theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's plans are for the future of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. \p Martin McCluskey: The Government is working on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon.

On 18 November, the Government published the response to the recent consultation, which closed on 11 June. This provides detail on amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which will be implemented from next year.

These changes are designed to increase access, stimulate further demand, and enhance existing consumer protections, making low carbon heating technologies more accessible to a wider range of property owners and small businesses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made on the development of large-scale solar farms. \p Michael Shanks: Ground mount solar is one of the cheapest and fastest technologies to deploy, and will be crucial if we are to achieve our mission to deliver clean power by 2030. The Clean Power Action Plan calls for 45-47GW of solar capacity in 2030, up from around 20GW today.

Decisions over the sizing of projects are left to developers. However, we expect large-scale solar farms to provide a substantial portion of the extra capacity needed by 2030, alongside rooftop solar.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of offshore wind on marine life. \p Michael Shanks: The National Policy Statements for energy set out that each offshore wind planning application must satisfy a number of grounds before it can go ahead. These include how the developer is avoiding, mitigating and compensating for impacts on the natural environment, as well as how any mitigation and compensation will be delivered. Information on individual planning applications can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

The Government has committed to delivering the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, which will help accelerate offshore wind delivery while continuing to protect the marine environment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether transition plans will be integrated within the UK’s Sustainability Reporting Standards framework. \p Chris McDonald: The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that transition plan requirements are proportionate and flexible for small and medium-sized enterprises. \p Chris McDonald: The government is clear that it wants any future requirements to be proportionate and that the focus will be on economically significant entities where there is likely a significant investor and public interest. As a result, small to medium-sized companies are not envisaged as being within the scope of any future requirements set by the government. The FCA has independent decision-making powers for companies in scope of any future transition plan requirements they set.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take to ensure local communities are consulted on the safety of proposed battery storage sites. \p Michael Shanks: Developers of standalone grid-scale batteries must seek planning approval as outlined in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This requires local planning authorities to undertake a formal period of public consultation for at least 21 days. Those living near to the proposed site may offer views or detailed information relevant to the application, including on safety measures.

Planning Practice Guidance recommends that developers should also engage with local fire services ahead of submitting their planning application.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Luke Myer:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 73868 on Boilers and Heat Pumps: Sales, whether he has made an assessment of the potential commercial sensitivities associated with the publication of sales figures collected for the purposes of the administration of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism. \p Martin McCluskey: The Department will receive independently verified sales data after the conclusion of the first scheme year, in summer 2026, and data on the full compliance cycle for that scheme year in late 2026.

The government is continuing to assess the options for publishing certain Clean Heat Market Mechanism scheme data, for instance aggregate verified annual data, taking into account the commercial sensitivities of different approaches.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90013 on UK Internal Trade, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, what proportion of the 96% movements by value moved without the payment of a duty (a) were made in compliance with (i) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1128 of 24 March 2023 and (ii) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023 and (b) were made under the full EU Customs Code, Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013. \p Hilary Benn: The role of the Independent Monitoring Panel does not cover reporting on the legislative basis under which movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing immunity from prosecution of perpetrators of crimes during the Troubles on their likelihood of (a) giving and (b) withholding testimony about unsolved murders of which they have knowledge; and what the evidence basis is for that assessment. \p Hilary Benn: The provisions in the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on immunity were found to be incompatible with our human rights obligations and never commenced. Those provisions were, in any case, opposed by political parties, by victims and survivors across communities in Northern Ireland, and by those veterans who saw immunity as an affront to the rule of law that they sought to protect, and as implying a moral equivalence between those who served the State in Northern Ireland and those who committed heinous terrorist crimes.

The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will provide victims and families with the greatest possible opportunity to obtain the information they seek regarding Troubles-related incidents. The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery already has significant powers, including powers to require disclosure from state bodies (that will, of course, include significant records pertaining to the actions of terrorist organisations), and the power to compel witnesses.

It is using those powers as part of its ongoing investigations into cases such as the Guildford Pub Bombings, the M62 Coach Bombings, and the Warrenpoint attack. All of these incidents were perpetrated by the IRA, and the ICRIR is seeking to provide answers for bereaved families of service personnel who were brutally murdered in those attacks.

Building on these powers, the Troubles Bill introduces provisions to further enhance the Commission’s investigative functions, and to further strengthen the disclosure regime to ensure that it is fair and transparent, and allows the greatest possible amount of information to be published, within the necessary safeguards of national security. This will be supported by the Irish Government’s commitment to provide the fullest possible cooperation of the Irish authorities with a reformed Commission, giving access to information for families that would otherwise not be available.

Furthermore, the Troubles Bill sets out that the Government will establish, alongside the Irish Government and on a pilot basis, the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval. This will be an international body that will seek to give families an additional means to retrieve information about Troubles-related deaths. Any information disclosed by individuals to the ICIR will be inadmissible in criminal and civil proceedings. The work of the ICIR must not impinge on criminal investigations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the assurances he gave during his opening speech at the Second Reading of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, that nobody who had taken part in paramilitary activity would be able to participate in the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group, what clause within the Bill underpins those assurances. \p Hilary Benn: Clause 8(3) of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill sets out that appointments to the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group are made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following the consultation set out in Clause 9.

The Government will not appoint anyone who was previously involved in paramilitary activity to the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-24)

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Cat Smith:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Committee has made an assessment of the (a) public's perception of the independence of the Commission and (b) potential impact of the Electoral Commission strategy and policy statement, published on 29 February 2024, on the public's perception of the Commission's independence. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission publishes annual research on public attitudes to elections and democracy. In the latest study, published in April 2025, 52% of respondents said they trust the Commission to be an independent regulator. Historical data is available on the Commission's website.

The Commission strives to foster public trust in its independence and ensure it is clear for voters and campaigners to see. It remains opposed to the principle of a strategy and policy statement, by which a government can guide its work, because it could be used in ways that might damage political party or public trust.

In February 2025, the Commission reported to the Speaker's Committee on how it had had regard to the Strategy and Policy Statement, designated by the then-UK Government in Febrary 2024. The Commission balanced its duties and responsibilities as they related to the statement with the regard it gives to other factors, particularly the will, priorities and legislative agendas of the UK's three parliaments, and its statutory duties.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Solicitor General, how much the Government Legal Department has spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five years. \p Ellie Reeves: The Government Legal Department has not incurred any translation and interpretation services costs in the last five years.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Solicitor General, how much the Crown Prosecution Service has spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five years. \p Ellie Reeves: There has been a significant increase in demand, as well as costs for translation services post Covid. This has led to a necessary increase in expenditure on translation and interpretation services. We continue to regularly monitor expenditure to ensure best value for money for taxpayers.

Crown Prosecution Service has spent the following on translation and interpretation services over the last five financial years:

Financial year

Spend

2020-21

£484,087

2021-22

£811,458

2022-23

£888,170

2023-24

£1,012,710

2024-25

£1,104,021
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Lola McEvoy:To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to help tackle differences in sentencing guidelines that contribute to uses of the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme. \p Ellie Reeves: Sentencing decisions in individual cases are a matter for our independent judiciary. Sentencers must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, issued by the Sentencing Council, unless not in the interests of justice to do so. The guidelines provide a structured approach for sentencers to follow and are designed to help enhance consistency and transparency in sentencing.

The Sentencing Council keeps the guidelines under review continuously. Cases will vary widely in seriousness and complexity. Constantly evolving case law also helps to shape and influence how these are applied.

The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme allows Law Officers to ask the Court of Appeal to review exceptional cases where there has been a gross error, or the sentence is unduly lenient.

The Sentencing Council itself is within the policy area of the MOJ and my office, with its public interest role in bringing justice in qualifying cases only, is necessarily independent of it.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to paragraph 221 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, how many answers to Written Parliamentary Questions have (a) declined to provide information on the grounds that it should be sought via the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and (b) withheld information that would ordinarily be disclosable under that Act in this Parliament; what steps he is taking to ensure departmental compliance with that principle; what data his office holds on the (i) number of such (A) answers and (B) subsequent corrections and (ii) departmental performance against (1) timeliness and (2) completeness standards; and if he will place in the Library a list of such answers, including UIN and date, broken down by department. \p Sir Alan Campbell: The information requested is not held by the Government. Data on response times to written parliamentary questions (PQs) is published following the end of every session by the House of Commons Procedure Committee.

I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to parliamentary questions.

As the Hon. Member will be aware, the Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool to hold Departments to account.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on (a) cashflow, (b) income and (c) patient access to medication of practices of receiving re-imbursement monthly rather than quarterly for each prescription submitted. \p Stephen Kinnock: Contractors are already paid monthly. The full payment timetable for community pharmacy contractors is detailed in Clause 5C Part I of the Drug Tariff, and on the Schedule of Payments that contractors receive each month.

In 2021, in recognition of the improved automation of the claims process, the timing of the advanced payment was brought forward by 20 days to improve cash flow.

Contractors receive an advance payment early in the month. This covers an estimate of the full income from claims submitted for the previous month. A reconciliation payment follows two months later, when all the claims have been fully processed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the letter from NHS England to NHS Trusts of 24 December 2024, for what reasons the radiotherapy machines fund guidelines exclude the cost of updating critical bunker protections. \p Andrew Gwynne: The £70 million of funding is for new radiotherapy machines. The responsibility for costs relating to other aspects of radiotherapy treatment remains with local systems.
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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what involvement (a) he and (b) his Ministers had in setting the (i) guidance and (ii) spending limits for the Government's radiotherapy machine fund. \p Andrew Gwynne: The £70 million of funding for new radiotherapy machines will be allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England has developed. Officials from the Department have been engaged with NHS England officials in discussions about how the funding will be allocated.
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Peter Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for mental health professionals to be present in schools; and what qualifications they will have. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for children and young people. That is why we will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across child and adult mental health services, and introduce a specialist mental health professional in every school.

We will set out our timeline for introducing access to specialist mental health professionals in due course. It is a minimum for a specialist mental health professional to have at least a level three vocational qualification, or equivalent level of relevant study.
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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that mandatory suicide prevention training for all frontline workers is (a) fully funded and (b) effectively implemented in (i) healthcare, (ii) education, (iii) prisons and probation, (v) emergency services, and (v) money, housing, and employment services. \p Stephen Kinnock: As part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we have set out our commitment to deliver a renewed drive to tackle the biggest killers, including suicide, while ensuring people live well for longer. As part of this, an additional 8,500 mental health workers will be recruited across child and adult mental health services, and those new workers will be specially trained to support people at risk.

The NHS is committed to ensuring that all healthcare professionals receive the necessary mental health training to meet the current and future needs of patients. NHS England has responsibility for working with partners to plan, recruit, educate, and train the health workforce. In September 2023, NHS England published its suicide prevention toolkit for NHS staff to use.

It is for employers in the other emergency services, education, prisons and probation, money, housing, and employment services to ensure that their staff receive the appropriate training needed in order to carry out their duties effectively.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to retain the three objectives on cancer in the forthcoming NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Operational Planning Guidance is due to be published within the coming weeks. It will reference key cancer performance objectives.
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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what testing requirements are in place in the approval process to identify the different impacts of medicines on men and women. \p Karin Smyth: As part of the approval process for new drugs, the impact of sex, on men versus women, is assessed on pharmacokinetics, or exposure, pharmacodynamics, and overall efficacy and safety. The data is assessed in terms of whether any dose adjustments are warranted. Data in pregnant and breast-feeding women is also required where relevant.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of NHS treatment for pensioners in winter (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2023-24. \p Karin Smyth: The information requested is not held centrally.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Oral Statement of 15 January 2025 on Winter Update, if he will publish a list of the locations of the 24 critical incidents declared in the week of 6 January 2025. \p Karin Smyth: On 7 January 2025, there were a total of 24 active critical incidents reported, as referenced by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in his oral statement of 15 January 2025. The following table shows a list of the 24 National Health Service organisations where the critical incidents were declared:

NHS organisation

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

NHS England East of England Region

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

NHS Devon Integrated Care Board

As of 21st January, 23 of the critical incidents declared above have been stood down. University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust remains active.
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Peter Prinsley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to NHS England of treating complications arising from surgeries undertaken overseas by UK residents. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not have data on the overall costs to the National Health Service for treating complications from surgeries conducted overseas. We are exploring ways to improve our understanding of the scale of the cost to the NHS.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2024 to Question 20962 on NHS: Staff, whether the engagement on the NHS workforce plan will include (a) a formal consultation separate to that on the 10 year health plan and (b) health charities as a key stakeholder group. \p Karin Smyth: The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and ensure patients get the treatment they need, when and where they need it.

No formal statutory public consultation is planned. In the development of the plan, we will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including health charities and trade unions, to ensure needs of staff and patients are considered.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on patient data that would indicate disease progression at point of diagnosis in blood cancers. \p Karin Smyth: The National Disease Registration Service, through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services (NCRAS), collects information on how many people in England have cancer. Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. The National Disease Registration Service’s website also shows the number of people treated for different tumour types by treatment type, as well as survival rates, mortality rates, and data on urgent suspected cancer referrals. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/

All cases of cancer diagnosed and treated in the National Health Service in England are registered by the NCRAS. This creates a clinically rich data resource that is used to measure diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with cancer. The data held by the NCRAS supports service provision and commissioning in the NHS, clinical audits, and public health and epidemiology.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

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Peter Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to make ormeloxifene available. \p Karin Smyth: There are currently no plans to make ormeloxifene available. It is critical that medicines used in the United Kingdom are safe and effective and as such, medicines cannot be marketed in the UK without a marketing authorisation. These are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which assesses all medicines with regard to their quality, safety, and effectiveness. Ormeloxifene has not been licensed by the MHRA. It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for a marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly.

In England, most new licensed medicines are appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of ormeloxifene seeks a licence from the MHRA, then it may be considered for evaluation by the NICE.
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Anna Dixon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 on Enzyme Replacement Therapy: Drugs, what progress his Department has made in tackling shortages of (a) ADHD medication, (b) Creon and (c) other medications used in the management of (i) enzyme deficiency disorders and (ii) cystic fibrosis. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has continued to work hard with industry and NHS England to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. As a result of intensive work, some issues have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.

We are continuing to work to resolve medicine supply issues, where they remain, for some strengths of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We are engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term.

In parallel, the Department has worked with specialist clinicians, including those within the National Health Service, to develop management advice for NHS clinicians to consider prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged release tablets or available alternative ADHD medicines. We would expect ADHD service providers and specialists to follow our guidance, which includes offering rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice or opinions for the management of patients, including those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.

The Department is also continuing to engage with suppliers of Creon and other pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERT) to boost production to mitigate the supply issue. The supplier of Creon expects to receive increased quantities for 2025. Suppliers of alternative PERT and specialist importers of unlicensed medicines continue to supply increased volumes to assist in covering the gap in the market. In December, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public facing page to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice, including advice on preserving the available stock of alternative PERT for certain patient cohorts.
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Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the next round of discussions between NHS pay review bodies and health unions. \p Karin Smyth: The Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) consider evidence submitted to them from a range of stakeholders, including from trade unions, before making recommendations on the level of annual pay awards. Some trade unions have chosen not to submit evidence.

The Department has published its written evidence to the PRBs, setting out its evidence for 2025/26 across a wide range of areas such as recruitment, retention, motivation, and morale.

Oral evidence sessions are due to take place in January and February 2025. We expect to receive reports from the PRBs in the spring.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he is measuring the delivery of 40,000 more NHS appointments a week. \p Karin Smyth: Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission, and we will deliver an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments during our first year in Government, which is equivalent to 40,000 per week, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring that patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks.

The Department regularly monitors the number of appointments the National Health Service is delivering using internal management information. Official measurement of the additional appointments will be published at the earliest opportunity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to roll out immunotherapy for cancer treatment more widely. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops evidence-based guidance on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE aims to publish recommendations as close as possible to the point of licensing, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, usually within three months of final guidance. NICE recommended cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund from the point of a draft recommendation.

The NICE has evaluated and recommended a large number of immunotherapies for the treatment of different cancers that are now routinely available to eligible NHS patients in England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_18

Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medicinal approvals used female physiology as a baseline for testing in each of the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency does not capture this information in a searchable format, however this information would be available in Public Assessment Reports and summaries of product characteristics, where relevant. These documents are available at the following link:

https://products.mhra.gov.uk/
wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_19
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_19

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average wait time in Southampton General Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department was in (a) December 2024 and (b) January 2025. \p Karin Smyth: The data is not available in the format requested. The latest provisional published data for the median average time spent at emergency departments at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust for November 2024 was 232 minutes. Information relating to December 2024 will be published on 13 February 2025, and information relating to January 2025 will be published on 13 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_20

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to replace the NHS pay review body process with collective bargaining. \p Karin Smyth: There are no plans to replace the National Health Service’s Pay Review Body process with direct negotiation. We published written evidence to the Pay Review Bodies as per the usual process on 10 December 2024, and oral evidence sessions are due to take place in January and February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_21

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS funded IVF treatment in Eastleigh constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Funding decisions for health services in England are made by the integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. ICBs are expected to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines. We are aware that compliance with these guidelines is variable.

The NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guideline and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect this review to be published later in 2025.

The Department is working with NHS England to consider future policy options to support ICBs to provide more equitable in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. No assessment has been made of the of NHS-funded IVF treatment in the Eastleigh consistuency.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_22

Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support for out of hours doctors services in (a) Tiverton and Minehead constituency and (b) England. \p Karin Smyth: No such assessment has been made by the Department. The commissioning of out of hours services, and to what extent those services are supported, is the responsibility of local commissioners in partnership with their providers, and in the best interest of their populations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_23

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) funding and (b) availability of the Sleepio app for people with insomnia. \p Karin Smyth: There is currently no central funding from NHS England to support the national commissioning of digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia to integrated care boards.

Sleepio remains available for local commissioning by integrated care systems, should they choose to commission this product, as part of local insomnia care and treatment pathways.

No further assessments relating to the funding or availability of this product at a national level are currently planned.
wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_24
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_24

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Healthcare Visa scheme prioritises (a) ethical recruitment practices and (b) safeguards against the exploitation of migrant healthcare professionals. \p Karin Smyth: The Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel prioritises stringent ethical standards for employers and recruiters to follow when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas on the Health and Care Worker visa. A guiding principle of the code is that international health and social care personnel will have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestically trained staff in all terms of employment and conditions of work.

The Department has also published guidance on applying for a health or care job in the United Kingdom from abroad to address the risks facing international candidates with regards to scams and workplace exploitation. The guidance aims to ensure that candidates are well informed about living and working in the UK, warned about the risks, and know who to contact if they have concerns.

NHS England’s NHS Equality, Improvement and Diversity Plan sets out, and encourages organisations to implement, a comprehensive induction, onboarding, and development programme for internationally recruited staff, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued right from the start of their career. This includes the need to ensure there is clear communication, support, and guidance on the conditions of their employment.

Pay uplifts for nurses and other healthcare staff employed directly on national contracts are determined through the Government responding to recommendations from the Pay Review Bodies (PRB). The PRBs base their recommendations on a range of factors including the economic context, cost of living, recruitment and retention, morale, and the motivation of National Health Service staff.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_25

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of 15 January 2025, Official Report, column 363, and pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 19158 on GPs, what the evidential basis is that there are hundreds of GPs recruited by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_26

Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with long term physical disabilities to access secondary care including (a) hydrotherapy, (b) physiotherapy and (c) acupuncture without re-referrals. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_27

Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to extend the New Patient Premium scheme. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_28

Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what notice general dental practice contract holders will receive on changes to the new patient premium; and what the Government's policy is on notifying contract holders of changes to their contractual arrangements. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_29

Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has allocated funding to organisations controlled by (a) the Hong Kong Trade Office, (b) the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and (c) Confucius Institutes. \p Alex Norris: Checks are conducted on all organisations that receive money from the Department to be satisfied insofar as is possible with the information available, that the organisation is suitable to receive Government funding.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_30

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024, who will carry existing debt held by local authorities where a local government restructuring occurs. \p Jim McMahon: It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government re-organisation does not change this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_31

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question xx-xxxx-xxxx on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Consultants and Special Advisers and pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5420 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pentland Communications and Sovereign Strategy, if she will list all meetings held between her Department's special advisers and representatives of (a) Sovereign Strategy and (b) Pentland Communications since 5 July 2024 that are not otherwise in scope of the transparency requirements set out in the Cabinet Office guidance entitled Special advisers’ gifts and hospitality received, and meetings with Senior Media Figures, published on 2 April 2024. \p Alex Norris: In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of external meetings held by Special Advisers are only published in line with the requirements set out in guidance here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-24 conversation_32

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of employees who will be impacted by the closure of the Department’s office in Truro; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this closure on those employees. \p Alex Norris: As at the 30 November 2024 there were 15 MHCLG employees based in the Truro office. The Department are consulting staff and Trade Unions on the decision to close the Truro office. This consultation will consider the impact on the individuals affected with a view to putting in place measures to mitigate that impact and enable them to continue to perform their roles effectively.