theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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David Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish his Department's final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis. \p Ashley Dalton: We aim to publish our myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan by the end of June 2025.

The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of the people with this debilitating disease. The responses to the interim delivery plan consultation, along with continued close engagement with other parts of the Government, the National Health Service, and external stakeholders, will inform the development of the final ME/CFS delivery plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Kirith Entwistle:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many pregnant women were accompanied by (a) the child's father and (b) their partner during (i) antenatal booking-in appointments and (ii) antenatal scans in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold information on how many pregnant women were accompanied by the child's father and their partner during antenatal booking-in appointments and antenatal scans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Kirith Entwistle:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of routinely (a) recording and (b) matching new fathers’ health records to those of their children. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has not carried out a recent assessment of the merits of routinely recording and matching new fathers’ health records to those of their children.

The Personal Demographics Service (PDS) can record many relationships, including 'mother', 'father' and 'parent'. If a baby is born in England, then the midwife will create a PDS record and grant them a National Health Service number. They will link the birth mother's record to the child, and if the local maternity system supports it, they could also add the second parent at that time.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Kirith Entwistle:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) create a pathway for (i) expectant and (ii) new fathers and (b) ensure that NHS staff are trained to (A) engage with and (B) provide (1) information and (2) support to fathers. \p Karin Smyth: Listening and responding to all women and families, including expectant and new fathers, is an essential part of providing safe and high-quality care. There are multiple actions in place that recognise and involve new and expectant fathers. These include:

In addition, in January 2025, the Department announced £126 million for the continuation of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme in 2025/26, in 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation. This includes £36.5 million for bespoke perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, including for fathers.

Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

To support employers, NHS England has launched a number of initiatives to ensure that NHS staff are trained to engage with and provide information and support to fathers. This includes an e-learning module on handling difficult situations, and a Core Competency Framework, which sets out clear expectations for all trusts, aiming to address known variations in training and competency assessments. The framework includes a module on equality, equity, and personalised care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dental care in South Shropshire constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England. For the South Shropshire constituency, this is the NHS Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB is expected to deliver 7,408 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the long-term sustainability of the hospice sector. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an Integrated Care Board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst the majority of palliative 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.

In recognition of this, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England for 2024/25 and 2025/26, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

Additionally, children and young people’s hospices will receive £26 million in revenue funding for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.

As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.

In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to help ensure that Dorset Police are able to refer convicted stalkers for mental health interventions. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS Liaison and Diversion services in Dorset work closely with the police and other parts of the criminal justice system to identify people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, or other issues when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, or convicted offenders.

The aim is to improve overall health outcomes and to reduce re-offending through early identification of possible need, putting in place the right support from the start, including mental health support, and reducing the likelihood that they will reach a crisis point.

The service can then support them through the criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care support, or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system, where appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Steve Barclay:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people who do not meet the criteria to reside were  inpatients in (a) Hinchingbrooke Hospital, (b) Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn and (c) Peterborough City Hospital on 21 April 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: The following table shows the number of patients with no criteria to reside as of 21 April 2025, in Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn, and Peterborough City Hospital:

Hospital

Numbers of patients with no criteria to reside

Hinchingbrooke Hospital

35

Peterborough City Hospital

47

Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn

49

No criteria to reside refers to patients who are medically fit for discharge but are still in hospital. These delays can be caused by a range of issues including hospital processes, delays in arranging ongoing support, a lack of care capacity, and wellbeing concerns.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on providing long term, sustainable funding for transforming palliative and end of life care services. \p Stephen Kinnock: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and colleagues across the Cabinet on a whole host of issues across our brief, including palliative and end of life care services.

However, as part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.

Additionally, in February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish evidence on the impact of puberty blockers. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to supporting further research that delivers a robust, evidence-based understanding of the needs, and support and treatment options, for those with gender dysphoria, especially relating to children and young people. A joint partnership between NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is working to fund and deliver independent research that fulfils that aim.

The research programme already includes two initial studies: a commission for a living evidence review to maintain an up to date understanding of the findings from the latest United Kingdom and international research; and a priority setting partnership being led by the James Lind Alliance, which will enable a broad range of stakeholders to shape future research priorities. It includes a study looking at the experiences of the 9,000 adults who, as children, were cared for under a previous model of National Health Service care, and it also includes the PATHWAYS study. This is planned to have several elements, including a longitudinal observational study of children and young people attending NHS Gender Services, and a clinical trial into the potential benefits and harms of puberty-suppressing hormones as a potential treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence/dysphoria.

The NIHR follows the World Health Organisation's recommendations for maximising clinical trial transparency, and therefore we would also expect the study’s findings to be published in a peer reviewed academic journal within 12 months of its completion.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the use of opt-out agreements in the care sector on workplace standards. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department has not made, and has no current plans to make, an assessment of the potential impact of the use of opt-out agreements in the care sector on workplace standards. Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their terms and conditions, including opt-out agreements, independent of central Government.

The Government is introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector. Fair Pay Agreements will empower worker representatives, employers, and others to negotiate pay and terms and conditions in a responsible manner.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the mental health of young people. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that.

Nationally, the Government is providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 early support hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community. We will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school in England and roll out Young Futures hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.

In addition, we are recruiting 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England to ease pressure on busy mental health services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to support access to orthopaedic care for veterans. \p Stephen Kinnock: Veterans with an orthopaedic condition related to their time in service can ask their general practitioner to refer them to Op RESTORE. Op RESTORE is an integrated physical health and wellbeing service, and works to ensure that veterans are seen in the right clinical pathway by the right clinician. Op RESTORE works in collaboration with many military charities to provide veterans with wellbeing support to ensure they ‘wait well’ for treatment.

The Government recognises that some veterans may not wish to use bespoke services for veterans, and in some cases orthopaedic conditions may occur that are not attributable to their time in service. In these instances, veterans are able to access the full range of mainstream orthopaedic services commissioned by their local National Health Service integrated care board. As well as local NHS hospitals, this includes local arrangements with the independent sector and supporting services, such as diagnostics and physiotherapy provided by musculoskeletal services, to ensure care is provided as close to the veteran’s home as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Cat Eccles:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve palliative care. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst the majority of palliative 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.

In recognition of this, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England for 2024/25 and 2025/26, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

Additionally, children and young people’s hospices will receive £26 million in revenue funding for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.

More widely, As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative care and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.

In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to support community pharmacies in South Shropshire constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.

There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. The Pharmacy Access Scheme also provides additional funding to support pharmacies in areas where there are fewer.

This year, legislation will also be laid to enable all pharmacies to benefit from the efficiencies of hub and spoke dispensing and/or using pharmacy technicians to undertake more of the work in pharmacies, enabling pharmacists to spend more time with patients.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings the Minister for Mental Health has had with the Chief Executive of Mind since her appointment; and what the dates were of those meetings. \p Stephen Kinnock: Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on the GOV.UK website on a quarterly basis.
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Dame Caroline Dinenage:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the length of time GPs take to process medical records for the armed forces. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are working across Government to increase efficiency in general practices (GPs) and the patient experience by removing red tape and streamlining, or removing, requests to GPs for medical evidence where possible, aiming to free up more GP time to care for patients. This includes improving and helping speed up processes through digital solutions for the sharing of medical records for recruitment to the armed forces, whilst work continues towards the introduction of a new Armed Forces Recruitment Service by 2027.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve mental health services in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) across Lancashire. \p Stephen Kinnock: Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, including in the Fylde constituency and across Lancashire, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long.

We are committed to improving mental health care for people with a range of mental health conditions, and to shifting the focus from treatment to prevention as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.

Our reforms to the Mental Health Act will give patients a greater say in their care and will ensure that people get the appropriate and compassionate mental health support they need.

We have also launched 24/7 mental health crisis support services via NHS 111, and we will recruit 8,500 mental health staff, create a network of community Young Futures Hubs, and provide access to mental health support in every school.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on GP services by Dorset Integrated Care Board in Christchurch in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-25; and what the budget is for 2025-2026. \p Stephen Kinnock: In 2022/23, total National Health Service payments to general practices in the Christchurch constituency, including COVID-19 and primary care network payments, were £17,452,214, including any deductions for Pensions, Levies and Prescription Charge Income. Data for the years after 2022/23 has not been published yet.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of new GP registrations were made by non-UK nationals in each of the last five years. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practitioner registrations that were for non-United Kingdom nationals.
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Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of new patients registered at (a) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (b) Christchurch Medical Centre, (c) Burton Brunch Surgery, (d) The Stour Surgery and (e) The Grove Surgery in the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial years; and how much was paid to each practice for those additional patients. \p Stephen Kinnock: Changes in the number of registered patients reflects both new registrations as well as existing patients being taken off a practice’s list, such as where they have moved practice or have died. As a result, it is not possible to identify the number of new registrations from the published data, and it is not possible to determine the additional funding practices have received from new registrations.

Practices receive global sum payments based on their registered patient list, which are weighted using the Carr-Hill formula. This takes into consideration factors such as the age and sex of patients, and additional pressures generated by factors such as geographical location and patient turnover.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the employment of qualified counsellors in paid roles within mental health services. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department welcomes the appointment of qualified counsellors to roles within National Health Service mental health services. However, employment decisions are for individual employers, and we would expect any such appointments to be based on the successful candidate’s abilities and skills.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of GP patient-to-practice ratios in (a) rural constituencies and (b) West Dorset constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: As of 31 March 2025, the median number of patients per practice was 7,447 in the West Dorset constituency. This compares to 8,812 nationally. Data on general practice patient to practice ratios in rural constituencies is not held.

This government is determined to work with the NHS to fix the front door of our health service and ensure everyone can access GP services. The Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund was announced during the 2024 spending review and provides new capital funding of £102 million in 2025 to 2026 to support improvements in the primary care estate. The fund aims to enhance the use of existing infrastructure, create additional capacity for the GP and practice workforce, and enable additional patient appointments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were registered at (a) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (b) Christchurch Medical Centre, (c) Burton Brunch Surgery, (d) Stour Surgery and (e) The Grove Surgery on (i) 1 June 2024 and (ii) 14 May 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: The data below shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2025, as this is the most recent available data, and as of 31 March 2024, to align with the most recent data.

Data for the Burton Medical Centre is not available as it was a branch of the Christchurch Medical Practice. The Burton Medical Centre became a branch practice in October 2017 and was subsequently closed in October 2024. The following table shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2025:

Practice name

Total patients

Highcliffe Medical Centre

15,308

Christchurch Medical Practice

16,303

Stour Surgery

10,684

The Grove Medical Centre

12,978

In addition, the following table shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2024:

Practice name

Total patients

Highcliffe Medical Centre

15,153

Christchurch Medical Practice

16,938

Stour Surgery

10,399

The Grove Medical Centre

13,016
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the prevalence of infant brain injuries at childbirth. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has invested £7.8 million to develop the Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth programme, which will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries that occur during childbirth. This will be implemented by NHS England and will provide staff with the tools and training to identify, intervene, and manage obstetric emergencies, as well as better identify signs that a baby is showing distress during labour.

Additionally, the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) Programme investigates certain cases of potential severe brain injury that occur in the first seven days of life. The MNSI investigations seek to improve maternity safety and reduce the prevalence of adverse outcomes through providing learning to the health system via reports at a local, regional, and national level.
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Baggy Shanker:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will issue national guidance on the use of Auditory Verbal therapy for deaf babies and children; and if he will increase funding to promote greater access to Auditory Verbal therapy in (a) Derby South constituency and (b) the rest of England. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including non-hearing children. Auditory verbal therapy is one of a range of approaches that can be used with deaf babies and children.

Each integrated care board (ICB) commissions the services they need for their local area, with NHS England supporting them to make informed decisions about the provision of audiology services so they can provide consistent, high-quality, and integrated care to non-hearing children. In July 2016, NHS England published Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A framework, for clinical commissioning groups. The framework supports National Health Service ICBs to make informed decisions to address inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services.

In 2019, with input from the National Deaf Children’s Society, NHS England also produced a guide for commissioners and providers who support children and young people with hearing loss. The guide provides practical advice on ensuring that non-hearing children receive the support they need.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38407 on Diethylstilbestrol, whether he plans to issue an apology to women who (a) experienced long-term health impacts, (b) were compelled to place their children up adoption and (c) experienced poor maternity care due to being prescribed Diethylstilbestrol between 1950 and 1980. \p Karin Smyth: The government took action regarding Diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the early 1970s. In 1971, it was recognised that DES could cause a distinct type of cancer in the daughters of women who took DES in early pregnancy. Shortly afterwards, its use was contraindicated in pregnancy, pre-menopausal women, children and young adults and the Committee on Safety of Medicines wrote to all doctors in May 1973 to advise against the use of DES in pregnancy and pre-menopausal women.

Since 1992, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the US National Institutes of Health has been conducting the DES Follow-up Study of more than 21,000 mothers, daughters, and sons, exposed in the womb during the mother’s pregnancy, to better understand the long-term health effects of exposure to DES. The findings of this study have been published in the scientific literature.

As such, work has been undertaken to contact historic users of DES. Our sympathies are with anyone harmed by its historic use.

The UK Health Security Agency advises that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believe they were exposed to DES in utero. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

Participation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

The MHRA continuously assesses the benefit risk balance of all medicines at the time of initial licensing and throughout their use in clinical practice, carefully evaluating any emerging evidence on their benefits and risks.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to help raise life expectancy in areas of high deprivation. \p Ashley Dalton: Life expectancy differs dramatically between and within communities, and people living in the most deprived areas are more likely to die earlier and spend more years in ill health than those living in the least deprived areas.

Tackling health inequalities is central to our Health Mission, which is why the Government has committed to halving the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions. We are taking a cross-Government mission-led approach to tackle the root causes of health inequalities, addressing the adverse social determinants of health which contribute to poorer outcomes.

Addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it, whenever they need it. We have established 11 working groups to take forward policy development that will feed into the plan. This includes working groups focused on how care should be designed and delivered to improve healthcare equity, alongside ensuring that access to healthcare services is effective and responsive.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

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Peter Dowd:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the (a) National Disease Registration Service and (b) National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service continue after the planned abolition of NHS England. \p Ashley Dalton: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. Digital data and technology are underpinning themes of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We acknowledge the important role of the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service, part of the National Disease Registration Service, in underpinning the delivery of England’s Rare Diseases Action Plans. Further information about the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/about/ncardrs

We are currently in the initial phases of scoping and designing a new integrated department that aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our healthcare system. The important role of the National Disease Registration Service will be taken into account as part of future plans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_37

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the lower price point of very high puff-count vapes on youth vaping. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department has not made a direct assessment of the potential impact of the lower price point of high puff-count vapes on youth vaping. However, it is incredibly worrying that 25% of 11 to 15 year old had tried vaping, as of 2023. To address this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising of vaping and nicotine products, as well as sponsorship agreements which promote them. It also provides powers to limit flavours, packaging, and displays, and provides powers that allow the Government to regulate the tank sizes and refill containers, and the amount of liquid that can be included. The Government intends to consult on these issues soon after Royal Assent.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is introducing a ban on single-use vapes, which is defined as a vape that is neither refillable nor rechargeable, and if it has a coil, the coil must be replaceable. This will capture most “big puff” vapes currently on the market.

Alongside this, and to discourage non-smokers and young people from taking up vaping, the Government will be introducing the Vaping Products Duty, which will come into force from 1 October 2026. The duty will be set at a single flat rate of £2.20 per 10 millilitre on all vaping liquid.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_38

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS facilities exist to carry out diagnostic testing of patients for Paraneoplastic Encephalitis. \p Ashley Dalton: Paraneoplastic encephalitis (PNE), also known as paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, is diagnosed through a combination of clinical evaluation, blood and spinal fluid tests, and imaging studies. Currently, the main types of diagnostic testing for PNE are computed tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging scans, lumbar punctures, electroencephalograms, and blood and urine tests. These tests are available through both acute and non-acute settings such as hospitals and community diagnostic centres.

We know that whilst hard working National Health Service staff are delivering a large number of diagnostic tests for patients, the percentage of patients receiving a diagnostic test within the constitutional standard of six weeks, with no more than 1% of patients waiting, is still not being achieved. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres, and better use of technology.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_39

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue delivery plan will include (a) advice and (b) provisions for (i) long covid, (ii) fibromyalgia and (iii) other conditions that cause fatigue. \p Ashley Dalton: We are committed to improving care and support for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We recognise how devastating the symptoms can be, and the significant impact they can have on patients and their families.

As such, the ME/CFS final delivery plan focuses on ME/CFS only, and will not cover advice or the provision of services for related conditions, although some of the content may be applicable or relevant to other conditions that cause fatigue.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_40

Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve (a) the referral process and (b) treatment for people with brain tumours. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department recognises that cancer patients, including those with brain tumours, are often waiting too long for referral and treatment. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including brain tumours, earlier, and to treat them faster, so more patients survive, and patient experience improves across the system.

As the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, NHS England has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week since the start of this administration.

The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. The Government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

In the five years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) directly invested £11.3 million in brain cancer research projects, plus an estimated £31.5 million to enable brain tumour research to take place through NIHR research infrastructure, namely facilities, services, and the research workforce, enabling delivery of 227 studies involving 8,500 people.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. Research is a key focus of the plan, and the Department will work closely with partners, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research, on this.

The Department, with NHS England, will develop the plan, which will address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce cancer waits. The Government’s goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years, including to brain tumours.

The Department expects to publish the National Cancer Plan later this year, following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_41

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a dedicated diagnostic pathway for brain tumours. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is working with NHS England to improve diagnostic processes in the National Health Service for all patients with cancer, including those with brain tumours.

To support faster and earlier diagnosis, the Department will address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce cancer waits. NHS England is delivering a range of interventions to support general practices in diagnosing brain cancer earlier, for example through the early cancer diagnosis service specification for primary care networks. This specification is designed to support improvements in rates of early cancer diagnosis by requiring primary care networks to review the quality of their general practices’ referrals for suspected cancer and take steps to improve this, where appropriate.

The Department also set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform plan, published on 6 January 2025. NHS providers have been asked to identify local opportunities in both community diagnostic centres (CDCs) and hospital based diagnostic services to improve performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard, in order to reduce the number of patients waiting too long for a confirmed diagnosis of cancer. Any new CDC will be expected to include specific capacity for cancer testing as part of its CDC activity plans, enabled either through direct provision or via freeing up acute hospital capacity for more complex cancer tests.

Later this year, the Department will publish a National Cancer Plan, which will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, including diagnosis. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care, to improve the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer, including those with brain cancer.

Given this wider ongoing work, the Department has not made a specific assessment on the merits of implementing a dedicated diagnostics pathway for brain tumours.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_42

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce cases of prostate cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government understands that more needs to be done to reduce the number of cases of prostate cancer in England.

The Government and the National Health Service promote a healthy lifestyle and physical activity to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Guidance on healthy eating, including the United Kingdom’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, is communicated through the NHS.UK website. Alongside this, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced that following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, a National Cancer Plan for England will be published this year. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, and will apply to all cancer types, including prostate cancer. The goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.

Currently, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not recommend a national prostate cancer screening programme due to the limitations of the current best test, the Prostate Specific Antigen test, which may lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of cancers that would not have caused harm during a man’s lifetime. However, the UK NSC is undertaking a comprehensive evidence review to assess six potential approaches to targeted screening for those at higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Recommendations will be published upon the conclusion of this review.

In addition, the Government has invested £16 million in the £42 million UK-wide TRANSFORM trial, led by Prostate Cancer UK, which aims to identify new ways of detecting prostate cancer at an earlier stage, including in men without symptoms.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_43

Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the £70 million funding for new radiotherapy machines is in addition to the prevailing budgets for radiotherapy machines. \p Ashley Dalton: The £70 million investment into 28 radiotherapy machines that was announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget is part of the overall financial settlement for the 2025/26 financial year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-19)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-19 conversation_44

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 43996 on NHS England, what plans his Department plans to put in place to help ensure that there are no risks to patient safety. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England will continue to undertake its statutory functions while working with the new NHS England executive during the transition, until parliamentary time allows for primary legislative changes to be made.

Patient safety will remain paramount over this transformation period. We will put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.