Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of availability of respite care for unpaid carers of people living with dementia; and what steps he is taking to improve access to those services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role that unpaid carers play in supporting people living with dementia and is committed to ensuring that carers can access appropriate support, including respite services.
Responsibility for commissioning respite services rests with local authorities based on the needs of their local populations. Through the Better Care Fund, integrated care boards and local authorities are encouraged to work together to identify and support unpaid carers, including through the provision of respite and short-break services where appropriate.
The 2026/27 Better Care Fund framework specifically highlights the need for local areas to consider how pooled funding can support carers' assessments and respite provision, with further information available at the following link:
On dementia specifically, we will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, to improve support for people living with dementia and their carers. We are committed to an interim product in September this year and will aim to publish the full framework by the end of this calendar year as recommended by Baroness Casey. People with lived experience, carers, and families will be central to the development of the modern service framework.
The Department is also preparing a cross-Government action plan for unpaid carers, to improve how unpaid carers are recognised, how support is offered, and how they can be helped to reach their full potential and live fulfilling lives.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on reception year pupils of the age based eligibility threshold for the Nursery Milk Scheme; and whether he is taking steps to ensure consistent access to subsidised milk for all children within the same reception class.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursery Milk Scheme is a statutory scheme which allows early years childcare settings to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk per day to children under the age of five who attend a setting for two or more hours per day. Schools can claim reimbursement from the scheme in respect of their pupils aged under five years old.
The School Food Standards provide that milk must be available in schools for those who want it at least once a day during school hours. Separate legislation allows pupils from lower-income families, and who are eligible for free school meals, to continue to receive free milk at school after the age of five years old. The Government is expanding eligibility to free school meals meaning that more children are able to access milk as part of their free meals.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the annual expenditure by the National Institute for Health and Care Research on research workforce development programmes, including fellowships, training awards and capacity-building initiatives, was in each financial year from 2019–20 to 2024–25; and what proportion of that expenditure was allocated to (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease research, where such categorisation is held.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the Department invests in building research expertise and capacity, specialist facilities, and support services to support research across all aspects of human health, including dementia, cancer, stroke and coronary heart disease.
From 2019/20 to 2024/25, total spending on research workforce development programmes was £884.7 million, rising from £117.1 million in 2019/20 to £217.4 million in 2024/25, with annual expenditure of £113.5 million in 2020/21, £129.2 million in 2021/22, £140.8 million in 2022/23, and £166.7 million in 2023/24.
Not all programmes, fellowships, training awards, and awards that do not fund research are routinely coded by disease area, so it is not possible to provide a breakdown of research workforce expenditure across dementia, cancer, stroke, and coronary heart disease. In many cases, individual research workforce activity also spans more than one disease area.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to introduce a stand‑alone clinical rule for suspected bowel cancer, including for patients under 50, to allow timely referral for (a) further investigation and (b) a second opinion at first presentation.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for making decisions on whether its published guidelines should be updated in light of new evidence or emerging issues not in the scope of the original guideline. NICE maintains surveillance of new evidence that may affect its published guidance, and decisions on whether guidelines should be updated are taken by a prioritisation board chaired by its Chief Medical Officer.
NICE has no current plans to update the guidance it has issued on Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, code NG12, or to introduce a standalone clinical rule for suspected bowel cancer, including for patients under 50 years old, to allow timely referral for further investigation and a second opinion at first presentation.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 ensure patients prescribed topical corticosteroids are informed of potential risks, including withdrawal reactions.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Clinicians are expected to work with patients to make decisions about their care and treatment as part of shared decision-making, including discussing risks, benefits, and possible consequences of different options through information-sharing. Further information on shared decision-making can be found on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s website:
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce updated clinical (a) guidance and (b) training for healthcare professionals on the identification and management of Topical Steroid Withdrawal.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Topical corticosteroids are an important and effective treatment for inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema, when used appropriately. It is essential that healthcare professionals are aware of both the benefits and potential risks associated with their use, particularly where treatment is prolonged or involves higher‑potency products.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has taken steps to strengthen awareness of topical corticosteroid safety, including public drug safety updates and clearer product information to highlight the risk of adverse effects, including withdrawal reactions, when use has been prolonged or inappropriate. These measures are intended to support informed discussions between clinicians and patients and safer prescribing practice.
Clinical guidance for healthcare professionals is already in place through National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical knowledge summaries, which set out best practice on the appropriate potency, duration, and frequency of topical corticosteroid use, and emphasise the importance of regular review. Decisions about diagnosis and management, including recognition of adverse reactions, remain clinical matters for individual healthcare professionals, who are expected to apply this guidance alongside their clinical judgement and the patient’s circumstances.
The Department will keep emerging evidence under review and will work with regulators, the National Health Service, and professional bodies to support ongoing education, promote safe use of medicines, and improve awareness of potential adverse effects among clinicians, including general practitioners and dermatologists.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 improve awareness and clinical recognition of Topical Steroid Withdrawal among GPs, dermatologists and other healthcare professionals.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Topical corticosteroids are an important and effective treatment for inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema, when used appropriately. It is essential that healthcare professionals are aware of both the benefits and potential risks associated with their use, particularly where treatment is prolonged or involves higher‑potency products.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has taken steps to strengthen awareness of topical corticosteroid safety, including public drug safety updates and clearer product information to highlight the risk of adverse effects, including withdrawal reactions, when use has been prolonged or inappropriate. These measures are intended to support informed discussions between clinicians and patients and safer prescribing practice.
Clinical guidance for healthcare professionals is already in place through National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical knowledge summaries, which set out best practice on the appropriate potency, duration, and frequency of topical corticosteroid use, and emphasise the importance of regular review. Decisions about diagnosis and management, including recognition of adverse reactions, remain clinical matters for individual healthcare professionals, who are expected to apply this guidance alongside their clinical judgement and the patient’s circumstances.
The Department will keep emerging evidence under review and will work with regulators, the National Health Service, and professional bodies to support ongoing education, promote safe use of medicines, and improve awareness of potential adverse effects among clinicians, including general practitioners and dermatologists.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the UK Health Security Agency has made of the public health risk associated with poliovirus detections in wastewater surveillance systems in the last 12 months.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency, working with the World Health Organization Polio Global Specialised Laboratory and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, conducts routine environmental surveillance for polio in England as part of our commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The purpose of the sewage surveillance is to provide an early warning system of poliovirus importations which may then lead to community transmission. More information on this surveillance system and reports of detections of note can be found at the following link:
In 2025 there were three detections of Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 2 (VDPV2), one in the Shoreham Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and two from the Sheffield Blackburn Meadows STW. In 2026, up to 26 March 2026, there have been two unrelated VDPV2 detections from the London Beckton STW. Evidence strongly suggest that all these detections are due to multiple independent importation events from unidentified sources and there is no evidence of local transmission. Accordingly, the overall risk to the public remains low.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 women's health pathways in providing structured nutritional and metabolic support to women experiencing early endocrine and metabolic symptoms before they meet the thresholds for diabetes prevention programmes and secondary care referral; and what steps he is taking to improve early intervention within those services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a specific assessment. However, the Government is committed to tackling preventable ill health such as type 2 diabetes. Referrals to digital weight management services are offered where appropriate, and lifestyle advice, diet, and weight management are offered to all women with prediabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome.
And, for women who have had diabetes or hypertension in pregnancy, an annual review of blood tests and blood pressure is encouraged to monitor and ensure the earliest interventions, if required.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what level of recurrent funding has been identified by NHS England to fund the recommendations of new treatments considered by NHS England’s next Clinical Priorities Advisory Group Prioritisation meeting in Spring 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is not able to provide the level of recurrent funding identified at this point to support the next Clinical Priorities Advisory Group prioritisation meeting. This would risk disclosing commercially confidential information.