Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
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 potential impact of preventable unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis on (a) people with multiple sclerosis, (b) the NHS and (c) the economy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are detrimental to patient wellbeing, the health and care system and the economy.
That is why the Government is investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down, including for patients with MS.
The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.
NHS England's revised service specification aims to improve diagnosis times for MS by reducing waiting times and enhancing care coordination. The new service specification, published in August 2025, is part of the larger Neurology Service Transformation Programme aimed at improving the delivery and experience of neurology services through clear minimum standards for both specialised and core services, including earlier diagnosis.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes, including for people with MS.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that people seeking a potential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are seen by a neurologist within 12 weeks.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are detrimental to patient wellbeing, the health and care system and the economy.
That is why the Government is investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down, including for patients with MS.
The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.
NHS England's revised service specification aims to improve diagnosis times for MS by reducing waiting times and enhancing care coordination. The new service specification, published in August 2025, is part of the larger Neurology Service Transformation Programme aimed at improving the delivery and experience of neurology services through clear minimum standards for both specialised and core services, including earlier diagnosis.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes, including for people with MS.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she last held a meeting with Ministers responsible for the Child Poverty Strategy to discuss the (a) potential implication of lengthened immigration routes and (b) No Recourse to Public Funds condition for children’s living standards; and when she plans to hold the next meeting.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the (a) lengthening of immigration routes to settlement and (b) No Recourse to Public Funds condition on the ability to meet objectives under the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department (a) is engaging in the development of the Child Poverty Strategy and (b) will implement an exemption for families with children under 18 from the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of asylum support rates on child poverty among families seeking asylum; and whether she has shared this assessment with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for consideration in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers. We meet this obligation by providing accommodation and a weekly allowance. The level of the allowance given is reviewed each year to ensure it remains sufficient in meeting essential living needs.
Additional support is available to pregnant women, young children, and individuals who can show they have exceptional needs. Asylum seeking children are also entitled to access free healthcare and schooling, plus free school meals.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Child Poverty Strategy will integrate with (a) the Child Health Action Plan and (b) other strategic activities; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Strategy on the work undertaken in the devolved nations.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This government is committed to tackling child poverty, with our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy due to be published in the autumn.
The publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy from this year and in future years, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
As part of the strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is prioritising better local services, especially in the early years, for children living in poverty. We have announced close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £500 million of this investment between 2026 and 2029.
Details of how the Child Poverty Strategy interacts with other policies across government will be set out when the strategy is published, including child health.
The Strategy will be UK wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with devolved governments.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to include targets for reducing child poverty in the Child Poverty Strategy; and what plans she has for scrutiny of the delivery of that strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This government is committed to tackling child poverty, with our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy due to be published in the autumn.
The publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy from this year and in future years, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
As part of the strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is prioritising better local services, especially in the early years, for children living in poverty. We have announced close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £500 million of this investment between 2026 and 2029.
Details of how the Child Poverty Strategy interacts with other policies across government will be set out when the strategy is published, including child health.
The Strategy will be UK wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with devolved governments.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Child Poverty Strategy will include (a) services for children living in poverty and (b) the role of expanded family hubs in supporting low-income families.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This government is committed to tackling child poverty, with our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy due to be published in the autumn.
The publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy from this year and in future years, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
As part of the strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is prioritising better local services, especially in the early years, for children living in poverty. We have announced close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £500 million of this investment between 2026 and 2029.
Details of how the Child Poverty Strategy interacts with other policies across government will be set out when the strategy is published, including child health.
The Strategy will be UK wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with devolved governments.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the registration of eligible children for free school meals; and whether she plans to introduce free school meal auto-enrolment in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We want to ensure that all families who need it are able to claim the support they are eligible for. Creating a new threshold for free school meals will ensure that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit are eligible, making it easier for parents to understand their entitlement.
The government is also taking action to make it quicker and easier for both families and local authorities to get children signed up for free school meals by rolling out improvements to the eligibility checking system used to verify entitlement to free school meals.
The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn that will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. The Taskforce will continue to explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term action across government to reduce child poverty.