Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is is taking to help ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care will be implemented by local integration care boards.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what date his Department expects to publish the interim statement on the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to establish an independent judge-led review into the Ministry of Defence’s handling of the circumstances surrounding the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Chinook Justice Campaign have submitted a formal claim to the Ministry of Defence for a Judicial Review of our decision to reject the demand for an independent judge-led inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
This process is ongoing and our focus is on responding to that claim and supporting the delivery of an outcome to this independent process.
Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends, and colleagues of all those who died in the Mull of Kintyre crash.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to tackle youth homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 124201 on 14 April 2026.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the evidential basis is for changes to the Access to Work awards.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Overseas Territories introduce Public Registers of Beneficial Ownership.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on this issue during the most recent session of departmental oral questions on 21 April, and to my Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS1237) following the Joint Ministerial Council on 13 January.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ring-fence funding to enable the mass procurement and delivery of NHS meningitis B vaccines to groups identified by clinical experts as being at increased risk.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on eligibility for routine vaccination programmes are taken by the department on the basis of independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
In 2015, following review of the epidemiology, disease burden, vaccine safety and efficacy, and cost-effectiveness analysis, the JCVI recommended that young infants should be routinely vaccinated against meningococcal B (MenB) with the aim of providing optimal protection as early as possible, as this age group had the highest disease incidence.
In response to the meningitis outbreak in Kent, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked the JCVI to review eligibility for MenB vaccination in older children and young adults. As ever, the Government will carefully consider JCVI advice.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve protections for journalists and media organisations in the UK against threats carried out by foreign states.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Secretary of State for Defence
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters. I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 13 April to Question 125072.
The Government's top priority is our national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from state threats. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated, and will be thoroughly investigated.
The Home Office works closely with other government departments as well as relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect people identified as being at risk. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing will continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by states.
It is vital that journalists are able to continue their jobs without the fear of attack or threat. A free and robust media is essential - for national security, for human rights, and for democratic governance. That is why we remain an important member of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which we co-founded in 2019.
Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station, or 999 in emergencies.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish an impact assessment of the proposed changes to NICE’s cost-effectiveness threshold in the context of a pharmaceutical agreement with the US.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 4 March to question 114047.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to strengthen protections for journalists and media organisations in the UK against threats from foreign states.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Secretary of State for Defence
The Government's top priority is our national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from state threats. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated, and will be thoroughly investigated.
The Home Office works closely with other government departments as well as relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect people identified as being at risk. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing will continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by states.
It is vital that journalists are able to continue their jobs without the fear of attack or threat. A free and robust media is essential - for national security, for human rights, and for democratic governance. That is why we remain an important member of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which we co-founded in 2019.
Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station, or 999 in emergencies.