Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many intensive care units are equipped with scavenging devices to allow for a decrease in the use of disposable plastics.

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

The Department does not hold this information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure intensive care is adequately resourced to deal with the next pandemic or major national emergency.

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

The Government will continue to support the National Health Service with the investment and reform it needs so it is there for patients when they need it most.

Our approach, based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and previous outbreaks, is to ensure that there are flexible, adaptable and scalable capabilities that can respond to any future novel disease or threat to public health.

While acute care resourcing decisions are made at a local level, the existing Adult Critical Care Surge Plan provides guidance on a consistent approach by which providers of adult critical care services can escalate capacity pressures locally, regionally and nationally for action. A copy of the plan is attached.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many intensive care unit directors are involved in disaster planning at a local level.

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

Exercise PEGASUS will aim to test our ability to respond to a pandemic, involving all regions and nations of the United Kingdom and thousands of participants.

At a local level, Exercise Pegasus is being delivered through regional teams and integrated care board (ICB) structures. It is the responsibility of the local system to engage National Health Service providers as necessary.

The NHS needs to plan for and respond to a wide range of incidents and emergencies which could affect health or patient care. The extent of clinical stakeholders in emergency planning will be determined by local arrangements and operational needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many intensive care units are contributing to Exercise Pegasus, and what are the hospital trusts involved in that exercise.

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

Exercise PEGASUS will aim to test our ability to respond to a pandemic, involving all regions and nations of the United Kingdom and thousands of participants.

At a local level, Exercise Pegasus is being delivered through regional teams and integrated care board (ICB) structures. It is the responsibility of the local system to engage National Health Service providers as necessary.

The NHS needs to plan for and respond to a wide range of incidents and emergencies which could affect health or patient care. The extent of clinical stakeholders in emergency planning will be determined by local arrangements and operational needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many ventilators are currently in store in preparation for the next pandemic or major national emergency.

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

The Department no longer holds a central ventilator stockpile. The Covid Strategic Intensive Care Unit Reserve closed on 1 March 2024, and all remaining holdings have now been disposed of. This closure was in light of significantly reduced demand from the National Health Service, and the ongoing costs of storing and maintaining ageing equipment. Over 83,000 pieces of equipment were issued to NHS trusts across the United Kingdom from the reserve, including over 16,000 ventilators. In the event of a pandemic of major national health emergency, the Department will make an assessment of ventilator requirements and the feasibility of any stockpiling options.

The Government actively monitors emerging threats to supply resilience and has established processes in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector, working in partnership with industry and the wider health system to support robust planning and preparedness for these risks. The Department’s National Supply Disruption Response acts as the single point of contact for the medical supply industry, and for the UK’s health and care system, in the event of a supply issue that cannot be resolved via local contingency measures.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of alcohol industry messaging focused on personal responsibility in hindering progress on population-level measures to reduce alcohol harms.

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

The Government recognises alcohol as a public health issue which requires a multi-faceted approach that includes prevention, harm reduction and treatment. There are numerous independent resources available which frame alcohol through a public health lens and provide accurate and independent advice and guidance to increase awareness of risks and harms associated with alcohol consumption, protect health and promote wellbeing in relation to alcohol consumption, such as the National Health Service website, the All Our Health: Alcohol e-training in NHS England, and various pieces of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on alcohol.

The recently published 10-Year Health Plan includes a commitment 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. A mandatory requirement will bring alcohol labelling in line with existing health and nutritional labelling requirements for tobacco, food and alcohol-free drinks. This will ensure greater public awareness of the health risks of alcohol consumption and help consumers make more informed, healthier choices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of hospitals that will have an adequate oxygen supply during a major national emergency or future pandemic.

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

The supply of oxygen to hospitals is managed through contractual arrangements between individual National Health Service organisations and their respective commercial supplier(s). Each organisation is responsible for ensuring that its oxygen supply meets clinical and operational needs, including planning for emergencies.

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Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report of the Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care Opportunities For England, published in May.

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

The Minister of State for Care (Stephen Kinnock MP) met the Hon. Member for York Central and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff to discuss the progress of their independent commission into palliative and end of life care, including the commission’s first of three reports, published on 13 May 2025, which he has formally responded to.

In line with the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community. The palliative and end of life care sector will have a big role to play in that shift.

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Found: Hardington Mandeville Lord Hall of Birkenhead Baroness Chakrabarti Baroness Humphreys Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

Found: BARONESS TYLER OF ENFIELD LORD STOREY BARONESS FINLAY OF LLANDAFF 462_ After Clause 62, insert the

Found: BARONESS TYLER OF ENFIELD LORD STOREY BARONESS FINLAY OF LLANDAFF 462_ After Clause 62, insert the

Found: Hardington Mandeville Lord Hall of Birkenhead Baroness Chakrabarti Baroness Humphreys Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

Found: Hardington Mandeville Lord Hall of Birkenhead Baroness Chakrabarti Baroness Humphreys Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

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