Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 increase the availability of counsellors trained to support children who have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As commissioners of National Health Services, integrated care boards are responsible for making available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population. Service delivery models are determined by service providers at a local level, in response to commissioners’ requirements.
The Ministry of Justice provides funding for vital victim and witness support services. This includes community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, in addition to the core funding the Ministry of Justice provides to Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need. This includes support for children and young people.
In December 2024, the Ministry of Justice confirmed grant awards for the provision of domestic abuse and sexual violence services in 2025/26. Grant recipients provide services, including trauma-informed counselling, based on their local assessment of need.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 ensure that counselling for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence includes culturally competent and specialist support for diverse communities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England cannot comment specifically on services which are commissioned by local providers, however work is continuing to address mental health inequalities and attract more professionals from other backgrounds.
The Ministry of Justice and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners published the Victim Services Commissioning Guidance in December 2024, which includes a chapter focused on commissioning appropriate and tailored support for marginalized victims. This includes ensuring that ‘by and for’ services are invited and encouraged to apply for funding opportunities.
We recognise that Police and Crime Commissioners and specialist support organisations are best placed to make local decisions on the services that are required locally. However, it is our expectation that providers adhere to standards, including ensuring services adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and are accessible, inclusive, and address the needs of the community. These expectations are outlined in Grant Funding Agreements.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to (a) reduce consumption amongst children and (b) encourage reformulation of products that are high in fat, sugar and salt that are targeted at children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. We have revised the National Planning Policy Framework for local government which has provided stronger powers to local authorities to block new fast-food outlets near schools.
We are implementing legislation to ban junk food advertising on TV before 9pm and paid for advertising online. This will remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets per year in the United Kingdom and reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000.
Mandatory and voluntary measures are also in place which aim to reduce consumption and encourage reformulation of products that are high in fat, sugar and salt. The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has reduced sugar levels in drinks in scope by 46% between 2015 and 2020, removing 46,000 tonnes of sugar. As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, both the lower and higher tax rates of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase each year over the next five years. A review is also underway of the sugar thresholds at which the levy rates apply, and the current exclusion for milk-based drinks. These changes will ensure that the levy remains effective, protects its value in real terms, and will deliver further reformulation.
The voluntary reformulation programme requires the food industry sector to reduce levels of sugar, calories and salt in food and drink products that contribute substantially to poor diets.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) tackle, (b) prevent and (c) monitor child poverty in the form of malnutrition.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Most cases of malnutrition are clinical and will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. The term malnutrition is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to a poor diet; although this may put someone at increased risk of malnutrition, this would not necessarily meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis.
The National Health Service provides Hospital Episode Statistics figures for malnutrition, broken down by age group, for the period 2007/08 to 2020/21, which are available at the following link:
The relationship between food poverty or food insecurity, nutritional intake and health in the United Kingdom is currently unclear. However, international evidence suggests that in the long-term, food insecurity may be associated with poorer diets and poorer health, including higher risk of overweight and obesity. The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs’ UK Food Security Report 2024, which pulls together data from a range of sources including the Department of Work and Pensions Family Resources Survey, found that 90% of UK households were food secure in the financial year ending 2023. The report is available at the following link:
The Government is rolling out free breakfast clubs in every primary school, with an early adopter scheme launching in April 2025, so children start the day ready to learn, helping to break down barriers to opportunity and confront child poverty. Additionally, all children in Reception, year 1 and year 2 in England's state-funded schools are already entitled to universal infant free school meals and disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools, as well as students aged between 16 and 18 years old in further education, receive free meals based on low income.
The existing Healthy Start scheme aims to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies and young children under four from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk and infant formula; beneficiaries also have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins. The Child Poverty Taskforce, made up of ministers from across Government, will be publishing its strategy to reduce child poverty in spring 2025.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 screen for malnutrition in (a) children and (b) adults across the country in a consistent manner.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The diagnosis and detection of malnutrition are key, and health staff are trained to spot the early warning signs so that effective individual treatment can be put in place. Tools and guidance are available through a range of organisations for health and social care professionals to identify and treat malnutrition and access appropriate training.
The Healthy Child Programme in England is a universal programme for children aged zero to 19 years old. When there is a concern raised about a child’s growth, either a health visitor or a school nurse will monitor this and assess the child for signs of under or overweight, including as a possible sign of neglect and faltering growth, and will work with families to support them in addressing the family and child’s needs.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline Faltering growth: recognition and management of faltering growth in children, code NG75, for healthcare professionals, providers of children's services, commissioners of children's services, and parents and carers of children with faltering growth covers the recognition, assessment, and monitoring of faltering growth in infants and children. This guideline is available at the following link:
All National Health Services across the country are recommended to adhere to the NICE’s clinical guideline, Nutrition support for adults: oral nutrition support, enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition, code CG32, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg32
This sets out the recommendations, based on the best available evidence, for the organisation, screening, and delivery of nutritional support in hospitals and the community. This includes screening for malnutrition and the risk of malnutrition. The NICE guidelines recommend that all hospital inpatients on admission and all outpatients at their first clinic appointment should be screened for malnutrition. Screening should be repeated weekly for inpatients, and when there is clinical concern for outpatients. People in care homes should be screened on admission, and when there is clinical concern.
All people who are identified as being malnourished or at risk of malnutrition should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health professional, such as a dietitian, to receive an individualised care plan in line with their individual circumstances, dietary preferences, and medical needs.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that children who have witnessed domestic abuse can access age-appropriate counselling and therapeutic interventions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving mental health support for children and young people is a priority for the Government and the National Health Service. Since 2018, NHS England has invested significant additional funding to ensure that more children and young people, including those who may have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse, are able to access mental health support.
However, we need to do more. Too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. We are determined to change that. As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, introduce open access Young Futures hubs in every community and recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult services to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice provides funding for vital victim and witness support services. This includes community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, in addition to the core funding the Ministry of Justice provides to Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need. This includes support for children and young people.
In December 2024, the Ministry of Justice confirmed grant awards for the provision of domestic abuse and sexual violence services in 2025/26. Grant recipients provide services, including trauma-informed counselling, based on their local assessment of need.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 funding for counselling services supporting survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations. Despite the challenging fiscal environment, we have chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies in the Autumn Budget, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues. This is expected to increase the number of people completing courses of treatment by 384,000 and increase the number of sessions.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 increase the availability of trauma-informed counselling services for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to delivering and expansion of NHS Talking Therapies, increasing the number of sessions available, and increasing the number of people completing a course of treatment by 384,000 by 2028/29.
NHS Talking Therapies offer National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved psychological and talking therapies, such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, for adults in England with common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, including victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
In addition, NHS England has established local pathfinder projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs. There is now dedicated, enhanced mental health support in five of the seven commissioning regions. The final two regions are considering delivery model options.
In December 2024, the Ministry of Justice confirmed grant awards for the provision of domestic abuse and sexual violence services in 2025/26. Grant recipients provide services, including trauma-informed counselling, based on their local assessment of need.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what proportion of additional NHS spending announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 will be directed towards NHS dental services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service in England invests £3 billion into dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published, and sets out the funding available to ICBs.
Asked by: Jess Asato (Labour - Lowestoft)
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 assessment of the potential merits of introducing stricter sustainability guidelines for medical clothing procurement.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department’s Design for Life Programme is dedicated to the exploration and delivery of a circular economy for medical devices, including consumables, through greater reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. Its work includes exploring regulatory, commercial, digital, policy, and research environments that support delaying products becoming waste for as long as possible. This includes working closely with the MedTech industry to determine sustainable ways of manufacture and reducing waste. More details on the Design for Life programme will be published shortly.
The NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap sets out the steps suppliers must take to align with the National Health Services’ net zero ambition between now and 2030. NHS England will continue to work closely with regulators, suppliers, and industry bodies to shape our approach to further milestones, including product-level requirements, and give all suppliers the opportunity to align with our net zero ambition. This roadmap is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/