theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using (a) savings groups and (b) other asset-based community development strategies to complement his wider humanitarian aid objectives. \p Stephen Doughty: Community-led approaches are effective and sustainable ways to provide assistance. People in crisis often rely on social support networks and the informal economy to survive. From savings groups and informal credit systems to community food-sharing, these systems can often be more resilient and trusted than formal ones.

This is already integrated in our approach; in Yemen our Food Security Safety Nets programme supports Village Savings and Loans Associations to improve individual and community resilience. Our Building Resilient Communities in Somalia programme supports Self Help Groups which include savings and lending alongside wider interventions to foster leadership, social cohesion, and collective action to tackle community challenges and improve livelihoods.

We continue to build our knowledge and evidence of these approaches as we support broader reform of the humanitarian system to ensure a more people-centred, inclusive and locally-led response.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 6 of the UK-Mauritius Treaty, what discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart on (a) visits to and (b) resettlement of the Chagos Archipelago since 22 May 2025. \p Stephen Doughty: These issues continue to be discussed with Mauritius as part of the implementation of the Treaty. The Government will not provide a running commentary on these conversations, but ahead of ratification, the Government will make a Ministerial Statement in both Houses on Chagossian eligibility for resettlement. It is our aim to restart visits at the earliest opportunity and we will provide further information on this later this year.
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Monica Harding:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million for this financial year, which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. A portion of this uplift provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan, report to Parliament 2024 to 2025, published on 17 June 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK has a leading role in the drafting of the future UN Crimes Against Humanity Convention. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK welcomed the United Nations (UN) Sixth Committee's unanimous agreement in November 2024 to move to the negotiation of a legally binding Convention on Crimes Against Humanity. The UK sees real benefit in developing such a Convention, which has the potential to strengthen the domestic and international legal architecture on preventing and prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence and other atrocity crimes. The UK is unwavering in its leadership of the UN's Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and is committed to accelerating progress on the Crimes Against Humanity Convention through the UN, as outlined in our WPS National Action Plan.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a strategy on children and armed conflict. \p Stephen Doughty: The latest UN Secretary General's (UNSG) report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.

As the UK made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council open debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK calls on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children, and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK also remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.

The Minister for Africa met Save the Children and War Child on 3 July to discuss the UNSG's report and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) approach to protecting children affected by armed conflict. The FCDO is currently reviewing our approach to children in conflict.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will provide a summary of the conclusions of the review into the delivery of the China Daily paper to MPs offices. \p Nick Smith: The Administration Committee undertook a review of unsolicited material that is delivered to the House of Commons for distribution to all Members. The conclusion of that review limited the distribution of bulk mailings to letters and reports only with a size and weight restriction. Members must now opt-in to continue to receive specific mailings, such as the China Daily. At the present time, no Members subscribe to the China Daily.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based. \p Hilary Benn: The Northern Ireland Office does not have any employees working remotely from outside the UK. All staff are based within the UK.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent former IRA members from claiming damages from the Government, in the context of the document entitled A proposal for a Remedial Order to amend the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation Act) 2023, published on 4 December 2024. \p Hilary Benn: I refer to the answer given last week to the Honourable Member for Stockton North (UIN 63126). The main issue here is the application of the Carltona principle in the context of ICOs. The previous Government’s attempt to address this following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment in Adams has been found by the Northern Ireland courts to be unlawful and we need to find a better way of reaffirming this principle.

The Government will therefore legislate to address this issue in forthcoming primary legislation.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to lay the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order. \p Hilary Benn: On 4 December 2024, the Government laid a proposal for a draft Remedial Order to amend the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act.

The Government has been carefully considering responses received including from the Joint Committee on Human Rights and other stakeholders and will respond to their report as quickly as possible.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to help ensure the independence of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework during the review process. \p Hilary Benn: I would refer the Hon Member to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Paymaster General of 22 January 2025 (UIN 24053).
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based. \p Lucy Rigby: The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) does not have any staff working permanently outside the UK.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the care available to young people diagnosed with cancer in Slough. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department recognises that cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults, and should be treated as such, particularly in regard to treatment, diagnosis, and wider support.

The Department is committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more patients survive, including children, teenagers, and young adults (CTYA).

NHS England has published service specifications that set out the service standards required of all providers of CTYA cancer services. The requirements include ensuring that every patient has access to specialist care and reducing physical, emotional, and psychological morbidity arising from treatment for childhood cancer. The specifications are available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-b/b05/

The Department has also relaunched the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce. Dame Caroline Dinenage and Professor Darren Hargrave have been appointed as its co-chairs, alongside Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel as vice-chair. The taskforce will examine clinical and non-clinical ways to improve outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer. This will feed into the Department’s wider work on the national cancer plan in England.
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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23297 on Radiotherapy Finance, how many members of each working group have (a) clinical and (b) radiotherapy experience treating cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The working groups include members with a wide range of experience and expertise across and beyond the health and care system. We have ensured that groups have a range of lived experience, organisational views, and technical expertise, as well as diversity of characteristics and geography. We are keen that these groups should be able to provide constructive challenges to articulate how we make the National Health Service fit for the future.
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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 23296 on Radiotherapy Infrastructure, how NHS England plans to improve the treatment of cancer patients with radiotherapy without such an assessment. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to improving the treatment of cancer patients and reducing waiting times for those undergoing treatment. Further details of how we will do this will be set out in the National Cancer Plan.

We have launched a call for evidence, seeking contributions from individuals and organisations to help shape this plan, including ideas on how to improve treatment for those cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.

The call for evidence is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan
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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 23295 on Radiotherapy Equipment, for what reason NHS England did not consult (a) cancer patient groups and (b) the radiotherapy community. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England invited the trusts which deliver radiotherapy services to submit an expression of interest for funding for a replacement machine. NHS England then reviewed the responses, and used allocation criteria to determine which trusts would be allocated funding for a replacement machine. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy. Funding decisions for the purchasing of equipment do not usually include wider consultation.
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Andrew Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the potential merits of conducting cross-conditional testing in the NHS when assessing for a neurodivergent condition to determine the potential co-occurrence of (a) autism and (b) ADHD to help (i) increase early diagnosis rates and (b) improve outcomes. \p Stephen Kinnock: It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. The framework notes that autism should not be assessed without also considering the possibility of differential or co-occurring diagnoses.

In respect of ADHD, we are supportive of a cross-sector taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support. The ADHD taskforce will also work closely with the Department for Education’s neurodivergence task and finish group.
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Michael Wheeler:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average time was between (a) referral and (b) first contact for mental health services for people aged 17 years and under in (a) Salford and (b) Wigan in each of the last five years. \p Stephen Kinnock: The following table shows the median waiting time in days between a referral start date and first contact, within the three-month rolling reporting period, for referrals for children and young people aged under 18 years old who are supported through National Health Service funded mental health services, from August 2023, the earliest date available, to November 2024, for Salford and Wigan:

Salford

Reporting period

Median wait time (days)

Wigan

Reporting Period

Median wait time (days)

November 2024

6

November 2024

1

October 2024

7

October 2024

1

September 2024

7

September 2024

4

August 2024

5

August 2024

4

July 2024

6

July 2024

3

June 2024

3

June 2024

1

May 2024

5

May 2024

2

April 2024

5

April 2024

3

March 2024

5

March 2024

5

February 2024

5

February 2024

5

January 2024

5

January 2024

3

December 2023

5

December 2023

2

November 2023

4

November 2023

2

October 2023

4

October 2023

1

September 2023

6

September 2023

2

August 2023

6

August 2023

5

Source: NHS Futures.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to shorten the diagnosis period for endometriosis. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the diagnosis times for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis. We have taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. In gynaecology, the plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres.

Endometriosis is also included in the core curriculum for general practitioners, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The General Medical Council is introducing the Medical Licensing Assessment for most incoming doctors, including all medical students graduating from academic year 2024/25 and onwards. Within this assessment are several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of endometriosis among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom.

Clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published updated recommendations on the diagnosis, management and treatment of endometriosis. This is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to increase the number of appointments for people displaying signs of endometriosis. \p Karin Smyth: Patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need. As set out in the Plan for Change, we have committed to return to the National Health Service’s constitutional standard that 92% of patients, including those waiting for endometriosis treatment, wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by March 2029. We provided additional investment in the Autumn Budget that has enabled us to deliver an additional two million appointments as a First Step to achieving this, seven months ahead of schedule.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts we will undertake to return to the 18-week standard and ensure patients have the best possible experience while they wait. This includes innovative models that offer care closer to home and in the community, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding. We have also committed to increasing the relative funding available to support gynaecology procedures with the largest waiting lists, including for certain endometriosis pathways, and reviewing support options from the independent sector.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of  introducing a requirement for health professionals to spend at least three years in the NHS following training before they can practice privately. \p Karin Smyth: The Department consulted on a tie-in to National Health Service dentistry for graduate dentists in 2024. We are considering the responses and will set out our position in due course. No assessment has been made for other healthcare professionals.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish current waiting lists totals at each of the mesh removal centres set up following the publication of the Cumberlege report; and whether mesh-damaged women are given an option to attend mesh removal centres other than ones led by surgeons who implanted their mesh originally. \p Karin Smyth: Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and we are taking steps to return to the 18-week standard. The Elective Reform Plan sets out how the National Health Service will reform elective care services to meet the 18-week referral to treatment standard by March 2029.

There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support. NHS England publishes data on referral to treatment waiting times, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

Data is published at the level of specialties, for example gynaecology, and is not routinely published at sub-speciality level. The most recent waiting time data held by NHS England from 2024 indicated that the average waiting time across the nine centres was 28 weeks.

The surgery to remove mesh implanted for stress urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse is a relatively new surgical discipline. Expertise is, therefore, concentrated in a limited number of specialist centres led by a core multi-disciplinary team, including consultant specialists in urogynaecology, urology, and pain management. Patients, when requesting treatment for mesh complications, can exercise patient choice and be referred to another centre, ensuring that they can be seen by another surgeon where appropriate.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January to Question 25639 on Surrogacy, whether he plans to respond to the Law Commission’s report on surrogacy in this Parliament. \p Karin Smyth: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health will be writing to the chairs of the Law Commissions of England and Wales and Scotland shortly, to follow up their meeting on 5 November.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to commission (a) research into, and (b) training programmes for, improved techniques for removal of failed pelvic mesh implants from injured women including those removal methods developed in Missouri by Dr Dionysios Veronikis currently unavailable in the United Kingdom. \p Karin Smyth: The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is currently funding research to develop a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for prolapse, incontinence, and mesh complication surgery. This will enable women to self-report the ways in which any surgical treatment for these conditions, mesh and non-mesh related, has affected their quality of life. Once testing of the PROM is completed, women will be able to complete it as part of their care. It will also be suitable for use by national registries and with women taking part in clinical trials. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of women’s health, including pelvic mesh.

NHS England has established nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support.

The National Health Service’s service specification sets out the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The specification for complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence, vaginal or internal, and external rectal prolapse states that specialised mesh centres must use trust appraisal systems to ensure that surgeons are appropriately trained, current in their practice, that they adhere to clinical and NICE guidance, comply with Pelvic Floor Registry data requirements, and report complications. The service specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-services-for-women-with-complications-of-mesh-inserted-for-urinary-incontinence-and-vaginal-prolapse-16-years-and-above/
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with (a) Duchenne UK and (b) other patient advocacy groups on steps to increase access to the givinostat early access programme. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has not had any discussions with ITF Pharma UK about the resources or guidance available to National Health Service trusts participating in the early access programme (EAP) for givinostat.

Department officials have had discussions with colleagues in NHS England about the guidance and resources that are available to NHS trusts. NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge medicine schemes, such as EAPs, including providing advice on potential financial, administrative, and clinical risks. The guidance aims to support the NHS to drive value from medicines and ensure consistent and equitable access to medicines across England. ICSs should follow the recommendations to determine whether to implement any free of charge scheme, including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/free-of-charge-foc-medicines-schemes-national-policy-recommendations-for-local-systems/

Under the EAP, givinostat is free to both patients taking part in it, and to the NHS, but NHS trusts must still cover the cost of administering it to patients. While there are no current plans to hold discussions with Duchenne UK on steps to increase access, ministers in the Department are keen to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Participation in the programme is decided at an individual NHS trust level.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions. \p Karin Smyth: Artificial intelligence does not form part of the established process within the Department for answering written parliamentary questions.
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of specialists in female urology across England to ensure that women suffering from recurrent episodes of UTIs receive the highest levels of care. \p Karin Smyth: No such assessment has been made by the Department. Such services are locally managed and commissioned in accordance with the population’s needs.
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Alison Hume:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of providing free on-site parking to all NHS staff. \p Karin Smyth: No estimate has been made of the potential parking costs on National Health Service staff. All NHS trusts that charge for hospital car parking provide free parking for those in-most need. This includes frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight, blue badge holders, and NHS staff working overnight.

Data on the income from car parking charges is published annually through the NHS Estates Return Information Collection. The latest figures, from 2023/24, show that income received from patients, visitors, and staff for parking on NHS hospital sites in 2023/24 was £242,832,309. Data for the income from NHS trusts for carparking is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection/summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-2023-24
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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce inequalities in (a) still-birth rates and (b) maternal mortality related to (i) class and (ii) ethnicity. \p Karin Smyth: It is unacceptable that there are such stark inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.

We are supporting NHS England as it delivers its three-year plan to make maternity and neonatal care more personalised, safe, compassionate, and equitable for women and babies. As part of this, all Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems are implementing their equity and equality actions plans, which include targeted interventions to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas. All trusts are implementing version three of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which provides maternity units with guidance and interventions to reduce stillbirths, brain injuries, neonatal deaths, preterm births, and inequalities.

We are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify further interventions to address inequalities for women and babies. Some of these will require time to implement, but we also need to ensure that there are immediate actions that can begin to drive forward improvements now. This includes the targets needed to drive change, in line with the Government’s commitment to setting an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gaps.
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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase staffing levels in maternity services. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. Bringing in the staff we need will take time, but this is a priority for the Government.

NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes building a compassionate and inclusive culture, supporting staff wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities. As a part of this, there are interventions in place specific to the maternity and neonatal workforce, such as creating a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, support on pensions, investing in unit-based midwife retention leads. We are also boosting the midwifery workforce through undergraduate training, apprenticeships, postgraduate conversion, and return to midwifery programmes.
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Adam Thompson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of  expanding NHS prenatal care to include three ultra-sound scans. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to ensuring that all women and babies receive safe, personalised, equitable, and compassionate care. We are supporting NHS England as it delivers its three-year plan to improve maternity and neonatal care for women and babies. As part of this, all trusts are rolling out version three of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle which includes interventions for risk assessment, surveillance, and management of foetal growth restriction.

In 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) undertook an evidence review on routine third-trimester ultrasound for foetal growth. This concluded that there is no evidence of benefit to routinely scanning all women in the third trimester, compared to a more selective approach. Instead, the NICE recommends targeted scanning based on clinical need. Further information on the NICE’s evidence review is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201/evidence/q-routine-third-trimester-ultrasound-for-fetal-growth-pdf-331305934364

There are no plans at this time to make a further assessment of the potential merits of expanding NHS England’s maternity care to include three ultra-sound scans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of midwives. \p Karin Smyth: We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan which will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, including midwives, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.

Targeted retention work for midwives is being undertaken by NHS England, led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This work contains a range of measures, including the creation of a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, strengthened advice and support on pensions, and embedding flexible retirement options. NHS England has also invested in unit-based retention leads which, alongside investment in workforce capacity, has seen a reduction in vacancy, leaver, and turnover rates. NHS England is also boosting the midwifery workforce through undergraduate training, apprenticeships, postgraduate conversion, and return to midwifery programmes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_21

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential reasons for health professionals leaving the NHS, to the lowest available data level; and what steps his Department is taking to promote improved staff retention. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England publishes quarterly data on the broad reasons for staff leaving and staff movements in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations, support organisations, and central bodies in England. This is published as part of the NHS Workforce Statistics publication, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

In addition, the latest timeseries data, which runs to September 2024, is available at the following link:

https://files.digital.nhs.uk/CC/67A0A8/NHS%20Workforce%20Statistics%2C%20September%202024%20Reasons%20for%20Leaving.xlsx

The Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, to ensure the retention of our hardworking and dedicated staff. NHS England is leading the National Retention Programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts.

Retention efforts are aligned with the NHS People Promise, which was co-developed with staff to reflect what matters to them. This ensures that trusts have access to proven retention strategies and data-driven monitoring, and can foster a more stable, engaged, productive, and supported workforce.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_22

Sir Geoffrey Cox:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his oral statement of 20 January 2025 on New Hospital Programme Review, Official Report, column 750, if his Department will make short-term capital funding available to help ensure the safety of North Devon District Hospital. \p Karin Smyth: The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is a top priority for the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a vital part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) will collectively receive over £4 billion in annual capital allocations in 2025/26, which will be managed locally, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including ensuring safety at New Hospital Programme sites. Devon ICB, responsible for North Devon District Hospital has been allocated £104 million in operational capital for 2025/26.

Recently published NHS planning guidance set out the NHS’s operational capital envelopes, national capital programmes and allocation processes for 2025/26. This includes a £750 million estates safety fund to help ensure hospitals are safe and sustainable, of which £11 million has been provisionally allocated to Devon ICB. I would encourage Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to discuss options with Devon ICB, to allocate operational capital and national capital programme allocations towards safety works at their sites.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_23

Josh Newbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce mandatory labelling on alcoholic drinks with information for consumers on (a) ingredients, (b) calories and (c) sugar content. \p Ashley Dalton: 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 (2025-03-04)

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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for replacing Professor Sir Mike Richards as chair of the UK National Screening Committee. \p Ashley Dalton: 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 (2025-03-04)

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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve the quality of administrative tasks within the NHS and (b) reduce the number of people receiving an invitation to an appointment after the date it is supposed to have taken place. \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 (2025-03-04)

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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce potential disparities between waiting times for mental health services and physical health services and (b) ensure mental health is given equal priority to physical health. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_27

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase the number of vision rehabilitation specialists in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Berkshire. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_28

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Dental patients to benefit from 700,000 extra urgent appointments, published on 21 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to provide additional urgent dental appointments on (a) patients and (b) dental surgeries. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_29

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of mental health workers in England. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_30

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press notice entitled Dental patients to benefit from 700,000 extra urgent appointments, published on 21 February 2025, if he will list the number of additional urgent dental appointments that will be made available in each Integrated Care Board area. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_31

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the number of registered GPs not in employment; and whether he is taking steps to reduce the number of unemployed GPs. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_32

Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme relating to covid-19 vaccinations have been subject to a request for mandatory reversal; how many and what proportion of such requests (a) were rejected and (b) have been outstanding for more than (i) three, (ii) six and (iii) 12 months; and how many and what proportion of rejected requests were referred to the First-Tier Tribunal. \p Ashley Dalton: 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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_33

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned increase in employer National Insurance contributions on GPs. \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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_34

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of 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 (2025-03-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-04 conversation_35

Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training medical assessors of applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme relating to covid-19 vaccinations receive; what qualifications are needed to become such an assessor; what continuing professional development requirements must such assessors meet; whether such assessors are required to work in-person and not remotely; and to what supervision are such assessors subject. \p Ashley Dalton: 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.