Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cataract operations were carried out (a) by and (b) on behalf of the NHS in England in 2025; how many of those were by (i) NHS providers directly and (ii) private sector providers; and what the comparative costs and productivity rates were.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In April 2026, for ophthalmology, performance against the standard for 92% of patients to start first treatment within 18 weeks of referral was 73.1%, 5.3% higher than a year earlier.
In most cases, contracts will have to comply with National Health Service unit prices, a set of prices and rules used by providers of NHS care and commissioners to deliver the most efficient, cost-effective care to patients. These unit prices are consistent across independent sector providers and NHS providers. Productivity rate information is not held centrally by the Department. Integrated care boards are the primary bodies responsible for commissioning care from healthcare providers and ensuring value for money is achieved.
The Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity dataset, published by NHS England, can be used to identify procedure types, including those undertaken as part of cataract operations. Data for the 2025/26 financial year is not yet currently published. This is currently due for publication in September 2026.
The following table shows a count of cataract operations in 2025, both those in an admitted setting, or Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs), and outpatient settings, split by NHS and non-NHS providers where there was any cataract procedure:
Provider type | Admitted (FCE) | Outpatient | Total |
Independent | 379,023 | 132,310 | 511,333 |
NHS | 278,478 | 4,700 | 283,178 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics.
A FCE is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are typically counted against the year in which they end, which is the approach we have taken here. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. Admitted outpatient appointments include first and follow-up attendances and telephone consultations, and excludes did not attends and cancellations. The below procedure codes are those which are considered under cataract operations:
C71: Extracapsular extraction of lens;
C72: Intracapsular extraction of lens;
C73: Incision of capsule of lens;
C74: Other extraction of lens;
C75: Prosthesis of lens; and
C77: Other operations on lens.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent staff are engaged in processing Access to Work claims; by what number has that changed in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of staff numbers on the time scales in which applications under the Access to Work scheme are processed.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As at 19 May 2026, there were 658 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff engaged in delivering the Access to Work scheme. This represents an increase of 32.29 FTE compared with 625.71 FTE staff at the end of May 2025.
The Department keeps staffing levels under review and recognises that resourcing levels can affect processing times. To address this, recruitment is underway to increase capacity, which will support the clearance of outstanding applications, and improve processing times.
Huge recruitment boost to tackle backlog in vital disability work scheme - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 15 June to Question 6319 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, how much were the (a) assessment, (b) staff and (c) non-staff costs in each of those years.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that the National Police Chiefs' Council should not issue further guidance until it has been approved by her and by Parliament.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The National Police Chiefs’ Council is an operationally independent body with its own governance structure and chair. They work closely with policing partners, including the College of Policing and with the Home Office on a range of matters. This includes guidance and standards, and any required handling with Parliament, as is appropriate.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2026 to Question 119822 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, for what reasons his Department was unable to answer the Question before 29 April 2026; and whether the information requested is now available.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I would like to apologise for not being able to provide a substantive response to Question 119822 in the previous parliamentary session, which asked what the cost had been of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) in each of the last four years for which information is available.
The VDPS is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). In the last four years, data from NHSBSA shows that it has incurred the following costs to administer the scheme:
in the financial year 2022/23, the total cost of administering the scheme was £8,861,965.84;
in the financial year 2023/24, the total cost of administering the scheme was £16,170,563.53;
in the financial year 2024/25, the total cost of administering the scheme was £28,803,961.56; and
in the financial year 2025/26, the total cost of administering the scheme was £29,191,321.71.
These costs include assessment costs, and wider staff and non-staff costs. The primary reason for the increase in costs in the administration of the scheme is as a result of the increase in volume of VDPS applications received and the associated assessments required.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what has been the cost to his Department of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each of the last four years for which information is available.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I would like to apologise for not being able to provide a substantive response to Question 119822 in the previous parliamentary session, which asked what the cost had been of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) in each of the last four years for which information is available.
The VDPS is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). In the last four years, data from NHSBSA shows that it has incurred the following costs to administer the scheme:
in the financial year 2022/23, the total cost of administering the scheme was £8,861,965.84;
in the financial year 2023/24, the total cost of administering the scheme was £16,170,563.53;
in the financial year 2024/25, the total cost of administering the scheme was £28,803,961.56; and
in the financial year 2025/26, the total cost of administering the scheme was £29,191,321.71.
These costs include assessment costs, and wider staff and non-staff costs. The primary reason for the increase in costs in the administration of the scheme is as a result of the increase in volume of VDPS applications received and the associated assessments required.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason applications for Access to Work from self-employed customers are not being allocated for processing until over 18 months from the date of receipt; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delays on disabled applicants.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Delays in allocating Access to Work applications for self‑employed customers are due to high demand and the additional complexity of these cases, which often require further evidence such as tax and income details.
The Department recognises the impact of these delays, particularly for disabled applicants without employer support. To address this, steps have been taken to recruit additional staff to clear the backlog and improve processing times: Huge recruitment boost to tackle backlog in vital disability work scheme - GOV.UK.
Priority is given to customers starting work within four weeks and to those renewing awards, to minimise disruption to employment.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government accepts the recommendations of the Covid-19 Inquiry (Module 4) published on 16 April 2026 in relation to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out by the Prime Minister in his Written Ministerial Statement of 16 April responding to the publication of Module 4 of the COVID-19 Inquiry, the Government is carefully considering the findings of the inquiry, including the recommendations on reform of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), and will respond within six months of publication.
The Government is actively considering the recommendations of the inquiry on reform of the VDPS.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what has been the cost to his Department of assessing claims under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each of the last four years for which information is available.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the current estimate of the time for resolution of applications for visas under the family route.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications.
All family visa applications are carefully considered in line with the published family visa processing times available here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK. Where applicants require their application to be expedited owing to their individual compelling and compassionate circumstances, we will consider each case on its own merit.
Applicants on certain family routes may choose to use optional priority or super priority services, where available, for an additional fee to receive a faster decision on their application. Applicants using the priority service will usually receive a decision within five working days.
Further information on the priority service is available here: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UK.