theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Nutrition North’s report entitled Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England: Inequalities and opportunities published on 22 July 2025, what steps the Department is taking to help tackle (a) poverty and (b) childhood obesity in the North of England. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to supporting people to stay healthier for longer. This includes tackling the determinants that underpin stark health inequalities to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and its commitment to raising the healthiest generation of children in history. The Department is working closely with the Child Poverty Taskforce to develop and deliver an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackle the root causes, and give every child the best start in life. An important part of this will be alleviating the negative experience of living in poverty through supporting families and enhancing public services.

The 10-Year Health Plan outlines a range of actions to address childhood obesity. This includes restricting junk food advertising targeted at children, banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16-year-olds, and using our revised National Planning Policy Framework to give local councils stronger powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools. We will work with the Department for Education to update school food standards. To support families, we are expanding free school meals to all children with a parent in receipt of universal credit. By the end of the Parliament, we will introduce mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector.

Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme and aims to support those in greatest need. As part of the 10-Year Health Plan we announced that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most. From April 2026, pregnant women and children aged over one and under four years old will each receive £4.65 per week, up from £4.25, and children under one years old will receive £9.30 per week, up from £8.50.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ regional teams support and work towards the Government’s Opportunity and Health Missions to give children the best start in life. The teams recognise the Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England report and strive to address the challenges and inequalities our children and young people face in the region. Regional teams work closely with local partners, including local authorities and the National Health Service, to support them with local initiatives to promote a healthy lifestyle and tackle obesity.
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Dan Aldridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of using Body Mass Index as a way of measuring childhood obesity through the National Child Measurement Programme. \p Ashley Dalton: In January 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reviewed evidence and assessed the most accurate methods for identifying childhood obesity and thresholds for predicting the risk associated with overweight and obesity. They recommend that Body Mass Index (BMI) centile (BMI adjusted for age and sex) is a useful practical measure for estimating and defining overweight and obesity in children and young people.

The Government accepts NICE’s evidence review, assessment and recommendations as national guidance for measuring childhood obesity through the National Child Measurement Programme, including that:
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS dentistry provision in (a) Stockton and (b) the Tees Valley. \p Stephen Kinnock: Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324

The data for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes Stockton and the Tees Valley, shows that 45% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England, and that 58% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.

We will deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments per year, and ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. The North East and North Cumbria ICB is expected to deliver 57,559 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
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Fred Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that parents with children in hospital have access to care close to their home. \p Ashley Dalton: On 3 July 2025, the Government published the 10-Year Health Plan, setting out its vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service to bring care into local communities, transform access to health services, and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. This will mean millions of patients, including children with complex and chronic needs, are treated and cared for closer to their home.

The Government aims to establish a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community by 2035, building care closer to where children live, learn and play. We have launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, which will support systems across the country to test new ways of working, share learning, and scale what works. This Programme will inform future strategy and policy development, and outcome metrics will be rigorously monitored.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding for gambling harm treatment services will be structured through (a) block funding, (b) activity-based models or (c) outcome-based models; what his Department's timetable is for (i) implementing its funding model and (ii) providing payments to providers; and whether his Department plans to provide (A) upfront or (B) staged payments for those providers. \p Ashley Dalton: The new statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect in April 2025. Under the levy, NHS England, and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, are the commissioners for gambling-related harm treatment and support services. They will receive 50% of available levy funding to improve and expand treatment services across Great Britain.

From 1 April 2026, NHS England will take on responsibility for the commissioning of the full gambling harms treatment pathway in England, from referral and triage through to aftercare. NHS England continues to work at pace on the design of the future commissioning approach, however, no decisions have yet been taken. The aim is to provide all stakeholders with a further update in the coming months. All contracting arrangements and their associated funding models will subsequently be confirmed by the appropriate commissioners.
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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, for what reason implementation of provisions on raising the upper alcohol limit for drinks labelled as alcohol-free to 0.5% alcohol by volume from 0.05%, proposed in the consultation entitled Updating labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives of September 2023, is delayed. \p Ashley Dalton: In the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government committed to tackling harmful levels of alcohol consumption through exploring options to standardise which products can describe themselves as alcohol free. One of the first steps will be to explore raising the upper alcohol limit for drinks labelled as alcohol-free to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) from 0.05% ABV, aligning with international standards.

Alongside the plan, 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 the study being available in the coming year.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing enforcement (a) powers and (b) resources available to (i) Trading Standards and (ii) local authorities to tackle the sale of illegal tobacco by businesses. \p Ashley Dalton: There are a range of tools available to enforce the sale of illicit tobacco, which reflect the severity of the offence committed. Trading Standards can seize illicit goods and refer cases to HM Revenue and Customs to make decisions about penalties, which can include fines of up to £10,000 and deactivation of a business's economic operator ID, restricting or removing their ability to purchase or sell tobacco in the United Kingdom. Further details are set out in HM Revenue and Customs’ Illicit Tobacco Strategy, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stubbing-out-the-problem-a-new-strategy-to-tackle-illicit-tobacco/stubbing-out-the-problem-a-new-strategy-to-tackle-illicit-tobacco

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers selling illegal and unregulated tobacco and vape products to children and young people. The Bill introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain tobacco and vape offences, including underage sales, and enables the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold on the UK market.

Alongside the bill, we are investing £30 million of new funding for enforcement agencies in 2025/26, including Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs, and Border Force. This funding is being used to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and the implementation of the measures in the bill, including a boost to the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding for (a) addiction services and (b) wider support for people who use addictive drugs. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26 the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to local authorities to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment.

Beyond drug and alcohol treatment services, this year the Government is providing an additional £70 million for local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England, building on existing funding made available via the Public Health Grant. On 30 December 2024, the Department confirmed final funding allocations for 2025/26 for each local authority, and published guidance to support local authorities to plan their local interventions, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-stop-smoking-services-and-support-funding-for-2025-to-2026/local-stop-smoking-services-and-support-funding-allocations-and-methodology-for-2025-to-2026

This additional funding will ensure that there is a comprehensive offer across local authorities in England, while providing additional weighted funding to local authorities with the highest smoking rates. Decisions on funding for future years will be made once the Spending Review process has concluded.

In April 2025, a new statutory levy on gambling operators, expected to raise approximately £100 million per year, was introduced to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms. The levy will be distributed across the three workstreams, with 50% allocated to NHS England, alongside the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, to commission the development of effective treatment and support services at national and sub-national levels, and 30% allocated to the Department, Public Health Wales, and an appropriate body in Scotland to deliver prevention activity.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated for Myalgic encephalomyelitis research in each of the last five years. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between the 2019/20 and 2023/24 financial years the NIHR committed approximately £3.7 million to research projects and programmes on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The NIHR, alongside other Government research funders, remains committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment for ME/CFS.

Together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation, we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS final delivery plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical inventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve the evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, later this year to stimulate further research in this field.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including post-acute infection conditions such as ME/CFS, and research funding is available. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on ME/CFS and other post-acute infection conditions to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded. Establishing a research hub for ME/CFS would not provide the same level of flexibility. The NIHR Academy offers extensive support for early-career researchers through various fellowships, training awards, and mentoring structures. For instance, through the INSIGHT Programme, they work with universities to fund research masters studentships and attract students into research. Through Academic Clinical Fellowships, for doctors and dentists, and Predoctoral Academic Fellowships, for other health professionals, the NIHR Academy supports healthcare practitioners in integrating research with clinical practice.
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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to allocate funding to the Lobular Moonshot Project. \p Ashley Dalton: Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation, which includes the Medical Research Council (MRC).

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, accompanied by the Minister of State for Health, met with representatives of the Lobular Moonshot Project on 14 July 2025 to discuss their work. The Chief Scientific Adviser and officials from the Department of Health and Social Care and the MRC have held two further meetings with the Lobular Moonshot Project to provide advice on existing funding options.

Both the MRC and the NIHR have committed to continuing to work with the Lobular Moonshot Campaign team to support the development of fundable research proposals in this area and help drive our collective ambition to increase understanding and effective management of this disease.

The NIHR continues to welcome high quality, high impact funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including lobular breast cancer.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set a target for reducing the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution. \p Ashley Dalton: There is not currently a Government target to reduce the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set two targets for particulate matter, an emissions reduction target and a Population Exposure Reduction Target, which will continue to reduce peoples’ average exposure across the country. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work across Government to reduce people’s exposure to pollutants harmful to health.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) support and (b) information provided to people following a diagnosis of Parkinson’s in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: It is the responsibility of integrated care bards (ICBs) and local authorities to meet the care and support needs of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Patients living in the Surrey Heath constituency would be covered by either the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) or the Surrey Heartlands ICB. ICBs are responsible for commissioning services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations and, in doing so, we expect them to have regard to best practice guidance, such as that published by the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE guideline 71, titled Parkinson’s disease in adults, makes several recommendations in relation to the provision of support and information to patients, which emphasise the importance of clear, tailored, and consistent communication throughout the course of the disease. Regular support from a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist is also highlighted as a key intervention to provide ongoing support, medication advice, and a direct line for patients and their families.

The NICE guideline also recommends timely referral to specialists, such as neurologists or geriatricians, for accurate diagnosis and regular expert review. The guideline mentioned is available at the following link:

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

Social care for people with Parkinson's disease is commissioned by local authority social services departments, or by ICBs if the care is deemed to be primarily health-related NHS Continuing Healthcare. The availability and extent of the services provided depends on assessment of the individual’s health condition and personal circumstances and needs.
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Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his proposal to close independent local Healthwatch services and transfer their functions to (a) local authorities and (b) Integrated Care Boards, what proportion of existing funding of £178,600 received by Brighton and Hove council in 2024-25 to commission a local Healthwatch service will be transferred to (i) the Sussex Integrated Care Board and (ii) Brighton and Hove Council to fund the new separate arrangements to collect (A) patient and (B) public views on (1) NHS and (2) publicly funded adult social care services. \p Ashley Dalton: The abolition of Healthwatch England and the transfer of its functions, as well as the changes to Local Healthwatch, will require primary legislation. The timing of this is subject to the will of Parliament and will happen when Parliamentary time allows.

A full Impact Assessment, including an Equality Impact Assessment, would be produced and published on the Government website when the legislation is introduced in Parliament. No assessment has been made at this time.

Any changes to the funding regarding the transfer of Local Healthwatch functions to integrated care boards and local authorities will take place after legislation.
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to support clinical research on the impact of menopause and perimenopause on people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, funds a range of research to improve health outcomes for women, including on the impacts of menopause and perimenopause on preexisting conditions such as Type 1 diabetes.

For example, the NIHR is currently funding research to identify disparities in key health outcomes in older women, with a focus on the use of hormone replacement therapy. Amongst other aims, this research will explore whether there are differences in outcomes for women who have health conditions, such as sickle cell disease or diabetes.

In addition, the NIHR funds the infrastructure of the James Lind Alliance (JLA). In 2024, the JLA updated the Priority Setting Partnership on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Adults. One of the top ten priority questions identified for future research is to investigate the impact of hormonal phases such as the perimenstrual period and menopause on glycaemic management, and to identify what treatments are most effective for managing glucose levels around these times.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the impact of menopause and perimenopause on people with Type 1 diabetes.
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Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Food Standards Agency (a) inspection charges and (b) regulations on small abattoirs. \p Ashley Dalton: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) conducts and charges for official controls, namely inspections, which help ensure that food hygiene and animal welfare standards are met in accordance with a legal framework, which has been in place for many years. The controls are an intrinsic component in our food system which provides reassurance for the wider food industry and consumers as well as trading partners to facilitate meat exports.

Information on the 2025/26 charge rates for official controls conducted in meat premises is available on the FSA’s website at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/charges-for-controls-in-meat-premises

As in previous years, the impact of charges is offset by a taxpayer-funded discount which provides the greatest proportional support to smaller businesses. The impact of the support on different sized food businesses in England and Wales for 2025/26 is set out in the Cost Data Slides the FSA has published. The FSA is currently conducting an evaluation of the support provided via the discount and will assess the impact of any changes it might propose in the light of this evaluation.

The FSA recognises the regulatory and administrative challenges smaller abattoir operations face. We proactively identify and engage with local issues working closely with industry stakeholders and participating in national forums such as the Partnership Working Group led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Through these collaborations, we explore opportunities to ease burdens on small-scale operators, such as reducing daily administration by introducing a daily diary to replace numerous operational checks, while maintaining high standards of public and animal health.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the annual resources required to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. \p Ashley Dalton: A central mission of the Government is to build a health and care system that is fit for the future. Tackling preventable ill health, such as type 2 diabetes, is crucial. Shifting the focus from treatment to prevention is one of three shifts for the Government’s mission for a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and is a cornerstone of supporting people to live healthier lives.

Preventing diabetes, like obesity, is a complex issue and requires multi-faceted action across both the public and private sector. Prevention involves collaboration across the public and private sectors to tackle underlying issues such obesity, poor diets, and lifestyle issues.

The Department is taking steps to prevent type 2 diabetes through programmes such as the NHS Health Check, England’s flagship cardiovascular disease prevention programme for those aged between 40 and 74 years old, which aims to identify people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and some cases of dementia, and to signpost them to behavioural support such as weight management and clinical treatment if needed.

Once identified, those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes can also be referred by their general practitioner into the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. The programme is highly effective, cutting the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37% for people completing the programme, compared to those who do not attend.

The annual costs of treating patients over 18 years old and children with diabetic ketoacidosis is not available, as this data is not routinely collected and/or analysed nationally. There are currently no plans to collect this data.
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Patrick Hurley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to implement automatic enrolment into stop smoking support at (a) A&E departments, (b) cancer screening appointments, (c) mental health services and (d) other NHS services (i) in Liverpool City Region and (ii) nationally. \p Ashley Dalton: As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we remain committed to ensuring all hospitals integrate smoking cessation interventions into routine care.

NHS England have already rolled out tobacco dependence treatment programmes in acute and mental health inpatient settings, and maternity services. As of March 2025, 93% of acute and mental health in-patient services and 97% of maternity services, nationally, had tobacco dependence treatment offers. In the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB), 12 out of 13 in-patient services and all seven maternity services had an offer.

As part of their allocations for 2025/26, ICBs have access to funding to support the provision of tobacco dependency treatment to smokers. Funding for future years is subject to final decisions following the recent Spending Review.
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help increase the availability of treatments for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in Cornwall. \p Ashley Dalton: Integrated care boards (ICBs), including the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, are responsible for the commissioning of treatment services for people with Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS). NHS England commissions some specialist services for patients with rare forms of EDS, which are currently delivered by two centres in England, namely the London North West University Healthcare Trust and the Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The complex EDS service provides diagnosis and advice to referrers on the treatment and management of complex cases.

ICBs, including the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that are convenient and which meet patients’ needs.
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Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) secondary school and (b) university students participating in organised sport are routinely tested for heart health. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommends screening babies for heart problems in pregnancy and twice in the newborn period. These programmes are run successfully in the National Health Service. The UK NSC does not recommend routine testing for heart health in older children. The committee reviewed the evidence for screening for risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019 and concluded that screening should not be offered. The committee’s review is available at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/  Research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use in young people without symptoms, and that treatments and interventions were not based on good scientific evidence to prevent SCD.

To reduce SCD in young people, the current consensus is to focus on the rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of SCD, due mainly to a family link or because they have had symptoms, and to train people to carry out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and to use defibrillators.

NHS England has published guidance for inherited cardiac conditions, a major cause of SCD in young people, which requires services to investigate patients with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease, suggestive symptoms, or patients who are from families with sudden unexplained deaths. Where a genetic variation is identified, cascade testing should be offered to relatives based on risk.

We are aware that the UK NSC has received a submission via its annual call process to consider SCD screening in young people aged between 14 and 35 years old engaging in sport. The UK NSC has included this in their review of screening for SCD which is currently under way.
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Jim Dickson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the sale of nicotine pouches designed to look like confectionary products. \p Ashley Dalton: Nicotine pouches are highly addictive, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from potential harms.

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we will introduce age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches and will ban their advertising and sponsorship. The bill also includes powers to regulate the packaging, flavours, and product standards of all vapes and nicotine products, as well as their display in shops.

We plan to consult on these measures, including packaging restrictions, in due course.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commit to increasing the value of the Healthy Start scheme to match the cost of (a) fresh fruit, (b) fresh vegetables, (c) infant formula and (d) other essential items. \p Ashley Dalton: Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme which aims to support those in greatest need. We recently announced in Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most. From April 2026, pregnant women and children aged over one years old and under four years old will each receive £4.65 per week, up from £4.25, and children under one years old will receive £9.30 per week, up from £8.50.

The funding for Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries are also eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis times for people suffering with Myeloma in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer as early and quickly as possible and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes.

To tackle late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations. This benefits cancer patients across the country, including in Surrey Heath.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with myeloma.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to protect children in Yeovil constituency from air pollution. \p Ashley Dalton: Children can be susceptible to the health effects from long and short-term exposure to air pollution. The 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out how the Government plans to reduce harmful air pollution, including through a review of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which will set out measures to reduce emissions and everyone’s exposure to air pollution, including those most vulnerable to its effects such as children. We will continue to work across Government to reduce the health harms from air pollution.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_147

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to improve early diagnosis of bowel cancer through the National Cancer Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: Early diagnosis of cancers, including bowel cancer, is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.

The National Cancer Plan, due to be published later this year, will build on the shifts in care set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to diagnose cancers earlier. Through the 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it easier for people to access cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment in patients’ local areas, backed by the latest technology.

The UK Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is undergoing several updates to its standards aimed at improving coverage, accessibility, and early detection. This includes updated performance thresholds, and improved accessibility of bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test kits for people who are blind or partially sighted.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_148

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase public awareness of the (a) causes and (b) early prevention of plantar fasciitis. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS.UK website, the primary source of public information on health conditions and health services for patients in England, provides information on plantar fasciitis, including details on the causes and symptoms of the condition, as well as information on self-care and when to see a health professional. This information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_149

Jas Athwal:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) treatment and (b) care of patients with (a) non-preventable and progressive neurological conditions and (ii) Parkinson’s through the 10-Year Health Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will revolutionise care for people with Parkinson’s and other non-preventable progressive neurological conditions by shifting from hospital-centric care to community-based and preventative approaches, alongside utilising technologies for better access to services and management of their care.

Neighbourhood health centres will provide integrated, accessible, and localised services that will focus on early detection and diagnosis and comprehensive multidisciplinary care. By being community based, the centres will reduce barriers to care and ongoing support and will empower patients to manage their condition more effectively.

People with complex conditions like Parkinson's will be offered a personalised care plan, developed with healthcare professionals. These will improve coordination and ensure care is tailored to the individual's needs.

We have committed to at least doubling the number of people offered a personal health budget by the 2028/29 financial year, and we will make personal health budgets a universal offer for all who would benefit from them by 2035. This will give people greater autonomy, flexibility, and involvement in their own healthcare, allowing them to organise care that best meets their needs.

Digital tools like the NHS App will empower patients to manage their conditions, access information, and communicate with healthcare professionals more easily. Digital technologies will also enable remote monitoring of patients, allowing for early intervention and personalised care.

The 10-Year Health Plan envisions a healthcare system that is more proactive, personalised, and digitally enabled, leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective management, and ultimately, better outcomes for individuals with long-term conditions such as Parkinson’s and other progressive neurological conditions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_150

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with local authorities on health inequalities in Stockton-on-Tees. \p Ashley Dalton: The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy and healthy life expectancy varying widely across and between communities. The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer, and spend less time in ill health, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances.

The Department’s Office of Health Inequalities and Disparities North East and Yorkshire Regional Team collaborates with partners to provide system leadership for public health and to reduce health inequalities. The team facilitates the delivery of national and local public health priorities, providing expert advice. It also works with directors of public health in local authorities, integrated care systems, mayoral combined authorities, NHS England, and the wider National Health Service.

North East local authorities received a total of £256 million in Public Health Grant funding for 2025/26, of which Stockton on Tees received £16.762 million. This funding provides services such as stop smoking, drug and alcohol treatment, health visiting/school nursing, and sexual health, among others, all of which contribute to addressing health inequalities.

The Tees Valley Combined Authority also works to secure investment, create jobs, and grow the economy, helping to create the conditions in which health inequalities can be reduced.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_151

Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle staff shortages in cancer care. \p Ashley Dalton: We will continue to ensure that we train the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it, and the cancer plan will reflect this. We will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients. The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve outcomes for people living with cancer.

NHS England is currently improving the recruitment of radiographers and radiologists to improve earlier diagnosis and treatment of cancer, through a range of different initiatives. This includes increasing priority medical specialities, including clinical oncologists. We are also supporting employers to train new radiographers through the apprenticeship pathway. Furthermore, we will ensure that imaging training academies can increase training capacity in addition to reforming training to support rapid development for both radiologists and radiographers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_152

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider increasing the value of Healthy Start vouchers for children from birth to one year old to meet the average cost of baby formula. \p Ashley Dalton: Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme and aims to support those in greatest need. An assessment was recently made of the adequacy of the value of Healthy Start funding and it was announced in Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most. From April 2026, pregnant women and children aged over one and under four years old will each receive £4.65 per week, up from £4.25, and children under one years old will receive £9.30 per week, up from £8.50.

The funding for Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries are also eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins.