Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has costed compensation for victims of sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the recommendations on financial redress of the Hughes Report for those harmed by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Further to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121, the Department continues to discuss these issues with colleagues across the Government in the usual way.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on the proportion of integrated care boards that currently employ a dedicated health play specialist; and what steps she is taking to increase the number of boards with access to such provision.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to improving the experience of children receiving healthcare. The NHS and Starlight's Play Well Toolkit is helping local services to deliver high-quality play provision for children, as set out in the answer provided on 22 April in response to Question 127201.

Decisions on funding services are ultimately for local commissioners, but the toolkit supports those decision makers to establish services that are high quality and effective, and NHS England will continue both to promote its use and stress the importance of child-focused care across National Health Services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of variation in access to health play services between hospitals and community healthcare settings in areas of (a) higher and (b) lower deprivation; and what steps she is taking to address such variation.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to improving the experience of children receiving healthcare. The NHS and Starlight's Play Well Toolkit is helping local services to deliver high-quality play provision for children, as set out in the answer provided on 22 April in response to Question 127201.

Decisions on funding services are ultimately for local commissioners, but the toolkit supports those decision makers to establish services that are high quality and effective, and NHS England will continue both to promote its use and stress the importance of child-focused care across National Health Services.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 26641, whether the approval of his Department is required by the Department for Health and Social Care to award financial redress in response to recommendations by the Patient Safety Commissioner.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury is responsible for setting overall departmental spending settlements and considering proposals for expenditure in line with the framework set out in Managing Public Money. As such, HM Treasury discusses a wide range of policies and their associated funding implications on matters within DHSC’s remit, but does not typically comment on ongoing policy development and specific approvals processes.

Further information on the role of HM Treasury consent in approving public spending is set out in Chapter 2 of Managing Public Money:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of improved paternity leave and pay on families expecting a child.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government recognises the current system could do more to support the many dads and partners who want to be more actively involved in supporting their partner and take on a more equal role in caring for their children.

That is why we are currently undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. This will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.

All current Parental Leave and Pay entitlements are in scope of the Review, including Paternity Leave and Pay.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the rate and duration of statutory paternity leave and pay.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government recognises the current system could do more to support the many dads and partners who want to be more actively involved in supporting their partner and take on a more equal role in caring for their children.

That is why we are currently undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. This will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.

All current Parental Leave and Pay entitlements are in scope of the Review, including Paternity Leave and Pay.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that NHS data remains under UK control and is used for the benefit of UK patients.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Patient data in the United Kingdom remains covered by the legal frameworks set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and that will not change.

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 6 July 2026 to Question 10706 on Brain: Tumours, what progress her Department and NHS England have made with the Royal College of Pathologists on reviewing tissue retention guidance; whether that work is considering national guidance on the fresh freezing of suitable brain tumour tissue once diagnostic requirements have been met; and when she expects that work to conclude.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July in response to Question 14300.

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 6 July 2026 to Question 10706 on Brain: Tumours, what progress has been made on reviewing consent processes for the storage and future use of brain tumour tissue; whether her Department is considering a consistent national approach to informing patients about those issues before surgery; and when she expects that work to conclude.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July in response to Question 14300.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the risk of autonomous AI agents gaining unauthorised access to NHS systems holding patient or operational data; and whether she has commissioned testing of those systems following the reported unauthorised access by an OpenAI agent to Australia's Medicare Statistics Reporting Service in June 2026.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the Department recognise the emerging cyber security risks associated with increasingly capable and autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents. National teams continue to assess and respond to emerging cyber risks that may affect health and care organisations, and National Health Service organisations are required to meet the requirements set out in the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).

In line with the DSPT, NHS organisations are required to have arrangements in place to identify, manage, and report data security incidents to NHS England, the Department, and the Information Commissioner’s Office, including any instance where an AI system gained unauthorised access to NHS data. Where a personal data breach is notifiable, organisations must report it within 72 hours.

The NHS Terms and Conditions require suppliers to inform their NHS customers within 24 hours from discovery of a cyber incident. This enables NHS organisations to start cyber incident response plans and inform relevant authorities within stipulated timelines. In addition, NHS England and the Department may also engage the National Cyber Security Centre, as the United Kingdom’s technical authority on cyber security, in the event of a major cyber incident.

NHS suppliers are subject to separate assurance and contractual arrangements. NHS England's Cyber Security Charter is designed to support suppliers and their customers in reducing the likelihood and impact of a cyber incident. We have a dedicated workstream in the Cyber Improvement Programme that is focused on the supply chain, developing tools and processes to increase cyber assurance and resilience.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what protocol is in place for NHS England and the National Cyber Security Centre to be notified if an AI system obtains NHS data without authorisation; and within what timeframe AI developers are required to report such incidents.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the Department recognise the emerging cyber security risks associated with increasingly capable and autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents. National teams continue to assess and respond to emerging cyber risks that may affect health and care organisations, and National Health Service organisations are required to meet the requirements set out in the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).

In line with the DSPT, NHS organisations are required to have arrangements in place to identify, manage, and report data security incidents to NHS England, the Department, and the Information Commissioner’s Office, including any instance where an AI system gained unauthorised access to NHS data. Where a personal data breach is notifiable, organisations must report it within 72 hours.

The NHS Terms and Conditions require suppliers to inform their NHS customers within 24 hours from discovery of a cyber incident. This enables NHS organisations to start cyber incident response plans and inform relevant authorities within stipulated timelines. In addition, NHS England and the Department may also engage the National Cyber Security Centre, as the United Kingdom’s technical authority on cyber security, in the event of a major cyber incident.

NHS suppliers are subject to separate assurance and contractual arrangements. NHS England's Cyber Security Charter is designed to support suppliers and their customers in reducing the likelihood and impact of a cyber incident. We have a dedicated workstream in the Cyber Improvement Programme that is focused on the supply chain, developing tools and processes to increase cyber assurance and resilience.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the funding required to address the gaps in capacity for the fresh freezing and storage of brain tumour tissue identified by NHS England, including essential supporting infrastructure; and whether she plans to make dedicated funding available for that purpose.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer to the Hon Member to the answer given on 22 September to Question HL2877.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a) what cancer-specific red-flag training is currently mandatory for GPs, b) whether it is formally assessed, and c) how completion is monitored and how often it has to be refreshed.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To support the identification of potentially missed diagnoses, the Department published Jess's Rule in September 2025 as formal clinical guidance developed with NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners. Jess's Rule supports and strengthens general practitioners’ clinical judgement by encouraging clinicians to pause and review recurrent presentations and consider whether anything may have been missed. It formalises existing best practice and promotes a more consistent approach to patient care while recognising that decisions on referral, investigation, and treatment remain matters of clinical judgement.

Ending the criminalisation and stigmatisation of victims of sexual exploitation

90th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade

Found: Streeting MP Karin Smyth MP Stephen Kinnock MP Ashley Dalton MP Baroness Gillian Merron Sharon Hodgson