Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of sand battery thermal energy storage technology; and what funding programmes are available to support pilot and commercial deployment of that technology in the UK.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department technical experts assess the potential of different energy technologies to understand their merits. There are two forms of thermal energy technology with different merits, using either “real” heat where a material is heated without a phase change, and “latent” heat where a material is melted using heat. Sand battery thermal energy storage is an example of the former technology and frequently is combined with other electricity storage technologies such as compressed air to increase efficiencies. To support development of all types of storage, the UK government and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) launched the £28 million Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage (Ultra-LDES) Challenge on August 20th.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether 999 call handlers and members of the Ambulance service will have access to the Single Patient Record to help them respond effectively to callers with life-threatening rare diseases, such as Addison's Disease.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Yes, they will. On my recent visit to the London Ambulance Service, which already uses the London Care Record to share information securely amongst providers across London, I spoke about the benefits that the Single Patient Record would bring about for their work in future, saying:
“When someone calls for an ambulance, every minute matters. During my visit today, I saw first-hand how important access to patient information can be in an emergency. Having details such as a patient’s medical history, medications and urgent care plans can make a real difference when time is precious. The Single Patient Record will help ensure frontline clinicians have the information they need when it matters most. And that means being able to deliver safer, more informed and more personalised care from the moment they arrive.”
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on updating refugee family reunion provisions, including expected timescales for implementation following the suspension of previous refugee family reunion routes.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government recognises the importance of family unity and acknowledges that people who seek protection in the UK may have been separated from their families by conflict, persecution or circumstances beyond their control.
Our reforms to the asylum system, announced last autumn, mean that those granted protection will not have an automatic right to family reunion. Those who successfully move off Core Protection and enter a Work and Study visa route could become eligible to sponsor family members to come to the UK.
Our new approach will strike a fair balance between the circumstances of individual families and the wider public interest. It will be flexible enough to protect the most vulnerable while ensuring the system remains controlled and sustainable. Detailed future arrangements for family members of people with protection status remain under development.
Applications made under Appendix Family Reunion before the suspension continue to be considered under the rules in place at the time they applied.
During the suspension, other family routes, including Appendix FM, are available for family members of sponsors with protection, if they consider they meet the relevant immigration rules. More information on family visas can be found on GOV.UK at: Family visas: apply, extend or switch: Overview - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 adequacy of the number of specialist training spaces required to address the low number of Consultant Neurologists in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Regarding specialty training places, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 23516.
Alongside this, NHS England has introduced several measures to improve care for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), including the Neurology Transformation Programme to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with MS. This programme has developed a national data dashboard for integrated care systems to monitor delivery of MS care, including disease-modifying therapies. NHS England has also developed guidance for systems on improving access to disease-modifying treatments closer to home.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 impact of the shortage of Consultant Neurologists on patient access to consistent and timely Multiple Sclerosis care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Regarding specialty training places, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 23516.
Alongside this, NHS England has introduced several measures to improve care for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), including the Neurology Transformation Programme to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with MS. This programme has developed a national data dashboard for integrated care systems to monitor delivery of MS care, including disease-modifying therapies. NHS England has also developed guidance for systems on improving access to disease-modifying treatments closer to home.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 working with local NHS partners to explore the potential for a pilot involving appropriately qualified community-based professionals to support postnatal physical activity and pelvic-health education, with outcomes evaluated to inform future policy.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Perinatal Pelvic Health Services (PPHS) support the prevention, identification, and treatment of pelvic health problems during pregnancy and for at least one year after birth. As of September 2026, PPHS are available in 34 of 36 integrated care board areas, with NHS England working with the remaining areas to achieve full national coverage. NHS England’s service specification sets standards for care, including providing women with information on pelvic health, potential problems, and how to access support during pregnancy and after birth. It also requires specialist-led training for maternity, primary care, and other relevant professionals.
NHS England’s postnatal toolkit promotes early identification and referral for women who need additional support, including access to specialist pelvic health services. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines recommend that postnatal women undertake regular physical activity and begin pelvic floor exercises when able, while the routine six to eight week postnatal general practice check provides an opportunity to discuss recovery, pelvic health, and mental health, with referral to specialist services where appropriate. Through the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government is also supporting integrated models of care that bring together maternity, gynaecology, primary care, pelvic health, health visiting, and perinatal mental health services to improve long-term outcomes for women.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 integrate postnatal physical health, pelvic health and mental health within its wider preventative approach to women's health.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Perinatal Pelvic Health Services (PPHS) support the prevention, identification, and treatment of pelvic health problems during pregnancy and for at least one year after birth. As of September 2026, PPHS are available in 34 of 36 integrated care board areas, with NHS England working with the remaining areas to achieve full national coverage. NHS England’s service specification sets standards for care, including providing women with information on pelvic health, potential problems, and how to access support during pregnancy and after birth. It also requires specialist-led training for maternity, primary care, and other relevant professionals.
NHS England’s postnatal toolkit promotes early identification and referral for women who need additional support, including access to specialist pelvic health services. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines recommend that postnatal women undertake regular physical activity and begin pelvic floor exercises when able, while the routine six to eight week postnatal general practice check provides an opportunity to discuss recovery, pelvic health, and mental health, with referral to specialist services where appropriate. Through the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government is also supporting integrated models of care that bring together maternity, gynaecology, primary care, pelvic health, health visiting, and perinatal mental health services to improve long-term outcomes for women.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training and guidance her Department provides to (a) GPs, (b) midwives and (c) other maternity professionals on postnatal pelvic health and supporting women to return safely to physical activity.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Perinatal Pelvic Health Services (PPHS) support the prevention, identification, and treatment of pelvic health problems during pregnancy and for at least one year after birth. As of September 2026, PPHS are available in 34 of 36 integrated care board areas, with NHS England working with the remaining areas to achieve full national coverage. NHS England’s service specification sets standards for care, including providing women with information on pelvic health, potential problems, and how to access support during pregnancy and after birth. It also requires specialist-led training for maternity, primary care, and other relevant professionals.
NHS England’s postnatal toolkit promotes early identification and referral for women who need additional support, including access to specialist pelvic health services. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines recommend that postnatal women undertake regular physical activity and begin pelvic floor exercises when able, while the routine six to eight week postnatal general practice check provides an opportunity to discuss recovery, pelvic health, and mental health, with referral to specialist services where appropriate. Through the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government is also supporting integrated models of care that bring together maternity, gynaecology, primary care, pelvic health, health visiting, and perinatal mental health services to improve long-term outcomes for women.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 that women receive consistent, evidence-based advice on (a) physical activity, (b) physical recovery and (c) returning safely to exercise as part of postnatal care.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Perinatal Pelvic Health Services (PPHS) support the prevention, identification, and treatment of pelvic health problems during pregnancy and for at least one year after birth. As of September 2026, PPHS are available in 34 of 36 integrated care board areas, with NHS England working with the remaining areas to achieve full national coverage. NHS England’s service specification sets standards for care, including providing women with information on pelvic health, potential problems, and how to access support during pregnancy and after birth. It also requires specialist-led training for maternity, primary care, and other relevant professionals.
NHS England’s postnatal toolkit promotes early identification and referral for women who need additional support, including access to specialist pelvic health services. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines recommend that postnatal women undertake regular physical activity and begin pelvic floor exercises when able, while the routine six to eight week postnatal general practice check provides an opportunity to discuss recovery, pelvic health, and mental health, with referral to specialist services where appropriate. Through the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government is also supporting integrated models of care that bring together maternity, gynaecology, primary care, pelvic health, health visiting, and perinatal mental health services to improve long-term outcomes for women.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 that (a) women are routinely asked about pelvic health during pregnancy and after childbirth and (b) that those experiencing problems are aware of the support available to them.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Perinatal Pelvic Health Services (PPHS) support the prevention, identification, and treatment of pelvic health problems during pregnancy and for at least one year after birth. As of September 2026, PPHS are available in 34 of 36 integrated care board areas, with NHS England working with the remaining areas to achieve full national coverage. NHS England’s service specification sets standards for care, including providing women with information on pelvic health, potential problems, and how to access support during pregnancy and after birth. It also requires specialist-led training for maternity, primary care, and other relevant professionals.
NHS England’s postnatal toolkit promotes early identification and referral for women who need additional support, including access to specialist pelvic health services. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines recommend that postnatal women undertake regular physical activity and begin pelvic floor exercises when able, while the routine six to eight week postnatal general practice check provides an opportunity to discuss recovery, pelvic health, and mental health, with referral to specialist services where appropriate. Through the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government is also supporting integrated models of care that bring together maternity, gynaecology, primary care, pelvic health, health visiting, and perinatal mental health services to improve long-term outcomes for women.