Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the needs and wellbeing of (a) infants, (b) children and (c) young people are central to the priorities in the NHS 10-Year Plan.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and the 10-Year Health Plan is central to achieving this ambition. The three strategic shifts in the Plan set out how we are prioritising them.

Hospital to community will mean parents and children will have better access to care and treatment in their local areas, meaning less time taken out of school to make appointments and fewer hospital visits.

Analogue to digital will see delivery of My Children function on the NHS App. This will enable parents to have access to their child/children’s complete medical history. It will also enable parents to book appointments for their children and be signposted through artificial intelligence to advice for urgent and non-urgent medical questions.

Sickness to prevention will see a greater emphasis on ensuring children develop and maintain healthy habits throughout their childhood and into adulthood. Children turning 16 years old or younger this year will never legally be sold tobacco, and we intend to strengthen the existing ban on smoking in public places to reduce the harms of passive smoking to children. All children will see less junk food advertising and will be given healthy nutritious food in schools.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving diagnostic outcomes for autistic women and girls from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Answered by Nia Griffith

NHS data suggests that rates of diagnoses for autism are often lower in certain ethnic communities, with research literature indicating that attitudes, beliefs and stigma about neurodevelopmental differences are likely to play a significant role in this.

At the end of last year, a Neurodivergence Task and Finish group was established, chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg of Birmingham University, to provide advice and recommendations on the best ways to support and meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within inclusive mainstream settings.

The group have listened to a wide range of people, including other sector experts and stakeholders and neurodivergent children and young people, their parents, and others who care for them. The group are due to report back to me shortly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing national guidance for autism diagnosis to reflect differences in how males and females (a) experience and (b) present neurodivergence.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline, Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis, sets out considerations for clinicians when assessing for autism, including highlighting that this condition may be under-recognised in women and girls. The guidelines are available at the following links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128

NICE has committed to updating these guidelines; however, this work has not yet been scheduled into NICE’s work programme. NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services in April 2023.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has had discussions with professional bodies to promote uptake of cybersecurity (a) qualifications and (b) apprenticeships.

Answered by Feryal Clark

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of work by a coalition of professional bodies including the British Computer Society, the Engineering Council and the Institute of Engineering and Technology. The Council and DSIT continue to work with these bodies to develop professional standards.

The Council’s work creating professional standards and a register of cyber professionals is building pathways to enable more people to join the cyber workforce. Professional registration is a mark of quality that is already required for persons permitted to secure certain government systems. A stronger cyber profession will make the UK more resilient against cyber threats.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to increase the cybersecurity workforce.

Answered by Feryal Clark

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is increasing the number of individuals entering the UK’s cyber security workforce through CyberFirst, which has engaged over 415,000 young people with bursaries, competitions and training. The recently announced TechFirst programme will expand this effort across cyber and wider tech sector workforces.

Alongside this, DSIT fund the UK Cyber Security Council, established by Royal Charter, to set professional standards and maintain a practitioner register to simplify career pathways and improve workforce quality. These efforts are supported by international collaboration and regular labour market analysis to ensure a steady supply of talent across the cyber workforce.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of certification and professional standards on the (a) quality and (b) resilience of the UK’s cybersecurity workforce.

Answered by Feryal Clark

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of work by a coalition of professional bodies including the British Computer Society, the Engineering Council and the Institute of Engineering and Technology. The Council and DSIT continue to work with these bodies to develop professional standards.

The Council’s work creating professional standards and a register of cyber professionals is building pathways to enable more people to join the cyber workforce. Professional registration is a mark of quality that is already required for persons permitted to secure certain government systems. A stronger cyber profession will make the UK more resilient against cyber threats.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commit to increasing the value of the Healthy Start scheme to match the cost of (a) fresh fruit, (b) fresh vegetables, (c) infant formula and (d) other essential items.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme which aims to support those in greatest need. We recently announced in Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most. From April 2026, pregnant women and children aged over one years old and under four years old will each receive £4.65 per week, up from £4.25, and children under one years old will receive £9.30 per week, up from £8.50.

The funding for Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries are also eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of practising (a) dentists and (b) dental (i) hygienists, (ii) therapists and (iii) nurses.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry and deliver a dentistry service fit for the future.

No recent assessment has been made. The 10-Year Health Plan has set out a new service model for the NHS. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will assess what this means for the workforce, and will ensure we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.

We are regularly engaging with the sector on a range of issues, including workforce recruitment and retention. For instance, the Department has held two roundtables in the last month with dentists, dental nurses, dental therapists and dental hygienists sharing their views on the changes we are making to NHS dentistry.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the visa applications of students in Gaza accepted to British universities.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. The Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and I are in regular contact on operationalising support. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK, but the situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging.

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 (a) tackle health inequalities and (b) help increase life expectancy in Manchester Rusholme constituency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that the United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities which is why, in the 10-Year Health Plan, we have set out the goal to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. Through prioritising prevention, expanding community care, and improving access in underserved areas, we will create a fairer Britain where everyone can access quality care, regardless of background, income, or postcode.

One example of how we are tackling health inequalities in Manchester is, as announced in January 2025, Manchester City Council receiving approximately £2.12 million in Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding as part of a £126 million boost for families. This will support our aim of reducing inequalities in health and education outcomes as well as our commitment to giving every child the best start in life.

In addition to this, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ North West Regional Team provides system leadership for population health and for reducing health inequalities across the North West. This includes working with local authorities and integrated care systems to develop and deliver population health programmes at a local level, supporting regional NHS England priorities, and long-term planning on prevention and health inequalities.

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