Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of updating departmental guidance for schools to mandate emergency hydrocortisone IM injection training in schools for pupils with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Schools, colleges and early years providers have responsibilities to keep children and young people safe and to ensure that those with disabilities, which may arise from a medical condition, are not discriminated against by provisions, practice or criteria.
Schools are not responsible for clinical healthcare tasks. Healthcare professionals are responsible for determining whether it is safe and appropriate for a healthcare task to be delivered by staff in schools and other education settings, and what training and competency assessment may be required.
The department works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to produce guidance on clinical healthcare in schools.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her department has made of the potential merits of authorising the use of Tavapadon for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tavapadon does not have a United Kingdom licence for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Should an application be submitted, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency would assess the medicine’s quality, safety, and efficacy, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) would assess the medicine’s cost effectiveness. Decisions on whether to seek a UK marketing authorisation and make a submission to NICE in order for the medicine to be available on the National Health Service are for the manufacturer.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for her Department's assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS hospitals to freeze suitable brain tumour tissue for cancer treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the response given on 22 September to Question HL2877.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her departments has made of the potential merits of developing a strategy for fuel cells and solid-oxide technology.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel cells, notably hydrogen fuel cells, and solid oxide technology can operate like a battery, producing electricity for various use cases including surface transport and low carbon backup power generation.
We intend to consider hydrogen fuel cells as part of our renewed strategic approach to hydrogen, which will set out Government’s vision and objectives for hydrogen. Our understanding of where hydrogen can deliver the greatest value in our energy system has matured and our strategy will set this out. We continue to work hard to ensure UK hydrogen and fuel cell companies continue to capitalise on the opportunities of the global clean energy transition, and to access high value opportunities in international markets.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of the potential merits of establishing a national entitlement under which every pupil who demonstrates an interest in learning a musical instrument can access an instrument on a free loan.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
This government believes that music is an essential part of the well-rounded and enriching education every child deserves.
In the 2026/27 academic year, we will support the delivery of music education by continuing to invest £76 million revenue grant funding annually for the music hubs network, alongside continuing to invest £25 million capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology.
Alongside instrument hire, the network provides pupils who wish to learn a musical instrument with access to Whole Class Ensemble Teaching, musical instrument and voice tuition, continuing professional development and access to local, regional and national ensembles.
In addition, the Music Opportunities Pilot provides free instrument or vocal tuition and progression support for up to 1,000 disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The pilot’s findings will inform future policy on widening music opportunities, including instrument access.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
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 reduce delays in the process of families obtaining death certificates.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 8 July in response to Questions 15549, 15550, 15557, and 15558.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce the awarding of the contract for the operation of the National Centre for Arts and Music Education.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Every child should have access to a rich, high-quality arts education, which is why we are establishing a new National Centre for Arts Education.
Following a competitive procurement, the named preferred supplier is Etio. They are leading a consortium with the Chartered College of Teaching and Birmingham City University and we intend to award them the contract to establish and lead the centre. The department has also asked Arts Council England to support the centre.
The centre will provide national leadership in arts education, support teachers with high-quality training and help schools connect children and young people with more arts opportunities, supporting our ambition to revitalise arts education across the country.
It will also provide strategic national leadership in revitalising arts in schools, mobilising a coalition of national, regional, and local partners to generate and direct investment to support equitable access to high-quality arts in school, with a focus on under-served communities.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support her Department is providing to NHS staff in Clinical Support Units (CSU) to allow them to transfer to other jobs within the NHS following the planned closure of CSUs.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Activity is under way to ensure all services provided by commissioning support units (CSUs), along with all CSU staff, are mapped and destinations clarified, where a function will continue. Governance arrangements are in place across NHS England and the CSUs to oversee the transition of functions and the safe closure of CSUs.
Staff are being supported through this transition. The CSU Leadership Team hold regular all staff briefings where information on the transition and closure of the CSUs is cascaded. The CSUs are actively involving the trade unions. A job hub has been established to support existing CSU staff to find suitable alternative employment opportunities. A voluntary redundancy scheme has been completed within the CSUs that mirrors that within NHS England, and exits are being planned.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate availability of oestrogen and testosterone implants for women who are unable to use any other form of hormone replacement therapy.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are continuing to work closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure safe access to these products. We have reached out to specialist importers who can source unlicensed medicines in order to find alternative sources of both oestrogen and testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants, which are not licenced in the United Kingdom. We are aware of a specialist importer who is able to source unlicensed testosterone implants. The decision to prescribe an unlicensed imported medicine sits with the prescriber.
We are also engaging with companies globally to source supplies of HRT implants for UK patients. The MHRA is working closely with current importers of the product and encouraging applications to supply products through the licenced medicines route.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for her assessment of the adequacy of the availability of oestrogen and testosterone implants.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are continuing to work closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure safe access to these products. We have reached out to specialist importers who can source unlicensed medicines in order to find alternative sources of both oestrogen and testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants, which are not licenced in the United Kingdom. We are aware of a specialist importer who is able to source unlicensed testosterone implants. The decision to prescribe an unlicensed imported medicine sits with the prescriber.
We are also engaging with companies globally to source supplies of HRT implants for UK patients. The MHRA is working closely with current importers of the product and encouraging applications to supply products through the licenced medicines route.