Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 merits of listing hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy as a condition on the NHS website.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A formal assessment has not been made on the potential merits of listing hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy as a condition on the National Health Service website.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has assessed whether future UK trade or investment engagement involving Hong Kong should take account of reported prison conditions and maltreatment of political prisoners.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong’s prisons are deeply concerning. The Government continues to express serious concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including the implications of recent national security measures, and monitors associated human‑rights risks as part of its wider policy approach. The UK regularly reviews its Overseas Business Risk information for UK businesses trading overseas, which makes clear to UK companies the risks of operating in certain regions and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence when making business decisions.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) increase awareness and (b) increase training for first aid for epilepsy.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care recognises the importance of increasing public understanding of epilepsy and ensuring that people who witness a seizure know how to respond safely. The National Health Service website provides clear, accessible first‑aid information on managing an epileptic seizure, including when to call 999 and how to keep a person safe until the seizure ends.
This is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Clinical Knowledge Summary scenario on managing an epileptic seizure, which gives evidence‑based advice for clinicians on seizure first aid and post‑seizure assessment. The guidance advises health professionals to ensure that families and carers know exactly what to do during a seizure, including basic first aid and when to call an ambulance. For those at risk of prolonged or repeated seizures, the guidance also advises that an individualised emergency management plan should be agreed upon, detailing any prescribed rescue medication and who is trained to use it.
Sector‑specific guidance is also available to support wider awareness. The Department for Education provides materials for schools on supporting pupils with medical conditions, including epilepsy care plans and seizure‑response guidance for teachers and school staff. In workplaces, the Health and Safety Executive provide information for employers and colleagues on responding appropriately to seizures, ensuring safety, and enabling people with epilepsy to participate fully in work.
In addition, voluntary sector organisations like Epilepsy Action work alongside the NHS on public awareness campaigns on tonic-clonic seizure first aid, featuring CARE, or Comfort, Action, and Reassure, techniques.
Together, these resources help ensure that members of the public, professionals, and employers have access to reliable information on seizure first aid.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 merits of expanding the list of allergens which require highlighting on food products to include botanically classified ingredients such as pine nuts.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are many foods that people might be allergic to, but the current list of 14 allergens, defined in legislation, are those established as the most common allergenic ingredients or processing aids of public health concern across Europe. They must be clearly identified on prepacked foods and communicated effectively when eating out. Foods like pine nuts are not classified as tree nuts and as such are not named in the regulations.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is working with the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and other stakeholders to gather more information on hidden and emerging food allergens, which will help assess the need for further research and work in this area. Any change to the current list of the 14 mandated allergens would need to be supported by robust evidence and thoroughly assessed.
The FSA continues to monitor the situation closely but at present there are no plans to amend the regulated list of 14 allergens. It advises those with an allergy or intolerance to foods outside of the mandated allergens should be able to check the ingredients list and avoid foods they need to, and in restaurants they should ask the person serving them if the food they wish to avoid is used in any of the dishes to make the right choices.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the diagnosis and treatment of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are robust, standardised criteria in place for diagnosing and treating hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Babies who meet these criteria are managed through regional networked pathways established by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine framework.
Treatment approaches are evidence-based and tailored to the severity of the condition. For infants diagnosed with moderate to severe HIE, therapeutic hypothermia is the recommended intervention and is typically initiated within the first six hours following birth.
To further support the diagnosis and treatment of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, research is underway to enhance our understanding of neonatal brain function following therapeutic cooling. Data relating to brain injury is also being incorporated into the Maternity Outcomes Signal System, which will trigger service-led critical safety checks, offering early insights into potential intrapartum care safety issues, and facilitating rapid intervention to reduce harm and improve outcomes for affected babies.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support families who have experienced an hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy event, including the provision of mental health support.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) programme provides independent, standardised, and family focused investigations for families, and where relevant, makes safety recommendations to improve services at a local level and across the whole maternity healthcare system in England. All cases of term hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) are referred to the programme for external and independent review. As part of the programme’s investigatory process, families are provided a named MNSI investigator as a dedicated point of contact, and are also supported by local trusts.
Mental health services are also available in all areas of England for women who have pre-existing mental health needs prior to their pregnancy, as well as for those who experience mental health difficulties during or as a result of their pregnancy, labour, or birth.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for UK policy towards Hong Kong of reports of restrictions on visits, legal access, religious practice and correspondence for political prisoners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on reported medical neglect, including delays in treatment and denial of prescription medication, to political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised with the Chinese government reports that political prisoners in Hong Kong are being subjected to political indoctrination and so-called deradicalisation programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to publish updated guidance on prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners in Hong Kong in its next Six-Monthly Report.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.