Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients with the rare genetic form of Motor Neurone Disease within Hampshire have timely access to Tofersen; and what assessment he has made of regional disparities that prevent this being available across the NHS.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

NICE has selected tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations as a topic for guidance development through its Highly Specialised Technology (HST) programme. The HST programme appraises medicines for the treatment of very rare, and often very severe diseases and evaluates whether they can be considered a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources. NICE is working with the company to confirm timelines for this evaluation. If NICE is able to recommend tofersen in draft guidance, NHS England is committed to exploring an interim funding agreement with Biogen to use the Innovative Medicines Fund to expedite NHS commissioning of the treatment as soon as a positive recommendation is made by NICE.

No assessment has been made of the extent of regional inequities in the provision of early access programmes for innovative treatments and people living with SOD1 motor neurone disease. Participation in company-led early access schemes is decided at an individual NHS trust level, and under these programmes, the cost of the drug is free to both the patients taking part in it, and to the NHS, although NHS trusts must still cover administration costs and provide clinical resources to deliver the EAP. NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge medicines schemes, providing advice on potential financial, resourcing, and clinical risks. ICSs should use the guidance to help determine whether to implement any free of charge scheme including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/free-of-charge-foc-medicines-schemes-national-policy-recommendations-for-local-systems/

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 extending statutory regulation by the Health and Care Professions Council to clinical technologists and sonographers on (a) workforce recruitment and retention, (b) diagnostic capacity and (c) patient safety within NHS services.

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

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation by the Health and Care Professions Council to clinical technologists or sonographers.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for travellers booking short-term let accommodation through online platforms; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that booking platforms are held accountable for standards, health and safety control, and complaint handling.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Consumers who book short-term let accommodation through online platforms are currently protected through the consumer provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) 2024.

The DMCCA prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions and omissions, that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decisions. Traders who engage in commercial practices that are misleading omissions, or misleading actions may be committing a criminal offence. The DMCC Act 2024 also clarifies that online marketplaces must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

The Government is also delivering a national mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets. This will help to raise standards of accommodation in the Visitor Economy in the UK, building consumer confidence and supporting fair competition. DCMS has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including booking platforms and consumers, to ensure a light-touch scheme that is fair, effective and robust.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of adding veterinary medicine to the list of second-degree courses eligible for tuition fee loans, including the potential impact on (a) access to the veterinary profession and (b) the UK’s veterinary workforce.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

To ensure the student finance system remains sustainable, students who already hold a qualification at an equivalent or higher-level qualification (ELQ) to that of their current course are not normally eligible for tuition fee or maintenance loans. An exception has been made to these rules to encourage access to certain professions, including veterinary medicine. Students undertaking a full-time second degree in veterinary medicine starting before 1 January 2027 will qualify for maintenance support for the duration of their course.

This position will change under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which will replace higher education student finance loans from 1 January 2027. An additional loan entitlement will be made available for a limited number of priority subjects, such as medicine. These are courses required to address priority skills needs and that align with the government’s Industrial Strategy.

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 on children and families of local pauses to neurodevelopmental assessments under the NHS Right to Choose pathway; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that interim support is available to families whose referrals have been affected.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future and it recognises the need for early intervention and support.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to neurodevelopmental assessments.

Through the medium-term planning framework, published 24 October, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.

Patients’ right to choose is set out in legislation. Patients being referred to a mental health professional, including for neurodevelopmental assessments, have the right to be treated by any clinically appropriate provider who holds a contract for the provision of NHS services.

ICBs are responsible for ensuring that their processes comply with the legal right to choose. This includes any qualifying contract requirements and clinical appropriateness or eligibility criteria. ICBs also have a duty to publicise and promote choice and can provide local referral guidance to support referrers and ensure that referrals into any NHS funded service are appropriate.

There has been no change to the existing legal right patients have to choose the provider and team who will provide their elective care in certain cases. These rights extend to any provider in England who holds a contract with an ICB, or NHS England, for the service/s the patient requires, as per the NHS Choice Framework. This includes independent sector providers who deliver NHS funded care. Neurodivergent services are already in scope of this legislation.

Found: Labour; Wolverhampton North East) Dr Caroline Johnson (Conservative; Sleaford and North Hykeham) Darren Paffey

Found: Labour; Wolverhampton North East) Dr Caroline Johnson (Conservative; Sleaford and North Hykeham) Darren Paffey

Found: meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Mrs Sureena Brackenridge; Dr Caroline Johnson; Darren Paffey