Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what operational definition of a pandemic is used by her Department, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency for preparedness and planning purposes; and whether that definition has changed since 2020.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
For the definition of a pandemic, I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer she received on 9 June in response to Question 3211. The National Risk Register, last updated in July, sets out the ‘reasonable worst case scenario’ pandemic used for planning purposes.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of each of influenza, Covid-19, cardiovascular disease, dementia, frailty, delayed treatment and hospital-acquired infection on excess winter mortality in each of the last five years.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) produces information on excess winter deaths due to flu and COVID-19 and extreme cold, which can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-reports
A more specific cold weather report focussing on cold mortality for 2024/25 is also available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-publishes-first-cold-mortality-report
Until May 2026, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities assessed excess mortality weekly and then monthly by cause of death. Details can be found at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england-and-english-regions
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england--2
The UKHSA currently publishes weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Report, which summarises information from the surveillance systems that are used to monitor seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, and can be accessed at the link below:
The UKHSA has also published academic papers that give details of our approach to COVID-19 and flu modelling, and these can be found at the following link:
https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014644
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will publish the assumptions, diagnostic definitions, uncertainty ranges and validation methods underpinning influenza and respiratory-virus models used to inform NHS winter planning and resource allocation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) produces information on excess winter deaths due to flu and COVID-19 and extreme cold, which can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-reports
A more specific cold weather report focussing on cold mortality for 2024/25 is also available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-publishes-first-cold-mortality-report
Until May 2026, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities assessed excess mortality weekly and then monthly by cause of death. Details can be found at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england-and-english-regions
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england--2
The UKHSA currently publishes weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Report, which summarises information from the surveillance systems that are used to monitor seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, and can be accessed at the link below:
The UKHSA has also published academic papers that give details of our approach to COVID-19 and flu modelling, and these can be found at the following link:
https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014644
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how UKHSA distinguishes between detection of influenza viral RNA by PCR and evidence of active infection and clinically attributable influenza illness in published influenza surveillance statistics.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) produces information on excess winter deaths due to flu and COVID-19 and extreme cold, which can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-reports
A more specific cold weather report focussing on cold mortality for 2024/25 is also available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-publishes-first-cold-mortality-report
Until May 2026, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities assessed excess mortality weekly and then monthly by cause of death. Details can be found at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england-and-english-regions
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england--2
The UKHSA currently publishes weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Report, which summarises information from the surveillance systems that are used to monitor seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, and can be accessed at the link below:
The UKHSA has also published academic papers that give details of our approach to COVID-19 and flu modelling, and these can be found at the following link:
https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014644
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what definition her Department uses to define an NHS winter crisis; and what criteria must be met before such a crisis is declared.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England uses the national Operational Pressures Escalation Levels framework, which provides a unified, systematic, and structured approach to co-ordinate responses to operational pressures at system, regional, and national levels.
The National Health Service approaches each winter on the basis that local services will face severe pressures, and plan accordingly. NHS England has set out its winter planning expectations for 2026/27, requiring every local area to have a robust, clinically led, and deliverable winter plan, tested against surge and extreme surge scenarios.
Integrated care boards are responsible for winter plans for their areas, agreed with local partners, while NHS England regional teams oversee preparedness and performance and co-ordinate mutual aid where required.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department maintains a national Winter Crisis Plan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England uses the national Operational Pressures Escalation Levels framework, which provides a unified, systematic, and structured approach to co-ordinate responses to operational pressures at system, regional, and national levels.
The National Health Service approaches each winter on the basis that local services will face severe pressures, and plan accordingly. NHS England has set out its winter planning expectations for 2026/27, requiring every local area to have a robust, clinically led, and deliverable winter plan, tested against surge and extreme surge scenarios.
Integrated care boards are responsible for winter plans for their areas, agreed with local partners, while NHS England regional teams oversee preparedness and performance and co-ordinate mutual aid where required.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
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 10 July 2026 to Question 15320 on Folic Acid, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the affordability of avoiding products fortified with folic acid.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 July in response to Question 18201.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment has been made on the impact of Chinese vehicle imports on the UK automotive industry.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We recognise the increase in Chinese automotive imports and continue to engage closely with UK automotive manufacturers to understand the impact on their interests. The UK will tailor any approach to the needs of our domestic industry. Any response will reflect the continued importance of maintaining the sector’s competitiveness and be proportionate and evidence based.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he believes there may be a need to introduce measures to support domestic automotive manufacturers.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK automotive sector has a proud history and is facing global headwinds. This government has already introduced major measures to support their success, through delivery of the Modern Industrial Strategy, including the £4bn DRIVE35 programme of capital and R&D funding, securing tariff-cutting trade deals with the US and India, bringing down industrial energy costs, stimulating EV demand through the Electric Car Grant, and consulting on the ZEV Mandate. Bentley, McLaren and Nissan secured investments of over £1 billion just last month. JLR have recently launched two iconic Solihull-made EV models. We are creating the right business environment for companies to invest – and working closely with industry.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether funding for the e-MERLIN programme is being withdrawn.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) funding for the e‑MERLIN radio telescope network remains in place until 31 March 2028. STFC does not intend to continue operational funding for e‑MERLIN beyond that date. This decision follows an evidence-based prioritisation exercise undertaken by STFC and forms part of a wider package of measures designed to return STFC to a sustainable financial position while protecting core scientific capability, major facilities and international partnerships.