Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his department has made representations outlining concerns to NHS England about multiple Trusts and FTs in the North West engaging in activities around the proposed formation of or changes to subcos without following the guidance provided by NHS England in February 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Outsourcing transactions which involve the creation of new subsidiaries, or material changes to existing subsidiaries, including any proposals in the North West, are reportable to NHS England for review in line with its published subsidiary transaction guidance.
NHS England wrote to the sector on 26 September 2025 to highlight a change in national policy on subsidiaries given concerns about transferring National Health Service staff into new organisations, which is seen as undermining the concept of a single NHS workforce.
NHS England will shortly consult on updating the subsidiary transaction guidance to confirm that subsidiaries involving the transfer of NHS staff will now only be approved in a limited number of circumstances, and only where there is clear local union support and protection of NHS terms and conditions, including pension access.
All subsidiary transaction proposals involving the transfer of NHS staff are paused while NHS England undertakes this consultation, unless they are supported by local unions. This includes any proposals in the North West.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 support the safety and appropriate care of patients with suspected craniocervical instability; what plans he has to improve access to appropriate imaging and specialist clinical review for such patients, including those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using patients’ lived experience to inform future policy development and service provision in this area.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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, with reference to paragraph 88 of the policy paper entitled UK Government Resilience Action Plan, published on 14 July 2025, how many meetings have been attended by civil servants within their Department in relation to the Home Defence Programme; which directorate in the Department owns the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme; and what the job title is of the civil servant leading and cohering the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
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 support the availability of Peer Supported Open Dialogue in the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is no national policy specifically focused on implementing Peer Supported Open Dialogue.
The National Health Service follows evidence when implementing any approach at scale and will respond to any future changes in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. A research trial evaluating the impact of open dialogue in the NHS is due to report soon, at the following link:
Nationally, we are committed to working with local NHS mental health providers to develop a new approach for mental health in 2026, including through the upcoming modern service framework for severe mental illness.
The Department is also supporting the development of the evidence base on mental health care through research and evaluation, including studies funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to inform future decisions on effective models of care.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to WPQ109839 answered on 9 February on Cerebral Palsy: Young People, whether she will hold discussions with the Equalities Minister on whether current systems within the NHS support young adults with cerebral palsy, including those without a diagnosed learning disability.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Minister for Equalities work closely together on issues relating to disability, health inequalities and access to services. Officials will continue to engage across Government to ensure that national policy recognises the needs of young adults with cerebral palsy and that systems across the National Health Service support equitable access to appropriate care, regardless of whether an individual has a diagnosed learning disability.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement, updated 28 January 2025, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the 2035 implementation date for the New Decent Homes Standard on incidence of illness caused by i) damp and mould and ii) other poor conditions in the private rented sector.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care works with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the links between housing conditions and health, including the risks associated with damp, mould, and other hazards. The jointly published guidance Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home sets out the health risks of damp and mould and the steps landlords should take to address these issues. This guidance is avaiable at the following link:
The Decent Homes Standard (DHS) is part of the package of Government action and investment to support improvements in the quality of rented homes, including implementation of Awaab’s Law, the Renters’ Rights Act, and minimum energy efficiency standards. One aim of these measures is to reduce illness linked to damp, mould, and other housing hazards.
The new DHS prioritises safety, decency, and warmth. The Department of Health and Social Care’s engagement has focused on the health-related aspects of the DHS. Decisions on the implementation timetable have been led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and informed by consultation with the sector. The Government expects landlords to begin taking action now to ensure their properties meet the DHS. We recognise, however, that it will take time to plan and deliver works sustainably. The Department of Health and Social Care will work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to produce guidance to support implementation of the DHS. The DHS is avaiable at the following link:
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85831 on Public Houses, whether he plans to allow 16 and 17 year olds to consume alcohol-free drinks when accompanied by an adult and when drinking with a substantive meal in a licensed premises.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government has committed to explore measures to regulate access to no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) products in line with other alcoholic beverages. This policy is being pursued as alcohol substitute drinks are only intended for consumption by adults.
Department officials are progressing work to take forward this commitment and are in the process of scoping out the full details. We will update stakeholders in due course.
There are no current plans to change the licensing rules in pubs for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 potential impact of location restrictions for high fat, sugar and salt products on fruit and nut (a) bars and (b) bags; and what steps he is taking to ensure that regulation does not have unintended consequences for competition.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever.
Restrictions on the promotion by location of ‘less healthy’ food and drink products in stores and their equivalent places online have been in place since 2022. These restrictions apply to categories of products that impact most on childhood obesity, which were chosen following public consultation. Only fruit and nut bars and bags that are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar are in scope of the restrictions. There are exceptions for certain coated nuts products. The products that are in and out of scope of the restrictions are set out in the Schedule to the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 regulations and we have published guidance to support industry on complying with the restrictions.
We published a detailed impact assessment on the costs to industry and the benefits of this policy on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect which would consider any unintended consequences of the policy.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the number of hospitals and departments that doctors rotate through as part of Internal Medical Training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of continuity in postgraduate medical training for both doctors and patients.
Following the 2024 Resident Doctors Agreement, the Department, working in partnership with NHS England and the British Medical Association, established a review of rotational training. This review drew on some 13,000 responses to surveys and found that rotations can provide valuable breadth of experience, but that in some cases frequent moves can disrupt learning, wellbeing, team integration, and patient care
NHS England has developed pilots within the Rotations Review programme, and these are being recruited to with start dates in August of this year. As set out in the 10-Point Plan to Improve Resident Doctors’ Working Lives, these test longer placements, smaller geographic footprints, and more flexible arrangements for less-than-full-time trainees. The future work will become part of the Medical Education and Training Review. One of these pilots has focussed on Internal Medicine Training programmes being based at a single provider for the entire three years.
The evaluation of these pilots will inform future policy decisions on placement length and continuity benefits.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 124 of the DHSC annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1446, whether Alan Milburn is required to recuse himself from involvement in NHS and private sector health policy relating to (a) AM Strategy Ltd, (b) Bridgepoint Capital Ltd, (c) Human Therapeutic Ltd, (d) Mars Incorporated and (e) PWC.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Prior to appointment, non-executive candidates are required to declare all relevant interests. Appropriate mitigations are then put in place and approved by the Department.
This process was carried out for the Rt Hon. Alan Milburn, whose interests, and any updates to them, are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and on the GOV.UK website in alignment with Government policy.