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 retain the chief allied health professions officer role following the abolition of NHS England.

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

The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament. We will be engaging with partners inside and outside the organisations as the process to design the future Department of Health and Social Care continues.

The specific changes and impacts for particular groups employed by NHS England will be considered during the detailed design process for the future Department of Health and Social Care. Our aim is to ensure the future Department of Health and Social Care will have the right staff to be able to effectively discharge its accountabilities, including for workforce education, training and professional leadership for all of the clinical professions, including the Allied Health Professions. AHPs will continue to play a critical role in the new Department of Health and Social Care, just as they have in NHS England and at the frontline.

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 trends in the level of referral rates for female urinary incontinence for women from minority-ethnic backgrounds.

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

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve referral rates for female urinary incontinence for women from minority-ethnic backgrounds.

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

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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 improve data collection and reporting of rates of treatment in women with urinary continence from minority-ethnic backgrounds.

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

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the referral rate to hospital for female urinary incontinence treatment is for (a) the total population and (b) women from minority-ethnic backgrounds.

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

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of burial sites on downstream water quality during heavy rainfall.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra recognises that poorly located or managed burial sites can, in some circumstances, pose a risk to water quality, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. At the same time, we understand that burial grounds are deeply important places for families and communities, providing a lasting connection to loved ones, and any concerns about their condition or management can be understandably distressing.

The Environment Agency (EA), as a statutory consultee in the planning system, advises against locating new cemeteries in areas with highly vulnerable groundwater and seeks to prevent developments that could pose significant risks to the water environment.

Since October 2023, new cemeteries or extensions requiring planning permission must either qualify for an exemption or obtain a permit under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. These permits include conditions such as minimum distances from springs, watercourses and protected sites, helping to ensure burial sites are both respectful and environmentally safe.

Existing cemeteries established before 2023 are also expected to manage any potential risks to water quality. Where voluntary measures are not sufficient, permitting may be required. If pollution does occur, the EA will take proportionate and appropriate enforcement action, while seeking to ensure that any intervention is handled sensitively given the importance of these sites to local communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of senior NHS leadership roles are held by Allied Health Professionals; and what steps he is taking to increase that proportion.

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

The Department and NHS England do not currently hold a comprehensive central dataset on the proportion of all senior NHS Board-level roles held by Allied Health Professionals (AHPs).

NHS England is actively seeking to increase representation from a broader range of professional backgrounds, including AHPs, across senior leadership pipelines. This includes aspiring Chair, aspiring Chief Executive, and aspiring Executive Director programmes. It also includes targeted development offers such as the Nye Bevan exceptional cohort for primary care, which is designed to support a broad primary care leadership pipeline, including AHPs and other primary care professional groups.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets the ambition for the National Health Service to have world-class leadership and management. The establishment of a new NHS College of Leadership and Management will provide the national infrastructure to support this and will help widen access to leadership development opportunities for a broader range of professional backgrounds, including AHPs.

Submit Evidence (by 30 Jul 2026)

The Education Committee is examining the Government’s proposals for reform of the school system in England, as set out in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper.