Asked by: Steve Yemm (Labour - Mansfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects treatments for fatty liver disease to be approved for use on the NHS; what assessment he has made of the readiness of the NHS to make such treatments available; and what steps he is taking to ensure eligible patients will receive these treatments once approved.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Newly licensed medicines are appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE aims wherever possible to issue draft guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund drugs recommended by NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.
NICE is currently evaluating potential new treatments for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in anticipation of the medicines being granted a marketing authorisation by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with guidance expected later this year. NHS England is actively preparing to support the potential introduction of new treatments for MASH, including fatty liver disease with fibrosis, alongside the ongoing NICE appraisal process.
The Department and NHS England will continue to work to ensure that, once approved, effective new treatments for fatty liver disease are introduced in a way that is fair, affordable and protects the wider NHS, while ensuring that patients with the greatest clinical need are able to benefit as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Maureen Burke (Labour - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Marie Curie on funding for the hospice sector.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, I met key palliative care and end-of-life care stakeholders, including Marie Curie, in a roundtable format with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England, and we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of this work. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting integrated care boards to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Officials are working closely with Marie Curie and a number of other stakeholders from the hospice sector in the development of the MSF.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108291 on IVF: Greater Manchester, if he will have discussions with the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board on the potential impact of the decision to reduce NHS-funded IVF provision across Greater Manchester to one cycle on (i) patient outcomes and (ii) health inequalities; and if will hold discussions with that ICB on current NICE guidance on IVF provision.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no current plans to discuss with the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) any changes to its provision of National Health Service funded in vitro fertilisation treatment or the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on fertility services.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by ICBs and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. They are expected to commission fertility services in line with NICE guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
Updated NICE fertility guidelines are expected in spring. The Department will continue to support NHS England as they work closely with ICBs to ensure the guidance is fully considered in local commissioning decisions.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
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 on the potential merits of producing a National Maternity Strategy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
The taskforce will address the recommendations that are expected this Spring from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation through the development of a new national action plan that will drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The taskforce will also hold the system to account for the delivery of this plan, as well as improving outcomes and experiences for women and babies.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will appoint a Maternity Commissioner.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no current plans to appoint a Maternity Commissioner. The Government has commissioned an independent National Investigation into maternity and neonatal care, chaired by Baroness Amos, which is expected to make recommendations this spring. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to address the recommendations and develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for issuing Pension Savings Statements to doctors.
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.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many radiotherapy machines are currently in operation in NHS hospitals, and how this compares with projected clinical need over the next five and ten years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The number of radiotherapy treatment machines in use across the National Health Service in England is not recorded as part of a nationally mandated data collection.
The commissioning of radiotherapy services is overseen by local systems. They have the responsibility to ensure that sufficient capacity is in place for local populations, taking account of the different factors that can affect demand and capacity. The projected number of machines needed to meet future demand depends on a range of factors including clinical practice, for instance fraction protocols, patient choice, between different equivalent treatments, local working practices, for instance the hours and days of operation, as well as the technical specification of treatment machines, and the throughput per hour.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 implications for its policies of the preliminary findings of the ELSA Study that screens children for Type 1 diabetes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is guided by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the committee is confident that screening would provide more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended, as all medical interventions carry an inherent risk.
The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study and looks forward to receiving the results of this study when the trial is complete.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight mechanisms were in place within NHS England and his Department to monitor the expenditure and governance of overseas medical training schemes operated by NHS trusts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are a variety of international postgraduate medical training schemes in operation governed by individual National Health Service trusts, medical royal colleges, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and indirectly, NHS England and the General Medical Council. These programmes must be properly governed, deliver value for money, and treat all participants fairly. We expect all NHS organisations to operate in line with these principles.
The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates, and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period, for specialty training.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 alternative (a) training and (b) recruitment schemes for overseas doctors, in the context of changes in funding.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are a variety of international postgraduate medical training schemes in operation governed by individual National Health Service trusts, medical royal colleges, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and indirectly, NHS England and the General Medical Council. These programmes must be properly governed, deliver value for money, and treat all participants fairly. We expect all NHS organisations to operate in line with these principles.
The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates, and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period, for specialty training.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.