Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, how much and what proportion of the additional funding for the NHS will be spent on support for people with (a) arthritis and (b) other musculoskeletal conditions.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the importance of improving health for the 20 million people in the United Kingdom who live with a musculoskeletal condition. This forms a key part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

Financial allocations will be confirmed through NHS Planning Guidance. In the meantime, we are working with NHS England and other stakeholders to explore options to increase access to, and improve support for, those living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions.

We will publish a 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS in the spring which will focus on increasing productivity and ensuring that every pound of taxpayer money is spent wisely, by reforming how healthcare is delivered.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of uprating the state pension for British pensioners residing overseas.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

No assessment has been made.

The UK's policy on the up-rating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one. The UK state pension is payable worldwide without regard to nationality and is uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas.

Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support British state pensioners residing overseas.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, based on a person’s National Insurance record. People move abroad for many reasons and may have access to their host country’s benefit system or other sources of income such as an occupational pension.

Information about the impact on State Pensions of moving abroad is available on Gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the new Get Britain Working Trailblazers will help support people with musculoskeletal conditions to remain in employment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We plan to publish the Get Britain Working White Paper shortly that will set out how we are investing £240 million to trial new ways of getting people back into work. The government will test new approaches and collect robust evidence on how to tackle the root causes of ill-health related inactivity, support young people who are ‘not in education, employment or training’ and help people to develop their careers.

In at least three areas the NHS will also receiving funding to develop evidence of the impact of targeted action on those top health conditions most associated with economic inactivity including musculoskeletal conditions, mental health and cardiovascular disease. Once established, the government will work closely with local areas to develop the support they will provide to local communities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to provide for research into musculoskeletal treatments in each of the next five years.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research. In line with the Haldane principle, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and other Government funders award grants to the best proposals that are submitted through a process of expert peer review. UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects spanning understanding musculoskeletal biology through to the development of therapies for arthritis, pain, neuromuscular disease, and osteoporosis. The recent Budget set out DSIT’s overall R&D funding, of £13.9bn for 2025/26. Further details regarding this funding allocation will be announced in due course, and before the start of the financial year.

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 potential impact of surgical hubs on waiting times for (a) trauma and (b) orthopaedic treatment.

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

No formal assessment has been made on the impact of surgical hubs on waiting times for trauma and orthopaedic treatment.

Surgical hubs enable trusts to increase resilience for elective procedures and minimise cancellations during periods of high pressure. This can reduce uncertainty for patients around last-minute cancellations, maximise the use of available capacity, and helps to reduce waiting times. In the Budget, we committed additional funding to set up new surgical hubs to help with our commitment to get the waiting lists down.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, how much and what proportion of the additional funding for the NHS will be spent on (a) physiotherapy and (b) other community services for people with musculoskeletal conditions.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the importance of improving health for the 20 million people in the United Kingdom who live with musculoskeletal condition. This forms a key part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

Financial allocations will be confirmed through NHS Planning Guidance. In the meantime, we are working with NHS England and other stakeholders to explore options to increase access to, and improve support for, those living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions.

We will publish a 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS in the spring which will focus on increasing productivity and ensuring that every pound of taxpayer money is spent wisely, by reforming how healthcare is delivered.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, whether any of the new surgical hubs will focus solely on orthopaedic procedures.

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

The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, will outline details of the funding allocation for surgical hubs at the earliest opportunity. This will include the number of hubs to be established, and their specialty focus. Each hub will be developed based on the needs of patients and the current waiting list pressures in the areas that they cover.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Connect to Work scheme will include provisions to support people living with arthritis to remain in employment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Connect to Work will be a new, locally led, voluntary Supported Employment programme in England and Wales which in 26/27 will support around 100,000 disabled people, people with health conditions (such as arthritis) and those with complex barriers to employment to get into as well as remain in work.

Local Authorities are designing their own local Connect to Work programmes, working within national guidance. There will be a phased roll out, led by Local Authorities’ own timetables. We expect to see local areas opening for Connect to Work referrals in the spring and summer of 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on whether private asset management companies can play a role in the delivery of key public services.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is determined to rebuild public services so that they deliver high standards and good outcomes for users and value for money for the taxpayer.

In the Budget, the Chancellor announced significant additional investment in key public services, such as the NHS. Our reform agenda is also central to improving public services going forward, including to drive greater efficiency and productivity.

International Human Rights Day

Israel’s military action in Syria

Sexual violence in Sudan

Syrian self-determination

Environmental impact of Israel’s bombing

ICC arrest warrant for General Min Aung Hlaing

Birmingham Children's Hospital Celebration Toy Fund

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls

Bus fare cap

Carers Rights Day

Carers Rights Day 2024

Suspension of Israel from international sports competitions

Potential closure of post offices

Lobby of Parliament by refugee groups

Assistance and access for disabled people at railway stations

Great British Bake Off 2024 Winner

Treating retail workers with kindness during the festive trading period

Palestine Statehood (Recognition) (No. 2) Bill

Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections

OVO Energy monthly fees for paper format bills

Haggis the pygmy hippo

Gaza family visa scheme

National insurance increase and the social care sector

Found: Presented by Shockat Adam supported by Jeremy Corbyn , Kim Johnson , Ayoub Khan , Iqbal Mohamed