Luke Charters

The Equality Act 2010 provides strong protection by prohibiting direct and indirect discrimination by an employer against a disabled employee because of disability. The Act also prohibits harassment of an employee by their employer for reasons related to their disability.

The 2010 Act additionally places a reasonable adjustment duty on employers that could be relevant, for example, to how duties are allocated or to how a promotion exercise is conducted. For example, ensuring internal job application forms are accessible to visually impaired employees and job interviews are accessible to the deaf or hard of hearing.

Although bullying is not expressly prohibited in legislation, this unacceptable behaviour can manifest as unlawful harassment. Additionally, employees are protected from constructive dismissal in the employment rights legislation, where bullying can feature in the lead up to dismissal.

Where disabled employees, as defined under the 2010 Act, feel that they have been unfairly treated, they may discuss their concerns with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), which provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website (http://www.acas.org.uk) and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. Acas also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve/settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

I work closely with other government departments, including the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, to support the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) mission to tackle fraud. My department will continue to support this mission through our superintendence of the SFO. I visited the SFO earlier this month to learn about their important work to deliver justice for victims of economic crime and protect the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business.

The SFO works effectively with other law enforcement agencies through the National Economic Crime Centre to collectively co-ordinate the UK’s response to fraud. Earlier this year this co-ordination led to the National Crime Agency arresting four individuals following an SFO search of three sites in relation to an investigation into an alleged £140m investment fraud.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces a range of reforms to make it easier for SMEs to access public sector supply-chains, and we will be ensuring that the powers in the Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities. A new duty will require contracting authorities to have regard to the particular barriers facing SMEs, and to consider what can be done to overcome them. 30 day payment terms will apply throughout the public sector supply chain, regardless of whether they are written into the contract.

Government must lead by example and pay their suppliers on time. The most recent published payment data for the Cabinet Office shows 97% of all invoices were paid within 30 days, and 88% of all invoices were paid within 5 days. Further, all bidders for large government contracts must demonstrate prompt payment to their suppliers within an average of 55 days, regardless of whether it’s in a public supply chain or not, or risk being excluded from the procurement.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces a range of reforms to make it easier for SMEs to access public sector supply-chains, and we will be ensuring that the powers in the Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities. A new duty will require contracting authorities to have regard to the particular barriers facing SMEs, and to consider what can be done to overcome them. 30 day payment terms will apply throughout the public sector supply chain, regardless of whether they are written into the contract.

Government must lead by example and pay their suppliers on time. The most recent published payment data for the Cabinet Office shows 97% of all invoices were paid within 30 days, and 88% of all invoices were paid within 5 days. Further, all bidders for large government contracts must demonstrate prompt payment to their suppliers within an average of 55 days, regardless of whether it’s in a public supply chain or not, or risk being excluded from the procurement.

The Government is investing £540 million over 30 years in the York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s local economic priorities, including business support. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is also providing support to York businesses.

For small businesses across the country, we will deliver on commitments to boost exports, improve access to finance, stamp out late payment practices and open up competition for public procurement contracts. The department also provides extensive support through Help to Grow Management, the Business Support Service and network of Growth Hubs.

As at March 2024, £1.51 billion has been paid out on the government guarantee on BBLS loans where there was lender reported suspected fraud, and £19.8 million has been paid out on the government guarantee on CBILS loans where there was lender reported suspected fraud.

We are committed to reducing loss to the taxpayer and continue to work across Government, law enforcement and commercial lenders to address fraud in relation to the Covid debt schemes.

Lender recovery activity is monitored via the British Business Bank (BBB) which includes data analytics, review of facilities under the Guarantee Agreement, and an ongoing assurance programme. If lenders have not fulfilled their obligations under the scheme guarantee, they would be unable to claim under the guarantee and any loss would therefore sit with the lender. The National Investigation Service (NATIS) is a secondary line of defence in recovering taxpayers’ money and investigates the most egregious reports of fraudulent abuse within the BBLS. Other recovery efforts include the work of the Insolvency Service and work with lenders to pilot greater use of third-party debt collection specialists, compulsory liquidation for recovery and enforcement in fraud cases.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have a key role in cost-effectively decarbonising the power sector by 2030. They help to balance the electricity system at lower cost by maximising the output from intermittent low carbon generation (such as solar and wind) and minimising both network upgrades and the need for new infrastructure.

The Department’s analysis indicates that short-duration flexibility offered by technologies including battery storage, could support up to 24,000 jobs (1) and reduce energy system costs by up to £10bn per year by 2050 (2) through minimising the need for new peaking generation and network assets.

[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5dc589f8e5274a4f497bc49f/energy-innovation-needs-assessment-smart-systems.pdf

[2] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f57aade90e0764cd98a0a3/smart-systems-appendix-i-electricity-system-flexibility-modelling.pdf

The Government is committed to expanding the electricity network to support the Clean Energy Superpower mission and is working closely with Ofgem and industry to mobilise the required investment at the scale and pace required.

Price controls set by Ofgem ensure network companies are investing in infrastructure build, as well as smart management of network assets, to ensure the network has sufficient capacity . This includes accommodating increasing numbers of households adopting electric heating, solar generation and EV charging, both through future standards for new build properties and retrofit of the existing housing stock.

The Chancellor committed to Government updating relevant National Policy Statements (NPSs) for infrastructure within 12-months and this includes reviewing the energy NPSs.

This Government recognises that batteries have a key role to play in decarbonising the power sector by 2030 through balancing the electricity system and facilitating the integration of renewable power. Batteries above 50MW formerly fell under the regime but this was not found to expedite planning decisions. The policy will be kept under review.

The Government has dual ambitions of delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament and achieving clean power by 2030. These objectives are not mutually exclusive, and with good planning and smart design we can build the high quality, low carbon homes we need.

Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. The department will continue to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on this matter.

On 23rd September the Secretary of State announced the Warm Homes: Local Grant which will provide energy performance measures and low carbon heating to low-income households in England. The scheme will allocate funding to local authorities following the outcome of an expression of interest, opening in October.

The Government also launched the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, which replaces the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Eligible social housing landlords can apply as of 30th September 2024.

Local Authorities within the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will be receiving an allocation of funding for these national schemes as part of our commitment to the pilots announced in the trailblazer devolution deals.

The Retrofit Insight Support and Expertise (RISE) web service provides free support to help local authorities deliver these retrofit programmes.

The DSIT Secretary of State is committed to enabling the public sector to better adopt AI safely. DSIT is working closely with Departments, including DHSC, to support this in their areas of responsibility. For example, through the £21m AI Diagnostics fund, DHSC is supporting the deployment of technologies in key, high-demand areas such as chest X-Ray and chest CT scans to enable faster diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in over half of acute trusts in England. The Secretary of State has also asked Matt Clifford to draft an AI Action Plan to grow the AI sector and ensure AI can be deployed across the economy to improve people’s lives.

The Online Safety Act (OSA) will be the Governments key tool in combatting online mis- and disinformation. It sets out a clear regulatory framework that will tackle both mis- and disinformation where it constitutes illegal content or harmful content to children.

In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy to increase society’s resilience to mis- and disinformation.

Officials also regularly meet with major platforms, about disinformation activity, emerging risks and platforms’ responses.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the next few months, we will be ensuring that AI is used to drive the government’s missions and priorities, including the Industrial Strategy, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and wider commitments.

As the centre for digital government, DSIT works closely with other departments to ensure Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving economic growth, transforming how we deliver public services, and boosting living standards.

Last week, we launched AI Opportunities Action Plan, which will set out how the UK can reap the benefits of AI. We know this will require a whole-of-government approach, so we are working across departments to ensure the Government’s missions and priorities benefit from this transformative technology.

We have also committed to introducing regulation, are collaborating with departments on the details of these proposals, before legislation is brought forward.

As we live in a world that is dependent on interconnected systems, it is essential to be prepared for global IT outages. The Government will work with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to review the lessons learned from the recent outage. The Central Digital and Data Office will work to implement any improvements to the existing response plans to cover technical and cyber resilience failures. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, announced in the King's Speech, will also strengthen our defences and ensure that more digital services than ever before are protected.

The Government is acutely aware of the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk. We will provide further updates to the House soon.

The Gambling Commission is responsible for the implementation of a number of the regulatory reforms set out in the white paper, such as introducing new regulations to make online games safer, and financial vulnerability checks aimed at reducing cases of unaffordable losses. It has consulted on and implemented the majority of these reforms.

The Government is clear that fans should be kept at the heart of live events, and we are concerned to see vastly inflated prices excluding many ordinary fans from having the opportunity to enjoy their favourite musicians.

We have committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, and we will launch a consultation in the autumn to seek views on potential options. Alongside the consultation we will publish a call for evidence on price transparency for live events tickets which will include dynamic pricing.

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have special educational needs that require an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Under the EHC needs assessment process, local authorities must seek information and advice from a range of partners, including the child or young person and their parents, their school or college (if any), relevant health and social care partners, an educational psychologist and any other relevant professionals.

Local authority special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) caseworkers are a key part of the SEND system, co-ordinating the assessment process to develop EHC plans and working closely with families, schools and other professionals to support children and young people with SEND.

In March 2024, the department funded a short-term project to train local authority caseworkers, reaching around 260 attendees. The training was aimed at improving understanding of SEND legislation to support more effective decision-making and was delivered by the Independent Provider of Special Education and Condition Data Collection.  We are currently considering options for future support for this workforce.

In addition, we recognise the critical role of professionals such as educational psychologists within the SEND system, including their statutory contribution to EHC needs assessments.

To support this, we are investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, which builds on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in September 2023.

As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments. Trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. This requirement will increase from two to three years for those trainees beginning their course in September 2024.

This is to support local authority services to recruit and retain their educational psychology workforce, benefiting from the public investment in their training, and supporting the delivery of statutory assessments and wider work.

The department knows that children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances, and we recognise the importance of the early identification of needs to ensure the right support is put in place as early as possible to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and emerging special educational needs can get the best start in life.

The department is working as quickly as possible to ensure every child has the best chance in life, by prioritising early intervention and inclusive provision in mainstream settings.

The department knows that early intervention prevents unmet needs from escalating, and that it supports children and young people to achieve their goals alongside their peers. That is why we are currently funding three specific early intervention programmes:

• The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme.
• The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme.
• The Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pathfinders.

The PINS programme deploys specialists from both health and education workforces to strengthen training and resources for school staff to identify and meet the needs of neurodiverse children. It will upskill around 1,600 (10%) mainstream primary schools by March 2025.

11,100 schools are registered for the NELI programme, which has improved the speech and language skills of an estimated 211,700 children aged 4 to 5 between September 2020 and July 2024.

Over 640,000 primary school children have been screened to identify those with language development difficulties.

Evaluation of NELI shows the programme improved the development of oral language skills by 4 months’ progress for pupils receiving the intervention. Children eligible for free school meals (FSM) made 7 months additional progress compared to children eligible for FSM that did not receive the intervention.

In partnership with NHS England, we are funding the ELSEC pathfinders within our SEND and alternative provision Change Programme.

When a child is aged between two and three, educators must review their progress and provide parents and / or carers with a short, written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas, known as the EYFS progress check at age 2. It highlights areas in which a child is progressing well, where additional support might be needed and describes the strategies the educator intends to adopt to address any concerns.

The progress check at age two and the Healthy Child Programme review both offer opportunities to identify additional needs for children aged two to three and to work in partnership with parents or carers and relevant professionals.

This is funding nine joint Integrated Care Boards and local area partnerships within each of our Change Programme Partnerships to trial new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools, utilising pre-qualification Therapy Support Assistants. The interim report is due in February 2025, but areas like Barnet have already supported over 1000 children through their ELSEC universal and targeted offer.

The increase in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal appeals for the last academic year reflects, in part, the increase in the number of children and young people with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 576,000 had an EHC plan as of January 2024, up 11.3% from 2023.

Although most EHC plans and assessments are concluded without a tribunal hearing, the department recognises that dissatisfaction with the SEND system continues to grow and that too many parents and carers struggle to get their children the support they need and deserve. The department also knows that the tribunal can be costly for both families and local authorities, but we do not collect any data centrally.

The department understands the urgency and the need to drive improvements but also are mindful that there are no quick fixes and want to take a considered approach to deliver sustainable system reform. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reform, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children, and families, as we consider next steps.

The department has published independently commissioned insight that suggests if the system was extensively improved, using early intervention and better resourcing of mainstream schools, it could lead to tens of thousands more children and young people having their needs met without the need to go through a long and stressful EHC plan and appeals process.

We continue to work with HM Courts and Tribunal Service, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the judiciary to understand the reasons for high appeal rates and to improve the efficiency of the SEND tribunal. The MoJ has recently recruited and trained 50 new tribunal judges who are now conducting appeal hearings, along with increasing funding for extra staff to process appeals. In an effort to settle appeals more quickly, they have also expanded their use of judicial case management powers and are continually developing ways to increase the speed of disposal. The Tribunal Procedure Committee have also just closed a consultation on a rule change to allow more appeals to be heard on paper, without the need for a full oral hearing.

The department is exploring what more we can do to support local authorities to improve their decision-making, particularly those with high appeal rates. As a first step, last year we jointly delivered eight training sessions on SEND and the law for local authority SEND caseworkers with the Independent Provider of Special Educational Advice and the Council for Disabled Children.

The increase in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal appeals for the last academic year reflects, in part, the increase in the number of children and young people with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 576,000 had an EHC plan as of January 2024, up 11.3% from 2023.

Although most EHC plans and assessments are concluded without a tribunal hearing, the department recognises that dissatisfaction with the SEND system continues to grow and that too many parents and carers struggle to get their children the support they need and deserve. The department also knows that the tribunal can be costly for both families and local authorities, but we do not collect any data centrally.

The department understands the urgency and the need to drive improvements but also are mindful that there are no quick fixes and want to take a considered approach to deliver sustainable system reform. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reform, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children, and families, as we consider next steps.

The department has published independently commissioned insight that suggests if the system was extensively improved, using early intervention and better resourcing of mainstream schools, it could lead to tens of thousands more children and young people having their needs met without the need to go through a long and stressful EHC plan and appeals process.

We continue to work with HM Courts and Tribunal Service, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the judiciary to understand the reasons for high appeal rates and to improve the efficiency of the SEND tribunal. The MoJ has recently recruited and trained 50 new tribunal judges who are now conducting appeal hearings, along with increasing funding for extra staff to process appeals. In an effort to settle appeals more quickly, they have also expanded their use of judicial case management powers and are continually developing ways to increase the speed of disposal. The Tribunal Procedure Committee have also just closed a consultation on a rule change to allow more appeals to be heard on paper, without the need for a full oral hearing.

The department is exploring what more we can do to support local authorities to improve their decision-making, particularly those with high appeal rates. As a first step, last year we jointly delivered eight training sessions on SEND and the law for local authority SEND caseworkers with the Independent Provider of Special Educational Advice and the Council for Disabled Children.

The increase in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal appeals for the last academic year reflects, in part, the increase in the number of children and young people with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 576,000 had an EHC plan as of January 2024, up 11.3% from 2023.

Although most EHC plans and assessments are concluded without a tribunal hearing, the department recognises that dissatisfaction with the SEND system continues to grow and that too many parents and carers struggle to get their children the support they need and deserve. The department also knows that the tribunal can be costly for both families and local authorities, but we do not collect any data centrally.

The department understands the urgency and the need to drive improvements but also are mindful that there are no quick fixes and want to take a considered approach to deliver sustainable system reform. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reform, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children, and families, as we consider next steps.

The department has published independently commissioned insight that suggests if the system was extensively improved, using early intervention and better resourcing of mainstream schools, it could lead to tens of thousands more children and young people having their needs met without the need to go through a long and stressful EHC plan and appeals process.

We continue to work with HM Courts and Tribunal Service, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the judiciary to understand the reasons for high appeal rates and to improve the efficiency of the SEND tribunal. The MoJ has recently recruited and trained 50 new tribunal judges who are now conducting appeal hearings, along with increasing funding for extra staff to process appeals. In an effort to settle appeals more quickly, they have also expanded their use of judicial case management powers and are continually developing ways to increase the speed of disposal. The Tribunal Procedure Committee have also just closed a consultation on a rule change to allow more appeals to be heard on paper, without the need for a full oral hearing.

The department is exploring what more we can do to support local authorities to improve their decision-making, particularly those with high appeal rates. As a first step, last year we jointly delivered eight training sessions on SEND and the law for local authority SEND caseworkers with the Independent Provider of Special Educational Advice and the Council for Disabled Children.

The new Government are fully committed to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.

Government will restore stability and confidence amongst farmers and will optimise schemes and grants in an orderly way, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, food security and nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way.

The best way to do this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. The Government is doing this as well as assessing data and information about what’s working and what isn’t before setting out detailed plans.

Government will also go further by introducing a new deal for farmers to boost Britian’s food security, restore nature and support rural economic growth. We will protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals, make the supply chain work more fairly, protect farmers from shock rises in bills by switching on GB Energy and use the Government’s purchasing power to back British produce.

I have asked my officials to explore the feasibility of a range of technology options to improve passenger connectivity on the rail network. This will include assessing the economic benefits of improving internet connectivity.

The Department is also measuring the strength of mobile signals along the rail network to fully understand where interventions are needed.

Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, Since the de-regulation of buses in England, passenger numbers have declined, and the government is committed to delivering better bus services and growing passenger numbers.

As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs to the communities who rely on them and encourage passengers back onto buses right across England. The Department will work closely with local leaders and bus operators to deliver on these ambitions.

The Child Maintenance Service operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in.

Child Maintenance legislation ensures that paying parents employed by the Armed Forces, at home and abroad, are still required to contribute towards their children.

Where a Paying Parent is not paying or is inconsistent with their payments, Deduction from Earnings Orders (DEO) can be applied as a method of payment, where the Child Maintenance Service deducts maintenance directly from the Paying Parent’s wages. Deduction from Earnings Requests are similar to a Deduction from Earnings Order but used for Paying Parents who are serving members of the Armed Forces.

The Child Maintenance Service can request a deduction to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), but unlike civilian employers they cannot order or enforce payment. MOD policy aims to comply with requests; however if the Paying Parent is committed to operational duties MOD may suspend the collection of debt for a limited period.

The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.

From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.

Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.

We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

This recommendation concerns extending Bereavement Support Payment to 6 years or until completion of secondary education for the youngest child, from its current duration of 18 months. However, BSP is not a cost-of-living benefit but is intended to help with the immediate costs of bereavement. Where longer-term income support is needed, individuals can look to benefits such as Universal Credit, which have been specifically designed to provide ongoing assistance with living costs. Whilst we welcome the report, we have no current plans to change the duration of bereavement support payment.

The Department has continued to work hard with industry and NHS England to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. As a result of intensive work, some issues have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.

We are continuing to work to resolve medicine supply issues, where they remain, for some strengths of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We are engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term.

In parallel, the Department has worked with specialist clinicians, including those within the National Health Service, to develop management advice for NHS clinicians to consider prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged release tablets or available alternative ADHD medicines. We would expect ADHD service providers and specialists to follow our guidance, which includes offering rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice or opinions for the management of patients, including those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.

The Department is also continuing to engage with suppliers of Creon and other pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERT) to boost production to mitigate the supply issue. The supplier of Creon expects to receive increased quantities for 2025. Suppliers of alternative PERT and specialist importers of unlicensed medicines continue to supply increased volumes to assist in covering the gap in the market. In December, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public facing page to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice, including advice on preserving the available stock of alternative PERT for certain patient cohorts.

Department officials regularly meet with manufacturers and suppliers to discuss shortages of olanzapine and other anti-psychosis medicines, and how to manage them.

We have been notified of some issues for olanzapine tablets and orodispersible tablets, however we understand there is sufficient stock available for all olanzapine strengths to meet market demand.

We are aware of intermittent disruptions in the supply of olanzapine (Zypadhera) 210 milligram prolonged-release suspension for injections. This is due to a global manufacturing capacity constraint faced by the supplier. We are actively working with the supplier to address these manufacturing issues as quickly as possible, to ensure that patients in the United Kingdom have access to this medication, and have issued communications to healthcare professionals.

Olanzapine (Zypadhera) 300 milligram and 405 milligram prolonged-release suspension for injections remain available.

The Department has been working hard with industry and NHS England to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. As a result of intensive work, some issues have been resolved and all strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.

We continue to work to resolve remaining supply issues for methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We are engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing all current suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. To further improve supply and resiliency, we are also working with prospective new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to expand the UK supplier base.

However, we anticipate that supply for certain strengths of methylphenidate will remain limited until March 2025. We are actively working with all suppliers to resolve the remaining issues as quickly as possible.

To minimise the impact of the shortages on patients, the Department has worked with specialist clinicians, including those within the National Health Service, to develop management advice for NHS clinicians to consider prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged release tablets generically or available alternative ADHD medicines. To support ADHD patients throughout the NHS, we would expect all ADHD service providers and specialists to follow our guidance. To aid healthcare professionals further we have widely disseminated our communications and continually update a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website, helping ensure that those involved in the prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medications can make informed decisions with patients.

We are supporting a cross-sector taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD including timely access to services and support.

The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual pharmacies is not held centrally.

I am very sorry that I cannot meet at this time but I hope the information I have provided in this answer helps to address the issues raised and assures the hon. Member of the Department’s focused work in this area.

To improve awareness of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) amongst healthcare professionals, and specifically general practitioners (GPs), the Royal College of General Practitioners provides training on PoTS as part of its Syncope toolkit, which is available at the following link:

https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=500

In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, last updated in November 2023, which outlines how clinicians should assess and diagnosis PoTS.  It is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/

GPs are asked to investigate symptoms to ensure that it is not misdiagnosed. Following referral, patients are treated within National Health Service cardiology and neurology services. Where more specialist advice is required, a referral will be made to an appropriate clinician.

Services for children with PoTS are locally commissioned and, as such, it is the responsibility integrated care boards (ICBs), including Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, which serves the York Outer constituency, to ensure that they commission services meet the needs of their local population.

Cancer waiting times data is published on a monthly basis on the NHS.UK website. There are no plans at present to change the frequency of publication.