango, NHS England, will be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: GB ONS Irregular DHSC SHAPE SHAPE is an online, interactive, data mapping, analysis and insight tool

Found: medical adviser and provides public health and clinical advice to ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: medical adviser and provides public health and clinical advice to ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Government - Ministers' Hospitality - March 2025 CSV, 889 Bytes View online Department of Health and Social Care

Found: It may also need to take expert advice from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: that may link EMF exposure with various health problems and provides advice to the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.   

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.   

Found: The MHRA, in discussion with the Department of Health and Social Care, considers these products critical

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.   

Found: Action: Department of Health and Social Care Outdoor and indoor air pollution 2.

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. 

Found: dental appointments and reforming the dental contract (Dentistry Rescue Plan) (Department of Health and Social Care

Found: HMT, HO, ONS, VOA Environment and Innovation (Ipsos) 10 18 BEIS, DEFRA Health (Ipsos) 4 12 BEIS, DHSC

Found: UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: Defra), Department for Health and Social This is not a statement of government policy 66 Care (DHSC

Found: and Net Zero·       Department for Education·       Department for Transport·       Department of Health and Social Care

Found: triaging skin lesions referred to the urgent suspected skin cancer pathway: early value assessment DHSC

Found: Foundation Trust Croydon University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust DeepX Health Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Care (AXrEM) British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) Boston Scientific Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Department of Health - Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care

Found: In the Department of Health and Social Care medical technology innovation classification framework,

Found: Alliance University of Manchester Wounds Research Group National organisations Department of Health and Social Care

Found: receptor- positive HER2-negative early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence The Department of Health and Social Care

Found: maintenance treatment of uncontrolled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease The Department of Health and Social Care

Found: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRSwNP = chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps; DHSC

Found: Alliance University of Manchester Wounds Research Group National organisations Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Pharmacy Association • UK Myeloma Society • UK Oncology Nursing Society Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Danone Department of Health - Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Care

Found: been identified for late-stage assessment (LSA) by NICE, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Care (AXrEM) British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) Boston Scientific Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Related National Policy The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) NHS Long Term Plan Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Group • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association • UK Oncology Nursing Society Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Society • Royal Society of Medicine • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Full publication PRINCIPLE 2021 ISRCTN86534580 UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: funded by a grant to the University of Oxford from UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Funding NICE is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: piece of work and report undertaken in the early years of the Policy Research Unit, this has led to DHSC

Found: This was prepared by NICE on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.

Found: Department of Health and Social Care Intensive Care Society (ICS) Medicines and Healthcare products

Found: scope 3 Falls in older people: 4 assessing risk and prevention (update) 5 The Department of Health and social care

Found: to severe COVID-19 provided by the independent advisory group commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: ) or • prepublication study results that meet minimum dataset requirements from Department of Health and Social Care

Found: ) or • prepublication study results that meet minimum dataset requirements from Department of Health and Social Care

Found: This guideline links to a risk assessment checklist produced by Department of Health and Social Care

Found: organisations, as required by the Health and Social Care Act (2012): • NHS England • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Help with health costs (NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: A global business with 330,000 employees, of which 6,694 are based in the UK Home Office, DfE, DHSC

Found: A global business with 330,000 employees, of which 6,694 are based in the UK Home Office, DfE, DHSC

Found: Submission – Donation of Medical Equipment to Ukraine DHSC Health Emergency Preparedness, Response

Found: Improvement & Disparities (2020) Focus group study: qualitative studies guidance (Gov.UK) Department of Health and Social Care

Found: DHSC.