Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to improve access to treatments for metachromatic leukodystrophy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as metachromatic leukodystrophy. One of the framework’s priorities is improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework and published the fourth England action plan on 28 February 2025.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE works closely with companies and the United Kingdom regulator with the aim of publishing guidance on new medicines as close as possible to the time of licensing so that patients can benefit from rapid access to clinically and cost-effective medicines. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, usually within three months of final guidance.
In 2022, NICE recommended the world’s first gene therapy atidarsagene autotemcel, also known as Libmeldy, for treating metachromatic leukoystrophy, which is now available to eligible NHS patients in line with NICE’s recommendations.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the maximum age for first-time blood donors.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England, and blood donor selection guidelines are prepared by the Joint United Kingdom Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC), with further information available at the following link:
https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/
JPAC is due to conduct a review of the upper age limit for new and returning donors in 2026, following analysis of adverse events over the preceding 12 months since NHSBT, and other UK blood services, adopted its updated guidelines for returning donors in 2024. A copy of the guidelines is attached.
The current maximum age of first-time donors was extended from 60 to 65 years old in line with Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 limits on the safe age range for new donors, with further information available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/50/contents
There is no age limit for regular donors, who may continue to give blood over the age of 72 years old if they remain in good health and have made at least one full donation in the last two years.
Returning donors, those who have given blood anywhere in the world without an adverse reaction, can return to donating up to, and on, their 72nd birthday, and then can continue to donate as long as they remain healthy
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 merits of including metachromatic leukodystrophy in the newborn blood spot test.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) considered newborn screening for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) in 2023. At that time, it concluded that the available evidence on screening test accuracy and cost-effectiveness, though limited, warranted further review. It also found that the volume and type of evidence relating to the benefits and/or harms of treatments in presymptomatic patients with MLD was sufficient to justify a more in-depth review of the evidence.
Since then, a further review has been undertaken. A three-month consultation on those findings closed on 5 August 2025. The UK NSC will consider the responses to this consultation in due course.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in Social Work England registration fees on social workers.
Answered by Janet Daby
Social Work England (SWE) fees have remained static since it became the regulator in 2019. The increase was agreed after a consultation exercise undertaken by SWE. Social Work England released an equality impact assessment alongside their consultation response.
Registration and renewal fees have not increased since 2015, and whilst we appreciate that many people, social workers included, may be experiencing financial difficulties, the decision to increase fees brings the fee in line with inflation and better balances the relationship between grant-in-aid and fee income. This will ensure a balanced and stable funding base to fulfil SWE’s regulatory responsibilities to protect and serve the public.
Social workers may be able to claim tax relief on professional member fees. Details on how to do this are available here: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/professional-fees-and-subscriptions.
Additionally, social workers have the option to pay registration and renewal fees in full or in two instalments in October and the following April.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has taken recent steps to support social workers, in the context of increases in Social Work England registration fees.
Answered by Janet Daby
Social Work England (SWE) fees have remained static since it became the regulator in 2019. The increase was agreed after a consultation exercise undertaken by SWE. Social Work England released an equality impact assessment alongside their consultation response.
Registration and renewal fees have not increased since 2015, and whilst we appreciate that many people, social workers included, may be experiencing financial difficulties, the decision to increase fees brings the fee in line with inflation and better balances the relationship between grant-in-aid and fee income. This will ensure a balanced and stable funding base to fulfil SWE’s regulatory responsibilities to protect and serve the public.
Social workers may be able to claim tax relief on professional member fees. Details on how to do this are available here: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/professional-fees-and-subscriptions.
Additionally, social workers have the option to pay registration and renewal fees in full or in two instalments in October and the following April.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of children at risk of waterborne diseases due to fuel shortages in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We remain deeply concerned at the lack of fuel supply in Gaza, which puts vital services such as water desalination at risk. On 18 July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) described the deepening fuel crisis in Gaza, including the impact on solid waste collection and availability of clean water supplies and health services. We highlighted the impact of the lack of fuel on water supplies and hospitals and the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to support access to education for children in Gaza whose schools have been (a) damaged and (b) destroyed.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of bombing of schools in Gaza, and the impact on Gaza's children. We have called on Israel to do its utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Israel on the reported bombing of (a) schools and (b) shelters in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of bombing of schools in Gaza, and the impact on Gaza's children. We have called on Israel to do its utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the conflict in Gaza on the mental health and wellbeing of children.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of fuel shortages in Gaza on the civilian population.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No fuel has entered Gaza for over four months, putting vital services such as water supply, hospitals and ambulances at imminent risk of shutting down. This is unacceptable. We continue to be in regular contact with the Government of Israel about the importance of allowing fuel to reach Gaza. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we called on Israel to allow the full resumption of aid into Gaza, including fuel. We reiterated this in our joint donor's statement with 26 other signatories on 19 May.