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 support people impacted by myalgic encephalomyelitis in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

NHS Frimley does not currently have contracted support for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Patients who require support are offered services within neighbouring systems.

At a national level, the responses to the Department’s Improving the experiences of people with ME/CFS: interim delivery plan consultation, along with continued close engagement with stakeholders, will inform the development of the final ME/CFS delivery plan, which we aim to publish by the end of June 2025. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.

We also intend to provide additional support to ME/CFS researchers to develop high quality funding applications and access existing National Institute for Health and Care Research and Medical Research Council research funding. All research funding applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Our forthcoming ME/CFS delivery plan will outline the additional support we will offer to the research community to increase the volume and quality of applications and, therefore, increase the allocation of funding to this area.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a centre of excellence for the (a) care and (b) research of (i) post-viral and (ii) infection-associated conditions.

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

We do not anticipate setting up a new centre of excellence for care and research specifically for post-viral or infection-associated conditions. The Department funds research on post-viral conditions through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC) remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of post-viral and infection-associated conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and long COVID, and are actively exploring next steps for stimulating further research in this area. The MRC and NIHR currently fund research through a variety of routes, including infrastructure, research programmes, capacity building, for example with research fellowships, and in the case of the NIHR, research delivery to support recruitment to studies. Funding is available for post-viral and infection-associated research.

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 support people impacted by Long Covid in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for people with long COVID. ICBs are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local need and priorities, and to improve outcomes.

Due to the very low numbers of patients with long COVID now being referred for treatment, NHS Frimley has taken the decision to no longer operate dedicated long COVID services. As of 18 March 2025, patients presenting with symptoms that may be linked to long COVID will be referred, depending on their symptoms, to other available services, including chronic fatigue services, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and mental health services such as talking therapies.

Every effort will be made to ensure that patients who are currently accessing the long COVID services complete their therapy and are transferred to other services specific to their need, if appropriate.

NHS Frimley recognises that this decision may cause concern for people who have been receiving care from its long COVID services. However, patients will continue to receive support and advice, and NHS Frimley is working with the providers of long COVID services to ensure that current patients complete their care treatment.

Anyone who has a long-term symptom following COVID-19 and needs assistance should speak to their general practitioner.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Surrey Heath Borough Council on the adequacy of dyslexia training for teachers in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.

​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.

​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.

The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support, as at 31 March 2024, for pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support dyslexic children with mental health difficulties in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.

​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.

​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.

The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support, as at 31 March 2024, for pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Surrey Heath Borough Council on the adequacy of dyslexia provision for children in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.

​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.

​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.

The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support, as at 31 March 2024, for pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support dyslexic children in education in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.

​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.

​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.

The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support, as at 31 March 2024, for pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of dementia care in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS Frimley ICB has been working with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) to ensure that FHFT geriatricians can refer patients directly into Surrey Heath memory clinics within SABP rather than necessarily having to go through general practitioners to request referrals. This process should bring about more rapid assessments and diagnoses for those patients suspected of having dementia. The Standard Operating Procedures of the Surrey Health Older Adults Mental Health Service, which includes the Memory Clinics, have also been reviewed and found to meet the requirements of facilitating appropriate referral routes and service inclusion criteria.

Improvement work is also in progress to enhance dementia training and access to specialist support for staff on the SABP older adult mental health ward dealing with dementia at The Meadows Unit.

In addition, NHS Frimley has a contract in place with Younger People with Dementia, a charity established to provide support services throughout the working week to people diagnosed with dementia under 65 years old. Though the Surrey Heath Better Care Fund, NHS Frimley ICB has also continued to provide dementia advisors, via the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Advisor Service, for all those who have been diagnosed with dementia.

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 support individuals suffering with dementia in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS Frimley ICB has been working with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) to ensure that FHFT geriatricians can refer patients directly into Surrey Heath memory clinics within SABP rather than necessarily having to go through general practitioners to request referrals. This process should bring about more rapid assessments and diagnoses for those patients suspected of having dementia. The Standard Operating Procedures of the Surrey Health Older Adults Mental Health Service, which includes the Memory Clinics, have also been reviewed and found to meet the requirements of facilitating appropriate referral routes and service inclusion criteria.

Improvement work is also in progress to enhance dementia training and access to specialist support for staff on the SABP older adult mental health ward dealing with dementia at The Meadows Unit.

In addition, NHS Frimley has a contract in place with Younger People with Dementia, a charity established to provide support services throughout the working week to people diagnosed with dementia under 65 years old. Though the Surrey Heath Better Care Fund, NHS Frimley ICB has also continued to provide dementia advisors, via the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Advisor Service, for all those who have been diagnosed with dementia.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of non-qualifying leaseholder status on the ability of impacted leaseholders to sell their properties in buildings that have undergone remediation under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

If the non-qualifying lease status automatically disappeared at the point of sale, it would mean that the original holders of non-qualifying leases could effectively pass the additional costs of remediation onto freeholders, which would not align with the intentions of the legislation. That is to ensure defective buildings are fixed and not left in a perpetually dangerous state by carefully balancing the rights of leaseholders with those of those freeholders not connected with the developer who were equally innocent in the creation of the emerging defects.

As I said in a recent Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee meeting on this topic, that we are looking very closely at what can be done to sunset the “in perpetuity” status of leases which do not qualify for the leaseholder protections.

Ten major banks and building societies (mortgage lenders) have signed a public statement on cladding confirming lenders will consider mortgage applications if the building has funding for remediation works from government or the developer, regardless of the qualifying status of the leaseholder. Buildings which have undergone remediation should be subject to standard lending criteria.

Ensuring stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

Introduction of the Hillsborough Law and the 36th anniversary

International Day of the Midwife

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Leasehold reform

Changes to Overseas Development Assistance

Renewal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Found: (Conservative; Rutland and Stamford) Katrina Murray (Labour; Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch) Dr Al Pinkerton