Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce inequalities in health outcomes in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to reducing inequalities in health outcomes across the country, including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, and to increasing the time people spend in good health.
We know everyday life poses greater health risks to the most disadvantaged in society, and that the current model of care works least well for those who already experience disadvantage and are far more likely to have complex needs. To help tackle this, we are reviewing the Carr-Hill formula so funding better reflects need.
We are acting on the wider causes of ill health through measures such as the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which will create the first smoke-free generation, and action to tackle childhood obesity, including restrictions on junk food advertising aimed at children on television and online.
We are also taking cross-Government action on the wider determinants of health, recognising that health outcomes are shaped by factors beyond healthcare alone. This includes measures such as Awaab’s Law, which will require landlords to address serious damp and mould hazards, and legislation for a new statutory health and health inequalities duty for strategic authorities.
Hertfordshire County Council delivers its statutory public health functions and wider health inequalities activity through a ring fenced Public Health Grant received annually from the Department. The Hertfordshire County Council Director of Public Health is responsible for the use of the grant in line with the grant conditions. For 2026/27 the value of the consolidated grant for Hertfordshire was £65 million.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dependants of care worker and senior care worker Skilled Worker visa holders continually employed in the UK since before 11 March 2024 have been refused extensions to their leave to remain; and what guidance has her Department issued to caseworkers on handling such applications.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
The immigration rules and caseworker guidance set out how visa applications should be handled. Dependents of care workers (SOC code 6135) or senior care workers (SOC code 6136) can apply to join a Skilled Worker, if the lead applicant has continuously had permission as a Skilled Worker since before 11 March 2024 and this is to extend their dependent visa.
Further information can be found in Appendix Skilled worker of the Immigration Rules at SW32A.2 (a)(i). Information for caseworkers can be found on page 8 of the dependent caseworker guidance: Dependent family members in work routes.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 help ensure that hospices can implement staff pay awards in line with national Agenda for Change pay scales, where these staff are delivering NHS contracted services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Hospices, as independent organisations, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including pay scales and, therefore, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate and how to recoup any additional costs they face if they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract.
NHS England uprates national allocations in line with the pay rises for integrated care boards (ICBs). It is down to the local contractual arrangements whether this includes the increases for pay rises or not, which will help to determine what the hospice can afford. So, there is no single model which is consistent across England.
Additional funding for 2026/27 Pay Review Body awards will be provided to reflect the final pay award through an increase to ICB allocations and NHS Payment Scheme prices. Full guidance will be available in due course.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing NHS pay rises for all hospice staff in line with Agenda for Change pay scales.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Hospices, as independent organisations, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including pay scales and, therefore, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate and how to recoup any additional costs they face if they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract.
NHS England uprates national allocations in line with the pay rises for integrated care boards (ICBs). It is down to the local contractual arrangements whether this includes the increases for pay rises or not, which will help to determine what the hospice can afford. So, there is no single model which is consistent across England.
Additional funding for 2026/27 Pay Review Body awards will be provided to reflect the final pay award through an increase to ICB allocations and NHS Payment Scheme prices. Full guidance will be available in due course.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plan to take to ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care guarantees equitable provision of hospice care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 statutory funding for hospices; and what plans his Department has to ensure equitable funding for hospices.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made in ensuring the Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework will address hospices' funding challenges.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the role of social media companies in facilitating online fraud and scams.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Online platforms, including social media, are being exploited by criminals to commit crime. Data from the banking and financial services sector suggests 53% of authorised push payment (APP) fraud cases in 2023 involved social media, messaging and call platforms, 13% auction, purchase and listing platforms, and 12% telecommunications platforms.
The Online Safety Act lists fraud as a priority offence. This means that in-scope social media providers must prevent and minimise fraudulent content from appearing on their services and swiftly remove it if it does. Platforms must also manage the risk their service being used by criminals to commit fraud or other financial crimes.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage early diagnosis of bowel cancer in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to improve early diagnosis for bowel cancer, including in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
We are increasing the sensitivity of faecal immunochemical tests for bowel cancer screening to catch more bowel cancers at an earlier stage. The increase in sensitivity, combined with increased uptake, will deliver 17,000 earlier diagnoses by 2035. The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme already offers people aged 50 to 74 years old screening every two years. The programme is undergoing several updates to its standards aimed at improving coverage, accessibility, and early detection. This includes updated performance thresholds, and improved accessibility of bowel cancer screening kits.
The Department will continue to support digital support tools to help to flag concerning symptoms or test results to general practitioners for all cancers, including in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. As part of this, NHS England will pilot an incentive which encourages the use of electronic safety netting to increase the number of people who complete checks for bowel cancer.
Finally, local communities across England, including in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, will benefit from major investment aimed at reducing cancer screening inequalities and catching more cancers early. We will close inequalities for ethnic minority communities and underserved communities, including for bowel cancer, through local awareness campaigns and our new Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, which is part of £200 million for Cancer Alliances.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much pupil premium funding has been provided to schools in each Hertfordshire constituency (a) this year (b) in total since the policy was introduced.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Pupil premium allocations for Broxbourne, Harpenden and Berkhamsted, Hertford and Stortford, Hertsmere, Hitchin, North East Hertfordshire, South West Hertfordshire, St Albans, Stevenage, Watford and Welwyn Hatfield have been published each year since the 2012/13 financial year.
Information about this grant scheme is available at:
Information about allocations and conditions of the grant from previous years are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/education/pupil-premium-and-other-school-premiums.