theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure timely delivery of NHS letters to patients. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is putting patients first, making sure they are seen as quickly as possible and have the best possible experience. This should include all patients receiving timely communication and information about their health and care.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025 as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, sets out the reform we will deliver to reduce waiting times and improve experience of care. We know that communications can sometimes fall short of the standards that we would expect, and this has a significant impact on patients. This is why we are working with patients, carers, and their representatives to improve the things that matter most to them and will be introducing a set of minimum standards that patients on the waiting list should expect to experience.

The Government’s focus on shifting from ‘analogue to digital’ will streamline information and communication processes, including by improving the NHS App. This will make it easier and quicker for patients to access information about their appointments, to cancel and reschedule appointments, and to receive correspondence on National Health Service test results. 87% of acute trusts in England now allow patients to view appointment information via the NHS App if they wish, reducing reliance on physical letters. Expanded use of the NHS App has prevented over 1.5 million missed hospital appointments since July 2024. It also saves staff time to focus on providing high quality, non-digital communication for those who want and need it.
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Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to change the current bed capacity in the NHS across England. \p Karin Smyth: In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts in England, 93,553 of which were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.

Decisions regarding the opening of additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by individual National Health Service trusts, in accordance with their operational requirements. The Department does not direct these decisions centrally.

The 10-Year Health Plan aims to expand urgent care capacity through Neighbourhood Health Services and virtual wards, enabling patients to receive care closer to home where clinically appropriate and easing pressure on hospitals. In addition, investment in digital tools will improve patient flow and further reduce reliance on inpatient beds.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support patients with pulmonary fibrosis in Devon. \p Karin Smyth: Royal Devon University Hospital provides a regional interstitial lung disease service covering Devon. The team provides clinical care, support, and access to services such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis may attend pulmonary rehabilitation services in Exeter, North Devon, Torbay, and Plymouth.
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Alex Sobel:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with (a) strokes and (b) transient ischaemic attacks in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Stroke care for the Leeds Central and Headingley constituencies is provided by the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust (LTHT).

To improve outcomes for patients with strokes and transient ischaemic attacks, LTHT provides 24/7 stroke specialist nurse cover for emergency admissions. LTHT has increased the mechanical thrombectomy service to seven days a week between 8:00am and 3:00pm as of 1 November 2025. By this time next year, the trust expects to have this service running 24/7.

LTHT is also working with the Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust to implement an early supported discharge team within stroke services. From January to March 2026, both trusts will be appointing a joint workforce of therapists and community colleagues to ensure patients receive timely access to care.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the (a) health and (b) wellbeing of the NHS workforce (i) on the Isle of Wight and (ii) in Hampshire. \p Karin Smyth: The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is a top priority. Local employers across the NHS have in place existing arrangements for supporting staff, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments. At a national level NHS staff have access to the SHOUT helpline for crisis support alongside the Practitioner Health service for more complex mental health and wellbeing support, including trauma and addiction.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, at a national level, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to enhanced occupational health support, with a focus on mental health and musculoskeletal services.

To further support this ambition, we are working with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to issue guidance to NHS Trusts to discourage them from supporting City of Sanctuary. \p Karin Smyth: There are no plans to issue guidance on this matter. National Health Service organisations are required to use their resources in the interests of patients and to secure value for money for taxpayers.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November to Question 82825 on NHS: English Language, how many tests were taken, by nationality; and how many were failed. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold data about these tests or assessments. Where collected, this would be held by the relevant lead organisation for each process. For data about English language competence for registration, this would be held by the healthcare regulators. Any available assessment data on candidates applying for the NHS Performers List would be held by NHS England. The International English Language Testing System and Occupational English Test would hold data for their respective tests and local National Health Service trusts and employers would hold data on candidate performance where an assessment has been carried out as part of a recruitment process.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of waiting times at urgent care centres in Slough constituency. \p Karin Smyth: No assessment has been made. The Department monitors urgent and emergency care performance nationally through NHS England, and the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets commitments and improvement measures. This includes £250 million of capital funding to continue the expansion of co-located urgent treatment centres and same day emergency care to improve patient streaming and reduce overcrowding.

NHS England works with local systems to implement these improvements and ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many employment tribunal claims have been lodged against his Department for (a) unfair dismissal and (b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 in each of the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has defined an employment tribunal claim as a formal submission which includes claims made against the Department, excluding arm's-length bodies, and submitted to an Employment Tribunal, for which the Department has responded by submitting a grounds for resistance. Early conciliations, which are the step ahead of a claim submission, are not included in this definition.

Employment Tribunal data is not readily available prior to 2023. As such, the Department only has access to employment tribunal information for the period of 2023 to 2025. During this period, six employment tribunal claims have been lodged citing unfair dismissal. Our records do not show claims listed with a specific reference to the Equality Act 2010.

We are unable to provide further information about specific years due to the low numbers involved in each year which could lead to the identification of individuals.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by his Department since 4 July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: Consultations and reviews form part of everyday policymaking in the Department, making it impossible to disaggregate a figure for salary costs specifically relating to consultations. Therefore, the information requested is not held.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Pursuant to the answer of 10 October, to Question 75034, on Trade Union: Equality, which civil service diversity networks in (a) his department and (b) NHS England are eligible for network time; and whether individual staff can claim both network time and trade union facility time. \p Karin Smyth: Within the Department, paid facility time is provided for accredited trade union representatives to carry out duties in line with legislation and the trade union partnership framework, but not for participation in staff networks.

Chairs and committee members of the Department’s internal diversity networks are permitted to use up to 10% of their work time for network activity.

Whilst NHS England will be abolished and its functions integrated into the Department in the coming years, they are not a Civil Service employer. Therefore, NHS England has no Civil Service diversity networks.
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Andrew George:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps will be taken to avoid disruption to frontline services (a) during and (b) after the abolition of NHS England. \p Karin Smyth: Our commitment to the delivery of frontline services for patients underpins the transformation. We will simplify the National Health Service and remove layers of unnecessary bureaucracy, which will allow us to reinvest more into 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 outcome.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38250 on Health Services: Foreign Nationals, what the ten nationalities with the highest total unpaid invoices were in 2023-24. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.

While the Department holds information on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors, it does not hold or collect information relating to specific categories of patient, including Category F patients.

The Department also does not hold or collect information on the nationalities that have the highest unpaid invoices.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many bed spaces the NHS keeps free as a minimum standard level. \p Karin Smyth: In September, there were an average of 100,615 general and acute beds open across all acute trusts, of these, 93,553 were occupied, a 93% occupancy rate.

Decisions regarding the use of, or opening of, additional beds to manage pressures are made locally by individual National Health Service trusts, in accordance with their operational requirements. The Department does not direct these decisions centrally. However, we are asking trusts to place a special focus on significantly reducing bed occupancy ahead of Christmas, thereby creating additional capacity and improving patient flow

The 10-Year Health Plan aims to expand urgent care capacity through neighbourhood health services and virtual wards, enabling patients to receive care closer to home where clinically appropriate and easing pressure on hospitals. In addition, investment in digital tools will improve patient flow and further reduce reliance on inpatient beds.
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Andrew George:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) clinical leadership and (b) specialist networks currently hosted by NHS England are maintained during and after its abolition. \p Karin Smyth: Clinical leaders and networks of specialists across the country play a vital role in providing advice, catalysing change, and improving care. Following the announcement that NHS England will be abolished as an arm’s length body and replaced by a new Department of Health and Social Care, work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

The new Department will operate in a leaner, more agile, and more efficient way and will empower staff at all levels of the health system, including local clinical systems, to deliver better care for patients, drive productivity up, and get waiting times down. This change will set local National Health Service providers free to innovate, develop new productive ways of working, and focus on what matters most.

A new Joint Executive Structure came into effect on 3 November, providing unified leadership across the Department and NHS England to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan and oversee the transition to a single, integrated Department. The executive structure includes the Chief Medical Officer, national medical directors, and the Chief Nursing Officer, and they will play a key role in ensuring that the right infrastructure is in place to provide clinical leadership and advice.
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Uma Kumaran:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce wait times for adult gender services. \p Karin Smyth: We know that waiting times for these services are far too long and we are determined to change that. NHS England has increased the number of adult gender services in England from seven to 12, with the rollout of five new adult gender pilot clinics since July 2020. The rollout of these clinics is helping to tackle long waiting times.

NHS England is currently carrying out a review of adult gender services, with the aim of producing an updated service specification. The review, which is chaired by Dr David Levy, will examine the model of care and operating procedures of each service, and will carefully consider experiences, feedback, and outcomes from clinicians and patients.

To support those facing long waits, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced, on 15 September, that the Department will tender for a new pilot. This will provide those on waiting lists for adult gender services in the South West region of England with access to support and information before appointments, including digital mental health support and community-based services. A national rollout will be subject to the outcome of the pilot.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the steps it is taking to ensure women undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy procedures in (a) North Shropshire and (b) England do not experience pain during those procedures. \p Karin Smyth: It is unacceptable that some women have such poor experiences of hysteroscopies.

The National Health Service website page on hysteroscopy was updated in January 2024. This provides information on preparing for and recovering from a hysteroscopy, including pain relief options. The importance of pain relief is reiterated in guidance from both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

In Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin all patients receive comprehensive information about the procedure before their appointment, including advice on pain management. Patients can access both local anaesthetic and general anaesthetic for the procedure.

Patients can additionally access local and general anaesthetic and there is a patient advocate always present during the procedure to provide continuous support and aid in pain management.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Through our 10-Year Health Plan and the renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the NHS Getting it right first time guidance for hysteroscopies. \p Karin Smyth: The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme’s role is to provide guidance to National Health Service trusts to help improve the delivery of services and, in doing so, it follows the professional standards and recommendations of the professional bodies.

GIRFT has worked closely with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy to support hospital trusts in improving women’s choices and appropriate settings for gynaecological procedures, such as hysteroscopy and endometrial ablation, acknowledging the shift to more day case and outpatient procedures.

Since the report was published, GIRFT has responded to feedback from patients, adding an addendum to the 2021 report and amending one recommendation to reiterate the imperative that all women undergoing day case and outpatient procedures are given clear and accurate information to enable them to make informed decisions about their preferred treatment setting and pain control. Ultimately, the decision on care setting for this procedure must be made with the patient, after due consideration of all relevant information.
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Peter Prinsley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure patients who receive care at a surgical hub outside of their local area have access to follow-up treatment such as rehab in their locality. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.

The responsibility for ensuring that patients receive the right ongoing care sits with the trust whose care the patient is under. In addition, the Getting It Right First Time programme has set clear expectations that all surgical hubs should provide patients with information on how and where to access rehabilitation services post discharge, and this includes for patients returning home to a different system.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of access to specialist endometriosis services for young people aged 17 and under. \p Karin Smyth: We know that girls and women deserve better, which is why we are renewing the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far and to continue progressing delivery while empowering women with information about heavy menstrual bleeding and reproductive health conditions.

All hospitals providing specialised care and treatment for endometriosis for patients aged 17 and under must have a paediatric gynaecologist as part of their multi-disciplinary team, who will be a part of the treatment planning and decision-making process. The individual’s parents or a person with parental responsibility must also be involved where applicable. If this is not available, these patients must be referred to a paediatric and adolescent gynaecology service.
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Peter Prinsley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle elective care waiting times including joint replacement surgery in (a) Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket and (b) nationally. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to putting patients first, nationally and in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket. This means making sure that patients, including those waiting for joint replacement surgery, are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.

Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket is predominantly served by the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. Over half, or 50.9%, of patients on the trauma and orthopaedic waiting list, which includes joint replacement surgery, were waiting within 18 weeks, an improvement of 7.9% since July 2024, and the number waiting more than 52 weeks has also fallen by over 70%.

Nationally, the number of patients on trauma and orthopaedic waiting lists waiting within 18 weeks has improved by 3.6% and the number waiting more than 52 weeks has fallen by over 16,000 in the same period.

We set out in the 2025 Elective Reform Plan the productivity and reform efforts needed to reach the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. The plan outlines actions that will help to ensure care is delivered in the right place, and includes £1.65 billion of capital funding in 2025/26 to deliver new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds to increase capacity for elective and emergency care.

Currently, there are 123 surgical hubs operational across England, including two in the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, and we are committed to expanding the number of hubs over the next three years to increase surgical capacity and deliver faster access to common procedures, including trauma and orthopaedic procedures.

In December 2024, we opened the Newmarket Community Diagnostic Centre which increased diagnostic capacity, with over 34,000 scans conducted for more than 21,000 patients, and which led to a 53% reduction in the magnetic resonance imaging waiting list between December 2024 and October 2025. As of September 2025, community diagnostic centres are now delivering additional tests and checks in 170 sites. We have also confirmed 13 new state-of-the-art DEXA scanners to support better bone care, delivering on this Government’s commitment in the Elective Reform Plan. These will allow for an extra 29,000 bone scans per year, benefitting tens of thousands of patients.
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Luke Myer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks for tattoo artists as part of the local authority licensing process. \p Karin Smyth: No assessment has been made by the Department of the potential merits of requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks for tattoo artists as part of existing local authority registration and licensing processes. On 7 August we announced our plans to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England. There are no current plans to include tattooing as part of this scheme, as registration and licensing schemes already exist for tattooing under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of levels of inequality of access to hormone replacement therapy and menopause care by (a) deprivation, (b) ethnicity and (c) geography. \p Karin Smyth: We know that more needs to be done to address the barriers to accessing menopause care experienced by women, and that some groups of women experience these even more acutely. The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions, our 10-Year Health Plan, and the renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy.

In October 2024, the NHS published a healthcare inequalities report into NHS primary care hormone replacement therapy prescribing to treat menopause symptoms. This report provides insights by age, deprivation, region, integrated care system (ICS), primary care network, local authority, electoral ward, and Core20, as well as specific medication level analysts. ICS’s and local authorities should use this information to inform policies, planning, commissioning, and promotion of services.

From 2026 onwards, local authorities will be asked to include menopause in the NHS Health Check which will support up to five million eligible women across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support when they need it the most. To improve access and engagement with the NHS Health Check, a new NHS Health Check Online service is in development, which people can use at home, at a time convenient to them. The new online service is now being piloted in multiple local authorities.
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Caroline Voaden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure female same-sex couples have access to NHS-funded IVF treatment. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around National Health Service-funded fertility services including access for female same sex couples.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September and closed on 21 October 2025. The guidance is currently in development with the final recommendations expected to be published in March 2026.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that Doctors who have had their license to practice removed overseas are unable to practice in the UK. \p Karin Smyth: The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of all medical doctors, physician assistants, and physician assistants in anaesthesia, still legally known as anaesthesia associates and physician associates, practising in the United Kingdom. The GMC is very clear that all doctors applying for registration, as well as current registrants, must promptly inform the GMC if any professional or medical regulatory body in the world makes a finding against their registration. The GMC is committed to taking swift action where a doctor has failed to declare this information.

When doctors who have been working overseas apply for registration with the GMC, the GMC seeks a Certificate of Good Standing from the regulator of every country where the doctor has practised in the previous five years. This shows whether the doctor is registered with the relevant regulator and if there are any restrictions or sanctions on their practice. The GMC is also implementing additional assurance measures, which include checks via the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Physician Data Centre in the United States.

For doctors already registered, the GMC routinely receives information from overseas regulators, including through the Physician Information Exchange. The GMC has written again to European regulators asking that they proactively share information about registrants.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to strengthen maternity and neonatal care for people in North East Somerset & Hanham. \p Karin Smyth: The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Trust (UHBW), the North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), and the Royal United Hospitals NHS Trust (RUH) provide maternity services for North East Somerset and Hanham.

Steps taken at UHBW and NBT include: a well-established Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) that replicates national guidance; achieving full compliance against all 10 maternity safety actions for the second year running; good progress against ‘Saving Babies Lives’ Version 3; and working to reduce inequalities in maternity and neonatal care through collaboration with the Race and Health Observatory and Black Maternity Matters anti-racism training for perinatal staff.

Steps taken at RUH include robust oversight of perinatal quality improvement projects as part of NHS England’s ‘Savings Babies Lives’ care bundle, including the smoke-free pregnancy incentive voucher scheme, and working with families through initiatives such as the MNVP.

At a national level, Baroness Amos is leading a rapid, national, independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to help us to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will take forward the recommendations of the investigation to develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that patients are not adversely affected by strike action. \p Karin Smyth: Our priority is to keep patients as safe as possible during any industrial action. The National Health Service makes every effort through rigorous contingency planning to minimise the disruption of industrial action and its impact on patients and the public. Assessments are made by local trusts on the levels of resourcing available, and they can escalate concerns via regions and nationally, where appropriate.

The NHS works hard to prioritise resources to protect all patients using its services during the period of strike action, in particular emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and to ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery.

Due to the dedication of NHS staff and a different operational approach from previous strikes, the NHS in England significantly reduced disruption to patients during resident doctor strikes in July, with data showing that 11,000 extra patients received care compared to the previous period of strike action.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many domestic abortions using (a) mifepristone and (b) misoprostol have occurred in England in each year since 2020. \p Karin Smyth: The Department cannot separate out which of mifepristone or misoprostol were administered at home, only whether one or both abortion medications were administered at home.
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Steve Barclay:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) headcount and (b) FTE staff were employed by NHS England on (a) 4 July 2024 and (b) 14 October 2025. \p Karin Smyth: As of June 2024, the headcount for NHS England was 15,803, and the full-time equivalent staff employed was 14,327.6. These figures are published and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dhsc-workforce-management-information.

We are still finalising figures for October, and this will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on how many people resident outside the UK received medical treatment on the NHS in each of the last three years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not collect or hold the information requested.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sickle cell patients whose cause of death was listed as complications due to sickle cell have had an inquest into their death. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department does not hold this information as we would only be made aware of inquests that result in the Department receiving a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) Report. Not all inquests result in a PFD report, only where the coroner believes that action should be taken to prevent future deaths.

The National Disease Registration Service, part of NHS England, is expanding its rare disease collection to include patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in England. This will form a comprehensive national dataset to enable improved understanding of patient pathways for SCD, support planning and commissioning of services and improve patient outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82997 on Restoring Your Railway Fund, whether any (a) equality impact assessment and (b) screening was produced by any central government body in relation to the decision to cancel the fund. \p Simon Lightwood: The decision to close the Restoring your Railways programme was taken by the Chancellor as a cost saving measure in July 2024. The impact of this decision was carefully considered by HM Treasury and an equality impact assessment on the closure of the programme was completed by the Department for Transport.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to prevent sexual (a) harassment and (b) abuse on the transport network. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is working across government and with partners, including the transport industry, local authorities and the British Transport Police (BTP), who are responsible for policing the railway in England, Scotland and Wales, to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling.

Last month, the Department and Greater Manchester Combined Authority jointly hosted a Safer Streets, Safer Transport Summit which brought together representatives from across the transport industry, Government, local authorities, the third sector and policing to commit to taking action against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

As part of the Government’s aims to reduce VAWG by half over the next decade, the Department has an ambitious, evidence-based programme of work to help tackle VAWG on transport. This includes measures in the Bus Services Act 2025 such as training on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and ASB. The Act also enables all Local Transport Authorities to introduce byelaws to tackle ASB on vehicles, as well as within and at bus-related infrastructure (for example bus stations).

On the rail network, DfT and the BTP are committed to working closely with Train Operating Companies to ensure our railways are safe, reliable, and efficient for all passengers, staff, and communities. This includes tackling ASB that might annoy, frighten, intimidate, or otherwise upset other people.

The Department supports BTP’s zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and sexual offences. This includes using a range of policing techniques to pursue offenders on the rail network to ensure it remains a safe environment and encourage reporting of incidents via BTP’s 61016 text number or 999 in an emergency.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 86751 on the Restoring Your Railway Fund, what the value was of the remaining funding anticipated for that programme prior to its reallocation under the Spending Review process. \p Simon Lightwood: At the time of the cancellation, the schemes announced by the previous government as part of the programme had forecasts totalling c.£600m over the period to 2029/30. The chancellor stated that the decision to close the RYR scheme saved £85m of funding for the programme in 2025/26, ahead of the Spending Review, the remaining forecast was unfunded.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the total identifiable expenditure per head on railways as shown in her department's Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2025, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of spending on railways in Wales in the last five years. \p Simon Lightwood: Our 10 year UK Infrastructure Strategy, published in June 2025, acknowledged that for too long Wales’s long-term rail infrastructure needs have not been recognised and committed the UK Government to delivering at least £445 million of rail enhancements funding for Wales.

This transformative rail package, the majority of which will be delivered over the Spending Review Period to 2030, will reconnect Wales’s industrial heartlands, improve commuter journeys and drive economic growth in communities that have long suffered from poor transport links.

This funding is on top of the almost £2 billion that Network Rail will invest in the operation, maintenance, and renewal of railways in Wales during Control Period 7 (2024-2029), to tackle climate change, improve train performance from current levels, and invest in the areas that matter most to passengers and freight users.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90406 on South Western Railway: Rolling Stock, what the the total cost is of the renewed rolling stock leasing contract; how long that contract is for; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the (a) cost and (b) annualised cost of (i) the current contract and (ii) previous leasing arrangements. \p Simon Lightwood: As part of the transfer to public ownership of South Western Railway’s operations, the Department undertook modelling to assess whether the costs associated with new rolling stock leases were objective and reasonable. Details of the new leases, including their value and duration, have been published on the Government’s Find a Tender website.  The ORR also publish consolidated details of rolling stock costs for each train operator as part of their annual statistical releases.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Mayor of London regarding graffiti on the Central Line. \p Simon Lightwood: Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London (TfL) on a variety of issues. However, transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL has responsibility for the management of the Central Line.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles have been seized by the DVLA for not having valid vehicle excise duty in (a) England, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) Oldham by vehicle class in each year since 2015. \p Simon Lightwood: The information requested is not available in the detail or format requested. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) officials will write to the honourable member with the relevant information that is available when it has been extracted and assured.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish (a) copies of all Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports relating to (i) all lane running, (ii) dynamic hard shoulder and (iii) controlled motorway schemes on the Strategic Road Network that have been completed but not yet published and (b) a schedule for every such POPE report completed since 2015, setting out for each report (A) the scheme covered, (B) the date the report was completed, (C) the date it was submitted for assurance, (D) the date that assurance was signed off and (E) the date it was published or, where it has not been published, the reasons for non-publication and the expected publication date. \p Simon Lightwood: Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports are complex and detailed and it is right that we take the time to fully assure them before publication. We will provide an update on plans for the publication of further smart motorway POPEs in due course. National Highways has already published 19 smart motorway POPE reports and these can be found online at:

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/post-opening-project-evaluation-pope-of-major-schemes/.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the DVSA has made of the regional impact of its proposed booking system changes. \p Simon Lightwood: The measures the Secretary of State for Transport, announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.

The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the industry responded to. Further detail on the rationale will be provided in the consultation report which will be published in due course.

The introduction of the 10-day cancellation period is intended to encourage responsible behaviour from learner drivers to consider their test readiness and to notify DVSA in good time if they are unable to attend.

The number of learner drivers who fail to attend their driving test represents less than 3% of all tests taken which accounts for around 60,000 tests. With unprecedented demand for tests DVSA is doing all it can to further reduce unused test slots and encourage learners to inform them so that the test slot can be utilised.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) driving examiners that are supporting DVSA will be based at the driving test centre with the highest demand near their MoD base or home location.