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, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients who pursue non-NHS ADHD treatment are not disadvantaged in accessing (a) ongoing and (b) future NHS treatment.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.
It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.
The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.
The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.
If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54812 on Government Departments: media, what guidance is issued by the Government Communication Service on the procurement of external public relations companies.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) provides a framework agreement that enables contracting authorities to access suppliers who provide services in this area. As with any procurement through established framework agreements, CCS provides guidance to ensure any procurement is conducted in compliance with UK procurement regulations. Guidance can be found on the CCS webpage: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125.
Individual contracting authorities are responsible for their own procurement processes under this framework agreement. Any campaign spending of £100,000 or more must go through the Government Communication Service’s advertising, marketing and communications (AMC) spend control process. Guidance is available at the following link: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/delivering-government-campaigns/professional-assurance/
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK Statistics Authority and Cabinet Office response to the Devereux Review, published on 26 June 2025, what plans he has to publish a response to each recommendation of the Devereux Review.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK Statistics Authority and Cabinet Office response to the Devereux Review was published on 26 June. A further announcement was made on 7 July regarding the timeline for appointing new leadership to both the UK Statistics Authority and the Office for National Statistics.
While there are no plans to publish further responses, additional updates may be announced as and when deemed appropriate.
The Government welcomes the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee's inquiry into the UK Statistics Authority, launched earlier this year, and looks forward to engaging with the Committee.
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, what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on the adequacy of the consistency of shared care prescribing arrangements for ADHD medication in each Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.
It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.
The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.
The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.
If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.
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, what guidance his Department has issued to (a) ICBs and (b) GP practices on supporting patients with private ADHD diagnoses to transition into NHS care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.
It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.
The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.
The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.
If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 62339 on Aviation, which Departments have used the Airbus A321-253NX with registration G-OATW.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Since assuming the registration G-OATW in October 2023, the aircraft has been chartered under various contracts with other government departments to support their official business. However, this data is not held by the Cabinet Office, as each department is responsible for its own contracting arrangements.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62771 on Cabinet Office: Maray Restaurant, if he will publish that invoice.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In line with the approach of successive administrations, Government Procurement Card spend data over £500 is declared in relevant transparency publications.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54789 on Government Hospitality: Wines, whether alcohol from the Government Wine Cellar has been consumed at any other event by (a) 10 and (b) 11 Downing Street since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alcohol from the Government Wine Cellar was served at the following events by a) 10 and b) 11 Downing Street since 4 July 2024:
18 July 2024: Dinner for the President of France hosted by the Prime Minister at the European Political Meeting.
4 February 2025: Dinner for the Danish Prime Minister hosted by the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.
14 May 2025: Reception for the Governors of the Economic Bank for Reconstruction and Development hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at Lancaster House.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, Pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39690 on Military Aircraft: Ministers, what is the definition of a task; and whether this involves a one-way or return journey.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A task can include multiple legs between the point of departure and the final destination.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual operating costs are of the (a) RAF Envoy IV with registrations (i) G-ZAHS and (ii) G-ZABH, (b) VIP Voyager with registration ZZ336 and (c) Airbus A321-Neo with registration G-GBNI.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Envoy aircraft operating costs are currently £4.4 million per year, contracted through Centreline Av Ltd.
The operating costs of Voyager ZZ336 in its secondary role of VIP use are not separately recorded within the wider 27-Year AirTanker contract for the Voyager fleet's primary role of Air-to-Air Refuelling and military Air Transport.
The Airbus A321-Neo aircraft, registration G-GBNI is leased by the Cabinet Office not the Ministry of Defence.