theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to implement benchmarking measures to ensure access to care for people with (a) respiratory conditions and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in England. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England continues to focus on ensuring that respiratory data is readily available to all regions and systems and to ensuring that there is consistency of data, definitions, and metrics to enable meaningful comparison, monitoring of progress, and to identify population needs.

Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) works with professional bodies, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and clinicians to define and co-produce evidence-informed, best-practice clinical pathways and uses data to identify unwarranted operational or clinical variation. It provides data for continuous improvement via the Model Health System and bespoke data packs. Further information on GIRFT’s respiratory best practice guidance is available at the following link:

https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/medical_specialties/respiratory/

NHS England has established a national respiratory dashboard on the new Federated Data Platform which provides analysis and insight for the National Health Service on a growing range of treatment and outcome measures for respiratory disease. This includes bringing in data from the National Respiratory Audit Programme, a continuous audit of respiratory care co-funded by NHS England which aims to improve the quality of the care, services, and clinical outcomes for patients with respiratory disease across England and Wales. The audit is provided by the Royal College of Physicians and further information can be found on its website, at the following link:

https://www.rcp.ac.uk/improving-care/national-clinical-audits/the-national-respiratory-audit-programme-nrap/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve access to pancreatic specialists in children’s healthcare. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This includes ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it. A range of measures across National Health Service systems support this goal.

NHS England commissions specialist paediatric gastroenterology services, which include the management of pancreatic conditions, through a network of designated regional centres. These centres are supported by clear referral pathways to ensure children can access specialist teams regardless of where they live.

National clinical guidelines, developed by the British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, help ensure consistent standards of diagnosis and care. NHS England continues to work with professional bodies, specialist centres, and commissioners to improve equity of access and ensure timely treatment for children with complex pancreatic conditions.

The Department continues to work with NHS England to support service planning, training, and commissioning for paediatric gastroenterology, to ensure children receive timely and appropriate care for pancreatic conditions.
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Ben Coleman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help protect the (a) National Centre for Pancreas Transplantation and (b) the national service for inherited DNA repair disorders from local budgetary pressures. \p Ashley Dalton: Pancreas transplantation in England is nationally commissioned by NHS England as a highly specialised service from six National Health Service trusts. It is a retained service and continues to be commissioned directly by NHS England rather than delegated to integrated care boards due to its complexity, low patient numbers, and the need for consistent national standards. As such, pancreas transplantation is funded directly by NHS England through national specialised commissioning arrangements, with funding managed through NHS England’s regional teams, with national oversight. This helps to ensure that highly specialised services are not impacted by variations in local funding decisions.

The national service for DNA Repair Disorders at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is commissioned by NHS England as a highly specialised service. It is also a retained service due to its complexity, low patient numbers, and the need for consistent national standards. As such, the DNA Repair Disorders Service is also funded directly by NHS England through national specialised commissioning arrangements, with funding managed through NHS England’s regional team, with national oversight, to help ensure that highly specialised services are not impacted by variations in local funding decisions.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the industrial strategy on increasing the availability of clinical trials for young people with cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including young people with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

The Department is working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, including for cancer.

Through the Life Sciences Sector Plan, the Government has committed to improving the speed and capacity of commercial clinical research, including trials for young people with cancer. This is supported by commitments to invest at scale in discovery science and maximise the United Kingdom’s translational research capacities, accelerating the development of new medicines and technologies, and getting innovative treatments to patients more efficiently.

Each action in the Life Sciences Sector Plan includes metrics through which performance can be measured. An annual Implementation Update will transparently summarise progress against both the overarching targets as well as on an action-by-action basis.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help encourage participation in clinical trials. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

The Department is working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future.

The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research.

The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, including clinical trials.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the target HPV vaccination rate for Epsom and Ewell constituency was in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; what the actual vaccination rate was in those periods; and whether his Department plans to reach the World Health Organization vaccination target rate. \p Ashley Dalton: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is presented for England at national, National Health Service commissioning region, and local authority levels. Data is not gathered at constituency level. Vaccine coverage data for the routine school-aged HPV immunisation programme in England, including for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#hpv-vaccine-uptake

Please refer to the supporting tables for local level uptake data.

Given the global public health burden of cervical cancer caused by HPV, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, with a target of 90% of girls being fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years old. This target focuses on the coverage of girls only. Further information on the strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer is available at the following link:

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014107

In March 2025, NHS England published the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – for England, which outlines how the NHS will improve uptake and coverage across HPV vaccination and cervical screening. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – for England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 61 of the policy paper entitled Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, published on 1 July 2025, whether the delivery indicators will include the size of the illicit tobacco trade. \p Ashley Dalton: Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department and NHS England are working closely together on delivery plans for the commitments made in the plan. These plans will consider how best to support the public’s health needs and the financial sustainability of our National Health Service.

Data on the size of the illicit tobacco trade is published annually by HM Revenue and Customs, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-tax-gaps/3-tax-gaps-excise-including-alcohol-tobacco-and-oils
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Bob Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have (a) been screened, (b) been diagnosed with lung cancer and (c) had an incidental finding of emphysema through the Targeted Lung Health Check programme since its launch in 2019. \p Ashley Dalton: The Lung Cancer Screening Programme is a National Health Service screening programme designed to identify cancers at an earlier stage. It is aimed at high-risk individuals or people with a history of smoking between the ages of 55 to 74 years old.

From the programme’s start to April 2025, data from NHS England shows that 1,268,938 lung health checks have been attended in England. As a result of this, 7,462 cases of lung cancer have been diagnosed, and there have been 100,845 incidental findings of emphysema.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people under 50 years old have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the last three years. \p Ashley Dalton: The latest data available, from March 2025, shows that the number of people under 50 years old diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the last three years were as follows:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing treatment options for people with Secondary Breast Cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: To assess the adequacy of existing treatment options for people with secondary breast cancer, NHS England funded an audit into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected from patients diagnosed in a National Health Service setting, the audit brings together information to look at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done better. On 12 September 2024, the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published this audit, and the NHS is now acting on the findings.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evaluates all new licensed medicines and makes recommendations on whether they should be routinely funded by the NHS based on their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. Since April 2018, NICE has recommended 24 of the 25 breast cancer medicines it has evaluated, and they are now available for the treatment of NHS patients.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase funding support for community-based specialist brain injury services. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition such as an acquired brain injury (ABI), receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care. We recognise the profound impact that brain injuries can have on an individual and their loved ones, and recognise that there is a need for national action to improve the lives of people who have experienced an ABI.

We intend to develop an ABI Action Plan, with input from NHS England and other Government departments, to be published in the autumn of this year. The recently published 10-Year Health Plan provides the overarching plan for the future of the National Health Service, and a subsequent ABI plan would then focus on specific actions and deliverables for ABI against the backdrop of the 10-Year Health Plan. This will ensure a coherent, targeted approach. The new ABI Action Plan will be concise, action-oriented, and accountable, in order to drive real change for people with ABI.

In January 2025, NHS England published the guidance Standardising community health services, which outlines the core community health services that integrated care boards (ICBs) should consider when planning services for their local population. Community rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions is named as one of the ICB-funded core components of community health services. Further information on Standardising community health services is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/standardising-community-health-services/

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing guidance on rehabilitation for people with chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September.  Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181

NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme is also working with the National Clinical Director for Neurology and the Neurology Clinical Reference Group to develop a revised service specification for neurology. The revised service specification for Specialised Neurology Services in England will cover ABI and is expected to be published later in 2025.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with pulmonary fibrosis. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of services for interstitial lung disease and funds the cost of anti-fibrotic treatments to treat this disease. Access to these treatments has recently been expanded to patients with non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, following the publication of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal Nintedanib for treating progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases, in November 2021.

In order to increase awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, NHS England has established 13 Respiratory Clinical Networks across the country. These have been vital in providing clinical leadership for respiratory services and supporting services in primary care, including restoring spirometry, which is one of the tests used to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary rehabilitation plays an important role in the management of patients with pulmonary fibrosis, and should be made available to all patients who would benefit from this intervention.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Shivani Raja:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve Care Quality Commission processing times for the registration of care providers in (a) England and (b) Leicester East constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.

Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.

The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.

The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Sarah Bool: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 ELSA Diabetes screening study; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of scaling it to a universal programme. \p Ashley Dalton: In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and supports implementation.

The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study that is looking at screening children for type 1 diabetes and looks forward to receiving the results of this study when the trial is complete.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Michael Wheeler:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to increase the recruitment and retention of school nurses; how much funding was allocated for school nursing services in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years; and what steps his Department is taking to help to ensure the effectiveness of school nursing services in supporting (i) early intervention, (ii) mental health, (iii) immunisation programmes and (iv) wider public health objectives. \p Ashley Dalton: The child health workforce, including school nurses, is central to how we support families to give their children the best start in life. We will ensure we have the staff we need so that children and their families are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. This will take time, but we are committed to building a health service fit for the future with the workforce it needs.

School nursing is part of the Healthy Child Programme (HCP) and is commissioned by local authorities with funding from the Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2023/24, local authorities spent £305 million on services for children aged five to 19 years old. Data on local authorities’ PHG spending for the financial years following 2023/24 is not yet available.

The HCP includes delivery of public health promotions such as the school nurses’ championship of early intervention, mental health awareness, the uptake of immunisation offers, and engagement with wider public health objectives. We are currently refreshing the HCP guidance to strengthen service quality and reduce unwarranted regional variation in service delivery.
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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 reduce waiting times for patients eligible for NHS-prescribed weight loss medications. \p Ashley Dalton: The medicines liraglutide, under various brand names, semaglutide, brand name Wegovy, and tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, are already being made available for managing obesity for some patients attending National Health Service specialist weight management services, depending on factors like local pathways and clinical eligibility.

From 23 June, the newest obesity medicine, tirzepatide, started to become available in primary care, meaning it can be prescribed by general practitioners, or other competent prescribers. Approximately 220,000 people could receive tirzepatide over the first three years of NHS rollout. Access will be prioritised based on clinical need.

To support equitable access across the NHS in England and to help integrated care boards (ICBs) to fulfil their duty to make the medication tirzepatide available to eligible patients for treating obesity, NHS England has provided funding to ICBs, based on each area’s estimated population of people living with obesity. It has also provided guidance to ICBs and is continuing to work with them to implement the phased rollout of tirzepatide, as well as other weight loss medications where appropriate.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence will review progress at three years. Rollout will be sped up if possible, and the NHS is developing and testing new models of care to support this.

As we set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to expanding access to weight loss medications through the NHS to ensure that people are able to access them based on clinical need, rather than ability to pay. We will build on the current plans by establishing pioneering relationships with industry and local health systems to test further innovative models of delivering weight loss services and treatments to patients effectively and safely. Additionally, we will explore a range of innovative commercial models that aim to increase patient access, whilst ensuring improved health outcomes and value for money.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of treatment pathways for sepsis patients in emergency departments. \p Ashley Dalton: Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis can be challenging to diagnose early. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause.

Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of suspected sepsis is supported in National Health Service hospitals, including emergency departments, through the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 is a clinical screening tool that supports healthcare professionals to recognise acutely unwell adults at risk of deterioration, including those with sepsis. NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute NHS trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England. Several trusts have also implemented the National Paediatric Early Warning Score to support the recognition of sepsis in children.

To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management, which staff can access alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes. Additionally, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.

Treatment of sepsis in NHS hospitals relies on effective antibiotics. The Government is committed to delivering the United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 national action plan to confront antimicrobial resistance, to ensure that antibiotics keep working for patients with sepsis.
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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 improve early diagnosis of sepsis in NHS hospitals. \p Ashley Dalton: Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis can be challenging to diagnose early. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause.

Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of suspected sepsis is supported in National Health Service hospitals, including emergency departments, through the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 is a clinical screening tool that supports healthcare professionals to recognise acutely unwell adults at risk of deterioration, including those with sepsis. NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute NHS trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England. Several trusts have also implemented the National Paediatric Early Warning Score to support the recognition of sepsis in children.

To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management, which staff can access alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes. Additionally, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.

Treatment of sepsis in NHS hospitals relies on effective antibiotics. The Government is committed to delivering the United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 national action plan to confront antimicrobial resistance, to ensure that antibiotics keep working for patients with sepsis.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to support wider access to cardiac screening provided by (a) Cardiac Risk in the Young and (b) other charities. \p Ashley Dalton: In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and which supports implementation.

The UK NSC last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019, and concluded that population screening should not be offered. Further information is available at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/

The UK NSC is currently examining the evidence for this condition and will open a public consultation to seek comments from members of the public and stakeholders on this in due course. Further information, including on how to keep up to date on the work of the UK NSC, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-national-screening-committee
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to protect vulnerable people during periods of extreme heat. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency delivers the Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) and Weather-Health Alerting (WHA) System, which provides alerts for the public and public sector organisations to prepare for impacts of adverse weather, including heat.

Risks to health are communicated via the WHA system. Enhanced amber and red alerts are used to alert those at the greatest risk. The alerts have enhanced communications to support partner organisations and the public. Heat-health guidance and checklists are available for both health and social care professionals and the public on what action they should take.

The AWHP is designed to protect public health during extreme weather conditions. It emphasises preparedness, early warning systems, communication strategies, and targeted support for vulnerable populations. It aims to reduce illness, hospital admissions, and mortality through timely interventions, public awareness, and resilience-building measures.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with multiple sclerosis. \p Ashley Dalton: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for their local population, including for multiple sclerosis (MS). The Government expects ICBs to assess the demand for service provision when designing their local services.

There are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as MS, across England. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aims to improve MS care by supporting the National Health Service to address variations in care and promote best practice.

The Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, published by NHS England’s RightCare Programme, supports healthcare systems in improving the care of individuals living with progressive neurological conditions, including MS. It aims to enhance local services and reduce hospital admissions by focusing on preventative care and optimising the delivery of services.

NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP) is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The NTP has collaborated with clinicians and patient groups to create specific pathways for MS, aiming to improve the quality and coordination of care.

NHS England is also updating its Specialised Neurology service specification, which includes MS. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.

The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with MS, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

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Ian Lavery:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of ADHD medication. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has worked closely with industry stakeholders and, following extensive collaborative efforts, previous issues have been resolved, and all strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, guanfacine prolonged-release tablets, and methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets are now available. We are working to resolve a remaining issue for Equasym XL capsules, and anticipate that this issue to be resolved in August 2025.

We continue to support the NHS England ADHD taskforce, which brings together expertise from the National Health Service, education, and justice sectors to coordinate a system-wide response to rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) data improvement plan, we are developing future growth forecasts to support improved demand planning. These forecasts will be shared with industry to help ensure a more responsive and sustainable supply of ADHD medicines. In parallel, we are also engaging with new suppliers for ADHD medicines to increase supply capacity and resilience.

The Department also maintains and regularly updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This resource supports prescribers and dispensers in making informed decisions with patients. The list is available at the following link:

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd
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Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for endometriosis treatment in the West Midlands. \p Karin Smyth: As of the end of May 2025, the latest available data, the Gynaecology Service waiting list, which includes those waiting for endometriosis treatment, for the West Midlands stood at 64,594, with 52.1% of patient pathways within 18 weeks.

As set out in the Plan for Change, we have committed to return to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients, including those waiting for endometriosis treatment, wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, including in the West Midlands. We have supported this with additional investment in the Autumn Budget, which has allowed us to exceed our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 4.6 million additional appointments up to the end of April 2025.

There are a range of efforts underway, nationally and in the West Midlands, to reduce the time patients are waiting for gynaecological care. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts we will undertake to return to the 18-week standard, and to ensure patients have the best possible experience while they wait. This includes increasing the relative funding available to support gynaecology procedures, including for certain endometriosis pathways with the largest waiting lists, and reviewing support options from the independent sector.

In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated its guidelines on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis, which will help women receive more timely care. This includes updated recommendations that for women with symptoms of endometriosis, initial pharmacological treatment should take place in primary care, and that this can take place in parallel with additional investigations and referral to secondary care if needed.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to tackle the lack of advertised nursing vacancies through the 10 Year Plan. \p Karin Smyth: Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.

NHS England is working with employers, universities, and regional nursing leads to ensure that support is in place to help graduating nurses find a role as soon as possible after qualification and transition into the workplace.

Later this year, we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_115
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_115

Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce accident and emergency waiting times in hospitals in the West Midlands. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises that urgent and emergency care performance has fallen short in recent years and is committed to restoring accident and emergency waiting times to the National Health Service constitutional standard across England, including in the West Midlands.

Our Urgent and emergency care plan 2025/26 sets out a fundamental shift in the approach to urgent and emergency care. It will drive collaboration across the system to deliver improvements for patients this year and is backed by nearly £450 million of capital investment.

Furthermore, our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will reduce waiting times in accident and emergency by shifting care into the community through new Neighbourhood Health Services, forming a key part of our mission to reform the NHS.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_116
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_116

Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his response to the hon. Member for Mid Sussex of 10 July 2025 during his Oral Statement on Resident Doctors: Industrial Action, Official Report, column 1152, when he plans to begin publishing data on corridor care. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to tackling the unacceptable practice of corridor care in our National Health Service. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June, set out steps we are taking, including the commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.

NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use of temporary escalation spaces, to drive improvement. Subject to a review of data quality, this information will be published shortly, and we will consider how this data could be published on a more regular basis.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_117
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_117

Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of banning dynamic pricing in the primary ticketing market. \p Chris Bryant: This government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of live events. We have committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, and launched a consultation on 10th January to seek views on potential options for resale platforms as well as primary sellers. The consultation closed on 4th April and the responses are being considered. The Government will respond later in the summer to set out next steps.

The consultation was published alongside a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, including the use of dynamic pricing by the primary market.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_118
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_118

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the games publishing industry on the potential impact of remotely disabling and terminating video games on their responsibilities under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. \p Chris Bryant: The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the video games industry and has responded to a recent petition on this issue.

There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_119
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_119

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to support the maintenance of the architectural fabric of the Church of England beyond the expiration of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in 2026. \p Chris Bryant: In January this government announced that we would extend the Scheme for one year with an overall budget of £23 million in recognition of the importance of listed places of worship both in terms of heritage and to their local communities. Funding after March 2026 for all listed places of worship will be considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and Departmental business planning process.

Alongside the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme there are other sources of funding available for listed places of worship of all faiths via the Department’s Arm’s-Length Bodies. For example, the National Lottery Heritage Fund has committed to investing around £100m between 2023 and 2026 to support places of worship. This investment includes £15 million to support large-scale projects that tackle broad needs and challenges, fostering greater sustainability and security within the sector. Ongoing support for places of worship will also be provided through National Lottery Heritage Grants, helping to improve their condition and equip the sector with the expertise, people, and skills necessary to preserve this heritage for the future. Over the next three years, it is expected that approximately £85 million will be awarded to support this goal.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_120
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_120

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot of 9 June 2025. \p Stephanie Peacock: A response for both letters will be sent to the Hon Member shortly. I apologise for the delay.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_121
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_121

Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 64258 on Companies House: Proof of Identity, what the cost to the public purse is for (a) the Government's verification service and (b) third-party verification services since the Companies House identity verification system was established. \p Feryal Clark: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State gave on 4th July 2025 to Question 64258.

GOV.UK One Login’s total budget to onboard all central government services for the three years from 2022/23 to 2024/25 was £305.4 million, and is currently undergoing HMT approvals for a new Business Case which will run until 2027/28.

GOV.UK One Login works with third-party providers to help verify a user’s identity. These costs are included in the programme budget.

Companies House provides an alternative IDV route via Authorised Corporate Service Providers.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_122
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_122

Mr Jonathan Brash:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Children’s Commissioners survey on school phone policies, published on 10 April 2025; what assessment he has made of the potential merits (a) of the recommendations for parents and carers to receive more support to manage their children’s online activities and (b) of evidence-based parenting programmes, like Triple P and Incredible Years, to deliver this support. \p Feryal Clark: The Government recognises the vital role of parents in supporting children’s online safety, and work on media literacy, including helping families build healthy digital habits, is an ongoing priority. DSIT has funded a range of media literacy projects, including parent-focused interventions, and commissioned research into parents’ needs. These have contributed to the evidence base highlighting what works and identifying areas where further progress is needed. Using these insights, the Government is considering the next phase of work in this area. Meanwhile, DfE publishes guidance and hosts parent-specific resources on its ‘Educate Against Hate’ website.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_123
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_123

Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to keep industry stakeholders informed of the progress of the working groups on (a) transparency, (b) licensing and (c) other technical standards. \p Feryal Clark: The Government has established expert stakeholder working groups to inform the development of policy on copyright and AI.

The Government convened the first meeting of these stakeholder working groups on 16th July. Information relating to this group will be published on GOV.UK, which will include further details and a list of working group members.
wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_124
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-25 conversation_124

Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on satellite regulations, in the context of the forthcoming World Radiocommunication Conference 2027. \p Chris Bryant: In preparation for WRC-2027, Government officials are working with Ofcom and spectrum users to develop UK positions that reflect our national priorities, including enhancing rural connectivity, ensuring a resilient telecommunications sector, and supporting an international spectrum framework that enables the UK space and advanced connectivity technologies industries to thrive globally.   DSIT Officials also engage with Ofcom on spectrum regulatory issues under discussion at the ITU, including Equivalent Power Flux Density limits, to help shape outcomes that align with the UK’s strategic interests.