Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Questions 113248, 113249 and 113250, tabled on 12 February 2026.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 March 2026 to Question 113248.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to accept the recommendation of the Farming Profitability Review to introduce a requirement that the use of British branding on country-of-original labelling for food projects is underpinned by robust assurance schemes.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government knows that many consumers value the opportunity to buy British and support their local food economy The Farming Profitability Review points to areas where additional assurance schemes and refreshed voluntary principles could add value.

The Government remains committed to upholding high standards of food information, whether on food labels or within hospitality settings. The fundamental rule that food labelling should not mislead already provides assurance that non-British food products cannot be labelled (or implied e.g. by the use of a Union flag) as being British.

Defra officials have been assessing the recommendations and as a part of this continue to look at how the origin for food products may be better highlighted to ensure consumers can make informed choices wherever they purchase food.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support residents in North Shropshire with the cost of purchasing liquefied petroleum gas to heat their homes.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor has announced £53m for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices, and households who use LPG are eligible to apply.

In England, funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April.

More information can be found here: Over £50 million to help families struggling with soaring heating oil costs - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that imported food products do not use British branding.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All food sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with UK food labelling rules. The fundamental principle of the UK’s food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food.

Under existing rules, food that is not classed as UK origin cannot be sold or labelled as being British. Processed foods and composite foods manufactured in the UK are British products, but if these contain a primary ingredient that is not British then a British claim can only be made on the label if the label also highlights that the primary ingredient is not British.

Food simply re-packaged in the UK, without any further processing, does not confer UK origin on it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department and NHS hospital trusts are collecting data on the numbers of patients receiving corridor care in NHS hospitals.

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

On 3 March 2026, NHS England wrote to National Health Service organisations, including trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs), setting out a clear definition of corridor care and the additional actions required to eliminate it. On 4 March 2026, this definition was also published on the NHS England website.

We are committed to eliminating corridor care. As set out in the urgent and emergency care plan, data on the prevalence of corridor care will be published for the first time. The introduction of a clear national definition will enable trusts to collect and report consistent and validated data on corridor care, supporting transparency and system improvement. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on the NHS England website from May 2026.

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.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of agricultural land egg producers will require to comply with the proposed ban on colony cages.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out a general assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on the competitiveness and viability of UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a ban on colony cages on the agricultural land market.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out a general assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on the competitiveness and viability of UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

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 clinical impact of (a) current waiting times and (b) levels of coordination in spinal cord injury care.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.

Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.

In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

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 adequacy of the level of support available to people with spinal cord injury in a) North Shropshire and b) England.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.

Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.

In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to address regional disparities in accessing spinal cord injury services.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.

Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.

In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

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 potential impact of corridor care on NHS workforce numbers.

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

Whilst no assessment has been made, the health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support. We recognise that periods of high demand can leave NHS staff feeling overworked and unsupported. The government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including new staff standards focused on improving retention, flexible working and staff health and wellbeing.

Corridor care refers to care delivered in non-designated clinical areas and is not an acceptable standard of care. We are committed to eliminating corridor care before the end of this Parliament.

On 3 March 2026, NHS England wrote to NHS organisations, including trusts and integrated care boards, setting out a clear definition of corridor care and the additional actions required to eliminate it. This introduction of a clear national definition will enable trusts to collect and report consistent and validated data on corridor care, supporting transparency and system improvement. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on the NHS England website from May 2026.

Where corridor care cannot be avoided, updated national guidance has been issued to ensure patient safety, dignity and privacy are protected and to reduce impacts on patients and staff.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will respond to Question 106613 of 16 January 2026 regarding the timely delivery of NHS mail to patients.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2026 to Question 106613.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) what the current level of the stockpile of MenB vaccine is and (b) whether her Department has assessed whether stockpiles are sufficient for the current meningitis B outbreak, including through modelling.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to ensure that members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme with outstanding cases are informed of the latest developments regarding the management of the scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery.

For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capitas contact centre has seen a significant increase in successful member interactions, achieving a 99% answer rate on 4 and 5 March. This increased accessibility ensures that members can engage with the service as the team continues to prioritise and read through the email queues.

This improved member contact is backed by a focus on critical cases. All death-in-service and ill-health retirement cases have been addressed, and over 6,000 inherited lump sum payments were cleared by 8 March. Progress updates have been shared internally via Angela MacDonald’s sprint updates and externally through GOV.UK and the Civil Service Pensions website.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (16 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what financial penalties have been applied to (a) MyCSP and (b) Capita on the management of the Civil Service Pension Scheme to date.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery.

For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Furthermore, Capita remains subject to all service level agreements (SLAs) within the contract, which includes system access and timely payments. We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: (latest update 16 March): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026

MyCSP ceased as the administrator of the scheme in December 2025 upon transfer to Capita. I can confirm that MyCSP were also subject to SLAs and the full mechanism for service credits for performance failures were applied when required.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department holds relating to the closure of air cadet squadrons due to insufficient electrical compliance documentation.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) are committed to providing a safe and high-quality environment for all members. Following a rigorous audit of statutory compliance records, activity has been temporarily suspended at several sites across the country. The suspensions were required to protect cadets and volunteers and continue to ensure compliance with safety, legal and operational duties.

Work is ongoing to ensure these spaces are useable and safe as soon as possible.

Suspension of activities at the sites does not equate to the closure of the Air Training Corps (ATC) Squadrons permanently. Whilst the work is being completed, RAFAC have worked closely with Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to identify and utilise temporary community facilities for use of Air Cadets Dedicated work is ongoing at pace to source further temporary spaces for the remaining Squadrons.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure adherence to the FCA’s Consumer Duty requirement for firms to avoid causing foreseeable harm.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA’s) Consumer Duty requires firms to act in good faith, prevent foreseeable harm, and act in the best interests of consumers.

All FCA-authorised firms are required to comply with the Consumer Duty.

The FCA has extensive powers to enforce regulations and to impose penalties for breaches of regulation. This includes powers to investigate potential breaches, issue fines and ultimately to withdraw authorisation in the case of serious breaches.

The FCA is operationally independent and the Treasury has no role in ensuring firms meet their responsibilities under the Consumer Duty. The Treasury continues to work closely with the FCA to hold it to account for delivering against its statutory objectives, including its objective to secure an appropriate degree of consumer protection in relation to the activities it regulates.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the money allocated to the Equitable Life compensation fund is expected to be retained by her Department, in the context of contingency funds.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been fully wound down and closed since 2016. The only remaining part of the Payment Scheme in operation is the annual payments made to eligible With-Profit-Annuitants and the Scheme is on track to distribute the remainder of the £1.5 billion as planned.

There are no plans to reopen any decisions relating to the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it. Further guidance on the status of the Payment Scheme after closure is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equitable-life-payment-scheme#closure-of-the-scheme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to ensure that contingency funding linked to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme will be used to compensate Equitable Life policyholders.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been fully wound down and closed since 2016. The only remaining part of the Payment Scheme in operation is the annual payments made to eligible With-Profit-Annuitants and the Scheme is on track to distribute the remainder of the £1.5 billion as planned.

There are no plans to reopen any decisions relating to the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it. Further guidance on the status of the Payment Scheme after closure is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equitable-life-payment-scheme#closure-of-the-scheme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the Equitable Members' Action Group’s analysis of Government spending on the compensation package for people affected by financial losses related to Equitable Life policies, published in January 2026.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been fully wound down and closed since 2016. The only remaining part of the Payment Scheme in operation is the annual payments made to eligible With-Profit-Annuitants and the Scheme is on track to distribute the remainder of the £1.5 billion as planned.

There are no plans to reopen any decisions relating to the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it. Further guidance on the status of the Payment Scheme after closure is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equitable-life-payment-scheme#closure-of-the-scheme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of improvements made since the passing of the Communications Act 2003 at delivering improved mobile phone signal to consumers.

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

The Communications Act 2003 has provided for a regulatory framework which has driven competition and investment and has delivered good outcomes for consumers and businesses.

According to Ofcom’s 2025 Connected Nations report, 4G is available across 96% of the UK landmass and higher quality standalone 5G is available outside of 83% of UK premises.

Through our Mobile Market Review Call for Evidence, we expect to gain detailed insights and evidence which will enable us to assess whether the regulatory framework needs to be updated. The Call for Evidence is open until 21 April.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England has engaged formally with the General Medical Council about the interaction between mandatory pre-referral Advice and Guidance requirements and the professional duty of GPs under General Medical Council guidance to refer patients to specialist care when it is in their best interests to do so; and whether a joint risk assessment or patient safety review has been carried out to ensure GPs are not placed in conflict between their contractual and professional obligations.

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

In early 2026, we concluded the consultation on the changes to the GP Contract for 2026/27. As part of this process, we expanded the consultation to engage with a wider set of primary care stakeholders, these were the British Medical Association’s General Practitioner’s Committee England, the Royal College of General Practitioners, National Voices, the Institute of General Practice Management, Healthwatch England, the NHS Confederation, and the National Association of Primary Care.

The Department has not engaged formally with the General Medical Council (GMC) regarding the interaction between the 2026/27 contractual changes and the professional duties set out in GMC guidance. No formal joint risk assessment or joint patient safety review has been undertaken. However, the Department and NHS England considered the potential risks, benefits, and wider impact of the policy changes as part of standard policy-development processes.

The 2026/27 GP Contract embeds the current Advice and Guidance (A&G) enhanced service funding into core practice funding. The contract does not mandate the use of A&G in all circumstances. Instead, practices are expected to use A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral, where clinically appropriate, and to follow locally agreed referral pathways. This reflects longstanding planned‑care referral practice and does not alter existing legal or professional accountability frameworks for general practitioners (GPs).

GPs, and other primary care referrers, remain professionally accountable for making appropriate clinical decisions, including referring patients to specialist care when it is in the patient’s best interests. The use of A&G does not override those responsibilities or place GPs in conflict between contractual and professional obligations. NHS England continues to support clinicians through guidance, pathway design, and local governance arrangements to ensure A&G is used safely, proportionately, and in a way that preserves clear clinical accountability.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, Care Quality Commission, Healthwatch and Royal College of GPs on changes to the GP contract regarding Advice and Guidance.

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

In early 2026, we concluded the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation. This year, we expanded the consultation to engage with wider stakeholders, which were the General Practitioners Committee England, the Royal College of General Practitioners, National Voices, the Institute of General Practice Management, Healthwatch England, the NHS Confederation, and the National Association of Primary Care. The feedback we received from stakeholders across the system has been constructive and comprehensive, enabling us to refine proposals and address concerns while developing the final contract package.

Embedding Advice and Guidance in the contract is about ensuring general practitioners and specialists can work together earlier and more consistently, so patients are directed to the most appropriate next step without unnecessary delay, whether that is a referral, diagnostics, or supported care in the community.

Last year, we invested £80 million in Advice and Guidance. We are now embedding this money in core contract funding. As a result, since April 2025, we have avoided 1.3 million patients ending up on a waiting list.

The Department has not discussed the changes to the GP Contract regarding Advice and Guidance with the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, and the Care Quality Commission.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment for changes to the GP contract regarding Advice and Guidance due to be implemented from 1 April 2026.

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

The Department has not undertaken a formal risk assessment for the changes made to the GP Contract regarding Advice and Guidance (A&G) due to be implemented from 1 April 2026. However, in developing this policy, the Department and NHS England have carefully considered the potential risks, benefits, and wider impact as part of the standard policy-development process.

As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, we are embedding the current A&G enhanced service funding within core practice funding. Practices will be required to use A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral where clinically appropriate and to follow locally agreed referral pathways.

Between April 2025 and December 2025, A&G has avoided 1.3 million patients being unnecessarily added to hospital waiting lists by providing them with expert advice in their community.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what arrangements NHS England has made to ensure that patients retain the statutory right to choose a provider where a mandatory Single Point of Access triage process operates; and what guidance has been issued to Integrated Care Boards on preserving patient choice rights within mandatory Single Point of Access pathways from 1 April 2026.

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

The policy intention for Advice and Guidance (A&G) and the Elective Single Point of Access (SPoA) model is fully compatible with NHS England’s Patient Choice Guidance, published December 2023. Patients must continue to be offered a choice of provider at the appropriate point in the pathway, and local pathways should be designed to ensure that choice rights operate in practice.

The purpose of A&G is to support decision‑making, reduce unnecessary referrals, and deliver more care closer to home. SPoA acts as a single ‘front door’ to support clinical triage to the most appropriate service or outcome, meaning timelier, more joined-up care for patients, without altering patients’ statutory right to choice.

NHS England has published system guidance The Elective Single Point of Access: Technical Guidance for 2026/27, which specifies that patients must continue to be offered choice of provider and team at the appropriate point in the pathway when they can make an informed choice. An elective SPoA diagram showing touchpoints of choice is included in the technical guidance annex.

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 adequacy of satellite navigation systems used in ambulances in England.

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

Ambulance vehicles have satellite navigation systems that assist crews to identify the location of the emergency. These are updated regularly to ensure the information within them remains current, and in response to feedback from operational crews and managers who are trained on these systems and have excellent understanding of the areas they serve.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department will ensure that low-volume, high-cost services such as spinal cord injury are not deprioritised by individual ICBs facing competing local financial pressures.

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

Plans to delegate suitable specialised services were first set out in the Roadmap for Integrating Specialised Services within Integrated Care Systems and have been developed in close collaboration with NHS England’s regional teams, integrated care boards (ICBs), specialised services provider clinicians, and patient groups. The Roadmap for Integrating Specialised Services within Integrated Care Systems is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/PAR1440-specialised-commissioning-roadmap-addendum-may-2022.pdf

They represent the outcome of a thorough assessment of ICB readiness, and a comprehensive analysis of services to determine their suitability and readiness for more integrated commissioning.

The latest NHS England commissioning update, published on 2 March 2026, sets out the role that seven offices for pan-ICB commissioning (OPICs) will play in supporting ICBs across each National Health Service region to efficiently and effectively commission these services, including commissioning at scale, where appropriate, to improve patient outcomes. The NHS England commissioning update is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/direct-commissioning-update/

OPICs will ensure that all ICBs across a region have equal access to the critical mass of expert commissioning knowledge and the capability necessary for the effective and efficient commissioning of these important and complex areas of service provision like spinal cord injury. They will become centres of commissioning excellence, playing a vital role in facilitating multi-ICB collaboration and decision making, ensuring strong patient and public involvement in the design and delivery of services, and building strong relationships with wider health and care system partners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether future NHS planning guidance will require ICBs to provide specialist rehabilitation and care for patients with spinal cord injury.

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

Spinal cord injury services in England are commissioned against the national service specification, which is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/service-spec-spinal-cord-injury-services-all-ages.pdf

The specification sets out the mandated standards all commissioned providers are required to meet for patients. The specification provides detailed information on the pathway of care for spinal cord injury patients, including coordination with interdependent services.

All providers are required to submit outcome data to the specialised services quality dashboard, with data available at the following link:

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.england.nhs.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2Fspecialised-services-quality-dashboards-metrics-metadata-2025-2026-v24.0.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

This data enables the monitoring of quality of care, including clinical outcomes, equitability of access and structure, and process measures. The data is linked to the national spinal cord injury registry, which provides audit data.

The specific content of future National Health Service planning guidance will be determined and published in due course, but progress has been made on improving spinal cord injury services following the 2016 review through, for example, the development of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services, which is driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with NHS trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from.

More recently, in October 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published new guidance on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, which includes rehabilitation for spinal cord injury.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the proportion of requests for specialist care which will be refused due to the requirement for GPs to use the Advice and Guidance system from 1 April 2026.

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

The purpose of Advice and Guidance (A&G) is not to refuse care but to ensure patients are seen in the right place, first time.

Where the outcome of A&G is that care management in primary or community settings is in the patient’s best interests, it is expected that patients will receive timelier care, benefiting from earlier specialist input. In these cases, the general practitioner may still subsequently refer their patient again at any point if they have concerns.

Management data shows between April 2025 and November 2025, there were 2,210,443 processed A&G requests where a specialist has returned the advice, and 1,095,172, or 45.7% of total requests, have been diverted, where the outcome of A&G is that a referral is not required.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that SMEs not party to (a) NFU Mutual and (b) Bath Racecourse litigation are not permanently deprived of the right to an indemnity due to the expiration of limitation periods.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator for financial services, sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms. This includes rules requiring insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly.

The Supreme Court published its final judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case in 2021. At the time of the judgment, the FCA set out its expectation that insurers should communicate to all impacted policyholders what the judgment meant for their claim and should move quickly to resolve claims as determined by the judgment.

The FCA court case did not cover all potential issues with business interruption policies. The FCA has been clear that, in the event of further court rulings, insurers will need to consider carefully how the rulings impact claims they have already decided.

The FCA considered the issue of new ‘stop the clock’ guidance as part of its response to Stewarts LLP on 23 January. The FCA was clear that insurers must look at claims that have already been made in light of any new legal rulings to see if any action must be taken. Where no claim has been submitted, it is not clear why an insurer would not be able to rely on relevant time limits set out in the insurance policy, subject to the particular circumstances of each claim and compliance with the FCA’s broader rules.

The FCA is continuing to supervise firms to ensure they are meeting their expectations and has robust powers to take action where necessary.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of valid Covid-19 business interruption claims becoming time-barred in March 2026 on the insurance sector.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator for financial services, sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms. This includes rules requiring insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly.

The Supreme Court published its final judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case in 2021. At the time of the judgment, the FCA set out its expectation that insurers should communicate to all impacted policyholders what the judgment meant for their claim and should move quickly to resolve claims as determined by the judgment.

The FCA court case did not cover all potential issues with business interruption policies. The FCA has been clear that, in the event of further court rulings, insurers will need to consider carefully how the rulings impact claims they have already decided.

The FCA considered the issue of new ‘stop the clock’ guidance as part of its response to Stewarts LLP on 23 January. The FCA was clear that insurers must look at claims that have already been made in light of any new legal rulings to see if any action must be taken. Where no claim has been submitted, it is not clear why an insurer would not be able to rely on relevant time limits set out in the insurance policy, subject to the particular circumstances of each claim and compliance with the FCA’s broader rules.

The FCA is continuing to supervise firms to ensure they are meeting their expectations and has robust powers to take action where necessary.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the FCA on stop the clock guidance and related litigation.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator for financial services, sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms. This includes rules requiring insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly.

The Supreme Court published its final judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case in 2021. At the time of the judgment, the FCA set out its expectation that insurers should communicate to all impacted policyholders what the judgment meant for their claim and should move quickly to resolve claims as determined by the judgment.

The FCA court case did not cover all potential issues with business interruption policies. The FCA has been clear that, in the event of further court rulings, insurers will need to consider carefully how the rulings impact claims they have already decided.

The FCA considered the issue of new ‘stop the clock’ guidance as part of its response to Stewarts LLP on 23 January. The FCA was clear that insurers must look at claims that have already been made in light of any new legal rulings to see if any action must be taken. Where no claim has been submitted, it is not clear why an insurer would not be able to rely on relevant time limits set out in the insurance policy, subject to the particular circumstances of each claim and compliance with the FCA’s broader rules.

The FCA is continuing to supervise firms to ensure they are meeting their expectations and has robust powers to take action where necessary.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that policyholders with protected characteristics are not discriminated against by insurance companies.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks.

However, the government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and insurers must comply with relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. The Act generally prohibits discrimination based on certain personal characteristics, though the law accepts that some exceptions apply for insurance.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules also require insurers to treat customers fairly. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive). The FCA has robust powers to monitor firms and, where necessary, to take action against firms that do not comply with its rules.

The Government also seeks to ensure that people are able to access the financial products they need. That is why I published a Financial Inclusion Strategy in November which includes interventions to increase household financial resilience through insurance and help people find the right insurance product for their needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what planning his Department has previously undertaken for a meningitis outbreak.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department undertakes a range of emergency preparedness and response exercises that test our capability to manage high‑consequence infectious disease outbreaks. These exercises routinely assess incident response structures, case management, contact tracing, vaccination strategies, and multi‑agency coordination. While exercises are not always designed around a specific pathogen, they ensure that systems and capabilities are in place to respond effectively to any severe infectious disease outbreak, including meningococcal‑type conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has previously undertaken emergency exercises for an outbreak of a meningococcal-type disease.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department undertakes a range of emergency preparedness and response exercises that test our capability to manage high‑consequence infectious disease outbreaks. These exercises routinely assess incident response structures, case management, contact tracing, vaccination strategies, and multi‑agency coordination. While exercises are not always designed around a specific pathogen, they ensure that systems and capabilities are in place to respond effectively to any severe infectious disease outbreak, including meningococcal‑type conditions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to provide guidance to bus manufacturers on the legislative requirements on size and location of wheelchair space, in the context of the consultation on the Public Service Vehicles Access Regulations.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving passenger transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. This includes requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan. We are also providing nearly £700 million a year to local transport authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant over the next three years to maintain and improve local bus services. These allocations include capital funding for most areas, which can be used to improve the accessibility of transport infrastructure.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set accessibility minimum standards for physical features on board buses and coaches designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. These include requirements for the size and location of the wheelchair space. In 2023 the Department undertook a Call for Evidence to understand the efficacy of PSVAR, and we continue to engage regularly with stakeholders, including local authorities, on the impact of the Regulations and how they can support accessible journeys sustainably. We will announce any next steps on PSVAR in the coming weeks.

In March 2025, we launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. Over 12 months, this panel brought together industry experts and local leaders to support UK bus manufacturing, develop a pipeline of future bus orders to give better planning certainty to the sector, and to prioritise passenger-centric bus design. The last meeting of the Panel took place on 18 March, during which we secured agreement from Mayors on a set of commitments, including on adopting standards and driving continuous improvement on accessible and inclusive zero emission bus design.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to announce new legislative standards for vehicle accessibility requirements, in the context of the review of the Public Service Vehicles Access Regulations .

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving passenger transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. This includes requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan. We are also providing nearly £700 million a year to local transport authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant over the next three years to maintain and improve local bus services. These allocations include capital funding for most areas, which can be used to improve the accessibility of transport infrastructure.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set accessibility minimum standards for physical features on board buses and coaches designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. These include requirements for the size and location of the wheelchair space. In 2023 the Department undertook a Call for Evidence to understand the efficacy of PSVAR, and we continue to engage regularly with stakeholders, including local authorities, on the impact of the Regulations and how they can support accessible journeys sustainably. We will announce any next steps on PSVAR in the coming weeks.

In March 2025, we launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. Over 12 months, this panel brought together industry experts and local leaders to support UK bus manufacturing, develop a pipeline of future bus orders to give better planning certainty to the sector, and to prioritise passenger-centric bus design. The last meeting of the Panel took place on 18 March, during which we secured agreement from Mayors on a set of commitments, including on adopting standards and driving continuous improvement on accessible and inclusive zero emission bus design.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase wheelchair accessibility on buses.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving passenger transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. This includes requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan. We are also providing nearly £700 million a year to local transport authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant over the next three years to maintain and improve local bus services. These allocations include capital funding for most areas, which can be used to improve the accessibility of transport infrastructure.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set accessibility minimum standards for physical features on board buses and coaches designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. These include requirements for the size and location of the wheelchair space. In 2023 the Department undertook a Call for Evidence to understand the efficacy of PSVAR, and we continue to engage regularly with stakeholders, including local authorities, on the impact of the Regulations and how they can support accessible journeys sustainably. We will announce any next steps on PSVAR in the coming weeks.

In March 2025, we launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. Over 12 months, this panel brought together industry experts and local leaders to support UK bus manufacturing, develop a pipeline of future bus orders to give better planning certainty to the sector, and to prioritise passenger-centric bus design. The last meeting of the Panel took place on 18 March, during which we secured agreement from Mayors on a set of commitments, including on adopting standards and driving continuous improvement on accessible and inclusive zero emission bus design.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish a response to her Department's consultation on Public Service Vehicles Access Regulations, which closed on 4 September 2023.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving passenger transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. This includes requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan. We are also providing nearly £700 million a year to local transport authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant over the next three years to maintain and improve local bus services. These allocations include capital funding for most areas, which can be used to improve the accessibility of transport infrastructure.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set accessibility minimum standards for physical features on board buses and coaches designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. These include requirements for the size and location of the wheelchair space. In 2023 the Department undertook a Call for Evidence to understand the efficacy of PSVAR, and we continue to engage regularly with stakeholders, including local authorities, on the impact of the Regulations and how they can support accessible journeys sustainably. We will announce any next steps on PSVAR in the coming weeks.

In March 2025, we launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. Over 12 months, this panel brought together industry experts and local leaders to support UK bus manufacturing, develop a pipeline of future bus orders to give better planning certainty to the sector, and to prioritise passenger-centric bus design. The last meeting of the Panel took place on 18 March, during which we secured agreement from Mayors on a set of commitments, including on adopting standards and driving continuous improvement on accessible and inclusive zero emission bus design.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reconnecting London to the Marches by rail on the economy.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the economic impact of reconnecting London to the Marches by rail. Any future proposals would be considered in accordance with established Department appraisal guidance, including analysis of effects on connectivity, regional development and the wider economy. The Department has also responded to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on current applications submitted by open access operators.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve rail connectivity in North Shropshire.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Services in North Shropshire are provided by Transport for Wales (TfW) in accordance with its Train Service Requirement which is agreed with the Department with respect to services at stations in England. The Department keeps the performance and connectivity of the rail network under continual review including through regular engagement with TfW. There are no active proposals to increase services on this route.

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 potential impact of mandatory pre-referral Advice and Guidance requirements from 1 April 2026 on workload transferred to GP practices, including the workload arising from acting on specialist advice responses, requesting and reviewing diagnostic investigations recommended by specialists, and managing patients while awaiting responses; and whether additional funding has been allocated to reflect that workload transfer.

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

Advice and Guidance (A&G) is designed to support quicker, clearer clinical decision making, by enabling general practitioners (GPs) and specialists to discuss and agree on the most appropriate next steps for a patient. The 2026/27 GP Contract does not mandate the use of A&G in all circumstances. Instead, practices are expected to use A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral, where clinically appropriate, and to follow locally agreed referral pathways.

In 2025/26 we introduced a £20 payment for GPs for each A&G request, allocating up to a total of £80 million of new funding, which has supported significant increases in A&G. For 2026/27, this funding is being incorporated into the GP Contract to provide a consistent, streamlined approach that recognises the vital role of GPs in delivering A&G. Embedding A&G in the GP Contract recognises it as routine clinical practice, removes annual signups, and provides more predictable funding while supporting consistent patient pathways.

We are investing £485 million in GPs in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP Contract to over £13.8 billion. This builds on last year’s £1.1 billion of investment. This uplift represents a 3.6% cash increase, or 1.4% real terms increase, and includes an assumed pay increase of 2.5%. As with previous years, we have asked the independent pay review body for Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, for a pay recommendation for 2026/27 for the Government to consider.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the consistency of the mandatory Single Point of Access triage process with NHS England's Jess's Rule guidance; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that a mandatory Single Point of Access triage process does not return to primary care a patient whom a GP has referred in accordance with that guidance.

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

The Single Point of Access (SPoA) triage process is consistent with Jess’s Rule.

Jess’s Rule is an NHS England patient safety initiative for primary care. It is designed for general practitioners (GPs) and supports them to reconsider a patient’s presentation and/or diagnosis where the patient has attended a GP three or more times and symptoms have escalated, or the diagnosis is uncertain.

Jess’s Rule can be used to support a GP’s decision on an appropriate referral within the SPoA model. SPoA will provide a more efficient approach to triaging patients, with all appropriate requests and referrals, excluding urgent suspect cancer, flowing through a single ‘front door’. SPoA supports clinical triage to the most appropriate service or outcome, meaning timelier, more joined-up care for patients. Patients will still have a choice about where they receive care.

Safeguards within the SPoA model include senior clinical oversight of triage decisions and the ability for primary care clinicians to re‑escalate concerns where symptoms persist, worsen, or remain unexplained. These arrangements aim to ensure patients who require specialist assessment are not inappropriately managed in the community, and that shared clinical judgement remains central to decision‑making.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the referral to treatment clock start date is where a GP resubmits a referral following a Single Point of Access triage outcome with which they disagree; and what guidance NHS England has issued to Integrated Care Boards on the referral to treatment clock start date in these circumstances ahead of mandatory Single Point of Access triage processes taking effect from 1 April 2026.

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

We're setting the Advice and Guidance (A&G) clock start so it's the same as outpatient referrals, ensuring no patient will have to wait longer for an appointment as a result of A&G

As set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework, the National Health Service will move toward delivering care through a ‘Single Point of Access’ (SPoA) for all appropriate requests and referrals, excluding for urgent suspected cancer. Under the new SPoA model, if a patient needs treatment, their Referral to Treatment (RTT) clock start date will be calculated from the date the Advice and Guidance (A&G) request or referral was received by the SPoA. This is instead of the current process for A&G, where the clock start date is the date that the request or referral is converted to a treatment pathway. This will ensure that patients' waiting times are accurately reflected.

In February 2026, NHS England issued The Elective Single Point of Access: Technical Guidance for 2026/27 to integrated care boards. This provides guidance on RTT rules and quality assurance arrangements, and advice on establishing leadership and governance structures that ensure SPoA outcomes are assessed regularly. The SPoA will be supported by improvements to the NHS e-Referral Service, which will enable NHS England to collect data on triage outcomes.

SPoA is designed to promote clinical collaboration between primary care referrers and secondary care clinicians, including by facilitating two-way communication and shared decision making. General practitioners (GPs) can re-submit a referral following a SPoA triage outcome if they have concerns about the clinical decision. Escalation routes for concerns about triage decisions will continue to operate through locally agreed referral pathways and communication processes for GPs and patients, supported by improvements to the NHS e-Referral Service. Where patients have concerns regarding outcomes, local Patient Advice and Liaison Service teams can provide advice and support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what quality assurance arrangements NHS England has put in place for mandatory Single Point of Access triage decisions from 1 April 2026; what monitoring will be conducted of triage outcomes by specialty and provider; and how GPs and patients will be able to escalate concerns about triage decisions that they consider clinically inappropriate.

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

We're setting the Advice and Guidance (A&G) clock start so it's the same as outpatient referrals, ensuring no patient will have to wait longer for an appointment as a result of A&G

As set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework, the National Health Service will move toward delivering care through a ‘Single Point of Access’ (SPoA) for all appropriate requests and referrals, excluding for urgent suspected cancer. Under the new SPoA model, if a patient needs treatment, their Referral to Treatment (RTT) clock start date will be calculated from the date the Advice and Guidance (A&G) request or referral was received by the SPoA. This is instead of the current process for A&G, where the clock start date is the date that the request or referral is converted to a treatment pathway. This will ensure that patients' waiting times are accurately reflected.

In February 2026, NHS England issued The Elective Single Point of Access: Technical Guidance for 2026/27 to integrated care boards. This provides guidance on RTT rules and quality assurance arrangements, and advice on establishing leadership and governance structures that ensure SPoA outcomes are assessed regularly. The SPoA will be supported by improvements to the NHS e-Referral Service, which will enable NHS England to collect data on triage outcomes.

SPoA is designed to promote clinical collaboration between primary care referrers and secondary care clinicians, including by facilitating two-way communication and shared decision making. General practitioners (GPs) can re-submit a referral following a SPoA triage outcome if they have concerns about the clinical decision. Escalation routes for concerns about triage decisions will continue to operate through locally agreed referral pathways and communication processes for GPs and patients, supported by improvements to the NHS e-Referral Service. Where patients have concerns regarding outcomes, local Patient Advice and Liaison Service teams can provide advice and support.

Stans of St Martins

Visa concessions for sheep shearers (No. 2)

GP access

Access to GP appointments

Impact of the Iran war on transport costs

Royal Mail's performance

Water sector reform

New US sanctions on Cuba

Funding for rural Britain

Conflict in Lebanon

NHS funding for mental health services