Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the level of overdiagnosis arising from opportunistic PSA testing in England in the latest period for which data is available; and whether this was modelled in the comparator arm of the UK National Screening Committee’s economic analysis.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Drawing on the available peer reviewed evidence, the Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR) has undertaken economic analysis on behalf of the UK National Screening Committee.
In their modelling, in line with best practice and the standard academic approach to assessing a new screening proposal, the SCHARR team has included the best available information on current care and compared this to a number of possible scenarios for a new prostate cancer screening programme. This includes the best estimate of current opportunistic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing.
There is little published data available that can determine between PSAs sought by asymptomatic males at their general practices (GPs), opportunistic PSA testing, and other types of PSAs in use which can include testing for symptomatic males where this could support a diagnosis and for men who are on a range of treatment pathways for known prostate cancer.
A prostate cancer screening programme would be most likely to add to the number of PSA tests because GPs have the right to offer a PSA test in line with their clinical judgement and this would continue outside of any screening programme. This is consistent with other screening programmes including, for example, access to the faecal immunochemical tests outside of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
The risk of overdiagnosis identified in the SCHARR model is in line with other international evidence-based prostate screening models which have been developed by academics in line with standard academic approaches and are underpinned by high quality published evidence.
New data on PSA uptake was published after the completion of the modelling report and will be incorporated into further model iterations before the completion of the consultation period.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Crime and Police Bill 2024-26, what assessment his Department has made of adequacy of training for reporting child sexual abuse for (a) healthcare professionals and (b) people who volunteer to deliver healthcare services for children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the appalling crime of child sexual abuse. Every registered health professional working across the National Health Service has a professional duty of care to protect children from abuse, harm, or violence. This will be strengthened through the introduction of mandatory reporting, as part of the Crime and Police Bill 2024-26, which introduces a legal duty for those who work with children, including volunteers, to report child sexual abuse to the police or social services.
The Government will set out clear guidance on the operation of the duty, and we will work with regulators and professional standards-setting bodies to ensure that the new duty is clearly communicated ahead of implementation.
All healthcare staff and volunteers working with NHS providers complete mandatory safeguarding training. This training is being strengthened for launch in December 2026. This will reinforce to staff their safeguarding responsibilities and support them in identifying and supporting victims of abuse.
The Department and NHS England are developing standalone training on addressing child sexual abuse and exploitation for launch in 2026 to further support healthcare staff to identify victims and survivors and respond in a supportive and trauma-informed manner.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 support parents and families who lose a child to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities. It is important that grieving families and friends who have lost loved ones have access to the support they need, when they need it.
Bereavement support, including for parents and families affected by SUDC, is commissioned locally, in accordance with the needs of the local population. Information on SUDC is available on the National Health Service website, which also signposts to the charity SUDC.UK. This is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids
The Department funds research into SUDC through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Recent NIHR‑funded research includes studies focused on the promotion of safer sleeping practices for families at increased risk, the identification and management of genetic and cardiac risk factors, and the improvement of support for bereaved families.
The NIHR actively encourages and funds high-quality research into SUDC, ensuring flexibility in both the funding and research type to meet the needs of patients and families.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 increase research into Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities. It is important that grieving families and friends who have lost loved ones have access to the support they need, when they need it.
Bereavement support, including for parents and families affected by SUDC, is commissioned locally, in accordance with the needs of the local population. Information on SUDC is available on the National Health Service website, which also signposts to the charity SUDC.UK. This is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids
The Department funds research into SUDC through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Recent NIHR‑funded research includes studies focused on the promotion of safer sleeping practices for families at increased risk, the identification and management of genetic and cardiac risk factors, and the improvement of support for bereaved families.
The NIHR actively encourages and funds high-quality research into SUDC, ensuring flexibility in both the funding and research type to meet the needs of patients and families.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria will be used to select education providers eligible for international expansion support.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through the UK’s International Education Strategy, we are backing UK providers, at all levels, to deliver British education overseas in new and expanding markets, while driving growth at home.
Sector stakeholders will be central to the successful delivery of the new International Education Strategy. The reformed Education Sector Action Group (ESAG), chaired by Ministers, will bring together industry, government, and representative bodies from across the education sector to tackle key concerns and identify opportunities for partnerships. Each representative will lead on an action plan, published within the first 100 days of appointment to ESAG, outlining how their members will support delivery of the strategy.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
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 Integrated Care Boards monitor implementation of MHRA safety alerts on Topical Steroid Withdrawal across GP practices and community pharmacies.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is not aware that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a National Patient Safety Alert on topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). NHS England's Patient safety team issued this National Patient Safety Alert in 2020, and it is avaiable at the following link:
The safety alert mentions topical steroids, although they are not the focus of the alert. These alerts are a contractual requirement as set out in clause 33.8 of the NHS Standard Contract and so integrated care boards are expected to include consideration of these as part of their wider commissioning responsibilities.
The Care Quality Commission Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment' in Guidance on 12(2)(b) states that “Providers must comply with relevant Patient Safety Alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System”. Further information is avaiable at the following link:
Additionally, general practitioners are included, with further information is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/gps/gp-mythbusters/gp-mythbuster-91-patient-safety-alerts
In 2021, the MHRA published a Public Assessment Report (PAR), reviewing the available evidence for TSW reactions. This PAR is avaiable at the following link:
The PAR resulted in two Drug Safety Updates in 2021 and 2024 which aimed to raise awareness on the risk of TSW reactions and introduce new labelling. Both updates are available, respectively, at the following two links:
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children in the UK have Kawasaki Disease.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England holds records of hospital activity, and not the number of patients who have a particular condition. Therefore, the number indicated from hospital admissions gives an indication since Kawasaki disease is treated in hospital. Between the years 2020 to 2025, 2,188 patients aged between zero to 17 years old were admitted with a primary diagnosis of Kawasaki disease. The National Disease Registration Service does not hold data on Kawasaki disease. NHS England estimates approximately eight in every 100,000 children develop Kawasaki disease in the United Kingdom each year. The NHS England Kawasaki disease page also includes information on symptoms, diagnosis, management, as well as links for further support, and is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kawasaki-disease/
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to support research into Functional Neurological Disorder.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department delivers research into functional neurological disorder (FND) via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
This includes £350,000 of NIHR funding for research which seeks to co-develop behaviour change interventions to support people with FND to rehabilitate within the community, with the help of occupational therapists, enhancing their abilities to self-manage symptoms within daily routines.
The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including FND. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of free school meal eligibility from 2026 on the level of demand for school milk; and what steps are being taken to ensure adequate provision.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is a legislative requirement that milk is provided free of charge to children who meet the free school meal criteria.
We are extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This new entitlement will mean over 500,000 of the most disadvantaged children will begin to access free meals putting £500 back in families’ pockets.
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multi-year spending review period to cover additional meal costs. This includes milk. This is on top of £1.5 billion we already spend annually supporting schools to deliver free school meals and milk.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate has she made of the number of places that will be available for a) young British nationals and b) young EU nationals in each of the next five years under the new Erasmus scheme; and what assessment has she made of the expected regional allocation and breakdown of places.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We have now concluded negotiations with the European Commission on the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027. This commitment covers the 2027/28 academic year. Any participation in Erasmus+ into the next Multiannual Financial Framework from 2028/34 will need to be agreed in the future and be based on a fair and balanced contribution.
We expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027.
We will have detailed information on the UK’s Erasmus+ beneficiaries after our first year of participation.