Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the draft Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology, (a) whether procurement assessments are expected to include comparison with the existing standard of care, (b) how incremental clinical benefit is expected to be measured where a medical device is assessed against an existing treatment pathway, and (c) what weighting is given to clinical outcome evidence relative to cost data in Value Based Procurement assessments.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the level of alignment between the draft Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology and (a) NHS Trust financial requirements under the 2025-26 NHS operational planning guidance and (b) NHS budgets available for investment in MedTech innovation.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the draft Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology, whether that guidance applies across different categories of MedTech, including consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies; whether his Department plans to introduce differentiated evidence standards for those categories; and which industry bodies have been consulted on the category-specific application of that guidance.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the draft Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the availability of comparable clinical outcomes data across MedTech product categories, (b) the availability of cost-effectiveness evidence for medical devices, equipment and digital health technologies, and (c) the potential effect of evidence gaps on the consistent application of Value Based Procurement.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recently completed NHS Trust pilots of the Department’s Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology, (a) what assessment his Department has made of the pilots and whether this assessment will be published, (b) what conclusions were reached on procurement savings, clinical outcomes and implementation barriers, and (c) how the pilot findings informed the draft guidance.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the draft Value Based Procurement guidance for Medical Technology, what role NHS Trust Finance Directors will have in value assessments of medical technology; whether that guidance requires Finance Director sign-off for procurements above defined financial thresholds; and whether NHS England plans to issue guidance to NHS Trust finance teams on implementation of Value Based Procurement.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Value Based Procurement (VBP) guidance, published on 11 June 2026, applies to medical technology as defined by the Medical Device Regulations 2002. This includes consumables, implants, diagnostics, equipment and digital technologies. The Department worked with trade associations, suppliers, and patient groups to develop supporting information which sets out the types of evidence that buyers should consider assessing when carrying out a VBP process. The guidance states that evidence standards should be used to the extent relevant, accounting for the maturity of the supplier base, product being procured, and availability of cost-effectiveness and clinical outcome data. Buyers should also seek to understand the maturity of evidence through pre-market engagement with suppliers.

The Department will publish the independent evaluation of the VBP pilots this summer. Feedback from the National Health Service trusts involved in the pilot work demonstrated that the guidance was considered usable by procurement teams, helped to simplify the procurement process and reduced variation in how non-financial criteria are evaluated. The pilot findings informed refinements to the final published guidance and implementation planning. The Department intends to undertake ongoing monitoring and assessment of how the guidance is being applied in practice to measure its impact and inform future development.

The new Medium Term Planning Framework sets out a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS to support a move to medium-term financial and delivery planning cycles. The on-line training that is being provided for procurement teams will support the adoption of the guidance and explains how the structured and standardised approach should streamline the procurement process.

NHS trusts are responsible for setting and adhering to finance procedures, including the involvement of finance directors in purchasing decisions as per schemes of delegation. To support understanding of the guidance within the finance community, the Department engaged with finance professionals via professional networks during its development. The planned evaluation over the coming months of how the guidance is been applied will assess if further actions are needed to embed principles of VBP.

The guidance sets out that buyers should conduct their procurements in line with relevant legislation. The guidance recommends that buyers should communicate the existing standard of care and any performance baselines, to the extent relevant to the product or service being procured. Buyers should work with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, to determine the most suitable method of assessing incremental clinical benefit and the associated weighting this should be given relative to cost, tailored to the product being procured and the supplier market.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England collects information from NHS bodies on medical equipment loaned to patients that is \(a) lost, (b) damaged beyond repair and (c) not returned.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not collect information on medical equipment loaned to National Health Service patients outside of NHS premises. NHS trusts, often in partnership with local councils and regional integrated community equipment services, loan a wide range of medical equipment devices free of charge to NHS patients, including mobility and disability aids, and it is the responsibility of the individual NHS body which loaned the medical equipment to pursue the return of that equipment. The Department has not made any estimates of the cost to the NHS of replacing medical equipment loaned to patients that is lost, damaged beyond repair, or not returned.

The NHS is committed to reducing waste, whilst also delivering cost savings and minimising environmental impact, as set out in the Delivering a Net Zero NHS report in 2020. Since the publication of the report, NHS England continues to work to expand locally managed walking aid refurbishment and reuse schemes, which include crutches, frames, and walking sticks. A range of resources and communications tools is available to support NHS trusts and patients with returns. This includes the Recycle Now website, where patients can check their nearest drop off location by postcode. As well as hospitals, NHS England has also established systems for walking aid return at waste and recycling centres in collaboration with local authority partners. Some trusts have offered home collection services for reusable walking aids in partnership with local authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of replacing medical equipment loaned to patients that is (a) lost, (b) damaged beyond repair and (c) not returned.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not collect information on medical equipment loaned to National Health Service patients outside of NHS premises. NHS trusts, often in partnership with local councils and regional integrated community equipment services, loan a wide range of medical equipment devices free of charge to NHS patients, including mobility and disability aids, and it is the responsibility of the individual NHS body which loaned the medical equipment to pursue the return of that equipment. The Department has not made any estimates of the cost to the NHS of replacing medical equipment loaned to patients that is lost, damaged beyond repair, or not returned.

The NHS is committed to reducing waste, whilst also delivering cost savings and minimising environmental impact, as set out in the Delivering a Net Zero NHS report in 2020. Since the publication of the report, NHS England continues to work to expand locally managed walking aid refurbishment and reuse schemes, which include crutches, frames, and walking sticks. A range of resources and communications tools is available to support NHS trusts and patients with returns. This includes the Recycle Now website, where patients can check their nearest drop off location by postcode. As well as hospitals, NHS England has also established systems for walking aid return at waste and recycling centres in collaboration with local authority partners. Some trusts have offered home collection services for reusable walking aids in partnership with local authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NHS England provides to NHS bodies on the (a) recording, (b) tracking and (c) recovery of medical equipment loaned to patients for use outside NHS premises.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not collect information on medical equipment loaned to National Health Service patients outside of NHS premises. NHS trusts, often in partnership with local councils and regional integrated community equipment services, loan a wide range of medical equipment devices free of charge to NHS patients, including mobility and disability aids, and it is the responsibility of the individual NHS body which loaned the medical equipment to pursue the return of that equipment. The Department has not made any estimates of the cost to the NHS of replacing medical equipment loaned to patients that is lost, damaged beyond repair, or not returned.

The NHS is committed to reducing waste, whilst also delivering cost savings and minimising environmental impact, as set out in the Delivering a Net Zero NHS report in 2020. Since the publication of the report, NHS England continues to work to expand locally managed walking aid refurbishment and reuse schemes, which include crutches, frames, and walking sticks. A range of resources and communications tools is available to support NHS trusts and patients with returns. This includes the Recycle Now website, where patients can check their nearest drop off location by postcode. As well as hospitals, NHS England has also established systems for walking aid return at waste and recycling centres in collaboration with local authority partners. Some trusts have offered home collection services for reusable walking aids in partnership with local authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which body is responsible for pursuing the return of medical equipment loaned to patients where that equipment was supplied by (a) an NHS trust and (b) an integrated care board.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not collect information on medical equipment loaned to National Health Service patients outside of NHS premises. NHS trusts, often in partnership with local councils and regional integrated community equipment services, loan a wide range of medical equipment devices free of charge to NHS patients, including mobility and disability aids, and it is the responsibility of the individual NHS body which loaned the medical equipment to pursue the return of that equipment. The Department has not made any estimates of the cost to the NHS of replacing medical equipment loaned to patients that is lost, damaged beyond repair, or not returned.

The NHS is committed to reducing waste, whilst also delivering cost savings and minimising environmental impact, as set out in the Delivering a Net Zero NHS report in 2020. Since the publication of the report, NHS England continues to work to expand locally managed walking aid refurbishment and reuse schemes, which include crutches, frames, and walking sticks. A range of resources and communications tools is available to support NHS trusts and patients with returns. This includes the Recycle Now website, where patients can check their nearest drop off location by postcode. As well as hospitals, NHS England has also established systems for walking aid return at waste and recycling centres in collaboration with local authority partners. Some trusts have offered home collection services for reusable walking aids in partnership with local authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) workforce capacity, (b) laboratory capacity and (c) digital infrastructure across Genomic Laboratory Hubs in the context of future demand for genomic testing.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs).

To support future demand for genomic testing, NHS England has undertaken a procurement for NHS GMS Lead Providers from 2026, with all providers identified and contractual arrangements in the final stages of completion. This will enable moving towards a new delivery model for the NHS GMS, including delivering capacity in the NHS GLHs.

NHS England, including the NHS Genomics Education Programme, has been working in collaboration with colleagues across the health service to undertake workforce planning to address gaps in numbers and skills, ensuring that the NHS workforce has the right capacity and capabilities in genomic medicine. This includes building capacity within the NHS GMS through support for specialist healthcare professionals, including genomic counsellors, clinical scientists, and specialists in genomic medicine.

NHS England has established a genomics data and digital programme to deliver the commitments in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, including a digital National Genomic Test Directory, Genomics Order Management, and a Unified Genomic Record.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what modelling his Department has undertaken of potential future demand for genomic testing to support delivery of commitments in the NHS 10 Year Plan and National Cancer Plan.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

NHS England is responsible for commissioning the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS). Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS GMS and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs).

The NHS GMS currently delivers approximately 70,000 genomic tests per month. The NHS 10-Year Health Plan and National Cancer Plan included a number of commitments for genomics, which will see an increase in demand for testing, driven in particular by an increase in the type of genomic tests available on the National Genomic Test Directory, service developments within the NHG GMS, genomic testing to support access to medicines, particularly in cancer, and improved access to existing testing. It is expected that demand for genomic tests will continue to rise year on year such that by 2035, we anticipate that half of all healthcare interactions will be informed by genomic insights and other predictive analytics.

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 adults who are already older than the eligible age when the shingles vaccination programme is expanded are not disadvantaged by the timing of the rollout.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on shingles vaccinations, examining factors including clinical benefits, affordability and cost effectiveness.

No decision has yet been taken on any expansion of the existing shingles vaccination programme to include adults aged 80 years old or over.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government decides to implement, efforts to introduce or expand the programme are determined by factors including availability of supply, contractual arrangement on supply, affordability, workforce capacity and impact on other programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what factors his Department is considering before responding to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s November 2024 advice that the shingles vaccination programme should be expanded to include adults aged 80 and over.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on shingles vaccinations, examining factors including clinical benefits, affordability and cost effectiveness.

No decision has yet been taken on any expansion of the existing shingles vaccination programme to include adults aged 80 years old or over.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government decides to implement, efforts to introduce or expand the programme are determined by factors including availability of supply, contractual arrangement on supply, affordability, workforce capacity and impact on other programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the clinical, operational, procurement and supply-side barriers to expanding the shingles vaccination programme to adults aged 80 and over.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on shingles vaccinations, examining factors including clinical benefits, affordability and cost effectiveness.

No decision has yet been taken on any expansion of the existing shingles vaccination programme to include adults aged 80 years old or over.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government decides to implement, efforts to introduce or expand the programme are determined by factors including availability of supply, contractual arrangement on supply, affordability, workforce capacity and impact on other programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what operational, clinical or supply-side factors informed the decision to phase the expansion of the shingles vaccination programme to adults aged 60 and over between 2028 and 2033.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The shingles vaccine was previously available as part of the national immunisation programme to those aged 70 years old and over. In 2019, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the shingles vaccination programme should be offered to everyone at 60 years old, rather than 70 years old. In 2026, after reviewing updated modelling, the JCVI confirmed that this recommendation should remain.

Based on the JCVI’s initial recommendation, and following an assessment of effective use of National Health Service resources and careful consideration of individual risk and population benefit, the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England agreed that the expansion of the shingles vaccination programme would be rolled out in phases.

Phase 1 takes place between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2028. In this current phase, individuals reaching 65 or 70 years old should be called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. Phase 2 will take place from 1 September 2028 to 31 August 2033. During this phase, individuals reaching 60 or 65 years old should be called in on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to individuals turning 60 years old on or after their 60th birthday.

Phasing the roll-out of the shingles vaccination over time to everyone aged 60 years old maximises cost effectiveness, ensures continuity in messaging over time to maximise coverage, and maintains a consistent approach from all four nations in the United Kingdom.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of shingles-related GP appointments, A&E attendances and hospital admissions among adults aged 80 and over between the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s November 2024 advice on expanding eligibility and the date on which that advice is implemented.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on shingles vaccinations, examining factors including clinical benefits, affordability and cost effectiveness.

No decision has yet been taken on any expansion of the existing shingles vaccination programme to include adults aged 80 years old or over.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government decides to implement, efforts to introduce or expand the programme are determined by factors including availability of supply, contractual arrangement on supply, affordability, workforce capacity and impact on other programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of adults aged 80 and over who may develop shingles between the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s November 2024 advice on expanding eligibility and the date on which that advice is implemented.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on shingles vaccinations, examining factors including clinical benefits, affordability and cost effectiveness.

No decision has yet been taken on any expansion of the existing shingles vaccination programme to include adults aged 80 years old or over.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government decides to implement, efforts to introduce or expand the programme are determined by factors including availability of supply, contractual arrangement on supply, affordability, workforce capacity and impact on other programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department collects data on the health impacts of children’s exposure to harmful online content; and what assessment has been made of how the effectiveness of interventions designed to mitigate such harms will be evaluated.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Government keeps the evidence on the health impacts of children’s exposure to harmful online content under close review and is committed to ensuring that children’s lives online are safe and enriching.

Following a national consultation, the Government will ban social media companies from offering their services to those under the age of 16. This is in line with the approach taken by Australia, and will include platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. The ban will restrict under 16s from accessing harmful functions, including livestreaming and stranger communications. These restrictions will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites. Regulations to enforce the ban will be laid this year, and the aim is for them to be in effect by Spring 2027. The ban will be implemented with stringent age assurance measures.

With regards to specific evidence reviews, in 2019, the UK Chief Medical Officers published a review of the evidence on screen-based activities and mental health. Since then, the government has continued to work closely with academic experts to review emerging evidence, including studies funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. In January 2026, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published a research report titled ‘Understanding the impact of smartphones and social media on children and young people’.

In addition, screen use guidance forms a core part of the Government’s wider response to online harms, complementing regulatory action by providing clear, practical advice to parents on supporting safe, balanced and developmentally appropriate use of digital technologies. Building on the publication of evidence‑based guidance for parents and carers of zero to five-year-olds in March 2026, we are now working across government to develop further parent facing guidance for five to 16-year-olds to promote safe and healthy engagement with the digital world.

The Government is also monitoring the recently announced ‘IRL Trial’, led by Professor Amy Orben, which is the first large-scale randomised controlled trial to examine how limiting access to social media may affect adolescent mental health.

We will continue to work closely with the University of Cambridge, the Wellcome Trust and wider organisations and researchers to study the impact of any interventions put in place to mitigate online harms.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the MHRA on conducting an audit of clinical-needs justifications submitted under Regulation 167 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 for cannabis-based products for medicinal use.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Department and the NHS Business Services Authority have not received a request from the General Medical Council for data relating to named services or individual prescribers of cannabis-based products for medicinal use. NHS England routinely liaises with relevant regulators and shares information to support the safe management and use of controlled drugs. In June 2026, NHS England met the General Medical Council to discuss prescribing of cannabis-based products for medicinal use and subsequently shared information, including details of named medical prescribers.

NHS England has also provided information relating to Care Quality Commission-registered services to the Care Quality Commission, as the regulator of health and social care services in England.

Unlicensed medicines, including unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans may be supplied, according to Regulation 167 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, when there is a special clinical need that cannot be met by licensed available medicines. The special need, clinical in nature, is determined by the prescriber responsible for the care of the individual patient. According to Regulation 167 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, the prescriber is a person who is a doctor, dentist, nurse independent prescriber, pharmacist independent prescriber, or supplementary prescriber.

Clinical-need justifications submitted during the course of notifications to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to import unlicensed medicines is part of normal clinical practice, which is monitored by the relevant professional healthcare regulator and the royal colleges.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the General Medical Council has requested data including named services and individual prescribers relating to cannabis-based products for medicinal use from (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) NHS Business Services Authority.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Department and the NHS Business Services Authority have not received a request from the General Medical Council for data relating to named services or individual prescribers of cannabis-based products for medicinal use. NHS England routinely liaises with relevant regulators and shares information to support the safe management and use of controlled drugs. In June 2026, NHS England met the General Medical Council to discuss prescribing of cannabis-based products for medicinal use and subsequently shared information, including details of named medical prescribers.

NHS England has also provided information relating to Care Quality Commission-registered services to the Care Quality Commission, as the regulator of health and social care services in England.

Unlicensed medicines, including unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans may be supplied, according to Regulation 167 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, when there is a special clinical need that cannot be met by licensed available medicines. The special need, clinical in nature, is determined by the prescriber responsible for the care of the individual patient. According to Regulation 167 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, the prescriber is a person who is a doctor, dentist, nurse independent prescriber, pharmacist independent prescriber, or supplementary prescriber.

Clinical-need justifications submitted during the course of notifications to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to import unlicensed medicines is part of normal clinical practice, which is monitored by the relevant professional healthcare regulator and the royal colleges.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for each UK Foundation Programme reserve-list allocation round held in 2026, how many applicants were allocated a place in that round from (a) the total pool of non-prioritised applicants, (b) Queen Mary University of London Malta, (c) Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia and (d) the City St George’s, University of London medical programme delivered in Cyprus; and how many applicants in each category remained without an allocation after that round.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The allocation of reserve list applicants to foundation schools is still on-going. The UK Foundation Programme Office published an update on 3 July detailing two further reserve-list allocation rounds which will take place on 15 July and 29 July respectively. The update on the reserve-list allocations is available at the following link:

https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/ukfp-2026-reserve-allocation-update/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England routinely collects data on turnaround times for genomic tests delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs).

NHS England captures Patient Level Contract Monitoring data across the NHS GMS to facilitate a national approach to reporting and validating activity data and turnaround times for the genomics element of the pathway. This national approach to reporting and validating data enables NHS England to both understand activity volumes, detect any backlogs, and work with the NHS GLHs to implement improvement activities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in genomic testing activity through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service since April 2023; and what steps he is taking to help support access to genomic testing.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory (the Test Directory), which includes tests for over 7,000 rare diseases with an associated genetic cause and over 200 cancer clinical indications. Further information on the Test Directory is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/

Testing is available for all eligible patients across the whole of England and defined healthcare professionals who confirm the patient meets the Test Directory eligibility criteria, can refer their patient for testing. The rate of testing has increased steadily over the period in question from approximately 64,000 tests per month in April 2023 to 70,000 tests per month in April 2025, and the data from April 2026 is yet to be validated. The growth in testing reflects the increase in the type of genomic tests available on the National Genomic Test Directory, informed by Service Developments within the NHS GMS, implementation of genomic testing to support access to medicines, particularly in cancer, and improved access to existing testing. It is expected that demand for genomic tests will continue to rise in the coming years.

NHS England captures Patient Level Contract Monitoring data across the NHS GMS to facilitate a national approach to reporting and validating activity data and turnaround times, enabling NHS England to both understand activity volumes, detect any backlogs, and work with the NHS GLHs to implement improvement activities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many genomic tests have been completed through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service in each quarter since April 2023 for (a) cancer and (b) rare and inherited conditions.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs.

Since December 2023, NHS England has published NHS genomic testing activity data on a quarterly basis on the NHS England website, at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/genomic-testing-activity/

This shows activity delivered by the NHS GMS including for cancer and rare and inherited disease.

Richard Pengelly

Found: 22,375 1,000 13,000 Lord Offord of Garvel13 - - - - - - - - Maria Caulfield MP14 - - - - - - - - Stuart Andrew

Found: Whitchurch12 (until 7 September 2025) Alan Mak MP Lord Offord of Garvel13 Maria Caulfield MP14 Stuart Andrew

Found: Opposition Deputy Chief Whip) from 03/11/2024 (from 05/07/2024 to 02/11/2024) 34,742 20,931 Stuart Andrew

Found: Opposition Deputy Chief Whip) from 03/11/2024 (from 05/07/2024 to 02/11/2024) 34,742 20,931 Stuart Andrew