Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact Avanti West Coast’s non-tilting 110mph (a) Class 805 and (b) Class 807 trains on the capacity of the West Coast Main Line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The new Avanti trains of classes 805 and 807 will make a material improvement to journeys formerly made on the Voyager trains, and will not reduce the capacity of the West Coast main line.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the (a) structure and (b) responsibilities of Integrated Care Boards on the (i) commissioning and (ii) delivery of multiple sclerosis services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure, with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance.
NHS England has shared a draft of The Model ICB Blueprint to help ICBs shape future plans. The blueprint confirms their critical role as strategic commissioners, with their core functions centred in population health management, including understanding local context, developing a long-term strategy, allocating resources, and evaluating impact.
The Government is focused on improving health, and as part of that has produced a 10-Year Health Plan in order to reform the health system. The Government will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure that the expected hundreds of millions of pounds of savings made will be reinvested into frontline services and to unlock the benefit of working at scale to deliver better care for patients, including those with multiple sclerosis.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the NHS England Getting It Right First Time neurology programme on the (a) quality and (b) consistency of multiple sclerosis care.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) National Specialty Report made recommendations designed to improve neurology services nationally and to support the National Health Service to deliver care more equitably across the country. The National Specialty Report highlighted differences in how services are delivered and offered an unprecedented opportunity to share successful initiatives between trusts to improve patient services nationally.
Building on the GIRFT National Specialty Report, the Neurology Transformation Programme has developed a model of integrated care for neurology services to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS). This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions.
The Neurology Transformation Programme has developed a national data dashboard for integrated care systems to monitor delivery of MS care, including for disease-modifying therapies. Additionally, NHS England has also developed guidance for systems on improving access to disease-modifying treatments for MS closer to home, which includes successful delivery models and good practice case studies.
The Neurology Transformation Programme is working with the National Clinical Director for Neurology and the Neurology Clinical Reference Group to develop a revised service specification for neurology. The updated service specification will further build on the specific recommendations in the GIRFT report and will include specific guidance for pathways for MS and other neuroinflammatory conditions.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department’s 10 Year Health Plan will support patients with multiple sclerosis in receiving adequate (a) care and (b) support.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with multiple sclerosis, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.
In addition, by 2028/29, neighbourhood health teams will be organised around the needs of their patients. The plan will create joined-up working across hospitals and into community settings, with multi-disciplinary teams who can provide wrap-around support services.
By 2030, one million patients with long-term conditions will be offered personal health budgets, which will enable them to use National Health Service resources and to determine the care that best suits their needs.
Patients will be able to self-refer to services where clinically appropriate through My Specialist on the NHS App. This will accelerate their access to treatment and support. The NHS App will provide access to advice, guidance, self-care support, and appointment management. Patients will be able to manage their care in one place, giving them direct access to, and preference over the services they need.
As part of the NHS App, My Medicines will enable patients to manage their prescriptions, and My Health will enable patients to monitor their symptoms and bring all their data into one place.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an equalities impact assessment of the proposed Personal Independence Payment reforms with specific reference to people with progressive neurological conditions.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, the Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House about the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by implementing a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.
In light of the concerns raised, I confirmed during the debate that clause 5 would be removed from the Bill in Committee.
(Hansard, 1 July, col 219)
Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit which I shall lead, co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed welfare reforms on people with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other fluctuating conditions.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, the Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House about the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by implementing a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.
In light of the concerns raised, I confirmed during the debate that clause 5 would be removed from the Bill in Committee.
(Hansard, 1 July, col 219)
Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit which I shall lead, co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.