theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the reported comments of the OHCHR spokesperson on 11 July 2025, if he will have discussions with his (a) UN, (b) United States and (c) Israeli counterparts on the causes of deaths at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution centres. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK has been clear that Israel's approach to aid delivery in Gaza is inhumane, fosters desperation and endangers civilians. We are appalled at repeated mass casualty incidents in the vicinity of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution sites. Desperate civilians who have endured 20 months of war should never face the risk of death or injury to simply feed themselves and their families. We co-called a United Nations Security Council meeting on 16 July where we reiterated that Israel must lift restrictions on aid entering Gaza. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 21 July to raise these issues, press Israel to restore humanitarian access and agree to a ceasefire. We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations and United States, to push for improved humanitarian access, a ceasefire and a lasting peace in the region.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he had discussions with his Syrian counterpart on a timetable for democratic elections in Syria during his recent official visit; and whether it remains his policy to support national elections in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary visited Damascus on 5 July where he renewed UK-Syria relations and discussed the need for an inclusive political transition which delivers for the Syrian people. We welcome the Syrian President Al Sharaa's commitment to hold free and fair elections, and the recent announcement of the Supreme Electoral Committee for the People's Assembly Elections. This is an important step in building legitimate legislative and electoral processes. It is vital now that the process is genuinely inclusive, representative and respects the rights of all Syrians.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department is reducing programme funding to the Education, Gender and Equality Directorate by; and what assessment his Department has made of the impact of that reduction on women and girls in the Global South. \p Stephen Doughty: Our 2025/26 Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme allocations reflect the first step as we begin to pivot to a lower ODA budget, the ministerial line-by-line strategic review of our ODA programming, and our commitment to protect planned humanitarian spend and live contract agreements. An Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) - which considers impacts on women and girls - was an essential part of how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) made these decisions. The EIA also tracks spend in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations were published in the Annual Report & Accounts on 22 July alongside the EIA. As confirmed by the EIA, the allocations process for 2025/26 has protected against disproportionate impacts on equalities.

The FCDO is committed to empowering women and girls globally and remaining a world leader on championing safe, inclusive education, including in the Global South.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a strategy for tackling anti-microbial resistance globally; and how much funding he plans to provide for anti-microbial resistance official development assistance programmes in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK's approach to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is set out in the UK National Action Plan. The UK has played a key role globally in advocating for the need for strong action on AMR, for example, helping to secure a strong outcome from last year's UN High Level Meeting on AMR. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office supports action to tackle AMR through its bilateral and research investments and through support to multilateral organisations that play a key role in tackling AMR globally, such as the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. It is not possible to identify the specific AMR element of such spending for 2025/26, as we are unable to disaggregate the AMR element of our multilateral and bilateral funding. Funding for the period beyond 2025/26 remains under review.
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Barry Gardiner:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance he has issued to the UK delegation to the International Seabed Authority about the establishment of a global moratorium on deep sea mining following recent legal analysis of President Trump's Executive order on deep sea mining. \p Catherine West: The UK supports a moratorium on the granting of exploitation contracts for deep sea mining projects by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). We will not sponsor or support the issuing of any such exploitation contracts for deep sea mining by the ISA until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems and strong enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines are in place. This is a matter for each ISA member State to consider carefully.
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Chris Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 16 July 2025 on Call for Evidence – Identification of Victims of Modern Slavery, HCWS826, whether the call for evidence will consider the impact of the revised evidential requirements for reasonable grounds decisions on different groups and categories of potential modern slavery victims. \p Jess Phillips: The Identification of Victims of Modern Slavery Call for Evidence launched on 16 July 2025. It invites views on an effective system where victims are recognised early and accurately so they can be protected and receive appropriate assistance and support towards their recovery from exploitation.

The Call for Evidence is structured around three themes:

1) Definitions of victims of modern slavery;

2) Initial identification of victims of modern slavery; and

3) Formal identification of victims of modern slavery.

The full list of questions in the Call for Evidence is available at Identification of victims of modern slavery - GOV.UK. The Call for Evidence includes questions on the National Referral Mechanism decision-making process, including Reasonable Grounds and Conclusive Grounds decisions.

The Call for Evidence will be open for a 12-week period, meaning submissions can be provided up until Wednesday 8 October 2025.

Insights gathered through the Call for Evidence and wider stakeholder engagement will inform longer-term policy development.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her target date is for publishing the updated strategy on tackling violence against women and girls. \p Jess Phillips: The strategy will be published early in the autumn.
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Jonathan Hinder:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press notice entitled Landmark package to pursue domestic abuse perpetrators, published on 16 July 2025, whether the Drive Project rollout will be the subject of (a) an impact evaluation and (b) a randomised controlled trial. \p Jess Phillips: The Home Office is investing £53 million to roll out the Drive Project over the next four years. The Drive Project is a multi-agency, intensive case management approach for the highest risk, highest harm serial perpetrators of domestic abuse perpetrators. This is a key measure in the Government's commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade.

The Drive Project pilot was the subject of a robust impact evaluation - between 2016 and 2019, the University of Bristol conducted evaluation to measure The Drive Project's effectiveness in reducing abuse, using a randomised control design.

We are working closely with The Drive Partnership to develop plans for monitoring and evaluation of the rollout, ensuring that the approach builds on what has come before.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Metropolitan Police on the (a) purchase and (b) deployment of Plesan Sandcat armoured vehicles. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Decisions around the procurement of equipment, including armoured vehicles, are a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents, who are best placed to consider the needs of their police force and take decisions in line with their existing budget.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 26 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what her planned timetable is for the publication of the Anti-Corruption Strategy. \p Dan Jarvis: The Anit-Corruption Strategy will be published later this year, and will be set out to Parliament in the normal way.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to take steps to allow objections to the decision to house asylum seekers at 286-288 London Road, Waterlooville. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Where the Home Office needs to utilise Dispersed Accommodation, it does so in accordance with the principle of Full Dispersal, which was announced in 2022 to ensure that asylum seekers were more fairly distributed across the United Kingdom.

This will reduce our reliance on hotels in the short term whilst we continue our work to fix the broken asylum system, increasing decision making, reducing the supported population and removing people with no right to be here.

The safety and wellbeing of the local communities in which asylum accommodation is located is of paramount importance. When an individual claims asylum, the Home Office will conduct mandatory identity, criminality and security checks. Biographic and biometric data are checked against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases including domestic and international data.

Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
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Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to help prevent the radicalisation of young people. \p Dan Jarvis: The UK’s counter-terrorism strategy is set out in CONTEST, most recently updated in 2023. Prevent is one of four pillars of that strategy. Prevent seeks to intervene early and provide support to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Channel focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are at risk of radicalisation, with a significant number of young people referred to Prevent for support. In the year ending 31 March 2024, individuals aged 11 to 15 accounted for the largest proportion of the 6,884 referrals to Prevent (2,729; 40%) where age was known, and a slightly larger proportion of both those discussed at a Channel Panel (374; 42%) and those adopted as a Channel case (254; 50%).
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Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing to local authorities to help them prevent people from being radicalised. \p Dan Jarvis: All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the level of local risk and threat. This support includes expertise from a network of region-based Home Office Prevent Advisers who work closely with partners to raise Prevent delivery standards. Prevent Advisers also deliver an annual assurance exercise, assessing the extent to which local authorities are meeting the Prevent duty and identifying areas for further support and improvement.

Currently, the 28 highest threat areas in England and Wales receive Home Office Prevent funding which supports the provision of dedicated Prevent posts within these local authorities. Some of these local authorities also receive additional funding to support regional working and share their Prevent expertise with other neighbouring local authorities.

All local authorities have access to the Preventing Radicalisation Fund. This is a central fund into which local authorities can make bids to support the delivery of targeted Prevent projects in their local area. These projects aim to identify and mitigate local radicalisation risks, including the risk from Islamist Extremism, Extreme Right-Wing and other emerging threats.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help protect British peoples' (a) assets and (b) other interests that are held abroad in the context of trends in the level of (i) cyber fraud and (ii) digital asset theft. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office works closely with international partners and law enforcement, including the National Crime Agency, to tackle the threat from cyber crime from abroad as well as at home to protect the UK and its interests. 70% of fraud has an overseas element, and so international collaboration is a critical part of our work to protect British people and their assets from fraud.

The UK is committed to international cooperation on cyber crime. As part of this, we have driven international policy making on ransomware through the UK’s leadership position in the Counter Ransomware Initiative, leading the world’s first international government statement against ransomware payments in 2023 and the world’s first joint policy guidance for ransomware victims with the cyber insurance sector in 2024.

Working with key international partners, we have secured key safeguards in the UN Cybercrime Convention which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024. The Convention will also standardise legislative and investigative practises on cyber crimes, ensuring all nations improve their capability to deal with the threats that have been changed in scale or reach by the internet.

As a global leader in the fight against fraud, the UK is driving forward policy and operational activity with key partners and on the multilateral stage. This has included playing a central role in the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud at the 12th Conference of Parties for the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC). We have also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Nigeria to provide increased protection for victims, faster law enforcement intervention and earlier disruption of cross-border criminal groups.

We will continue to prioritise initiatives to keep the public safe from the evolving transnational threat as part of the new Fraud Strategy and cyber crime initiatives.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to use artificial intelligence to bypass end-to-end encryption to reduce access to the livestreaming of child abuse. \p Jess Phillips: The Home Office is actively developing options to support more systematic and effective deployment of such technology to fully mitigate harms to children from producing and sharing such imagery. This includes actively considering requirements on device operating systems to implement controls to better protect child users of smartphones; with the option of device-level age assurance for adult users.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish the report on the adult social care relative needs formula on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website. \p Ashley Dalton: The report on the adult social care relative needs formula was published on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit’s website in June 2025.

The Department funds independent research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The publication of research is led by the research team. The views expressed in the outputs of the research are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of acceptation of the recommendations of the Leng review on the number of (a) Physicians Associates and (b) Anaesthesia Associates. \p Karin Smyth: The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician associates and anaesthesia associates, now to be known as physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams.

While decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers at a local level, physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia will continue to play an important role in the NHS.

Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care, and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.
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Tom Rutland:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the future employment of people undergoing physicians associate and anaesthesia associate training, following the publication of The Leng Review. \p Karin Smyth: The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician associate and anaesthesia associate, now to be known as physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams.

NHS England has written to National Health Service trusts, integrated care boards, and primary care networks reiterating their responsibilities to their staff as employers, including providing pastoral support where required. Importantly, NHS England has also written directly to the staff most affected by the recommendations, in the Response to Recommendations from the Independent Review of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates (the Leng Review), setting out where they can find support if required. Further information on the Response to Recommendations from the Independent Review of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates (the Leng Review) is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/response-to-recommendations-from-the-independent-review-of-physician-associates-and-anaesthesia-associates/

While decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual NHS employers at a local level, physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia will continue to play an important role in the NHS.

Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care, and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to p.16 of the document entitled Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, published on 3 July 2025, what progress his Department has made on the development of the business case for the proposed use of Public-Private Partnerships in Neighbourhood Health Centres. \p Karin Smyth: As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority are working on a business case for a public-private partnerships model around Neighbourhood Health Centres that sets out the potential and an assessment of the value for money so that a final decision on the approach can be taken by the time of the 2025 Budget.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the future role of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates has been within the scope of discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with the British Medical Association in relation to potential strike action. \p Karin Smyth: My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Departmental officials regularly discuss a wide range of matters with the British Medical Association (BMA) in relation to the working conditions of doctors and specifically in relation to the current dispute with the Resident Doctors Committee. The BMA has raised the issue of the differential in starting salaries between some resident doctors and physician associates and anaesthesia associates both in discussions and publicly.
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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the impact of care costs for self funding care home residents. \p Stephen Kinnock: The majority of care homes are in the independent sector and are free to set their fees as they see fit. The Department does not have the powers to set or recommend the level of fees that a private care home can charge, as this is a commercial decision for a care provider. However, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will deliver recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, including how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 22 April 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, Ref LS05024. \p Karin Smyth: I replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 14 August 2025.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 10 June 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, Ref LS07270. \p Karin Smyth: The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Baroness Merron) replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 29 August 2025.
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Johanna Baxter:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance in May 2025 on supporting patients in accessing lateral flow tests for covid-19. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated its recommendations on the use of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir for the treatment COVID‑19 in adults in May 2025. The update followed a decision by the company to set a new list price for nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir which meant that it is no longer a cost-effective treatment for people with diabetes, obesity, or heart failure, or for those aged 70 years old or over. Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir continues to be recommended by NICE for people who have an increased risk for progression to severe COVID‑19 as defined in NICE’s guidance, at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta878/chapter/5-Supporting-information-on-risk-factors-for-progression-to-severe-COVID19

Rapid lateral flow tests for COVID-19 are available free of charge to people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatment as defined by NICE’s guidance.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of allowing qualified non-medical prescribers to prescribe (a) dihydrocodeine, (b) testosterone and (c) other controlled drugs on women’s healthcare. \p Karin Smyth: The Department supports non-medical professions to use legal mechanisms to prescribe, administer and/or supply medicines to patients, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Some non-medical healthcare professionals train as independent prescribers, allowing them to prescribe a wide range of medicines, including testosterone, dihydrocodeine and some controlled drugs, within their professional scope of practice. In addition, some non-medical professions can also supply and/or administer specified controlled drugs via Patient Group Directions.

The Department also supports further expansion of medicines responsibilities of non-medical healthcare professionals. Officials are carefully considering proposals relating to a range of healthcare professionals, as part of wider work concerning non-medical prescribing. However, currently, the Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of allowing qualified non-medical prescribers to prescribe dihydrocodeine, testosterone and other controlled drugs as part of women’s health care.
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Johanna Baxter:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Integrated Care Boards in England provide Covid Medicines Delivery Units. \p Karin Smyth: The Department and NHS England do not collect or hold this information centrally. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for making funding available and for arranging access to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended COVID-19 therapeutics, in line with its Rapid guideline: managing COVID-19, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng191

ICBs will establish services to meet the needs of their local populations, which might include COVID-19 Medicines Delivery Units, but could also include other access options such as primary and community care, or outreach services. Patients can find out about local services at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/treatments-for-covid-19/
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year. \p Karin Smyth: Based on pro rate salary and allowances data for the Department, 92 employees earn between £100,00 and £165,999, and 11 earn £166,000 or more.
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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 mental health support available to parents who have experienced baby loss in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Spending on specialist community perinatal mental health services continues to increase every year. The latest National Health Service figures show that integrated care boards spent £212 million in 2024/25, which is an increase of £18 million over the £194 million spent in 2023/24.

We recognise that more support for parents is needed and are making steady improvements. Bereavement services operating seven days a week are being set up in every area in England to support women and families who experience pregnancy loss or neonatal death. Additionally, in February 2024, the Department launched the baby loss certificate service, which is a voluntary scheme to enable parents who have experienced any pre-24-week pregnancy loss to record and receive a certificate to provide recognition of their loss if they wish to do so.
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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 support parents who have experienced baby loss in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Experiencing pregnancy or baby loss can be extremely difficult and traumatic. We are determined to make sure all bereaved parents, regardless of where they live, have access to compassionate care and support. We recognise that more support for parents is needed and are making steady improvements.

Surrey Heath residents who lose a baby can access a midwifery bereavement service provided by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, available seven days a week.

Specialist community perinatal and maternal mental health services, including the Forget Me Not service, are also available for people who require them. More information on this service is available at the following link:

https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services/mental-health-and-wellbeing/forget-me-not-service/

All trusts in England are signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway. This pathway is designed to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care for parents and families experiencing pregnancy or baby loss.

In February 2024, the Department launched the Baby Loss Certificate service, which is a voluntary scheme to enable parents who have experienced any pre-24-week pregnancy loss to record and receive a certificate to provide recognition of their loss if they wish to do so.

As of June 2025, Maternal Mental Health Services are now available in all areas of England. These services provide specialist psychological support for women with moderate/severe or complex mental health difficulties arising from birth trauma or baby loss.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of NICE’s rejection of trastuzumab deruxtecan for use in secondary breast cancer treatment on patient outcomes. \p Karin Smyth: Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England are made on the basis of recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) following an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently and on the basis of the available evidence.

NICE published guidance in July 2024 on the use of Enhertu for the treatment of HER-2 low metastatic and unresectable breast cancer and was unfortunately unable to recommend it for routine NHS funding. I understand that NICE and NHS England have sought to apply as much flexibility as they can in their considerations of Enhertu for HER2-low breast cancer and have made it clear to the companies that their pricing of the drug remains the only obstacle to access.

Ministers met with the manufacturers of Enhertu, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo, in November 2024, to encourage them to re-engage in commercial discussions with NHS England. Despite NICE and NHS England offering unprecedented flexibilities, the companies were unable to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price. NICE’s guidance published in July 2024 will therefore remain unchanged. NICE has reassured me that the door remains open for the companies to enter into a new NICE appraisal if they are willing to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price.

Since January 2022, NICE has recommended all but one of the treatments for breast cancer that it has assessed. These treatments are now available to eligible NHS patients.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement localised reporting of CAMHS (a) funding and (b) performance. \p Stephen Kinnock: Every local integrated care board (ICB) has a legal duty to produce an annual report on how it has discharged its functions in the previous financial year. This provides the opportunity for ICBs to demonstrate the full breadth of their work with people and communities and involves people and communities in decision-making, and includes working with children and young people.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take legislative steps to require the listing of health risks on adverts placed by fertility clinics seeking egg donors. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the United Kingdom’s fertility sector regulator, sets out strict requirements in its Licence Conditions and Code of Practice in relation to the recruitment of donors and the information that must be given to egg donors in advance of donating at UK-licensed fertility clinics, which includes information about the potential immediate or longer-term health risks and the psychological consequences of being a donor, as well as offering counselling to everyone involved.

In addition, the HFEA’s Code of Practice states that advertising should be designed with regard to the sensitive issues involved in recruiting donors and should follow the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) codes. This includes that advertising or publicity aimed at recruiting gamete or embryo donors, or encouraging donation, should not refer to the possibility of financial gain or similar advantage, although it may refer to compensation permitted under relevant HFEA Directions.

The ASA and HFEA issued a joint enforcement notice in 2021 to ensure fertility clinics and others were aware of the advertising rules, which remains in place.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of NICE’s severity modifier on access to new treatments for incurable secondary breast cancer. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. The severity modifier was introduced in January 2022 as part of a number of changes intended to make NICE’s methods fairer, faster, and more consistent.

NICE carried out a review of the implementation of the severity modifier in September 2024 and found that it is operating as intended. This showed that the proportion of positive cancer recommendations is higher, at 84.8%, than with the end-of-life modifier it replaced, at 75%, and the proportion of positive recommendations for advanced cancer treatments is also higher, at 81.1% compared to 69%.

Since January 2022, NICE has recommended all but one of the treatments for breast cancer that it has assessed. These treatments are now available to eligible National Health Service patients.

NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future method reviews.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commission research on the effects on UK citizens of a ban on pursuing surrogacy abroad. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has no plans to commission research on the effects of a ban on international surrogacy arrangements.

The Government supports surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family.

The Government recognises that international surrogacy is a complex area, and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office has published guidance for British nationals seeking international surrogacy arrangements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place to ensure (a) local community and (b) patient engagement in the (i) design and (ii) delivery of new NHS hospital infrastructure. \p Karin Smyth: Hospital 2.0 is the New Hospital Programme’s (NHP) approach to standardising the design for future hospitals and has been designed and developed with people with lived and learnt experiences throughout the stages of the design process, from strategic outline business cases, early plans to commissioning, and full operationalisation. Stakeholders include National Health Service staff, NHS trusts, royal colleges, patients, and the public, as well as the supply chain. Over 1,300 clinicians, over 400 patients and lived experience partners, and 57 architects and designers have worked alongside subject matter experts to feed into the design process. This is to ensure that new hospitals will meet current and future healthcare needs, and that patients and staff are at the heart of its designs.

The NHP works collaboratively with NHS England and trusts to ensure that the design of each hospital is right-sized for local circumstances and tailored to the needs of the local community.

The NHP is currently embarking on another cycle of formal engagement workshops with key national stakeholders to showcase the current progress of Hospital 2.0 designs, with a workshop focussed on the patient and public perspectives.

Outside the NHP, the majority of investment in new hospital infrastructure relates to works on part of a site or to renovation and maintenance, and so is subject to local design considerations. When healthcare services are relocated to a new site a formal process of consultation is followed.

At a local level, integrated care boards are responsible for strategic infrastructure planning, managing the budget, and allocating funding according to local priorities in their area. Local systems have also developed infrastructure strategies to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet with women's rights campaigners to discuss the impact of egg donation on young women. \p Karin Smyth: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), as the regulator of the United Kingdom’s fertility sector, met with Surrogacy Concern and Stop Surrogacy Now in October and December 2024.

The HFEA provided information about the strict requirements in its Licence Conditions and Code of Practice relating to donor recruitment, the data published by the HFEA, and the information clinics must provide to patients and donors about the risks of any treatment prior to it taking place at HFEA licensed clinics.

The HFEA’s Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee recently reviewed the published evidence of health outcomes for those having fertility treatment, including egg donors. The last 10 years of evidence were reviewed and the HFEA will update the relevant information on its website as needed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commission research in to the long term effects of egg retrieval on women's bodies. \p Karin Smyth: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Reigate on 22 July 2025 to Question 68253.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the General Pharmaceutical Council on reducing overprescribing. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not had any discussions with these organisations related to reducing overprescribing.

The National Health Service and partner organisations are responding to the challenge of overprescribing, as set out in the Government’s review of overprescribing, Good for you, good for us, good for everybody, in September 2021.

Progress has been made to implement the recommendations of that review, for example:

- implementing the National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities for integrated care boards;

- addressing problematic polypharmacy, when there is potential harm associated with taking multiple medicines;

- delivering Structured Medication Reviews; and

- publication of a repeat prescribing toolkit and oversupply dashboard to support general practices to identify oversupply and improve repeat prescribing processes.

Offering treatments that are not medicines is also key to addressing overprescribing. Many other initiatives delivered across the NHS contribute towards this. These include delivery of personalised care and shared decision-making, NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression, and social prescribing.

We are continuing to address issues with the prescribing of medicines in line with the NHS’ 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is sufficient project delivery capacity within (a) the NHS and (b) supply chains to implement the New Hospital Programme. \p Karin Smyth: Earlier this year, the New Hospital Programme (NHP) appointed a Health Delivery Partnership as its principal Programme Delivery Partner, which is working closely with the NHP to provide the expert technical skills needed to develop the infrastructure and programme delivery capability to support successful delivery.

The NHP remains committed to strengthening its internal capacity, supported by a Knowledge and Skills Transfer Strategy aimed at embedding the self-sustaining knowledge and skills required to increase its in-house resource.

Since 2021, the NHP has undertaken extensive market engagement with industry to build industry interest, assess current capacity, and understand key investment drivers. The NHP launched procurement for its bespoke Hospital 2.0 Alliance Framework, designed to establish a long-term, sustainable, and collaborative supply chain partnership and contracting model that will secure market appetite and investment.

The NHP is currently engaging with industry on the Hospital 2.0 integrated system, particularly the technical requirements, specification, and designs. Three key industry sectors identified to focus on include: designers and architects; main works contactors; and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-01 conversation_86

Sarah Owen:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to stop the use of paper forms for blood tests ordered by (a) GPs and (b) hospitals. \p Karin Smyth: Pathology service transformation is critical to delivering the Government's ambitions for the National Health Service. The NHS has invested heavily in delivering digital transformation for pathology services to reduce reliance on paper-based processes; working closely with integrated care boards, pathology networks, and clinical IT suppliers to ensure interoperability between clinical systems to enable a fully digital, joined-up approach to pathology services.

This includes implementing and expanding use of electronic test requesting systems and supporting efforts to standardise their use. These systems allow clinicians in general practice and hospital settings to request pathology tests digitally, improving efficiency, reducing transcription errors, and enhancing patient safety.