theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_3

Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of dispensing GPs matching the terms of the drug reimbursement agreement in place for pharmacies. \p Stephen Kinnock: Dispensing doctors are reimbursed in line with the Statement of Financial Entitlement Directions, which sets out the reimbursements general practices (GPs), including dispensing GPs, are entitled to.

Dispensing practices receive a dispensing fee, approximately £2.00 to £2.30 per item, which is intended to cover dispensing costs. This fee is calculated based on forecasted volumes of prescriptions to be dispensed and the size of the funding envelope, according to a methodology agreed by the Department, the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA), NHS Employers, and the Welsh administration. An updated methodology was agreed between the BMA and NHS England to address the issue of continuing fluctuation between over and underspend year on year, the alternating pattern of over and under spends, and was implemented in October 2023.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that integrated care boards are sufficiently resourced to carry out their statutory child safeguarding duties following changes to their level of funding. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025, where ICBs were tasked with developing plans setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

NHS England is actively engaging with safeguarding professionals across the system, including those in local government, ICBs, and provider organisations, to ensure that safeguarding responsibilities are not compromised. This engagement is being supported by the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework 2024 and the National Safeguarding Steering Group ICB Safeguarding Protocols, which outline the roles, accountabilities, responsibilities, and expectations for safeguarding across NHS-funded care. NHS England is also setting up a joint working group with the Local Government Association to carefully consider issues relating to safeguarding.

Ministers and the Department will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure that ICBs continue to fulfil their functions effectively within the running costs cap and unlock the benefit of working at scale to deliver better care for their population.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the (a) management and (b) outcomes of people with diabetes in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire. \p Ashley Dalton: Annual diabetes reviews are associated with reduced emergency admissions, amputations, retinopathy, and mortality. Following a significant decrease in routine care delivery that was associated with the pandemic, the proportion of people with type 1 diabetes receiving all eight care processes in England had recovered back to 43.3%, and 62.3% for type 2 diabetes, in 2023/24, compared to 27% and 37%, respectively, in 2020/21. Information has been provided at the national level as it is not available at the constituency level.

NHS England is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs), including Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, to improve treatment and care for their populations and reduce variation by supporting systems’ awareness of national data and insights, through benchmarking and by promoting good practice. NHS England has provided £3 million of funding to systems to provide clinical leadership to ensure that clinical diabetes metrics, such as care processes and treatment targets, are reviewed at an ICB level, so that unwarranted variation can be identified. A resource hub of materials has been set up on Future NHS, which includes examples of innovation and best practice for the improvement of care process delivery, and for the achievement of treatment targets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department provides to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. \p Ashley Dalton: Funding for the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will be confirmed when the strategy is published in the coming months.

Health does make an important contribution to tackling violence against women and girls. For example, NHS England spent £52.8 million on the provision of sexual assault and abuse services in 2023/24. Figures for more recent years are not yet available. The Department also funds the ongoing collection of data on female genital mutilation attendances in the National Health Service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress NHS England has made on sharing data about patients who (a) received a blood transfusion before 1996 and (b) have tested positive for (i) HIV and (ii) Hepatitis C with the Independent Contaminated Blood Authority. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England is supporting the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) with their engagement with National Health Service organisations for the purposes of sharing data on patients who received a blood transfusion before 1996 and who have tested positive for HIV or hepatitis C, to support compensation claims.

This support includes highlighting the requirement to provide information promptly to the IBCA to support claims, conducting workshops to understand how the IBCA can most effectively gather information from NHS organisations, and drafting guidance for patients, clinicians, and information governance professionals so that NHS organisations feel confident about sharing information to support claims.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Patricia Ferguson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support trainee physicians affected by the withdrawal of speciality training places by the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians. \p Karin Smyth: The Department asked NHS England to work with the other statutory education bodies in the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Physicians and the General Medical Council to ensure that issues this year with the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians exam is rectified as a matter of urgency, including putting support in place for those affected.

The statutory education bodies and directors of medical education in employing organisations have contacted individuals affected to ensure they understand their options and what support is available. In addition, the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians published detailed information on its website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.thefederation.uk/news/supporting-doctors-affected-2023-mrcpuk-part-2-examination-issue
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made toward meeting the NHS standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to start consultant-led treatment of non-urgent health conditions. \p Karin Smyth: As of March 2025, performance against the 18-week standard was at 59.8%, a 2.6 percentage point improvement on March 2024 when it stood at 57.2%. The national referral to treatment waiting list is published monthly, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

As set out in the Plan for Change, we have committed to returning to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of March 2029. Planning Guidance for 2025/26 set a target that 65% of patients wait for 18 weeks or less by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum five percentage point improvement on current performance over that period.

As an important first step to delivering on this commitment, we have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an additional 2 million appointments, tests and operations, having delivered 3.6 million more since July. We have reduced the waiting list by more than 200,000, so that patients get the care they need as soon as possible.

Our Elective Reform Plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to this standard and includes measures such as widening the opening hours of Community Diagnostic Centres and launching and expanding 17 new surgical hubs so that patients are diagnosed and treated more quickly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to the reduce the financial pressures of long-term care for people ineligible for state support. \p Stephen Kinnock: Fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of fees that private care homes can charge. However, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Commission will deliver recommendations for the transformation of adult social care including how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost of care home placements in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire. \p Stephen Kinnock: Fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of fees that care homes charge. However, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

As well as self-funders sourcing their own care, local authorities also agree fees with care home providers for local authority funded placements. According to Market Sustainability Fund data, in 2023/24, Lancashire paid an average care home fee rate of £707 without nursing, and £738 with nursing. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-2024-to-2025-care-provider-fees/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-msif-provider-fee-reporting-2024-to-2025#main-points

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Commission will deliver recommendations for the transformation of adult social care including how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Richard Baker:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) training and (b) support has been introduced to help (i) GPs and (ii) other clinicians to (A) identify and (B) diagnose cancers associated with welding fume at an earlier stage since the categorisation of welding fume as carcinogenic by the Health and Safety Executive in 2019. \p Stephen Kinnock: The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee general practitioners (GPs) is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners and has to meet the standards set by the General Medical Council. Additionally, GPs are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on cancer, remains up-to-date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development.

NHS England funds delivery of GatewayC, the leading online early cancer diagnosis e-training resource for GPs and primary care staff. Where relevant, e-learning courses contain a risk factors section, and in the current update of the existing Lung Cancer course, GatewayC has added welding fumes to the risk factor card on 'chemicals and workplace risk'. From the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance, the increased risk is primarily for lung cancer, but there is also some evidence of an increased risk of kidney cancer. The upcoming Urological Cancers course doesn't directly refer to this but has a cover-all statement on workplace risk, stating: 'exposure to certain chemicals at work may increase the risk of bladder and kidney cancer'.

NHS England has also significantly expanded the Lung Cancer Screening Programme, formerly known as the Targeted Lung Health Check. The programme currently operates across more than a quarter of England, prioritising areas with the highest lung cancer mortality and levels of deprivation. Mobile scanning units in community settings, such as supermarket car parks, have helped to improve access and uptake. The programme is on track to offer screening nationally by 2029, with a target to invite at least 50% of the eligible population by March 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of Talkworks NHS Talking Therapy in supporting patients with mental health issues in Devon. \p Stephen Kinnock: Integrated care boards (ICB) are responsible for commissioning services within the National Health Service, including Talking Therapies, to meet the needs of their local populations. ICBs are also responsible for ensuring that service providers adhere to the terms and conditions of their contract, including quality, performance, and the financial aspects.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing free homecare. \p Stephen Kinnock: Local authorities (LAs) have the power to charge for care, and it is for them to decide whether to do so. Two LAs in England currently offer free home care to their residents.

Where LAs do choose to charge for care, they must do so in accordance with the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, and they must act under the Care and Support Statutory guidance.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

The commission, which began work in April 2025, will be comprehensive and will build on the expert proposals of other reviews, including that of Sir Andrew Dilnot into care funding and support. It will be broader and wider than ever before, asking essential questions about the shape and future of the social care sector, including what long-term and sustainable funding solutions should look like.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers experiencing mental health difficulties in rural areas. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we recognise that those living and working in isolated communities, including farmers, may face particular challenges in accessing the mental health services that they need.

Specifically in relation to farmers and agricultural communities, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is supporting access to farmer mental health support services by funding the Farmer Welfare Grant. This aids organisations in delivering projects which will support mental health and build resilience in local farming communities. One recipient, the Farming Community Network, is using the funding to expand their FarmWell platform. This online resource provides business and personal resilience advice on topics including mental health, isolation, depression, and suicide.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is also developing options in consultation with communities, farming support organisations, and experts across the Government, as to how it can further support the Department for Health and Social Care’s investment in mental health interventions for those in agricultural communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of restricting access to overseas recruitment on levels of recruitment from the in-country redeployment pool. \p Stephen Kinnock: The care worker route has seen unacceptable levels of abuse and exploitation; between July 2022 and December 2024, the Home Office revoked over 470 sponsor licences, impacting approximately 40,000 workers in the care sector.

Although overseas recruitment in adult social care will end, in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights will be permitted for a transition period until 2028. This will be kept under review. These arrangements include those who need to switch employers following a sponsor licence revocation and the Department of Health and Social Care is providing up to £12.5 million to regional partnerships in 2025/26 to support these international recruits to find alternative employment.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact of restricting overseas recruitment on the levels of recruitment from the in-country redeployment pool. However, in the technical annex published alongside the Immigration White Paper on 12 May 2025, the Home Office has estimated an annual reduction of approximately 7,000 main visa applicants because of ending overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers. This is based on its internal management information for entry visas granted covering the period March 2024 to February 2025. This estimate reflects that there was a drop in visa grants of more than 90% compared with the 12 months ending March 2024. This analysis will be refined and included within the relevant Impact Assessments accompanying the rule changes, as appropriate.

The technical annex is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821b49bdb6463b14cd8189c/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to integrate the health and social care (a) workforce and (b) terms and conditions. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure (a) MPs, (b) care provider organisations, (c) VCS and (d) other stakeholders are included in the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on the adequacy of the care available to people living with dementia; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a (a) more coordinated and (b) long-term approach to foster improvements in (i) support, (ii) research, (iii) diagnosis and (iv) care. \p Stephen Kinnock: Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. This could include, but is not limited to, support groups, tailored exercise programs, mental health services, and learning engagement opportunities.

To support ICBs, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis and prevention to treatment, care and support, including for carers.

We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%. To help realise this ambition, the Government will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.

The Government is committed to improving dementia care through empowering local leaders with the autonomy they need to provide the best services to their local community, including those with dementia.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase recruitment of social care workers. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to raise public awareness of dyspraxia. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that Continuing Health Care services remain uninterrupted for patients when the services are being transitioned from Integrated Care Boards. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department is responsible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) policy and legislation. We have provided statutory guidance, setting out clear processes for CHC, which all integrated care boards (ICBs) must follow. CHC is funded by ICBs, and it is for individual ICBs to make assessments and decisions in a consistent manner, in line with their statutory duties and guidance. This guidance has not changed and ICBs are expected to maintain CHC delivery in line with their statutory duties.

While the Model ICB Blueprint highlighted CHC as one of the functions that are subject to “review for transfer” to “test and explore options to streamline and transfer some activities out of ICBs”, a decision has not been made on this function being transferred out of ICBs. If the function were transferred out, it would require legislative change. The sender and receiver organisations would be responsible for safe transfer, enabling continuity of services and managing risk during any transition.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Shivani Raja:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) support (i) hidden and (ii) unpaid family carers who (A) are and (B) are not engaged with formal care systems. \p Stephen Kinnock: Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. Local authorities are required to undertake Carer’s Assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, and to meet their eligible needs upon request from them.

The Department works with the sector and partners to deliver an annual programme of universal and targeted support to local authorities and their partners. This includes the Partners in Care and Health (PCH) contract.

PCH’s work to support sector partners includes a workstream dedicated to supporting local authorities’ work with unpaid carers. This workstream includes work to identify and support unpaid carers, with a particular focus on identifying those from ethnic minority communities and those who are least likely to self-identify as a carer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the official statistics entitled Wider Determinants of Health: statistical commentary on the location of fast food outlets, February 2025, published on 10 February 2025, whether (a) Greggs, (b) Subway and (c) Pret a Manger were considered fast food outlets; and whether they were included under Indicator ID 94124 in his Department's data set on Wider Determinants of Health. \p Ashley Dalton: Fast food is considered to be food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, for consumption on or off the premise. Neither the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities nor its predecessor, Public Health England, have a formally agreed definition of a fast food outlet, and a list of fast food outlets is not held centrally.

Data from the Food Standards Agency’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) was used to populate the fast food outlets per 100,000 population indicator, which was published in the Wider Determinants of Health: statistical commentary on the location of fast food outlets, from February 2025. The statistical commentary is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/wider-determinants-of-health-february-2025-update/wider-determinants-of-health-statistical-commentary-february-2025

The FHRS’ data categorises food premises into business types only. Therefore, criteria were developed to select food premises from the FHRS data that best fit the definition of fast food. In addition, all premises from the ‘takeaway/sandwich shop’ business type have been included. All outlets which meet these criteria are included in the indicator. The names of individual outlets are not published.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the number of digital cognitive behavioural therapy treatments available for insomnia on the NHS. \p Stephen Kinnock: It is for local integrated care boards to decide whether cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) should be offered to their populations as a treatment for insomnia.

NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression offers low-intensity therapy which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/

Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/

In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Prioritisation Board has agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the creation of an independent review board similar to the US Defense Health Board to oversee the joint medical readiness of the (a) NHS, (b) Defence Medical Services and (c) private healthcare in the UK. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are currently no plans to create an independent review board to oversee joint medical readiness in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Partnership Board facilitate joint working across the UK to address issues relating to the health of, and healthcare for, Armed Forces personnel and veterans. The Partnership Board meets three times a year, to ensure that departments and stakeholders meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant and to improve the health and healthcare of the UK Armed Forces before, during, and after deployment, and of their families.

With oversight from the Partnership Board, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025, to ensure that the National Health Service is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support women with cervical cancer in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Ashley Dalton: It is a priority for the Government and the National Health Service to improve support for women living with cervical cancer in England, including in the South Holland and The Deepings and Lincolnshire constituencies.

NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer, including cervical cancer, has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. This approach ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health, as well as any practical or financial concerns.

The National Cancer Plan, which is planned for publication later this year, will seek to improve the experience and outcomes for people living with cancer, including cervical cancer. It will look at how we can improve communication and coordination for patients, so that they feel informed and in control of their care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has a defined role for the NHS in supporting (a) medical care and (b) rehabilitation for armed forces personnel injured in conflicts. \p Stephen Kinnock: The National Health Service in England provides a range of secondary and tertiary care services for the Armed Forces personnel, including medical care for Armed Forces personnel injured in conflicts.

A partnership agreement is in place between NHS England and the Ministry of Defence that sets out how the Ministry of Defence and NHS England will work together in the planning and organising of the delivery of healthcare and supporting policies.

The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to consider the recommendations of The Strategic Defence Review 2025 to ensure the national health system is resilient and prepared to meet the demands of any potential future conflict.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring forward regulation on vaping stores in (a) high streets and (b) town centres. \p Ashley Dalton: It is crucial that we reduce the visibility and accessibility of vapes to protect children from getting hooked on nicotine. That is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products and will provide powers to introduce future regulations on where and how vapes and other nicotine products can be displayed within shops. Analysis and consultation will take place before any specific restrictions are introduced to ensure we are bringing about the most impactful change possible.

The bill will also provide powers for ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. Introducing a licensing scheme will strengthen enforcement, acting as a deterrent to rogue retailers who breach the law, while supporting legitimate businesses. The scheme will be subject to consultation before regulations are introduced.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_30

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans establish a governance framework for (a) monitoring and (b) ensuring accountability in the delivery of the National Cancer Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: Governance mechanisms for monitoring and ensuring accountability for delivery will be established as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_31

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the (a) planning and (b) delivery of primary care services. \p Stephen Kinnock: Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to form a new joint centre. As we bring the two organisations together, we will continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, and will put plans in place to mitigate any identified risks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_32

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce inequalities in cancer care and (b) improve outcomes for underserved communities through the National Cancer Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: Reducing inequalities in cancer diagnosis, care, and outcomes is a key priority for the National Cancer Plan. The plan will look at targeted improvements needed across different cancer types to reduce disparities in cancer survival, and will develop interventions to tackle these. This includes looking at protected characteristics, as well as inequalities related to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and geographic location.

We are committed to engaging with patient groups and all communities to make sure that we hear and learn from different voices to shape the long-term vision for cancer. We are also working closely with charities who focus on tackling health inequalities to develop the plan, which will be published later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_33

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take with the Department for Education to monitor the potential impact of the (a) expansion of free school meal eligibility and (b) changes to School Food Standards on children's health. \p Ashley Dalton: Free school meals offer a critical nutritional safety net to those children who require it most. Expanding the eligibility criteria to all families in receipt of universal credit will provide 500,000 more children with access to a nutritious lunchtime meal each school day from September 2026. The Government is now considering how best to monitor the impact of the expansion of free school meal eligibility and the update the School Food Standards on child health.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_34

Mr Richard Quigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to help prevent international dentists entering the UK on NHS-sponsored Health and Care Visas leaving the NHS for private practice. \p Stephen Kinnock: The immigration system will allow those who meet the visa requirements, such as having a job offer from an approved sponsor and being paid the appropriate salary, to come to the United Kingdom to be dentists. It does not differentiate between those who wish to provide National Health Service dentistry from those who may wish to work in private practice.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_35

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding he has allocated for additional dental appointments since 5 July 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England’s Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets out the funding available to ICBs and confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

Dental contracts have been persistently underdelivering on National Health Service commitments, and the Government is focusing on action to enable all the available budget to be spent on dentistry.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_36

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the challenges in the recruitment of (a) General Practitioners and (b) GP nurses in (i) North Cornwall constituency and (ii) rural areas. \p Stephen Kinnock: We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring that rural areas such as those in North Cornwall have the resources needed to service their patients, and to ensure that patients can access primary healthcare. To address this, we are increasing capacity in general practice by recruiting primary care workforce staff such as nurses and general practitioners through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, ensuring the necessary workforce is in place to provide integrated, patient-centred services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_37

Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of eligible families were in receipt of Healthy Start in Waveney Valley constituency on 9 June 2025. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link:

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

The NHSBSA does not hold data on the number of families receiving Healthy Start and does not currently hold data on the number of people eligible for Healthy Start. The NHSBSA does not hold data on local constituencies. The table below shows the number of people on the digital scheme in the relevant local authorities as of 23 May 2025:

Local authority

Number of people on the digital scheme

Blackpool

1,434

City of Bristol

2,778

County of Herefordshire

736

Southampton

1,677

Worthing

348

Brighton and Hove

1,041

East Suffolk

1,129
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_38

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve access to paediatric eye care services in Lincolnshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services, including paediatric eye care services, in their areas to meet patient needs.

Free National Health Service sight tests also continue to be available for children under 16 years old, and for those under 19 years old and in full time education. We are not aware of any issues with access to NHS sight testing services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_39

Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendations of the Centre for Social Justice's report entitled Change the Prescription, published in January 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: We recognise that for some people, treatment through medication may not be the best option, which is why we are continuing to expand access to alternative forms of treatment through NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support schemes. This demonstrates our commitment to addressing the root causes of mental health issues and to providing support for people to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, we are recruiting 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to help ease pressure on busy services.

We continue to work with NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment, alongside publishing a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade. There are a wide range of factors that will affect this future growth of the NHS mental health workforce, and we will provide an update in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_40

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to include (a) community equipment services and (b) the timely provision of community care equipment in the NHS 10-Year Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government will deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, creating a truly modern health service designed to meet the changing needs of our changing population. Moving care from hospitals into the community and putting the building blocks in place to enable this to happen will be at the heart of the 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_41

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider the potential merits of allocating funding for the (a) building of and (b) supplying of specialised equipment to new, purpose-built dental practices. \p Stephen Kinnock: The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards across England.

The NHS contracts with independent dental providers, to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings.

Dental practices can make decisions on the buildings and specialised equipment which suit their needs, providing they remain compliant with the relevant regulations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-16 conversation_42

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role the voluntary and community sector will have in delivering the Neighbourhood Cancer Care model in the National Cancer Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Cancer Plan will seek to foster improved collaboration with the voluntary and community sector. We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered locally to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and to support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer.

Neighbourhood Health Guidelines have been published alongside the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning Guidance, and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, to help integrated care boards, local authorities, and health and care providers to continue to progress neighbourhood health in 2025/26, in advance of the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan. NHS England has also recently published case studies alongside this, setting out examples of existing good practices, on 5 March 2025. The full vision for the health system will be set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The National Cancer Plan will be published later this year, following the 10-Year Health Plan.