theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve community support to help tackle the number of people with (a) a learning disability and (b) autism in inpatient units. \p Stephen Kinnock: National Health Service planning guidance, published on 30 January 2025, includes a focus on improving mental health and learning disability care and contains the objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2025/26. Investment has been provided each year to enable local areas to develop community intensive support teams, community forensic teams, and 24/7 crisis response for people with a learning disability and autistic people. For the 2025/2026 financial year, there is continued funding within integrated care board (ICB) baselines for people with a learning disability and autistic people. ICBs should prioritise continuing to invest in reducing reliance on inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people, in line with the 2025/26 NHS operating planning guidance.

The Mental Health Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 24 April 2025, following its recent passage through the House of Lords. Through the bill, we propose taking forward a package of measures to improve care and to keep people out of hospitals. Subject to Parliamentary agreement, measures around Dynamic Support Registers and Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews, and new duties on commissioners will help to ensure that there is an appropriate level of community support in future.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was in accident and emergency (a) at Bolton Hospital, (b) in each region and (c) in the UK in the latest period for which data is available. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England publishes information on accident and emergency waiting times in England, although not at a hospital site or regional level. The following table shows the provisional median total time waited in accident and emergency at the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, and the national figure for England, in February 2025:

Location

Median total time in accident and emergency in minutes

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

194

England

171

Source: NHS England’s Provisional Accident and Emergency Quality Indicators for England, February 2025, by provider, available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/provisional-accident-and-emergency-quality-indicators-for-england/february-2025-by-provider
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Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of amputations for vascular and venous disease; and what discussions he has had with experts in this area on taking steps to reduce the number of amputations. \p Karin Smyth: The 10-Year Health Plan, once published, will set out the Government's overarching vision for delivering the critical shift from a focus on treating illness to preventing conditions. Disease prevention is crucial in reducing the number of amputations arising from vascular and venous disease.

NHS England has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at improving the prevention and early diagnosis of conditions which increase the risk of needing lower-limb amputations. These include NHS Health Checks, for early detection of cardiovascular disease, the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, and expanding community diagnostic centres to improve early detection.

NHS England commissions the National Vascular Registry (NVR) to provide information on the quality and outcomes of care for adults who have major vascular procedures. The NVR provides annual and quarterly reports for emergency and elective vascular procedures, including for those people with peripheral arterial disease who undergo either a lower limb angioplasty/stent, a lower limb bypass surgery, or a major lower limb amputation. From Quarter 1 of 2022 to Quarter 4 of 2024, NVR data demonstrated that vascular providers achieving the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation framework had increased from 47% to 55%. During this period, the number of providers submitting data to the NVR had increased by approximately 14%, and every National Health Service region showed an improvement in chronic limb threatening ischemia revascularisation quality.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of patients diagnosed with a brain tumour through emergency presentation in each of the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: We are unable to answer the question exactly as asked as the Hospital Episode Statistics, the data set from which the data for this answer is drawn, does not identify how a diagnosed condition initially presents. However, the following table shows the total number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of a brain tumour from May 2020 to December 2024, based on the admission date of the episode, broken down into the elective admission types, those being booked, planned, or from the waiting list, the emergency admission types, via accident and emergency or other unplanned admissions, and the other admission types, which are not recorded in either of the above, and which include maternity related admission and transfers from other hospital or care facilities:

Admission period

Elective

Emergency

Other

Total

May 2020 to December 2020

12039

7803

439

20281

January 2021 to December 2021

19861

11835

604

32300

January 2022 to December 2022

20812

11713

558

33083

January 2023 to December 2023

21422

11680

455

33557

January 2024 to December 2024

22438

11694

441

34573

Notes:
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 50623 on Hinchingbrooke Hospital, what is the specific issue in need of resolution that is preventing the acquisition of the required land. \p Karin Smyth: The current issue relating to land acquisition is between National Highways and the Cambridgeshire Constabulary, and the Department is not directly involved in these negotiations. The New Hospital Programme team is engaging with the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust and across Government to support progress towards a resolution to enable the trust to continue their discussions with the Cambridgeshire Constabulary on the potential acquisition of this land for the new access road.
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Helen Grant:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to protect patients with cystic fibrosis in the context of a shortage of Creon gastro-resistant capsules. \p Karin Smyth: The Department is in regular discussions with the supplier of Creon on the latest stock availability and the actions that are being taken to mitigate the supply issue that is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom. Through these discussions we have managed to secure additional volumes of Creon for 2025 for the UK. We are continuing to work with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to understand what more can be done to add further resilience to the market. The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market.

In the longer term, the Department has had interest from non-UK suppliers of PERT wishing to bring their products to the UK and, along with colleagues in the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), we are working with these potential suppliers, and if authorised, these products could further diversify and strengthen the market.

The Department has issued management advice to healthcare professionals which directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and which includes actions for integrated care boards to put in place local mitigation plans to ensure that patients are not left without PERT. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public facing page to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice for clinicians.
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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on levels of budget deficits at NHS trusts in Yorkshire in 2024-2025; and what estimate he has made of levels of funding for each NHS trust in Yorkshire in 2025-2026. \p Karin Smyth: There are three integrated care boards (ICBs) in Yorkshire: the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB; the NHS South Yorkshire ICB; and the NHS West Yorkshire ICB. All trusts in these ICBs are projecting to deliver their plan or surpluses, apart from the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, which have provisional overspends against their plans of £19.6 million and £7.5 million respectively. Final figures for all trusts and ICBs will be published in due course, following external audit and validation. ICB allocations for 2025/26 were published on 30 January 2025, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2025-26/

The three ICBs have agreed balanced plans across their systems, including providers. Routine in-year reporting data on progress against the plans by organisation is not yet available. The following table shows the total allocation for all three ICBs:

ICB

Total allocation

NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB

£3,646,033,000

NHS South Yorkshire ICB

£3,108,129,000

NHS West Yorkshire ICB

£5,266,745,000
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Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to utilise private sector capacity to (a) reduce backlogs and (b) improve services in the NHS; and if he will ensure that the NHS remains free at the point of use. \p Karin Smyth: Independent sector providers have a role to play in supporting the National Health Service as trusted partners to recover elective services by using additional capacity to tackle the backlog, whilst delivering value for money. The independent sector plays a vital role in supporting hospitals to get on top of the backlog, so we can deliver more than 100,000 elective appointments and procedures every week for NHS patients.

In January 2025, the NHS and the independent sector established a partnership agreement, the first of its kind for 25 years, setting out how we will work together to reduce the elective care waiting list. This will see more NHS patients able to choose to be treated in a private hospital where there is capacity, at no cost to patients. As a balanced agreement, the independent sector will support broader work to grow the overall elective workforce, provide training opportunities, and continue to meet the same high standards expected of all providers. It will also see the independent sector play a greater role in supporting the most challenged specialities, such as ear, nose, and throat and gynaecology, while helping to give patients in more deprived areas a greater choice of where and when they receive treatment.

The Government is steadfast in its commitment to the guiding principles of the NHS. The NHS will always be free at the point of use and will never be for sale to the private sector.
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Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department provides to women who have suffered from post-birth trauma. \p Karin Smyth: The Department recognises the significant physical and psychological consequences of birth trauma and the devastating impact this can have on some women. We are fully committed to improving the quality and consistency of care for women throughout pregnancy, birth, and the critical months that follow, and ensuring that when a woman experiences a traumatic birth, there is a broad range of support available.

The National Health Service is in its final year of implementing the Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services. As part of this plan, there is a commitment to improving postnatal care for all women and babies, including those affected by birth trauma. This includes ensuring the provision of high-quality, personalised, and joined-up care throughout the postnatal period.

NHS England has published guidance, written in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners, on the six-to-eight-week postnatal check-up for all women who have given birth. This provides an important opportunity for general practitioners to listen to women in a discreet, supportive environment, to provide personalised postnatal care for their physical and mental health, and to support them with family planning. This includes an explicit reference to birth trauma for the first time. Additionally, a range of specialist mental health services have been made available to women during the perinatal period, as well as physical health services like Perinatal Pelvic Health Services. As of April 2025, 25 of the 42 local systems have perinatal pelvic health services in place, and NHS England is working closely with the remaining areas who are not compliant.
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Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) maternal and (b) post-natal care. \p Karin Smyth: We continue to work with NHS England as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow the workforce, develop a culture of safety, and ensure women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care. We know there is much more we need to do, however good progress has been made, including:
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) membership is and (b) terms of reference are of the NHS England Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel; and whether that panel will be guided by the public procurement rules on value for money. \p Karin Smyth: The Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel is a non-statutory administrative arrangement established to help resolve disputes about the application of the Provider Selection Regime. The membership of the panel is publicly available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/how-commissioning-is-changing/nhs-provider-selection-regime/independent-patient-choice-and-procurement-panel/panel-members/

The panel has its own terms of reference, which were agreed by NHS England, the Department, and the Cabinet Office, and which are publicly available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/terms-of-reference-the-independent-patient-choice-and-procurement-panel/

Whilst the Provider Selection Regime and the panel's terms of reference do not specifically reference the public procurement rules on value for money, value for money is a central pillar of the Provider Selection Regime, with requirements for integrated care boards (ICBs) to consider the value for money of healthcare services and the procurement approach they pursue. Where relevant, the panel takes this into consideration. If the panel finds that an ICB has not acted consistently with the regulations, it advises on the proportionate steps to remedy the issue.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS (a) has received and (b) is outstanding in charges from foreign nationals in each year that data is available. \p Karin Smyth: For this answer, we have taken ‘foreign nationals’ to mean chargeable overseas visitors.

The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated National Health Service provider accounts published the cash payments received in-year by the NHS from overseas visitors. NHS charges can be recovered up to six years from the date of invoice, and therefore the amount recovered in a year does not necessarily mean it was identified in the same financial year. The following table shows the income identified and cash payments received in-year between 2019 to 2024:

Year

Income identified in-year

Cash payments received in-year

2018/19

£91,000,000

£35,000,000

2019/20

£93,000,000

£39,000,000

2020/21

£61,000,000

£21,000,000

2021/22

£67,000,000

£25,000,000

2022/23

£100,000,000

£32,000,000

2023/24

£123,000,000

£42,000,000

Source: The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and Consolidated NHS provider accounts.
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the release of Adult Social Care Funding Data, following the Information Tribunal order to disclose it in October 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: 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.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in relation to the regulation of donor conception. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is required by law to maintain records and make certain information available upon request to those affected by donor conception.

The HFEA was subject to a Public Bodies Review in 2023, where all aspects of the HFEA’s activity and performance was considered. The report was published on 23 November 2023, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-fertilisation-and-embryology-authority-hfea-review-report/independent-review-of-the-human-fertilisation-and-embryology-authority-hfea-final-report-and-recommendations

The Department reviews performance through quarterly accountability meetings on a continuing basis, which takes account of the recommendations set out in the report.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to reflect developments in reproductive technology. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) published Modernising Fertility Law in November 2023, which made a number of recommendations for legislative change, including around its regulatory powers. Ministers have met with the HFEA Chair and discussed the emerging regulatory challenges.

The Government is considering the HFEA’s priorities for changing the law and will decide how to take this forward at the earliest opportunity.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a national system for tracking gamete and embryo donors. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the United Kingdom’s fertility sector regulator, has advised that HFEA licensed clinics are required by law to provide treatment and outcome information on all gamete or embryo donations taking place at clinics. The HFEA also runs the Donor Sibling Register, which enables people born through donor treatments in licenced clinics to trace their genetic origins.

This information is published on the HFEA’s website. Clinics are required to monitor the usage of donor gametes and embryos in the UK, and to act in accordance with the guidance set out in the HFEA Code of Practice.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the consistency of informed consent practices in donor conception. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it sets out strict requirements in its Licence Conditions and Code of Practice in relation to obtaining informed consent from egg, sperm, and embryo donors and patients undergoing donor conception treatment.

The HFEA Code of Practice requires licensed clinics to provide donors and patients with appropriate information and an offer of counselling prior to consent being given. At inspections, the clinic’s procedures for obtaining consent are reviewed to ensure that patients and donors have provided all relevant consents before undergoing any licensed activity. All inspection reports and decisions are published on the HFEA’s website.

The Department reviews the HFEA’s performance through quarterly accountability meetings on a continuing basis.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the revised Long-Term Workforce Plan will contain guidance on how the NHS will (a) train and (b) supervise new doctors. \p Karin Smyth: The Government has committed to publishing a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. No set date has been agreed for publication, as the wider work of the 10-Year Health Plan and the forthcoming Spending Review will influence the timing of the revised workforce plan later this year.

Sir Jim Mackey will lead the transition team bringing the work of NHS England and the Department together over the next two years. This work will not impact the forthcoming publication of the 10-Year Health Plan and the subsequent reconsideration of the long-term workforce needs of the National Health Service, which will follow.

The curricula for postgraduate training are set by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges for foundation training, and by individual royal colleges and faculties for specialty training. The General Medical Council approves curricula and assessment systems for each training programme.

NHS England launched an extensive engagement and listening exercise to help shape the future of postgraduate medical training in February. The review will: hear about best practice; listen to concerns, including issues around training pathways and the capacity, quality, and inclusivity of training; and explore ideas and thoughts about how postgraduate medical training could evolve for the future. An engagement exercise will run through to June this year, with findings reported in the summer.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing enforceable limits on the number of children conceived from a single gamete donor. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the United Kingdom’s fertility sector regulator, has advised that donor sperm, eggs, or embryos should not be used to create more than 10 families in the UK.

The HFEA expects UK licensed clinics to ensure they do not breach the 10-family limit when using donors in treatment, as clearly specified in the HFEA Code of Practice. This limit only applies within the UK, so donors and recipients should be made aware that other countries might not have the same limits, or have no limits, on the number of children or families one donor can create.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce health inequalities (a) in general and (b) for children. \p Ashley Dalton: The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with healthy life expectancy varying widely across and between communities. Through our Health Mission, we are focused on addressing the wider determinants of health to improve healthy life expectancy for all and to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between different regions of England.

Addressing healthcare inequalities is a fundamental part of the Health Mission and the workstreams of the 10-Year Health Plan. The 11 working groups have now concluded their development that will feed into the plan. These working groups included a dedicated workstream focused on how care should be designed and delivered to improve healthcare equity, however this was also fully considered by each workstream.

Tackling health inequalities will also be central to the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and the ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. As a first step, in 2025/26, £126 million is being invested into Family Hubs and Start for Life services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood.

We are also developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which will also help reduce health inequalities for children. The Department is working closely with the Child Poverty Ministerial Taskforce to reduce child poverty, tackle its root causes, and give every child the best start in life.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to defibrillators in rural communities; and whether he has considered providing additional support for the (a) installation and (b) maintenance of publicly accessible defibrillators in these areas. \p Ashley Dalton: To improve patients' survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the Government committed to improving access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. Following the depletion of the existing AED fund, launched in in September 2023, the Government approved a further £500,000 in August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the fund.

Applications to the fund were allocated where there is the greatest need, for instance remote communities with extended ambulance response times, places with high footfall and high population densities, hotspots for cardiac arrest including sporting venues and venues with vulnerable people, and deprived areas.

There are no plans to undertake further work on improving access or providing additional support for AEDs, in light of the rapid expansion of AEDs across the United Kingdom.

There are now over 100,000 defibrillators in the UK registered on The Circuit, which represents an increase of 30,000 since September 2023. 58.6% of the over 100,000 defibrillators are accessible on a 24/7 basis.

The Circuit is operated independently by the British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, and the National Health Service.
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Lincoln Jopp:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of information in the parent leaflet for febrile seizures; and whether he plans to further update them. \p Ashley Dalton: Individual providers are responsible for the content in the leaflets they produce, and trusts have the freedom to decide what to include in their local leaflets.

Information on febrile seizures can be found on the NHS.UK website, which contains the nationally recommended guidance, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/febrile-seizures/

All information provided to patients should be accurate and reflect the best possible advice, in line with guidance published by the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-practice-guidance-on-patient-information-leaflets
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the past 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: This information is not held in the format requested. The Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), published by NHS England, includes a count of the total number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis between April 2024 and February 2025, by the age and sex of the patient. However, this data is not a count of patients, as an individual may be admitted on more than one occasion in any given period with the same diagnosis. The following table shows a count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis by age and sex in 2024/25, with provisional data to February 2025:

Age group in years

Female

Male

Unknown

Total

5 to 9

1

1

10 to 14

52

28

80

15 to 19

456

156

14

626

20 to 24

1,316

482

1,798

25 to 29

3,526

1,177

56

4,759

30 to 34

5,974

1,797

159

7,930

35 to 39

6,508

2,162

156

8,826

40 to 44

6,401

2,321

175

8,897

45 - 49

5,388

1,955

66

7,409

50 to 54

5,030

2,027

94

7,151

55 to 59

3,924

1,580

56

5,560

60 to 64

2,313

999

52

3,364

65 to 69

971

491

15

1,477

70 to 74

341

262

3

606

75 to 79

190

72

6

268

80 to 84

49

24

1

74

85 to 89

13

7

1

21

90 and over

2

2

4

unknown

72

40

112

All ages

42,526

15,583

854

58,963

Source: HES, NHS England.
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Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help increase (a) public and (b) medical education on vascular and venous disease; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on levels of early diagnosis. \p Ashley Dalton: Vascular and venous disease are often associated with risk factors, such as raised cholesterol, obesity, and raised blood pressure.

The Department’s Better Health campaigns and resources include free evidence-based apps and tools to support people to make and sustain changes to improve their health, including the NHS Weight Loss app, the Food Scanner App, Couch to 5K, and Active 10.

In addition, a national multi-media campaign to help people to stop smoking ran between December 2024 and March 2025, and a campaign to encourage people to check their blood pressure with their local pharmacy ran in March 2024. Campaigns such as these have helped raised awareness of risk factors.

The evidence of the impact of both public and medical education is well established, and the Department will continue to look to the evidence to inform future policy decisions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_57

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to increase the options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including women with breast cancer, have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Psychosocial support, which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, provides evidence-based therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.

To provide options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) fertility guidelines set the clinical standards for the current NHS offer to people with cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. The NICE is currently reviewing its guidelines, with publication of a revised guideline expected later this year.

Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for breast cancer care, is a priority for the Government. To address this, NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published on 12 September 2024 by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are considering next steps. Further information on the national audits of metastatic breast cancer and primary breast cancer is available, respectively, at the following two link:

https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/metastatic-breast/

https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/primary-breast/

To raise awareness and educate women about primary prevention of breast cancer, the Government and the NHS promote a healthy lifestyle. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. To address risks related to overweight and obesity, Government guidance on healthy eating, including the United Kingdom’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and through a range of free, evidence-based tools and apps.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_58

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with Integrated Care Boards on commissioning pathways for suspected brain tumours in primary care. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department and NHS England published the 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance, which instructs integrated care boards (ICB) and primary care services to reform pathways in the National Health Service for all patients, including for cancer patients and those with brain tumours.

The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, also specifies the actions systems and providers are expected to take in 2025/26, including driving pathway reform, for instance through straight to test pathway approaches. General practice (GP) teams are currently able to directly access tests for patients in several imaging modalities, including ultrasound, X-ray, computerised tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

NHS England also achieved the full implementation of the non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways across England, which allows GPs to refer patients for further tests when they display symptoms that could indicate cancer, but which do not align to specific cancers, including for brain cancer symptoms. There are currently 115 live NSS services.

Furthermore, the Department announced the development of a new National Cancer Plan, to be published this year. The plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and aftercare. In developing the plan, the Department will consider how to streamline cancer pathways and ways to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with brain cancer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_59

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to review regional differences in the (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) ongoing care for people with coeliac disease across NHS services in England. \p Ashley Dalton: Most services for long-term conditions, including for people with coeliac disease, are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop local services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs. The Government expects ICBs to take account of relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services, and to ensure consistency of approaches between ICBs.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publishes guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions for use by healthcare professionals and commissioners in England. NICE guidelines are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.

The NICE guideline, Coeliac disease: recognition, assessment and management, published in 2015 and reviewed in 2019, is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng20

The NICE also publishes clinical knowledge summaries (CKS) as a source of information mainly for national Health Service staff working in primary care. A CKS on the clinical management of coeliac disease, which was last revised in May 2020, is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/coeliac-disease/

We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS and improve care for people, including those with long-term conditions like coeliac disease. A central and core part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for patients wherever they live in England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_60

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of creating a young cancer patient travel fund. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to the Hon. Member for North Cornwall on 24 April 2025 to Question 46605.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_61

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce physical inactivity in older people. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government and the National Health Service recognise that prevention will always be better and cheaper than treatment. Reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages, including in older people, is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives, and a key part of the Department’s shift from treatment to prevention.

The NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for people of all ages to move more, and signposts to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app, an accessible way of building movement into everyday life.

The NHS, together with local authorities, provides a range of services to support older people, such as exercise on referral and social prescribing, aquatic/swimming classes, dance classes, and fall prevention training through strength and balance classes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_62

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of communicable diseases were recorded in new arrivals to the UK in the last five years by visa status. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency does not collect or hold data on communicable disease by visa status for new arrivals to the United Kingdom.

Advice on communicable disease screening and vaccinations for new arrivals to the UK is available in the Migrant Health Guidance, published on the GOV.UK website, and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/assessing-new-patients-from-overseas-migrant-health-guide
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_63

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure appropriate funding is allocated for (a) early diagnosis and (b) effective monitoring of invasive lobular carcinoma; and what funding is allocated for the (i) development and (ii) availability of treatments for that disease. \p Ashley Dalton: Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is a priority for the Government. There are multiple National Health Service initiatives and funding streams across the NHS in England that support the early detection of breast cancer.

NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, invest in publishing information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, through the Help Us Help You campaigns.

The Department spends £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being one of the largest areas of spend at £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the treatment of lobular carcinoma.

The Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals programme aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of a new generation of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The programme, however, does not ringfence funding, or run funding programmes specific to cancer types.

Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan later this year, we will publish our National Cancer Plan. The cancer plan will include more details about how to improve outcomes for all tumour types through earlier diagnosis of cancer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_64

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information has been provided to him on the reason for the delay on publication of the National Institute for Health and Care Research research brief that will inform the UK National Screening Committee’s in-service evaluation of newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. \p Ashley Dalton: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has been kept informed of the plans being developed for the in-service evaluation of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s brief. The Department is working with NHS England on the deliverability of the in-service evaluation. The roll out and timeline will be confirmed after the conclusion of the 2025 Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-15 conversation_65

Lizzi Collinge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to extend shingles vaccine eligibility to all immunocompetent people aged over 65. \p Ashley Dalton: In 2019, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised that the shingles vaccination programme should switch to using a two-dose vaccine called Shingrix, to better protect individuals from the effects of shingles, provide better clinical outcomes, and reduce pressures on the health system. The committee also advised that the vaccine should be given to everyone at the age of 60 years old, rather than 70 years old.

Based on this advice, the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England decided to phase the expansion of the shingles programme. During the first phase, which commenced in September 2023, those who reach the ages of 65 or 70 years old will be called in for vaccination on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. During the second phase, from September 2028, individuals will be called in for vaccination on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years of age on or after their 60th birthday.

Phasing the roll-out of the shingles vaccination over time to everyone aged 60 years old maximises cost-effectiveness and population benefit, ensures consistent messaging over time to maximise coverage, and takes account of National Health Service capacity, all while being consistent with the approach taken by all four nations in the United Kingdom.

This is a newly expanded programme and anyone who is unsure if they are eligible for the shingles vaccination should check online, on the NHS.UK website, or should speak to their general practice.

In November 2024, the JCVI provided further advice to the Department on eligibility for the shingles vaccination programme. This included advice that the Government should consider expanding the shingles vaccination offer to include older adult cohorts aged 80 years old and over. The Government will consider this latest advice when setting the policy on who should be offered shingles vaccinations, and will update in due course.