Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will consider allowing Palestinian students starting studies at UK universities in 2025 to apply to bring dependent children to the UK.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 27 October, the Government updated our guidance on scholarships for students from Gaza to confirm that it was now also seeking to support the departure of the dependents of those students who are eligible under immigration rules. Full details can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-students-travelling-to-the-uk-from-gaza/scholarships-for-students-from-gaza).
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to encourage smaller snack sizes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is no one specific government policy to encourage the availability of smaller snack sizes, but through the 10-Year Health Plan the government is taking a whole diet approach and focussing on the key drivers that encourage overconsumption of less healthy food and drink, as part of its mission to tackle obesity.
The Department is taking several actions to improve diets and reduce the consumption of calories and other ingredients of concern, such as saturated fat, salt and sugar. This includes the introduction of mandatory healthy sales reporting for large food businesses by the end of this Parliament; and the setting of new targets to increase the healthiness of sales for the largest food businesses. This will set full transparency and accountability around the food and drink that businesses are selling and should encourage an increase in sales of healthier products. Businesses will have the freedom to decide how they achieve the target, with reformulation of existing products and the introduction of new healthy products forming options for businesses to make healthier options accessible for all.
In addition, the Volume Price Promotions regulations came into force on 1 October 2025, restricting volume promotions such as “buy one get one free” and “3 for £10” on less healthy food and drink. Mandatory restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on TV and online are due to come into force on 5 January 2026. However, since 1 October 2025, advertisers and broadcasters have been voluntarily complying with the restrictions ahead of them taking legal effect next year. We are already seeing a change in the type of adverts shown on TV and online. These policies are in addition to the locations promotions legislation which came into effect in 2022 and prevent less healthy products being placed in certain locations in supermarkets that lead to uplifts in purchasing.
All these policies are designed to encourage the food industry to make the products they sell healthier. Information is also available to help people make better choices. Better Health Families uses personalised email programmes, digital and social media to help families with primary school aged children to eat healthier snacks including suggestions on fruit, vegetable and homemade snacks and choosing healthier snacks while shopping.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 16 September to Question 75570 on Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling, when he plans to consult with stakeholders on the best ways to communicate the necessary information on the health risks to consumers through alcohol labels.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages. The Plan is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future
Departmental officials are currently formulating plans for stakeholder engagement and a formal consultation. The timeline will be confirmed in due course. Stakeholder insights will help shape the policy to ensure the labelling requirements are most effective.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered introducing national guidance on the potential physical health risks of excessive screen time for children and young people.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2019, the UK Chief Medical Officers published a commentary on the findings of a systematic review on screen-based activities and children’s mental health. This commentary included advice for parents and carers on agreeing boundaries with children and young people on time spent using screens outside of school and educational use. The commentary is available at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c5b1510e5274a316cee5be8/UK_CMO_commentary_on_screentime_and_social_media_map_of_reviews.pdf
Further research examining the causal relationship between screentime and children’s physical and mental health and how it might be mediated is welcomed. The Department has no plans to publish additional guidance on screentime and children’s health at this time, but departmental policies will remain agile to emerging and future research.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 neighbourhood cancer care models in the National Cancer Plan contribute to reducing health inequalities.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is for our health system to fit around people’s lives. The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of professionals, and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.
It will involve care closer to the community, including a focus on prevention, as well as the redesign of outpatient and diagnostic services, and the re-design of urgent and emergency care.
In the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, we will look at how to incorporate this neighbourhood approach into cancer care. The National Cancer Plan will also set out how we will work with organisations representing communities that experience health inequalities, to help us meet the needs of all cancer patients across England.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish a framework for neighbourhood cancer care as part of the National Cancer Plan.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is for our health system to fit around people’s lives. The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of professionals, and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.
It will involve care closer to the community, including a focus on prevention, as well as the redesign of outpatient and diagnostic services, and the re-design of urgent and emergency care.
In the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, we will look at how to incorporate this neighbourhood approach into cancer care. The National Cancer Plan will also set out how we will work with organisations representing communities that experience health inequalities, to help us meet the needs of all cancer patients across England.