Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to fund sustained public awareness activity on meningitis, including awareness of signs and symptoms, available vaccinations and when to seek urgent medical help.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Raising awareness about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, as well as the benefits of the MenACWY vaccine, remains a Department funding priority.
The Department, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England have been working with national and local partners across the higher education, further education, school and early years sectors on meningitis. This includes sharing a range of resources to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia/sepsis, when to seek medical attention and the vaccine offers available.
Engagement and support with key sector stakeholders will continue throughout the year with further sharing communications resources and digital content on owned channels raising awareness of signs and symptoms and encouraging uptake of the MenACWY vaccine.
UKHSA provides a range of resources and assets, co-branded with the NHS, including information leaflets about the importance of vaccination and posters about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia. These are available in multiple languages and accessible formats, including easy read, British Sign Language, and braille, at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-public-health-resources
A collaboratively produced university vaccine communications toolkit is also available and is shared via Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, with further information available at the following link:
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to run targeted meningitis awareness activity for teenagers, young adults, students and their families ahead of the next academic year, including information on symptoms, urgency of seeking medical help and available meningococcal vaccines.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Raising awareness in parents, teenagers, and young adults about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, as well as the benefits of the MenACWY vaccine, remains a priority.
The Department, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and NHS England have been working with national and local partners across the higher education, further education, school, and early years sectors on meningitis. This includes sharing a range of resources to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia/sepsis, when to seek medical attention, and the vaccine offers available.
Engagement and support with key sector stakeholders will continue in the run up to the new academic year and will include further sharing communications resources, including regional public relations and targeted stakeholder outreach in areas where universities are based, and digital content on owned channels raising awareness and encouraging students, young people, and their families to check they are up-to-date on vaccinations.
The UKHSA also provides a range of resources and assets, co-branded with the National Health Service, including information leaflets about the importance of vaccination and posters about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia including the save a life posters and stickers for accommodation, catering, and high traffic areas. These are available in multiple languages and accessible formats, including easy read, British Sign Language, and braille, at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-public-health-resources
A collaboratively produced university vaccine communications toolkit is also available and is shared via Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, with further information available at the following link:
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the potential under-ascertainment of meningococcal group B disease, including the relationship between (a) laboratory-confirmed cases of meningococcal group B disease, (b) hospital admissions for invasive meningococcal disease and (c) hospital-treated meningitis cases for which no causative pathogen is identified.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is her department taking to tackle the potential impact of the Yellow Legged Hornet on pollinators in Canterbury in wider Kent.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra remains committed to taking action against Yellow-Legged Hornets (YLHs) in England in 2026 and the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) stand ready to respond to reported sightings. The NBU will follow up credible reports of YLHs to find and destroy nests.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise public awareness of potential impact Yellow Legged Hornets on pollinators.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra continues to share the message about the threat of Yellow Legged Hornets (YLHs) to pollinators including honey bees and encourages the public to report suspected sightings. The Department uses a range of communication channels to inform beekeepers and the wider public.
The Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) works with over 50 local actions groups and a wide range of other organisations to raise awareness of YLH and has distributed over 48,000 Yellow-Legged Hornet awareness raising materials since January 2026.
Invasive Species Week is an annual event to raise awareness of invasive non-native species and how everyone can help to reduce their impacts. This year it will take place from 22 to 28 June 2026. Tuesday 23 June will focus on recording and volunteering and will include events highlighting work on YLH.
Additional media opportunities for awareness raising will be used as they arise.
As part of the wider work to support pollinators, Defra has committed to delivering a refreshed Pollinator Action Plan, as part of the broader Environmental Improvement Plan. This will set out key actions for pollinators in England.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the future sustainability and funding of the Music and Dance Scheme; and what steps she is taking to support young musicians and dancers.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Canterbury to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111333.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
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 accessibility of hearing tests for those 18 years old and under, including by audiologists who are not registered with the CQC.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services in England and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity, including for audiology services for those 18 years old and under.
The National Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity dataset includes data on the percentage of patients waiting more than six weeks for an audiology assessment, and can be found at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/
However, this data cannot be split by adult/child, therefore the Department has not made a formal assessment of the accessibility of hearing tests for those 18 years old and under. As of January 2026, the dataset showed that 45% of patients were waiting more than six weeks for an audiology assessment.
Audiology services are not required to be registered with Care Quality Commission where the services provided do not fall under the regulated activities, as set out in the regulations. Audiology activities, such as hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, and tympanometry/routine assessments are not regulated activities. More information is available at the following link:
When an audiologist is a practicing clinical scientist or a hearing aid dispenser, they must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, with further information available at the following link: