Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department plans to support dairy farms in North Shropshire, who fall within the highest area for heat risk in the country and face escalating climate-related challenges.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Defra-funded Food, Farming & Natural Environment Climate Service led out of the Met Office has developed evidence on adaptation options which improve resilience of the agri-food sector, including cost and ease of implementation. These adaptation options include those which could be implemented in response to increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms such as using deep rooting and heat tolerant forage varieties.
The Government needs long-term, nature-based solutions to manage the risks of extreme wet and dry weather. To support rural communities and farmers, the Government is funding actions to improve the environment, mitigate flood risk, and boost resilience, through Environmental Land Management schemes.
Defra holds no data on potential impact of increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms on grazing land and silage production to feed livestock. However, Defra continues to work closely with the sector to monitor the production of grass and availability of silage as a feedstock.
The UK Government must prepare a UK-wide Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years under the Climate Change Act 2008.
The third CCRA assessed the risks to and opportunities for agricultural productivity from extreme events and changing climatic conditions such as increased temperatures and heat. The next assessment, CCRA4, is due to be published in 2027.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms on grazing land and silage production to feed livestock.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Defra-funded Food, Farming & Natural Environment Climate Service led out of the Met Office has developed evidence on adaptation options which improve resilience of the agri-food sector, including cost and ease of implementation. These adaptation options include those which could be implemented in response to increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms such as using deep rooting and heat tolerant forage varieties.
The Government needs long-term, nature-based solutions to manage the risks of extreme wet and dry weather. To support rural communities and farmers, the Government is funding actions to improve the environment, mitigate flood risk, and boost resilience, through Environmental Land Management schemes.
Defra holds no data on potential impact of increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms on grazing land and silage production to feed livestock. However, Defra continues to work closely with the sector to monitor the production of grass and availability of silage as a feedstock.
The UK Government must prepare a UK-wide Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years under the Climate Change Act 2008.
The third CCRA assessed the risks to and opportunities for agricultural productivity from extreme events and changing climatic conditions such as increased temperatures and heat. The next assessment, CCRA4, is due to be published in 2027.
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 (a) he has received advice that the cost-benefit analysis of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform should be reviewed and (b) whether this analysis has been updated since July 2024.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems.
The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements.
The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.
As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025
The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating.
Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact.
Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link:
The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.
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 his Department has conducted an investigation into the reasons for the delayed adoption of the Federated Data Platform within the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems.
The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements.
The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.
As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025
The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating.
Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact.
Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link:
The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.
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 advice he has received from officials on the value for money of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems.
The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements.
The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.
As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025
The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating.
Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact.
Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link:
The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.
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 received advice about the continued viability of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems.
The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements.
The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.
As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025
The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating.
Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact.
Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link:
The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.
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 NICE plans to develop a new product for off-patent medicine reappraisals.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) moves towards a whole life-cycle approach to producing guidance, it is considering whether its methods and processes for reviewing guidance on off-patent medicines need to change. NICE’s whole life-cycle approach will help the National Health Service keep guidance up to date with best practice, reflecting changes in evidence, costs, and clinical practice. It will support the ongoing review of what works best, identify where care can be improved, and will highlight where treatments should evolve over time. This means NICE will not assess a new medicine or treatment once and then move on, it will continue to review the evidence as it develops, so NHS care remains focused on what delivers the greatest benefit for patients.
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 accurate recording of care experienced patients.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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 improve staff training for health professionals regarding the treatment of care experienced patients.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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 work towards a mutual recognition agreement with India on medicines regulation by 2030.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The United Kingdom and India have a strong relationship on healthcare issues, as evidenced through the memorandum of understanding signed between the governments on a health and life sciences partnership. This partnership recognises medicine and medical devices regulation as a key area of mutual interest, and we will continue to work closely together to identify opportunities for collaboration and alignment where this is suitable.