Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the context of the Armed Forces Bill extending the Armed Forces Covenant duty to include social care, how the Department will ensure that the needs of the armed forces community are recognised and embedded within future social care guidance, workforce training and professional standards.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Department of Health and Social Care fully supports the commitment to extend the Armed Forces Covenant duty to include social care. We are dedicated to working closely with the Ministry of Defence and local authorities to ensure the Covenant’s principles are effectively implemented to meet the specific care needs of service personnel, veterans, and their families, including considering where any further guidance might be required.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
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 devolved administrations on cross border portability of adult social care assessments for Armed Forces families.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Whilst no specific discussions have been held between Ministers in the Department and the devolved administrations on cross border portability of social care assessments for Armed Forces families, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities in England are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. The Government is working to modernise the way care assessments are carried out across England, helping people get the support they need faster and more easily.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review the impact of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on public health; and what steps his Department plans to take to mitigate associated risks of exposure.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The UK Health Security Agency keeps the evidence on potential health impacts of environmental pollution, including endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), under review. The Government also works with international partners, including the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, to ensure approaches reflect current scientific understanding.
The risks to human health and the environment from individual chemicals are assessed and regulated at a national level by the relevant authorities, including the Health and Safety Executive, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Agency and the Environment Agency.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs states that regulatory action can and has been taken to address the risks from EDCs. The concern for EDCs, which have been linked to numerous human health and wildlife impacts, is a complex scientific issue. The approach to risk assessment and management makes use of the best available evidence to maintain high standards of protection. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissions research and engage with the scientific community, experts within the regulatory bodies and non-governmental organisations to build understanding of EDCs.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to eyecare services across England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet local needs, including considering how any identified inequalities in access to services should be addressed.
As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to shifting more care from hospitals into the community to improve patient outcomes. Many ICBs are already commissioning enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices. This sits alongside the National Health Service’s sight testing service which is widely available across the country.
The Getting It Right First Time glaucoma best practice guidance, published in May 2026, will support more glaucoma patients receiving their follow up care on time. Our plans to invest £20 million to support digital referrals and access to the national care record service and develop single points of access between primary and secondary care will also support quicker access for patients to appropriate care.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure eyecare services are protected in forthcoming legislation.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The Health Bill will transfer statutory responsibility for commissioning primary ophthalmic services to integrated care boards (ICBs). Commissioning responsibility for these services has already been delegated by NHS England to ICBs since 2023, and funding is allocated to ICBs each year for this purpose. National Health Service sight testing services will continue to operate within a national regulatory and contractual framework, with contract terms set in regulations and fees set nationally through Directions. The bill will not affect patient eligibility for NHS sights tests.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve NHS dental access in Liverpool.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Liverpool Garston constituency, this is the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.
1.8 million additional courses of National Health Service dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April and October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election, nearly half of which were delivered to children. We have reduced the dental underspend from £392 million in 2023/24 to just £36 million in 2024/25, maximising the treatments provided for taxpayers’ money and delivering on our aim that every penny for NHS dentistry is spent on NHS dentistry.
From April 2026, we began introducing a package of reforms to address some of the pressing issues that dental teams have been experiencing. These reforms will prioritise those with the greatest need, shifting care away from clinically unnecessary check-ups.
We are also committed to fundamentally reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on integrating commissioning for veteran-specific hearing (a) treatments and (b) equipment in the NHS.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Veterans' Hearing Fund was a time-limited fund set up in 2015 to provide support for veterans with noise induced hearing loss and to provide equipment not available on the National Health Service to support veterans’ wellbeing needs, such as peripheral devices to connect to televisions and telephones. This fund has now closed and there are currently no plans to re-establish it. Commissioning of general hearing services and audiology takes place at a local level, based on the needs of the local population.
The Department has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the Veterans’ Hearing Fund, however following its closure, we have worked with NHS England to ensure that there is no gap in provision and support for those who relied on this Fund to support their clinical needs.
No discussions have been held between my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Defence on integrating commissioning for veteran-specific hearing treatments and equipment in the NHS. The Government has not made any assessment of the impact of the closure of the Veterans Hearing Fund on NHS auditory services.
Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups was published in July 2016. This framework supported the former clinical commissioning groups and the newly established integrated care boards in England to make informed decisions on maximising value for local populations and provide consistent, high quality, integrated care. It also addresses inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to re-establish the Veterans Hearing Fund.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Veterans' Hearing Fund was a time-limited fund set up in 2015 to provide support for veterans with noise induced hearing loss and to provide equipment not available on the National Health Service to support veterans’ wellbeing needs, such as peripheral devices to connect to televisions and telephones. This fund has now closed and there are currently no plans to re-establish it. Commissioning of general hearing services and audiology takes place at a local level, based on the needs of the local population.
The Department has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the Veterans’ Hearing Fund, however following its closure, we have worked with NHS England to ensure that there is no gap in provision and support for those who relied on this Fund to support their clinical needs.
No discussions have been held between my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Defence on integrating commissioning for veteran-specific hearing treatments and equipment in the NHS. The Government has not made any assessment of the impact of the closure of the Veterans Hearing Fund on NHS auditory services.
Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups was published in July 2016. This framework supported the former clinical commissioning groups and the newly established integrated care boards in England to make informed decisions on maximising value for local populations and provide consistent, high quality, integrated care. It also addresses inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the closure of the Veterans Hearing Fund on NHS auditory services.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Veterans' Hearing Fund was a time-limited fund set up in 2015 to provide support for veterans with noise induced hearing loss and to provide equipment not available on the National Health Service to support veterans’ wellbeing needs, such as peripheral devices to connect to televisions and telephones. This fund has now closed and there are currently no plans to re-establish it. Commissioning of general hearing services and audiology takes place at a local level, based on the needs of the local population.
The Department has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the Veterans’ Hearing Fund, however following its closure, we have worked with NHS England to ensure that there is no gap in provision and support for those who relied on this Fund to support their clinical needs.
No discussions have been held between my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Defence on integrating commissioning for veteran-specific hearing treatments and equipment in the NHS. The Government has not made any assessment of the impact of the closure of the Veterans Hearing Fund on NHS auditory services.
Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups was published in July 2016. This framework supported the former clinical commissioning groups and the newly established integrated care boards in England to make informed decisions on maximising value for local populations and provide consistent, high quality, integrated care. It also addresses inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Veterans Hearing Fund.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Veterans' Hearing Fund was a time-limited fund set up in 2015 to provide support for veterans with noise induced hearing loss and to provide equipment not available on the National Health Service to support veterans’ wellbeing needs, such as peripheral devices to connect to televisions and telephones. This fund has now closed and there are currently no plans to re-establish it. Commissioning of general hearing services and audiology takes place at a local level, based on the needs of the local population.
The Department has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the Veterans’ Hearing Fund, however following its closure, we have worked with NHS England to ensure that there is no gap in provision and support for those who relied on this Fund to support their clinical needs.
No discussions have been held between my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Defence on integrating commissioning for veteran-specific hearing treatments and equipment in the NHS. The Government has not made any assessment of the impact of the closure of the Veterans Hearing Fund on NHS auditory services.
Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups was published in July 2016. This framework supported the former clinical commissioning groups and the newly established integrated care boards in England to make informed decisions on maximising value for local populations and provide consistent, high quality, integrated care. It also addresses inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services.