Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how brain tumour tissue is fresh frozen and stored; and whether they plan to issue clear national guidance to standardise this across the country to assist with future clinical trials, personalised treatments and research.

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

The Department has not made a specific, standalone assessment of how brain tumour tissue is fresh frozen and stored. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh-freezing, or snap-freezing, of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity for neurosurgery services. Furthermore, NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is now looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity.

NHS England has also produced national sample handling guidance of solid tumours to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and access to precision diagnostics. The guidance is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority, so that human tissue is removed, stored and used in an appropriate, respectful and well-managed way, with consent from patients and families. This ensures human tissue, including brain tumour tissue, can be used to assist in clinical trials, personalised treatment and research. The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific funding they are providing to support research and diagnosis of endometriosis.

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

The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In 2024/25, through the NIHR, the Department committed £1.3 million for new research projects on gynaecological conditions and menstrual health, which includes endometriosis. This is building on the existing portfolio commissioned in this area. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including endometriosis. In recognition that some areas of women’s health have been underserved in research, the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England commits to prioritising research through the NIHR in areas of unmet need in women’s health, such as endometriosis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the final cost of the installation of new emergency areas on smart motorways; and what is the break down of costs for each relevant motorway.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

National Highways committed to add over 150 new emergency areas on existing All Lane Running smart motorways by the end of March 2025, prioritising locations where these would provide the greatest benefit and could be delivered within the £390 million budget. The table below sets out the number of additional emergency areas delivered on each relevant motorway section.

On average, across the programme, an emergency area costs approximately £2.6 million to construct (pending final accounts). Individual emergency areas have varying design requirements, including topography, requirement for supporting structures, drainage, and technology, which mean they can cost less or more than the expected average to construct.

National Highways has recently commenced work on the M1 between junctions 16 and 19 to undertake remedial works to strengthen embankments adjacent to four new emergency areas. These works are expected to be completed by August 2026. As a result, programme close-out activities have been extended and final costs for the National Emergency Area Retrofit programme are now expected to be available in Spring 2027, subject to final accounting and internal governance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have made to include the National Bereavement Care Pathway for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy in mandatory guidance for the NHS.

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

In October 2025, NHS England set out the expectation, through the Medium Term Planning Framework, for trusts to implement the National Bereavement Care Pathway for stillbirth and neonatal death. In practice, some of these standards will also be applicable in the context of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy, offering support for these women and families.

While miscarriage and other types of pregnancy loss were not explicitly covered in Baroness Amos’ final report into National Health Service maternity and neonatal care, she did make a recommendation around fundamentally reforming care, including through the development of a new modern service framework. The taskforce will consider all stages of maternity and neonatal care when developing its new national action plan, and we anticipate that the taskforce may wish to include pregnancy loss.

We are also working closely with NHS England to improve the availability of Early Pregnancy Assessment Units, and have extended the Baby Loss Certificate scheme, which provides recognition of pre-24-week loss.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that NHS Trusts comply with the National Bereavement Care Pathway for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy.

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

In October 2025, NHS England set out the expectation, through the Medium Term Planning Framework, for trusts to implement the National Bereavement Care Pathway for stillbirth and neonatal death. In practice, some of these standards will also be applicable in the context of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy, offering support for these women and families.

While miscarriage and other types of pregnancy loss were not explicitly covered in Baroness Amos’ final report into National Health Service maternity and neonatal care, she did make a recommendation around fundamentally reforming care, including through the development of a new modern service framework. The taskforce will consider all stages of maternity and neonatal care when developing its new national action plan, and we anticipate that the taskforce may wish to include pregnancy loss.

We are also working closely with NHS England to improve the availability of Early Pregnancy Assessment Units, and have extended the Baby Loss Certificate scheme, which provides recognition of pre-24-week loss.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) set a national target for dementia diagnosis rate and (2) set a referral-to-diagnosis standard for dementia, or include it in the same 18-week target as other conditions.

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

In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia.

As part of this exercise, we will consider what interventions should be supported to improve diagnosis waiting times, which we know are too long in many areas. We are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.

The modern service framework will identify the best evidenced interventions that would support progress towards an outcome goal and set standards on how those interventions should be used.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether an update to the digital maternity record standard is planned to limit birth outcomes to coded values, and ensure that a value is included for second trimester miscarriage.

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

Whilst it is possible, it is not mandatory for trusts to record second trimester miscarriage through the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). The requirements for the next iteration for the MSDS include more detailed data collection around pregnancy outcomes, including on miscarriage. Timescales for this next iteration are yet to be confirmed.

There are no specific plans to update the Digital Maternity Record Standard at present, as the current version has yet to be fully implemented by all maternity system suppliers. However, this will be considered as part of wider maternity data architecture design work, which will also support the MSDS and the Single Patient Record.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with NHS England to improve the collection of data on second trimester miscarriage through the maternity services dataset.

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

Whilst it is possible, it is not mandatory for trusts to record second trimester miscarriage through the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). The requirements for the next iteration for the MSDS include more detailed data collection around pregnancy outcomes, including on miscarriage. Timescales for this next iteration are yet to be confirmed.

There are no specific plans to update the Digital Maternity Record Standard at present, as the current version has yet to be fully implemented by all maternity system suppliers. However, this will be considered as part of wider maternity data architecture design work, which will also support the MSDS and the Single Patient Record.

Found: Baroness Pidgeon and Lady Scott wanted to see decarbonisation and the modal shift advanced through

Found: Lord Johnson of Marylebone Lord Mohammed of Tinsley Lord Mott Baroness Nichols of Selby Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Lord Johnson of Marylebone Lord Mohammed of Tinsley Lord Mott Baroness Nichols of Selby Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Worcester Baroness Hollins Lord Johnson of Marylebone Lord Mohammed of Tinsley Lord Mott Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Lord Johnson of Marylebone; Lord Mohammed of Tinsley; Lord Mott; Baroness Nichols of Selby; Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Baroness Pidgeon No relevant interests to declare.

Found: Baroness Pidgeon and Lady Scott wanted to see decarbonisation and the modal shift advanced through

Found: Baroness Pidgeon and Lady Scott wanted to see decarbonisation and the modal shift advanced through