Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made on the Cancer Plan commitment to define and count recurrent cancers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Manchester Withington on 28 April 2026 to Question 129158.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is responsible for reforming the regulation of funeral directors.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Department of Health and Social Care will lead on co-ordinating cross-Government work to raise standards in relation to the care and treatment of the deceased, supported by the Department of Business and Trade, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2026 to Question 124547 on Medical Treatments: Costs, what plans he has to update the 2009 guidance.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has no plans to update the guidance at this current time.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March to Question 114810, whether the underlying cost data from the Realist evaluation of Autism ServiCe Delivery (RE-ASCeD) paper referred to in the Answer was critically appraised; and whether NHS England, when interpreting the data from this research to inform guide prices, (a) took into account inflation since publication and (b) checked that the hourly rate for clinical time included appropriate adjustments for patient facing time.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Realist evaluation of Autism ServiCe Delivery (RE-ASCeD) paper was considered as part of the development of guide prices for 2026/27. Specifically, the amount of professional time linked to an average assessment and the evidence of increased cost for children and young people over adult assessment.
During the process of determining guide prices, NHS England considered that the costs reported would have changed since publication of the NHS England commissioned RE-ASCeD evaluation, due to various reasons, including changes in practice. As a result, NHS England did not use these costs directly to inform the guide prices, but noted some of the helpful components such as the amount of professional time linked to an average assessment and the evidence of increased cost for children and young people over adult assessments.
We reflected that practices have changed over time and therefore not all elements of the RE-ASCeD evaluation remain relevant. Whilst we did not consider the hourly rates within the evaluation, we continued to be guided by optimal assessment pathway practice as outlined in the National Autism Framework and Operational Guidance from 2023 and current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2026 to Question 114810 Neurodiversity: Mental Health Services, what weight was given to the autism assessment cost data in the Realist evaluation of Autism ServiCe Delivery (RE-ASCeD) paper in determining guide prices.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Realist evaluation of Autism ServiCe Delivery (RE-ASCeD) paper was considered as part of the development of guide prices for 2026/27. Specifically, the amount of professional time linked to an average assessment and the evidence of increased cost for children and young people over adult assessment.
During the process of determining guide prices, NHS England considered that the costs reported would have changed since publication of the NHS England commissioned RE-ASCeD evaluation, due to various reasons, including changes in practice. As a result, NHS England did not use these costs directly to inform the guide prices, but noted some of the helpful components such as the amount of professional time linked to an average assessment and the evidence of increased cost for children and young people over adult assessments.
We reflected that practices have changed over time and therefore not all elements of the RE-ASCeD evaluation remain relevant. Whilst we did not consider the hourly rates within the evaluation, we continued to be guided by optimal assessment pathway practice as outlined in the National Autism Framework and Operational Guidance from 2023 and current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 27053 on Cancer: Health Services, how much funding his Department (a) has allocated and (b) plans to allocate to increase maximise radiotherapy productivity through AI.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Department recognises the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to support productivity and efficiency in radiotherapy services, for example by assisting clinicians with aspects of treatment planning such as contouring. The Department has not allocated ring‑fenced funding specifically for the purpose of increasing radiotherapy productivity through AI. Decisions on the adoption of AI technologies in radiotherapy are taken locally by National Health Service organisations, which may choose to invest in products that meet clinical safety, regulatory, and value‑for‑money requirements.
Nationally, the Department and NHS England have focused AI investment on priority areas such as diagnostics, including cancer imaging, where there is clear evidence of benefit to patient pathways. Any future funding decisions for AI in health and care, including potential investment related to radiotherapy, will be considered as part of Spending Review processes.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to integrated care boards on costs that may be excluded from costs associated with a self-funded course of treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Where a patient opts to pay for private care, their entitlement to National Health Services remains and may not be withdrawn. However, the NHS should not subsidise private care. Therefore, it is important that there is as clear a distinction as possible between private care and NHS-funded care.
In 2009, the Department published guidance on NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care, setting out the interaction between NHS care and private care. Local systems are expected to uphold this when caring for patients who have used private healthcare, including self-paying for their care.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
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 impact of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on (a) the number of and (b) participation rates in sporting events for (i) athletes with medical needs and (ii) athletes who require 1:1 care from volunteers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Manchester Arena Inquiry recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and under temporary arrangements at sporting and cultural events to ensure public safety.
The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed.
A link to the explanatory memorandum for the proposed changes in regulation and the de minimis assessment is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348279955/resources
Due to the unregulated nature of the treatment of disease, disorder, and injury at these types of events, monitoring and reporting of those with medical needs and conditions at such events is currently challenging to access. The CQC will be consulting in May which will provide opportunities for further consideration around the appropriate implementation of the regulation to sectors such as individual clinicians and volunteers.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's 54th Report's chapter on Instruments on Interest, what assessment has his Department made of the adequacy of the Care Quality Commission to register the potential 1000 providers in scope of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 between 7 September 2026 and 6 December 2027.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department, in consultation with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has agreed that there will be a phased approach to implementing the updated regulations. This is so:
The CQC will produce guidance that sets out the date that providers would have to apply to be registered by. This aims to prevent a backlog caused by last-minute applications.
For applications received on or by this date that are fully complete at the time of submission to allow for validation, the CQC will take all reasonable steps to undertake assessment and advise providers of the outcome of their application on or before December 2027.
Following the Penny Dash Review, the CQC accepted the high‑level recommendations, including stabilising its regulatory platform and improving the registration experience for providers. The Department meets the CQC regularly to discuss the progress of its improvements.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish an impact assessment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on the number of sporting and cultural events; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The de minimis assessment for the regulation amendment was published alongside the draft statutory instrument and explanatory memorandum, and is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348279955/resources
House debates on the statutory instrument are expected to commence soon.