Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care what estimate he has made of adult COVID-19 and influenza vaccination uptake in 2024–25; and what steps his Department is taking to strengthen communication of vaccine value to the public in response to hesitancy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes annual reports on seasonal flu vaccine uptake for England. COVID-19 vaccination uptake figures are published regularly during the spring and winter campaigns, as part of the national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, and are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/weekly-national-flu-reports
The adult groups which the vaccine is offered to includes those over 65 years of age, clinical risk groups, pregnant women, and frontline healthcare workers. Compared to the previous 2023 to 2024 season, uptake was higher in pregnant women. Comparisons cannot be made to the previous season for other adult groups, due to changes in the timing of programme implementation.
The Department works with the UKHSA and NHS England to deliver national communications supporting vaccine uptake. The UKHSA undertakes research, assessing public confidence, barriers, and motivators to vaccination uptake, and develops strategies and messaging tailored to different audiences.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the study undertaken by the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, published on 5 September 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to tackling the supply of illegal drugs. We are taking a coordinated approach to tackle harmful online content, including material associated with vapes containing illegal drugs. This combines law enforcement activity, education, and also measures compelling online platforms to act.
To this end, the illegal sale of drugs is a priority offence under the illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act 2023.Ofcom is closely monitoring compliance with the regime. The National Crime Agency also works with partners in the UK and internationally to identify offenders operating online, and to take down UK-based sites committing offences.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help prevent the online sale of vapes containing illegal drugs.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling the supply of illegal drugs, including online, and the harms associated with their misuse.
We are taking a coordinated approach across Government that includes law enforcement activity, stronger engagement with technology companies, better education for users so they understand the risks and harms; as well as requiring internet companies to take responsibility for content on their platforms.
We have strengthened the regulatory framework to address online harms, and the unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is a priority offence under the illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act 2023. In-scope providers are legally required to implement measures to protect their users and to remove illegal content from their platforms, including that related to the sale of vapes containing illegal drugs. Ofcom, as the independent regulator of the Act, is monitoring compliance with the regime.
The National Crime Agency also works with partners in the UK and internationally to identify offenders operating online, and to take down UK-based sites committing offences.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support the provision of new Integrated Retirement Communities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87630 on 11 November 2025.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to monitor the provision of emergency hormonal contraception under Patient Group Directive as part of the Pharmacy Contraception and Pharmacy First Services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS), under which community pharmacists can initiate and manage the supply of oral contraception, was due to expand to allow the supply of emergency hormonal contraception on 29 October 2025.
The number of pharmacies registered to provide PCS and actively delivering the service has increased since service launch in April 2023. The latest available data for registrations and activity shows that in September, 9,932 pharmacies were registered to provide the PCS, and in June 7,160 pharmacies delivered at least one contraception consultation. 15 pharmacies have deregistered from the PCS since March 2025.
NHS England will keep the clinical scope of this service under review, and the NHS Business Services Authority will publish activity data in line with the approach for other clinical services in community pharmacy.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many pharmacies in each Integrated Care Board area in England have registered to provide free Emergency Hormonal Contraception; what proportion of those pharmacies are providing that service; and how many pharmacies have deregistered from providing that service since 30 March 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS), under which community pharmacists can initiate and manage the supply of oral contraception, was due to expand to allow the supply of emergency hormonal contraception on 29 October 2025.
The number of pharmacies registered to provide PCS and actively delivering the service has increased since service launch in April 2023. The latest available data for registrations and activity shows that in September, 9,932 pharmacies were registered to provide the PCS, and in June 7,160 pharmacies delivered at least one contraception consultation. 15 pharmacies have deregistered from the PCS since March 2025.
NHS England will keep the clinical scope of this service under review, and the NHS Business Services Authority will publish activity data in line with the approach for other clinical services in community pharmacy.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the application of consumer law to charitable membership subscriptions under the Digital Markets, Consumer and Competition Act 2024 on the finances of those organisations.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Charities are not excluded from existing core consumer law on the basis of their charitable status. The government is engaging closely with the sector in relation to the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.
The impact assessment for the subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net direct cost to businesses is £171m per year. Sector-specific analysis has not been conducted.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to implement an animal welfare labelling scheme to support British farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 12 June 2025, we published the summary of responses and the Government response to the fairer food labelling consultation, which was undertaken last year by the previous government. The response is available here on GOV.UK.
We will consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to renew the Young Farmers Grant; and when a decision on that funding will be confirmed.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC). Defra provides funding of up to £30,000 per year for specific project-based activity which supports skills development and training.
My officials continue to work very closely with the NFYFC to deliver the 2025-26 grant to ensure value for money. An assessment of future years funding remains part of future spending decisions.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Action 28 (i) of the Life Sciences Sector Plan, published on 16 July 2025, what criteria his Department plans to use to identify (a) low affordability risk and (b) strong long-term outcome data, in the context of identifying eligibility for the proportionate approach to indication-specific pricing agreements.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The criteria will be developed alongside the new proportionate approach to indication-specific pricing arrangements.