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 NHS health messaging is accessible among diverse ethnic communities in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of information. We also work closely with a wide range of community media, organisations, clinical experts, and influential voices to ensure messaging is accessible to diverse ethnic communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he made of the adequacy of NHS provision for young people with (a) complex comorbidities, (b) Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, (c) epilepsy, (d) autism and (e) juvenile systemic lupus.

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

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

Supporting children and young people as they transition into adulthood, especially those with long-term or complex conditions, including those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), is a priority for the Government, and we are committed to ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England commits to establishing a new radical approach through neighbourhood health services, shifting from sickness to prevention and ensuring that support for children’s health and development is locally accessible. It ensures the support for children and young people as they navigate the National Health Service, and ensures that they feel confident in managing their own health and care from age 16 years old, where appropriate. This will include supporting young people, including those with EDS, as they move from child to adolescent and adult services, ensuring that care is developmentally appropriate throughout.

In addition, a national transition framework is currently awaiting publication. This is to help local areas set up this model or to strengthen an existing one, and the principles of age- appropriate services set out in this document apply to both young people receiving care for the first time and those already on a transition pathway. While the framework focuses on broad principles of transition, future work will focus on specific considerations and conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of transition support for young people with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome who are moving from paediatric to adult NHS services.

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

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

Supporting children and young people as they transition into adulthood, especially those with long-term or complex conditions, including those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), is a priority for the Government, and we are committed to ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England commits to establishing a new radical approach through neighbourhood health services, shifting from sickness to prevention and ensuring that support for children’s health and development is locally accessible. It ensures the support for children and young people as they navigate the National Health Service, and ensures that they feel confident in managing their own health and care from age 16 years old, where appropriate. This will include supporting young people, including those with EDS, as they move from child to adolescent and adult services, ensuring that care is developmentally appropriate throughout.

In addition, a national transition framework is currently awaiting publication. This is to help local areas set up this model or to strengthen an existing one, and the principles of age- appropriate services set out in this document apply to both young people receiving care for the first time and those already on a transition pathway. While the framework focuses on broad principles of transition, future work will focus on specific considerations and conditions.

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 (a) the optimum number of pharmacies and (b) areas where there is an oversupply of pharmacies.

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

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide National Health Service funded services.

There were 10,402 community pharmacies on 30 September 2025. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

The vast majority of pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can start providing NHS services.

The assessments of the adequacy of provision, the location, and the number of pharmacies required in a certain area are the statutory responsibility of local authorities health and wellbeing boards. Local authorities are required to publish a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from potential contractors.

Contractors can apply to open a new pharmacy to meet any current or future need identified in the PNA, but also to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can directly commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and can fund the contract from the ICB’s budgets.

Contractors can already seek an ICB’s permission to either consolidate different premises onto one site or to relocate their pharmacy premises to a different address. The approval of such requests depends on the impact it is likely to cause for patients and commissioners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to adapt pharmacy contracts so that pharmacies can be re-located to areas of high need.

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

Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide National Health Service funded services.

There were 10,402 community pharmacies on 30 September 2025. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good, and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived.

The vast majority of pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can start providing NHS services.

The assessments of the adequacy of provision, the location, and the number of pharmacies required in a certain area are the statutory responsibility of local authorities health and wellbeing boards. Local authorities are required to publish a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from potential contractors.

Contractors can apply to open a new pharmacy to meet any current or future need identified in the PNA, but also to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can directly commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and can fund the contract from the ICB’s budgets.

Contractors can already seek an ICB’s permission to either consolidate different premises onto one site or to relocate their pharmacy premises to a different address. The approval of such requests depends on the impact it is likely to cause for patients and commissioners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role mayoral authorities will play in the delivery of Neighbourhood Health Plans.

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

The wide range of local government responsibilities relevant to health and wellbeing, including social care, public health, and beyond, are central to our vision for Neighbourhood Health. Neighbourhood Health will move care out of hospitals and into communities, with more personalised, proactive, and integrated services starting from where and how people live their lives. This will involve building stronger links to wider local government services such as housing, family hubs, and programmes such as Pride in Place, as well as links with wider civil society including the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.

We are working closely with the Local Government Association to develop a national framework setting out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of health and wellbeing boards to develop and implement local neighbourhood health plans.

NHS, local authority, and VCSE services will be co-located in neighbourhood health centres, bringing together a wide range of services to holistically meet the needs of local populations.

Neighbourhood teams and services should be designed to reflect the needs of people in their local areas, with licence to tailor the approach to local needs and with an expectation of crossing organisational boundaries.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department measures the (a) accessibility of GPs and (b) GPs' workload.

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

The General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) measures patient satisfaction and ease of access to general practice (GP) services. The Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency sits within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board, where 69% of respondents to the 2025 GPPS reported a good experience of contacting their GP and 74% of respondents reported a good overall experience with their practice.

It is challenging to accurately estimate GPs’ workload as much of their work is not reflected in published data, and in addition to delivering appointments, GPs will manage referrals, complete paperwork, and, in the case of GP partners, manage the practice itself.

We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether, impacting access to GPs. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge. Expanding capacity in GPs will improve access for patients, as well as alleviating high workloads, by making more appointments available.

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 hire more GPs.

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

We are starting to see consistent growth in the general practitioner (GP) workforce. There was an overall increase of 440 full-time equivalent, or 1,298 headcount, doctors in GPs in September 2025 compared to September 2024.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified GPs in primary care networks (PCNs) through a £160 million investment into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25. This is part of our initiative to secure the future pipeline of GPs, with over 1,000 doctors otherwise likely to graduate into unemployment in 2024/25. Data on the number of recently qualified GPs for which PCNs are claiming reimbursement via the ARRS show that, since 1 October 2024, over 2,500 GPs were recruited through the scheme.

Newly qualified GPs employed under the ARRS will continue to receive support under the scheme in the coming year as part of the 2025/26 contract. Several changes have been confirmed to increase the flexibility of the ARRS. These include: GPs and practice nurses being included in the main ARRS funding pot; an uplift of the maximum reimbursable rate for GPs in the scheme; and no caps on the number of GPs that can be employed through the scheme.

We are boosting practice finances by investing an additional £1,092 million in GPs to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to GPs in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

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

The General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) measures patient satisfaction and ease of access to general practice (GP) services. The Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency sits within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board, where 69% of respondents to the 2025 GPPS reported a good experience of contacting their GP and 74% of respondents reported a good overall experience with their practice.

It is challenging to accurately estimate GPs’ workload as much of their work is not reflected in published data, and in addition to delivering appointments, GPs will manage referrals, complete paperwork, and, in the case of GP partners, manage the practice itself.

We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether, impacting access to GPs. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge. Expanding capacity in GPs will improve access for patients, as well as alleviating high workloads, by making more appointments available.

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 reductions in the budgets for Integrated Care Boards on (a) specialist services for women and (b) Women’s health hubs.

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

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the abolition of NHS England, we are clear on the need for a smaller centre, as well as scaling back integrated care board (ICB) running costs and National Health Service provider corporate cost reductions to reduce waste and bureaucracy.

The Spending Review 2025 settlement provides an additional £29 billion of annual day-to-day spending in real terms by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24. We are now carefully reviewing how the settlement is prioritised.

We are supporting ICBs to continue improving their delivery of women’s health hubs, in line with their responsibility to commission services that meet the needs of women in their local populations.

We have heard from ICBs on the positive impacts that women’s health hubs have had on both women's access to care in the community and their experience. The Government is committed to encouraging ICBs to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to support ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will commit to (a) quantifying and (b) modelling (i) current and (ii) future NHS workforce shortages in diagnostic and imaging services; and if his Department will commit to working with the sector to develop a plan to address these shortfalls, in the context of the development of the 10-year workforce plan.

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

The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This Plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. It is important we do this in a robust and joined up way and so we are engaging extensively with partners and the sector to ensure this Plan delivers for staff and patients.

Our call for evidence, due to close on 7 November 2025, is seeking evidence and views primarily from healthcare organisations and those with expertise in workforce planning to inform the development of the 10 Year Workforce Plan.

We are already quantifying and modelling current and future workforce shortages in diagnostic imaging services through the work on the 10 Year Workforce Plan. This will provide an agreed position on current and future workforce gaps, and outline solutions for demand and supply optimisation to manage these.

We are committed to expanding the diagnostics workforce in line with demand for skills and where pressures are greatest including ensuring there is sufficient workforce capacity in community diagnostic centres.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the NHS of staff being required to undertake duplicate First Aid training when working across multiple NHS trusts.

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

Due to the number of professional clinicians working across the National Health Service, first aid training is not a requirement for NHS staff and is only relevant in settings where clinicians do not work.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of NHS dentists in the Newton Abbot constituency.

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

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Newton Abbot constituency, this is the Devon ICB.

We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025.

ICBs are recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.

We recently held a full public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and the quality of, NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August. The Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of current NHS staffing levels in (a) hospitals and (b) general practice.

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

National Health Service hospitals and healthcare providers, such as general practices, are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient staff to provide safe care for their patients.

Providers already have a duty through Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to regularly review the number of staff and range of skills needed to safely meet the needs of people using their services.

We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible and more fulfilled.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the capacity of GP services to meet demand in Gloucestershire.

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

We are expanding capacity in general practice, which will help to deliver more appointments to patients across the country, including in Gloucestershire.

In October 2024, we invested £160 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of an additional 2,000 general practitioners into primary care networks across England, helping to increase appointment availability and improve care for thousands of patients. We have invested an additional £1.1 billion in general practices to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. Additionally, the new £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund will create additional clinical space within over 1,000 general practices across England to deliver 8.3 million more appointments each year.

In the 12 months to August 2025, 4.74 million appointments were delivered in the Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which is a 3.2% increase from the previous year.

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 introducing a national strategy for palliative and end-of-life care.

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

We recognise the challenges the palliative care and end of life care sector faces. The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining the drivers and incentives that are required in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the distance people in Macclesfield need to travel for (a) care and (b) specialist treatments.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.

This will rebalance our health and care system so that it fits around people’s lives, not the other way round, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach and giving people more power and choice over the care they receive.

Our aim is to have a Neighbourhood Health Centre in each community that provides easier, more convenient access to a full range of health and care services on people’s doorsteps, bringing together National Health Service, local authority, and voluntary sector services in one building to help create a holistic offer that meets the needs of local populations.

We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.

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 online GP booking systems on people who are digitally excluded.

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

Since 1 October, general practices (GP) have been required to keep their online consultations tools on throughout core hours, from 8:00am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday, for non-urgent and routine requests.

Patients are able to get in touch with their GP via an online form during these hours to request an appointment or to raise a query.

We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. To ensure that patients are not digitally excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP. We have also committed to work with digital transformation teams in integrated care boards and with groups at risk of digital exclusion to ensure digital solutions are inclusive.

People unable to access online services, or visit their GP in person, can ask for a feature called proxy access available through the NHS App. This function allows a trusted relative or carer to act on the patient’s behalf and can be set up through the patient’s GP surgery, so that they can help them manage their health and care.

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 challenges faced by not-for-profit care homes.

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

The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in tackling any challenges they face.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have the duty to shape their care market and commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes building close working relationships with care providers to achieve a sustainable balance of quality, effectiveness, and value for money.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many primary care providers have joined the Pride in Practice programme in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

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

This information is not held by the Department or NHS England. The LGBT Foundation runs Pride in Practice. Further information on Pride in Practice, including coverage, can be found on the LGBT Foundation’s website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of increases in employers' National Insurance contributions on trends in levels of fees for care homes.

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

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care, including changes to employer National Insurance contributions and increases to the National Living Wage, into account as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the 2024 Autumn Budget process.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government has made available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26.

In addition, the 2025 Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

We recognise the importance of fee rates, which meet the costs of delivering care and which enable providers to recruit and retain staff, which is why we have also provided the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund to local authorities since 2023/24, with one of the three target areas local authorities can spend their allocations on being to improve fee rates to providers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recommendations in his Department's policy paper entitled Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce report, published on 31 July 2025, on the (a) ill health to prevention workstream of the Health Mission Board and (b) specific priority of tackling alcohol harm within the Health Mission Board.

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

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment of trends in the level of post-pandemic changes to (a) drinking patterns and (b) resulting health harms were (i) requested by and (ii) provided to the Licensing Taskforce by his Department to inform their proposed licensing reforms.

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

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to introduce an (a) diagnostic protocol for bowel cancer in patients under 50 and (b) a mandatory referral for colonoscopy after two presentations of unresolved rectal bleeding.

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

The Department is committed to ensuring that people of all ages with symptoms of bowel cancer are diagnosed as quickly as possible. Clinicians should use their judgment in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance to ensure that every patient receives timely and appropriate investigation for bowel cancer, including patients aged under 50 years old presenting with unresolved rectal bleeding.

Guidance on referral for suspected cancer is developed and maintained by NICE. The guideline NG12 sets out the symptoms which should prompt referral for urgent investigation. For lower gastrointestinal cancer, there are several indications for patients aged under 50 years old which would be expected to result in referral. Further information can be found on the NICE website at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer#lower-gastrointestinal-tract-cancers

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 precision medicine on the (a) life expectancy and (b) quality of life of people living with motor neurone disease.

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

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a future where genomic information and insights are fundamental to healthcare, enabling precision medicine, predictive prevention, and personalised treatment, including for people with motor neurone disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has selected tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations as a topic for guidance development through its Highly Specialised Technology (HST) programme. The HST programme appraises medicines for the treatment of very rare, and often very severe diseases, and evaluates whether they can be considered a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If a positive recommendation is made, then NHS commissioners will be under a legal duty to fund the treatment for all eligible patients in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that cancer patients in Oxfordshire have timely access to radiotherapy services.

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

The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have access to timely diagnosis and treatments, including those in Oxfordshire.

We have invested £70 million of central funding into new radiotherapy treatment machines to replace older, less efficient machines. These new machines are currently being rolled out to trusts throughout the country. These newer machines will reduce treatment times, boost productivity, and allow more patients to be seen over the same period.

The National Cancer Plan, which we will publish in the new year, will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment. It will ensure patients, including those in Oxfordshire, have timely access to the latest treatments and technology.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) training and (b) awareness of healthcare professionals in (i) diagnosing and (ii) supporting people with (A) myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome and (B) long COVID.

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

The Department published the final myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), delivery plan on 22 July. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving education and attitudes, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme are now available on the NHS.UK website, with sessions one and two having universal access whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288.

The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.

There is also targeted advice for healthcare professionals to manage long COVID. Patients should be managed according to current clinical guidance, such as that published and updated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG188

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare professionals exposed to hazardous medicinal products.

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

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare professionals exposed to hazardous medicinal products.

Any incidents involving staff exposure to hazardous medical products are reported and handled through local National Health Service body reporting procedures. Risk assessments should be undertaken routinely and mitigations put in place to minimise any environmental exposure to health care professionals (and others) relating to “hazardous medicinal products”.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare professionals exposed to hazardous medicinal products.

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

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare professionals exposed to hazardous medicinal products.

Any incidents involving staff exposure to hazardous medical products are reported and handled through local National Health Service body reporting procedures. Risk assessments should be undertaken routinely and mitigations put in place to minimise any environmental exposure to health care professionals (and others) relating to “hazardous medicinal products”.

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 local authority-led initiatives to increase physical activity on public health outcomes.

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

The Department recognises the vital role of local authorities in promoting physical activity and continues to support them with this through the Public Health Grant, the Public Health Outcomes Framework, and by working with other departments on the development of a standard evaluation framework to help assess the impact of physical activity interventions like active travel.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Elective Recovery Plan, published on 6 January 2025, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of targeted measures to reduce gynaecology waiting list.

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

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We have exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra 2 million operations, scans, and appointments, having delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025. This marks a vital First Step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment – in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard – by March 2029.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard. Since our plan was published, we have seen improvements in gynaecology. Average waits have reduced from 15.9 weeks in January 2025 to 15.2 weeks in August 2025, and the number of patients waiting 18 weeks or less from referral to treatment has increased from 55.2% in January 2025 to 56.4% in August 2025. But we know there is still much more to do, and we will continue to support NHS trusts to deliver our targets through innovation, sharing best practice to increase productivity and efficiency, and ensuring the best value is delivered.

The Elective Reform Plan also committed to piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) as part of broader work to develop pathway improvements. So far over 200 pathway projects have been funded from the CDC Pathway Development Fund 2025/26, including gynaecology pathways.

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 30 October to Question 84069 on Physician Assistants, if his Department will set out a timeline for reviewing existing guidance for employers.

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

NHS England is currently considering next steps for supporting the wider National Health Service and relevant stakeholders to implement the recommendations of the Leng Review, starting with those focused on patient safety, as requested by the Government.

We will continue to work closely and collaboratively with partners across the NHS, the clinical professions, and their representative bodies so that patients receive safe, effective, and compassionate care in line with the relevant legal and clinical processes. As part of this, NHS England will be working with NHS Employers over the coming months, supported by colleagues in the regions, to consider what guidance and support can be provided to the system to implement those recommendations related to the employment of physician assistants.

As further information to support implementation of the recommendations is available, it will be published at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/response-to-recommendations-from-the-independent-review-of-physician-associates-and-anaesthesia-associates/

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 number of patients admitted to hospital with (a) covid, (b) flu and (c) respiratory syncytial virus in (i) 2025, (ii) 2024 and (iii) 2023.

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

NHS England publishes data on hospital admissions, including due to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The data is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-accident--emergency-activity

NHS England publishes data on hospital admissions including those that relate to the number of patients admitted with COVID-19. The data is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-hospital-activity/

The following table shows the number of hospital admissions for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV in 2023/24 and 2024/25:

Source: NHS England Digital

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the data on incidence of corridor care to be published by NHS England.

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

The Government is committed to tackling the unacceptable practice of corridor care in our National Health Service. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, sets out steps we are taking, including the commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.

NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use of temporary escalation spaces, to drive improvement. The data quality is currently being reviewed, and the information will be published shortly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether integrated care boards will be given additional one-off funding for redundancy programmes to meet the 50% cost reduction target.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

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 given to integrated care boards on covering redundancy programme costs.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement a formal mentoring programme for doctors.

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

There are currently no plans for a central mentoring programme for doctors. Such programmes are provided by some National Health Service trusts, integrated care boards and Royal Colleges.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will initiate a review of the (a) structure and (b) terms of reference of the NHS Business Services Authority following the NHS 10 Year Plan.

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

As a Special Health Authority and Arm’s-Length Body of the Department of Health and Social Care, the National Health Service Business Services Authority’s (NHSBSA) strategic and structural alignment with government objectives and its Framework Document are reviewed regularly by Departmental sponsors.

Discussions between officials within NHSBSA, NHS England and the Department are ongoing concerning NHSBSA’s role and services to the health and social care system and the public. This includes the support it can provide to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 October 2025 by patients with no criteria to reside.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

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 NHS England on ensuring that NHS speech and language therapy services use evidence-based intervention dosages for children with moderate to severe speech sound disorders.

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

All National Health Services, including speech and language therapy, should operate in accordance with the best available evidence-based practices. Where sufficient evidence exists, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publishes formal guidance. Frontline services, including those delivering speech and language therapy, are expected to adhere to NICE guidance wherever it is available and applicable. A relevant NICE quality statement can be found at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs128/chapter/quality-statement-2-speech-and-language#quality-statement-2-speech-and-language

In 2020, Public Health England published the Best Start in Speech, Language and Communication guidance to support local commissioners and service leads in meeting the needs of children in the early years, which can be found in the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-in-speech-language-and-communication

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans NHS England Digital has in place to ensure that critical services continue to operate in the event of a major internet outage.

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

NHS England ensures that its digital services are built with resilience and redundancy at their core. Critical systems are supported by robust technical architecture designed to maintain continuity where possible during disruptions. We have resilience in our internet access by having multiple connections and we are resilient to local and regional outages. However, a national internet outage would put all digital systems under pressure.

There are comprehensive business continuity plans and disaster recovery processes in place to mitigate digital service disruptions, which are regularly tested and reviewed to aid recovery from significant events.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of Prostate Cancer Research's report entitled Prostate Cancer Screening: The Impact on the NHS, published in 14 October 2025.

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

The Government is guided by the independent, scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC).

The UK NSC Secretariat has corresponded with Prostate Cancer Research and described the committee’s formal published approach to identifying and summarising high quality, peer reviewed published evidence.

The UK NSC Secretariat has read Prostate Cancer Research's report entitled Prostate Cancer Screening: The Impact on the NHS, and has discussed it with the Chair of the UK NSC.

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 raise awareness of osteoporosis.

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

In July, we published the 10-Year Health Plan, which committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

The National Fracture Liaison Service database is a clinically-led national audit of secondary fracture prevention in England and Wales, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and delivered by the Royal College of Physicians. It collects and publishes data on individual Fracture Liaison Services and uses internationally recognised standards as the key performance indicators that these services are measured against. The data is publicly available.

Additionally, the National Health Service website, along with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, has information and resources for patients to learn about osteoporosis, including advice on how to manage osteoporosis and advice on lifestyle changes that patients can make to improve their bone health and reduce their risk of fractures. The Royal College of General Practitioners’ e-learning module on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis also suggests resources that clinicians can use with their patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will (a) collected and (b) publish data on people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in the upcoming NHS cancer plan.

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

The Department recognises the importance of robust and timely data on people diagnosed with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer to support service planning and improve outcomes.

Work is already under way. NHS England commissioned clinical audits on metastatic breast cancer to increase the consistency of access to treatments. The National Audit of Metastatic (Secondary) Breast Cancer (NAoMe) results are based on data about people in England and Wales diagnosed and treated for metastatic breast cancer between January 2020 and December 2022. The Department and NHS England are now acting on the audit’s findings.

The National Cancer Plan is due to be published in early 2026. We have received more than 11,000 responses to our Call for Evidence and have had significant ongoing engagement with patients, clinicians, and charities. The Department is working closely with NHS England and cancer registration and audit bodies to ensure that data on secondary breast cancer continues to be collected, analysed and, where appropriate, made publicly available in line with national data standards.

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 number of people being treated for prostate cancer.

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

The latest Cancer Waiting Times data published by NHS England shows that 4,441 people started their first treatment for prostate cancer in August 2025 under the 31-day cancer waiting time standard.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that the forthcoming (a) Cancer Plan and (b) 10 Year Workforce Plan will include plans to ensure that the NHS have the necessary levels of staff to meet its targets for (i) diagnosing and (ii) treating breast cancer.

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

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, and research and innovation. This will also include how we can reform the workforce to improve cancer patient outcomes, including for patients with breast cancer.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups. We are committed to working with partners to ensure the plan meets its aims and we will engage with independent experts to make sure the plan is ambitious, forward looking, and evidence based. To support this, the Department and NHS England will be engaging with key stakeholders to ensure that the needs of different patient groups, including patients with breast cancer, and relevant health professionals are reflected in this work.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) increase awareness of and (b) shorten diagnosis times for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome.

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

To improve awareness of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) amongst healthcare professionals, and specifically general practitioners (GPs), the Royal College of General Practitioners provides training on PoTS as part of its Syncope toolkit, which is available at the following link:

https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=500

The Syncope toolkit includes an e-learning module, a podcast, and a webinar, and provides GPs with information about the diagnosis and management of PoTS. The webinar gives GPs the opportunity to hear the lived experience perspective of a patient representative from PoTS UK.

The National Institute for Care Excellence has also published a clinical knowledge summary on the clinical management of blackouts and syncope, that provides advice for clinicians in the United Kingdom on best practice in the assessment and diagnosis of PoTS. This was last updated in November 2023, and is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.

We surpassed our pledge to deliver an extra two million elective appointments, having now delivered 5.2 million additional appointments in our first year of Government. Waiting lists are coming down, as they have fallen by over 206,000 since July 2024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps NHS England has taken to help identify (a) children and (b) adults at risk of pre‑symptomatic Type 1 diabetes; and what assessment has been made of (i) the uptake and (ii) effectiveness of those services.

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

The National Institute for Healthcare Research is funding the EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes (ELSA) study into the feasibility of screening for type 1 diabetes in children aged three to 13 years old. The ELSA study has tested over 24,000 people and is being run through schools, general practice surgeries, as well as through online recruitment.

The UK National Screening Committee advises the National Health Service on screening programmes and, in 2019, concluded that more research and evidence for the benefits of screening for autoimmune type 1 diabetes was required.

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 merits of opportunities to (a) enable earlier diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes and (b) reduce incidences of diabetic ketoacidosis; and what actions are being taken by (i) his Department and (ii) NHS England to support (A) research and (B) improved clinical practice in these areas.

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

The early diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is important to reducing incidences of diabetic ketoacidosis. NHS England is working with experts and relevant stakeholder organisations to monitor the outcomes of the current research on the early detection of type 1 diabetes. To support integrated care boards, NHS England has convened experts and stakeholder organisations to consider emerging evidence and articulate what a pathway of care could look like given advancements in this field.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on introducing mandatory health information on alcohol labels; and when he plans to publish a consultation on this matter.

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

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages. The plan can be accessed online at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future

Department officials are working at pace to review all available evidence and to develop policy options that will be used in a formal consultation in due course. We have met a range of stakeholders, and we are making plans for further stakeholder engagement to take place shortly. Stakeholder insights will help shape the policy, to ensure that labelling requirements are more effective.

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 (a) women and (b) people have had a HPV vaccination in Poole constituency in 2025.

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

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is presented for England at a national, National Health Service commissioning region, and local authority level. Data is not gathered at constituency level.

Vaccine coverage data for the routine school-aged HPV immunisation programme in England, including for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#hpv-vaccine-uptake

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to delegate the commissioning of vaccination and immunisation services to integrated care boards from April 2026.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 September 2025 to Question PQ76374.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of introducing financial support for the cost of temporary wheelchairs for children following discharge from an NHS hospital.

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

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and ensuring every child gets the support they need. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair services.

NHS England is taking steps to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of National Health Service wheelchairs, and to support ICBs to reduce delays in people, including children, receiving timely wheelchair equipment. This includes publishing a Wheelchair Quality Framework in April 2025, which sets out quality standards and statutory requirements for ICBs, such as offering personal wheelchair budgets. The framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/wheelchair-quality-framework/

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 minimise wastage of covid-19 vaccine doses during autumn 2025; and whether he plans to review eligibility guidance to allow unused doses to be administered to people under 75 clinically suitable to receive them.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for the procurement, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The UKHSA seeks to minimise wastage by ensuring that the volumes of COVID-19 vaccine that are procured are in line with forecasted demand.

NHS England is committed to minimising vaccine waste across all COVID-19 vaccine suppliers. National and regional teams work closely with vaccination providers on a very regular basis to monitor stock levels and to ensure vaccines are used within the shortest possible timeframe.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The Government has accepted JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme and has no plans to review eligibility for this campaign. As for all vaccines, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a ban on (a) vaping and (b) smoking outside (i) pubs, (ii) restaurants and (iii) nightclubs.

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

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill allows the Government to expand current indoor smoking restrictions to outdoor public places and workplaces via secondary legislation. The bill also gives the Government powers to make most public places and workplaces that are smoke-free also vape-free. Exactly which settings should become smoke-free and vape-free will be subject to a full consultation. However, we are not considering extending smoke-free or vape-free places to outdoor hospitality settings, such as outside pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs.

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 Mounjaro, also called tirzepatide, is available to people who meet the clinical criteria for weight management.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimated that approximately 3.4 million people are eligible for tirzepatide, known by the brand name Mounjaro, to treat obesity. Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a legal duty to make NICE-recommended medicines available to the eligible population alongside the appropriate behavioural and lifestyle support.

The National Health Service is rolling out access to tirzepatide, prioritising those with the greatest clinical need. Approximately 220,000 people are expected to benefit in the first three years of implementation. The NHS is developing and testing new models of care, including community-based services and digital technologies, and will speed up the roll out if possible. Progress on the NHS rollout of tirzepatide will be reviewed by NICE in three years.

NHS England is providing support for NHS ICBs, including providing:

- additional funding to support the delivery of services within primary care and the cost of obesity medicines in line with interim commissioning guidance; and

- a centrally funded wraparound care service ‘Healthier You: Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing’ to refer patients to.

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 outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation in Camborne and Redruth constituency.

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

The National Health Service in Cornwall has a comprehensive cardiovascular training programme in place for primary care staff. This is a key initiative to increase awareness of prevention, cause and management of stroke, atrial fibrillation, acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.

The NHS locally report over nine in ten patients with atrial fibrillation in Camborne and Redruth are treated with anti-coagulants, with treatment rates having increased across Cornwall over the last three years with biggest increases in areas with highest deprivation.

The NHS in Cornwall is also working to prevent, identify and treat linked conditions such as diabetes, alcohol dependency and high blood pressure and to support lifestyle changes that can improve atrial fibrillation symptoms, coronary heart disease, strokes and transient ischemic attacks as well as other cardiovascular conditions such as peripheral arterial disease.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase cancer survivability rates in Devon.

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

Early cancer diagnosis is a key priority for the Government, as the chances of survival are higher if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage.

The Department recognises that cancer patients, including those with in Devon, are often waiting too long for referral and treatment. As the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, NHS England has delivered an extra 100,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week since the start of this administration. This is supported by an increase in capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new MRI and CT scanners. The government is investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS and opening up community diagnostic centres (CDCs) at evening and weekends, including three CDCs located within NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, to help diagnose cancer earlier.

Reducing the number of lives lost to cancer is a key aim of the National Cancer Plan for England. The plan will include further details on how the Government will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including brain cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of cervical cancer self-sampling on reaching under-screened populations; and what targets he has for the uptake of (a) in-clinic and (b) at-home self-sampling options.

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

Both the impact assessment and the equality impact assessment on the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling for the under-screened population in the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme have been published and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-hpv-self-sampling-impact-assessments

The UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation for the use of HPV self-sampling was permissive, meaning the NHS can, but does not have to, implement it. They should use it where they believe it can have a useful impact on supporting uptake. There are therefore no national targets at this time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the availability of health play (a) services and (b) professionals for children.

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

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever, which includes ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

In support of this commitment, NHS England and Starlight, a national charity for children’s play in healthcare, co-published the Play Well Toolkit in June 2025. The toolkit recognises the important role of health play teams and provides important guidance on best practice, enabling these teams to deliver child-friendly care. NHS England is promoting the Play Well toolkit to managers of health play services across a wide range of settings, including community clinics, emergency departments, children’s hospices, and acute paediatric wards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to allocate targeted capital funding to ensure that (a) maternity and (b) neonatal services can operate in (i) safe and (ii) fit-for-purpose buildings.

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

We recognise that maintaining and repairing our healthcare estate is a vital part of the Government’s ambition to create a National Health Service that is fit for purpose.

As a first step towards improving our maternity and neonatal estate, we are investing £131 million through the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling safety and better care for mothers and their newborns. The funded works will delivery vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and support NHS productivity by reducing disruptions across NHS clinical services. The Government is also backing the NHS with over £4 billion in operational capital in 2025/26, enabling systems to allocate funding to maternity and neonatal services where this is a local priority.

In addition, £30 billion will be invested over the next five years in day-to-day maintenance and repair of the NHS estate, with over £5 billion specifically allocated to address the most critical building repairs, reducing the most serious and critical infrastructure risk in a targeted way.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a (a) national standard and (b) mutual recognition framework for First Aid training across NHS trusts.

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

Due to the number of professional clinicians working across the National Health Service, first aid training is not a requirement for NHS staff and is only relevant in settings where clinicians do not work.

The mutual recognition agreement, signed by 262 NHS organisations across England, covers all Core Skills Training Framework Subjects, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Additionally, the Statutory and Mandatory e-learning programme includes four resuscitation sessions which are freely available to all health and social care staff.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide additional funding for social care services to help support patients to (a) leave hospitals and (b) be treated at home.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that people can leave hospital promptly and receive care in their own homes where appropriate.

For 2025/26 approximately £9 billion has been made available through the Better Care Fund (BCF) to enable integrated care boards and local authorities to deliver better joined-up care. One of the objectives of the BCF is to support the shift of services from hospital to home.

From 2026/27, the BCF will be reformed to provide consistent joint funding for services that are essential for integrated health and social care, including rehabilitation and recovery support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence-based assessment they have conducted of the safety of the non-regulation of unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys.

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

The Government has no plans to make changes to the regulatory framework for unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys. No recent evidence-based assessment has been conducted in relation to the regulatory oversight of unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 17 September (HL10436), what steps they are taking to ensure that peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is explicitly included in the upcoming Cardiovascular Diseases Modern Service Framework; and whether they plan to set specific targets for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of PAD.

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

To accelerate progress towards the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease (CVD) modern service framework in 2026. The CVD modern service framework will support consistent, high quality, and equitable care whilst fostering innovation across the CVD pathway.

The Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD modern service framework and are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. A range of conditions that impact premature mortality will be considered in the development of the CVD modern service framework, including peripheral arterial disease.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 17 September (HL10437), whether they plan to include peripheral arterial disease in the upcoming Cardiovascular Diseases Modern Service Framework.

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

To accelerate progress towards the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease (CVD) modern service framework in 2026. The CVD modern service framework will support consistent, high quality, and equitable care whilst fostering innovation across the CVD pathway.

The Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD modern service framework and are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. A range of conditions that impact premature mortality will be considered in the development of the CVD modern service framework, including peripheral arterial disease.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that major acquisitions in the care home sector do not reduce choice or increase costs for residents and local authorities.

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

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people, and to develop and build local market capacity. This includes commissioning a variety of different providers and specialist services that provide genuine choice to meet the needs of local people and that offer quality and value for money.

These duties are complemented by the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) role in monitoring the financial health of the largest and most difficult to replace adult social care providers in England through the Market Oversight Scheme. The CQC continues to monitor all providers in the scheme.

Furthermore, whilst fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce regulations for unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys.

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

The Government has no plans to make changes to the regulatory framework for unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys. No recent evidence-based assessment has been conducted in relation to the regulatory oversight of unanaesthetised non-therapeutic circumcision of boys.

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 number of new referrals for ADHD assessments in the past month.

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

For the first time, NHS England published management information on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment waiting times at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. It has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits and diagnosis data as well as publishing more localised data in future.

The most recent data was published in August 2025 and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/august-2025

Data in this publication is sourced from a number of existing NHS England datasets and the publication is known to contain a number of data quality issues, more details about which are available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/supporting-information

NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the evidence base underpinning the Good Choice badge criteria in the NHS Food Scanner app.

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

The Department has a series of digital tools to support adults and families to eat better and move more, including the food scanner app and the National Health Service weight loss plan app, email programmes, and websites. These tools are evidence-based and regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with current Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition guidance, including recommendations on non-sugar sweeteners and ultra-processed foods. Updates are ongoing to reflect the latest Government advice.

We are always looking to improve the app experience, including extending and personalising messaging, and we welcome feedback from parents as well as organisations to aid us in this process.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women are being treated with hormone replacement therapy.

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

The NHS Business Services Authority releases official statistics on patients prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The latest available data shows that there were 2.8 million female patients aged 18 years old or over who were prescribed HRT in England, that was subsequently dispensed in the community, from July 2024 to June 2025. Further information, including monthly data to June 2025, is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/hormone-replacement-therapy-england/hormone-replacement-therapy-england-april-2015-june-2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider ringfencing funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis.

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

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

We are committed to working with the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes. As part of our approach, together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, in November to stimulate further research in this field.

We have previously discussed ringfenced funding with the ME/CFS community during the development of the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS, as well as at subsequent meetings and roundtables on ME/CFS and long COVID. However, this is not usual practice for research funders as applications in all areas should compete for the funding available to uphold transparency and accountability. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS. Our position is that welcoming applications on ME/CFS to all programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding and the type of research which can be funded.

There has been no specific comparative review on the level of funding for research into ME/CFS compared to other illnesses. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the NIHR, including on ME/CFS. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure Integrated Care Boards maintain timely ADHD (a) assessment and (b) diagnosis services.

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

The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected in the coming weeks. We will carefully consider its recommendations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Part IX medical devices process on (a) supplier confidence and (b) future investment in the UK medical devices market; and what steps he is taking to (a) improve and (b) reduce the time taken for that process.

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

As part of our development work on Part IX of the Drug Tariff reforms, we have undertaken detailed assessment of the impacts on the market and suppliers. We have worked closely with industry and the joint Department and Industry Drug Tarff Committee to ensure we understand the likely impact. The reforms are designed to support innovation while also addressing unwarranted price variation for similar products. The new enhanced assessment process will allow comparison between products based on their merits, which will increase transparency and competition and, by extension, patient choice. This approach is intended to encourage new innovative products and small and medium-sized businesses to enter the market. Suppliers may also, for the first time, apply to list products temporarily for up to two years to allow them to generate evidence to support a longer-term listing. Through temporary listings, the Department is ensuring early National Health Service access to innovative products, providing a clear and transparent route to market.

To improve the listing process, we are introducing a robust assessment framework for products, including independent clinical advisory panels supported by patient representatives. An updated application form is being introduced to streamline the process, and the NHS Business Services Authority is recruiting additional resources for renewals. We are engaging with industry throughout the process, with opportunities to collaborate on any changes during the post-action review after each category is reviewed. This review will enable us to understand if the new process operates in the way that is expected and to make any adjustments as needed. It will also review process steps to ensure its as optimal for industry as possible.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of value-based procurement for MedTech innovation for (a) the New Hospital Programme and (b) current NHS sites; and what steps his Department takes to ensure that the NHS has adequate flexibility in allocated budgets to take into account inflation when projects are delayed by 6 months or more.

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

The Department is developing Value Based Procurement (VBP) Standard Guidance to improve consistency in National Health Service procurement of medical technology in England, and to ensure taxpayer’s money delivers better outcomes for patients, staff and the environment.

In September 2025, the Department launched the VBP Pilots in which 13 existing trusts will test the VBP Standard Guidance. During the pilots, the Department will assess the usability of the Guidance including its effectiveness to procure innovative technology, before publication of the final Guidance in early 2026. The New Hospital Programme is out of scope for these pilots.

The Spending Review 2025 settlement allocated a £2.3 billion real terms increase, or £4 billion cash increase, in Departmental annual capital budgets from 2023/24 to 2029/30. As this is a real-terms funding settlement, this assumes a level of inflation, with capital budgets growing in line with projected inflation. HM Treasury also agreed to grant additional flexibilities, including the relaxation of some ringfences, for the Department to manage capital budgets. This will support systems’ and providers’ abilities to maximise delivery against agreed priorities and measured outcomes.

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 17 October 2025 to Question 77387 on Hormone Replacement Therapy, what steps he is taking to support women receiving treatment with Testo-100 HRT implants following (a) the recent recall of current stock by the distributor and (b) the current lack of alternative supplies of HRT implants.

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

The Department continues to work closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and can confirm that we have engaged with specialist importers to understand if they can source this product, but unfortunately, they have not been able to. We have also approached a supplier which has a product that is licensed in the United States but are yet to receive a response.

In the longer term, the MHRA is working with the importer Smartway, in an expedited fashion, to encourage full United Kingdom Marketing Authorisations for these products in 2026, which if successful, should bring about a safer and more stable supply.

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 a strategic approach to biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

We are committed to working with the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes. As part of our approach, together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, in November to stimulate further research in this field.

We have previously discussed ringfenced funding with the ME/CFS community during the development of the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS, as well as at subsequent meetings and roundtables on ME/CFS and long COVID. However, this is not usual practice for research funders as applications in all areas should compete for the funding available to uphold transparency and accountability. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS. Our position is that welcoming applications on ME/CFS to all programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding and the type of research which can be funded.

There has been no specific comparative review on the level of funding for research into ME/CFS compared to other illnesses. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the NIHR, including on ME/CFS. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a comparative review into the adequacy of the level of funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis compared to other illnesses.

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

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

We are committed to working with the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes. As part of our approach, together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, in November to stimulate further research in this field.

We have previously discussed ringfenced funding with the ME/CFS community during the development of the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS, as well as at subsequent meetings and roundtables on ME/CFS and long COVID. However, this is not usual practice for research funders as applications in all areas should compete for the funding available to uphold transparency and accountability. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS. Our position is that welcoming applications on ME/CFS to all programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding and the type of research which can be funded.

There has been no specific comparative review on the level of funding for research into ME/CFS compared to other illnesses. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the NIHR, including on ME/CFS. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce health inequalities experienced by deaf people.

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

It is for individual National Health Service organisations, including NHS trusts and integrated care boards, to comply with the Equality Act 2010. Under the Equality Act 2010, organisations have a legal duty to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled people, including deaf people, as they are for everybody else. This includes responsibility for ensuring that there is adequate provision of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to support deaf patients.

Health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag was developed in the National Repository, a digital system within the NHS where key patient information is stored to enable health and care workers to record, share and view details of reasonable adjustments, across the NHS and social care, wherever the person is seen or treated.

Following the launch of the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Information Standard, published in September 2023, the flag went live in the National Care Record Service and is being rolled out across England.

Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which details the approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

NHS England published a revised AIS on 30 June 2025. NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the NHS are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to update impact assessments for Part IX Drug Tariff reform in the context of methodological changes following the introduction of interchangeable size bandings.

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

The Impact Assessment was shared at the consultation stage which took place between October 2023 and January 2024. It was subsequently updated to reflect the industry feedback received throughout the process, with the final version being released in August 2024.

Further detail has since been provided on the assessment of wound care in line with the existing principles that products will be grouped into clinically comparable clusters.

Therefore, when NHS Prescription Services apply these principles to wound care dressings, it is expected that dressings will be grouped into different sizes, reflecting the fact that different sized dressings meet different clinical needs.

The programme is now in the implementation stage, and the impacts will be reviewed through the agreed evaluation process for Wave 1, in collaboration with industry.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance is available to clinicians for patients with a family history of diethylstilbestrol exposure.

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

The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero, to attend regular cervical screenings which test for human papillomavirus, the cause of most cervical cancers. Women who believe or know that they were exposed to DES in utero may also need regular colposcopy which falls outside the routine screening programme. We recommend that they should speak to their general practitioner about this as local arrangements should be made for the follow up of women who display evidence of DES exposure. Further information regarding individuals exposed to DES is contained within the cervical screening guidance for the National Health Service, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked NHS England to work with local cancer alliances to ensure that providers are aware of this existing screening and follow up guidance for individuals exposed to DES, and that those who could benefit from additional screening have access to this.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the national body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the NHS on best practice in the care and treatment of patients with defined conditions. NICE has not issued any guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients potentially exposed to DES and it currently has no plans to do so. Decisions on the development of new topics for NICE guidance are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by its Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the role of mayoral authorities will be within Regional Health Innovation Zones.

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

Collaboration between health systems and local government, including mayoral authorities, is fundamental to the design and delivery of the Regional Health Innovation Zones, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan. The Government is committed to ensuring that local government leaders feel a sense of shared ownership in these plans.

The policy is currently in development. It is being designed with flexibility at its core, to ensure it accommodates the diversity of local government structures across the country. The relevant policy teams are already beginning to engage with regional leaders, in health systems and local government, to codesign the approach and to provide more clarity to regions.

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 waiting times for neurology outpatient appointments; and what plans are in place to ensure timely access to neurological care for all patients.

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

The Government is committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. This includes patients waiting for neurology care.

As of August 2025, the neurology waiting list stands at 226,432, a reduction of 4.3% since August 2024. Since coming into office we have delivered 5.2 million additional appointments, including for neurology care, in part by rolling out reforms outlined in the Elective Reform Plan (ERP). These reforms include broadening access to outpatient care, through virtual and group consultations, and minimising missed appointments.

We have also expanded the Advice and Guidance scheme, which helps to ensure that patients get care in the right place and only see a specialist if it’s really necessary, freeing up capacity in secondary care for those who need it, including certain patients with neurology conditions or symptoms. The latest data, which is subject to change, shows this has resulted in 589,336 requests being “diverted” since April 2025, a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The 10-Year Health Plan builds on the ERP with a more sustainable vision for elective care where two-thirds of outpatient care is moved to community settings or delivered remotely, rather than in hospitals. Patients' access to specialists, including neurologists, will be improved by providing this specialist care in the community where possible and increasing digital access to specialists through the NHS app where it’s more convenient for patients. The recently published Medium Term Planning Framework outlines targets for the NHS from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan’s ambitions, including giving patients more control over their follow up care to reduce unnecessary appointments and expanding Advice and Guidance, thereby freeing up appointments and reducing long waits, including for neurology care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish (a) the long list of NHS trusts considered by the Chair for inclusion in the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation and (b) the selection criteria used by the Investigation team to assess those trusts.

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

The 14 NHS trusts to be looked at as part of the independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation were announced on 15 September 2025. There are no plans to publish the long list of NHS trusts considered by the chair for inclusion in the investigation.

The 14 NHS trusts were selected by the independent investigation based on a variety of factors, including results from the Care Quality Commission’s Maternity Patient Survey and Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK’s perinatal mortality rates, in addition to variation in case mix, trust type, geographic coverage, provision of care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, and family feedback.

Three of the trusts have been included due to their inclusion in previous investigations or reviews, these three trusts being the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, and the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

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 address delays by NHS Pensions in contacting retired NHS staff with letters detailing settlements; and what new deadlines are being set for letters to be sent to each cohort.

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

The Department recognises the importance of giving members of the NHS Pension Scheme certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remedy.

I have commissioned the independent Chair of the NHS Pension Scheme Pension Board to lead a review of the NHS Business Services Authority’s (NHS BSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members. This review is well underway. It will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHS BSA’s delivery plan for the remaining statements.

I expect to be in a position to provide the House with a fuller update on the remedy replan and the review of this in good time before Christmas recess.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to issue updated clinical guidance on diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure to (a) general practitioners, (b) gynaecologists and (c) oncologists.

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

The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero, to attend regular cervical screenings which test for human papillomavirus, the cause of most cervical cancers. Women who believe or know that they were exposed to DES in utero may also need regular colposcopy which falls outside the routine screening programme. We recommend that they should speak to their general practitioner about this as local arrangements should be made for the follow up of women who display evidence of DES exposure. Further information regarding individuals exposed to DES is contained within the cervical screening guidance for the National Health Service, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked NHS England to work with local cancer alliances to ensure that providers are aware of this existing screening and follow up guidance for individuals exposed to DES, and that those who could benefit from additional screening have access to this.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the national body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the NHS on best practice in the care and treatment of patients with defined conditions. NICE has not issued any guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients potentially exposed to DES and it currently has no plans to do so. Decisions on the development of new topics for NICE guidance are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by its Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what safeguards are in place to prevent children and young people from being placed in inappropriate mental health settings, including (a) adult wards and (b) facilities located far from home.

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

All placements must be clinically appropriate, proportionate to any risk presented, and local ownership and involvement must be maintained from a clinical and commissioning perspective. Where possible, a placing team should look to neighbouring geographical areas when considering placements to minimise distance from home and ensure that local involvement is facilitated more easily and effectively.

NHS England is developing a new model for specialised children and young people’s mental health services, supported by a new service specification and quality standards. This model will support the delivery of specialised services in the community and within children and young people’s mental health inpatient settings. This will aim to ensure children and young people are treated in the least restrictive, age-appropriate environments, as close to home as possible.

£75 million has been set aside in the NHS Capital Guidance for 2025/26 to reduce inappropriate out of area placements in adult, and children and young people’s services, including in acute care, Psychiatric Intensive Care Units, rehabilitation wards, and secure services. Integrated care boards will receive allocations from this funding pot based on credible, cost-effective, high-impact plans to reduce inappropriate out of area placements.

The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published on 24 October, sets targets for integrated care boards to eliminate inappropriate out-of-area placements by 2028/29

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to update NHS clinical reference materials or NICE guidelines to include information on the diagnosis, management, and screening of patients potentially exposed to Diethylstilbestrol.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the national body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the NHS on best practice in the care and treatment of patients with defined conditions. NICE has not issued any guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients potentially exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) and it currently has no plans to do so. Decisions on the development of new topics for NICE guidance are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by its Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework.

The current advice from the UK Health Security Agency, formerly Public Health England, is that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believed they were exposed to DES in utero. Further information on the UK Health Security Agency’s advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals#

Participation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of clinical trials available for brain cancer vaccines.

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

The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the Untied Kingdom a world-leading destination for clinical research, including clinical trials for brain cancer vaccines.

The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform set up to accelerate the development of cancer vaccines and speed up access to mRNA personalised cancer vaccine clinical trials for cancer patients. Any company that wishes to deliver trials via the platform, including those developing vaccines for brain tumours, can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research.

In addition, the Department funds research and research infrastructure across England, such as the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including on brain cancer.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.

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 update families affected by sodium valproate on compensation following publication of the Hughes Report; and when families should expect to receive details of (a) interim and (b) main payments.

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

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider reviewing the geographical areas within which resident doctors are expected to relocate during specialty training.

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

We recognise the importance of location stability for doctors in training and the impact that frequent relocations can have on wellbeing, retention, and workforce planning.

A review into postgraduate medical training is already underway. The first phase of the review has now concluded, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-medical-training-review-phase-1-diagnostic-report/

The next phase of the review will involve working with a wide range of stakeholders across the system to design a package of reform.

Alongside this review, a review of rotational training is currently in progress and is being led by the Department, along with NHS England and the British Medical Association.

NHS England’s 10 Point Plan to improve resident doctors’ working lives, published on 29 August, contains a commitment to reduce the impact of rotations upon resident doctors’ lives while maintaining service delivery. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/10-point-plan-to-improve-resident-doctors-working-lives/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve maternity safety in hospitals.

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

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced a rapid, national, independent Investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services, chaired by Baroness Amos, to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care.

The Investigation will look into maternity and neonatal services in 14 NHS trusts alongside reviewing the maternity and neonatal system, bringing together the findings of past reviews into one clear national set of actions.

The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce. The Taskforce will be chaired by the Secretary of State and will take forward the recommendations of the Investigation, forming them into a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

Alongside this, the Government is taking immediate action to boost accountability and safety as part of its mission to build an NHS fit for the future – including measures to hold the system to account, a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

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 access to (a) gender identity and (b) trans healthcare services.

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

NHS England has established NHS Children and Young People's Gender Services in London, the North-West, and the South-West in 2024. A fourth service is planned to open in the East England region in January 2026. Work remains ongoing to establish commissioned services that provide a pathway for children and young people with gender incongruence in the other regions, by March 2027, on a phased basis.

NHS England has increased the number of adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics in England from seven to 12, with the rollout of five new adult gender pilot clinics since July 2020. The rollout of these clinics is helping to tackle long waiting times.

NHS England is currently carrying out a review of adult gender services, with the aim of producing an updated service specification. The review, which is chaired by Dr David Levy, will examine the model of care and operating procedures of each service, and will carefully consider experiences, feedback, and outcomes from clinicians and patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the number of people (a) with a respiratory disease, (b) who were hospitalised during winter 2024-25 and (c) who are not eligible to receive the covid-19 vaccination.

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

From November 2024 to March 2025 inclusive, 483,876 patients were admitted to hospital in England where the primary diagnosis was a respiratory disease. Data on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility is not linked to hospital admissions data.

The UK Health Security Agency published further data on the prevalence of respiratory viruses in the population, and this data is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/respiratory-viruses

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Care if he will bring forward proposals for reducing hospital waiting lists in Cumbria.

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

As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people across all regions, including Cumbria.

Work to reduce waiting lists in Cumbria is already underway, with the National Health Service implementing the Elective Reform Plan to increase capacity and improve patient access as quickly as possible.

The region of Cumbria is covered by two integrated care boards (ICBs). The NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is reducing waiting times in the Cumbria region through a dedicated programme on referral and demand management. It is also transforming care pathways to ensure patients receive high-quality treatment in the most appropriate setting, prioritising community and neighbourhood care to reduce hospital pressures.

The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB is also implementing a range of demand management strategies to reduce waiting lists in Cumbria. These include redesigning outpatient pathways with community-based services, virtual clinics, straight-to-test models, and focusing on one-stop clinics. It is also prioritising workforce training to improve referral quality, and meeting regularly with the trust to monitor progress towards meeting the constitutional standard.

As of August 2025, 18-week Referral-to-Treatment performance for the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB was 60.7% and for the NHS North East And North Cumbria ICB was 70.2%.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the national maternity investigation will also look into cases of twin and triplet deaths as part of its investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services.

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

The Government acknowledges that pregnancies for twins and multiples are associated with significantly higher risks for stillbirth, neonatal death and preterm birth.

Cases of twin and triplet deaths will be looked at as part of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation where they fall within the scope of the terms of reference. These terms are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-maternity-and-neonatal-investigation-terms-of-reference/national-maternity-and-neonatal-investigation-terms-of-reference

The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation will produce an initial set of national recommendations by December 2025. The Investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in Spring 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 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists's report entitled A work in progress: evaluating the women’s health strategy, published in July 2025, whether he plans to update his Department's Women's health strategy for England to align it with the 10 Year Health Plan.

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

The 2022 Women's Health Strategy identified many important issues which remain valid, and we have already made excellent progress turning the commitments in the strategy into tangible action. This includes delivering 5.2 million extra appointments, tackling gynaecology waiting lists using the private sector, and we will shortly make emergency hormonal contraception free in pharmacies. We now need to update the Women’s Health Strategy to align with the 10-Year Health Plan and identify areas where we need to go further.

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 NHS neonatal units have parental accommodation available.

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

Not all maternity hospitals are currently able to offer adequate accommodation for families. This is due to the historic undercapitalisation across the National Health Service, as highlighted by the Darzi Report.

All trust boards should review their estate data and seek assurance that all healthcare premises from which they are delivering maternity services are of appropriate standard. This should include a review of community-based maternity services, which were not in the scope of the estate survey. In instances where the estate is not of appropriate standard, trust boards should ensure mitigating action is being taken accordingly.

As a first step towards improving our maternity and neonatal estate, we are investing over £100 million through the 2025/26 estates safety fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling better care for mothers and their newborns.

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 10 Year Health Plan on the roles of mayoral authorities in delivering health and social care services.

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

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making mayors, or their representatives, members of integrated care boards (ICBs), harnessing the opportunities of joined-up strategic planning between ICBs and strategic authorities, and supporting delivery of a “health in all policies” approach. Subject to the passage of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, mayors will be supported by a new health improvement and health inequalities duty, which empowers and supports strategic authorities to exercise their functions in ways that improve health and reduce health inequalities between people living in their area.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has considered the potential merits of establishing a database of licensed weight loss injection providers that is easily accessible to the public.

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

All GLP-1 medicines, which are licensed injections for weight loss, are prescription only medicines, which means they can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional.

GLP-1 medicines can be purchased privately. A consultation with a healthcare professional must happen before the prescription can be issued, so that the prescriber can carry out proper checks and make sure the patient is aware of the benefits and risks of taking the medicine.

GLP-1 medicines should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media, or from anywhere without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional.

To guarantee receipt of a genuine GLP-1 medicine, it must be acquired from a legitimate pharmacy, including those trading online, with a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.

Patients can check if the pharmacy, online or otherwise, is legitimate. For pharmacies based in Great Britain, patients can check on the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) website whether it is properly registered, which is available at the following link:

https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers

For pharmacies based in Northern Ireland, patients can refer to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) website, which is available at the following link:

https://registers.psni.org.uk/

For further information about use of online pharmacies, patients can also refer to the GPhC’s guide on how to keep safe when getting medicines or treatment online, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/2024-11/how-to-keep-safe-when-getting-medicines-or-treatment-online.pdf

The GPhC and the PSNI could also be contacted for more information on their actions on helping patients to obtain these medicines safely.

Patients can also visit the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) #FakeMeds website for tools and resources to help purchase medicines or medical devices safely online, with further information available at the following link:

https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/

To promote safe access to GLP-1 medicines and increase public awareness of these resources, the MHRA has published guidance for the public highlighting important information such as how to obtain them safely and key risks to be aware of. Further information on the MHRA’s guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know#summary-what-do-those-taking-or-planning-to-take-these-medicines-need-to-remember

Patients can also check the credentials of the healthcare professional prescribing the medicine via the relevant United Kingdom professional regulator, such as the:

- General Medical Council for doctors;

- the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurse independent prescribers;

- the GPhC for pharmacists in Great Britain;

- the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland; and

- the respective regulatory bodies for other non-medical prescribers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Independent Monitoring Board's report entitled Annual report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Downview, published on 3 September 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure acutely mentally unwell prisoners are swiftly (a) identified and (b) given care in an appropriate facility at (a) HMP/YOI Downview, (b) other prisons and (c) other young offenders institutions.

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

NHS England commissions prison health care services for HMP/YOI Downview and every other prison and young offenders institution in England. Every prison has onsite health care services including primary care, mental health, dentistry, and substance misuse teams.

The National Service Specification for integrated mental health sets out how patients within secure settings, who require support for their mental wellbeing, should receive the same level of healthcare as people in the community, both in terms of the range of interventions available to them, in order to meet their needs, and the quality and standards of those interventions.

This includes access to crisis intervention and crisis prevention for those at high risk of self-harm and suicide, where such behaviours relate to poor emotional wellbeing and/or minor psychiatric morbidity.

Access to mental health provision is available to every person in prison at any stage of their sentence, beginning at the point of entry. NHS England commissions first night reception screening to have a registered nurse/practitioner review patients’ medical history to address any immediate health needs and risks and to ensure medication is made available as soon as possible and that onward referrals to onsite healthcare teams, including mental health services, for both urgent face to face appointments, within 24 hours, and routine face to face appointments, within five working days, are made.

Outside of reception screening, people in prison can be referred or can self-refer to mental health services, within those timeframes.

When someone is acutely unwell, they can be transferred from prisons and other places of detention to hospital for treatment, under the Mental Health Act, within the target transfer period of 28 days. The Mental Health Bill, currently going through Parliament, introduces a statutory 28-day time limit within which agencies must seek to ensure individuals who meet the criteria for detention under the act are transferred to hospital for treatment. NHS England’s South East Health and Justice team is funding a transfer and remissions co-ordinator from January 2025, to improve, where possible, safe, effective, and efficient transfers to hospital level treatment and interventions.

NHS England is reviewing the National Integrated Prison Service Specification to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the prison population.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NICE plans to review (a) guideline NG17 for Type 1 diabetes in adults and (b) guideline NG18 for Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people; and what the timelines are for the next updates.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for translating evidence into authoritative evidence-based guidance for the health and care system on best practice, in order to drive improved outcomes for patients.

NICE currently has no plans to update guidelines NG17 and NG18. NICE takes a proactive approach to surveillance, monitoring for changes in the evidence base that may impact on its recommendations. Topics for new or updated guidance are considered through the NICE prioritisation process. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by an integrated, cross-organisational prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s Chief Medical Officer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government's news story entitled, Update on Gaza medical evacuation scheme, published on 22 August 2025, what estimate he has made with Cabinet colleagues on the number of Gazan (a) children and (b) immediate family members that will be accepted for evacuation and treatment in the UK.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these severely ill and vulnerable patients and their families remains our absolute priority. We will not be providing further operational details on the numbers who have arrived at this stage.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the Department has spent on dental research in each of the last three years.

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

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).  Between the 2022/23 and 2024/25 financial years, the NIHR directly spent £18.2 million on research projects and programmes on dentistry research. The following table shows the spend on dentistry research, to the nearest £100,000, from 2022/23 to 2024/25 and in total over that period:

The Department, through the NIHR, also funds clinical academic training for doctors and dentists through the Integrated Academic Training Programme. This includes Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) at the pre-doctoral level and Clinical Lectureships (CLs) at the post-doctoral level. From 2022 to 2024, 53 ACFs and 15 CLs were recruited in dentistry, with an estimated total value of over £14 million across the duration of the awards.

In addition, investments in NIHR infrastructure, not included in the figures above, support the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities, and the life sciences industry. This has supported the delivery of over 50 studies and the recruitment of over 12,000 participants in research under the specialty area of oral and dental health in the last three financial years.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including dental research. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Patient Safety Commissioner entitled The Hughes Report: Options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, published on 7 February 2024.

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

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of compensating (a) people and (b) families of people with Foetal Valproate Syndrome.

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

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.

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 increasing funding for research into treatments for Huntington’s disease in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care delivers research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In January 2024, the NIHR invested £6 million over three years into two Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to conduct research that informs policymaking in the Department and its health system partners. The units’ work programmes span multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease.

As well as funding research itself, the NIHR invests significantly in research expertise and capacity, specialist facilities, support services and collaborations to support and deliver research in England, collectively forming the NIHR infrastructure.

For example, research supported by the NIHR’s UCLH Biomedical Research Centre and Research Delivery Network has shown that AMT-130 gene therapy led to a 75% slowing in disease progression after 36 months in people with Huntington’s disease who also demonstrated slower motor and cognitive function degeneration, offering long-awaited hope to individuals and families impacted by the disease..

The NIHR continues to welcome high-quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Huntington’s disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding to community-led suicide bereavement services.

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

We recognise the important role that community-led organisations can play in suicide prevention and suicide bereavement services.

While there is no specific national funding allocated for suicide bereavement services, integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which may include working with community-led organisations.

As part of the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to working closely with voluntary, community, and social enterprise stakeholders as we begin this journey to transform mental health services, tackle the drivers of mental ill-health, and create the conditions to nurture good mental health and wellbeing for all.

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 supporting the (a) training and (b) deployment of UK health staff to Ukraine.

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

There are options for National Health Service staff to voluntarily provide healthcare support on a humanitarian basis and separately to their NHS duties. For example, humanitarian medical charities such as UK Med are active in Ukraine with NHS clinicians volunteering to provide life-saving medical aid to people affected by the conflict.

Additionally, four NHS trusts have established partnerships with Ukrainian healthcare institutions under the International Medical Partnership initiative. These partnerships provide mutual learning and development opportunities for clinicians that will improve public health and patient experience in both the United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the health outcomes of veterans in the West Midlands.

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

As well as being able to access all National Health Services across the United Kingdom, NHS England has introduced several bespoke services to improve the healthcare support available to veterans. These are: Op RESTORE which supports veterans with service-related physical health problems; Op COURAGE which supports veterans with a mental health pathway; and Op NOVA which supports veterans in the justice system.

In addition, the veteran-aware trust and the veteran-friendly accreditation schemes raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals of the specific needs of veterans. These schemes provide support to ensure appropriate signposting and referrals to relevant veteran and wider services within the NHS. All trusts in the West Midlands have been accredited as veteran aware and all primary care networks in the West Midlands have at least one accredited practice.

In May 2025, a national training and education plan was announced to help veterans benefit from improved and targeted healthcare. NHS staff across England will receive dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. This will be rolled out across the NHS from November 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help find rare blood type donors.

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

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is the organisation responsible for blood services in England. NHSBT works to find and encourage people with rare blood types to give blood to ensure blood of all types is available for patients when needed.

In addition to routine extended antigen typing, which enables many rare donors to be identified, NHSBT’s Rare Donor Screening Programme tests approximately 25,000 donors annually, for additional blood group antigens, to identify donors with rare blood types. This testing helps to maintain a national rare donor panel containing extremely rare types.

Furthermore, NHSBT’s Rare Donor Clinical Team contacts donors and actively manages their donation schedule via a special call up process. This team also works closely with hospitals to identify patients and their siblings as potential new donors. To ensure the timely availability of blood, blood from rare donors may also be frozen and stored in the National Frozen Blood Bank and thawed when required for patients.

Finally, NHSBT also contributes to the International Rare Donor Panel which contains details of donors of rare blood types from 27 contributing countries and frozen unit inventories from frozen blood banks around the world. Further information on the International Rare Donor Panel is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ibgrl/services/international-rare-donor-panel/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of clinical medical cases relating to childbirth injuries on maternal mental health.

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

No such assessment has been made of the potential impact of clinical medical cases relating to childbirth injuries on maternal mental health.

However, significant progress has been made across England in recent years to ensure women experiencing moderate to severe and/or complex perinatal mental health problems can access specialist perinatal mental health services.

These services have expanded to provide care to women up to two years after birth, improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies, and provide a mental health assessment and signposting support for partners.

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 young people with their mental health.

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

Through our Plan for Change, the Government is expanding access to mental health support teams in all schools and colleges to reach all pupils by 2029/30, ensuring that every pupil has access to early support services. More widely, we are investing £26 million in new crisis centres, rolling out young futures hubs, and hiring 8,500 more mental health staff.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposals in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's final draft guidance, issued on 14 August 2025, to not recommend using cerliponase alfa, also called Brineura, for the treatment of children newly diagnosed with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2, also called CLN2.

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

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes its decisions independently of the Government and in line with its carefully developed methods and processes. It would not therefore be appropriate for the Department to comment on or intervene in NICE’s decision making. However, these are very difficult decisions to make, and NICE recognises that they have real and important implications for patients. It only publishes final guidance on the use of a medicine after a very careful consideration of the evidence and a consultation with stakeholders.

NICE has not yet concluded its appraisal. It has received two appeals against its draft recommendation which will be heard by NICE’s independent appeal panel on 25 November 2025. Progress of the appraisal is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-hst10061

Brineura is currently available to National Health Service patients for a limited period, under a managed access agreement that was agreed in 2019. This will ensure continued access for patients who have already started treatment. It will also ensure continued access for patients who begin treatment either before the agreement ends in December or when NICE publishes its final recommendations, depending on which is sooner.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria his Department uses to determine site eligibility for participation in the TRANSFORM prostate cancer screening trial; and whether the availability of focal therapy is a requirement.

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

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In November 2023, the Government and Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK) announced the £42 million TRANSFORM screening trial to find the best way to screen men for prostate cancer to find it before it becomes advanced and harder to treat. PCUK is managing the award on behalf of the funders with the Government contributing £16 million through the NIHR.

Once received, the protocol will be published on the NIHR website on the funding and awards page. This is expected to contain details of the site selection criteria.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 77609 on Medical Treatments: Cost Effectiveness, what percentage of completed NICE appraisals for brain tumour medications have led to approval for use of a medication by the NHS in the last 12 months.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not published final guidance on any brain tumour appraisals in the last 12 months.

NICE is currently developing guidance on the use of vorasidenib for treating astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with IDH1 or IDH2 mutations after surgery in people 12 years and over and recently consulted on its draft recommendations. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in January 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to expand access to mental health services for young people at risk of not being in education, employment or training.

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

The Department recognises that young people with poor mental health can be at risk of not being in education, employment, or training.

This is why the Government is investing in mental health support services for young people, including continuing the roll out of mental health support teams in schools, with almost one million more young people to benefit in education settings this year.

The Government's first 50 Young Futures Hubs will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention.

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Found: At the same time, while the Department of Health and Social Care encourages community wellbeing initiatives

Found: with digital technology suppliers HC 640 26th Tackling Violence against Women and Girls HC 644 25th DHSC

Found: recommendations – in particular that SEND should be identified as a health system priority, that DHSC

Found: The report recommends that the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Public Funding (Screen) Agencies,  Include investment from a range of Government Departments (DfE, DHSC

Found: Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Health and

Found: views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: I emphasise that my criticisms here are not of the civil servants at the DHSC / MOJ, who are in an entirely

Found: Health Service, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: The operational shortages team at DHSC has also been doing a fantastic job for many years.

Found: I know that the Department of Health and Social Care did not even know about the change of guidance

Found: The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care and operates as part of

Found: Employment support for disabled people Department for Work and Pensions, and Joint DWP and Department of Health and Social Care

Found:  Work with the Department of Health and Social Care to make sure that disabled people can access

Found: Exercise Pegasus, which is a whole-of-government exercise led by the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: To this end, the Department of Health and Social Care are working with local authorities to increase

Found: Every year, the Department of Health and Social Care said, “We will train more nurses,” and then never

Found: AHDL and the largest wholesalers work with NHSBSA and DHSC to provide regular and detailed data; these

Found: Is there good co- ordination between you and DHSC on health-related issues, such as fit notes and who

Found: highlighted the impact of changes to the healthcare routes being assessed with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: providing the courtroom and the judge to be the facility, but the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: providing the courtroom and the judge to be the facility, but the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Office for Life Sciences, and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Innovation and Technology; Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care

Found: II: Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care), Department of Health and Social Care

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to make an assessment of how effectively public health can be incorporated into a new water framework.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Public Health outcomes are a key gap in the current legislative framework. The Independent Water Commission recommended the Chief Medical Officers of England and Wales establish taskforces to review the incorporation of public health better into the water legislative framework.

The Government will work closely with the Chief Medical Officers and the Department of Health and Social Care to consider how to best create a legal framework that reflects latest research around public health outcomes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 63002on Department of Health and Social Care: Permanent Secretaries, for what reason the Permanent Secretary was appointed as a temporary civil servant on a SCS contract, rather than as a permanent civil servant under the provisions in paragraph 2.1 of the Permanent Secretary Model Contract.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The department launched a fair and open competition to appoint a Permanent Secretary in January 2025. As a result of this process, Samantha Jones was found to be an appointable candidate for this role. However, during the recruitment process it was announced that NHS England would be brought back into DHSC. This significantly changed the scale and objectives required of this role. In light of these changes the Civil Service Commission agreed a three year fixed term appointment by exception, on the Senior Civil Service Model contract.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase the use of (a) problem-solving courts, (b) community treatment requirements and (c) other rehabilitative measures for people with multiple disadvantage.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Following the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendation to expand Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs – the UK equivalent of “problem solving courts”), the Ministry of Justice launched an Expression of Interest process to identify new areas for delivery. This process has now closed, and successful applicants are expected to be announced in the coming months. Earlier this year, the Department announced that a new women’s ISC will launch at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, with implementation planned within the next year. Further expansion remains subject to funding allocations.

The Ministry of Justice works closely with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure that all offenders who need it have access to high-quality mental health, alcohol and substance misuse treatment. Responsibility for commissioning and delivery of substance misuse treatment in the community lies with Local Authorities. DHSC has made a targeted investment to support those referred by the criminal justice system, including funding 575 drug and alcohol workers with criminal justice specialisms who work closely with prisons, probation and in courts as well as the police to improve access to and quality of treatment. At a local level, Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators have been recruited across all probation regions in England and Wales to strengthen operational links between treatment providers and probation, bolstering support for those with Drug Rehabilitation Requirements and Alcohol Treatment Requirements. Our ongoing partnership with NHS England has also achieved an increase in the number of Mental Health Treatment Requirements with the number sentenced now more than five times higher than it was a decade ago, up from 960 in 2014 to 4,880 in 2024.

We remain committed to tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of interventions which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes, but is not limited to, education, employment and accommodation, alongside health services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking with (a) DHSC and (b) MHCLG to ensure (i) policing, (ii) health and (iii) local authority partnerships (A) identify and (B) respond effectively to individuals at risk of entering a cycle of reoffending.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Prolific offenders and those in a cycle of reoffending commit a disproportionate amount of crime and societal harm and generate outsized demand for the police, criminal justice system and public services, making them an important focus for intervention.

Every neighbourhood across England and Wales now has named and contactable neighbourhood officer, dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most by working closely with their communities, businesses, and partner agencies, using local intelligence to problem solve complex issues such as repeat offending.

The Government supports the use of diversion and early intervention, recognising that we cannot tackle prolific offending through policing alone. Police forces have a range of powers available, such as out of court resolutions, to divert offenders away from the criminal justice system where appropriate.

Drugs are a major cause of crime and continued investment in treatment and recovery services will be vital to help reduce levels of reoffending. Part of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Improvement Grant funds treatment and wraparound support for people sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping who have a drug need. This helps deliver integrated, cross-sector working in preventing homelessness and supporting substance misuse treatment and recovery.

In addition, Combating Drugs Partnerships play an important role in tackling prolific offending. These partnerships bring together police, probation, public health, the NHS and other local partners to deliver a whole-system, multi-agency response to drug-related harms, including tackling the crime and antisocial behaviour linked to drugs.

Overall, given the demand prolific offenders generate across various services and the complexity of their needs, the Home Office has ongoing discussions with other government Departments, the police, local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) on how to continue to strengthen our approach to this cohort.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered (a) banning vaping in pubs, (b) banning 16 and 17 year olds from buying zero alcohol drinks in pubs and (c) raising the drink drive limit to support the economic viability of pubs.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade is not responsible for bans on vaping in pubs, restrictions on zero-alcohol drinks for 16–17-year-olds, or changes to drink-drive limits. These matters fall under the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Transport

DHSC advises that while vapes are less harmful than smoking, they are not risk-free and plans to consult on making most indoor settings vape-free. Many pubs already prohibit vaping voluntarily. In Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to explore prohibiting sales of no- and low-alcohol drinks to under-18s including prohibiting sales to individuals under the age of 18 years old. This policy is being pursued as these alcohol substitute drinks are intended for consumption by adults. DHSC Officials are scoping details and will update stakeholders in due course.

This Government takes road safety seriously. We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. In 2023 there were 1,624 people killed on GB roads. There were an estimated 260 people killed in collisions involving drink driving, accounting for 16% of total fatalities in 2023. Given the significant casualties caused by drink driving, we have no plans to increase the drink drive limit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department communicates with NHS trusts on Category F patients.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS Trusts, share information with the Home Office to tackle NHS debt accrued by patients who fall under Charging Category F.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on the alignment of mayoral combined authority boundaries and integrated care board boundaries, in the context of (a) devolution and (b) NHS reorganisation.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The English Devolution White Paper was clear that our long-term ambition is for public service boundaries, including those of health and strategic authorities, to align. We remain committed to this goal, and the 10 Year Health Plan sets out our aim that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) should be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasibly possible.

The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase skills and employment support for people receiving sickness benefits.

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

Long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.

Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.

Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, WorkWell and NHS Health and Growth Accelerators.

It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.

Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health.

In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits.

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

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to work with the (a) Department of Health and Social Care, (b) Department of Education, (c) Carers Trust and (d) other organisations to ensure young adult carers can receive support through the Youth Guarantee.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government is determined to provide carers of all ages with the recognition and support they deserve. Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and the Department for Education (DfE) have convened twice this year to discuss support for unpaid carers and consider opportunities to provide further recognition and support. My Right Hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disability has met with Carers Trust on several occasions, and the department will continue to work collaboratively with groups representing and supporting carers.

DWP and DfE are launching a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship, or help to find work. As part of the Youth Guarantee we are working with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSA) to deliver 8 Trailblazers in England which are testing different approaches to identifying, engaging, and supporting young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. MSAs have developed their approaches with consideration to young people in their locality who need more support. As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper our Youth Guarantee will meet the needs of those facing disadvantages, including disadvantages related to unpaid caregiving.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support small and medium-sized (a) biotechnology and (b) pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in the UK.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade is committed to making the UK an outstanding place for life sciences companies to start and scale. The Office for Life Sciences has a target to see more scale-up finance raised by life sciences businesses in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. A dedicated stream of work is being delivered to support small and medium-sized biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

The Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology are developing tailored approaches for SMEs in parallel, to ensure that they can access the UK’s research infrastructure effectively.

Found: will be considering how to improve support for autistic people to find and stay in work.52 48 DHSC

Sodium valproate and surgical mesh redress

NHS Food Scanner App and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition Guidance

Found: animals, and for UK REACH and pesticides regulations; and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC

Found: animals, and for UK REACH and pesticides regulations; and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC

Found: The GYJAB brings together senior leaders from the MoJ, Youth Custody Service (YCS), Department of Health and Social Care

Found: ’ Survey 2026 Veteran health outcomes, including Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE The OVA will work with DHSC

Found: ’ Survey 2026 Veteran health outcomes, including Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE The OVA will work with DHSC

Found: We will engage with a wide range of partners like DHSC and NHSE to galvanise action, including on climate

Found: urgent medical treatment in the UK following agreement about such treatment with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Bath & North East Somerset UA UA yes Disabled Facilities Grant Department of Health & Social Care - DHSC

Found: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Pensions (DWP), Department of Business and Trade (DBT), and Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC

Found: Gwaith a Phensiynau (DWP), yr Adran Busnes a Masnach (DBT), a'r Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol (DHSC

Found: shifting towards 277 Computed as the sum of students taking PE and Sports. 278 Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Any business applying to the ethical recruiters list also agrees that EAS and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: NHS Foundation Trust Cosy Direct Currys Department for Business and Trade Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Activate, which was supported by a cross-section of government departments including DCMS, DfE and DHSC

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: 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: The GYJAB brings together senior leaders from the MoJ, Youth Custody Service (YCS), Department of Health and Social Care

Found: ’ Survey 2026 Veteran health outcomes, including Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE The OVA will work with DHSC

Found: ’ Survey 2026 Veteran health outcomes, including Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE The OVA will work with DHSC

Found: investment in regulatory science  This research was commissioned and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and Chief

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

Found: Wellbeing’ in action: Green Social Prescribing (GSP) Working in partnership with Defra, Department of Health and Social Care

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

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

Found: Activate, which was supported by a cross-section of government departments including DCMS, DfE and DHSC

Found: Communities and Local Government; the Home Office; HM Revenue and Customs; HM Treasury; the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: observations “board to board” meeting between applicant board and senior NHS England and Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Copyright © NHS England 2024 20 Acknowledgements Crown Commercial Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: UK Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: part of the BCF planning collectionBetter Care Fund Data Collection2025-26 full yearBCF partners (DHSC

Found: The 10 Year Health Plan signalled that NHS England–DHSC would progress the further development of best

Found: Department of Health and Social Care.

Found: consultation Delgocitinib for treating moderate to severe chronic hand eczema The Department of Health and Social Care

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

Found: platinum-based chemotherapy for untreated advanced non- small-cell lung cancer The Department of Health and Social Care

Found: UK Department of Health and Social Care.

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

Found: John’s Institute of Dermatology • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: EXCELLENCE Draft guidance consultation Cabotegravir for preventing HIV-1 The Department of Health and Social Care

Found: John’s Institute of Dermatology • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Department of Health and Social Care. New lung cancer screening roll out to detect cancer sooner.

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

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

Found: to whole system commissioning for sexual health, reproductive health and HIV Department of Health and Social Care

Found: benefits to the government outside of the NHS and PSS will be agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Virology Network Others • Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: to whole system commissioning for sexual health, reproductive health and HIV Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Medicine • UK Clinical Pharmacy Association • UK Clinical Virology Network Others • Department of Health and Social Care

Found: Child Death Overview Team Croydon University Hospital csections.org Cytyc UK Limited Department of Health and Social Care

Found: there are emerging themes from national and local reports of HSIB, an organisation founded by the DHSC

Found: shifting towards 277 Computed as the sum of students taking PE and Sports. 278 Department of Health and Social Care

Found: This, and associated escalation protocols in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the

Found: delivered by UKRI, in partnership with the Global Food Security Programme, BBSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, Defra, DHSC