Asked by: Linsey Farnsworth (Labour - Amber Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will publish an economic impact assessment on the potential impact of the 2018 Nutrient Profiling Model within the advertising and promotion regulations, specifically in relation to business investment, reformulation, and product innovation.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, the Government committed to updating the standards behind the restrictions on advertising ‘less healthy’ food or drink products on television before 9:00pm and online at any time, as well as the restrictions on the promotion of ‘less healthy’ food and drink products by location and volume price by applying the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).
The advertising and promotions restrictions currently rely on the outdated NPM 2004/05. The new NPM has been updated in line with the latest dietary advice from the United Kingdom’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, particularly in relation to free sugar and fibre. Applying it to the restrictions will strengthen these policies by bringing more products of concern for children’s health into scope.
The Government published the new NPM on 27 January. Application of the new NPM to the advertising and promotions restrictions would be subject to a full public consultation. A consultation-stage impact assessment of the direct costs to businesses and intended health outcomes would be published alongside. A final impact assessment would be published prior to amending the advertising and promotions restrictions legislation.
Asked by: Linsey Farnsworth (Labour - Amber Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to allow self-funded Pre-implantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy as an add-on to NHS-funded IVF treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Commissioning decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September 2025.
Asked by: Linsey Farnsworth (Labour - Amber Valley)
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 ensure that contract negotiations take into account variations in unit prices between dentistry practices (a) across England and (b) that are geographically close to one another; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of such variations on recruitment of dentists.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of their local populations and to determine the priorities for investment.
Differential Unit of Dental Activity (UDA) rates allow providers to use differing pay rates to reflect the local market rates. From April 2024 a new minimum UDA value of £28 was set to support practices with historically low UDA rates. ICBs can also influence the UDA rate locally, which may help to support local interventions.