Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to update the Quality and Outcomes Framework to reflect the direction for the NHS set out in the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicators and associated guidance are updated and published each year as part of the General Medical Services (GMS) contract negotiations. The current consultation on the 2026/27 GMS contract is ongoing and includes proposals to update the QOF which align with the 10-Year Health Plan’s focus on moving from sickness to prevention. We expect to publicly announce the outcome following the conclusion of the consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of illegal e-bikes and e-scooters on the L-Category sector; and what steps they are taking to ensure a fair, safe, and properly regulated micro-mobility market.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to engage with the Motorcycle Industry Association to better understand how the micromobility and L-category sectors interact and can best support people in making the journeys that matter to them in a safe, efficient and cost-effective way.
The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows. This will create safe, legal routes for people to use new transport technology, and help the police to crack down on those who use them in an irresponsible or anti-social way.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Merron on 16 December 2025 (HL Deb col 661), what estimate they have made of RSV-related hospitalisations among infants under the age of one this season, and how this compares with the 2024/25 season.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The United Kingdom maternal immunisation programme to protect infants started in September 2024 and is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The information requested is not available, however respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospital admission rates in those under five years of age are reported in Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Watch surveillance weekly reports.
Further surveillance data and a programme impact assessment will be included in the annual surveillance report on RSV, due to be published in summer 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of pharmacy-first protocols and pharmacy-led clinics in the early intervention and ongoing management of chronic spontaneous urticaria.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Chronic spontaneous urticaria is not one of the conditions currently included in the Pharmacy First Clinical pathway protocols. NHS England will continue to keep the clinical scope of the Pharmacy First service under review, including any future service expansion to include new conditions.
If patients do not qualify for the Pharmacy First service, they should still be able to access healthcare advice from their pharmacy. Support for self-care is an essential service that all pharmacies must provide. This can include the provision of healthcare advice, the sale of over-the-counter medicines and, where appropriate, pharmacies must signpost to other providers if the supply of a prescription-only medicine is required.