Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 support educators, supervisors, mentors and trainers in the 10 Year Workforce Plan and work with employers to increase capacity for medical education and training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (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: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the 10 Year Workforce Plan will expand the number of medical specialty training places to meet population demand, beyond the 1,000 proposed in the 10 Year Health Plan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (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: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 incorporate the National Audit Office recommendations regarding the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan into the development of the 10 Year Workforce Plan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
To address the National Audit Office’s recommendations regarding the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan, updated workforce modelling and its underlying assumptions will be set out in and alongside the new plan when published in spring 2026. It will be supported by external independent scrutiny.
We are committed to engagement with external stakeholders. On the 26 September 2025 we launched a formal call for evidence, which provided stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. This closed on 7 November 2025. The submissions to our call for evidence are being analysed to inform the development of the plan.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the National Audit Office recommendations in its analysis of the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan (a) in general and (b) specifically the recommendation that assumptions should be generated in transparent and systematic consultation with external stakeholders.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
To address the National Audit Office’s recommendations regarding the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan, updated workforce modelling and its underlying assumptions will be set out in and alongside the new plan when published in spring 2026. It will be supported by external independent scrutiny.
We are committed to engagement with external stakeholders. On the 26 September 2025 we launched a formal call for evidence, which provided stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. This closed on 7 November 2025. The submissions to our call for evidence are being analysed to inform the development of the plan.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to implement the healthy food standard policy announced as part of the 10-year health plan for England within the current Parliament; and if he will publish a timeline for these legislative or regulatory changes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities.
To fulfil this commitment, the Government is working towards a Spring 2026 public consultation on Healthier Food Targets and Reporting. Implementation dates will be determined following consultation. We are engaging with stakeholders on how this policy could reduce health inequalities and will also consider this through consultation.
We are considering the most suitable way to enforce the policy, and any decisions are subject to consultation.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 the healthy food standard policy will reduce health inequalities and improve access to healthy food for deprived communities.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities.
To fulfil this commitment, the Government is working towards a Spring 2026 public consultation on Healthier Food Targets and Reporting. Implementation dates will be determined following consultation. We are engaging with stakeholders on how this policy could reduce health inequalities and will also consider this through consultation.
We are considering the most suitable way to enforce the policy, and any decisions are subject to consultation.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he plans to enforce the targets set for businesses under the new healthy food standard policy announced as part of the 10-year health plan for England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities.
To fulfil this commitment, the Government is working towards a Spring 2026 public consultation on Healthier Food Targets and Reporting. Implementation dates will be determined following consultation. We are engaging with stakeholders on how this policy could reduce health inequalities and will also consider this through consultation.
We are considering the most suitable way to enforce the policy, and any decisions are subject to consultation.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the publication of the new nutrient profiling model announced in the 10-year health plan for England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan also stated that the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) 2004/05, which underpins the advertising restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink products on television and online and promotion restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink products in stores and their equivalent places online, is out of date. Updating the standards to reflect the latest dietary advice will strengthen the restrictions and more effectively target the products of most concern to childhood obesity.
The Government intends to publish the new NPM in due course, ahead of consulting on its application to the advertising and promotions restrictions this year.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of NHS spending on pharmaceutical products on levels of NHS staffing, equipment and activity in the context of the UK-US trade deal.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. By increasing the standard National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold, we are increasing the value that we place on innovations that deliver improvements to patient health. Alongside the changes that we announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan this will increase both the speed and breadth of patient access to innovative medicines and encourage growth in United Kingdom based clinical trials. This is supported by confirmation that, thanks to strong UK support for innovation, the UK has secured mitigations under the United States of America’s ‘Most Favoured Nation’ drug pricing initiative.
This deal will also benefit our life sciences sector, driving jobs, investment, and growth. We have secured a preferential tariff rate of 0% for all pharmaceuticals exports to the US for at least three years, and preferential terms for the UK’s medical technology exports, meaning no additional new tariffs on medical technology.
The move has secured the confidence of the pharmaceutical industry that the UK is a top destination for investment and growth, with major firms like Moderna, Prologis, and BioNTech investing billions here, and renewed confidence in the UK.
Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the spending review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of NHS spending on pharmaceutical products on the economy in the context of the UK-US trade deal.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. By increasing the standard National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold, we are increasing the value that we place on innovations that deliver improvements to patient health. Alongside the changes that we announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan this will increase both the speed and breadth of patient access to innovative medicines and encourage growth in United Kingdom based clinical trials. This is supported by confirmation that, thanks to strong UK support for innovation, the UK has secured mitigations under the United States of America’s ‘Most Favoured Nation’ drug pricing initiative.
This deal will also benefit our life sciences sector, driving jobs, investment, and growth. We have secured a preferential tariff rate of 0% for all pharmaceuticals exports to the US for at least three years, and preferential terms for the UK’s medical technology exports, meaning no additional new tariffs on medical technology.
The move has secured the confidence of the pharmaceutical industry that the UK is a top destination for investment and growth, with major firms like Moderna, Prologis, and BioNTech investing billions here, and renewed confidence in the UK.
Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the spending review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these.