Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has the Government made on the effectiveness of CAHMS online therapies as opposed to in person support.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a specific assessment on the effectiveness of Children and Young People Mental Health (CYPMH) online therapies as opposed to in-person support.
However, more widely, the Department draws on a growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of digital and online therapies for CYPMH, including findings from ongoing evaluations, research programmes, and clinical trials. This includes research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, international evidence on digital innovation, and evidence generated through local service evaluations.
Digital and online interventions can provide young people with flexible, timely, and accessible support, and form an important part of a modern, blended mental health offer.
The Government has committed to harnessing safe and effective digital tools across the National Health Service, including through the 10‑Year Health Plan’s focus on digitally enabled care, to improve access, increase choice, and support earlier intervention for children, young people, and families.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of Mental Health Support Teams in schools in respect to reducing pressure on CAHMS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has reviewed the available evidence and operational learning to assess the impact of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). Early findings from evaluations of trailblazer and pilot sites suggest that MHSTs are supporting earlier identification and more effective management of emerging mental health needs within educational settings. By providing timely intervention, MHSTs can help prevent difficulties from escalating to a level that would otherwise require referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
In addition to this early evidence, an independent evaluation of the MHST programme is currently underway and is due to be published later this year. This evaluation will consider the broader impacts of MHSTs, including their effect on CAMHS.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of Ofcom’s ability to deploy service restriction orders or business disruption measures in cases where companies fail to pay financial penalties issued under the Online Safety Act.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.
Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.
Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that online platforms based overseas comply with Ofcom penalties issued under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.
Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.
Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement powers relating to fines issues to adult websites.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.
Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.
Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish the full methodology for the Carr Hill formula review.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Carr-Hill review has been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and commenced in October 2025. The purpose of the review is to ensure that funding for general practices (GPs) is distributed equitably and is targeted towards areas that need it most. It is drawing on a range of evidence and advice from experts and is giving consideration to a broad range of factors relevant to the delivery of primary care services. The review team has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including partners at The Royal College of General Practitioners, the GP committee of the British Medical Association, the NHS Confederation, as well as international informants from different countries. Members of Parliament were also invited to share any relevant insights and evidence from their constituencies in the Dear Colleague letter sent in November 2025.
The first phase of the review is expected to conclude in March 2026. Subject to ministerial decision, further work would be undertaken to technically develop and model any proposed changes to the formula. Findings from the review, including methodology, will be published in due course by the NIHR, and Members of Parliament will be updated once the review findings are available.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the findings of the Carr Hill formula review to be published.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Carr-Hill review has been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and commenced in October 2025. The purpose of the review is to ensure that funding for general practices (GPs) is distributed equitably and is targeted towards areas that need it most. It is drawing on a range of evidence and advice from experts and is giving consideration to a broad range of factors relevant to the delivery of primary care services. The review team has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including partners at The Royal College of General Practitioners, the GP committee of the British Medical Association, the NHS Confederation, as well as international informants from different countries. Members of Parliament were also invited to share any relevant insights and evidence from their constituencies in the Dear Colleague letter sent in November 2025.
The first phase of the review is expected to conclude in March 2026. Subject to ministerial decision, further work would be undertaken to technically develop and model any proposed changes to the formula. Findings from the review, including methodology, will be published in due course by the NIHR, and Members of Parliament will be updated once the review findings are available.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether GP practices, patient groups, and organisations representing areas of high deprivation will be invited to contribute evidence to the Carr Hill formula review.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Carr-Hill review has been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and commenced in October 2025. The purpose of the review is to ensure that funding for general practices (GPs) is distributed equitably and is targeted towards areas that need it most. It is drawing on a range of evidence and advice from experts and is giving consideration to a broad range of factors relevant to the delivery of primary care services. The review team has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including partners at The Royal College of General Practitioners, the GP committee of the British Medical Association, the NHS Confederation, as well as international informants from different countries. Members of Parliament were also invited to share any relevant insights and evidence from their constituencies in the Dear Colleague letter sent in November 2025.
The first phase of the review is expected to conclude in March 2026. Subject to ministerial decision, further work would be undertaken to technically develop and model any proposed changes to the formula. Findings from the review, including methodology, will be published in due course by the NIHR, and Members of Parliament will be updated once the review findings are available.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which external stakeholders he plans to consult as part of the review of the Carr‑Hill formula.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Carr-Hill review has been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and commenced in October 2025. The purpose of the review is to ensure that funding for general practices (GPs) is distributed equitably and is targeted towards areas that need it most. It is drawing on a range of evidence and advice from experts and is giving consideration to a broad range of factors relevant to the delivery of primary care services. The review team has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including partners at The Royal College of General Practitioners, the GP committee of the British Medical Association, the NHS Confederation, as well as international informants from different countries. Members of Parliament were also invited to share any relevant insights and evidence from their constituencies in the Dear Colleague letter sent in November 2025.
The first phase of the review is expected to conclude in March 2026. Subject to ministerial decision, further work would be undertaken to technically develop and model any proposed changes to the formula. Findings from the review, including methodology, will be published in due course by the NIHR, and Members of Parliament will be updated once the review findings are available.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were registered at each (a) main practice and (b) branch surgery in Calder Valley constituency in (i) July 2025 and (ii) March 2026.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of registered patients at each practice in the Calder Valley constituency on 1 July 2025, and on 1 February 2026, as this is the most recent available data:
Practice code | Practice name | Registered patients, 1 February 2026 | Registered patients, 1 July 2025 |
B84003 | Rydings Hall Surgery | 7,727 | 7,789 |
B84004 | Hebden Bridge Group Practice | 18,577 | 18,592 |
B84006 | Todmorden Group Practice | 16,041 | 16,146 |
B84007 | Brig Royd Surgery | 10,600 | 10,655 |
B84008 | The Northolme Practice | 16,442 | 16,309 |
B84009 | Stainland Road Medical Centre | 11,540 | 11,493 |
B84011 | Church Lane Surgery | 10,984 | 11,032 |
B84014 | Rastrick Health Centre | 5,563 | 5,421 |
B84016 | Bankfield Surgery | 11,356 | 11,394 |
B84623 | Longroyde Surgery | 5,126 | 5,038 |
In addition, the following table shows which practices are branches of main practices within the Calder Valley constituency, excluding COVID vaccination service branches:
Branch code | Branch name | Main practice name |
B84004002 | The Health Centre | Hebden Bridge Group Practice |
B84004003 | Grange Dene Medical Centre | Hebden Bridge Group Practice |
B84016001 | Bankfield Surgery at Rosemount House | Bankfield Surgery |
As patients are registered to main practices, there is no data for the number of patients registered to branch practices.