Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to treatment for cluster headaches.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 19 October to Question 30417.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to deliver effective cooling facilities for patients and staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s statement to the House on Summer Health and Resilience, made on 9 September.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help reduce levels of NHS negligence in relation to injuries to babies, in the context of levels of NHS payouts last year.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is currently considering a wide range of evidence and proposals to inform its development of the Maternity and Neonatal Action Plan, with a particular focus on how to avoid preventable injuries to mothers and babies, informed by the recommendations that the Baroness Amos investigation, the Donna Ockenden reviews, and Lady Justice Thirlwall’s inquiry have already made in this area.
Alongside this, we are implementing a programme to reduce avoidable brain injury in childbirth by improving care in two high-risk areas: recognising and responding to foetal deterioration during labour; and managing impacted foetal head during caesarean section.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to prevent baby food being marketed to parents as healthy despite containing high levels of sugar.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the Department's publication on Commercial Baby Food and Drink, published on 22 August 2025, available at the following link:
I also refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 November 2025 in response to Question 90446.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve awareness among teachers, parents and healthcare professionals about the way in which autism presents differently in girls so that they (a) are identified earlier and (b) have adequate access to support.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that autism can present differently in girls and that masking may make symptoms less apparent in some individuals, leading to delayed identification or diagnosis.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on autism diagnosis for under 19s sets out that clinicians should pay attention to the under-diagnosis of girls when assessing for suspected autism. Integrated care boards and health professionals should have due regard to NICE guidelines.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to provide emergency services personnel with timely mental health support.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Regarding National Health Service staff, including ambulance workers, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 30 October 2025 in response to Question 84574.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to P.Q. v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2026), what assessment he has made of whether the current system for determining reasonable expenses in surrogacy arrangements provides sufficient safeguards against surrogacy becoming commercialised, in the context of the absence of a statutory limit on payments to surrogates.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessments have been made, but on the wider issues raised, the Government continues to support surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, available at the following link:
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased financial payments in surrogacy arrangements on the rights and welfare of children born through those arrangements.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessments have been made, but on the wider issues raised, the Government continues to support surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, available at the following link:
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she plans to take to ensure that women are not coerced and unduly pressured into becoming surrogates.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessments have been made, but on the wider issues raised, the Government continues to support surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, available at the following link:
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 impact of the proposed surrogacy reforms on the commercialisation of surrogacy.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessments have been made, but on the wider issues raised, the Government continues to support surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, available at the following link: