Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ringfence funding for general practice nursing pay in line with the NHS Agenda for Change.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is up to general practices (GPs) how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. Funding for GP nursing pay is not ringfenced and contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GPs with regard to GP nurse terms and conditions.
The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for NHS staff, including both contractor and salaried GPs. They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.
The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay for 2025/26. We have provided an increase to core funding for practices to allow this 4% pay uplift to be passed on to salaried and contractor GPs. The additional funding is also intended to provide uplifts for other salaried GP staff, including nurses.
We expect GP contractors to implement pay rises to other practice staff in line with the uplift in funding they have received.
The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliament, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.
The maximum reimbursable amounts for roles employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), including practice nurses, have also been uplifted in line with the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendations, and ARRS budgets have been increased to reflect this.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure parity between pay awards for (a) practice nurses, (b) other primary care staff and (c) staff whose pay is determined by national NHS pay review bodies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. General practice contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GP practices with regard to general practice nurse (GPN) terms and conditions. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention, and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.
The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for NHS staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS and trade unions to reach their recommendations.
As different NHS and primary care staff groups do not all sit under the remit of one pay review body, the Government can receive different pay award recommendations for different groups. The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) have recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay for 2025-26. To implement this through the GP contract, as the DDRB’s recommendation was higher than the assumed pay growth of 2.8%, we have provided a 1.2% top-up to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis.
We have provided an increase to core funding for practices to allow this 4% pay uplift to be passed on to salaried and contractor GPs. The additional funding will also allow for pay uplifts for other salaried general practice staff, including nurses.
We expect General Practice Contractors to implement pay rises to other practice staff in line with the uplift in funding they have received.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of benefit allocation rules on children in shared care arrangements.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit child element is payable to the person who is responsible for a child or young person. Where a child or qualifying young person normally lives with two or more persons who are not a couple, only one of them is to be treated as responsible and that is the person who has the main responsibility. This is in line with the approach generally adopted across the benefit system, including Child Benefit. There are no plans to review this policy at this time.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to introduce reforms to ensure equal benefit access for separated parents with equal caring responsibilities.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit child element is payable to the person who is responsible for a child or young person. Where a child or qualifying young person normally lives with two or more persons who are not a couple, only one of them is to be treated as responsible and that is the person who has the main responsibility. This is in line with the approach generally adopted across the benefit system, including Child Benefit. There are no plans to review this policy at this time.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to review benefit rules for parents with shared care.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit child element is payable to the person who is responsible for a child or young person. Where a child or qualifying young person normally lives with two or more persons who are not a couple, only one of them is to be treated as responsible and that is the person who has the main responsibility. This is in line with the approach generally adopted across the benefit system, including Child Benefit. There are no plans to review this policy at this time.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 rehabilitation pathways reflect the differing needs of stroke survivors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service’s integrated community stroke service model (ICSS) describes stroke services that are integrated, specialist, responsive, and of sufficient intensity to meet the needs of the patient.
There are three discharge pathways described in the model: to home with no social care required; to home with social care support; and discharge to a care home, which may be considered as a step-down bed. All pathways have access to needs-led rehabilitation.
Integrated care boards are responsible for the commissioning of the ICSS.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding he has allocated to support innovation in greenhouse gas removals in each year of this Parliament.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation programme, delivered under the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, developed 14 First-of-a-Kind Demonstrator plants nationwide.
This Government has a clear focus on commercial deployment. The HyNet Track-1 expansion Project Negotiation List, which includes two Greenhouse Gas Removal projects, was published on 5 August 2025. These projects will now proceed to the negotiations phase of the selection process. Government has also made a significant funding commitment of up to £21.7billion, over 25 years, to kickstart the Carbon Capture Usage and Storage industry.
Allocation of funding to UKRI for research and innovation is ongoing so forecasts on future innovation spend are not currently available.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to replace the Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation Programme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation programme, delivered under the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, developed 14 First-of-a-Kind Demonstrator plants nationwide.
This Government has a clear focus on commercial deployment. The HyNet Track-1 expansion Project Negotiation List, which includes two Greenhouse Gas Removal projects, was published on 5 August 2025. These projects will now proceed to the negotiations phase of the selection process. Government has also made a significant funding commitment of up to £21.7billion, over 25 years, to kickstart the Carbon Capture Usage and Storage industry.
Allocation of funding to UKRI for research and innovation is ongoing so forecasts on future innovation spend are not currently available.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the total cost to the public purse was for the Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation Programme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This initiative was part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The total government investment in the Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation Programme has been £53m.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with rooftop solar panel manufacturers on the minimum commercially-viable price for exports.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.