Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place to identify, evaluate and disseminate examples of effective suicide prevention practice developed by voluntary, community and public sector organisations across England.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector plays a vital role in suicide prevention and supporting people at risk of suicide.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Department funded the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, which supported voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver suicide prevention initiatives for higher-risk groups. The programme included evaluation of funded projects to improve understanding of effective approaches and inform future policy development. We will continue to engage closely with those organisations, and use learning from their programmes, to support delivery of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.

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 with learning difficulties when transitioning from children services to adult services.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the challenges young people with learning difficulties and their families can face when they transition between children and adult services.

The Children and Families Act 2014 and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice require local authorities and partners to begin preparation for adulthood from Year 9 onwards through person-centred Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). Separately, the Care Act 2014 places duties on local authorities to identify young people likely to need adult care and support, coordinate with EHCP processes, and ensure continuity of support so that no young person experiences a gap in care when moving into adulthood.

We are working across Government to improve support for young people with learning difficulties as they transition to adulthood. The Government’s SEND reforms emphasise early identification and intervention, alongside stronger preparation for adulthood through better transition planning, employment opportunities, independent living skills, and community participation. We have also launched a joint project to improve transitions into adult social care, including national best practice guidance and training to help staff provide high-quality, coordinated support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that adult social care in England is provided free at the point of use on the same principle as the National Health Service.

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

On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.

In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:

• It must allow people to move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services;
• It must be fully and sustainably funded;
• It must start with prevention, supporting people to live independently for longer; and
• Citizens’ needs must be at the heart of plans, removing budget battle lines between organisations and making sure local social, primary and community care works together effectively.

In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.

Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.

Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.

To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a green paper or white paper on adult social care reform, and by when.

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

On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.

In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:

• It must allow people to move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services;
• It must be fully and sustainably funded;
• It must start with prevention, supporting people to live independently for longer; and
• Citizens’ needs must be at the heart of plans, removing budget battle lines between organisations and making sure local social, primary and community care works together effectively.

In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.

Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.

Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.

To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of providing adult social care free at the point of use, including the impact on the statutory responsibilities and funding of local authorities.

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

On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.

In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:

• It must allow people to move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services;
• It must be fully and sustainably funded;
• It must start with prevention, supporting people to live independently for longer; and
• Citizens’ needs must be at the heart of plans, removing budget battle lines between organisations and making sure local social, primary and community care works together effectively.

In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.

Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.

Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.

To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring forward legislation to establish a National Care Service; and if so, when.

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

On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.

In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:

• It must allow people to move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services;
• It must be fully and sustainably funded;
• It must start with prevention, supporting people to live independently for longer; and
• Citizens’ needs must be at the heart of plans, removing budget battle lines between organisations and making sure local social, primary and community care works together effectively.

In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.

Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.

Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.

To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, hen he plans to respond to Question 4447, 10962 and 15024 tabled by the hon. Member for North Shropshire on 29 May, 17 June and 1 July 2026.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the hon. Member to:

• the answer my hon. Friend, the former Minister of State for Care, gave on 8 July 2026 to Question 4447;

• the answer my hon. Friend, the former Parliamentary Under-secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety, gave on 12 July 2026 to Question 10962; and

• the answer my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Health, gave on 19 August 2026 to Question 15024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether and how Osteoporosis is considered within wider preventative health policies.

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

Our 10-Year Health Plan is clear that the future National Health Service must be more preventative, more integrated, and deliver more care closer to home, including for people with osteoporosis.

The Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030, and we are clear that everyone at risk of fragility fractures should be able to benefit from high-quality, timely care that supports prevention, early intervention, and effective management. We are pursuing those goals across the whole pathway of fracture prevention, including improving access to diagnosis, supporting the adoption of effective treatments, and encouraging local systems to develop services that identify people at the highest risk of future fractures and intervene early.

Earlier this year, the Government announced £2.6 million of funding for 20 new DEXA bone density scanners across England. Tens of thousands of patients will benefit from faster access to bone scans as a result, helping to ensure that people with bone conditions, such as osteoporosis, get diagnosed earlier. This builds on the first wave of 13 DEXA scanners announced last year. In 2025, over 21,000 extra DEXA scans were delivered in England compared with 2024.

We continue to work closely with NHS England to improve access to fracture prevention services and to explore the best ways of supporting local systems to deliver high-quality care which meets the needs of their populations. The Government has been clear that integrated care boards are best placed to shape services for their localities and we have set expectations, through the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, that they should prioritise community-based models when commissioning new services.

Progress in this area can be monitored through activity and outcomes reported through the Fracture Liaison Service Database.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions since July 2024 ministers have met representatives of the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

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

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK. These publications show that, on 16 December 2025, the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton MP, met the Royal Osteoporosis Society to discuss work and insights on Osteoporosis, bone health, and interventions such as Fracture Liaison Services. There have been several similar meetings at official level.

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 address rates of postpartum haemorrhage in England.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is working to improve the timely clinical response to obstetric haemorrhage through the Maternal Care Bundle, which aims to improve the management of haemorrhage through timely identification, escalation, and response to obstetric bleeding, along with ongoing, multidisciplinary review and learning.

Significant improvements in data coverage and data quality over recent years mean that in September 2025, 92% of National Health Service trusts were included in the analysis of Maternity Services Data Set birth and postpartum haemorrhage information, compared with 30% in September 2020. The referenced increase in postpartum haemorrhage rates may be influenced by this improvement in reporting in addition to any rise in clinical incidence. The Maternal Care Bundle will further improve the identification of haemorrhages over 1,500 millilitres by requiring providers to cumulatively measure blood loss, which is likely to further increase the reported rate in future years.

We will translate the recommendations from Baroness Amos’ National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, and Donna Ockenden’s national recommendations, into a single, national action plan to drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care. This includes careful consideration of the action required to improve the safety and experiences of women, babies, and families.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when Down Syndrome guidance will be published.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for Warrington South on 14 July 2026 to Question 16199.

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 barriers to good care for (a) autistic people and (b) people with a learning disability in long-term segregation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to ensuring that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive high-quality, person-centred care and support in the least restrictive setting possible, including reducing the use of long-term segregation in mental health inpatient settings. To support this, the Care Quality Commission is delivering Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (IC(E)TRs). IC(E)TRs are intended to improve the treatment of people with a learning disability or autistic people in long-term segregation and reduce the use of long-term segregation nationally.

As part of implementing the changes to the Mental Health Act 2025, we are publishing a revised Code of Practice which will provide updated guidance on long-term segregation. In the process of drafting this, we will engage with people with lived experience and their families and carers, staff and professional groups, commissioners, and providers. We will run a public consultation to ensure the code is as useful as possible.

In October 2025, NHS England also published the Identifying Restrictive Practice resource for integrated care boards and National Health Service organisations, which supports the reduction of the use of restrictive practices, including long-term segregation. The Identifying Restrictive Practice resource is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/identifying-restrictive-practice/

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 provide adequate funding to help ensure the the timely detection and treatment of ADHD and autism.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards (ICBs). Funding for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism services are included within NHS England’s financial allocations to ICBs.

It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to timely ADHD services and autism assessment services.

Through the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of the mental health support available to parents involved in prolonged family court proceedings.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that stressful life events can have a significant impact on people's mental health. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations, including for parents and families involved in court proceedings. The forthcoming Mental Health Strategy will set out ambitious plans to transform access to mental health support across England, with a focus on early intervention and prevention.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average increase in hourly pay for adult social care workers arising from the Fair Pay Agreement in each of the first five years following its implementation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has taken a major step in boosting the wages and working conditions of adult social care workers across England, having announced a £500 million investment into the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in the sector. This forms part of an increase of over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29, compared to 2025/26.

The final level of any increase to pay or conditions will depend on the outcome of negotiations between employer and worker representatives in the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. This will cover all adult social care workers as defined in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including agency staff.

Over this Parliament, alongside our changes to the minimum wage and new measures in the Employment Rights Act, care workers will receive one of the biggest upgrades in their pay, employment rights, and conditions in a generation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether local authorities will receive additional funding beyond the £500 million announced to meet any increased commissioning costs resulting from the Fair Pay Agreement.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has taken a major step in boosting the wages and working conditions of adult social care workers across England, having announced a £500 million investment into the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in the sector. This forms part of an increase of over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29, compared to 2025/26.

The final level of any increase to pay or conditions will depend on the outcome of negotiations between employer and worker representatives in the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. This will cover all adult social care workers as defined in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including agency staff.

Over this Parliament, alongside our changes to the minimum wage and new measures in the Employment Rights Act, care workers will receive one of the biggest upgrades in their pay, employment rights, and conditions in a generation.

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 Fair Pay Agreement on the number of agency staff in adult social care.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has taken a major step in boosting the wages and working conditions of adult social care workers across England, having announced a £500 million investment into the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in the sector. This forms part of an increase of over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29, compared to 2025/26.

The final level of any increase to pay or conditions will depend on the outcome of negotiations between employer and worker representatives in the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. This will cover all adult social care workers as defined in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including agency staff.

Over this Parliament, alongside our changes to the minimum wage and new measures in the Employment Rights Act, care workers will receive one of the biggest upgrades in their pay, employment rights, and conditions in a generation.

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 small business owners with their mental health.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that running a small business can be challenging and can bring pressures that affect an owner’s mental health and wellbeing.

Information and support for company directors is available through the Government's Director information hub, which includes resources on mental health and wellbeing. In addition, the Small Business Commissioner has published guidance to help small businesses manage the mental health impacts of late payments. The Government's Director information hub and the guidance published by the Small Business Commissioner is available at the following two links:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/director-information-hub-mental-health-and-wellbeing

https://www.smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk/new-guidance-launched-to-help-small-businesses-manage-the-mental-health-impact-of-late-payments/

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 adoption of innovations aimed at treating postpartum haemorrhage more effectively.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is working to improve the timely clinical response to obstetric haemorrhage through the Maternal Care Bundle, which aims to improve the management of haemorrhage through timely identification, escalation, and response to obstetric bleeding, along with ongoing, multidisciplinary review and learning.

Significant improvements in data coverage and data quality over recent years mean that in September 2025, 92% of National Health Service trusts were included in the analysis of Maternity Services Data Set birth and postpartum haemorrhage information, compared with 30% in September 2020. The referenced increase in postpartum haemorrhage rates may be influenced by this improvement in reporting in addition to any rise in clinical incidence. The Maternal Care Bundle will further improve the identification of haemorrhages over 1,500 millilitres by requiring providers to cumulatively measure blood loss, which is likely to further increase the reported rate in future years.

We will translate the recommendations from Baroness Amos’ National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, and Donna Ockenden’s national recommendations, into a single, national action plan to drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care. This includes careful consideration of the action required to improve the safety and experiences of women, babies, and families.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether improving postpartum haemorrhage outcomes will be included in the forthcoming maternity and neonatal action plan.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is working to improve the timely clinical response to obstetric haemorrhage through the Maternal Care Bundle, which aims to improve the management of haemorrhage through timely identification, escalation, and response to obstetric bleeding, along with ongoing, multidisciplinary review and learning.

Significant improvements in data coverage and data quality over recent years mean that in September 2025, 92% of National Health Service trusts were included in the analysis of Maternity Services Data Set birth and postpartum haemorrhage information, compared with 30% in September 2020. The referenced increase in postpartum haemorrhage rates may be influenced by this improvement in reporting in addition to any rise in clinical incidence. The Maternal Care Bundle will further improve the identification of haemorrhages over 1,500 millilitres by requiring providers to cumulatively measure blood loss, which is likely to further increase the reported rate in future years.

We will translate the recommendations from Baroness Amos’ National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, and Donna Ockenden’s national recommendations, into a single, national action plan to drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care. This includes careful consideration of the action required to improve the safety and experiences of women, babies, and families.

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 implement the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026; and what timeline he has set for that implementation.

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

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 implements the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training places, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places. The Act came into force on 6 March 2026 and applies to offers made for foundation and specialty training from 2026 onwards.

The Department has not issued any guidance to NHS trusts or training bodies on their obligations under the Act. Responsibility for delivering postgraduate medical recruitment, including applying prioritisation in accordance with the act, sits with NHS England and the statutory education bodies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to NHS trusts and training bodies on their obligations under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026.

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

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 implements the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training places, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places. The Act came into force on 6 March 2026 and applies to offers made for foundation and specialty training from 2026 onwards.

The Department has not issued any guidance to NHS trusts or training bodies on their obligations under the Act. Responsibility for delivering postgraduate medical recruitment, including applying prioritisation in accordance with the act, sits with NHS England and the statutory education bodies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

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 eradicate corridor care by the end of this Parliament, and whether he plans to publish a costed plan and timetable.

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

The specific information requested by the Hon. Member is not available, but on the wider issue of corridor care, I refer him to the answer I provided on 29 June 2026 in response to Question 12058.

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 reduce accident and emergency waiting times at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

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

The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is working with the Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care Board and NHS England to improve accident and emergency performance by reducing avoidable demand, improving patient flow, and expanding care closer to home.

Across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, approximately £7.5 million is being invested this year to strengthen urgent and emergency care through a neighbourhood-based approach. This includes expanding Same Day Emergency Care, improving urgent community response services, increasing same-day access in primary care, strengthening frailty services, improving discharge arrangements, and enhancing clinical triage so patients receive care in the most appropriate setting. Together, these measures are intended to reduce pressure on emergency departments and improve waiting times.

These local improvements are supported by national action through the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by over £450 million of investment in urgent and emergency care capacity. This includes publishing national clinical standards through the Model Emergency Department, Model Acute Pathway, and Model Discharge Pathway, to improve patient flow and support faster assessment, treatment, and admission or discharge.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients aged 60 and over waited 12 hours or more in accident and emergency departments in each of the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the effect of 12-hour waits on the level of patient mortality.

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

The specific information requested by the Hon. Member is not available, but on the wider issue of corridor care, I refer him to the answer I provided on 29 June 2026 in response to Question 12058.

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 respond to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s conclusion that more than 1,300 deaths a month in England can be attributed to long waiting times before clinical care is provided in A&E departments.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 15 June 2026 in response to Question 7599.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he publish advice recieved by his Department on the use of private funding and financial modelling in relation to the business case for Neighbourhood Health Centres be made public.

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

The Government does not routinely publish business cases containing market sensitive information and data, where doing so would risk prejudicing the commercial interests of the public authority in question, and the ability to generate value for money for the taxpayer.

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 of complaints made to NHS bodies and healthcare professional regulators concerning alleged attempts by a healthcare professional to (a) change and (b) suppress a person’s (i) sexual orientation and (ii) transgender identity since 2018; and what the outcomes of those complaints were.

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

The Department does not hold this data centrally.

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 the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is coordinated across relevant Government departments; and whether he plans to publish a framework for measuring progress against the Strategy's objectives.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to delivering the five-year cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy, which sets out over 100 actions across the Government and the sector to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide. The strategy was designed to be iterative, and we will continue to consider where further action can be taken most effectively.

The Department regularly engages with cross-Government counterparts and monitors progress against the strategy’s actions to save lives, improve support for people who self-harm, and improve support for those bereaved by suicide.

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 Birmingham City Council regarding local residential and nursing care capacity.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes using local population and market data to inform commissioning decisions and drawing on providers’ insights into local market sustainability and workforce pressures to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate and high quality care services in their local area.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of GP referrals to secondary care that were subject to clinical triage before an outpatient appointment was booked in the periods 1 January to 31 March 2026 and 1 April to 30 June 2026.

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

Pre-referral services such as Advice and Guidance (A&G) are used by general practitioners (GPs) and other clinicians to request quick specialist advice to help decide on the right next steps for patient care, including whether a referral is needed. A&G requests are distinct from a GP referral for clinical treatment, whereby a GP has determined a patient requires secondary care. A&G does not change the clinical threshold for which a GP can refer a patient, which remains a matter of their clinical judgement.

A&G supports timely specialist input, helping to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely assessment, clear next steps, and care in the right setting, such as ongoing management in the community, without the need for unnecessary secondary care.

Data on the number of A&G requests processed is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/outpatient-transformation/specialist-advice/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of GP referrals to secondary care that, following clinical triage, did not proceed to a booked outpatient appointment and were instead returned or redirected to the referring GP in the periods 1 January to 31 March 2026 and 1 April to 30 June 2026.

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

Pre-referral services such as Advice and Guidance (A&G) are used by general practitioners (GPs) and other clinicians to request quick specialist advice to help decide on the right next steps for patient care, including whether a referral is needed. A&G requests are distinct from a GP referral for clinical treatment, whereby a GP has determined a patient requires secondary care. A&G does not change the clinical threshold for which a GP can refer a patient, which remains a matter of their clinical judgement.

A&G supports timely specialist input, helping to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely assessment, clear next steps, and care in the right setting, such as ongoing management in the community, without the need for unnecessary secondary care.

Data on the number of A&G requests processed is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/outpatient-transformation/specialist-advice/

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 devolved administrations on developing a coordinated UK approach to addressing shortages in the NHS workforce in key specialties.

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

While planning of the health workforce is devolved in the United Kingdom, specialty training recruitment is undertaken on a UK-wide basis. The UK National Recruitment Board oversees specialty training on behalf of the four UK health departments.

The new resident doctors’ deal will see significant expansion of training places by up to 4,500 over the next three years, including 1,000 next year, 250 of which will be starting in February 2027. Further information on which specialties will receive these places and when, will be set out in due course.

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 clinical assessments for former Armed Forces personnel under (a) Op COURAGE and (b) Op RESTORE include screening for mefloquine (Larium) toxicity.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has agreed to include screening for prior mefloquine use as part of patient clinical assessments within Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE. NHS England is working with providers to determine how this information can be recorded within existing clinical systems and reporting structures.

To improve awareness and understanding among general practitioners and across the National Health Service, NHS England is developing information on mefloquine and its potential adverse effects, informed by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Once completed, this will be shared across the NHS and made available on the websites of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the National Armed Forces Training and Education Programme.

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 address a) low pay, b) a lack of formal training and development pathways, and c) job insecurity and organisational changes, highlighted in the May 2025 Ipsos Drug and Alcohol treatment and recovery workforce survey as key reasons why 54% of those surveyed were either leaving or considering leaving the sector within the next two years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken in relation to plans announced in the July 2024 Drug and Alcohol Workforce Plan for a national Centre for Addiction.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to implement the 2024 Drug and Alcohol Workforce Plan.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data the Department holds on testing of suspected illicit or non-compliant (a) cigarettes, (b) vaping products, (c) heated tobacco products, and (d) nicotine pouches in each of the last three years; what proportion of samples tested contained prohibited substances, nicotine concentrations above applicable legal limits, or other substances assessed as presenting a health risk; and whether those data are available for (i) West Sussex and (ii) Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), tobacco products and nicotine vapes must be notified with specified information, including test data, before they are placed on the United Kingdom market. Non-nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches are not currently subject to equivalent notification requirements and are regulated under general consumer product safety legislation.

TRPR also requires the independent testing of cigarette emissions. The Department therefore commissions independent laboratory testing of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide emissions to assess compliance with the statutory maximum limits of 10 milligrams of tar, 1 milligram of nicotine, and 10 milligrams of carbon monoxide per cigarette. Based on the testing reports, one cigarette product was identified as exceeding the applicable emissions limits in 2023. Subsequent survey reports for 2024, 2025, and 2026 to date, did not identify any products exceeding those limits.

TRPR is enforced by local authority Trading Standards. As part of their regulatory compliance work, Trading Standards may undertake local testing of products. The Department does not collect this information centrally nor has available data for West Sussex or the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 provides powers to establish a new registration scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products, as well as new product testing requirements, to improve product safety and strengthen enforcement. The Department ran a call for evidence at the end of last year inviting feedback on the implementation of the registration scheme. We are carefully considering the feedback gathered and will consult on our proposals in due course.

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 address unmet treatment needs for dependence on a) alcohol and b) other drugs, in the context of a recent report from the Forward Trust that estimates that 750,000 UK citizens are currently addicted to alcohol and 400,000 are addicted to other drugs.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners.

The Government’s estimates of dependence for opioids and crack, and for alcohol, have been used to produce estimates of unmet need, which are added to the Local Outcomes Framework, i.e. national priority outcomes delivered at the local level. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we will provide local authorities with a minimum of £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Key elements of the Addiction Healthcare Goals (AHG) programme are already being rolled out, including the provision of over £10 million for the Addiction Research Leadership Programme to create a UK-wide pipeline of future research leaders, and £20 million for the ‘AHG: Catalysing Innovation Awards’ to accelerate new pharmaceutical, medical technology, and digital solutions. This work will strengthen our evidence base, and generate new treatments and recovery approaches to improve healthcare outcomes.

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 roll out the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners.

The Government’s estimates of dependence for opioids and crack, and for alcohol, have been used to produce estimates of unmet need, which are added to the Local Outcomes Framework, i.e. national priority outcomes delivered at the local level. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we will provide local authorities with a minimum of £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Key elements of the Addiction Healthcare Goals (AHG) programme are already being rolled out, including the provision of over £10 million for the Addiction Research Leadership Programme to create a UK-wide pipeline of future research leaders, and £20 million for the ‘AHG: Catalysing Innovation Awards’ to accelerate new pharmaceutical, medical technology, and digital solutions. This work will strengthen our evidence base, and generate new treatments and recovery approaches to improve healthcare outcomes.

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 General Practitioners’ awareness and understanding of Mefloquine toxicity, particularly in respect of Armed Forces veterans.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has agreed to include screening for prior mefloquine use as part of patient clinical assessments within Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE. NHS England is working with providers to determine how this information can be recorded within existing clinical systems and reporting structures.

To improve awareness and understanding among general practitioners and across the National Health Service, NHS England is developing information on mefloquine and its potential adverse effects, informed by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Once completed, this will be shared across the NHS and made available on the websites of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the National Armed Forces Training and Education Programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB in each of the last three years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) established a virtual Women’s Health Hub in 2023/24 as a foundation for wider service development in subsequent years. One Women’s Health Hub was then established in 2024/25. In 2025/26, four Women’s Health Hubs were established in Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight and Hampshire, alongside a mobile women’s health service offering menopause and long-acting reversible contraception services, and a core women’s health offer through pharmacies providing health checks, cardiovascular disease screening and contraception services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to improve the availability of hospital beds in Epping Forest and neighbouring constituencies.

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

Across the country, the Department and NHS England, working with local delivery partners including integrated care boards and National Health Service trusts, are working to ensure hospital beds remain available for those who need them most, whilst expanding access to integrated, community-based care and reducing avoidable hospital stays. This includes investment in same day emergency care and urgent treatment centres, to ensure patients are seen where it is most appropriate and avoid unnecessary admission.

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 clarify accountability for patient safety where care is delivered across multiple NHS organisations.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The primary responsibility for the safety of care rests with each National Health Service provider and its board. We expect providers to work together to manage risks that arise across organisational boundaries and to ensure continuity and coordination of care for patients.

Quality and safety risks are managed in accordance with the National Quality Board’s national guidance on Quality Risk Response and Escalation, which details the structure for quality governance across the NHS system.

Integrated care boards are required to establish System Quality Groups, bringing together NHS organisations, NHS England regional representatives, local authorities, regulators, commissioners and other partners to oversee quality and patient safety across local systems. Where appropriate, System Quality Groups can escalate concerns to NHS England Regional Quality and Safety Teams or if necessary further still to NHS England's Executive Quality Group to enable coordinated action across regional boundaries.

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 increased collaboration between health and social care agencies to administer care and support plans, including the provision of walking aids and equipment and the availability of a single service for users.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Wokingham on 17 February 2026 to Question 111500.

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 longer, block contracts for providing Wheelchair Services for NHS patients on waiting times for delivering equipment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Wokingham on 17 February 2026 to Question 111500.

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 merits of appointing a senior lead for wheelchair services in (a) his Department and (b) integrated care boards.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Wokingham on 17 February 2026 to Question 111500.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the NHS’s annual budget for Wheelchair Services.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Wokingham on 17 February 2026 to Question 111500.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department currently estimates the cost of alcohol harm to be in a) England, b) Wales, c) Scotland and d) Northern Ireland.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No such recent estimate has been made, and, as a devolved responsibility, it is not the Department’s role to assess the impact of alcohol harm outside 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 tackle (a) sepsis, (b) meningitis and (c) pneumonia in newborn babies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in tackling group B streptococcus (GBS) and other neonatal infections. Through national surveillance systems, the agency monitors the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of GBS infection, to assess risk factors and support prevention. Other severe neonatal infections are also routinely monitored and reported, and in all cases, key data is shared with relevant stakeholder groups.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of GBS. Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby. NHS maternity services provide information and advice to expectant parents on the signs and symptoms of infection in pregnancy and newborn babies, including about GBS, associated risk factors, and when to seek urgent medical attention for themselves or their baby.

NHS England works closely in this area with the Group B Strep Society and the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, including supporting their work to provide resources for health care practitioners. NHS England is also leading the national rollout of early warning systems across maternity services, designed to improve early detection and management of unwell babies, and support their long-term health and wellbeing.

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 prevention of (a) Group B Strep and (b) serious infections in newborn babies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in tackling group B streptococcus (GBS) and other neonatal infections. Through national surveillance systems, the agency monitors the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of GBS infection, to assess risk factors and support prevention. Other severe neonatal infections are also routinely monitored and reported, and in all cases, key data is shared with relevant stakeholder groups.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of GBS. Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby. NHS maternity services provide information and advice to expectant parents on the signs and symptoms of infection in pregnancy and newborn babies, including about GBS, associated risk factors, and when to seek urgent medical attention for themselves or their baby.

NHS England works closely in this area with the Group B Strep Society and the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, including supporting their work to provide resources for health care practitioners. NHS England is also leading the national rollout of early warning systems across maternity services, designed to improve early detection and management of unwell babies, and support their long-term health and wellbeing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the feasibility of each of the options for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has provided an evidence-based assessment of the proposals submitted to date to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including the feasibility of each option and the potential impacts on the delivery of health and social care services for this area.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set a target date for the restoration of the UK's measles elimination status.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Measles and rubella elimination UK strategy outlines the system-wide actions across four key pillars needed to achieve and sustain measles and rubella elimination. The strategy is available at the following link:

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

Key actions underway include:

• bringing forward the second dose of the measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (MMRV) vaccine from three years and four months to a new routine appointment for all children at 18 months of age from 1 January 2026;
• incentivising general practitioners (GPs) to administer childhood vaccinations with an additional £2 supplemental fee for each routine childhood immunisation;
• pilot delivering vaccination, including MMRV, in health visits to pre-school children from underserved groups, providing an opportunity for vaccination to families who struggle to access GP vaccinations, aiming to reduce health inequalities; and
• the National Health Service delivering an MMR/V catch-up campaign from June 2026 to March 2027 targeting unvaccinated children aged 12 months to 11 years.

There is no set timeline for re-establishing elimination status. Achieving this remains a long-term strategic goal that will require consistent, sustained effort rather than short-term interventions.

The World Health Organization target is to achieve at least 95% coverage with two doses of the measles (MMR) vaccine to ensure herd immunity and prevent outbreaks.

Provisional uptake date is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-vaccination-coverage-provisional-monthly-data-for-england/provisional-childhood-vaccination-coverage-april-2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding access to the MenB vaccine to cohorts who missed vaccination following its introduction into the routine schedule.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 12 June 2026, a one-off vaccination programme was launched to help to protect those at highest immediate risk while the Government monitors and assesses new evidence to determine whether there has been a change in the way MenB affects people and whether any further vaccine rollout response is required. Eligible students are being offered a two-dose vaccination before they start university, where close and prolonged contact in halls and at social events can increase the risk of contracting MenB disease. Two doses of the vaccine are essential for protection.

On the wider question of eligibility for vaccination, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 15 June in response to Question 7283.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including ear wax removal on the NHS for patients with a) severe build up of wax and b) those that wear hearing aids and struggle to remove the wax themselves.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Stockton West on 5 February 2026 to Question 109250.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to extend financial redress schemes arising from the Hughes Report on medical devices to men who have suffered complications from hernia mesh.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.

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 support the restoration and maintenance of the UK's measles elimination status; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of current childhood vaccination coverage rates on achieving that objective.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Measles and rubella elimination UK strategy outlines the system-wide actions across four key pillars needed to achieve and sustain measles and rubella elimination. The strategy is available at the following link:

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

Key actions underway include:

• bringing forward the second dose of the measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (MMRV) vaccine from three years and four months to a new routine appointment for all children at 18 months of age from 1 January 2026;
• incentivising general practitioners (GPs) to administer childhood vaccinations with an additional £2 supplemental fee for each routine childhood immunisation;
• pilot delivering vaccination, including MMRV, in health visits to pre-school children from underserved groups, providing an opportunity for vaccination to families who struggle to access GP vaccinations, aiming to reduce health inequalities; and
• the National Health Service delivering an MMR/V catch-up campaign from June 2026 to March 2027 targeting unvaccinated children aged 12 months to 11 years.

There is no set timeline for re-establishing elimination status. Achieving this remains a long-term strategic goal that will require consistent, sustained effort rather than short-term interventions.

The World Health Organization target is to achieve at least 95% coverage with two doses of the measles (MMR) vaccine to ensure herd immunity and prevent outbreaks.

Provisional uptake date is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-vaccination-coverage-provisional-monthly-data-for-england/provisional-childhood-vaccination-coverage-april-2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS West and North London ICB; and what services they provide.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board has established one Enfield-wide community gynaecology and women’s health hub. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.enfieldgynae.co.uk/

The service provides support across a range of gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis, and works with primary care and local hospital services to provide assessment, diagnostic support, specialist advice, and referral to secondary care where required.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will respond to the letter of the Hon. Member for Dewsbury and Batley, sent 7th of May.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We received the Hon. Member’s correspondence of 7 May 2026 and will reply in due course.

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 either a) exempting people providing healthcare as individuals from the Care Quality Commission registration fee, or b) charging a reduced fee, following the enactment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the new rules bring treatment of disease, disorder, or injury (TDDI) at sporting and cultural events, sports grounds, and gymnasiums under the regulation of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and are intended to ensure that higher-risk event healthcare is appropriately regulated to support safe, high-quality care.

This only applies where the care in such circumstances is being provided by, or under the supervision of, listed healthcare professionals, or by a team including such a professional. Existing exceptions, including the provision of medical cover that would typically be considered “first aid”, or employer-arranged healthcare for employees, are unaffected.

The Department and the CQC recognise sector concerns, including about the potential impact on volunteers and individual clinicians. Both organisations will continue to engage with stakeholders during the implementation phase, and the Department will consider whether further action is needed to address any unintended consequences.

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 impact of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on the viability of medical professionals who are not registered with the Care Quality Commission for events being able to continue to provide cover for such events, for example on a voluntary basis.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the new rules bring treatment of disease, disorder, or injury (TDDI) at sporting and cultural events, sports grounds, and gymnasiums under the regulation of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and are intended to ensure that higher-risk event healthcare is appropriately regulated to support safe, high-quality care.

This only applies where the care in such circumstances is being provided by, or under the supervision of, listed healthcare professionals, or by a team including such a professional. Existing exceptions, including the provision of medical cover that would typically be considered “first aid”, or employer-arranged healthcare for employees, are unaffected.

The Department and the CQC recognise sector concerns, including about the potential impact on volunteers and individual clinicians. Both organisations will continue to engage with stakeholders during the implementation phase, and the Department will consider whether further action is needed to address any unintended consequences.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits to introduce universal newborn screening for the condition Progressive Spinal Muscle Atrophy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the challenges faced by those living with rare diseases, as well as their families, and is committed to improving outcomes. We are guided in screening matters by the independent UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC reviewed the evidence for screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in 2023 and concluded that there were gaps in the evidence. It was of the view that these evidence gaps are best filled at large scale in live services, so the committee recommended an in-service evaluation (ISE).

For very rare conditions, it is difficult to generate robust evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of screening, because so few babies are affected.

The ISE was originally due to start in January 2027, but earlier this year the Government committed to bringing this forward to October 2026. The evidence from this ISE will inform a recommendation on whether to extend the National Health Service newborn blood spot screening programme and include routine screening for SMA.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the Hughes Report on medical devices; and whether financial redress arrangements will apply equally to men who have suffered complications from hernia mesh.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether men who have experienced complications from hernia mesh are eligible for financial redress.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.

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 raise awareness of (a) Group B Strep and (b) severe infections in newborn babies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in tackling group B streptococcus (GBS) and other neonatal infections. Through national surveillance systems, the agency monitors the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of GBS infection, to assess risk factors and support prevention. Other severe neonatal infections are also routinely monitored and reported, and in all cases, key data is shared with relevant stakeholder groups.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of GBS. Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby. NHS maternity services provide information and advice to expectant parents on the signs and symptoms of infection in pregnancy and newborn babies, including about GBS, associated risk factors, and when to seek urgent medical attention for themselves or their baby.

NHS England works closely in this area with the Group B Strep Society and the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, including supporting their work to provide resources for health care practitioners. NHS England is also leading the national rollout of early warning systems across maternity services, designed to improve early detection and management of unwell babies, and support their long-term health and wellbeing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with NHS trusts regarding the consistent implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework within mental health services.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has published guidance setting out oversight roles and responsibilities in relation to the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.

Trust boards, or leadership teams in the case of National Health Service organisations without boards, are responsible and accountable for effective patient safety incident management in their organisation. Integrated care boards, or NHS England where it is the commissioner of the service, are responsible for establishing and maintaining structures for supporting a coordinated approach to oversight of patient safety incident response in all the services within their system. NHS England regional teams are responsible for supporting integrated care boards, and through the regional independent investigation teams, support the response to incidents that may require an independent investigation.

Work is ongoing to consider where amendments to organisational oversight responsibilities are needed in line with organisational changes across the NHS, particularly at integrated care board and NHS England regional level.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue updated guidance to NHS trusts on protecting patient confidentiality in shared hospital wards, including the use of patient identifiers, bedside information displays and the management of sensitive clinical conversations.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service organisations are responsible for ensuring that they meet their legal and professional obligations in relation to patient confidentiality and the privacy of patients receiving care. This includes compliance with data protection legislation, the common law duty of confidentiality, and the principles set out in the guidance entitled Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has undertaken a recent review of patient confidentiality and safeguarding arrangements in NHS inpatient wards; and whether he will consider introducing enhanced privacy measures for patients receiving care in shared ward accommodation.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service organisations are responsible for ensuring that they meet their legal and professional obligations in relation to patient confidentiality and the privacy of patients receiving care. This includes compliance with data protection legislation, the common law duty of confidentiality, and the principles set out in the guidance entitled Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice.

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 implications for his policies of the World Health Organization and UNICEF's 2025 Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Community Settings; and whether he plans to take steps to promote their implementation in public places and workplaces.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recognise that effective infection prevention and control measures play an important role in reducing the transmission of infectious diseases in workplaces, public spaces, and other community settings. Current evidence continues to support targeted, risk-based hygiene measures as an effective means of reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF's guidelines highlight the role of hand hygiene in community environments, including public and institutional settings, and in reducing diarrhoeal disease and acute respiratory infections. These objectives are consistent with existing Government policies to prevent and control infections and support public health.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the £10 million England fund to cover the travel costs of children with cancer was calculated; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the fund across the UK.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer she received on 10 February in response to Question 110553, and I repeat that the Department continues to work closely with our counterparts in the devolved administrations to share expertise in this area, and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the United Kingdom.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether families in Northern Ireland are eligible for the £10 million cancer travel fund for children.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer she received on 10 February in response to Question 110553, and I repeat that the Department continues to work closely with our counterparts in the devolved administrations to share expertise in this area, and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the United Kingdom.

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 volume of preventable deaths in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) Somerset due to respiratory diseases.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data on the number of deaths due to respiratory disease, as well as which were considered preventable, is available at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/respiratory-disease/data

Data is not available at a Parliamentary constituency level.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of blood donors with Ro blood type have had their donations deferred in the period between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026; and what was the reason for those deferrals.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for collecting blood donations across England, in order to fulfil hospital requests to meet patient need.

Between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026, there were 60,928 attendances by Ro blood type donors at blood donation appointments in England, 8,021 of which resulted in deferral. This represents 13.2% of Ro donor attendances.

The following table shows the number of Ro donor deferrals, the percentage of Ro donor attendances, and the percentage of total Ro deferrals, broken down by the reason for deferral:

This data is from NHSBT’s Deferrals Dashboard and was extracted on 17 July 2026. It refers to whole blood donors only and does not include plasma or platelet donors.

The broad deferral reasons above cover a range of more specific reasons for deferral. A more detailed breakdown cannot be provided without accessing individual donor records.

It is the intention of NHSBT to start publishing relevant data in this area on a more regular basis in future as part of its official statistical publications.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 21 May 2026 to Question 2142 on Blood: Donors, how does the number of blood donors with the RO subtype who completed donations in the 12 month period compare with the number of donations completed by this group in the same 12 month period the year prior.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for collecting blood donations across England, in order to fulfil hospital requests to meet patient need.

Between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026, 27,984 donors with Ro subtype blood completed at least one blood donation. This data was extracted from NHSBT’s Monthly Collections Dashboard on 20 May 2026.

Between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2025, 26,675 donors with Ro subtype blood completed at least one blood donation. This data was extracted from NHSBT’s Monthly Collections Dashboard on 17 July 2026.

It is the intention of NHSBT to start publishing relevant data in this area on a more regular basis in future as part of its official statistical publications.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Food Safety Act 1990, what is the legal basis for the adding of folic acid to non-wholewheat flour as a public health measure.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Bread and Flour (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2024 made provisions for the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid, following a final decision to proceed with this long-standing proposal taken by the previous government in January 2024, when the Rt Hon Member was the Minister for Common Sense.

These provisions were made using powers in sections 6(4), 16(1)(a) and (e), 18(1)(c), 26(1)(a) and (3) and 48(1) of the Food Safety Act 1990. In particular, section 16(1)(a) includes provisions for “requiring, prohibiting or regulating the presence in food or food sources of any specified substance, or any substance of any specified class, and generally for regulating the composition of food.”

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the speech made by Baroness Merron on 3 March 2026 on vape tank capacity limits, Official Report, House of Lords, column 1217, when he plans to consult on such limits; and what discussions he has had with stakeholders on the consultation entitled “Tobacco and vapes: packaging, appearance and display”, published on 10 July 2026.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

A Call for Evidence was launched in October 2025 to gather evidence on a range of topics related to tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including on vape tank capacity limits. Following analysis of that call for evidence and further policy development, we intend to consult on tank capacity limits. We continue to discuss these issues with a wide variety of stakeholders, including retail bodies, charities, health organisations, and members of the independent vaping industry.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Whether he will provide the gender and ethnicity breakdown of donations a) completed and b) deferred at each donation centre in the UK for the periods between a) 1st June 2024 - 31st May 2025 and b) 1 June 2025–31 May 2026.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for collecting blood donations across England, to fulfil hospital requests to meet patient need. NHSBT currently operates 79 blood donation "teams" comprising fixed donation sites, known as donor centres, and mobile collection teams that serve venues within a community.

The attached tables show completed donations and deferrals by donation centre or team, broken down by ethnicity and sex assigned at birth.

NHSBT collects donors’ sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. A donor’s sex is recorded as the ways in which blood products are donated and processed differ between those assigned male and female at birth.

For ethnicity, data has been provided at the high-level ethnic group category due to the size of the dataset and the number of records that would otherwise require suppression because of small numbers. A table mapping detailed ethnicity categories to ethnic groups is included in the attached file.

Where values are greater than zero but less than five, they have been suppressed, displayed as “c”, and the associated percentages have been left blank. For each centre, the values for the ethnicity with the next smallest donation or deferral figure have also been suppressed.

During the period covered by this dataset, the following operational changes took place:

• Brixton Donor Centre opened on 16 December 2024;

• Brighton Donor Centre opened on 22 September 2025;

• Brighton Mobile Team ceased operating on 21 September 2025 following the opening of Brighton Donor Centre; and

• Wolverhampton Mobile Team began operating on 17 November 2025.

The source of the statistics is the NHSBT Deferrals Dashboard, extracted 20 July 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, With reference to the answer recieved on the 30th April 2025 to question 45858 on Blood: Donations, whether he will provide a progress update on work to evaluate potential new tests for infections.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation services in England.

Blood donor selection guidelines are developed by the Joint United Kingdom Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC), which reviews evidence on disease outbreaks worldwide, including travel-related risks.

Assessment of a donor’s travel history helps reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. NHSBT implements JPAC’s guidelines and works with JPAC, the UK Health Security Agency, and the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to ensure blood safety.

NHSBT routinely monitors developments in science and technology to assess whether innovations could further improve blood safety and sufficiency and/or the donor experience.

Since January 2026, NHSBT has been evaluating two new commercial malaria tests to assess whether they may be suitable for blood donor screening. Current UK guidelines require malaria screening using serological testing. Any changes to donor testing or eligibility requirements would need to be supported by robust scientific evidence, a cost-benefit analysis, and consideration through the established UK governance processes.

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 increased participation in bowel cancer screening in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) other rural areas.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Lincolnshire, coverage amongst people aged between 60 and 74 years old is above the national average of 72.9% and currently stands at 75.5%. Nationally, coverage of bowel cancer screening has been increasing in recent years, with a marked increase from 2019 of 12.4% since the faecal immunochemical test was rolled out as the primary test in the screening programme.

Partners are working to increase participation in bowel cancer screening in Lincolnshire through a range of initiatives focused on improving access, awareness, and early diagnosis, including expanding eligibility for bowel cancer screening to include people aged over 50, enabling more residents to be screened, and working in partnership with the University of Lincoln's Lincolnshire Institute of Rural and Coastal Health to better understand barriers to screening participation and to develop evidence-based interventions to increase it.

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 (a) improve endometriosis training, (b) reduce the time taken for diagnosis, (c) improve outcomes and (d) introduce early detection and increased monitoring services.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 3 July in response to Questions 12453 and 12458.

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 9 July 2026 to Question 11285, and with reference to the report entitled UK National Screening Committee, Screening for prostate cancer, whether his Department is taking steps to estimate the cost of identifying new BRCA2 variant carriers.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department estimates that there are approximately 1,500 men currently known to have both a BRCA2 gene variant and a family history of breast, pancreatic, ovarian, or prostate cancer who will be eligible for the targeted prostate cancer screening programme. The Department has not estimated the costs of identifying additional BRCA2 variant carriers, as the UK National Screening Committee, which advises the Government on all screening related matters, did not recommend proactively identifying BRCA2 carriers.

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 implications for his policies of the World Health Organisation's conclusion that accidental drowning is a preventable public health issue.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In recognition that drowning is a preventable cause of harm in recreational water settings, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as part of wider Government efforts, is helping to raise awareness of heat-health advice through national and local communication channels, particularly during the school summer holiday period. This includes partnering with charities such as the Royal Life Saving Society UK and Water Safety England to share safe swimming messages and practical actions to reduce the risk of drowning.

As part of its Beat the Heat campaign, the UKHSA includes a “stay safe when swimming” section, which provides links to advice from the Royal Life Saving Society UK on cold-water shock. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Of the blood donations completed between 1 June 2025–31 May 2026, how many were repeat donors.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for collecting blood donations across England, to fulfil hospital requests to meet patient need. The following table shows data for repeat donors and all whole blood donors:

Source: NHSBT Collections Dashboard, extracted 20 July 2026.

For this analysis, repeat donors are donors who made at least two whole blood donations between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026. This differs from NHSBT's definition of a regular donor, which is a donor who had made a successful whole blood donation within the two years preceding their latest donation. There were 625,411 NHSBT regular donors who completed 1,207,623 donations between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026. All whole blood donors includes all donors who donated during the period, including first-time and repeat donors. Total donations refers to the number of whole blood donations collected during the period, while total donors refers to the number of unique donors who donated.

It is the intention of NHSBT to start publishing relevant data in this area on a more regular basis in future as part of its official statistical publications.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, What steps are taken to encourage women to donate during the follicular stage of their menstrual cycle.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for collecting blood donations in England to meet patient need.

NHSBT encourages all eligible donors to donate when it is safe to do so and follows donor selection guidelines developed by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC), which are regularly reviewed and updated.

The JPAC guidelines do not distinguish between stages of the menstrual cycle, such as the follicular or luteal phase. Instead, donor suitability is assessed on an individual basis, including haemoglobin testing before donation.

Information on menstruation and blood donation is available on JPAC and NHSBT websites, at the following two links:

https://www.jpac.org.uk/guidelines/wb/index/periods/

https://my.blood.co.uk/eligibility/health/article/?id=00045p08&title=Menstruation+%3A+Periods

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 and families impacted by brain conditions such as iatrogenic cerebral amyloid angiopathy following neurological surgeries of Cadaver Implants in the brain.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Patients and families affected by neurological conditions, including iatrogenic cerebral amyloid angiopathy, can access a range of support through the National Health Service, including specialist neurological services, psychological support, and community-based care where appropriate to their individual needs. The Government recognises the significant impact that serious neurological conditions can have on patients and their families and is committed to ensuring that appropriate support is available through health and care services.

Found: harmful activity by these types of charities with both the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC

Found: • We have also agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care that we will monitor health

Found: I note that the Department of Health and Social Care has failed to follow parliamentary procedures to

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care relating to Favipiravir

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care relating to a follow-up

Found: DHSC 42 8.1. DHSC - Core 42 8.2. NHS Blood and Transplant 44 8.3.

Found: Joint letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive

Found: Joint letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive

Found: Home Office ● Department of Science, Innovation and Technology ● Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Certification Agency 287,000 212,000 209,000 This comes under VCA's heading of Legal/Consultancy DHSC

Found: about the proposal to abolish NHS England is the loss of expert knowledge from both NHS England and DHSC

Found: scenario in which ICB chairs are forced to navigate competing lines of accountability to mayors and the DHSC

Found: • We have also agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care that we will monitor health

Found: The Department of Health and Social Care has commissioned an independent evaluation, carried out by King

Found: departments   The inquiry asks about alignment between the strategies and reviews of the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Autism and ADHD diagnostic pathways for children and young people: MPs write to DHSC with recommendations

Found: CYM0251 - Children and Young People's Mental Health Department of Health and Social Care and Department

Found: set to fall again next year, for the second year in a row – despite rising demand (Department of Health and Social Care

Found: We recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care highlights the crucial role that NHS Community

Found: Is there sufficient alignment between the strategies and reviews of the Department of Health and social care

Found: Alignment between the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care remains insufficient

Found: The Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education, and local government through

Found: Is there sufficient alignment between the strategies and reviews of the Department of Health and social care

Found: support resources, building on the Premier League’s existing partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: NA Is there sufficient alignment between the strategies and reviews of the Department of Health and social care

Found: Coherence between DfE, DHSC, local government and the voluntary sector is crucial to dismantling longstanding

Found: children with the most complex needs should be accelerated, as per the activities to date by the DfE and DHSC

Found: DHSC officials engaged regularly with Scottish Government officials throughout the development of the

Found: A good example might be that, if the Department of Health and Social Care is looking to pilot innovative

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has policy papers, impact assessments or other documents setting out (a) the original policy aims, (b) the anticipated merits, risks or cost savings and (c) the operational reasons for not including serving members of the Armed Forces, but not their family members, from the provision of NHS Patient Choice (Right to Choose).

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The NHS Patient Choice (Right to Choose) was legislated for by the Department of Health and Social Care and provides a legal entitlement in England for patients to select their hospital or mental health service provider for a first routine outpatient referral. This right applies when your GP refers you to see a specialist for a physical or mental health condition.

For Armed Forces personnel, Defence Medical Command (DMedC) provides primary healthcare, dental care, rehabilitation, occupational medicine, mental healthcare to ensure service personnel are medically fit, deployable globally, and ready for operations. DMedC works in partnership with the NHS to meet the healthcare needs of Armed Forces personnel and ensure Armed Forces personnel have appropriate access to NHS pathways.

The department recognises concerns about access to the ‘Right to Choose’ pathway for Armed Forces personnel and will continue to work with the NHS to ensure Armed Forces personnel have appropriate access to NHS pathways, including those provided for by the ‘Right to Choose.’

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105837 and to the The report of the independent review of deaths among care-experienced young adults in England, published 25 August 2026, what timetable she has set for completing the review of guidance on Promoting the health and well-being of care experienced children and its extension to age 25; what timetable she has set for implementing the Staying Close duty for all local authorities; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the pace of this work.

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

The government is grateful for the work of Ashley John-Baptiste and Clare Chamberlain in completing their review, commissioned by this government to look at the shockingly high number of early deaths of care experienced young people.

We are determined to address this national tragedy, and we are working at pace, across central government and with local partners, to deliver a significant programme of improved support for care leavers as part of our wider reforms to children’s social care.

We will ensure that the statutory guidance, ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children’, takes into account the review’s findings and reflects our wider reforms. These include measures in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, such as corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and relevant public bodies, and the health support measures for care leavers announced by the Department of Health and Social Care in December 2025, including free prescriptions, dental and optical care for care leavers.

The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to roll out this suite of measures, sequencing implementation with the statutory guidance update so the guidance reflects these important developments for looked-after children and care leavers.

Staying Close will become a national duty for local authorities to support care leavers up to age 25 to find and keep suitable accommodation in 2029. The programme is already delivered across 50 sites (47 local authorities and 3 charities). An enhanced Staying Close programme will be rolled out nationally by 2029 in a phased approach. It is focused on improving care leavers’ housing outcomes, and stability and belonging, which is fundamental to promoting enduring relationships.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 109 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, what the full scope is of the £10 million for forward blood products.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Following the announcement of Defence Investment Plan, Defence Medical Command (DMedC) is working to define the scope of the £10 million to develop or procure dried blood products to improve access closer to the point of injury on the battlefield.

DMedC continues to work with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and industry partners to develop a sovereign spray dried plasma capability. Spray dried plasma offers potential operational advantages including ambient storage, extended shelf life and improved deployability in austere environments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timeline is for the Forward Blood Products plan to develop and procure dried blood products.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Investment Plan has set out £10 million to develop or procure dried blood products to improve access to closer to the point of injury on the battlefield.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and industry partners to develop a sovereign spray dried plasma capability. The timeline to develop and procure dried blood products is dependent on regulatory approval, establishment of manufacturing capacity and strengthening of the supporting supply chain.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 57 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in ensuring Ministers in both departments have direct access to information on the collective readiness of Defence, the NHS, and private healthcare to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies involving Defence Medical Services.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recognises Ministers in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) must have direct access to information on the collective readiness of Defence, the NHS, and private healthcare to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies. Further, the SDR recommends an independent review board should assure ecosystem readiness, reporting periodically to Ministers, the Defence Board, and Parliament.

MOD and DHSC have established the Defence and Health Strategic Board to provide strategic oversight and direction for health-related defence activity across Government and other partners. This includes delivery of commitments arising from the SDR as well as wider health and defence priorities.

The Board brings together senior leaders from MOD and DHSC, the Devolved Administrations, NHS England and key partners to ensure the UK health system is appropriately prepared to support national defence objectives in peacetime, crisis and conflict.

Work is underway to include independent members on the Board and determine the reporting mechanism to ensure Ministers in both departments have direct access to information on the collective readiness of Defence, the NHS, and private healthcare.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 57 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made in establishing an independent review board akin to the US Defense Health Board, in order to assure ecosystem readiness.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recognises Ministers in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) must have direct access to information on the collective readiness of Defence, the NHS, and private healthcare to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies. Further, the SDR recommends an independent review board should assure ecosystem readiness, reporting periodically to Ministers, the Defence Board, and Parliament.

MOD and DHSC have established the Defence and Health Strategic Board to provide strategic oversight and direction for health-related defence activity across Government and other partners. This includes delivery of commitments arising from the SDR as well as wider health and defence priorities.

The Board brings together senior leaders from MOD and DHSC, the Devolved Administrations, NHS England and key partners to ensure the UK health system is appropriately prepared to support national defence objectives in peacetime, crisis and conflict.

Work is underway to include independent members on the Board and determine the reporting mechanism to ensure Ministers in both departments have direct access to information on the collective readiness of Defence, the NHS, and private healthcare.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 57 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made with Cabinet colleagues in conducting a sprint review of system-wide capacity and capability between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), it is critical the national health ecosystem—Defence, the NHS and the private sector—has the capacity and capability to meet the Nation's needs in peacetime and during conflict. There is significant ongoing work between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS to review system-wide capacity to ensure the UK can respond collectively to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies.

Over the past year, a series of joint wargame exercises have been held involving the MOD, DHSC, NHS England (NHSE), the Devolved Administrations, Voluntary Aid Societies and Allies to explore and expand the UK’s ability to deal with casualties across a range of scenarios up to and including warfighting; this is an ongoing dynamic & collaborative programme.

There has been specific focus on the role of the NHS in major conflict, including the potential clinical challenge to health services of modern conflict and how UK health services work collectively to respond to the challenge of conflict at scale.

The SDR recommendations and the creation of integrated crisis plans will continue to be progressed as part of the ongoing engagement between the MOD, DHSC and the NHS. Further, the work with allies through the NATO Medical Action Plan is addressing priority challenges in regulatory frameworks and legislation; workforce shortages; mass casualty planning; patient evacuation; and medical logistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 132 of his Department’s Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what progress his Department has made with the Department of Health and Social Care on ensuring that Defence Medical Services and the NHS together have capacity to meet Defence medical needs, including in the most extreme circumstances.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), it is critical the national health ecosystem—Defence, the NHS and the private sector—has the capacity and capability to meet the Nation's needs in peacetime and during conflict. There is significant ongoing work between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS to review system-wide capacity to ensure the UK can respond collectively to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies.

Over the past year, a series of joint wargame exercises have been held involving the MOD, DHSC, NHS England (NHSE), the Devolved Administrations, Voluntary Aid Societies and Allies to explore and expand the UK’s ability to deal with casualties across a range of scenarios up to and including warfighting; this is an ongoing dynamic & collaborative programme.

There has been specific focus on the role of the NHS in major conflict, including the potential clinical challenge to health services of modern conflict and how UK health services work collectively to respond to the challenge of conflict at scale.

The SDR recommendations and the creation of integrated crisis plans will continue to be progressed as part of the ongoing engagement between the MOD, DHSC and the NHS. Further, the work with allies through the NATO Medical Action Plan is addressing priority challenges in regulatory frameworks and legislation; workforce shortages; mass casualty planning; patient evacuation; and medical logistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 57 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made in ensuring that the Defence Medical Services and the NHS have joint capacity to meet Defence medical needs, including in the most extreme circumstances.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), it is critical the national health ecosystem—Defence, the NHS and the private sector—has the capacity and capability to meet the Nation's needs in peacetime and during conflict. There is significant ongoing work between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS to review system-wide capacity to ensure the UK can respond collectively to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies.

Over the past year, a series of joint wargame exercises have been held involving the MOD, DHSC, NHS England (NHSE), the Devolved Administrations, Voluntary Aid Societies and Allies to explore and expand the UK’s ability to deal with casualties across a range of scenarios up to and including warfighting; this is an ongoing dynamic & collaborative programme.

There has been specific focus on the role of the NHS in major conflict, including the potential clinical challenge to health services of modern conflict and how UK health services work collectively to respond to the challenge of conflict at scale.

The SDR recommendations and the creation of integrated crisis plans will continue to be progressed as part of the ongoing engagement between the MOD, DHSC and the NHS. Further, the work with allies through the NATO Medical Action Plan is addressing priority challenges in regulatory frameworks and legislation; workforce shortages; mass casualty planning; patient evacuation; and medical logistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on managing a mass-casualty conflict since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), it is critical the national health ecosystem—Defence, the NHS and the private sector—has the capacity and capability to meet the Nation's needs in peacetime and during conflict. There is significant ongoing work between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS to review system-wide capacity to ensure the UK can respond collectively to meet the demands of warfighting and other strategic health emergencies.

Over the past year, a series of joint wargame exercises have been held involving the MOD, DHSC, NHS England (NHSE), the Devolved Administrations, Voluntary Aid Societies and Allies to explore and expand the UK’s ability to deal with casualties across a range of scenarios up to and including warfighting; this is an ongoing dynamic & collaborative programme.

There has been specific focus on the role of the NHS in major conflict, including the potential clinical challenge to health services of modern conflict and how UK health services work collectively to respond to the challenge of conflict at scale.

The SDR recommendations and the creation of integrated crisis plans will continue to be progressed as part of the ongoing engagement between the MOD, DHSC and the NHS. Further, the work with allies through the NATO Medical Action Plan is addressing priority challenges in regulatory frameworks and legislation; workforce shortages; mass casualty planning; patient evacuation; and medical logistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the extent to which Defence Medical Services are aligned to NATO’s Medical Action Plan.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Surgeon General formally agreed the NATO Medical Action Plan on behalf of UK Defence in January 2025. The NATO Medical Action Plan is a strategic initiative to enhance medical readiness and interoperability for collective defence and focuses on improving regulatory alignment, addressing healthcare workforce shortages, enhancing integrated mass casualty planning, streamlining patient evacuation, and strengthening medical logistics.

Defence Medical Command, previously Headquarters Defence Medical Services, has established Programme GRIFFIN to lead on the UK military contribution to the NATO Medical Action Plan.

Programme GRIFFIN has completed a baseline assessment to identify work across Defence which supports delivery of the NATO Medical Action Plan. This has identified activity in all five themes as set out in the NATO Medical Action Plan and the assessment provides the basis for cohering and prioritising activity.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is embedded as a standing member of the Programme GRIFFIN Board to ensure military and civilian joint working. Further, MOD is engaged in the work lead by DHSC on the civilian contribution to the prioritised Critical Medical Initiatives in NATO Medical Action Plan.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving coordination between asylum dispersal decisions and continuity of NHS care.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) work in partnership on matters relating to the health of the asylum-seeking cohort. The subject of continuity of healthcare is a key topic referenced in the National Partnership Agreement, a document setting our key working principles for 2025-28. Priority 5 details that we are working on continuity of access to health and wellbeing support at the move on stage.

You can find more information here: National partnership agreement on meeting the health and wellbeing needs for people seeking asylum in England 2025-2028 (accessible) - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to mental health services for adopted children and their families.

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

The department is investing £55 million in 2026/2027, a 10% increase, in the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, which provides support to address mental health challenges.

We are considering responses to our consultation ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which closed on 5 May and asks what works to improve adopted children’s mental health.

The consultation explains that we are funding Regional Adoption Agencies to pilot multi-disciplinary teams that bring together social care, health and educational partners to deliver assessment and support to adopted children and families, including access to mental health services.

We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to pilot mental health support, including support for adoptive families. This will test a fully integrated model of mental health support for all children and families involved with children’s social care when they need it. Expressions of interest were invited from Integrated Care Boards by 1 September.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide long-term funding for milk provision schemes which are separate to government-funded breakfast clubs and free school meals.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​The department works across government on policies to support children's health and nutrition. We know milk is excellent for children’s growth and development. The School Food Standards state lower fat milk or lactose reduced milk must be available to children who want it for drinking, at least once a day during school hours.

​

​The government continues to fund the Department of Health and Social Care-led Nursery Milk Scheme, a statutory scheme which enables eligible early years childcare providers to reclaim the cost of providing 189ml (one-third of a pint) of milk each day to a child under five years who is provided with two hours or more of childcare on that day.

​

​The government also continues to support the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs-led School Milk Subsidy Scheme, which subsidises the provision of individual portions of milk in schools, and has committed to consult on any plans for change.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the role of the new local assurance board in Surrey.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to working closely with councils to ensure the right support is available throughout local government reorganisation implementation to mitigate key risks and challenges. As part of this, we have established an Implementation Forum to provide assurance and support for Surrey. Its role is to identify and mitigate risks that could affect delivery, secure cross-government coordination, and identify any support required to enable successful implementation.

As such, the Surrey Implementation Forum will support the successful establishment of East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council by testing implementation plans and reviewing progress against a set of 22 delivery indicators. These indicators were described in the “Sector Support Note” that was shared with MPs on 16 July 2026 and published on gov.uk. They have been developed with local government colleagues and build on lessons learnt from previous reorganisations. The Forum will meet on a quarterly basis, bringing together representatives of Surrey’s Implementation Team with officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care and other Government departments as required.

Equivalent arrangements are being put in place across all areas undergoing local government reorganisation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the financial disparity between returning British citizens paying the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for non-UK dependents and NHS migrant workers who qualify for IHS dependent exemptions and reimbursements.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Family members joining British citizens are subject to the same Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) framework as other migrants granted time-limited immigration permission. Liability for the IHS is determined by the immigration status of the applicant, not that of their UK-based sponsor. Those who cannot afford the IHS may be eligible for a fee waiver on qualifying family and human rights routes.

The IHS is a statutory immigration charge with a different legal basis and purpose from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. While taxes and National Insurance support a wide range of public services and benefits, the IHS is a contribution towards NHS services available during a temporary period of immigration permission. Applications for indefinite leave to remain are exempt from the IHS.

The Health and Care Visa exemption, and the separate DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme, support specific health and social care workforce objectives and operate independently of the family immigration routes.

The DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme is available only to temporary migrants, and their dependants, who remain subject to immigration control. British citizens and those granted indefinite leave to remain are not subject to immigration control and are therefore not required to pay the IHS. Family members joining British citizens or other settled persons are not treated as having made a dependant visa application for immigration purposes.

In due course, the Government will set out a new family migration policy covering those seeking to bring family members to the UK, including British citizens, settled persons, work route migrants and refugees.

The Government keeps the IHS framework under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to review the application of the Immigration Health Surcharge to dependents of returning UK nationals to ensure parity of treatment with other exempt groups.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Family members joining British citizens are subject to the same Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) framework as other migrants granted time-limited immigration permission. Liability for the IHS is determined by the immigration status of the applicant, not that of their UK-based sponsor. Those who cannot afford the IHS may be eligible for a fee waiver on qualifying family and human rights routes.

The IHS is a statutory immigration charge with a different legal basis and purpose from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. While taxes and National Insurance support a wide range of public services and benefits, the IHS is a contribution towards NHS services available during a temporary period of immigration permission. Applications for indefinite leave to remain are exempt from the IHS.

The Health and Care Visa exemption, and the separate DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme, support specific health and social care workforce objectives and operate independently of the family immigration routes.

The DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme is available only to temporary migrants, and their dependants, who remain subject to immigration control. British citizens and those granted indefinite leave to remain are not subject to immigration control and are therefore not required to pay the IHS. Family members joining British citizens or other settled persons are not treated as having made a dependant visa application for immigration purposes.

In due course, the Government will set out a new family migration policy covering those seeking to bring family members to the UK, including British citizens, settled persons, work route migrants and refugees.

The Government keeps the IHS framework under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policy rationale underpins classifying returning British citizens and their family members under the same Immigration Health Surcharge framework as overseas visitors without historical UK residence or tax contributions.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Family members joining British citizens are subject to the same Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) framework as other migrants granted time-limited immigration permission. Liability for the IHS is determined by the immigration status of the applicant, not that of their UK-based sponsor. Those who cannot afford the IHS may be eligible for a fee waiver on qualifying family and human rights routes.

The IHS is a statutory immigration charge with a different legal basis and purpose from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. While taxes and National Insurance support a wide range of public services and benefits, the IHS is a contribution towards NHS services available during a temporary period of immigration permission. Applications for indefinite leave to remain are exempt from the IHS.

The Health and Care Visa exemption, and the separate DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme, support specific health and social care workforce objectives and operate independently of the family immigration routes.

The DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme is available only to temporary migrants, and their dependants, who remain subject to immigration control. British citizens and those granted indefinite leave to remain are not subject to immigration control and are therefore not required to pay the IHS. Family members joining British citizens or other settled persons are not treated as having made a dependant visa application for immigration purposes.

In due course, the Government will set out a new family migration policy covering those seeking to bring family members to the UK, including British citizens, settled persons, work route migrants and refugees.

The Government keeps the IHS framework under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential financial barriers created by current Immigration Health Surcharge fees for British citizens relocating to the UK with family members.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Family members joining British citizens are subject to the same Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) framework as other migrants granted time-limited immigration permission. Liability for the IHS is determined by the immigration status of the applicant, not that of their UK-based sponsor. Those who cannot afford the IHS may be eligible for a fee waiver on qualifying family and human rights routes.

The IHS is a statutory immigration charge with a different legal basis and purpose from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. While taxes and National Insurance support a wide range of public services and benefits, the IHS is a contribution towards NHS services available during a temporary period of immigration permission. Applications for indefinite leave to remain are exempt from the IHS.

The Health and Care Visa exemption, and the separate DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme, support specific health and social care workforce objectives and operate independently of the family immigration routes.

The DHSC Health and Care reimbursement scheme is available only to temporary migrants, and their dependants, who remain subject to immigration control. British citizens and those granted indefinite leave to remain are not subject to immigration control and are therefore not required to pay the IHS. Family members joining British citizens or other settled persons are not treated as having made a dependant visa application for immigration purposes.

In due course, the Government will set out a new family migration policy covering those seeking to bring family members to the UK, including British citizens, settled persons, work route migrants and refugees.

The Government keeps the IHS framework under review.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to encourage employers to adopt evidence-based workplace suicide prevention practices and standards to improve employee wellbeing and reduce suicide risk.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Government’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care for England. Wales and Scotland have their own national strategies.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of the need for formal guidance for employers and workplace operators on workplace cleanliness and hygiene standards to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Employers have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to assess and control risks to workers and others arising from their activities. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) already provides guidance on infections and biological hazards at work, including risk assessment, infection control measures, and preventing exposure to biological agents.

HSE's guidance makes it clear that employers should identify biological hazards, assess who may be harmed and implement proportionate control measures. These may include the use of disinfectants, appropriate hygiene arrangements and surfaces that can be easily cleaned where necessary to reduce the likelihood and spread of infection. Where no specific biological hazards are identified, employers should nevertheless ensure suitable workplace hygiene arrangements are in place.

For settings with specific infection prevention requirements, such as health and adult social care, additional sector-specific guidance is available from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.

HSE keeps its guidance under review and has not identified a need for additional formal guidance specifically on workplace cleanliness and hygiene standards to prevent the spread of infectious diseases or antimicrobial resistance.

Found: help develop the palliative care MSF, the minister explained in June 2026 that the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: 44 Health and Social Care Committee, First 1000 Days: a renewed focus, 22 January 2026, p1 45 DHSC

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

Found: Memorandum from the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: has previously been Second Permanent Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: four competitions launched today are: NHS productivity challenge: Working with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: 10 3 0.3 0 0 16 3 0.1875 1 0.0625 18 1 0.0555555555555556 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 Dept. of Health DHSC

Found: 0.0 16 3 0.1875 1 0.0625 18 1 0.0555555555555556 0 0.0 2 0 0.0 0 0.0 6 0 0.0 0 0.0 Dept. of Health DHSC

Found: The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care launched the WorkWell

Found: and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), which is part of the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: expertise provided from across the relevant Government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: MOJ BEIS FCO DEFRA DFE DFID MOJ DFT MOD DHSC 22/07/20 Redacted RR2078 (ALSO SEE RR2032)

Found: Medicine Madingley Road CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom CB3 0ES Wider Public Sector 10007881 Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Medicine Madingley Road CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom CB3 0ES Wider Public Sector 10007881 Department of Health and Social Care

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

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

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

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

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

Found: It has been developed by the Department of Health and Social Care and is intended to summarise information

Found: produced by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), part of the Department of Health and Social Care

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

Found: COUNTERMEASURES DELIVERY, 10 SOUTH COLONNADE, LONDON, E14 4PU, UNITED KINGDOM 18732045 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Found: information about all the sites licensed as wholesale dealers of human medicines by the Department of Health and Social Care

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

Found: NHS England is working closely with DHSC to prepare for this transition, with legal transfer planned

Found: Society and College of Radiographers • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Society and College of Radiographers • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: and young people CYPMHS Children and young people's mental health services (synonym for CAMHS) DHSC

Found: and young people CYPMHS Children and young people's mental health services (synonym for CAMHS) DHSC