theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 72570 on National Security: Infrastructure, what progress he has made on developing a new Cyber Resilience Index. \p Dan Jarvis: The government is working tirelessly to improve the cyber resilience of our most critical services and systems, including the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). Improving our understanding of the cyber risk we are carrying as a nation is fundamental to this. In order to build a better understanding of cyber risk, we are developing a new Cyber Resilience Index (CRI) which will build on existing measures of cyber resilience to provide a cross-sector, holistic overview of cyber resilience for UK CNI, allowing us to target resilience building efforts.

The Cabinet Office is working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and CNI Lead Government Departments to progress the CRI. We are keen for this to be a collaborative process so that the Index delivers for all CNI sectors. More widely, the upcoming Cyber Security & Resilience Bill will also address the evolving cyber risk picture for CNI sectors across the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-08)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 72570 on National Security: Infrastructure, if he will publish the list of businesses that he provided advice on security and resilience best practice. \p Dan Jarvis: As set out in the Resilience Action Plan on 14 July, the Government is actively engaging with the private sector to ensure a whole of society approach to building and strengthening resilience. This takes place via a range of conduits to build on existing relationships and expertise, including through business networks, such as Resilience First and the Confederation of British Industry. Lead Government Departments hold responsibility for sector specific engagement, and the National Technical Authorities (National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority) also provide advice to UK industry, including industry classified as Critical National Infrastructure, on security and resilience best practice.

There are no plans to publish a list of business engagements, given the different fora that these conversations take place within.
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Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of emergency alerts being displayed in the language that the recipient's phone is set to. \p Dan Jarvis: The Emergency Alert system is a UK Government capability that allows time critical life saving information to be broadcast to phones within a certain area.

English is the primary language Emergency Alerts are sent in. This is to ensure standardisation in message clarity and avoids the risk that any rushed translation may result in messaging which poorly conveys the necessary action to the recipient. However, where practicable, alerts impacting Wales will be sent in both English and Welsh.

Local Resilience Forums also work with partners in a local area to alert people of an emergency. Owing to their local knowledge of each area, the Local Resilience Forums are well-equipped to ensure the relevant information is communicated to non-English speakers.

The Cabinet Office will consider the feasibility for future technical improvements to the system in which an alert would come through in the language set by the individual user.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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David Mundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on departmental responsibility for cannabis-based medicinal products. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Home Office leads on drug legislation and the Department of Health and Social Care and its Arm’s Length Bodies oversee healthcare and medicine regulation. This regulatory framework applies to all drugs under Schedules 1-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, including cannabis-based products for medicinal use.

No changes are planned to the current responsibilities. The Government has asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to review the impact of the 2018 change in the law, which enabled the widened use of cannabis-based products for medicines, and will consider the recommendations in the usual way.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Sarah Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the role of school nurses in tackling health inequalities. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: School nurses are crucial in tackling health inequalities but we know we can do more to support them. That is why we are updating the Healthy Child Programme guidance, informed by the Department for Education, which will strengthen school nurses’ impact.

Alongside this, our commitment to publishing a new Professional Strategy for all nurses and midwives will help increase their impact in reducing health inequalities across the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Peter Swallow:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS patients in Bracknell Forest can access clinical trials. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: There is a revolution taking place in medical science, and we want the next generation of treatments to be discovered, developed and distributed here in Britain. As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we will fast-track clinical trials set up times to 150 days by March 2026.

The Department is supporting National Health Service patients in Bracknell Forest to access clinical trials through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the government plans to publish the National Cancer Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Cancer Plan is due to be published in the new year. We have received more than 11,000 responses to our Call for Evidence and have had significant ongoing engagement with patients, clinicians, and charities. This decision has been taken in consultation with patient groups and key stakeholders. It is right to take time to ensure the National Cancer Plan is ambitious, strategic, and sustainable, setting the direction for the next 10 years. This is essential in achieving the Prime Minister's Health Mission goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer and build a National Health Service that is fit for the future.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to diagnose Parkinson's. \p Ashley Dalton: We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.

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

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

The guideline is available at the following link:

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

We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025 provided to question 86540, how many new radiotherapy treatment machines will be provided to a) Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (b) Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. \p Ashley Dalton: As part of the Government’s £70 million investment in new radiotherapy treatment machines, the Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will receive one LINAC radiotherapy machine to replace an existing machine. The Oxford University Hospitals Trust will not receive any new radiotherapy machines from this investment. Responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines remains with local systems.

NHS Trusts which have radiotherapy treatment machines were invited to apply last year to replace a machine, with funding coming from the £70m investment. Machine allocation was based on various criteria such as the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 86272 from the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on:
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average annual cost of treating a person with HIV. \p Ashley Dalton: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and care remain world class in England and the success of HIV treatment is today enabling people with HIV to live long healthy lives. Effective HIV treatment also means those with an undetectable viral load cannot pass on HIV.

The cost of adult HIV care varies depending at what stage someone is diagnosed, and on their general health and other relevant health conditions. No official estimate has been made of the average cost of treating an adult for HIV for this reason.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will work with patients and charities in the development of a successor to the UK Rare Diseases Framework. \p Ashley Dalton: Patient voice is an underpinning theme of the UK Rare Diseases Framework, and we are committed to ensuring that the patient voice is a key driver of the action plans published under this framework. The UK Rare Diseases Framework was published following the National Conversation on Rare Diseases, which received nearly 6,300 responses. This helped identify the four priorities of the framework in tackling rare diseases: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs.

The Government remains committed to improving the lives of those living with rare conditions, and will be publishing the next England Rare Diseases Action Plan for rare disease day in 2026, as in previous years. We recognise that despite the progress that has been made, there remains considerable unmet need for people living with rare conditions. Ministers from all four nations have agreed to extend the UK Rare Diseases Framework by one year, recognising the continued relevance of its four priorities. We will continue to engage with the rare diseases community to help shape the next steps.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to address regional variation in access to rare disease care. \p Ashley Dalton: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. England’s 2025 Rare Diseases Action Plan was published in February and reports on actions to address health inequalities for people with rare conditions.

Within the National Health Service specialised commissioning portfolio, there are over 80 highly specialised services (HSS) including for rare diseases. Every three to four years, the geographical spread of patients accessing NHS England commissioned highly specialised services is reviewed, most recently in 2024. The analysis looks for variations in the spread of patients accessing the service that may warrant further investigation. Where the analysis found unexpected variation, providers have been asked to develop action plans to address these inequities. Providers who have been successful in reducing variation have also been asked to share this good practice.
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Cat Eccles:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times from referral to specialist appointment in the Black Country. \p Karin Smyth: We’ve cut waiting lists in the Black Country by more than 10% in the past year, including through the deployment of digital tools and AI to ensure more time is dedicated for patient care. But we are committed to going even further through the investment and modernisation set out in our Elective Reform Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that end of life care is included in community-based models under the 10-Year Health Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework will put in place clear mechanisms to enable change and support the shift of care from hospital to community, as set out in our 10 Year Health Plan.
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Kerry McCarthy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will expand substitution therapy interventions for those with opioid dependency. \p Ashley Dalton: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services according to local need, and this includes the provision of opioid substitution treatment such as methadone and both oral and long-acting injectable buprenorphine.

On 20 November, the Government announced an investment of over £13.4 billion, a 5.6% cash increase, over the next three years in local authorities’ vital public health work through a consolidated Public Health Grant. This includes the overall £1 billion Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant. The Department advises local areas to prioritise resourcing opioid substitution therapy prescribing from this funding if the current provision is not adequate. Opioid substitution therapy is currently available in all local authorities in England, but access to long-acting injectable buprenorphine is too limited in some.

The Department supports interventions to expand the provision of long-acting injectable buprenorphine. We are currently doing more analysis to understand cost-effectiveness, developing clinical guidance, and scoping how best to expand access to long-acting injectable buprenorphine further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Kerry McCarthy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will expand access to drug detoxification services for people with substance abuse problems. \p Ashley Dalton: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services according to local need as part of their public health responsibilities, and this includes the provision of drug detoxification services.

In line with recommendations in Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drug treatment and recovery, the Department created a distinct grant to support and expand inpatient detoxification for people who use drugs and alcohol. The £10 million a year grant ran between 2022/23 and 2024/25, before being consolidated into the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant in 2025/26.

The additional funding has enabled four units to open and has seen a substantial increase in the number of people who have been able to benefit from medically supported detoxification in an inpatient setting.
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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he intends to remove the requirement for a pre-visit notification (PVN) for eye care assessments for people experiencing homelessness. \p Stephen Kinnock: National Health Service funded domiciliary, mobile, sight tests are available for patients who are eligible for free NHS sight tests, and who would have difficulties accessing care through the high-street due to physical or mental illness, or disability, or who would have difficulties communicating their health needs unaided. As well as services being provided in residential homes, these services can also be provided in day centres.

In order to ensure people experiencing homelessness can access NHS sight tests on the high street, NHS England issued a clarification via local commissioning teams to ensure that having no fixed abode should not prevent access to NHS care. Integrated care boards can also commission enhanced eye care services, where they feel these are needed to meet local needs.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how frequently his Department and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation review eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccination programme. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government’s policy on the groups eligible for vaccination programmes, including for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, is based on the advice of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI meets three times a year, in February, June, and October.
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Sonia Kumar:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of developing a modern service framework for musculoskeletal conditions. \p Stephen Kinnock: Over a third of people in England live with musculoskeletal conditions, a major cause of economic inactivity. We are advancing Modern Service Frameworks for those conditions where we can swiftly and significantly raise the quality of care and productivity. That’s why our early priorities include cardiovascular disease and mental health. Future phases will address long-term conditions that carry substantial health and economic consequences.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to use digital technology to help improve access to primary care. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are shifting from analogue to digital with a transformed NHS App that will become the digital front door to the NHS. For the first time more people are contacting their GP online than by phone, and NHS App users have increased by 33% since last year. More patients can now request general practice appointments online, a huge step in delivering our commitment to end the 8am scramble.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with integrated care boards on reducing waiting times for breast cancer treatment in Slough constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government and the local integrated care board (ICB) has taken action to reduce waiting times for breast cancer treatment. This includes expansion of one-stop breast clinics and improved access to breast imaging. Action has also been taken to use enhanced digital triage to prioritise highest-risk cases. Moreover, targeted action has been taken to reduce the proportion of patients diagnosed at stage 3 or stage 4, with early signs of improvement in the timeliness of staging and biopsy results.

Additionally, there are plans for extended-hours breast imaging sessions for Slough Community Diagnostic Centre after the scheduled opening in March 2026. Moreover, action has been taken across the local ICB to safeguard capacity for triple assessment and surgery. Participation in the national AI-enabled breast cancer early detection programme will help to support improved accuracy and faster reporting.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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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 merits of ensuring people with (a) Huntington's disease and (b) other long-term neurological conditions have a single point of contact to coordinate their care. \p Ashley Dalton: More needs to be done to meet need on coordination of care for people with rare diseases, including Huntingdon’s disease, and work is underway to improve this.

The revised NHS England Specialised Neurology Services (adults) specification 2025 outlines a comprehensive model of care for specialised neurology services, including for patients with Huntington’s disease. This outlines expectations of a system-wide approach, incorporating end-to-end pathways within an Integrated Neurology System, supporting more equitable and efficient care for people with long-term neurological diseases, including Huntington’s disease.

Steps are being taken to improve coordination of care for all rare diseases as a priority under the UK Rare Diseases Framework. This includes research funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research to understand how to most cost-effectively improve care co-ordination to align to the needs of patients, which will report in 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recommendations in the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition entitled Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years, last updated 8 May 2024.whether she plans to take steps to make an assessment on the potential impact of (a) food pouches and (b) highly blended food on the development of (i) chewing skills, (ii) oral motor function and (iii) dental health in children under 36 months. \p Ashley Dalton: Two research projects have been commissioned that will consider the impact of commercially manufactured baby foods on dental health. These are based on research recommendations made in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years and are funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

One is the Studying Health Impacts of Early Diets project, that runs from December 2024 to May 2027. The overall aim of this project is to assess how the diet of children aged between one and five years old in the United Kingdom influences their health in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.

The other is the Growing Well Study running from March 2025 to March 2028. This study aims to understand more about the eating habits of children aged between one and five years old, and how this affects their growth and dental health.

No Government-funded research is currently underway that is considering the potential impact of food pouches and highly blended food on the development of chewing skills or oral motor function in children aged under 36 months.

The Department commissions research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the health impacts of infant feeding practices.
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Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that people seeking a potential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are seen by a neurologist within 12 weeks. \p Ashley Dalton: Unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are detrimental to patient wellbeing, the health and care system and the economy.

That is why the Government is investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down, including for patients with MS.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.

NHS England's revised service specification aims to improve diagnosis times for MS by reducing waiting times and enhancing care coordination. The new service specification, published in August 2025, is part of the larger Neurology Service Transformation Programme aimed at improving the delivery and experience of neurology services through clear minimum standards for both specialised and core services, including earlier diagnosis.

Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes, including for people with MS.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his department has to introduce type one diabetes testing for all infants. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and care of children and young people with diabetes. NICE’s NG18 guideline for type 1 and 2 diabetes recommends that children and young people with suspected type 1 diabetes are referred immediately (on the same day) to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team with the competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the WHO target of 90% for the HPV vaccination programme is achieved in Poole constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: In March 2025, NHS England published the Cervical cancer elimination by 2040 – plan for England, which outlines how the National Health Service will improve uptake and coverage across human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening, including in Poole constituency. The plan is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/

For young people who may have missed out at the point of initial offer, the NHS-commissioned School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) providers have robust catch-up plans in place for the adolescent HPV vaccination programme.

NHS England has improved digital communications on vaccinations, including expanding the NHS app, and has improved access to the HPV vaccine outside of schools through community clinics at convenient times and locations.

The UK Health Security Agency works closely with charities and academics to develop resources that can be used to raise awareness of HPV and the importance of vaccination.

Poole constituency is covered by the Dorset SAIS Leads who, alongside their leadership team, remain fully engaged with NHS England to drive performance improvements. A summary of key developments during the 2024/25 academic year includes the launch of a new e-consent system in September 2025 and a named link nurse for every school: a dedicated nurse has been assigned to each school in Dorset, including Poole, to improve communication and foster stronger relationships.
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Alistair Strathern:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve NHS staff (a) training and (b) understanding of tracheobronchomalacia. \p Ashley Dalton: Tracheobronchomalacia is an uncommon condition that may present with unexplained breathlessness, cough and 'difficult' asthma with wheeze.

NHS England has developed free e-learning modules for healthcare professionals focused on respiratory diseases, including early diagnosis and spirometry, chronic breathlessness, and asthma.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified service gaps in the provision of primary care, mental health, dentistry and substance misuse services at HMP/YOI Downview. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: 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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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 77546 on NHS: Strikes, whether NHS staff who are on strike may be paid by another NHS trust for undertaking (a) agency and (b) locum during the strike. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 73326 on NHS: Strikes, if he will take steps to amend NHS contracts to ban the practice of NHS employees who are on strike from being paid by other parts of the NHS on strike days. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 77546 on NHS: Strikes, whether (a) paid and (b) unpaid trade union facility time can be used for NHS staff who are trade union representatives to take part in campaigning on (i) ballots and (ii) industrial action. \p Karin Smyth: 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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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 87431 on Congenital Abnormalities, what use is made of consanguinity data collected by NHS England through the Maternity Services Data Set in (a) regional public health planning, (b) genetic counselling services and (c) maternal and neonatal clinical risk assessments; and if he will publish any guidance issued to Integrated Care Boards which either references or is a result of that data. \p Karin Smyth: 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 (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_33

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 87401 on Prosthetics and Wigs: Ethnic Groups, whether he will ensure that there is guidance or a requirement for NHS Trusts to procure breast prosthesis and wigs which meet the diverse needs of their patients, beyond the availability of such products through the NHS Supply Chain frameworks. \p Karin Smyth: 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.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_34
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_34

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 87400 on Prosthetics and Wigs: Ethnic Groups, whether he will make an assessment of the impact of limited access to suitable breast prosthesis on those patients. \p Karin Smyth: 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 (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_35

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of written parliamentary questions which receive answers within within the usual time period. \p Karin Smyth: 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.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_36
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_36

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the cost to the public purse of installing new telephone systems in GP practices in England last year; and how many (a) systems (b) handsets were installed. \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.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_37
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_37

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) early detection and (b) surveillance of antibiotic-resistant infections. \p Ashley Dalton: The Unified Infection Dataset (UID) supports early detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through epidemiological outputs, infectious disease surveillance, outbreak response, and allied research with rich linked data. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has developed innovative analytical tools for large datasets via the UID and the Enterprise Data Analytics Platform (EDAP). AMR-related data continues to be ingested into the EDAP, including:

The EDAP aims to deliver a strategic platform for data enrichment, data analytics, and data science for AMR and HCAI and will support streamlined and timely surveillance outputs to tackle AMR and improve public health.

The UKHSA’s Porton AMR network leads on the discovery and development of novel antimicrobials, optimising antibiotic combinations, vaccines, and non-traditional therapies. The UKHSA is also working on advancing AMR typing and whole genome sequencing reference laboratory services and providing clinical advice to support NHS England front line services dealing with AMR associated infections.

NHS England is streamlining diagnostic innovation through the cross-sector ‘Moving Forwards Infection Diagnostics’ events series. Engagement will inform an ‘infection diagnostics framework’ by 2027 and identify target product profiles for diagnostics needed in the National Health Service. A rapid review pipeline to identify optimal tests within the market and assess how existing diagnostics can be optimised is also being produced. These winter ‘Point of Care Testing’ pilots have been funded to further build the evidence base.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_38

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research into motor neurone disease. \p Ashley Dalton: Government responsibility for delivering research into motor neurone disease (MND) is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Medical Research Council for MND.

The Government is investing in MND research across a range of areas, including an £8 million investment via the NIHR into the EXPERTS-ALS. This is a pre-clinical study which is designed to accelerate the identification and testing of the most promising treatment candidates for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): the most common form of MND.

The MND Translational Accelerator, supported by £6 million of Government funding, is connecting the UK Dementia Research Institute, the UK MND Research Institute and Dementias Platform UK. Twelve projects have been funded through the Accelerator; all aimed at speeding up the development of treatments for MND.

The NIHR and UKRI continue to welcome funding applications for research into MND.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_39

Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of high caffeine drinks on (a) 14-16 year olds, (b) 16-18 year olds and (c) 18-24 year olds. \p Ashley Dalton: On 3 September 2025, the Department published a consultation on banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old in England, an important step towards fulfilling a Plan for Change commitment.

In the consultation and accompanying impact assessment we set out our assessment of the impact of high-caffeine energy drinks on children. These documents are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-the-sale-of-high-caffeine-energy-drinks-to-children

We have not specifically estimated the impact of high-caffeine energy drinks by the age bands of 14 to 16 years old, 16 to 18 years old, or 18 to 24 years old. However, growing evidence sets out an association between consuming high-caffeine energy drinks and a range of possible negative outcomes on children’s physical and mental health, as well as their education.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_40
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_40

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve care for people with motor neurone disease. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England commissions the specialised elements of motor neurone disease (MND) care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. Within these specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals and specialised treatment and support, according to their needs.

At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with MND, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically-led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with MND.

In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. The service specification outlines that specialised neurology centres must include services for neuromuscular disorders, including MND. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_41

Fleur Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department is taking to expand the roll out surveillance programmes to (a) identify people at highest risk of pancreatic cancer and (b) support earlier diagnosis. \p Ashley Dalton: Earlier diagnosis of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, is a priority for the Government. NHS England is working on case-finding approaches for less survivable cancers, where the evidence suggests this is appropriate. This includes a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people, and their families, affected by pancreatic cancer to self-assess if they may inherit risk. Individuals identified as being at risk are referred directly to the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatic Diseases research trial, which aims to understand inherited conditions of the pancreas. Referrals to the trial can be made by any healthcare professional across all health sectors or by individuals via self-referral, contributing to a centralised approach to case-finding.

The National Disease Registration Service has developed the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register (NICPR), which launched on 30 June. The NICPR looks at a wide range of cancers for which there is an increased inherited risk, including for less survivable cancers. It aims to identify high-risk individuals who are eligible for targeted screening and surveillance and will act as an electronic referral route into national screening programmes, where these exist.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_42

Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for the covid-19 vaccination booster people with (a) diabetes and (b) coeliac disease. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Southampton Itchen on 19 November 2025 to Question 90568.