Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the number of hours spent (a) responding to and (b) preparing for Westminster Hall Debates by (i) government ministers, (ii) civil servants and (iii) special advisers in her Department for each parliamentary session for which the information is available.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 16 July 2026 to Question 17477.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 the potential merits of reimbursing community pharmacies for business rates through NHS funding, in line with arrangements applying to GP and dental practices.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to Question 27602, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 June to Question 5831, and relation to Question 27603 I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 June to Question 6747.
No comparative assessment has been made of the number of community pharmacies between Fylde and other areas. Latest data shows there were 22 community pharmacies in Fylde as of March 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the financial sustainability of community pharmacies under the 2026-27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to Question 27602, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 June to Question 5831, and relation to Question 27603 I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 June to Question 6747.
No comparative assessment has been made of the number of community pharmacies between Fylde and other areas. Latest data shows there were 22 community pharmacies in Fylde as of March 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the number of community pharmacies in Fylde constituency, with other areas across England and Wales.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to Question 27602, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 June to Question 5831, and relation to Question 27603 I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 June to Question 6747.
No comparative assessment has been made of the number of community pharmacies between Fylde and other areas. Latest data shows there were 22 community pharmacies in Fylde as of March 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make it her policy to make it illegal to vape in pubs and hospitality venues.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Members to the Government's consultations, and accompanying consultation stage impact assessments, on smoke-free, heated tobacco-free, and vape-free places, and on the packaging, device appearance, and display of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. The Government will carefully consider the responses before taking decisions on future regulations.
I refer the Hon. Members to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill House of Lords debate on 24 February 2026 in relation to filters. Evidence is still developing and there are no current plans to consult on plain packaging and promotions restrictions. No assessment has been taken on filters being used to circumvent the current flavours ban.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to address the staffing breaches identified by the Care Quality Commission.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following an inspection of urgent and emergency services at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in November 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) shared its findings with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The trust knowsâ¯where improvements must be made, and where there is good practice to build on.
CQC has upgraded the ratings for âsafeâ from inadequate to requires improvement. Trust leaders are aware they need to make sure there are enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to always keep people safe and have submitted an action plan in August which is currently being reviewed by CQC.
CQC will be monitoring the trustâs progress against the action plan at regular engagement meetings.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 whether there is sufficient laboratory capacity in the UK to monitor compliance with mandatory folic acid fortification.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.
The mandatory addition of nutrients to flour is not a new concept, as non-wholemeal wheat flour is already required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. Responsibility for enforcing the updated Bread and Flour Regulations remains with local authorities. UK-wide guidance for food businesses and enforcement authorities on compliance with the current requirements, including the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, was published in April 2025, and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-flour-labelling-and-composition
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been issued to local authorities on enforcing mandatory folic acid fortification requirements.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.
The mandatory addition of nutrients to flour is not a new concept, as non-wholemeal wheat flour is already required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. Responsibility for enforcing the updated Bread and Flour Regulations remains with local authorities. UK-wide guidance for food businesses and enforcement authorities on compliance with the current requirements, including the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, was published in April 2025, and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-flour-labelling-and-composition
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the annual cost to the NHS of preventable foodborne illness.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Analysis by the Food Standards Agency estimates that foodborne disease causes approximately 2.4 million illnesses and 16,300 hospitalisations in the United Kingdom each year. The resulting annual cost to the National Health Service is estimated at £79.2 million, at 2025 prices.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the total amount of interest that may become payable to NHS Pension Scheme members as a result of identified underpayments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority is taking forward work to validate the compliance issues identified at the NHS Pension Scheme. An independent audit carried out by the Government Actuaryâs Department will confirm the extent of the member impact.
Based on current assessments, approximately 95% of the NHS Pension Scheme's members are expected to be unaffected. Any member that is affected by the compliance issues will be contacted directly by the NHS Business Services Authority.