theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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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 on the steps they are taking to reduce waiting times for (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessments. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future and recognises the need for early intervention and support.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to autism and ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, was explicit that ICBs and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for autism and ADHD assessments and improve the quality of assessments by implementing existing and new guidance, as published.

In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the NHS to deliver improved outcomes for people referred to an autism assessment service. NHS England has continued to support services to identify challenges and how they might overcome these.  NHS England also established an ADHD taskforce to better understand the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase funding for research for pulmonary fibrosis. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR welcomes applications for research on any aspect of human health and care, including pulmonary fibrosis. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Since April 2020, the NIHR has spent £4.8 million on research projects and programmes relating to pulmonary fibrosis.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to move funding away from being centered in the London and the Home Counties and towards research projects in (a) Devon and (b) other areas of the UK. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research infrastructure spans England in order to build research capacity, including in Devon.

The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) is the main vehicle for clinical research delivery and will introduce a new national funding model in 2026/27 to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent funding across all regions, reducing variation, and supporting underserved areas.

Devon hosts four NIHR-funded infrastructure: the Regional Research Delivery Network South West Peninsula; the Exeter Biomedical Research Centre and Clinical Research Facility; the HealthTech Research Centre for Sustainable Innovation; and the Applied Research Collaboration for the South West Peninsula, which supports the whole of Devon. In line with prior commitments, the Department has increased funding for infrastructure developing and delivering research outside the greater South East.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care from across England and the United Kingdom. These 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.

Additionally, by investing in career development initiatives through the NIHR Academy, NIHR Infrastructure, and the RDN, the NIHR continues to fund high quality applied health and care research and training across England.
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Dr Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of medically fit patients occupying hospital beds due to delayed discharges. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government is committed to tackling delayed discharges.

The policy framework for the £9 billion Better Care Fund, published in January 2025, gives the National Health Service and local authorities accountability for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays and preventing avoidable emergency admissions and care home admissions. Some areas are receiving targeted support from the Better Care Fund support programme.

The Urgent and Emergency Care plan for 2025/26 sets as a priority that hospitals should tackle the delays in patients waiting to be discharged. They should eliminate discharge delays of more than 48 hours caused by in-hospital issues, and work with local authorities to tackle the longest delays, starting with those over 21 days, and to profile discharges by pathway to support local planning.
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Ian Lavery:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has commissioned research into the potential impact of occupational exposure to hazardous medicinal products among nursing staff on (a) reproductive and (b) other long‑term health; and what assessment he has made of the cost to the NHS of sickness absence related to such exposure. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: As per our response to questions PQ87515, PQ84145, and PQ84445 on 11 November 2025, the Government has not commissioned any research on the reproductive health outcomes or long-term health effects of the occupational exposure of nursing staff to hazardous medicinal products. No assessment has been made of the cost to the National Health Service of sickness absence related to this.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research into pancreatic cancer. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and in 2024/25 spent £141.6 million on cancer research, signalling its high priority. This includes studies that focus specifically on pancreatic cancer as well as studies that are relevant to or include pancreatic cancer. For example, between the financial years 2020/21 to 2024/25, the NIHR committed £1.5 million to specific pancreatic cancer studies.

The NIHR has also invested £1.9 million in research to detect the early stages of gastrointestinal cancers, which includes pancreatic cancer, through a non-invasive breath test which will aim to streamline the referral process for primary care.

The NIHR’s wider investments in research infrastructure, for instance facilities, services, and the research workforce, supported the delivery of 160 pancreatic cancer research studies and enabled over 8,200 people to participate in potentially life-changing research during this time period. This includes support for the PemOla trial, which is the first to explore using precision immunotherapies to treat pancreatic cancer. Further information on the PemOla trial is available at the following link:

https://cambridgebrc.nihr.ac.uk/2025/07/18/pancreatic-cancer-precision-medicine-trial/

The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome high quality funding applications into pancreatic cancer.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of Hospital Trust permit men to be cared for on women-only wards. \p Karin Smyth: It is longstanding National Health Service policy that men should not be cared for on women-only wards.

NHS organisations submit data on the number of occurrences of unjustified mixing in relation to sleeping accommodation. This data is published monthly and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/mixed-sex-accommodation/
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure veterans receive appropriate support for PTSD. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: In addition to the mainstream mental health services commissioned by integrated care boards, NHS England commissions Op COURAGE which is the bespoke integrated veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service. The service provides a fully integrated mental health care pathway for veterans, which includes support for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. People benefit from personalised care plans, ensuring they can access support and treatment both in and out of hours. Op COURAGE is available across England and individuals can contact the service to make an appointment or ask someone to do this on their behalf.

The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services and can instead choose to use mainstream services in the National Health Service, such as talking therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure there is adequate mental health support in Ashfield constituency. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board is responsible for commissioning National Health Service mental health services to meet the needs of people in Ashfield.

Nationally, the Government is committed to creating an environment that promotes good mental health, prevents people from developing mental health problems, and improves the lives of people living with a mental health problem including those in the Ashfield constituency.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to transform mental health services to improve access and treatment, and to promote good mental health and wellbeing for the nation. This includes improving assertive outreach, investing in mental health emergency departments and neighbourhood mental health centres, and increasing access to talking therapies and evidence-based digital interventions.

The recently published Medium Term Planning Framework sets targets for integrated care boards to expand coverage of mental health support teams in schools and colleges, expand NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement Support schemes, and eliminate inappropriate out-of-area placements by 2029.
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Shivani Raja:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of not referencing biological sexes in some maternity care guidance on the safeguarding of patients. \p Karin Smyth: The Department’s longstanding position is that health information should be as clear as possible and language should be used that appropriately reflects sex as defined in the Equality Act 2010.

National maternity guidance and key documents, such as the Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services, reference women throughout.
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Chris Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of guidance provided to patients on their (a) rights and (b) options for the (i) storage and (ii) future research use of their tissue samples. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that patients are fully informed about their rights, options, and choices regarding the storage and future research use of their tissue samples. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Code of Practice and Standards on Research aims to provide anyone undertaking activities relevant to this sector with a reference source which gives practical advice on the minimum steps necessary to comply with the relevant legislation and HTA policy. The code was updated in February 2025.

The HTA licenses and inspects organisations that collect human tissue. Their role is to make sure that organisations remove, store, and use brains, bodies, and tissues in an appropriate, respectful, and well-managed way, and that the wishes of individual patients and their families are respected. The HTA licensing standards establish consent as the fundamental legal and ethical requirements for the removal, storage, and use of human tissue.

The HTA’s regulatory framework helps ensure that tissue is stored to high standards, to be of most use to healthcare training and research.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 81590 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, what wraparound support is offered through the Gaza injured children scheme. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Local authorities are responsible for delivering the wraparound services required to support the patients and their immediate family travelling with them from Gaza to settle in England.

This includes providing support upon arrival, urgent health treatment, accommodation near treatment locations, school placements, essential items for the children, community integration support, casework assistance for accessing health and financial services, mental health support, and workforce entry assistance where feasible.

The Government will provide funding to local authorities for delivery of these wraparound services.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's press release entitled AI to cut paperwork to free up doctors’ time for patients, published on 16 August 2025, if he will publish a definition for (a) medical expert and (b) full review. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department does not maintain statutory definitions of “medical expert” or “full review”. For the purposes of the press release issued on 16 August 2025, “medical expert” refers to a registered healthcare professional with relevant clinical expertise who contributes to the development or validation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and “full review” refers to a comprehensive assessment process that includes clinical safety, data governance, and regulatory compliance checks prior to the deployment of AI systems within National Health Service settings.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's press release entitled AI to cut paperwork to free up doctors’ time for patients, published on 16 August 2025, if he will make an estimate of the time saved per patient discharge. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department does not hold a single national figure for time saved per patient discharge across all National Health Service settings. However, trials referenced in the Department’s press release of 16 August 2025 and subsequent trials indicate that the use of ambient voice technology and other artificial intelligence-enabled tools can significantly reduce administrative burden. For example, one London-wide trial found that ambient voice technology reduced time spent on paperwork by approximately 51.7%, equating to an average saving of approximately six minutes per patient discharge summary. These figures are indicative and will vary depending on local implementation and clinical context.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pwith reference to his Department's press release entitled Major NHS update brings menopause into routine health checks, published on 23 October 2025, what the pathway is for people who are found to be peri-menopausal. \p Karin Smyth: We will be working with experts, including general practitioners, over the coming months to co-design the menopause content for the NHS Health Check.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support clinical trials for multi-compound cannabis-based medicinal products for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is funding two trials to investigate the safety and efficacy of cannabinoid treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy in both adults and children. Further detail on the trials can be found on the NIHR’s website, at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131309

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with epilepsy, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, including treatments for epilepsy.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeline is for making the NHS Accessible Information Standard mandatory for health and social care providers, following commencement of regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Mandatory information standards will be introduced in a staged process. There is no timeline yet for issuing a mandatory NHS Accessible Information Standard.
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Alistair Strathern:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address the shortage of the drug pancrelipase for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency patients. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: There are ongoing supply issues with pancrelipase, also known by the brand name Creon, capsules, used by patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis and certain cancers including pancreatic and neuroendocrine cancer. The Department is continuing to work with the suppliers of Creon and other licensed alternatives to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term. Through these discussions supply quantities have improved this year, and we are in regular communication with suppliers on expected volumes for 2026.The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market. We have widely disseminated comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals, including National Health Service trusts, general practices, and pharmacies, about these supply issues, which provide advice on how to manage patients whilst there is disruption to supply. The Department will continue to work closely with the suppliers to resolve the issues as soon as possible, to ensure patients have continuous access to medicines.
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Dawn Butler:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) address shortages in tuberculosis (TB) medications, including drugs for preventive and active TB treatment and (b) ensure that patients are not put at risk due to disrupted access to treatment. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: There is currently a shortage of some medicines used to treat tuberculosis (TB), non-tuberculous mycobacteria, and other conditions. However, as a result of measures taken, the supply position has significantly improved. Supplies to the market were delayed following regulatory requirements that increased the complexity of the manufacturing process to address serious quality concerns. This was compounded by delivery delays and increased pressure on the products that remain available.

On 21 July 2025, the shortage was designated by the Medicines Shortage Response Group (MSRG) as Tier 4, the highest impact on patients and the system, given the risk to patient and public health. Following a Medicines Supply Notification (MSN) to the system in April, a National Patient Safety Alert was published on 29 July 2025. This provided guidance to clinical teams on prioritising patient care and managing stock. Updates to the issue, including the current status and resupply dates, are regularly maintained via the online Medicines Supply Tool managed by NHS England and the Department.

The situation has improved following ongoing engagement with suppliers and enhanced support from importers. There is now sufficient stock for the treatment of latent TB to continue as normal, and MSRG agreed on 13 October that the issue should be deescalated to a Tier 3, and a new MSN was issued to the system on 23 October 2025.

An Incident Management Team managed the shortage in its most acute phase, led by NHS England and with a broad wider stakeholder group, including the Department and the UK Health Security Agency, and a Supply Chain Management group has co-ordinated the allocation and distribution of the available stock across all four nations.

Thanks to this cross-system collaboration and clinically-led strategy to manage current supplies, the sourcing of additional stock, and the effective prioritisation of the existing supply, the stock levels of many licensed products have improved.

NHS England continues to engage with all relevant suppliers to understand usage and expected resupply dates as well as with specialist importers of unlicensed products to understand their ability to cover the initial and future deficit. Plans are underway to ensure that when further licensed stock becomes available, we can control allocation via wholesalers to enable fair distribution of stock.

Medium to longer-term planning is underway to address ongoing and future challenges in TB medicine supply.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of high launch prices set by major pharmaceutical firms on NICE’s cost-effectiveness assessments; and what steps are being taken to prevent such pricing from restricting patient access to new treatments. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether all new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines in line with NICE’s recommendations, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

NICE’s process ensures that new licensed medicines will only be routinely funded by the NHS where the evidence demonstrates that their costs are justified by the benefits that they bring for NHS patients. As part of NICE’s appraisal process, companies are able to propose patient access schemes to improve their value proposition with the aim of securing a positive NICE recommendation. NICE is able to recommend the vast majority of the medicines that it appraises, with 91% of medicines recommended for the NHS use in the last year.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of the potential long term effects of melatonin usage. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: In the United Kingdom, melatonin must be prescribed by a healthcare professional. Melatonin is authorised for a number of indications which specify short term use. For indications that may require longer term use, such as insomnia in children and adolescents aged six to 17 years old with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, where sleep hygiene measures have been insufficient, there is advice to regularly review treatment, at least every six months, and that during treatment, especially if the treatment effect is uncertain, treatment should be interrupted, stopped briefly, once per year to check whether the treatment is still needed.

The product information provides information to support the use of melatonin, including warnings about possible interactions with other medication as well as details of possible side effects.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continuously monitors the safety of all medicines on the UK market, including melatonin, and will take appropriate regulatory action if new safety issues are identified.
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Fred Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help increase public awareness of Martha's Rule. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: NHS England has undertaken extensive work to develop, test, and rollout communication products in relation to Martha’s Rule. This includes public communication materials for hospitals that have implemented Martha’s Rule to ensure inpatients, and their families and carers, are aware of and informed about this important patient safety initiative.

NHS England is considering plans for a wider communications campaign once Martha’s Rule is fully implemented in all relevant settings, later in 2026/27. This will take account of feedback in relation to the communication materials produced so far.
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Fred Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of removing the three-year statue of limitations for offences under Part 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government is extending the statute of limitations period for bringing proceedings for offences under Part 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Section 90(2).

This change aims to give the Care Quality Commission more time to gather evidence, conclude investigations, and prosecute where appropriate.

By extending the period in which proceedings can be brought, the Department seeks to encourage learning from failures in care and provide greater assurance and confidence for families seeking justice. The change will support the ambitions of the 10-Year Health Plan to improve quality of care generally.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to increase NHS capacity in winter 2025-26. \p Karin Smyth: We have done more than ever to prepare for this winter, including stress testing winter plans, making sure community teams have the vaccines they need, and identifying patients most vulnerable in winter.

The Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Plan for 2025/26, published on 6 June 2025, focuses on those improvements that will see the biggest impact on UEC performance this winter and on making UEC better every day, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. The plan commits to increasing the number of patients receiving urgent care in the community by expanding services such as urgent community response, neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams and increasing the use of virtual wards, also known as hospital at home. This will support winter resilience by expanding and optimising services such as urgent community response and increasing the use of virtual wards in each integrated care system, as well as planning with the ambulance services and 111 how to use this capacity most effectively.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the total staff remuneration through bank staff arrangements paid otherwise than through NHS Professionals Bank staff contracts in the last 12 months. \p Karin Smyth: Bank staffing allows the National Health Service to meet workforce demand fluctuations without the need to increase capacity above that which is required on a sustained basis. NHS England publishes the total bank and agency spend for providers on a quarterly basis. This includes NHS Professionals as NHS England does not hold a split of spend by companies. The information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publications/financial-performance-reports/

NHS Professionals’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 shows that remuneration paid through NHS Professionals Bank staff contracts for 2024/25 was approximately £1.1 billion. This information is available at the following link:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/xx-xxxx-xxxx/filing-history

However, definitions used in the two publications may vary so the data is not necessarily comparable.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the value of car parking income generated by NHS trusts in England; and how much was spent maintaining and operating car parks in those trusts in each year since 2015. \p Karin Smyth: No estimate has been made of the car parking income generated by National Health Service trusts in England. The following table shows the income generated for car parking and car parking services costs for England from 2017/18 to 2023/24:

Year

Car parking services cost

Trust income from Car parking

2023/24

£77,232,171

£242,832,309

2022/23

£73,103,126

£192,526,790

2021/22

£71,364,527

£102,303,053

2020/21

£65,538,670

£53,149,162

2019/20

£70,037,633

£289,326,668

2018/19

£71,170,922

£271,777,916

2017/18

£28,936,526

£226,357,822

Source: the Estates Returns Information Collection, available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current national oversight arrangements for the implementation of the framework set out in the document Maintaining High Professional Standards procedures within NHS trusts. \p Karin Smyth: Maintaining High Professional Standards was first published in 2005, and it remains an important framework for the initial handling of concerns about doctors and dentists in the National Health Service. All Department and NHS England guidance documents are kept under review.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will produce a funded operational plan to reduce A&E waiting times and end corridor care. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so patients can be treated with dignity. We are therefore doing everything we can as fast as we can to consign the delivery of care in temporary escalation spaces to the history books.

Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out steps to reduce accident and emergency waiting times and improve the availability of beds for those who need them. Backed by a total of nearly £450 million of capital funding, we are expanding Same Day Emergency Care and Urgent Treatment Centres, helping avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital and supporting more efficient diagnosis, treatment, and discharge for patients. It also includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care for the first time.

We will also be publishing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care. These will set the minimum expectations in areas such as time to review following referral, availability for advice, and what happens to patients when multiple specialist teams need to input into care.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many adults have received cochlear implants in each of the last 3 years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold data on the number of people aged under or over 18 years old who have received cochlear implants in the last three years. However, the Hospital Episode Statistics provide a count of finished consultant episodes where there was any procedure of “cochlear implant”. The following table shows the count of finished consultant episodes where there was any procedure of “cochlear implant” for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25, broken down by age group:

Age group

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Zero to 17 year olds

444

455

469

18 and over

767

923

889

Unknown

5

5

5

Total

1,216

1,383

1,363

This data reflects the number of procedures, as individuals may have multiple admissions for the same procedure within a given period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Edward Argar:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total budget was for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-2025 and (c) 2025-6 financial years. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care board revenue allocations are available here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/

The total revenue allocations for consecutive years are not comparable as the scope of services covered changes. For instance, some specialised services were delegated for the first time in 2025/26.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-24 conversation_330

Valerie Vaz:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing an NHS body to roll over to the next financial year any unspent budget to avoid incentivising unnecessary expenditure within that financial year. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England publishes guidance setting out the revenue finance and contracting framework for National Health Service organisations. The guidance for 2026/27 onwards has recently been published to support the Medium Term Planning Framework, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/medium-term-planning-framework-revenue-finance-and-contracting-guidance/

Where an integrated care board (ICB) delivers a surplus, this will be applied to the ICB cumulative position as set out in the updated NHS finance business rules, and available for drawdown in future years subject to agreement with NHS England as part of the financial planning process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-24 conversation_331

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the early flu season on corridor care, hospital capacity, and patient outcomes. \p Karin Smyth: The Department is continuing to take key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on accident and emergency, increasing vaccination rates, and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing integrated care boards and trust winter plans to ensure they are able to meet demand and ensure patient flow. Ministers meet every week on winter and consider flu levels as part of this.

Flu is a recurring pressure that the NHS faces every winter. There is particular risk of severe illness for older people, the very young, pregnant, and those with certain underlying health conditions. The flu vaccine remains the best form of defense against influenza, particularly for the most vulnerable, and continues to be highly effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-24 conversation_332

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether training on the NHS Accessible Information Standard will be included in the competency framework setting out all nationally mandated training subjects, in the context of NHS’s England’s ongoing review of mandatory training for NHS staff. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England is currently considering the inclusion of the Accessible Information Standard in the Competency Framework as part of their review of mandatory and statutory training for National Health Service staff.

In the meantime, NHS England is working to support implementation of the Accessible Information Standard with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the Accessible Information Standard. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the NHS are aware of the Accessible Information Standard and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Muslim network in each of the last five years for which data is available. \p Karin Smyth: As of August 2025, there are 1.54 million staff employed by NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England. Over 89,000, or 5.8%, report Islam as their religion.

Staff networks are not allocated budgets but can apply for funding to support activities which improve staff experience or patient outcomes. In 2023/24, NHS England spent £2,655 supporting the NHS Muslim Network’s activities.

The NHS Muslim Network seeks to create a sense of belonging and community within the National Health Service and provide wellbeing support to members.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-24 conversation_334

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when members of the NHS Pensions Scheme will receive McCloud remedies. \p Karin Smyth: The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help prevent industrial action in the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and officials from the Department, on his behalf, regularly meet with representatives of the health trade unions to understand the views and concerns of the National Health Service’s workforces in England which they represent. He has been clear that he wants to continue to work constructively with all trade unions to improve the working conditions of all NHS staff and avoid unnecessary industrial action.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has accepted all headline pay recommendations from the independent pay review bodies for 2025/26 so that all NHS staff in England received a fair and sustainable pay rise, has committed to funding improvements to the Agenda for Change pay structure for staff such as porters, nurses, and paramedics, and is working with NHS England to implement a 10 point plan to improve resident doctors’ working lives.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care made a written offer on 5 November to the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) which included measures to tackle bottlenecks in training, put money back in resident doctors' pockets and ensure that there is consistent implementation of existing contractual entitlements. Unfortunately, the BMA RDC rejected this just hours after being set out in a letter to them, instead choosing to proceed with the damaging strike action taken between 14-19 November.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-24 conversation_336

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with junior doctors on pay. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has met with the British Medical Association’s Resident, formerly Junior, Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) on several occasions to discuss a range of issues, including pay and working conditions. Most recently he met with the new BMA RDC leadership team on 13 October and subsequently has called the BMA RDC chair to try to avert strike action. Officials from the Department also maintain regular engagement with the BMA RDC.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care made a written offer on 5 November to the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) which included measures to tackle bottlenecks in training, put money back in resident doctors' pockets and ensure that there is consistent implementation of existing contractual entitlements. Unfortunately, the BMA RDC rejected this just hours after being set out in a letter to them, instead choosing to proceed with the damaging strike action taken between 14-19 November.

Resident doctors have received an average 28.9% pay increase since 2022/23, the highest public sector pay rise in the past two years. While the Government has been clear that there is no scope for further pay increases this year, we remain committed to working constructively with the BMA RDC to improve working conditions and support the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service’s workforce.