theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to identify how the UK can meet the latest World Health Organization air quality guidelines, including reducing PM2.5 to 10 micrograms per cubic metre and NO2 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre by 2030. \p Emma Hardy: The Government has made rapid progress in reducing PM2.5 concentrations and we will be setting new interim targets for 2030 in the forthcoming Environmental Improvement Plan. The World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines will continue to inform our evidence when considering next steps.

The Government continues to work with local authorities to deliver air quality measures to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and improve the health of their residents.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps have been taken to ensure the adequate welfare of racing greyhounds. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The welfare of greyhounds in England is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for that animal’s welfare needs. Specific welfare standards at all greyhound racing tracks in England are also required by the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010.

In addition to these statutory protections, the sport’s main regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), has also undertaken several welfare reforms, including publishing a long term, national welfare strategy – ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’. The strategy focuses not only on reducing risks of injury but also developing new management practices to improve the welfare of greyhounds throughout their lives.

The Government is monitoring GBGB’s progress in delivering the strategy. Should further measures be required the Government will consider options which are targeted, effective, and proportionate.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of (a) co-operative and (b) mutual forms of ownership in the water industry. \p Emma Hardy: The Independent Water Commission’s (IWC) final report in July found that there is no clear relationship between water company ownership models and outcomes.

The commission states that ‘With regard to alternative not-for-profit, or similar models that might be proposed by existing or prospective owners (as with Welsh Water and Kelda), the Commission believes that these models are viable and might be beneficial in some cases but that proposals need to be considered on a case-by-case basis’.

The Government is considering the IWC’s recommendations and will provide a full response in a White Paper later this year.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85834 on Water Companies: Criminal Proceedings, if she will confirm the number of live proceedings which are subject to reporting restrictions by the court. \p Emma Hardy: Details about all open enforcement and customer disputes cases with Ofwat are available on the Ofwat website.

Information about formal cautions and prosecutions carried out by the EA can be found here.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) protect dormice habitats in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Mary Creagh: Defra is not currently monitoring hazel dormice habitats in the Surrey Heath constituency. Surrey’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species such as hazel dormice, which are considered a priority species in the LNRS.

Hazel dormice, their breeding sites and resting places are legally protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of clause 9 (c)(5) of the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 on public information on water quality. \p Emma Hardy: Regulation 9 of the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 amends Regulation 15A of the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 and requires the appropriate Minister to prepare and publish a report on the bathing season or seasons for that year.

It broadly makes the same provision for publication of annual reports as under the previous Regulation 15A but with consequential changes to reflect that there will be a discretion to set different bathing seasons under amendments made by Regulation 5 of the 2025 Regulations. There is no change in the frequency of reports (annual) nor in the content of the reports required.
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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce ambulance wait times for Category 2 calls to the national target of 18 minutes. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises that in recent years ambulance performance has not met the high standards patients should expect.

In October, NHS England published the Medium Term Planning Framework which sets out ambitious targets to improve core urgent and emergency care performance to constitutional standards, including by shortening average Category 2 response times to 18 minutes. This is being supported by practical actions, including reducing avoidable ambulance dispatches and conveyances and ambulance handover delays.

The measures being taken are already improving ambulance response times, including in North East Hampshire. The latest National Health Service performance figures for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, which serves North East Hampshire, show that in October, Category 2 incidents were responded to in 31 minutes 54 seconds on average, over six minutes faster than the same period last year.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical school places are funded for start in 2026. \p Karin Smyth: In England, the Office for Students (OfS) sets the maximum fundable limit for medical school places on an annual basis. OfS will publish its intake target for the 2026/27 academic year in due course. For the 2025/26 academic year, information is available at the following link:

https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/finance-and-funding/medicine-and-dentistry-funding/medical-and-dental-maximum-fundable-limits/
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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical appointments were missed by (a) deaf and (b) hearing impaired people due to a lack of information support (i) at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, (ii) in the North West and (c) in England over the last three years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold data on medical appointments missed in the format requested. Our Elective Reform Plan sets out the focussed action we are taking to reduce missed appointments, as part of delivering the Government’s commitment to return to the constitutional standard of 92% of patients having their first treatment within 18-weeks of referral. This includes enhancing communication between hospitals and patients, using the results of artificial intelligence to predict missed appointments, and targeting support to vulnerable patient groups, saving up to one million missed appointments.

The Elective Reform Plan and the 10-Year Health Plan commit to modernising care equitably and inclusively, including ensuring consistency in the availability of information, so that patients, including those that are deaf or have hearing impairments, are supported to attend appointments and have the best possible experience of care.

As part of this, NHS England published a refreshed Accessible Information Standard (AIS) in July 2025. This sets out a specific, consistent approach to meeting the information and communication support needs of service users with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, and requires that relevant staff are adequately trained. NHS England is supporting implementation of AIS, so that staff and organisations are aware of the importance of meeting the needs of disabled people using services.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS dentists were employed in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire in each of the last ten years. \p Stephen Kinnock: The data for how many NHS dentists were employed in each of the last ten years in Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, which includes South Holland and The Deepings constituency, is published annually. The latest 2024/25 data is published by the NHS Business Services Authority and is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425

Figures prior to 2019/20 were published by NHS Digital and are available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

We do not hold data on how many NHS dentists are employed at constituency level.
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Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many job vacancies there were for (a) Foundation Year 1 doctors, (b) Foundation Year 2 doctors and (c) specialty training posts in (i) England and (ii) Suffolk NHS region at the most recent date for which data is available. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold information on the number of vacancies for Foundation Year 1, Foundation Year 2, and specialty training posts in England or in the Suffolk National Health Service region.

NHS England collects and publishes data relating to the fill rates for training places in medical specialties. These are for the entry point of the initial recruitment processes for the specific training programme, rather than a measure of total vacancies at a given point in time. Further information is available at the following link:

https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/fill-rates
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of myalgic encephalomyelitis treatment in South West London. \p Ashley Dalton: We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in South West London.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in South West London. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288
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Mohammad Yasin:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue revised guidance on the placement of people with Gender Recognition Certificates who have undergone surgery on hospital wards. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England is currently reviewing its Delivering same-sex accommodation guidance and will ensure that it reflects the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland Ltd v. The Scottish Ministers ruling, and is aligned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s statutory Code of Practice (the Code) when that becomes available.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to provide an answer to Question 89730 on Chronic Illnesses: Diagnosis. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 2025 to Question 89730.
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Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to ensure people with suspected autoimmune or inflammatory conditions are referred to rheumatology services within 3 weeks. \p Ashley Dalton: We are committed to supporting people with long-term conditions and ensuring they receive the support that they need, including referral to specialist services as appropriate.

To support health and care professionals in the early diagnosis and management of rheumatoid autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published expert guidance. This guidance states that people with suspected persistent synovitis, a condition closely associated with RA, should be assessed in a rheumatology service within three weeks of referral.

The Getting It Right First Time Programme for Rheumatology has published a report for healthcare professionals on the diagnosis and management of a range of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders, including autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The report includes several recommendations designed to help reduce the number of unnecessary hospital visits and reduce waiting times for outpatient rheumatology services, including guidance on best approach for establishing patient initiated follow up, and specialist advice.

More widely, the Elective Reform Plan recognises that the traditional delivery of outpatient care, via a hospital appointment with a specialist, can be resource intensive and is often not the right model for clinicians, patients, or their carers. Digital solutions, updated financial flows, appropriate job planning, and time and investment will lead to meaningful reform to outpatient services, including rheumatology services.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out further our vision for elective care by 2035, where most interactions no longer take place in a hospital building, instead happening virtually or via neighbourhood services. Planned care will be more efficient, timely, and effective and will put control in the hands of patients, including those with suspected autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.

We are also committed to transforming and expanding diagnostic services and speeding up waiting times for tests. This includes investment in new and expanded community diagnostic centres, which is supporting a key Government priority to shift care from the hospital to the community, and offer the tests needed to support diagnosis of suspected rheumatoid autoimmune or inflammatory conditions such as RA.
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Justin Madders:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve survival rates of out of hospital cardiac arrests in the North West. \p Ashley Dalton: We recognise that there is more to do to improve cardiac arrest survival, including in the North West. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out the reforms and radical shifts needed to improve National Health Services and deliver better patient outcomes and includes a focus on improving cardiovascular disease detection and prevention. Key initiatives include improving the early detection and treatment of high-risk conditions like atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, known as 'the ABCs', to prevent heart attacks and strokes, which can lead to cardiac arrest.
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Lizzi Collinge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the duration of medical exemption certificates for people with (a) type 1 diabetes and (b) other lifelong conditions. \p Ashley Dalton: Medical exemption certificates allow people with certain medical conditions to obtain their NHS prescriptions without charge, although not all the qualifying conditions which provide exemption are necessarily life-long.

The five-year duration ensures that a patient’s continued eligibility is confirmed by a health professional, whilst minimising the burden on the patient and healthcare staff and creating a check point at least once every five years on the accuracy of patient details for verification of claims for exemption and for fraud detection purposes.

Therefore, there are currently no plans to review the duration of medical exemption certificates for people with type 1 diabetes and other lifelong conditions.
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Mark Sewards:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department have made on the impact of participation in (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools, and (c) leisure centres on men’s (i) mental and (ii) physical health. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government knows that addressing physical inactivity and getting people moving more is important for improving health outcomes, well-being, reducing demand on the National Health Service, and supporting economic growth.

Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambition to break down barriers and take a cross-sector approach to building movement back into everyday lives. This requires a collective effort and there is an important role for the leisure and fitness sector through providing facilities and opportunities to get people active and reap the associated health benefits.

On 19 November, to coincide with International Men’s Day, we published England’s first ever Men’s Health Strategy. The strategy includes actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community, and family networks, address societal norms, and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men. The strategy recognises the importance of meeting men where they are and includes investment in community-based health and suicide prevention programmes and a new partnership with the Premier League to ensure men know where to go for mental health support.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to chemosaturation for patients with metastatic ocular (uveal) melanoma. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department remains committed to ensuring that cancer patients, including those with metastatic ocular melanoma, have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support.

In 2016, NHS England concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make chemosaturation treatment available to patients on the National Health Service. NHS England is currently in the early stages of policy development for chemosaturation to treat metastatic uveal melanoma where surgery to remove or destroy affected cells and tissue in the liver is not feasible.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published an Interventional Procedure Guidance for this treatment, and while this does allow NHS trusts to offer the treatment locally, they can only do so if they put in place special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, audit, or research, because further evidence of benefit and safety is needed. The 2016 NHS England Clinical Commissioning policy is currently under review, and we expect that a new draft policy will be shared with stakeholders over the coming months. If NHS England’s clinical panel makes the treatment routinely available across the NHS in England it will require further consideration through relative prioritisation and investment before full roll out.

The development of a Clinical Commissioning policy will determine both if the evidence is now sufficient to enable making the treatment routinely available and, if it is, whether to allocate service development funding to implement it across the NHS in England.
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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 (a) diagnosis and (b) management of patients with (i) overlapping and (ii) co-existing chronic illnesses. \p Ashley Dalton: We recognise the increasing prevalence of co-existing chronic illnesses and the importance of developing strategies to support people living with multiple co-morbidities. For that reason, we have appointed a dedicated National Specialty Advisor for Multi-Morbidity.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, more tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of technology will all support people to manage overlapping and co-existing chronic illnesses closer to home.

Neighbourhood health services will be organised around the needs of their patients and will take a joined-up, holistic approach with multi-disciplinary teams who can provide wrap-around support services to people with overlapping and co-existing chronic illnesses.

The NHS App will be enhanced to allow patients to manage appointments and medications, and view or create their own care plans. My Medicines will enable patients to manage their prescriptions, and My Health will enable patients to monitor their symptoms and bring all their data into one place. Patients will be able to self-refer to services where clinically appropriate through My Specialist on the NHS App. This will accelerate their access to treatment and support.

Our 10-Year Health Plan outlines our ambition for 95% of people with complex needs to have an agreed care plan by 2027. Care plans will be co-created with patients and cover their holistic needs. We will also expand the uptake of personal health budgets. By 2030, one million patients with long-term conditions will be offered Personal Health Budgets, which will enable them to use National Health Service resources and determine care that best suits their needs. It will provide patients with greater choice and control over their care, leading to better health outcomes and increased independence.

We will also introduce a new Single Patient Record across the NHS, which will bring together a patient’s medical records all into one place. It will mean that no matter where a patient is accessing care, in the community or in a hospital, the care provider will have a comprehensive understanding of their medical history.
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Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the UK National Screening Committee plans to fast track the implementation of an in-service evaluation for newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy. \p Ashley Dalton: Progress is being made in planning and developing work to shape an in-service evaluation (ISE) of newborn blood spot screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

This follows a recommendation made in 2023 by the UK National Screening Committee which advises ministers on all aspects of population and targeted screening for an ISE in National Health Services. An ISE is needed to answer several outstanding questions related to the implementation of a newborn screening programme for SMA.

Planning for the ISE is a partnership between the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and other stakeholders.

Earlier in the year, the NIHR published their Health Technology Assessment research brief to appoint researchers for this work. Applications closed at the end of September 2025, and final funding decisions are expected in spring 2026. A decision on the shape and roll out of the ISE will be made after the research call process has concluded.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will extend eligibility for free Covid vaccines to people with lung conditions. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.

The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.

The focus of the JCVI advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed. The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:

- adults aged 75 years old and over;

- residents in care homes for older adults; and

- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.

As for all vaccines, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure stroke patients receive individualised post-discharge care. \p Ashley Dalton: As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to improving services for patients locally by increasing the provision of services outside of a hospital setting that are delivered closer to home in the community.

The National Stroke Service Model provides best practice for stroke care, including post-discharge, which should include comprehensive rehabilitation and personalised care and support.

The National Stroke Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation programme is helping to transform community-based care by increasing access to specialist stroke rehabilitation at home.
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Justin Madders:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years. To accelerate progress towards this ambition, we will publish a Modern Service Framework for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in 2026, which will identify the best evidenced interventions, and drive innovation in prevention, treatment, and care. The Department and NHS England are working closely to deliver the CVD modern service framework and will engage widely throughout its development.

Alongside this, the NHS Health Check, a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme which aims to detect those at risk of heart disease and stroke aged between 40 and 74 years old, engages over 1.4 million people and through behavioural and clinical interventions, prevents approximately 500 heart attacks and strokes a year. To improve access with the programme, we are piloting an NHS Health Check online service so that people can undertake a check at a time and place that is convenient to them.

We have invested in hypertension case-finding for those over 40 years old in community pharmacies, and nearly 4.2 million people have received a free blood pressure check through the service since October 2021.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to help reduce sepsis mortality in patients with leukaemia and other cancers. \p Ashley Dalton: Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely across all patients, making sepsis 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 by the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute National Health Service trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England.

To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published national guidelines on the recognition, diagnosis, and early management of suspected sepsis in people aged 16 years old and over. People with a weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy treatment, are more likely to get an infection that could lead to sepsis. Therefore, NICE has additional guidelines on the prevention and management of neutropenic sepsis in people with cancer. NICE guidelines provide authoritative, evidence-based guidance on best practice and should be taken fully into account by healthcare professionals in the care and treatment of NHS patients. The guidelines can be accessed 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.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.
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Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of proposed neighbourhood health centres being able to (a) improve musculoskeletal health and (b) treat musculoskeletal health issues. \p Ashley Dalton: Improving health and work outcomes of people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions will help deliver the Government's mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and kickstart economic growth.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service. Neighbourhood teams will bring together professionals, including nurses, doctors, social care staff, pharmacists, and health visitors, to provide comprehensive care that fits around people’s lives. Neighbourhood health approaches can help ensure that people with MSK conditions receive more personalised and coordinated support, reducing unnecessary hospital visits and enabling earlier, community-based interventions. Our aim is to have one Neighbourhood Health Centre in each community that brings together NHS, local authority, and voluntary sector services in one place, offering integrated, holistic support for all health needs, which could include MSK care, rehabilitation, and prevention.

We have launched wave 1 of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) across 43 places in England. The NNHIP will support systems across the country by driving innovation and integration at a local level, to accelerate improvements in outcomes, satisfaction, and experience for people by ensuring that care is more joined-up, accessible, and responsive to community needs.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 90532 on Pharmacy: Pollution, what the public health impact is. \p Ashley Dalton: While the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes work to understand the health effects of exposure to chemicals, no incidents of pharmaceutical-related water pollution have been reported to the UKHSA. The Environment Agency routinely monitors inland water bodies, and if a chemical pollution incident occurs, the UKHSA may conduct an assessment of any potential public health impact.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

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Richard Foord:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UK Resilience Academy's Exercising Best Practice Guidance, whether external expert observers and evaluators have been involved in Exercise Pegasus; and what steps he is taking to incorporate independent assessments by expert observers and evaluators into the UK's pandemic preparedness plans. \p Ashley Dalton: Trained observers and evaluators participated throughout Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in United Kingdom history. These observers and evaluators provided an external view on the decisions and actions taken by participants, supported by other evaluation methods, including focus groups to ‘red team’ or challenge participant decisions, surveys, and structured ‘debriefs’ with participants themselves.

The Department aims to have flexible, adaptable, and scalable capabilities that can respond to any infectious disease or other threat, along all routes of transmission rather than relying on plans for specific threats.

Our health and care sector plans and our overall pandemic preparedness approach will continue to evolve in response to new scientific and clinical advice, as well as lessons learned, including learning from the UK COVID-19 Inquiry and Exercise PEGASUS. Exercise PEGASUS used a variety of mechanisms to provide challenges to current arrangements for pandemic response. Exercise PEGASUS has provided valuable experience which is being used to inform the pandemic preparedness strategy and response plans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_300

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to recruit more specialist nurses and reduce waiting times for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. \p Ashley Dalton: We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.

By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The NICE guideline on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71

We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming long-term workforce plan will set out how we will train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_301

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 28 July 2025, to Question 66478, on Innovation: Beer and Public Houses, whether the Government intends to involve amend the Licensing Act 2003 to prohibit the sale of alcohol-free drinks to under 18s in pubs. \p Ashley Dalton: A non-alcoholic product differs from a soft drink as it is a beverage intentionally crafted to mimic traditional alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, or spirits. This is a newly emerging area, but there is some evidence to suggest that exposure to alcohol like products, even if low or zero alcohol, can normalize drinking, and become a gateway to alcohol consumption. Earlier alcohol use initiation is linked to a higher risk of harmful drinking patterns later in life.

The Department continues to monitor the emerging evidence on the impact of no and low alcohol (NoLo) products on children and young people. A large multi-year National Institute for Health and Care Research study is underway to examine the public health impacts of NoLo products, and we look forward to the findings of that being available in the coming year.

The Government is still considering options to restrict access to NoLo products, including banning sales to under 18 year-olds. as committed to in the In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England. We will share an update with stakeholders in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_302

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the proportion of terminated NICE health technology appraisals that are for blood cancer treatments compared to other cancers. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Since August 2019, 31% of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals for blood cancer treatments were terminated as the company withdrew from the NICE appraisal process. For the same period, 21% of appraisals for all cancers were terminated.

Between 2019 and 2025 so far, 93% of blood cancer treatment recommendations in completed NICE appraisals were positive, which is higher than the rate across the whole NICE portfolio. NICE has also recommended more treatments for blood cancers in draft guidance that are now available to eligible patients through the Cancer Drugs Fund.

NICE strives to get the best care to patients fast and ensure value for the taxpayer. The aligned NICE and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency pathway, set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, will allow NICE to bring medicines to patients three to six months sooner. NICE also continues to support and work with companies to identify the best time to submit appraisals and to ensure they have a clear understanding of NICE’s methods and processes, to try and avoid terminations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_303

Lewis Atkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS neighbourhood mental health service pilot sites; and how learning from those sites will be used to inform his Department's future policy on mental health services. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The six National Health Service neighbourhood mental health centres currently being piloted will bring together a range of community mental health services under one roof, including crisis services and short-stay beds. People with serious mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder will be able to walk in without an appointment if they need mental health support, as well as advice on employment, housing, or volunteering, delivered by a multi-disciplinary team.

The pilot sites will allow us to test the extent of the benefits this model will realise in this country, but we still expect it to be an improvement as it has demonstrated positive outcomes and efficiencies in other health systems across the globe.

While the evaluation of the six pilots will not be available until next year, evidence from comparable international models shows an association with positive outcomes such as reduced admissions and length of stay.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_304

Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to help increase the number of blood donors. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England. Recently, NHSBT has led a number of initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, specifically:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_305

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of unused medication held by patients in England. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: No assessment has been made of the cost of unused medication held by patients in England. The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer.

Primary care networks are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-27)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-27 conversation_306

Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote NHS innovation in genomics. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, together with the 10-Year Health Plan, will enable the United Kingdom to remain firmly at the forefront of the genomics revolution by driving large-scale preventative care and enabling world-class research. A thriving life sciences sector reinforces the UK’s unique position as the place to discover, test, and roll out genomic innovations that drive better health for all. The Government has committed to investing more than £650 million over five years in Genomics England, up to £354 million in Our Future Health, and up to £20 million in UK BioBank, to ensure that, by 2030, the UK will lead globally in health data and genomics research.