Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 support research into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome; and what steps he is taking to improve training for NHS healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of that condition.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public, and the NIHR also funds global health research.
The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including mast cell activation syndrome. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
NHS England Specialised Commissioning has published a Service Specification for Specialist Allergy Services, which covers the responsibilities of specialised commissioned providers with regard to patients with mastocytosis and related disorders. This includes the expectation for specialist allergy services to be provided by multidisciplinary teams, led by physicians with evidence of training and/or experience in the practice of allergy or immunology. Further information is available at the following link:
The management of service users with mastocytosis is provided by specialised allergy/immunology, dermatology, and haematology services. The lead clinician will vary at different centres, but specialist allergy input should be readily available.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 potential impact of parking fines on care workers providing in-home services; and if he will issue further (a) guidance and (b) introduce measures to support care workers who are required to park in close proximity to patients’ homes while carrying out their duties.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the impact of parking fines on care workers providing in‑home services.
Parking policy is devolved to local authorities, which already have the discretion to offer exemptions or dedicated permit schemes for health and social care workers where appropriate. At present, local authorities remain best placed to determine appropriate support and parking arrangements, taking account of local conditions and existing pressures.
We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care. The Fair Pay Agreement will bring together employers, worker representatives, and other to negotiate play and terms and conditions for the sector. This is intended to improve pay, support recruitment, and retention.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards in South East England on the suspension of funding for septoplasty, turbinate surgery and functional septorhinoplasty.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning National Health Services for their local populations and for deciding which treatments are routinely offered, based on clinical evidence, local need, and available resources. Decisions about individual services are taken locally, and the Department does not routinely intervene in these commissioning decisions.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport on their priorities for the 2026 UK-EU summit.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office Ministers and officials have regular and ongoing discussions with counterparts across the Department for Transport regarding a wide range of policy issues, including preparations for the upcoming 2026 UK-EU summit. These discussions are facilitated through established Cabinet Committee structures.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of teachers made redundant while on maternity leave in the last five years; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that school funding arrangements enable schools to retain experienced teachers and support flexible working for staff with caring responsibilities.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Pregnant women and new mothers have enhanced protections against redundancy dismissals, which cover the pregnancy period, the time spent on maternity leave, and a return-to-work period. The protections give those employees priority for being offered suitable and alternative roles if any are available and place them ahead of other employees who are also at risk of redundancy.
The government will put in place legislation that makes it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave and for at least six months after they return to work, except in specific circumstances. This starts with the Employment Rights Act, with regulations to follow. We intend for the measure to come into force in 2027.
As announced in the Schools White Paper, we will fund schools to improve maternity pay, doubling the period of full pay from the current offer of four weeks to eight weeks for school teachers and leaders.
Additionally, building on the success of the current Flexible Working Ambassador Programme, as announced in the Schools White Paper, the government is investing in a new teacher retention programme from Autumn 2026. The programme will support schools to promote flexible working which will help schools to better support staff with caring responsibilities.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Eastleigh constituency compared with national averages.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Eastleigh and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:
Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence | 2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025) | 2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025) |
Eastleigh | 1,170 | 935 |
England | 612,855 | 511,558 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England
Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Eastleigh can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 access to (a) treatment and (b) support services for people with musculoskeletal conditions.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of access to treatment and support services for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.
To improve access to treatment for those with MSK conditions, we are working to deliver the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to further reduce MSK community waiting lists, which are the highest of all community waiting lists in England, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services.
The 10-Year Health Plan will also support people including those with MSK conditions to better manage their condition and access services and support through the three health shifts.
For example, as part of a major transformation of the National Health Service under the 10-Year Health Plan, patients with MSK conditions will also soon be able to bypass their general practices (GPs) and directly access community services, including physiotherapy, pain management, and orthopaedics, in the NHS App. The landmark change will deliver faster treatment for the flare up of existing conditions including arthritis, backpain, and joint pain, while enabling GPs to focus on more complex cases, reducing pressure on hospitals, and freeing up GPs.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 support children and young people with arthritis.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to supporting children and young people with arthritis to ensure they get timely, quality care.
Services for children with suspected arthritis are commissioned in line with the national service specification for paediatric rheumatology services.
The national service specification helps to reduce waiting times for diagnosis by mandating clear referral pathways and rapid access to specialist paediatric rheumatology teams. It sets national standards requiring timely triage of suspected cases, prioritisation of urgent referrals, and availability of multidisciplinary expertise for early assessment. The specification ensures consistency across regions, minimises delays caused by local variation, and supports faster initiation of diagnostic tests and treatment planning.
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Paediatric Rheumatology programme is aimed at improving care for children and young people with inflammatory, autoimmune, and rheumatic conditions. Led by specialists, it uses data-driven, "deep-dive" peer reviews of all National Health Service trusts to reduce unwarranted variations, improve transition services, and standardise best practice.
Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitments to expand community diagnostic centres for quicker access to tests, introduce digital tools to support early symptom monitoring and triage, and improve the integration between primary care and specialist services will further streamline referral pathways and ensure children receive timely assessment and treatment.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will take steps to help support private gym and health facilities facing rising operating costs.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises pressures from rising operating costs on small businesses, including private gyms and health facilities. From April 2026, we are introducing permanently lower business‑rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million a year and benefiting over 750,000 premises.
We remain committed to supporting businesses across the economy by reducing the administrative burden of regulation by £5.6 billion this Parliament and providing a £4.3 billion package to protect ratepayers from increases in business rates bills.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of regulatory protections against occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica; whether he plans to review workplace exposure limits and enforcement arrangements in high-risk sectors including construction, stone working and manufacturing; what guidance has been issued to the Health and Safety Executive on inspections of workplaces where engineered stone or other high-silica materials are processed; what arrangements are in place to monitor the respiratory health of workers in occupations with elevated exposure risks; what support is available through Government schemes for workers diagnosed with silicosis linked to workplace exposure; and what further steps he will take to restrict or regulate engineered stone products with high crystalline silica content.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Great Britain has a well-established regulatory framework under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH) that requires employers to control exposure to substances that can cause ill health, such as respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Under this framework the risk of exposure to RCS can be properly managed using recognised control measures meeting well established standards. This framework also requires the effectiveness of controls to be maintained and workers trained to use such controls. Employers must also ensure that employees who are, or are liable to be, exposed to RCS are under suitable health surveillance.
The current workplace exposure limit (WEL) for RCS has been in place in Great Britain since 1st October 2006. It provides a long-term exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m3. In 2020, the EU adopted the same limit as Great Britain. COSHH also requires that, regardless of any limit set for RCS, dutyholders must continuously strive to control exposure in line with the principles of good practice, as defined in Schedule 2A of the regulations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no plans to review the WEL for RCS.
HSE is taking a multi-phase approach to address the risk of silicosis from working with engineered stone. This includes inspection and enforcement activity combined with targeted research, the publication of guidance, and engagement with suppliers, trade associations, and other representative bodies. HSE inspectors make proportionate enforcement decisions that can include provision of advice, service of enforcement notices and prosecution, in line with HSE’s Enforcement Policy Statement and Enforcement Management Model.
In January 2025, HSE published guidance for installers of stone worktops and anyone who cuts or works with stone, outlining the steps necessary to control exposure risks. This guidance emphasises the importance of competent, trained staff and safe processes. Multi-lingual guidance has also been published for workers exposed to RCS. (https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/artificial-stone/).
The COSHH regulations require employers to ensure that employees who are, or are liable to be, exposed to RCS are under suitable health surveillance. The current health surveillance guidance states that if there is a risk of developing conditions, such as accelerated silicosis, the timing and performance of health surveillance should be adapted with suitable timescales if there is history of significant over-exposure to RCS.
HSE has not proposed restriction on the use of engineered stone as silica is a naturally occurring material and natural stone can have similar RCS content to engineered stone, as such restricting the use of engineered stone does not remove the risk to stoneworkers. HSE has undertaken research to investigate the use of lower silica products and is confident that lower silica products are as useable as high silica content products and pose a lower risk for workers. The range of lower silica products on the market has continued to increase and the take up of these low alternatives is growing reinforced by the wider sharing and promotion of HSE ’s research results and regulatory expectations for exposure control with trade associations, suppliers and employers.
People diagnosed with silicosis may be eligible to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB). Silicosis is recognised as an industrial disease, and the level of benefit awarded is based on an assessment of the individual's degree of disablement by an independent medical professional. In some cases, additional allowances may also be available depending on individual circumstances.
Where the entitlement criteria are met, individuals may also be eligible for a lump‑sum payment under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979, which provides further financial support for people with certain dust‑related diseases, including silicosis.