Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) ongoing care for patients with endometriosis.

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

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, including endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.  It is unacceptable that women can wait so long for an endometriosis diagnosis, and we have already taken action to address this.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guideline on endometriosis in November 2024 to make firmer recommendations on referral and investigations, and this will help women receive a diagnosis and effective treatment faster.

Research has led to new treatments being made available, including the NICE approval of two pills to treat endometriosis this year, namely Relugolix and Linzagolix. Both are estimated to help approximately 1,000 women with severe endometriosis for whom other treatment options haven’t been effective.

Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department has commissioned several studies focused on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and patient experience.  At present, the NIHR is funding five active research awards into endometriosis totalling an investment of approximately £5.5 million. A further £2.3 million award on the effectiveness of pain management for endometriosis is due to commence in March 2026.

We are expanding the number of dedicated and protected surgical hubs, of which gynaecology procedures are a key offering.

As announced in September, we will establish an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including endometriosis, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027.

NHS England is also updating the service specification for severe endometriosis which is due to be published in due course. This will improve the standards of care for women with severe endometriosis by ensuring specialist endometriosis services have access to the most up-to-date evidence and advice.

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 implications for his Department's policies of the analysis by Age UK on A&E wait times, published on 21 January 2026.

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

Age UK’s analysis reinforces the need to reduce crowding, tackle the longest waits and corridor care, and improve care for older people, all priorities for the Government.

Through the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan and the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, we are expanding urgent community response and same day care, improving hospital flow and strengthening services for frail and older people to ensure they receive timely, appropriate care in the right setting. We are also committed to tackling corridor care and will soon start publishing data on its prevalence for the first time, following work by NHS England with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements. This data will help to drive improvement and transparency. Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff.

NHS England is also running the National Frailty Improvement Collaborative, which is focussed on testing and learning how to deliver evidence-based, frailty attuned care and shift appropriate care from hospital to community settings. This work will generate insights to inform national policy and planning and will improve outcomes for older people living with frailty.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing primary legislation to guarantee the right for every person in (a) care and (b) health settings to have at least one essential care supporter.

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

The Government recognises how important maintaining meaningful contact with loved ones and other essential care supporters is for the health and wellbeing of residents in care homes and patients in hospitals or hospices.

In April 2025, the Department launched a review of the effectiveness of Care Quality Commission Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, to consider whether it has been effective in meeting its objectives.

The review considered the experiences of those receiving care, their families and loved ones, providers, and health experts, as well as information from the Care Quality Commission, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and other United Kingdom nations.

The Department is committed to publishing the outcome of the review as soon as possible.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his proposed timetable is for publishing the Government review of CQC regulation 9A.

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

The Government recognises how important maintaining meaningful contact with loved ones and other essential care supporters is for the health and wellbeing of residents in care homes and patients in hospitals or hospices.

In April 2025, the Department launched a review of the effectiveness of Care Quality Commission Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, to consider whether it has been effective in meeting its objectives.

The review considered the experiences of those receiving care, their families and loved ones, providers, and health experts, as well as information from the Care Quality Commission, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and other United Kingdom nations.

The Department is committed to publishing the outcome of the review as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for astronomy and space science.

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

The Government keeps the level of funding for astronomy and space science under regular review to ensure it supports the UK’s strategic priorities and delivers value for money. Funding comes from a range of sources, primarily the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) under UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), and the UK Space Agency (UKSA).

Government is investing a record £86bn into R&D over the next four years, including £38.6 billion through UKRI. UKRI must ensure allocation decisions are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability and international standing. STFC is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics and no final spending decisions have been made.

Beyond UKRI funding, UKSA funds space science through our £511 million commitment to the European Space Agency's core budget at the Council of Ministers in November 2025. Further detail on UKSA funding plans outside of ESA will be detailed in due course.

Found: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative; Chester South and Eddisbury) Phil Brickell (Labour; Bolton West) Dan Carden

Found: Lancashire North West Maya Ellis Croxteth Community Primary School L11 0BP Liverpool North West Dan Carden

Found: Lancashire North West Maya Ellis Croxteth Community Primary School L11 0BP Liverpool North West Dan Carden