Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
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 (a) improvements in stroke care services and (b) the introduction of mechanical thrombectomy services at York and Scarborough Foundation Teaching NHS Trust.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is no current plan to introduce mechanical thrombectomy for the acute treatment of strokes at the York and Scarborough Foundation Teaching NHS Trust. Thrombectomy is a specialist treatment that is only offered in a few tertiary centres across the country. Patients attending the York and Scarborough Foundation Teaching NHS Trust requiring a mechanical thrombectomy will be referred to the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as the tertiary centre catering to the population who require this service.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
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 (a) tackle intermittent shortages of Efudix and (b) improve access to alternative medications to Efudix.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of the intermittent shortages of Fluorouracil (Efudix) 5% cream, which are expected to last until March 2025 and are due to the manufacturer having constrained capacity. The Department is working with the manufacturer of the impacted product to bring forward future supplies and increase quantities where possible. We have also worked with manufacturers of alternative products and specialist importers to meet the increased demand, and have supported bringing more stock into the United Kingdom. Working with National Health Service specialists we have provided management advice for this supply issue, advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients during this time.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allowing the use of Look and Tell AI glasses for people with visual impairment.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI has the potential to transform everyday life, making services quicker, smarter and more efficient. Embracing AI will directly improve the lives of everyone by personalising services and supporting better outcomes, including those with visual impairments.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out our plans to exploit the potential of AI to positively impact the lives of the British public. For example, the government is adopting a flexible “Scan, Pilot, Scale” approach and delivering mission-focussed national AI tenders to ensure effective and lasting adoption in the public sector.
While we deliver the Plan, we also encourage regulators to take a pro-innovation approach within their sectors, with the new Regulatory Innovation Office having an important role to play across all sectors.
We will continue to work closely with the AI sector and experts to ensure we are aligning innovative outcomes with our world-leading standards and expectations.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will issue guidance on commissioning policies for NHS-funded IVF.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning local health services, including fertility services, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines. The NICE is currently reviewing the fertility services guidelines.
The Government recognises that access to National Health Service funded fertility services is variable, and is working jointly with NHS England on options to improve access for all eligible groups.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has plans to change the access to (a) Junior ISAs and (b) Child Trust Funds for parents of SEND young adults.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Access to Junior ISAs (JISA) and Child Trust Funds (CTF) for parents of young adults with special educational needs and disabilities is already possible in certain circumstances.
Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, the law requires parents or a guardian to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This includes in relation to accessing funds held in a CTF or a JISA
The Ministry of Justice has published a toolkit on gov.uk explaining the process for parents and guardians of disabled children to obtain legal authority if no other arrangements are in place. The Ministry of Justice has worked with The Investment and Savings Alliance (TISA) to promote the toolkit with parents and carers, and is working with the Department for Work and Pensions on ways to inform parents and carers about the relevant legal processes as their young person approaches the age of 18.
The Government continues to keep all aspects of savings policy under review.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to commission services for adults with young onset dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines. It is the responsibility of ICBs to work within their geographical area to offer services that meet the needs of their population.
Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population under the Care Act 2014.
NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia, and central to this is the provision of personalised care and support planning for post diagnostic support.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the different ways in which local authorities allocate funding for education, health and care plans.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total the City of York Council is being allocated over £30 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £1.7 million on this year’s DSG high needs block.
Local authorities are responsible for allocating funding from their high needs budget to schools and colleges to secure suitable provision as specified in an education, health and care plan. The department is keeping the high needs funding arrangements under review as we progress wider SEND reforms, including those that will support mainstream inclusion.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether there are socio-economic disparities in the outcomes of special educational needs and disability tribunals.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Information about appeal outcomes to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability is published at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.
This information includes outcomes of appeals, types of educational need and the age group of the child. The socio-economic status of appellants and the outcomes they achieve is not collected.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effectiveness of implementing cohort-based education, health and care plans.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
For too long the education system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve. We know that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes.
An EHC plan is a statutory document which is produced following an EHC needs assessment process. An EHC needs assessment ensures that a child or young person’s individual needs are assessed in a joined-up way across education, health and social care services. Under this assessment process the local authority 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. The EHC needs assessment must identify the child or young person’s special educational needs, together with any relevant health or social care needs.
If the local authority then decides it is necessary to issue an EHC plan, it must set long-term outcomes for the child or young person and specify provision which will deliver those outcomes. The content in an EHC plan should be unique to the child or young person.
EHC plans should be used to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer-term aspirations. They must be reviewed by the local authority as a minimum every 12 months. Reviews must focus on the child or young person’s progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHC plan. The review must also consider whether these outcomes and supporting targets remain appropriate. The review process will enable changes to be made to an EHC plan so that it remains relevant to the needs of the child or young person and the desired outcomes.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is working closely with experts on reforms, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider next steps.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to education, health and care plans for children with cerebral palsy in education settings.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is committed to strengthening the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system for all children and young people, including those with cerebral palsy, to ensure they receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
For too long the education system has not met the needs of all children, particularly children and young people with SEND, with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes.
The department is aware that local authorities have experienced increased demand for EHC plans and the subsequent demands on workforce capacity. This government wants to ensure that EHC needs assessments are progressed promptly and plans are issued quickly in order to provide children and young people with the support they need to help them achieve positive outcomes.
Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make the required improvements, the department helps the local authority to identify the barriers and put in place an effective recovery plan.
The department is providing almost £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. The department has also announced £740 million of high needs capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision.
The department is working closely with experts on reform, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider next steps.