Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal to require prior approval introduced by the Black Country Integrated Care Board for ADHD and autism assessments; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such schemes do not infringe upon the statutory right to choose established in the NHS Constitution, particularly where referrals to independent providers are being paused or restricted.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation on 7 October 2025. This advice includes guidance on managing service provisions, reviewing waiting lists and providing patient support. The advice can be found on NHS England’s website.
The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, was explicit that ICBs and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for ADHD and autism assessments and improve the quality of assessments by implementing existing and new guidance, as published.
The NHS Black Country ICB has a prior-approval process to make sure referrals meet clinical criteria and that providers meet required quality and governance standards. This applies to all Right to Choose providers offering ADHD and autism assessments. This does not affect patient choice, as people will still be able to choose their preferred provider when their general practitioner makes a referral.
Patients already have the legal right to choose the provider and team who will provide their elective care in certain cases. These rights extend to any provider in England who holds a contract with an ICB, or NHS England, for the service/s the patient requires, as per the NHS Choice Framework. This includes independent sector providers. ADHD services are already in scope of this legislation.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 improve the diagnosis of the menopause for BAME women.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government acknowledges the challenges women face in seeking a diagnosis and support for menopause symptoms and that these are especially acute amongst certain groups, including those from an ethnic minority background.
We are clear that more needs to be done to address these barriers and that is why we announced earlier this year that menopause will be included in routine NHS Health Checks for over 40 year olds, raising awareness of symptoms and giving women the confidence to seek help. To improve uptake of the NHS Health Check we have developed a new NHS Health Check online service, currently being piloted in multiple local authorities, which people can use at home, at a time that is convenient for them.
As part of the Government’s renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy, we will look to identify specific barriers in access to healthcare and set out concrete action to remove them.
Through our National Institute for Health and Care Research, we have invested over £4 million into research on menopause in 2024/25. This includes research to understand Black women's experiences of digitally provided sexual and reproductive healthcare including on the menopause.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of the menopause for BAME women in (i) Hounslow, (ii) West London and (iii) London.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government acknowledges the challenges women face in seeking a diagnosis and support for menopause symptoms and that these are especially acute amongst certain groups, including those from an ethnic minority background.
We are clear that more needs to be done to address these barriers, and that is why we announced earlier this year that menopause will be included in routine NHS Health Checks for those who are 40 years old and over, raising awareness of symptoms and giving women the confidence to seek help. To improve uptake of the NHS Health Check we have developed a new NHS Health Check online service, currently being piloted in multiple local authorities, which people can use at home, at a time convenient to them.
In North West London, our approach to menopause care is guided by the Women’s Health Strategy, which sets out a 10-year vision to improve access, tackle taboos, and ensure that ethnicity does not impact the quality of care. While menopause support is primarily delivered through primary care and specialist referral pathways, the strategy commits to reducing health inequalities by providing culturally appropriate information and improving awareness among underserved communities. We continue to work with local partners to address barriers such as stigma and language, and to ensure that women from all backgrounds, including Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, can access timely diagnosis and treatment.
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions, our 10-Year Health Plan, and the renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the draft prostate cancer screening recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We welcome the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) consideration of the evidence and robust consultation process on both the evidence and its draft recommendation. We are examining the evidence and arguments and will bring together those with differing views.
On 28 November 2025, the UK NSC opened a 12-week public consultation on a draft recommendation to:
After the consultation closes, in early 2026, the UK NSC will make a final recommendation on screening for prostate cancer. After receiving the final recommendation, ministers will consider whether to accept this and the next steps.
Asked by: Lord Bradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions pelargonic acid vanillylamide (PAVA) incapacitant spray has been (1) drawn, and (2) drawn and deployed in prisons in 2024 and 2025; and what was the (a) ethnicity, (b) religion, and (c) disability status of the prisoner involved in each case.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data relating to the use of PAVA broken down by disability comes from internal management information that is under development. It is not quality assured and does not meet the standard required for publication.
The table below provides information on the use of PAVA broken down ethnicity and religion.
| 2024 | 2024 Total | 2025 | 2025 YTD Total* | |||
Drawn and used | Drawn not used | Drawn and used | Drawn not used | ||||
Ethnicity | Asian | 93 | 36 | 129 | 121 | 35 | 156 |
Black | 543 | 187 | 730 | 524 | 193 | 717 | |
Mixed | 166 | 65 | 231 | 159 | 71 | 230 | |
Other | 23 | 25 | 48 | 32 | 12 | 44 | |
White | 460 | 270 | 730 | 518 | 308 | 826 | |
White: Gypsy/Roma/Irish Traveller | 29 | 14 | 43 | 20 | 23 | 43 | |
Unknown | 17 | 3 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 6 | |
Religion | Christian | 533 | 258 | 791 | 531 | 253 | 784 |
Muslim | 522 | 211 | 733 | 550 | 227 | 777 | |
No Religion | 219 | 103 | 322 | 241 | 123 | 364 | |
Other | 57 | 27 | 84 | 55 | 39 | 94 | |
Unknown | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Grand Total | 1,331 | 600 | 1,931 | 1,379 | 643 | 2,022 | |
Please note that the 2025 figures represent data to 30 November this year. Figures include each time a prisoner is impacted by a PAVA incident. This means each time PAVA is drawn and used/drawn not used, multiple prisoners may be counted. In addition, the same prisoner may be counted more than once if involved in multiple incidents.
Figures provided have been drawn from HMPPS Management Information which has not passed through the quality assurance processes usually associated with official statistics published on gov.uk and may contain incomplete or, on rare occasions, inaccurate data.
Pelargonic acid vanillylamide incapacitant (PAVA) spray is made available to protect staff and prisoners in the event of serious violence, or where there is an imminent risk of serious violence. Clear guidance has been issued to staff, to ensure it is used only where appropriate. Our hardworking prison officers are brave public servants doing exceptionally difficult jobs, this Government will do everything we can to keep them safe.
Asked by: Lord Bradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people in prison or a Young Offender Institution self-describe their ethnicity as (1) black, (2) mixed-race, (3) Asian, and (4) white; and for each of these groups how many are aged (a) 15-17, (b) 18-20, (c) 21-24, (d) 25-29, (e) 30-39, (f) 40-49, (g) 50-59, (h) 60-69, and (i) 70 and over.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The answer to this question has been provided as an Excel document alongside this response.
The table provided was published as part of the Offender Management chapter of the 2024 ‘Ethnicity and the Criminal Justice System’ publication. (This series is published every other year.)
The figures presented are based on the total prison population and therefore include those held on remand, those sentenced and non-criminals.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on the number of gamblers accessing the black market.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government. We are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. To further secure the regulated market and protect consumers from illegal sites, it was announced at the Budget that the Government is providing an additional £26 million over three years to the Gambling Commission to strengthen enforcement and tackle illegal gambling. We will continue to monitor this area closely and will consider what other action could be taken to further tackle illegal gambling.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether ensuring that high-risk men get access to prostate cancer screening will be an objective of the national cancer plan.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will build on the shifts in care set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to diagnose cancers earlier. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including prostate cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s survival rates.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. He will make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation, including any decisions on implementation at that point.
It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12-week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies on the handling of domestic abuse cases in the family courts of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s October 2025 report entitled Everyday Business; and whether he plans to expand the roll-out of the Pathfinder court model in the South West.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government welcomes the publication of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report “Everyday Business: Addressing domestic abuse and continuing harm through a family court review and reporting mechanism”. We are carefully considering the recommendations made in the report and will publish a full response shortly.
This Government recognises the impact that family court proceedings can have on children and adult survivors of domestic abuse, which is why we are prioritising the protection of domestic abuse survivors going through the family court. The includes the expansion of the Pathfinder programme, which promotes safeguarding and supports victims of domestic abuse through multi-agency collaboration and expert domestic abuse support.
Launched in Dorset and North Wales in February 2022, the Pathfinder model has since expanded to nine court areas, the most recent areas being the Black Country and Shropshire, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and Herefordshire and Worcestershire in November 2025. In January it will be rolled out to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the largest court area in the South West. This will mean around a quarter of relevant cases across England and Wales follow the model.
Further expansion of the model is being considered as part of the departmental allocations process which follows the latest Spending Review, and we are unable to pre-empt the outcome of this.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 tackle racial disparities in maternity care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.
The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred. It is crucial that we also ensure the system is supported to achieve any target set.
Baroness Amos is chairing a national independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from black and Asian backgrounds, those from deprived groups, and those from other marginalised groups when receiving maternity and neonatal care. The Government is currently establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, to be chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, that will then develop a national action plan based on the recommendations of the investigation.
A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are now underway. These include an anti-discrimination programme, which aims to ensure that all service users and their families receive care free from discrimination and racism, and that all staff will experience a work environment free from discrimination and racism. We are also developing an inequalities dashboard and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity.
Additionally, all local areas have published equity and equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.
We are also putting in place wider actions to improve safety across maternity and neonatal care, which will also contribute to reducing inequalities. This includes the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, a package of evidence-based interventions to support staff to reduce stillbirth, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and pre-term births. It includes guidance on managing multiple pregnancies to ensure optimal care for the woman and baby. NHS England is also introducing a Maternal Mortality Care Bundle to set clear standards across all services, and to address the leading causes of maternal mortality. Women from black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle will target these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.