Monica Harding

It is vitally important that babies are diagnosed as early as possible so treatment can be provided. Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends measuring the head circumference of babies in the first week, at approximately eight weeks, and at other times only if there are concerns. The baby’s general practitioner, or nominated primary care examiner, has responsibility for ensuring the six-to-eight-week newborn infant physical examination screen, where head size is measured, is completed for all registered babies. The Department is seeking advice from the NICE and the royal colleges on the value of a clinical review of the current guidelines surrounding infant head circumference.

The Healthy Child Programme sets out the requirements for health visiting services, including five mandated reviews, where the child’s health and development is assessed. This includes when the baby is 10 to 14 days old, and at six to eight weeks old, as well as additional contacts depending on need, providing an opportunity to identify any health or development concerns and to make appropriate referrals. The Department and the NHS National Disease Registration Service do not hold information on the proportion of infants diagnosed after eight weeks.

It is vitally important that babies are diagnosed as early as possible so treatment can be provided. Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance recommends measuring the head circumference of babies in the first week, at approximately eight weeks, and at other times only if there are concerns. The baby’s general practitioner, or nominated primary care examiner, has responsibility for ensuring the six-to-eight-week newborn infant physical examination screen, where head size is measured, is completed for all registered babies. The Department is seeking advice from the NICE and the royal colleges on the value of a clinical review of the current guidelines surrounding infant head circumference.

The Healthy Child Programme sets out the requirements for health visiting services, including five mandated reviews, where the child’s health and development is assessed. This includes when the baby is 10 to 14 days old, and at six to eight weeks old, as well as additional contacts depending on need, providing an opportunity to identify any health or development concerns and to make appropriate referrals. The Department and the NHS National Disease Registration Service do not hold information on the proportion of infants diagnosed after eight weeks.

Since 2019, there have been a total of 39 pharmacy closures in Surrey, and four in the Esher and Walton Constituency. In Surrey, this has broken down as: seven closures in 2019; six in 2020; four in 2021; two in 2022; and 15 in 2023, with a further five having closed between January and 30 September 2024. In Esher and Walton, there were no closures between 2019 and 2022. Three closed in 2023, and one closed between January and 30 September 2024.

We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.

Patients can also access the approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ home free of charge. In rural areas, dispensing doctors can also supply medicines.

Since 2019, there have been a total of 39 pharmacy closures in Surrey, and four in the Esher and Walton Constituency. In Surrey, this has broken down as: seven closures in 2019; six in 2020; four in 2021; two in 2022; and 15 in 2023, with a further five having closed between January and 30 September 2024. In Esher and Walton, there were no closures between 2019 and 2022. Three closed in 2023, and one closed between January and 30 September 2024.

We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.

Patients can also access the approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ home free of charge. In rural areas, dispensing doctors can also supply medicines.

This data is published annually by NHS England in the NHS Payments to General Practice Report and will be available in due course.

Data on patients registered at a general practice (GP) is published on a monthly basis, and is as follows for 2023/24: at the beginning of 2023/24, 1 April 2023, the largest practice had 106,308 patients, and the median average practice had 8,383 patients; and at the end of 2023/24, 1 April 2024, the largest practice had 98,469 patients, and the median average practice had 8,620 patients.

NHS England has overall responsibility for ensuring that there are sufficient primary medical services to meet the reasonable requirements of patients throughout the country. To do so, they will contract providers, such as GPs, to provide these services. GPs are required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of the patients registered at their practice. This includes making their own workforce plans, and so there is no Government recommendation for how many patients a GP should have assigned.

We expect commissioners to act if services are not meeting the reasonable needs of their patients. Under GP Contract regulations, practices can apply to their commissioner to close their patient list to new registrations for a period of time for a number of reasons, including workload and staffing considerations.

This data is taken from the Patients Registered at a GP Practice data set, from NHS England Digital. It should be noted that practices can operate across multiple sites or use a digital first approach, which can account for a particularly large patient list. Further information on the data set is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/patients-registered-at-a-gp-practice

We know that general practices (GPs) are working hard to deliver for their patients, and are delivering more appointments than ever before, however we know that some patients are struggling to access the care they need, and GPs are struggling to deliver it.

The GP Contract requires NHS England to arrange an annual review of GP contractors’ performance against their contractual obligations. Integrated care boards also consider concerns or complaints raised by patients, and can take action where services are not meeting the needs of their local population.

The conflict in Sudan and the widespread destruction of sanitation and health services has caused a devastating cholera outbreak with more than 100,000 cases and 2,500 deaths since July 2024. More than 33.5 million people are at risk across all 18 states. The UK Government is working with a range of international partners delivering lifesaving emergency health interventions, including cholera vaccines, treatment, and prevention. In addition, through a 'match funding' arrangement we have recently partnered with the State of Kuwait to deliver an additional £3.75 million to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), supplementing UK resources already allocated to combat the outbreak. We continue to urge the warring parties in Sudan to facilitate humanitarian access so that aid reaches those most in need.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 6 August to Question 67532.

At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million for this financial year, which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. A portion of this uplift provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground.

The illicit gold trade fuels corruption and conflict, undermining the rule of law and entrenching human rights abuses such as child labour. Russia uses the illicit gold trade to launder money and evade sanctions, in doing so bolstering Putin's war efforts. The UK has sanctioned Russian gold and targeted illicit gold networks abroad, including through further sanctions in December 2024. The UK works with the London Bullion Market Association and World Gold Council to support responsible sourcing of gold and to build resilience to illicit gold flows. The London Bullion Market Association implements the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) industry-leading Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas to ensure proper risk identification and mitigation for conflict gold.

The UK is committed to promoting responsible business practice to reduce and prevent human rights abuses. We work through a number of international mechanisms, including supporting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. This enables business to continue to operate responsibly from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The UK's new Critical Minerals Strategy will be published this summer and will help secure the supply of critical minerals that are vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition, including tin, tantalum and tungsten, whilst promoting responsible and transparent supply chains.

Switzerland is crucial to tackling the illicit gold trade as it is a key global gold refining centre, home to the largest gold refiners in the world, and one of the global leaders in implementing multilateral gold standards. The Foreign Secretary has engaged closely with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on tackling illicit financial flows and corruption globally, and will hold further discussions to develop areas for strengthened collaboration and partnership.

Healthy Women, Children and Newborns (HWCN) is the UK government's approach to help end preventable maternal, child and newborn deaths, supporting global efforts in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age by 2030. The approach works to strengthen health systems; promote gender equality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights; and support improved nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and climate resilience in health.

The Spending Review 2025 confirmed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget from 2026/27 onwards. Over the coming months, the Department will undertake detailed planning to determine how this budget will be allocated. The FCDO is reviewing how these allocations will support existing and future commitments, with a continued focus on ensuring all ODA spending delivers value for money and advances the UK's development priorities, including global health.

ODA has always been only one element of the UK's approach, alongside policy and diplomatic efforts. In April 2025, at the UN Commission on Population and Development, the UK cosponsored the launch of the Global Midwifery Accelerator, which aims to shift the dial on midwifery, encouraging partnerships and investment to end preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.

The latest UN Secretary General's report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.

As the UK made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK calls on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK also remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently reviewing our approach to children in conflict.

The UN Secretary General's 2025 report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking; it shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.

As we made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK is deeply concerned at the worsening situation for children in conflict, and remains committed to both preventing and ending grave violations against children in conflict, and to supporting, promoting and defending the UN Children and Armed Conflict mandate.

The UK is an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and plays a key role in ensuring effective scrutiny by the UN Security Council of conflicts where children are harmed.

In 2024-25, the UK funded UNICEF's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, which is a vital tool in ensuring that perpetrators are held to account.

The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.

The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.

The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.