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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of legislative changes to require HMRC to prioritise investigations of (a) promoters and (b) perpetrators of fraudulent schemes over investigations of (i) professional footballers, (ii) loan charge victims and (c) other individuals misled into such schemes. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC already takes action against those behind tax avoidance schemes by using a variety of legislation and tools to challenge promoters and others in the tax avoidance supply chain.

HMRC also regularly publishes information on tax avoidance schemes, those who promote them and others connected to avoidance schemes, to help customers identify, avoid, and exit them. As of 4 September 2025, HMRC has published details of more than 170 tax avoidance schemes and named more than 170 promoters on GOV.UK

The Government is determined to do more to close in on promoters of marketed tax avoidance and recently consulted on a package of measures to strengthen existing powers. This includes proposals to:

Where individuals owe tax, HMRC seeks to take a supportive and proportionate approach to recovering the amount due, including providing extra support for individuals who need it and offering ‘Time to Pay’ instalment arrangements where appropriate.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many days the Union Flag was flown on her Department's main buildings in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government Property Agency (GPA) manages the flying of flags above 1 Horse Guards Road (1HGR), Feethams House and other HM Treasury buildings. Under instructions from Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), the Union Flag is always flown unless instructed otherwise by DCMS.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of allowing incidental off-sales of beer and cider from draught duty paid containers on pubs in rural communities. \p Dan Tomlinson: Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in duty than their packaged equivalents – an increase of over 50% on the previous draught discount of 9.2%. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint.

The core objective of this relief is to recognise the cultural importance of pubs and other on-trade venues as community hubs and to encourage responsible drinking in supervised settings.

To ensure this relief is targeted at the on-trade, it is prohibited to repackage products that have received Draught Relief for off-site consumption. It is the intention that beverages that are sold to be consumed off site should pay the full rate of duty like their equivalents sold in off-trade venues.
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Edward Argar:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of correspondence from hon. Members to her Department was responded to within the required period in each month between July 2024 and August 2025. \p Dan Tomlinson: Since July 2024, Treasury ministers have received over 13,000 pieces of correspondence from Members.

Officials and Private Offices are working hard to clear outstanding cases as quickly as possible.

Correspondence performance data is published within HM Treasury’s Annual Report and Accounts.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken for Companies House to reconcile their information with HMRC on the ability of new businesses to (a) employ staff, (b) register for PAYE and (c) issue VAT invoices. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government recognises the importance of efficient and timely coordination between Companies House and HMRC in supporting the operational readiness of newly incorporated businesses. There is currently a timely data-feed between Companies House and HMRC.

HMRC continue to review how improved data-sharing and increased automation can support new businesses and reduce administrative burdens.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many days the Union Flag was flown on his Department's main sites in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date. \p Kate Dearden: The Department does not hold a record of when the union flag is flown. Our buildings are managed by the Government Property Agency (GPA) who are responsible for flag flying at our main sites.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of statutory paternity leave entitlements for self-employed parents. \p Kate Dearden: Self-employed parents are not currently eligible for statutory paternity leave or pay. On 1 July the Government launched the Parental Leave and Pay Review. The Review will consider all existing and upcoming parental leave entitlements, including whether support available meets the needs of self-employed parents.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to investigate the conduct of Kroll Advisory Ltd in its role as administrator of Prosperous Life; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that affected consumers are protected. \p Kate Dearden: All insolvency practitioners (IPs), including those at Kroll Advisory Ltd, are authorised and regulated by recognised professional bodies, which operate under the Secretary of State’s oversight. Matters of concern about IP conduct are the responsibility of those bodies, in line with their published rules and procedures.
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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the aluminium sector was not included in the Industrial Strategy. \p Chris McDonald: The Industrial Strategy focusses on the eight sectors with the highest economic potential, while supporting the Government's strategic objectives of resilient, environmentally sustainable, and regionally balanced growth. It also identifies foundational inputs for those sectors, including aluminium.

The aluminium sector will benefit from wider growth policies. The latest UK criticality assessment includes aluminium within its critical minerals list, to be used as the basis for the upcoming Critical Minerals Strategy. Some aluminium businesses will benefit from the increased network charge compensation.

We will also consult on eligibility for the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will cut electricity bills for electricity-intensive industries by up to 25%.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 28 of the National Security Strategy 2025, published on 24 June 2025, when he plans to publish the new Critical Minerals Strategy. \p Chris McDonald: Critical minerals have been included in the recently published National Security Strategy and also in the UK Government's Resilience Action Plan, highlighting their fundamental importance to safeguarding the UK's economic security and resilience. Thanks to the extensive engagement and insights from our industry and expert stakeholders as well as through cross-government collaboration, we have developed a powerful new vision and plan for securing critical minerals in the UK.

We will continue to refine this ahead of publication this year, taking into account the evolving international context.
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Sam Carling:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the potential trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council and the potential merits of requiring imported chicken meat to meet the United Kingdom's animal welfare standards. \p Chris Bryant: The UK has been in negotiations for a modern and ambitious free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council since June 2022. Throughout these negotiations, we have proactively engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders across sectors and regions, to inform negotiation decisions.

The Government has made a clear manifesto commitment to promote the highest standards when it comes to food production.

GCC states are not significant exporters of poultry. Currently the GCC is unable to export poultry to the UK due to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. These requirements will not change as part of a free trade agreement.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of inviting external stakeholders to provide information for the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group’s consideration of market access barriers. \p Chris Bryant: In line with the commitment made between our Prime Ministers in June, the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group will meet this Autumn with the objective of deepening the bilateral trading relationship further and seeking to address existing market access barriers affecting bilateral UK-Canada trade.

As part of our preparation for the Working Group, my department is considering feedback from a range of stakeholders to inform our approach, and we are open to receiving views from any other businesses with an interest in UK-Canada trade.

The working group will begin meeting shortly and report back to both Prime Ministers in December.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what responsibilities remain on liquidators of housing developers for resolving (a) legal title and (b) infrastructure issues impacting homeowners. \p Blair McDougall: A liquidators’ statutory functions when winding up a company are to secure and realise any assets, distribute any funds generated to those entitled to them and generally act in the interests of the company’s creditors. In carrying out their statutory functions, liquidators are also obliged to have regard to their regulatory standards and code of ethics. This may extend to resolving legal title and infrastructure issues affecting homeowners if doing so is in creditors’ interests.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what recent progress he has made on reducing the administrative costs of regulation for businesses. \p Blair McDougall: The Industrial Strategy included a package of ambitious forms that will contribute to the target to cut administrative burdens to businesses by 25% by the end of the parliament.

These included harnessing the potential of new technology to make compliance with money laundering regulations simpler through the use of digital identity verification checks, removing requirements and increasing the permissible size for air source heat pumps. Alongside these, the Government will deliver several recommendations made by the industry-HMG licencing taskforce, including introducing a Licencing Policy Framework; pending consultation, this would significantly reduce the regulatory burden on the UK’s hospitality industry.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to introduce a statutory compulsory licensing scheme for builders. \p Blair McDougall: The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommendation as an important step in enhancing building safety standards.

We continue to engage with stakeholders as to whether a wider licencing scheme would improve standards of consumer protection. This work is progressing alongside our broader initiatives to enhance competency across the construction sector through the Industry Competence Committee, ensuring a comprehensive approach to raising standards throughout the industry.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many complaints his Department has received on the National Investigation Service. \p Blair McDougall: The Department for Business and Trade does not maintain a central record of complaints specifically about the National Investigation Service (NATIS).

While no formal complaints have been received directly by the Department, NATIS has been the subject of various Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information requests, indicating a level of interest.

In July 2025, the Department supported a response to a written complaint submitted to the Insolvency Service which included concerns about NATIS.

All correspondence is handled in line with established procedures to ensure appropriate and consistent responses.
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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what strategic steps his Department is taking to protect (a) SMEs and (b) other UK exporters from the compounded impact of (i) new tariffs, (ii) customs charges and (iii) administrative burdens in the context of the removal of the US de minimis tariff exemption for small packages; and how this aligns with the Government’s broader (A) trade and (B) industrial policy objectives. \p Chris Bryant: My department is engaging with businesses to monitor impacts on small and medium-sized Businesses (SMEs) from the removal of the US de minimis exemption. We have published information for UK businesses and remain in contact with US counterparts to seek further clarity.

We remain fully committed to empowering SMEs to thrive in international markets, through our wide-ranging export support under the Business Growth Service. This aligns with our Trade Strategy objectives to help businesses navigate requirements such as customs and tariffs. Royal Mail’s new service has allowed SMEs to continue trading with the US, whilst other counterparts initially suspended services.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many audits the Public Sector Fraud Authority has undertaken into the National Investigation Service; what the purpose of these audits was; what methods were used during these audits; what the risks identified during these audits were; and how long each of these audits took. \p Blair McDougall: On 12 October 2023, the Public Sector Fraud Authority were requested to undertake a formal operational review of National Investigation Service, with a primary purpose to focus on performance. The review team included experts from the National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Government Internal Audit Agency, and NHS Counter Fraud Authority.

The review report was provided to DBT on 17 November 2023 and made recommendations to prevent future risk of secondments lapsing and appropriate governance.

There have been no other formal audits or reviews undertaken by the Public Sector Fraud Authority into National Investigation Service.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the terms of reference are for the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group. \p Chris Bryant: In line with the commitment made between our Prime Ministers in June, the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group will meet this Autumn to deepen our trading relationship further, including to address existing market access barriers, to expand existing arrangements into new areas, such as digital trade, and to explore cooperation in the development of critical minerals and sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, who will be part of the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group. \p Chris Bryant: The UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group will meet this Autumn and will consist of officials from the UK and Canadian Governments.

We remain receptive to any views of relevant business and industry with an interest in UK-Canada trade.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to place in the Library a copy of the report of the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group. \p Chris Bryant: Growing our bilateral trade is a shared priority. In line with the commitment made between our Prime Ministers in June, the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group will meet this Autumn with the objective of deepening the bilateral trading relationship further and seeking to address existing market access barriers affecting bilateral UK-Canada trade. It will report back to the Prime Minister. I will keep Parliament informed of how the discussions progress.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department took to undertake due diligence in relation to the National Investigation Service before its funding for that body to enhance counter-fraud work was announced in the Spring Statement 2022. \p Blair McDougall: At the time of the Spring Statement 2022 the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had commissioned and managed NATIS to undertake potentially fraudulent covid loan investigations.

Through the Machinery of Government changes accountability for NATIS passed to DBT in February 2023. Financial, Commercial and Security due diligence was completed by DBT in preparation for the contract that commenced April 2024.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether UK-US agreements have been made on trade in Liquified Natural Gas. \p Chris Bryant: We cannot comment on the specifics of live trade negotiations. However, we are continuing talks on a wider UK-US economic deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.

The UK already imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US under existing commercial arrangements. In 2024, US LNG imports (measured in TWh) fell 41% compared to 2023. While the US was our largest LNG supplier in 2024, Norway remained the dominant source of overall natural gas - both play an important role in supporting our energy security.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help increase uptake of the MMRV vaccine among children. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fylde on 8 September 2025 to Question 73633.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) clinical oncology workforce shortages and (b) staffing levels on the adoption of innovative cancer treatments by NHS Trusts. \p Ashley Dalton: We are building our cancer workforce. As of June 2025, there are over 1,800 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England. This is almost 440, or 31.5%, more than 2020.

Following additional investment through recent spending review settlements, trainees across 16 cancer-related specialties, including clinical and medical oncology, increased from 623 to 773 per year, a 24% increase.

To grow the workforce, NHS England has been expanding specialty training places in key cancer professions. Targeted national campaigns and outreach activities, for example in clinical oncology, also promote cancer career pathways, with a focus on increasing applications to under-supplied professions.

Training Academies in Imaging, Endoscopy, and Genomics are being delivered across regions to provide intensive skills development and support new models of care, including for cancer patients. Ongoing investment in practice education enhances clinical supervision, education and training across cancer and diagnostic workforces, increases placement capacity, supports staff retention, and contributes to high-quality patient care.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans NHS England has to embed mental health support into all diabetes clinics to provide emotional wellbeing for people with type 1 diabetes. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Health Service does not currently have any plans to introduce a mental health assessment to the annual care check for people with type 1 diabetes or to embed mental health support into all diabetes clinics to provide emotional wellbeing for people with type 1 diabetes.

NHS England is currently funding five Type 1 Disordered Eating (T1DE) pilots, with the aim of increasing understanding of the characteristics and care needs of people with T1DE, assessing the feasibility of the service delivery model and build the evidence base for an integrated diabetes and mental health pathway.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for producing clinical guidelines and quality standards for diabetes care.

The current NICE guideline for type 1 diabetes diagnosis and management states that members of diabetes professional teams should be alert to the symptoms of depression and anxiety, have the appropriate skills to provide basic management and arrange prompt referral to specialists where an individual’s mental health interferes significantly with their wellbeing or self-management. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/resources/type-1-diabetes-in-adults-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-1837276469701
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the NHS (a) funding and (b) commissioning structures on Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy provision in South West England. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Health Service keeps under review the range of services it offers patients. The use of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy is thought to prolong overall survival and improve quality of life. NHS England provides the treatment to those eligible across England.

Our £70 million investment in new radiotherapy machines will ensure that the most advanced treatment is available and accessible to patients across the country. By March 2027, up to 27,500 additional treatments per year will be delivered, including up to 4,500 receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62 days of referral, helping to treat more cancer patients in faster time.

Adiditionally, the Department is working closely with NHS England to make sure we have the right workforce with the right skills up and down the country. This includes cancer care and radiotherapy treatment services.
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Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with bladder and bowel control conditions in Sutton Coldfield constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: An Adult Bladder and Bowel (Continence) service is delivered via Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) offering appointments for all residents in Birmingham, including in Sutton Coldfield, with a clinic facility in North Locality based at Sutton Cottage Hospital. The service offers face-to-face and virtual consultations and supports the community nursing service with patients who meet the housebound criteria with complex needs around continence management, catheter care or bowel management.

The service treats adults who are experiencing bladder problems or bowel dysfunction, with all patients receiving a high-quality clinical assessment and personalised care plan in line with best practice, and national driven guidance.

There are a range of investigations, including vaginal pelvic floor assessment, bladder ultra-sound scan or rectal examination, that are available through the service that helps to determine the best course of treatment, based on individual patient needs. Treatment may include lifestyle advice or interventions, pelvic floor exercises, bladder re-training, medication, specialist care or signposting to other appropriate services. The service also offers specialist clinics for young adults aged between 18 and 19 years old transitioning from Children's Services working in partnership BCHC’s Children's and Families Division. The service can be accessed by referral via a patient’s general practitioner (GP).

Housebound patients, including patients with psychological illness which prevent them from accessing a clinic, or following a treatment programme, will initially need to be referred to a Community Nursing service for assessment and treatment by the patient’s GP.

BCHC is currently scoping the use of containment products and ensuring they align with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance recommendations. A consultation and engagement plan, quality impact and equality, human rights assessment will underpin any decisions on the future model.

The average patient waiting times for clinic appointments at Sutton Cottage is 10 weeks, but urgent referrals can be seen within two weeks.

GPs also can access secondary care specialist advice and e-refer a patient to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’s (UHB) specialist clinics for adults with incontinence, overactive bladder, stress urinary incontinence, or bladder pain.

As part of the system’s work to transform and standardise care, between October 2026 and March 2027, GPs across Birmingham and Solihull will start to have access to digital tools for clinical decision making and case management via online consulting rooms with UHB urology specialists to speed up and improve access in health and care.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the estimate of the potential savings to the public purse following the abolition of NHS England. \p Karin Smyth: Creating a new joint organisation will streamline decision-making, reduce bureaucracy, and improve accountability. These changes are expected to generate significant efficiencies over time.

The Department’s initial modelling demonstrates that the up-front investment in organisational change will be offset by long-term reductions in staffing and running costs, ensuring the programme delivers value for money and sustainable savings for the taxpayer.

Further detailed planning work is underway, considering all the funding priorities for the Department and NHS England. Further detail will be provided once this work has concluded.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to require Integrated Care Boards to provide sustainable funding to enable (a) the continuation of successful pilot projects on Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders and (b) those projects to become regional centres of excellence. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England has provided up to £1.5 million a year for the five current Type 1 Disordered Eating pilots for three years. This funding is transferred to integrated care boards on an annual basis and in 2025/26 has been ringfenced.

Decisions on funding for future years have yet to be taken.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy for NHS England to create a dedicated registry for people with (a) type 1 diabetes and (b) Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders (T1DE) to improve (i) prevalence data and (ii) patient support. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Diabetes Audit is the primary mechanism for collecting data in England on the care and outcomes of people living with diabetes, helping to inform healthcare practice and policy.

The National Diabetes Audit could serve as a registry for type 1 disordered eating (T1DE) in the future. An agreed definition of T1DE supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will be important to enable diagnosis, data recording and establishing data collection processes.

NHS England works closely with NICE to understand emerging areas for consideration in national guidance and has committed to share the current pilot site evaluation outcomes, when available, with NICE to ensure findings are considered in the development of future guidance.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve training for (a) GPs and (b) other healthcare practitioners to (i) recognise and (ii) manage Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders (T1DE). \p Ashley Dalton: The standard of training for healthcare professionals is the responsibility of the independent professional regulators, who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses and universities to write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the outcome standards. Post-graduate training curricula is set by the relevant Royal College.

Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all emphasise the skills and approaches a healthcare practitioner must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for type 1 diabetes with disordered eating.

Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Workforce Plan will include measures to (a) recruit, (b) train, and (c) retain mental health professionals with specialism in Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders (T1DE). \p Ashley Dalton: The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. To support this, the Department and NHS England will be engaging with key stakeholders to ensure that the needs of different patient groups and relevant health professionals are reflected in this work.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to raise awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders among healthcare professionals in diabetes and eating disorder services in (a) Somerset and (b) England. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England is currently funding five Type 1 Disordered Eating (T1DE) pilots, with the aim of increasing understanding of the characteristics and care needs of people with T1DE, assessing the feasibility of the service delivery model and build the evidence base for an integrated diabetes and mental health pathway.

Pilot sites are delivering a national high level service specification alongside testing local novel approaches to improving care including to awareness raising of the condition amongst both diabetes and eating disorder health care professionals. A national evaluation is currently underway to assess the impact of the five current pilot services. NHS England will review the evaluation findings to understand further opportunities to promote awareness of T1DE amongst healthcare professionals beyond the five pilot areas.

NHS England works alongside its partners to support the delivery of key messages around diabetes education and awareness. This includes through a digital diabetes platform which is developing educational resources for T1DE.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the abolition of NHS England does not affect the delivery of frontline services for patients. \p Karin Smyth: Our commitment to the delivery of frontline services for patients underpin our reforms. These reforms will simplify the National Health Service, remove layers of unnecessary bureaucracy, and allow us to reinvest more in the frontline, so patients receive safe, timely care and are heard and listened to.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, and we will do this throughout. Ongoing assessment is part of the reform programme and evidence collected will inform the programme as appropriate and ensure our decisions focus on improving patient care. The Government is committed to transparency and will consider how best to ensure the public and parliamentarians are informed of the outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-17 conversation_228

Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to review NHS outsourcing contracts. \p Karin Smyth: All public authorities, including the National Health Service, follow the guidance and principles set out in the Sourcing Playbook when planning and making sourcing decisions to deliver public services in partnership with the private and third sectors. The playbook is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-sourcing-and-consultancy-playbooks

The consultation, Public Procurement: Growing British industry, jobs and skills, is one considering further reforms to public procurement. More specifically, it is proposed that public bodies would be required to carry out a quick and proportionate public interest test, to understand whether that work could not be more effectively done in-house before any service is contracted out. The Cabinet Office will consider the results of the consultation, and the Department will comply with any changes to the law. Details of the consultation are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/public-procurement-growing-british-industry-jobs-and-skills-consultation-on-further-reforms-to-public-procurement/public-procurement-growing-british-industry-jobs-and-skills-html
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-17 conversation_229

Alistair Strathern:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered locating anaphylaxis kits in (a) schools, (b) supermarkets and (c) other public places. \p Ashley Dalton: Since October 2017, the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 have allowed all schools to buy adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) without a prescription, for emergency use on children who are at risk of anaphylaxis but whose own device is not available or not working. The Department has published non-statutory guidance to accompany this legislative change, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-emergency-adrenaline-auto-injectors-in-schools

This guidance advises schools on the recognition and management of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, and outlines when and how an AAI should be administered for pupils. The guidance makes clear that any AAIs held by a school should be considered a spare device and not a replacement for a pupil’s own AAIs. It also states that children at risk of anaphylaxis should have their own prescribed AAIs at school for use in an emergency, and that they should always carry two devices.

There are many implications that would need to be given careful consideration if anaphylaxis kits were to be located in supermarkets and other public places. For example, we would need to consider the impacts on supplies of AAIs for patients to whom they are prescribed. There are currently only two suppliers of AAIs and, whilst there is close monitoring of continuity of supply at current levels, a significant increase in demand for AAIs would require close collaboration with suppliers.

There are other technical and practical challenges. It is not uncommon for AAIs to reach the market with around 15 months or less to expiry, and so establishments holding spare AAIs would need to conduct regular checks on their expiry dates and replace them quite frequently.

The susceptibility of adrenaline to deterioration at high temperature, and of the delivery mechanism to be impaired at very low temperature, make a temperature-controlled environment necessary. AAIs could, therefore, not be placed in direct sunlight or in an outside environment susceptible to freezing.

AAIs are marketed with different adrenaline doses and needle lengths. Individual prescriptions take into account age and body weight.

The administration of AAIs is not intuitive for an untrained individual. There are different brands of AAIs and they are not considered generic equivalents of each other. There are device-specific characteristics, including needle length, dose and propulsion, that affect the delivery of adrenaline into the circulation. Certain brands have different instructions for use, according to the device mechanism. Each has a different mode of operation and requires specific training in use.

There is also concern for the security of AAIs in public places against malicious tampering and theft with criminal intent.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-17 conversation_230

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) scope and (b) support the development of (i) moderated online, (ii) in-person and (iii) other models of peer support networks for people with Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders (T1DE). \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England works in close partnership with national charities and organisations that support people living with type 1 diabetes, including by facilitating and supporting peer support opportunities.

For example, NHS England has collaborated with Diabetes UK, Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes and people with lived experience, to produce The Six Principles of Good Peer Support for People Living with Type 1 Diabetes statement which aims to promote the standards required for peer support to both clinicians and those who are looking to access peer support opportunities. These are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/the-six-principles-of-good-peer-support-for-people-living-with-type-1-diabetes/

Diabetes UK also runs the Together Type 1 Programme which aims to create a supportive environment where young people can connect with others who understand the challenges of living with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes UK also has a network of regional teams that facilitate local peer support groups and activities. More information on the programme is available at the following link:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/support-for-you/community-support-and-forums/type-1-youth-programme
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-17 conversation_231

Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that parents receive (a) up to date and (b) relevant advice for feeding infants. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department undertakes a range of activities to ensure that parents receive up-to-date and relevant advice on infant feeding. We are investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 for infant feeding support across 75 local authorities in England through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. We have also extended the National Breastfeeding Helpline so that more families across the United Kingdom can access evidence-based information and support 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The Best Start in Life and NHS websites both provide trusted information on breastfeeding, formula feeding and introducing solid food, and are regularly updated in line with guidance from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Recent updates include advice on the use of shop-bought baby food.

Voluntary industry guidelines for commercial baby food and drink aimed at babies and young children aged up to 36 months old have also been published. The guidelines encourage manufacturers to reduce levels of sugar and salt in, and improve the labelling and marketing of, these products. This will make it easier for parents and carers to make healthier and more informed choices.

To ensure information reaches families at the right time, targeted advertising campaigns are run primarily on social media to engage parents whose babies are approaching weaning age, providing them with timely and relevant advice. In addition, most families receive infant feeding information and support from midwives and health visitors, who deliver targeted interventions as appropriate and support families in accessing specialist services where needed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-17 conversation_232

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps with (a) diabetes and (b) eating disorder charities to support national campaigns tackling (i) stigma and (ii) media representation of Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders. \p Ashley Dalton: The national diabetes programme works closely with charity partners including Diabetes UK who take a multi-pronged approach to reducing stigma experienced by those with all types of diabetes. This includes raising awareness of the complex and serious nature of type 1 diabetes, including type 1 disordered eating (T1DE), providing support to those that experience stigma, and supporting research into stigma and how it can be reduced or prevented.

NHS England is partnering with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to deliver a qualitative evaluation of the five current T1DE pilot sites. A core element of this approach has been engagement with service users to understand their experiences of having the condition, both before and during their involvement with the T1DE service.

The National Diabetes Experience Survey led by NHS England is a further mechanism for understanding the experiences of those living with type 1 diabetes, including T1DE, to inform national and local approaches to improvement.

In response to feedback on the experiences of people of all ages who live with diabetes, NHS England published the guide, Language Matters: language and diabetes, for health care professionals which sets out the good practice principles for interactions with people living with diabetes including around reducing stigma. The guide is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/language-matters-language-and-diabetes/