theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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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 Integrated Care Board funding levels on GP recruitment and retention in Epsom and Ewell constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs for 2025/26, bringing total spending on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since the beginning of the five-year framework, and means we are reversing recent trends by allocating a rising share of National Health Service resources to GPs.

Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots have been combined to create a single pot for the reimbursement of patient-facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

In the Epsom and Ewell constituency, as of 31 May 2025, there were 67.8 full time equivalent doctors in GPs, and since October 2024, 1,900 GPs have been recruited via the ARRS nationally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is developing a digital strategy for social care users. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government recognises the transformative potential of digital technology for people who draw on adult social care. While the Department is not developing a digital strategy for social care users at this time, we are taking forward immediate reforms to ensure that people who draw on care benefit from digital transformation. These reforms build on progress to drive adoption of digital social care records, which now benefit 85% of people who draw on adult social care, as well as Government-funded testing, scaling, and evaluation of care technologies to help people live independently for longer.

We are developing new standards and guidance for care technologies to improve the confidence of people who draw on care, their loved ones, and care providers, to purchase effective and compatible products.

We are also developing new national data infrastructure for social care, which will lay the foundations for staff to access real-time information from health and care services. This will enable the right people to access the right information at the right time, which is key to ensuring people receive safe, personalised care, without having to repeat themselves multiple times to different health and care professionals. We aim for all care providers to be fully digitised by the end of the Parliament.

To support the digitisation of adult social care, we have produced a digital skills learning offer. By developing the digital skills, confidence, and capabilities of the adult social care workforce, we can empower them to support the people drawing on care to choose the care technology that is right for them.

We are continuing our work with delivery partners to support local authorities in digitising adult social care assessments. This support is helping local authorities improve the timeliness and efficiency of assessments. Where digital tools have been trialled, evaluations have shown that people drawing on care and support have experienced quicker assessments, leading to reduced waiting times.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to make (a) the NHS Accessible Information Standard and (b) deaf awareness training mandatory for NHS staff. \p Stephen Kinnock: The revised Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was published on 1 July, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/

NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the National Health Service are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.

Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the AIS, which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss.

The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the AIS sits with the commissioner of the service.

The revised standard requires those staff in relevant communication and information roles to be adequately trained. The AIS conformance criteria, published in 2016 and updated in June 2025, set out how organisations should comply with the AIS. NHS England is leading a system wide review of mandatory training which will include a new governance framework and a table of statutory obligations as well as a new competency framework setting out all nationally mandated subjects and learning outcomes.

Following the commencement of regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, mandatory information standards will be introduced in a staged process. NHS England will consider the case for developing a mandatory AIS standard, and the timing for this, along with the other existing standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional support to people on waiting lists for an ADHD diagnosis who show clear symptoms. \p Stephen Kinnock: It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments and support for people suspected or confirmed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted that the demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years and that there are severe delays for accessing ADHD assessments.

The independent ADHD taskforce, commissioned by NHS England to consider these issues and how to address them, recently published its interim report. The report recommends the need for timely access to needs-based support, including practical help for people showing signs of ADHD, such as coaching, classroom tools, and parenting advice. The taskforce's final report is expected to be published later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

The Government is also supporting earlier intervention for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the Early Language Support for Every Child and the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programmes. The Government will be investing in support for pupils with SEND more widely, enabling transformation of the SEND system to make mainstream schools more inclusive and to improve outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to (a) continue to provide financial support for children's hospices and (b) increase the level of funding in line with (i) inflation and (ii) rises in costs. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS England has provided £26 million in revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26, through what was, until recently, known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant. This was an increase in funding from £25 million in 2024/25.

Integrated care boards will once again administer the funding to their respective children and young people’s hospices on behalf of NHS England. The majority of children and young people’s hospices should now have received their allocations, with the remaining few receiving theirs in the coming weeks.

We cannot yet confirm what the funding for 2026/27 will be, or how it will be administered.

In February, I met with key palliative care and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, including Together for Short Lives, in a roundtable format with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to 60968 on Insomnia: Lancashire, what steps his Department is taking to promote awareness of self-referral options to NHS talking therapies for people with insomnia. \p Stephen Kinnock: No such discussions have taken place. Information on how to access NHS Talking Therapies services is available from general practitioners, National Health Service mental health providers, voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, and at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set specific targets for the number of (a) self-sampling cervical screening tests distributed and (b) samples received from self-sampling cervical screening tests among different (i) socioeconomic and (ii) ethnic groups. \p Ashley Dalton: Target setting is currently under consideration by NHS England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is planning to take steps to the next HIV Action Plan for England with the principles of the forthcoming Civil Society Covenant. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government recognises the importance of the Civil Society Covenant’s four key principles: recognition; partnership; participation; and transparency. These principles will be reflected in the new HIV Action Plan, which we aim to publish this year.

These are already at the core of the new plan, and we are therefore engaging a wide range of system partners in its development, including the voluntary and community sector (VCS), and people with lived experience. In order to recognise our strong and experienced civil society and to ensure that communities and people can be heard, we recently hosted engagement sessions with approximately 60 VCS and external partners to discuss what the next action plan should look like. Professor Kevin Fenton, the Government’s Chief Advisor on HIV, has also hosted a series of engagement workshops with approximately 250 system partners, including the VCS, industry, primary care, and integrated care board colleagues, to inform our plan.

Department officials have also engaged with officials from across the Government to align resources and efforts in relation to the next HIV Action Plan for England, all of which is being considered in the new plan’s development.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support households (a) with children and (b) on a low income to (i) reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods and (ii) use more minimally processed and nutritious foods. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government’s Eatwell Guide already advises that people should eat more fruit, vegetables, and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat, and less food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt.

The Eatwell Guide principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the NHS.UK website and Government social marketing campaigns. For example, the Better Health Healthier Families website and the Healthy Steps email programme, which aims to help families with primary aged children in England to eat well and move more.

The range of actions that have already been taken to create a healthier environment to help children reduce their consumption of processed foods that are high in energy, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, and to improve access to affordable, minimally processed foods, include:

- the Healthy Start scheme, which supported over 361,000 people in April 2025;

- the Nursery Milk Scheme, which provides a reimbursement to childcare providers in England and Wales for a daily 1/3 pint portion of milk to children and babies; and

- the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, which provides approximately 2.2 million children in Key Stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables per day at school.

In relation to foods and drinks high in calories, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, work on our commitments is progressing through:

- implementing the television and online advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink;

- consulting on plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old; and

- giving local authorities stronger, clearer powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools and where young people congregate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Integrated Care Boards are currently meeting the (a) NHS England service specification for adult specialised HIV services and (b) British HIV Association (BHIVA) Standards of Care for People Living with HIV. \p Ashley Dalton: In April 2024, NHS England published the updated national Service Specification for Adult HIV services, which sets out the mandatory standards of care that National Health Service providers are expected to meet.

It is for integrated care boards, as the responsible commissioners for adult specialised services for people living with HIV, to determine when and how to assess and monitor provider compliance with the service specification.

NHS England would not assess providers against British HIV Association guidelines, although the service specification includes a reference to these guidelines, and commissioners would expect providers to take the guidelines into account when delivering services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to establish a governance framework for (a) monitoring the implementation of and (b) ensuring accountability for the national cancer plan. \p Ashley Dalton: Governance mechanisms for monitoring implementation and ensuring accountability for delivery will be established as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement, published 13 February 2025, if he will make it his policy to ensure (a) local authority and (b) NHS commissioners (i) set appropriate spending targets and (b) reserve contracts specifically for HIV voluntary sector providers. \p Ashley Dalton: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access sexual and reproductive health services through the Public Health Grant (PHG). Individual local authorities decide on spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and commission the blend of services that best suit their population. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care does not have the statutory powers to direct local authorities or National Health Service HIV commissioners in relation to the allocation of the PHG, beyond what is in existing regulations, and therefore cannot compel local commissioners to set specific targets or implement particular service decisions. As such, no spending targets or specifically reserved contracts are being considered.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's timetable is for the national rollout of self-sampling kits to people who have previously been less likely to have had cervical screening under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England will roll out human papillomavirus self-sampling from early 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the steps it plans to take to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of self-sampling for cervical screening compared with clinician-taken samples. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is guided on screening policy by the UK National Screening Committee. The committee is working with National Institute for Health and Care Research and NHS England to develop an In Service Evaluation that will evaluate the clinical effectiveness of self-sampling for cervical screening compared with clinician-taken samples, as well as looking at how self-sampling would impact the routine cervical screening programme if offered to all eligible women.

From January 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more following routine invitation.

Self-sampling will help detect high-risk human papillomavirus, prevent cancer, and save lives in those who currently do not access clinician led screening. However, for those attending clinician testing, a shift to self-sampling might result in a programme that is not yet proven to be of equal efficacy. Further studies to consider whether self-sampling could be used across the whole population are being developed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the potential merits of a UK-wide public health clean air campaign on (a) (i) short-term and (ii) long-term air pollution exposure, (b) sources of (A) indoor and (B) outdoor air pollution and (c) practical advice to reduce personal exposure. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at both an official and ministerial level to tackle air pollution. Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs most recently met on air quality in May 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with support from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a has undertaken an Air Quality Information Systems review, the final report of which was published in March 2025. This was a comprehensive review into the way air quality information is communicated to the public, including short-term and long-term exposure, indoor and outdoor air pollution, and provision of advice for the public on how to reduce their exposure and contribution to air pollution.

Following this report, we will work with the UKHSA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to improve awareness of air pollution and the associated health impacts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle inequalities in access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis among (a) the black community and (b) women. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030. The Department, NHS England, and the UK Health Security Agency are working together on the development of the new HIV Action Plan which we aim to publish this year. We continue to engage and consult with a range of system partners and stakeholders, including local authorities, as we develop the plan. The plan will consider ways to expand pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services and improve equity and access to PrEP for all communities, focusing on underserved groups such as the black African community and women.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to develop a national strategy for trauma-informed mental health care in England. \p Stephen Kinnock: Trauma informed care is a key theme within National Health Service national guidance. The Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults sets out that interventions available from integrated services should include access to trauma-informed care.

As part of its Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme, NHS England has developed care standards for mental health inpatient care to support its vision of inpatient care being trauma informed, autism informed and culturally competent.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waste in the NHS. \p Ashley Dalton: There are a range of initiatives in the National Health Service to tackle waste, ranging from locally managed walking aid refurbishment schemes to innovative projects on the reuse of surgical textiles. NHS England has also been working to reduce the wastage of medicines, as recommended in the National Overprescribing Review in 2020.

In addition, in October 2024, the Department published the Design for Life roadmap, a new strategy to transition away from all avoidable single-use medical technology products towards a functioning circular system by 2045. The Design for life Roadmap is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679ca015a9ee53687470a2ed/design-for-life-roadmap.pdf

Single-use medical devices such as tourniquets and scissors, as well as high-tech electronic devices like harmonic shears, are often expensive and are thrown away after a single use. The programme is building on examples of where NHS organisations are already achieving cost, waste, and carbon savings.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Alex McIntyre:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS 10-Year health plan (a) prioritises areas of economic deprivation and (b) effectively meets the needs of working people. \p Ashley Dalton: The focus of the 10-Year Health Plan is to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it. We cannot do this without tackling health inequalities, including for working class people and those living in areas of economic deprivation. Addressing healthcare inequalities is a fundamental part of the Health Mission and the 10-Year Health Plan.

Our reimagined NHS will be designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as giving everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.

Furthermore, patients will be able to leave feedback easily and confidently, which will amplify patient voices, particularly for those who face worse healthcare access, experiences, and outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Alex McIntyre:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in Gloucester. \p Ashley Dalton: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

The England Rare Diseases Action Plan committed to developing a funding mechanism that incentivises centres to undertake whole body scans for individuals with rare conditions resulting in a predisposition to cancer. NHS England has now agreed to proceed with the process for identifying providers of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging scanning services for adults and children with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Anyone identified with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in Gloucestershire will receive counselling and support from the specialist clinical genetics service hosted at the University Hospitals Bristol and the Weston NHS Foundation Trust, with satellite clinics held in Gloucestershire. Testing and support for their families will also be offered by the Bristol service. Children identified with Li-Fraumeni are cared for by specialist paediatric teams at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Ongoing surveillance and screening for cancer, as well as opportunities to take part in research trials, are offered as appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing the soft drinks industry levy and (b) lowering the threshold for drinks to be subject to the levy. \p Ashley Dalton: HM Treasury is the department responsible for taxation policy. The Department of Health and Social Care provides input and support as appropriate.

Indicative analysis has been conducted by the Department to estimate the calorie reduction through reformulation and substitution to alternative drinks, and the subsequent health and economic benefits as a result of the proposed changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL). This includes lowering the standard sugar threshold from 5 grams to 4 grams total sugar per 100 millilitres, and removing the current exemption for pre-packaged milk based and milk substitute drinks.

Where the proposed changes to the SDIL are successful in influencing behaviour and lowering consumption of high sugar drinks, positive health and economic outcomes are expected from reduced calorie intake in diets. The indicative analysis estimates per person per day calorie reductions of 0.9 kcal in five to 10 year olds, 2.1 kcal in 11 to 18 year olds, 1.2 kcal in 19 to 64 year olds, and 0.5 kcal in those aged 65 years old and over. This is the equivalent to approximately 15 million kcals per day in children and 46 million kcals per day in adults on a population level in England. The contribution to the calorie reduction from the two proposed changes to the SDIL varies by age group, however, as an example for those aged 19 to 64 years old, the contribution is 85% for reducing the lower sugar threshold and 15% for removing the previous exemptions for milk-based and milk substitute drinks.

These calorie reductions could achieve health and economic benefits of approximately £4.2 billion over 25 years, including:

- reduced morbidity, which could result in reduced cost pressures to the National Health Service, resulting in NHS savings of £100 million;

- wider health benefits to the population through improved quality of life, leading to reduced mortality and premature morbidity, which are estimated to be worth approximately £3.1 billion;

- social care savings that could amount to £100 million; and

- reduced morbidity and premature mortality, which could be expected to deliver approximately £800 million in economic output through additional labour force participation.

The Department has not done an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the SDIL.
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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of health inequalities on the (a) demand for and (b) cost of delivering NHS services in Bournemouth. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Health Service is responsible for determining allocations to the integrated care boards (ICBs). In allocating budgets, they have two aims: equal opportunity of access for equal need; and reducing health inequalities that are amenable to NHS healthcare. There are a range of adjustments made in the core ICB allocations formula that account for the fact that the costs of providing health care may vary in coastal areas like Bournemouth.

The NHS South West Regional Team, whose area includes Bournemouth, provides assurance and support on inequalities, system performance, and productivity. Engagement with key stakeholders in the region is undertaken through the Regional Reducing Inequalities Group.

In response to the NHS’s Statement on Information on Health Inequalities, NHS Dorset publishes an annual report on health inequalities which includes comprehensive information relating to the 24 health inequality indicators by ICBs as a whole, and where relevant by the NHS trust specifically. Further information on the NHS’s Statement on Information on Health Inequalities and the latest annual report on health inequalities is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-englands-statement-on-information-on-health-inequalities/

https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Health-Inequalities-annual-report-2024.pdf
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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what methods the NHS uses to sterilise equipment to help prevent vCJD contamination; how long these methods have been used for; and what assessment he has made on the effectiveness of these methods. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Health Service in England employs a stratified approach, combining extended autoclaving, enhanced washing, prion specific chemicals, and the destruction of high-risk instruments. The Health Technical Memorandum 01-01: Management and decontamination of surgical instruments (medical devices) used in acute care, published in 2013 and owned by the Department, outlines the decontamination practices and the various ways to sterilise reusable medical devices used in acute care in England. This technical memorandum is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/decontamination-of-surgical-instruments-htm-01-01/

The Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) issued new guidance to the NHS in April 1998 in response to the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) outbreak, to improve decontamination practices. Its guidance is reviewed and updated to ensure it remains accurate, effective, and compliant with current scientific evidence, and was last updated in November 2021. The ACDP’s guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-from-the-acdp-tse-risk-management-subgroup-formerly-tse-working-group

Since decontamination measures were put in place, there have been no confirmed cases of vCJD via surgical instruments in England.
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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take legislative steps to ensure vapes have a minimum number of refill options to be defined as reusable. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs introduced a ban on single use vapes on 1 June, which ensures that all products must be designed and intended to be reused. To be refillable, a product should have a replaceable pod or a tank that a user can add liquid to.

To compliment this and tackle youth vaping, the Department for Health and Social Care is also taking powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to enable regulation of many features of the design of a vape. This may include regulations on the size of a tank or refill container, the amount of liquid that can be included, as well as powers to standardise the size and shape of vapes, and to further restrict liquid availability.

The Government will consider this issue further as part of its secondary legislation programme following Royal Assent of the bill.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the UK Health Security Agency is taking through Strategic Commissioning Group to support Birmingham City Council in tackling the public health risks associated with household waste. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued standard public health guidance to Birmingham City Council regarding the risks associated with household waste, with the aim of minimising the potential health impacts on residents. This guidance is available on the Birmingham City Council website, at the following link:

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20009/waste_and_recycling/3020/waste_and_recycling_industrial_action_-_faq_for_residents/6

The UKHSA is an active member of the multi-agency Strategic Coordinating Group and has contributed to the risk assessment concerning the potential health effects of uncollected waste. The UKHSA will continue providing expert advice and support to Birmingham City Council for as long as necessary.

In addition, the UKHSA is closely monitoring infection rates, including leptospirosis, which could be influenced by the accumulation of refuse. As of now, there has been no reported increase in leptospirosis cases among Birmingham residents since the industrial action began.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have published statutory guidance on the Waste Duty of Care: Code of Practice, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support research into how neurodiverse conditions manifest in women. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The NIHR is funding a number of research projects on neurodiverse conditions including research into a new psychometric tool assessing the presentation of autism in women.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and social care, including neurodiverse conditions. 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 neurodiverse 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.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_30

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to establish a regular bladder cancer audit to (a) reduce data gaps in the reporting of (i) incidence and (ii) staging, (b) capture data on inequalities and (c) provide an evidence base for addressing unwarranted variation in early diagnosis and outcomes for bladder cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Cancer Programme commissioned the Royal College of Surgeons to deliver six new clinical audits, in primary breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and kidney cancer, on top of four existing audits in bowel, lung, oesophago-gastric, and prostate cancer. These audits were chosen because analysts considered that they are the cancers which audits would have the most potential to reduce unwarranted variation in treatment and outcomes. For these reasons, there are no plans to undertake a clinical audit for bladder cancer.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with bladder cancer, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_31

Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of training (a) modules and (b) courses on domestic abuse undertaken by frontline staff were (i) standalone and (ii) integrated with other training programmes broken down by discipline of staff. \p Ashley Dalton: Health professionals are trained to identify and respond to domestic abuse using blended learning methods including e-learning, in-person training, and supervision.

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that staff complete mandatory safeguarding training, which includes a focus on domestic abuse. Level 1 mandatory safeguarding training for all staff is captured on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Each National Health Service provider holds its own ESR data which is not collated nationally, and therefore the Department does not hold the information requested. Staff will undertake further domestic abuse training relevant to their role.

National mandatory safeguarding training for all NHS staff is being strengthened for launch in early 2026. This will reinforce the safeguarding responsibilities of staff and will support them in identifying and responding to victims of abuse.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_32

Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NHS England Genomics Education Programme in improving healthcare professional awareness and understanding of (a) aplastic anaemia and (b) other rare diseases. \p Ashley Dalton: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.

NHS England’s flagship GeNotes resource, developed by NHS England's Genomics Education Programme, is aimed at healthcare professionals in order to continue their growth, and has more than 500 resources featured across nine specialties. Aplastic anaemia is not currently included in GeNotes. The Genomics Education Programme is also developing a range of training and educational resources on rare diseases, to include rare diseases in United Kingdom health professional education and training frameworks. Work continues to expand the programme’s coverage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_33

Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has (a) the Department for Health and Social Care and (b) NHS England given to voluntary, community and social enterprises organisations for the commissioning of HIV services in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: As part of the development of the new HIV Action Plan, the Department, through its HIV Prevention England Programme (HPE), recently hosted engagement sessions with approximately 60 voluntary and community Sector (VCS) and external partners. Professor Kevin Fenton, the Government’s Chief Advisor on HIV, has also hosted a series of engagement workshops with approximately 250 system partners, including the VCS and people with lived experience. These discussions highlighted the impact of trends in the level of funding provided to HIV charities, and are being considered as we develop the new HIV Action Plan, which we aim to publish this year.

In 2025/26, the Department is investing £1.5 million to fund HPE, which is being delivered by the Terrence Higgins Trust. Furthermore, a key component of the Government’s successful HIV emergency department opt-out testing programme includes a recommendation that 10% of the funding allocated to each site should be used to support community and peer support services for individuals diagnosed with a blood borne virus. The Department does not hold detailed financial information on locally commissioned HIV services.

Funding for future work will be determined by the Spending Review. Although we have reached an overall settlement for the Department, the details of the budget allocations are still being determined. The Department is working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans as soon as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_34

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that people in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural areas benefit from technology enabled independent living. \p Stephen Kinnock: As part of the immediate reforms announced in January 2025, the Government has committed to setting new national standards for care technologies and to developing trusted guidance. This information will help people who draw on care, and their loved ones, to confidently buy effective, compatible products for their homes.

Furthermore, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are working together to ensure people in hard-to-reach communities who require care technology to live independently can access fast, reliable connectivity. This includes continued investment in Project Gigabit to expand gigabit-capable broadband, and the Shared Rural Network, which has already extended 4G coverage to 95% of the United Kingdom.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_35

Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of real-term reductions to the public health grant on HIV (a) prevention and (b) support services delivered by the voluntary sector. \p Ashley Dalton: In 2025/26 we increased funding through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 5.4% cash increase and a 3% real terms increase to support the improvement of the delivery of public health services, including sexual and reproductive health services. This marks the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending. It is at the discretion of individual local authorities to determine spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, including the role of the voluntary and community sector in the delivery of prevention and support services.

Funding for future work will be determined by the Spending Review. Although we have reached an overall settlement for the Department, the details of the budget allocations are still being determined. The Department is working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans as soon as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-08 conversation_36

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to ensure that unpaid carers are guaranteed respite breaks. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government is determined to recognise the crucial role that unpaid carers play in caring for family and friends and helping people to remain at home. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.

The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.

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 start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.

In addition, through measures in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are equipping and supporting carers by making them more visible, empowering their voices in care planning, joining up services, and streamlining their caring tasks by introducing a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App.