Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable is for (a) completing negotiations on and (b) implementing the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal announced on 8 May 2025.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Talks with the US are ongoing, and the Secretary of State met with his counterpart Jamieson Greer at the OECD on 3 June to progress implementation of the General Terms of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and ensure businesses feel the benefits as soon as possible.

The government continues to engage intensively with the US to complete negotiations on the Economic Prosperity Deal at pace and will update on progress in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS (a) information systems and (b) clinical protocols are interoperable with those used by (i) Defence Medical Services, (ii) Programme Cortisone and (iii) other defence initiatives.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Programme CORTISONE will provide the Defence Medical Services (DMS) with an up-to-date electronic healthcare information management system. One of the programme’s objectives is to enable greater interoperability with NHS information systems and the electronic transfer of medical records between the NHS and DMS. This capability is in development and expected to be implemented in the next one-two years.

The DMS and the NHS both follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the clinical care and the management of patients. All our professionally qualified medical and dental staff are registered with the National Governing Bodies and adhere to the same national standards as all other NHS healthcare professionals. Defence Healthcare Regulations are aligned to those of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who are commissioned by the Defence Medical Services Regulator to ensure standards align with the NHS.

Military doctors, nurses and Allied Health Professionals are permanently based in NHS trusts across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Working in the NHS enables DMS personnel to maintain the skills they require to support military operations across the globe, whilst also providing essential support to our NHS and the general public as a whole.

DMS is working collaboratively on a number of projects with the NHS. The joint collaboration at Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) is the first of its kind between the MOD and NHS. CICC will provide a unique integrated care centre, providing medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison and primary and community NHS services for members of the public and military families.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to re-establish the National Space Council.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other Departments, remains committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across government. Ministers from across Government met on the 22 April to discuss our approach, and the Strategic Defence Review has recommended that a Cabinet sub-committee or equivalent be used to take forward our space strategy. This will be developed by Government to ensure strong Ministerial support for this vital area.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on whether there were irregular trading activities in UK-listed defence sector stocks on 2 June 2025.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s markets regulator and the lead agency responsible for monitoring UK markets, and investigating and taking any enforcement action related to market abuse.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 50701 on National Space Council, if he will make it his policy to reconvene the National Space Council.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

No, although we remain committed to ensuring that space activities are effectively coordinated across all relevant departments, we are committed to establishing a new space policy governance structure to deliver such benefits, and Ministers from across government met on the 22 April to discuss our shared cross-government approach.

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 impact of NHS staffing shortages on the availability of medical Reservists for the armed forces.

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

No specific assessment has been made. NHS Employers, which is part of the NHS Confederation and supports workforce development across the National Health Service, runs a programme that is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence to encourage NHS organisations to be supportive and flexible employers when it comes to people joining the Armed Forces Reserve. This ensures that people with the critically important skills that the reserves are looking for, such as doctors, are able to train and deploy when needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered a Sponsored Reserve model or similar arrangement to enable NHS clinicians to contribute directly to Defence Medical Services while maintaining NHS employment.

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

There have been no formal considerations for the implementation of a Sponsored Reserve model within the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, is focused on growing and maintaining the Active Armed Forces reserve and works with NHS organisations to enable individuals to train and deploy when needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps with the Secretary of State for Defence to create a formal framework for supporting NHS-employed clinicians who serve as medical Reservists.

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

Clinicians who serve as Reservists play a vital role in supporting both the National Health Service and the Armed Forces. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence work with NHS Employers to ensure that NHS organisations are supportive and flexible when it comes to people joining the Armed Forces Reserve, and to enable individuals to train and deploy when needed. All NHS trusts are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and all have been awarded an Employer Recognition Scheme award to reflect their commitment to supporting our Armed Forces, including the Reserves.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the creation of an independent review board similar to the US Defense Health Board to oversee the joint medical readiness of the (a) NHS, (b) Defence Medical Services and (c) private healthcare in the UK.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are currently no plans to create an independent review board to oversee joint medical readiness in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Partnership Board facilitate joint working across the UK to address issues relating to the health of, and healthcare for, Armed Forces personnel and veterans. The Partnership Board meets three times a year, to ensure that departments and stakeholders meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant and to improve the health and healthcare of the UK Armed Forces before, during, and after deployment, and of their families.

With oversight from the Partnership Board, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025, to ensure that the National Health Service is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has a defined role for the NHS in supporting (a) medical care and (b) rehabilitation for armed forces personnel injured in conflicts.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service in England provides a range of secondary and tertiary care services for the Armed Forces personnel, including medical care for Armed Forces personnel injured in conflicts.

A partnership agreement is in place between NHS England and the Ministry of Defence that sets out how the Ministry of Defence and NHS England will work together in the planning and organising of the delivery of healthcare and supporting policies.

The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025 to ensure the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.

Found: Dr Rose Marie Parr (Lay member) Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat; Frome and East Somerset) Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Carmichael Sir John Hayes Jesse Norman Mr Richard Holden Rebecca Smith David Baines Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Carmichael Sir John Hayes Jesse Norman Mr Richard Holden Rebecca Smith David Baines Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Carmichael Sir John Hayes Jesse Norman Mr Richard Holden Rebecca Smith David Baines Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Carmichael Sir John Hayes Jesse Norman Mr Richard Holden Rebecca Smith David Baines Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Access to Justice APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: several individuals, including Neha Soni, Jamie McGowan, Andy Slaughter, Catherine Atkinson, Neil Shastri-Hurst

Access to Justice APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: several individuals, including Neha Soni, Jamie McGowan, Andy Slaughter, Catherine Atkinson, Neil Shastri-Hurst

Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: . • Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst on the potential impact of climate change on instances of malaria in the