Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 accessibility to (a) education and (b) healthcare for people with progressive neurological conditions such as Friedreich’s Ataxia.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Friedreich’s ataxia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, and these include: getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. In February we published the fourth England action plan reporting on progress.
NHS England has revised the national service specification for specialised neurology, which now includes an annex providing greater clarity for neurology sub-specialties. This includes the categories of both movement disorders and neurogenetics, into which Friedreich’s ataxia falls. Every specialised National Health Service neurology centre could and should see patients with Friedreich’s ataxia.
The NHS England Genomics Education Programme has also developed a range of educational resources for healthcare professionals. This includes a Knowledge Hub page on Friedreich ataxia, including information on presentation, diagnosis, management, and links for clinicians to further resources, which is available at the following link:
https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/knowledge-hub/friedreich-ataxia/
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has made an assessment on the potential impact of vape flavour restrictions in (a) Canada, (b) Australia and (c) Netherlands on smoking cessation in the context of the proposed regulation of vape flavours in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The youth vaping call for evidence, published in 2023, demonstrated that vape flavours are one of the main reasons that vapes appeal to children. However, we recognise that vape flavours can also be a consideration for adult smokers seeking to quit smoking.
That is why it is important we strike the balance between restricting vape flavours to reduce their appeal to young people, whilst ensuring vapes remain available for adult smokers as a smoking cessation tool.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes regulation making powers to limit vape flavours, to reduce the appeal to children. Before laying any regulations in Parliament, we will undertake a full public consultation to ensure we get this balance right and consider the views of a range of stakeholders. We will publish thorough impact assessments to accompany any future regulations, including future flavour restrictions. These assessments will consider the international evidence available.
In October 2025, we launched a call for evidence to gather information on flavours and substances in vaping, nicotine, and tobacco products, aiming to better understand the role and risks of flavourings and ingredients. The call for evidence also seeks to identify where efforts to control flavours have been effective or not.
Adult smokers will still be able to access vapes as well as alternative methods to support them to stop smoking. Vapes are commonly used alongside behavioural support within local Stop Smoking Services.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 adequacy of scientific evidence on vape flavours as a smoking cessation aid.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The youth vaping call for evidence, published in 2023, demonstrated that vape flavours are one of the main reasons that vapes appeal to children. However, we recognise that vape flavours can also be a consideration for adult smokers seeking to quit smoking.
That is why it is important we strike the balance between restricting vape flavours to reduce their appeal to young people, whilst ensuring vapes remain available for adult smokers as a smoking cessation tool.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes regulation making powers to limit vape flavours, to reduce the appeal to children. Before laying any regulations in Parliament, we will undertake a full public consultation to ensure we get this balance right and consider the views of a range of stakeholders. We will publish thorough impact assessments to accompany any future regulations, including future flavour restrictions. These assessments will consider the international evidence available.
In October 2025, we launched a call for evidence to gather information on flavours and substances in vaping, nicotine, and tobacco products, aiming to better understand the role and risks of flavourings and ingredients. The call for evidence also seeks to identify where efforts to control flavours have been effective or not.
Adult smokers will still be able to access vapes as well as alternative methods to support them to stop smoking. Vapes are commonly used alongside behavioural support within local Stop Smoking Services.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 flavoured vapes on tobacco smoking cessation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The youth vaping call for evidence, published in 2023, demonstrated that vape flavours are one of the main reasons that vapes appeal to children. However, we recognise that vape flavours can also be a consideration for adult smokers seeking to quit smoking.
That is why it is important we strike the balance between restricting vape flavours to reduce their appeal to young people, whilst ensuring vapes remain available for adult smokers as a smoking cessation tool.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes regulation making powers to limit vape flavours, to reduce the appeal to children. Before laying any regulations in Parliament, we will undertake a full public consultation to ensure we get this balance right and consider the views of a range of stakeholders. We will publish thorough impact assessments to accompany any future regulations, including future flavour restrictions. These assessments will consider the international evidence available.
In October 2025, we launched a call for evidence to gather information on flavours and substances in vaping, nicotine, and tobacco products, aiming to better understand the role and risks of flavourings and ingredients. The call for evidence also seeks to identify where efforts to control flavours have been effective or not.
Adult smokers will still be able to access vapes as well as alternative methods to support them to stop smoking. Vapes are commonly used alongside behavioural support within local Stop Smoking Services.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of people with Parkinson's in the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to introduce interim access to omaveloxolone for Friedreich’s Ataxia patients.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new, licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources.
NICE is unable to make a recommendation about the use in the NHS of omaveloxolone for treating Friedreich's ataxia in people aged 16 years old and over. This is because the company, Biogen, withdrew its evidence submission. NICE will review its decision if the company decides to make a new submission. Further information can be found at the following link:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11431
NHS England does not fund medicines where the company has not engaged with NICE. This is to avoid a potential pathway for circumventing the NICE appraisal process.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 support (a) YMCA England & Wales and (b) other organisations to build additional move-on accommodation for people leaving supported housing.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have invested over £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year, which can be used flexibly to address a range of local needs, including support for young people. The Spending Review protects this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for the next three years.
For young people ready to live independently, we are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, backed by the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We are also reforming the private rented sector to give more security to tenants, bringing an end to rental bidding, outlawing discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those who receive social security benefits; and preventing landlords from demanding large amounts of rent in advance.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to the Employee Car Ownership Scheme on (a) VAT and (b) Vehicle Excise Duty receipts.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the government assessed the expected impact of the proposed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS) on the 1,900 medium and large companies within the motor manufacture and motor dealership industries.
That analysis suggested that while there may be changes in consumer behavior in response to the proposed changes to the ECOS, including a possible shift towards used vehicles, the overall impact on new car registrations and associated tax revenues was expected to be limited.
The costing and the tax impact and information note will be updated at a future fiscal event to reflect the six-month delay to the originally announced implementation date.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed changes to the Employee Car Ownership Scheme on the UK car industry.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the government assessed the expected impact of the proposed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS) on the 1,900 medium and large companies within the motor manufacture and motor dealership industries.
That analysis suggested that while there may be changes in consumer behavior in response to the proposed changes to the ECOS, including a possible shift towards used vehicles, the overall impact on new car registrations and associated tax revenues was expected to be limited.
The costing and the tax impact and information note will be updated at a future fiscal event to reflect the six-month delay to the originally announced implementation date.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 the identification of young carers across other health services in the context of plans to change the Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities must take reasonable steps to identify young carers in their area and assess their needs. To support local authorities in their child protection duties, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, strengthens this by introducing a duty on safeguarding partners to enhance multi-agency working with children and families.
Reforms to the Mental Health Act will encourage recording young carers in Advance Choice Documents, providing crucial information for professionals during crises. The Mental Health Bill also ensures carers are actively involved in patients’ statutory care plans, supported by guidance in the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
NHS England is improving young carer identification and support through general practice guidance and better data sharing across health, education, and social care. In partnership with the Department for Education, it is leading a cross-Government project with young carers and voluntary organisations to reduce inequalities and strengthen support pathways.