Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 merits of creating a national framework that includes risk screening tools for use in clinical practice to help prevent Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders (T1DE).
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is currently funding five Type 1 Disordered Eating (T1DE) pilots, with the aim of increasing understanding of the characteristics and care needs of people with T1DE, assessing the feasibility of the service delivery model and build the evidence base for an integrated diabetes and mental health pathway.
Pilot sites are delivering a national high level service specification alongside testing local novel approaches to improving care including to awareness raising of the condition amongst both diabetes and eating disorder health care professionals.
A national evaluation is currently underway to assess the impact of the five current pilot services. NHS England will review the evaluation findings to understand further opportunities to promote awareness of T1DE amongst healthcare professionals.
NHS England works alongside its partners to support the delivery of key messages around diabetes education and awareness. This includes through a digital diabetes platform which is developing educational resources for T1DE.
No assessment has been made of the merits of creating a national framework.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students were entered into English GCSE exams at the age of (a) 16 and under and (b) post-16 in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021, (v) 2022, (vi) 2023, (vii) 2024 and (viii) 2025.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department publishes the number of pupils at the end of key stage 4 who entered GCSE English from the 2017/18 to 2023/24 academic year.
The department also publishes the number of students at the end of 16 to 18 study who entered for GCSE English from the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic year. This data is not published for 2017/18 or 2018/19. The data for these two years can be found in the attached document.
Data relating to 2024/25 will be published in October 2025 for pupils at the end of key stage 4, and November 2025 for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.
The data relating to pupils at the end of key stage 4 can be found here:
This data becomes available in October or November of each year.
The data relating to students at the end of 16 to 18 study can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results/2023-24. GCSE English entries comprise entries to GCSE English Language, English Literature, and English Language and Literature.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with social media companies on moderating (a) pro–eating disorder material and (b) misinformation relating to (i) diabetes and (ii) body image.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No discussions have been held with social media companies by the Department.
Under the Government’s Online Safety Act, all in-scope services are now required to protect their users from illegal content, and platforms likely to be accessed by children need to prevent their users from accessing eating disorder content.
We are working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ofcom and others as the Online Safety Act takes effect. This includes exploring further opportunities to address harmful pro-eating disorder material and misinformation shared on social media and websites.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 the planned termination of the Minor Eye Conditions Service in Coventry and Warwickshire from 1 November 2025 on (a) GP workloads, (b) A&E workloads, (c) patient outcomes and (d) meeting the objectives of the NHS Long Term Plan to (i) expand community-based care and (ii) reduce unnecessary hospital attendances.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The responsibility for the delivery, implementation and funding decisions for services ultimately rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 people over 25 with suspected ADHD in Coventry and Warwickshire have timely access to (a) assessment and (b) treatment.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England, not my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, engage directly with Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), on this matter.
It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local populations, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
The ICB advises that in March 2025, it introduced a new interim policy under which the ICB will only fund new ADHD referrals for people aged under 25 years old at the point of referral. The ICB advises that this is due to concerns about the effectiveness of the current system locally, particularly for children and young people, and this policy will free up clinical time and funding to be reinvested in children’s ADHD services. The ICB has committed to undertake a comprehensive review of the entire ADHD assessment pathway, working with children, young people, and adults with ADHD, to ensure it meets their needs.
Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board on suspending ADHD referrals for people over 25.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England, not my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, engage directly with Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), on this matter.
It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local populations, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
The ICB advises that in March 2025, it introduced a new interim policy under which the ICB will only fund new ADHD referrals for people aged under 25 years old at the point of referral. The ICB advises that this is due to concerns about the effectiveness of the current system locally, particularly for children and young people, and this policy will free up clinical time and funding to be reinvested in children’s ADHD services. The ICB has committed to undertake a comprehensive review of the entire ADHD assessment pathway, working with children, young people, and adults with ADHD, to ensure it meets their needs.
Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of involvement in UK nuclear weapons testing programmes between 1952 and 1991 on the long-term health of veterans.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This Government recognises the huge contribution that Nuclear Test Veterans have made to national security and is committed to working with Veterans and listening to their concerns. We have amended the criteria for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal and are examining unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority.
The protection, health and welfare of those involved in the atmospheric tests was a vital consideration, as shown by the detailed documented safety measures and radiobiological monitoring that took place during the operations. An independently conducted longitudinal study of Nuclear Test Veterans who took part in the UK military nuclear test programme between 1952 to 1967, has been analysed four times over several decades. All analyses have consistently demonstrated that total cancer and mortality rates amongst Nuclear Test Veterans are aligned with those serving contemporaneously in the UK Armed Forces who did not participate in the testing programme and were lower than for the general population.
Those who participated in the nuclear test programme and feel they were negatively impacted are able to apply to the War Pensions Scheme for compensation.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a dedicated compensation scheme for UK nuclear test veterans.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This Government recognises the huge contribution that Nuclear Test Veterans have made to national security and is committed to working with Veterans and listening to their concerns. We have amended the criteria for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal and are examining unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority.
The protection, health and welfare of those involved in the atmospheric tests was a vital consideration, as shown by the detailed documented safety measures and radiobiological monitoring that took place during the operations. An independently conducted longitudinal study of Nuclear Test Veterans who took part in the UK military nuclear test programme between 1952 to 1967, has been analysed four times over several decades. All analyses have consistently demonstrated that total cancer and mortality rates amongst Nuclear Test Veterans are aligned with those serving contemporaneously in the UK Armed Forces who did not participate in the testing programme and were lower than for the general population.
Those who participated in the nuclear test programme and feel they were negatively impacted are able to apply to the War Pensions Scheme for compensation.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to review the policy on compensation for families of nuclear test veterans.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This Government recognises the huge contribution that Nuclear Test Veterans have made to national security and is committed to working with Veterans and listening to their concerns. We have amended the criteria for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal and are examining unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority.
The protection, health and welfare of those involved in the atmospheric tests was a vital consideration, as shown by the detailed documented safety measures and radiobiological monitoring that took place during the operations. An independently conducted longitudinal study of Nuclear Test Veterans who took part in the UK military nuclear test programme between 1952 to 1967, has been analysed four times over several decades. All analyses have consistently demonstrated that total cancer and mortality rates amongst Nuclear Test Veterans are aligned with those serving contemporaneously in the UK Armed Forces who did not participate in the testing programme and were lower than for the general population.
Those who participated in the nuclear test programme and feel they were negatively impacted are able to apply to the War Pensions Scheme for compensation.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to help deliver (a) reliable and (b) timetabled bus services for (i) school and (ii) college students in (A) Stratford-on-Avon constituency and (B) Warwickshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows how important reliable and affordable bus services are in enabling people to access education, and is committed to delivering better buses throughout the country, including for school and college students.
The Government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of our ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England.
As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Warwickshire County Council was allocated £8.7 million. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers.