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 trends in the level of corn allergies; whether he plans to include corn on the list of major allergens emphasised on food labels; and what steps he is taking to ensure that people with rare but clinically significant allergies can safely identify allergens in packaged foods and when eating out.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are a large number of potential food ingredients that may cause allergic reactions in sensitised individuals. The current 14 regulated allergens are recognised as the most common and potent allergens of public health concern across Europe. They must be clearly identified on prepacked foods and communicated effectively when eating out.

Available evidence, though limited, suggests corn allergy remains rare in the United Kingdom, with no indication of an increasing trend, and it is not part of the current list of regulated allergens.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) ensures that labelling requirements enable consumers to make informed choices about all ingredients, including corn.

Food businesses must provide clear and accessible allergen information. For prepacked and prepacked for direct sale foods, this means naming the food and listing all ingredients so consumers can identify allergens before purchase. For non-prepacked foods, such as meals served in restaurants or cafés, the FSA’s Best Practice Guidance, published March 2025, recommends written information supported with a clear conversation with customers about their allergy requirements. Businesses should keep accurate ingredient records and inform consumers if they cannot confirm allergen content. Consumers should declare their allergies when ordering food to help businesses take appropriate steps and reduce risk.

At present, the FSA has no plans to amend the list of 14 allergens. It continues to monitor trends through research projects, including National Health Service data analysis and the Patterns and Prevalence of Adult Food Allergy study, and works with the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and other stakeholders to gather evidence on hidden and emerging allergens.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the long-term housing strategy will include steps to grow the Integrated Retirement Community sector.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87630 on 11 November 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue revised guidance on the placement of people with Gender Recognition Certificates who have undergone surgery on hospital wards.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is currently reviewing its Delivering same-sex accommodation guidance and will ensure that it reflects the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland Ltd v. The Scottish Ministers ruling, and is aligned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s statutory Code of Practice (the Code) when that becomes available.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the National Crime Agency is taking to investigate organised financial crime networks coordinating fraud schemes involving overseas equities and UK-based victims; and whether she is making additional enforcement resources available to support those investigations.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The National Crime Agency (NCA) continuously assesses the origin of organised financial networks targeting UK based victims from overseas and does so through in-depth analysis of intelligence from across the public and private sectors.

This analysis enables the identification of key jurisdictions of risk which in-turn determines the prioritisation of resources and enrichment of partnerships with international law enforcement, the latter being afforded by the NCA’s niche capability of an international network comprising officers deployed in 50 countries worldwide.

Through these relationships, the NCA seek to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups using various tools including protracted joint investigations, capacity building and information sharing. Efforts this year, have resulted in a significant uplift on executive action being undertaken in source countries which have specifically targeted UK victims through high-harm fraud threats types.

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025