theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review of the UK National Screening Committee's decision-making process regarding screening for sudden cardiac death. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and supports implementation.

Using research evidence, pilot programmes, economic evaluation, expert stakeholders, and consultation, the UK NSC assesses the evidence for national screening programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria covering the condition, the test, the treatment options, and the effectiveness, ethics, and acceptability of the screening programme.

The committee is open about their procedures and how evidence and expertise has been considered in formulating their recommendations. They engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the United Kingdom to ensure their advice reflects societal perspectives and is balanced. Further information on the UK NSC’s approach to evidence review criteria is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-review-criteria-national-screening-programmes

In addition, further information about the processes and principles used by the UK NSC is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-nsc-processes-and-principles
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve patient treatment for pancreatic cancer within the North East London NHS Foundation Trust area. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is working with NHS England to deliver interventions to improve treatment for those with pancreatic cancer across England, including within the North East London NHS Foundation Trust area. As the first step to ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment, the National Health Service is delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week.

Early diagnosis is imperative to improving outcomes for all types of cancer, especially pancreatic cancer due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer, creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms, and increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests.

On 12 September 2024, the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published their State of the Nation Report on Pancreatic Cancer. The NHS cancer programme is currently considering how to take forward the initial recommendations of that audit. NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer to increase the consistency of access to treatments, and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatments and outcomes for patients.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many families receive the Healthy Start scheme in (a) Cotswold and (b) Wiltshire. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthcare-professionals/

In February 2025, the number of people who were on the digital Healthy Start scheme in the Cotswolds was 260, and in Wiltshire was 1,875.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase funding for research into (a) neuroblastoma and (b) other childhood cancers. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Research is a vital part of improving diagnosis and treatment for children and young people with cancer. The NIHR spent approximately £9.9 million over the last five financial years, from 2019/20 to 2023/24, on directly funded research to improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer, including for neuroblastoma.

These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes. An example of a recent award is the RElapse Decision MAking Parent Process trial, for the development of a treatment decision aid for parents of a child with neuroblastoma which has relapsed. The total award value was £308,000.

The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neuroblastoma research and other childhood cancers. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

The Department relaunched the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce, which met on 4 March 2025. Caroline Dinenage and Professor Darren Hargrave have been appointed as co-chairs. The taskforce will examine clinical and non-clinical ways to improve outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer, including neuroblastoma research. The taskforce will feed into wider Department work on the National Cancer Plan.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) NHS England, (b) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (c) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the availability of (i) treatment options and (ii) care pathways for patients with myasthenia gravis. \p Ashley Dalton: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as myasthenia gravis. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not specifically discussed myasthenia gravis with NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

On 7 March 2024, the MHRA approved the medicine rozanolixizumab (Rystiggo) to treat adults with generalised myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness, which can affect multiple muscle groups throughout the body. The MHRA is in active discussion with companies to bring more medications to patients.

The NICE is currently developing technology appraisal guidance on the following treatments for generalised myasthenia gravis: rozanolixizumab and zilucoplan for treating antibody positive generalised myasthenia gravis; and efgartigimod for treating generalised myasthenia gravis. Further information on rozanolixizumab, zilucoplan, and efgartigimod is available, respectively, at the following three links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta10994

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11096

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta10986

In addition, nipocalimab and inebilizumab, for treating generalised myasthenia gravis, have been selected for appraisal by the NICE, with further information on both available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/awaiting-development/gid-ta11492

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/awaiting-development/gid-ta11667

Finally, the NHS.UK website page on myasthenia gravis provides an overview of the care pathway, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/myasthenia-gravis/
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the statistics, published by Sky News, showing that the Care Quality Commission has inspected 3.6% of the 67,778 concerns it received between October 2022 and 2024 about elderly care homes. \p Ashley Dalton: No such assessment has been made. The number of concerns raised with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and highlighted by Sky News, include those which are being handled by another body, for example, a local authority or the police. It may also include duplicates, that is, where a number of concerns have been raised about the same incident.

While not all information shared with the CQC would necessarily result in an inspection, it does inform ongoing monitoring and will result in action where there are indications that people are at risk of harm.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31062 on Death Certificates, what the median time taken was to register a death at the most localised level for which data is available. \p Ashley Dalton: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes weekly data showing the median time to register a death by certification type in England and Wales. The latest data, for deaths registered in the week ending 21 February 2025, shows that the median time to register all deaths was nine days, and the median time to register deaths certified by a doctor was eight days. The ONS is planning to extend this data to include the median time taken to register a death by region, and expect this to be available in Spring 2025.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Minister for Public Health and Prevention plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wokingham of 21 January 2025 on blood cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: I replied to the hon. Member on 10 March 2025.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32835 on Health Services: Migrants, whether (a) his Department and (b) the NHS has made an assessment of the potential merits of collecting patient information categorised by immigration status; and if he will consider making this his policy. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department and the National Health Service do not collect patient information categorised by immigration status. No assessment has been made or is planned by the Department or the NHS to collect patient information categorised in this way.

Due to the way in which data is held across multiple agencies, it is not possible to categorise the total number of people who have received medical treatment by immigration status.

NHS treatment is prioritised by clinical need, and resources are allocated by integrated care boards based on the specific clinical requirements of a local area, with all patients treated equally.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January to Question 25057 on Workforce freezes, whether he plans to publish an Answer following engagement with NHS England. \p Ashley Dalton: We have increased specialty training places for key roles, such as radiologists, radiographers, and other diagnostic professionals, alongside initiatives to improve retention and reduce reliance on outsourcing. These efforts are part of our continued commitment to building a resilient, sustainable service capable of meeting rising demand and improving patient outcomes.

We are aware of cases where trusts have put recruitment restrictions in place in diagnostic services. Systems and trusts need to manage their expenditure within the budgets they have been allocated for the year. Information regarding proportion of trusts is not currently available.
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Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase (a) survival rates from out-of hospital cardiac arrests and (b) the availability of defibrillators in Basingstoke. \p Ashley Dalton: To improve patients' survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the Government has 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 September 2023, the Government approved a further £500,000 in August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the fund.

As part of the application process, the Department has selected Smarter Society as its independent partner to manage grant applications against requirements specified by the Department, to ensure that resources are allocated where there is the greatest need, for instance in 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.

When an AED is installed, these defibrillators are required to be registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator ambulance service database. Upon registration, contact details are provided for the nominated AED guardian/s who are local to the defibrillator’s location and conduct checks when required. Four AEDs have been distributed through the fund to the Basingstoke postcode area.
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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 3.7 of the minutes of the Covid-19 Vaccine Benefit Risk Expert Working Group held on 18 November 2020, if he will publish the risk-based evaluation for the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine. \p Ashley Dalton: The reactogenicity of vaccines refers to their capacity to produce common or “expected” adverse reactions following vaccination such as fever, tiredness, and a sore arm at the vaccination site. These reactions, and the frequency with which they occur, are listed in section four of the vaccine package leaflet, which states what possible side effects people may experience. Regarding the reference to reactogenicity in paragraph 3.19 of the minutes of the COVID-19 Vaccine Benefit Risk Expert Working Group held on 18 November 2020, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published information for the recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine, as well as for healthcare professionals. These documents detail the reactogenic nature of the vaccines, and are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61c518a0e90e071971e2561e/Temporary_Authorisation_Patient_Information_BNT162_18_0_UK_Clean.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61c51662d3bf7f1f7bc0ac8b/Temporary_Authorisation_HCP_Information_BNT162_19_0_UK_Clean.pdf

The MHRA also regularly published coronavirus vaccine summaries of Yellow Card reporting throughout the pandemic. Amongst many other matters regarding the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, the reactogenic nature of the vaccines was regularly discussed in these communications, which are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions/coronavirus-vaccine-summary-of-yellow-card-reporting

Regarding paragraph 3.7 of these same minutes, the MHRA published product information for the COVID-19 vaccines on the GOV.UK website when regulatory approval was given, starting from 2 December 2020 when the Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccine was the first COVID-19 vaccine in the world to be approved. On this day, the risk-based evaluation for the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine referenced in this paragraph of the minutes was published as part of a summary of the public assessment report for the COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19/summary-public-assessment-report-for-pfizerbiontech-covid-19-vaccine
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS paid in compensation in 2024. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 14 November 2024 to Question 12205.

The figures for the 2024/25 financial year are not complete at this stage. NHS Resolution will publish the figures for the 2024/25 financial year in its annual report and accounts in the summer.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 31610 tabled by the hon. Member for Wokingham on 13 February 2025. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 31610 on 12 March 2025.
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Katie White:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to regulate commercially available prostate specific antigen tests; and if he will produce clinical guidance to ensure the promotion of (a) clear and (b) evidence-based public health messaging on the (i) risk of prostate cancer and (ii) options for testing. \p Ashley Dalton: In January 2024, the UK National Screening Committee updated its information on paid-for private screening tests, and how they differ from National Health Service screening programmes.

The updated guidance sets out the potential benefits and harms of all screening, including summarising some additional possible issues for people to think about if considering commercially offered health screening tests. These issues include that commercial companies often only offer a test, rather than an end-to-end screening pathway. If an individual then receives an abnormal finding, it is up to them to seek any advice, further investigation, or treatment.

Furthermore, NHS England is taking steps to raise awareness of the symptoms of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme published guidance in April 2024 to support the implementation of good practice in the management of prostate cancer, which includes ensuring that the diagnostic pathways for prostate cancer were implemented from a primary care setting to a secondary care presentation.

The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve all cancer services and outcomes for people living with cancer, including those with prostate cancer. The Department is investing £16 million into the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which seeks to find better ways of detecting prostate cancer. This trial will compare the most promising tests that look for prostate cancer in men that do not have symptoms, and aims to address disparities in detection rates across different groups.

As recently announced, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve cancer services across England, including for those living with prostate cancer.
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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) safety and (b) regulation of (i) snus and (ii) nicotine pouches. \p Ashley Dalton: Oral tobacco, otherwise known as snus, has been banned in the United Kingdom and the European Union since 1992. All tobacco products are harmful to health, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that smokeless tobacco is carcinogenic to humans. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill re-enacts the existing ban in a way that is more comprehensive, clearer, and more accessible for the relevant parties, such as retailers and enforcement agencies. We have no intention of allowing a banned and harmful product into the UK market.

There is currently limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches. However, they are never recommended for children. Nicotine, the active ingredient in pouches, is a highly addicted drug, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from future harm and addiction. Advice on the health impacts of nicotine can be found on the Talk to Frank website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/nicotine

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.

Whilst the use of nicotine pouches is currently low among adults, it is increasingly popular with younger male audiences. We will continue to monitor the use of these products and will update public health guidance and messaging accordingly.
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Markus Campbell-Savours:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to end single-word ratings for Care Quality Commission assessments. \p Ashley Dalton: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is currently focussing on making the improvements recommended in the reviews carried out by Dr Penny Dash, Sir Professor Mike Richards, and Professor Vic Raynor. This includes work to develop new ratings characteristics, make changes to how the CQC uses scoring in assessments, and develop a new handbook for providers, which will explain clearly how assessments are carried out.

A specific review of one-or two- word ratings for health and social care providers is therefore not a priority currently, but will be kept under review.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of potential alternative models to financial penalties for NHS trusts that (a) do not diminish frontline patient care and (b) improve affected local services. \p Ashley Dalton: Enforcement is one of the core components of the operating model that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses to achieve its purpose and perform its role, to improve health and adult social care services and protect the health, safety and welfare of people who use them. The CQC monitors and assesses service providers against the fundamental standards of quality and safety. Failure to comply with the standards and make improvements, could result in enforcement action by the CQC.

The current system of penalties imposed on National Health Service trusts for health and safety breaches is defined by law. The Department has not made any assessments of other models and, therefore, has no plans to review this.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing local authorities longer-term public health funding. \p Ashley Dalton: Following the upcoming Spending Review, we will aim to issue multi-year public health grant allocations to local authorities from 2026/27. We recognise that multi-year funding settlements for councils provide several benefits, enabling them to focus on delivering outcomes in a stable environment rather than managing budget uncertainties. In addition, 93% of respondents in a Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace) survey stated that they believe multi-year settlements would support economic prosperity.
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Michelle Welsh:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the NHS backlog for ADHD assessments in (a) Sherwood Forest and (b) Nottinghamshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer.

In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB advises that it is working with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to review current waiting lists and develop an improvement plan to reduce waiting times. These improvements include streamlining the referral, triage and assessment processes and improving data quality. The current service pathway has been reviewed and options for improvement have been developed, these are being progressed locally during 2025 and aim to improve the pathway, including pre-assessment and post-assessment support.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with Integrated Care Boards about their policies to reduce delayed discharge from hospital where patients meet the criteria to (a) return home or (b) receive community care. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government is working to reduce delayed discharges, ensuring that people are not stuck in hospital beds when they are well enough to go home. We will tackle delayed discharges by improving local partnership working between the National Health Service and the social care system, making sure people get the right support to return home as soon as possible. To drive improvements, we will work with those systems experiencing the worst discharge delays, using senior experts from across local government and the NHS.

On 30 January 2025, the Government published a revised Better Care Fund policy framework for 2025/26. As part of this, the NHS and local authorities will be expected to make measurable improvements on delayed discharges.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I continue to engage with key partners and meet regularly with NHS England to discuss discharge and urgent & emergency care performance.
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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding levels for NHS dentists in the West Midlands. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government inherited public finances in their worst state since 1945. The National Health Service in England invests £3 billion into dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access NHS 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.

Responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to ICBs across England. For Sutton Coldfield constituency, this is NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the adequacy of waiting times for talking therapies in (a) Slough, (b) Berkshire and (c) England. \p Stephen Kinnock: The latest NHS Talking Therapies data for England show that as of December 2024, 91.2% of people completing treatment waited less than six weeks for their first appointment, against a target of 75%. Additionally, 98.4% of people completing treatment waited less than 18 weeks, against a target of 95%.

Waiting times data for NHS Talking Therapies are not held at constituency or county level but are available at integrated care board (ICB) level through the NHS Mental Health Dashboard, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-mental-health-dashboard/

Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise the funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement & Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.
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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the NHS-commissioned report on community pharmacy funding to be published. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This work is nearing completion and will be published.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on tackling poor mental health in schools. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Education to deliver the commitment to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through rolling out NHS Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.
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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to ensure that the level of funding for mental health services (a) reflects changes in service demand and (b) reduces the imbalance of resource allocation between mental and physical health. \p Stephen Kinnock: Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has committed to protecting funding on mental health. We know 2025/26 will be a challenging year, and the National Health Service must live within its means. This will require a relentless focus on operational performance, recovering productivity, tackling unwarranted variation, and reducing delays and waste to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent wisely.

Our focus on mental health will continue to be backed by the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26 to ensure mental health funding is ring-fenced to support delivery of our commitments, including those outlined in the NHS Planning Guidance.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help meet the mental health needs of children from underserved communities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that waits for children and young people's mental health services are far too long and that some disadvantaged groups are less likely to access support. That is why the National Health Service’s planning guidance for 2025/26 makes it clear that one of the priorities for children's mental health services is to reduce local inequalities in access to children and young people’s mental health services between disadvantaged groups, including in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, and the wider population.

The Government will also recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across child and adult mental health services and provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so that every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.

Early intervention and prevention support in the community is vital. That is why we are 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.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the NHS to offer pocket-sized trauma cards for patients to show during appointments. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are currently no plans to assess the potential merits of introducing trauma cards in the National Health Service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that healthcare treatment provided to prisoners with mental health conditions is adequate. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Prison Mental Healthcare service specification reinforces that prison healthcare, including care for people with mental health problems, should provide excellent, safe, and effective services and interventions to all prisoners, equivalent to the services and interventions available in the community.

It specifies that there should be access to suitable, evidence-based psychological and clinical interventions. The provision of specific clinical interventions should be determined according to appropriate clinical guidance. Accordingly, the service specification is not prescriptive as to the specific mix of psychological therapies which should be provided, with the aim of ensuring a personalised approached is utilised when meeting individual needs.

NHS England is in the process of reviewing and refreshing the Prison Mental Healthcare service specification. The aim of this review is to ensure that high-quality mental health care is provided to patients in prison, and that the specification is current and fit for purpose, taking account of changing patient needs and developments in health and justice and the wider National Health Service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the mental health of young people. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know children and young people often face long waits for mental health support and too many are not receiving the care they need. That is why we are 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 a specialist mental health professional in every school in England and roll out Young Futures Hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps should be taken prior to a test for change on a healthcare offer. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to help improve the quality of maternity care in (a) Slough, (b) Berkshire and (c) England. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will direct NHS England to update the guidance on gluten-free food prescriptions in the document entitled Prescribing Gluten-Free Foods in Primary Care: Guidance for Clinical Commissioning Groups, published on 28 November 2018. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which Minister has oversight of the Getting It Right First Time programme. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to meet priority four of the policy paper entitled The UK Rare Diseases Framework, published on 9 January 2021. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which includes priority four on improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework, and published the fourth England action plan on 28 February 2025.

Under priority four:

- we have worked with industry, clinicians, and patients to understand the challenges and opportunities of early access pathways for rare disease therapies;

- we have committed to continuing to keep the effectiveness of the schemes for rare treatments under review;

- the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has launched a review of its highly specialised technology programme for evaluating rare disease treatments;

- introduced action 38 on reforming clinical trial regulations; and

- introduced action 39 on developing an operational framework for individualised therapies in the National Health Service.

For further details, the 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2025
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an (a) economic and (b) regulatory assessment of the potential impact of In Silico computer modelling and simulation methods on the (i) pharmaceutical and (ii) medical device sectors. \p Ashley Dalton: Funding has recently been established through the Centre of Excellence in In-Silico Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI). This CERSI cements the United Kingdom’s role at the forefront of regulatory science, driving forward the innovations of tomorrow while upholding our unwavering commitment to public health. This first-of-its-kind programme embeds innovation at the very heart of our regulatory processes.

It will make a substantial contribution to the development of a regulatory framework to support the adoption and assessments of these technologies. It will support and safely accelerate clinical investigation and trial regulatory assessments, improve patient safety, and reduce the time to safely allow the devices or medications to be used by the patients who need them. It will reduce the time to develop and take a device or medication to the market, reducing the cost of drug development. Therefore, it will position the UK globally as one of the best places to conduct safe and effective investigations and trials.

These activities will be led by this CERSI in collaboration with the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Innovate UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve health outcomes for patients with rare diseases, in the context of the recent announcement by NHS Specialised Commissioning on (a) dabrafenib and (b) trametinib. \p Ashley Dalton: In January 2021, the Government published the UK Rare Diseases Framework providing a national vision for how to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases. The 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan was published on 28 February 2025.

Dabrafenib and trametinib are medicines mostly used for children with cancer. We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more children and young people survive, and we will improve young cancer patients’ experience across the system.

That is why on 4 February 2025 we relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experience for children and young people with cancer. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement across detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of people (a) renting privately and (b) in the social rented sector were (i) born in the UK and (ii) not born in the UK in each region of England in each year since 1997. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department does not hold the required information.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 31048 on Licensing Laws, what the evidential basis is that a unified consent regime for pavement licences did not prove workable. \p Alex Norris: In March 2024 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government made permanent changes to streamline applications for pavement licenses. In May 2024 the Home Office consulted on options to make permanent its existing temporary measures to streamline applications for alcohol licenses where a pavement licence is in effect. The Home Office published its analysis of responses in February 2025 and concluded that it would not take forward any of the options proposed and would instead allow temporary streamlining to end as of 31 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Sir Alec Shelbrooke:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make fire and rescue authorities statutory consultees for planning applications for battery energy storage systems. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.