Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2025 to WPQ 96699, if he will provide a hyperlink to that information.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Guidance on how to submit data about consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset is available at the following link:
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 94029, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Food Scanner app on people with eating disorders.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has a series of digital tools to support adults and families to eat better and move more, including the food scanner app and the National Health Service weight loss plan app, email programmes, and websites. These tools are evidence-based and regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with current Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition guidance. Updates are ongoing to reflect the latest Government advice.
We are always looking to improve the app experience, including extending and personalising messaging. We welcome feedback from parents as well as organisations to aid us in this process.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 definition of healthy eating.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The definition of healthy eating is represented visually by the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide depicts the dietary recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which result from robust independent risk assessments of the scientific evidence. The Eatwell Guide represents the proportion of each of the main food groups we should consume to have a balanced diet which helps meet nutrient requirements and promote long term health at a population level. Consuming a healthy diet means making food choices that are in line with both calorie requirements and the principles of a healthy, balanced diet, as set out in the guide.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 94028, whether he plans to (a) implement the recommendations of Lord Darzi’s report on eating disorders and (b) set future targets to improve community care for young people with eating disorders.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Lord Darzi conducted an independent investigation into the National Health Service in England. He did not issue a report on eating disorders and in his independent investigation, in line with the agreed terms of reference, made no specific policy recommendations regarding eating disorders.
Through the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will overhaul the NHS and ensure that those living with mental health conditions, including eating disorders, are given the support they need, including by recruiting an extra 8,500 new mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to cut waiting times and ensure people can access treatment and support earlier.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of banning first cousin marriage.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care recognises the increased health risks for children of first cousins and we are in contact with other Government departments, including the Ministry of Justice, to provide further information on these as part of wider discussions.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department has had discussions with the Ministry of Justice on making first cousin marriage unlawful.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care recognises the increased health risks for children of first cousins and we are in contact with other Government departments, including the Ministry of Justice, to provide further information on these as part of wider discussions.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99799, whether NHS England has adopted a net zero target date for the National Health Service that differs from the United Kingdom’s statutory target of net zero by 2050.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to him on 27 November 2025 to Question 92091 which set out the National Health Service’s Net Zero ambitions. Additionally, the answer provided to Queston 99799 on 22 December 2025 is clear that NHS England’s intent was to set ambitious but achievable aims that align with different sectoral pathways and expectations. This aims to support the United Kingdom’s overall approach to the statutory Net Zero target of 2050, which applies to the whole UK economy.
As per the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department is committed to supporting these ambitions, and we will do so in a way that delivers better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for patients, and which remains aligned to the Government's approach to carbon budgets and the overall Net Zero statutory target.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92091 on NHS England: Carbon Emissions, what estimate has been made of the cost to the NHS of delivering the net zero targets; and whether those costs have been broken down between capital spending, operational changes and procurement requirements.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
These targets are system–led and were set by NHS England, in collaboration with its Net Zero Expert Panel, to support the United Kingdom’s legislative target in a way that is ambitious but achievable. NHS England has been clear that its approach is designed to align with different sectoral pathways, and to be consistent with the UK's overall approach on decarbonisation. No National Health Service specific cost-estimate of achieving Net Zero has been made, and both NHS England and Department are clear that NHS budgets will only be used to support the targets where this can deliver better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for patients.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to WPQ 87435 answered on 26 November, if he will publish copies of the modules about close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors and guidance on how to submit data around consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has already published training modules about close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, as well as guidance on how to submit data around consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset. The training modules have been published for health professionals to access and there are no plans to publish them more widely.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to WPQ 89628 answered on 20 November 2025, whether his Department plans to set targets regarding the improvement of community care for young people with eating disorders.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Eating disorders have a devastating impact on young people’s lives and Lord Darzi’s investigation found that people accessing National Health Service mental health services are waiting too long, receive variable quality of care, and suffer from entrenched inequalities. This Government has already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve NHS mental health services but there is much more to do.
Although there are currently no plans to set targets regarding the improvement of community care for young people with eating disorders, more young people are being supported to access NHS mental health services. Between July and September 2025, 3,010 young people with eating disorder issues entered treatment, which is an increase of 14% compared to the same period last year. This is helped by almost 7,000 extra mental health workers being recruited since July 2024, against our target of 8,500 by the end of this Parliament.
The 10-Year Health Plan aims to shift more care to the community and reform the health system, including eating disorder services, to adopt more neighbourhood models of working where cross-sector collaboration is the norm.