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 respond to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s conclusion that more than 1,300 deaths a month in England can be attributed to long waiting times before clinical care is provided in A&E departments.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 15 June 2026 in response to Question 7599.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he publish advice recieved by his Department on the use of private funding and financial modelling in relation to the business case for Neighbourhood Health Centres be made public.

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

The Government does not routinely publish business cases containing market sensitive information and data, where doing so would risk prejudicing the commercial interests of the public authority in question, and the ability to generate value for money for the taxpayer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits to introduce universal newborn screening for the condition Progressive Spinal Muscle Atrophy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the challenges faced by those living with rare diseases, as well as their families, and is committed to improving outcomes. We are guided in screening matters by the independent UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC reviewed the evidence for screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in 2023 and concluded that there were gaps in the evidence. It was of the view that these evidence gaps are best filled at large scale in live services, so the committee recommended an in-service evaluation (ISE).

For very rare conditions, it is difficult to generate robust evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of screening, because so few babies are affected.

The ISE was originally due to start in January 2027, but earlier this year the Government committed to bringing this forward to October 2026. The evidence from this ISE will inform a recommendation on whether to extend the National Health Service newborn blood spot screening programme and include routine screening for SMA.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the planned timetable is for publishing official guidance setting out legally compliant killing methods for decapod crustaceans to industry.

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

The Animal Welfare Strategy sets out Government priorities until 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time, including policy on decapod crustaceans.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of timelines for Local Authorities to distribute Property Flood Resilience grants; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for those grants.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government routinely reviews flood recovery support following significant activations of the Flood Recovery Framework. Following the activation of support after Storms Babet in 2023 and Henk in 2024, a formal post-activation review identified opportunities to streamline administration, improve communication with local authorities and speed up the identification of eligible areas.

Defra routinely reviews the Property Flood Resilience Grant following activations, and has undertaken a formal evaluation to assess its effectiveness and identify improvements to delivery. These reviews help ensure that recovery support remains effective, proportionate and responsive to the needs of flood-affected communities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of the revised Social Value Model for delivery of the Government's commitment that 50% of publicly procured food should be local or produced to higher environmental standards.

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

The Government’s new social value rules mean that, from 1 January 2027, businesses bidding for government contracts - a market worth £90bn per year - will be judged on their commitment to creating high-quality British jobs, tackling local skills shortages, and supporting young people into apprenticeships and work placements. DEFRA is keen to ensure these new social value criteria support good jobs and skills within the UK farming industry and support our ambition for at least half of all food purchased by the public sector to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) average and (b) maximum wait is for a special care adult to have dental treatment under general anaesthetic in the Community Dental Service for which the latest data is available.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Further to the answer of 9 July to Question 16108, NHS England is currently completing quality assurance for the new waiting list data, in order to ensure that the information is accurate, complete, and suitable for sharing with providers and commissioners. Once those issues have been resolved, the data will be prepared for publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) average and (b) maximum wait is for a child to have teeth extracted under general anaesthetic in the Community Dental Service for which the latest data is available.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Further to the answer of 9 July to Question 16108, NHS England is currently completing quality assurance for the new waiting list data, in order to ensure that the information is accurate, complete, and suitable for sharing with providers and commissioners. Once those issues have been resolved, the data will be prepared for publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to respond to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration's document entitled Fifty Fourth Report – 2026, published on 25 March 2026, including its recommendation to reform pay and progression in the Community Dental Service.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1462 given to the House by the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 25 March 2026.

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 level of exposure of NHS dental service provision to private equity investors.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service dental services are commissioned by integrated care boards to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are private businesses and therefore able to decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the needs of the Community Dental Services will be reflected in the forthcoming NHS Workforce Plan.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the important role community dental services play in providing care for people with complex needs and those who may not be able to access general dental services.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will help ensure the National Health Service has the skilled workforce needed to achieve our transformative reform agenda and deliver high-quality care for patients. The specific measures in the plan will be set out at the time of publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of affordability of gluten-free food for people with coeliac disease.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Rushcliffe on 3 July in response to Question 13254.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether funding for a new laboratory at Porton Down for research into protection against biological threats, as announced in The Defence Investment Plan, will fund, support or increase the use of animals in testing or research.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Dstl is committed to the principles of Reduction, Replacement and Refinement (‘the 3Rs’) in its use of laboratory animals. The possibility of using alternative methodologies is considered as part of the initial planning of every proposed project, and Home Office licences for animal experimentation are only granted under ASPA if significant benefits will be gained from the research, and all alternative approaches have been carefully considered and implemented where scientifically feasible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that the new laboratory at DSTL Porton Down, as announced in The Defence Investment Plan, utilises human-relevant new approach technologies, rather than the use of animals.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Dstl is committed to the principles of Reduction, Replacement and Refinement (‘the 3Rs’) in its use of laboratory animals. The possibility of using alternative methodologies is considered as part of the initial planning of every proposed project, and Home Office licences for animal experimentation are only granted under ASPA if significant benefits will be gained from the research, and all alternative approaches have been carefully considered and implemented where scientifically feasible.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when will the fourth National Adaptation Plan be presented to Parliament.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) outlining how identified risks will be addressed.

The Government intends to publish the Fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) in 2028.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's timetable is on making a decision on whether to introduce a ban on the importation of foie gras.

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

This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation, as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy.

It has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns. Production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for nearly 20 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation.

This Government remains committed to maintaining and enhancing animal welfare standards and recognises the strength of public feeling on this issue.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals: Great Britain 2025, updated on 9 July 2026, for what reason harms arising from transportation are excluded from severity assessments, including for cynomolgus monkeys born in Africa or Asia used in procedures; and whether she plans to revise the severity assessment framework to include such harms in future.

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

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, severity assessments measure harms to an animal during a regulated procedure and reflect the highest severity experienced during that procedure, including any cumulative procedural effects. Harms arising from non-procedural events, such as transport and housing, are therefore not within the scope of the severity assessment framework. These matters are instead addressed through separate welfare, transport, licensing and care requirements.

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 commitment in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England to introduce humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish, when the Government plans to launch its consultation; whether the consultation will cover recommendations 96, 98 to 101, 106 and 107 of the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated opinion on farmed fish at the time of killing; and by what date she expects legislation to be in force.

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

As laid out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, and following the Animal Welfare Committee’s report on the topic, we will consult on introducing humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish into legislation. Further details will be set out in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference her Department's document entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals: Great Britain 2025, updated on 9 July 2026, what assessment she has made of the reasons for (a) the increase in procedures for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies compared with 2024 and (b) the use of horses in 14 such procedures in 2025.

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

The Home Office identified an error in the data tables accompanying the 2025 Annual Statistics relating to the number of procedures reported for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies. The figures published in the data tables did not accurately reflect the activity undertaken, and an unscheduled revision has now been issued. The Annual Statistics report itself was unaffected and correctly stated that no procedures for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies were carried out in 2025.

Air Ambulance Week 2026

Killing of Mohamed Fawaz al-Wahidi

Estate management charges

Right to independent advocacy for care home residents

Funding of Jodrell Bank Observatory

56th anniversary of the election of Salvador Allende

Miscarriage care

Furniture poverty and access to essential household goods

Multilateral funding for education

Modern Service Framework for neurological conditions

Firefighters from the West Midlands

Support for hospices

National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers

National strategy for fertility

150th anniversary of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876

Baby Loss Awareness Week

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Review of Personal Independence Payment

Fire ponds

Infrastructure Planning

Chinese state repression against Tibetans

2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive

Moratorium on new AI data centres

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Found: be nominated to the Backbench Business Committee Resolved, Carla Denyer to be discharged and Adrian Ramsay

Found: Q24 Adrian Ramsay: I totally agree on the win-win.

Submit Evidence (by 21 Oct 2026)

In its latest advice to the government, the CCC said that climate change is already disrupting life in the UK and said that the UK’s national approach to climate adaption is “not fit for purpose”. It has also argued that the government’s third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) is not adequately preparing the UK for climate change.