theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_59

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether steps his Department has taken to reduce waiting times for palliative radiotherapy treatment. \p Ashley Dalton: We know that patients are waiting too long for cancer treatment, and we will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer on time or earlier, treating it faster, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system. We will also be spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_60
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_60

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the changes to death certification process support in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024, but has not made a specific assessment of the impact of the reforms in the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency or Staffordshire.

The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Government is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_61
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_61

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the accessibility of dental care during the maternity exemption period. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist and we want to make sure that everyone who needs a National Health Service dentist can get one, including pregnant women and new mothers. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to Integrated Care Boards across England. For Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, this is the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_62
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_62

Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of domestic wood burners on public health. \p Ashley Dalton: The Chief Medical Officer’s 2022 annual report on air pollution highlighted that wood burning, particularly in urban locations, significantly worsens local air quality and has links to asthma and poor respiratory health.

The Government recognises that it is important we take action to reduce emissions from domestic burning, and the impact on the health of those in homes which burn and their neighbours. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently evaluating a number of options to reduce emissions of fine particulate matter, including options for reducing emissions from domestic burning. We will support the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in developing a series of interventions to reduce emissions so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_63

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for implementing fixed recoverable costs to clinical negligence claims. \p Ashley Dalton: Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on a wide range of matters, including clinical negligence costs reform, and we will announce our position in due course.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_64
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_64

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of NHS clinical oncologists that will be required for each of the next five years. \p Ashley Dalton: We remain focused on the continued delivery of education and training, to ensure that patients receive timely, high-quality care delivered by the right professionals, including for clinical oncologists. This includes refreshing our Long Term Workforce Plan demand forecasts, based on the Government’s stated objectives and financial settlements for the National Health Service.

We continue to recruit priority medical specialties, including clinical oncologists. As of October 2024, there are over 1,800 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. This is over 120, or 7.4%, more than last year, almost 470, or 34.9%, more than 2019, and over 770, or 74.5%, more than in 2010.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_65

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to meet national targets on urgent cancer referrals. \p Ashley Dalton: As we set out in our new plan for reforming elective care, we are committed to improving performance on cancer waiting times to meet national targets. Further details will be set out in our recently announced dedicated National Cancer Plan and the National Health Service’s annual operational planning guidance.

We have launched a call for evidence, seeking contributions from individuals and organisations to help shape this plan, including ideas on how to meet national targets. The call for evidence can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_66

Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to consult on extending the list of conditions patients can be treated for under the Pharmacy First scheme. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Employers clearly have a key role in retaining staff and making jobs in community pharmacy attractive. To support employers, NHS England has provided several fully funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help support private contractors deliver quality NHS services, including Pharmacy First.

NHS England is keeping the Pharmacy First service under close review. In addition, a National Institute for Health and Care Research evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the general practice setting, use of hospitals and how the service has impacted access to care and cost for different patient groups.

The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_67

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the turnaround times for (a) hospital and (b) HM Coroner's Office post mortems in (i) neonatal and paediatric and (ii) other cases. \p Ashley Dalton: Workforce shortages in paediatric and perinatal pathology have led to longer turnaround times for hospital post-mortem reports in some areas of England. NHS England has established a national work programme to address these shortages.

A £20,000 recruitment incentive for new trainees has been introduced, with further initiatives underway to review the training pathway, develop advanced practitioner roles, and implement a retention strategy for existing staff.

Additional funding has also been provided in 2024/25 to create capacity in the service, whilst simultaneously exploring opportunities to streamline pathways through the use of digital and imaging techniques supported by the latest clinical evidence and practice.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_68

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) he and (b) his Department has had discussions with County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust on delays to death certification. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024, but has not engaged with the County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust directly.

The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Government is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_69

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to prepare a cross-government strategy to reduce health inequalities in the North East. \p Ashley Dalton: The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy varying widely across and within communities. The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain by tackling the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health, particularly for disadvantaged groups.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ North East and Yorkshire Regional Team collaborates with partners to provide system leadership for public health, reducing health inequalities. The team facilitates the delivery of national and local public health priorities, providing expert advice. It works with Directors of Public Health in local authorities, integrated care systems, Mayoral Combined Authorities, NHS England, and the wider National Health Service. The team also leads for public health workforce development and with Local Knowledge and Intelligence colleagues, and provides enhanced data, intelligence, and insights for population health.

North East local authorities received a total of £238 million in Public Health Grant funding for 2024/25, with Durham County Council receiving £53.9 million for 2024/25. This provides services such as stop smoking, drug and alcohol treatment, health visiting and school nursing, and sexual health, among others, all of which contribute to addressing health inequalities. Additionally, Directors of Public Health from each local authority are working in partnership with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board to support action to address inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes associated with health care.

Existing initiatives to reduce inequalities in relation to health services, in England, include NHS England’s Core20Plus5, which focuses on improving the five clinical areas in most need of accelerated improvement in the poorest 20% of the population, along with other underserved population groups identified at a local level, including groups that share protected characteristics, and socially excluded groups such as people experiencing homelessness.

Durham County Council is one of 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation receiving Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding. The Government has committed a £126 million boost for families in 2025/26 to give every child the best start in life. Of this, Durham County Council will receive £1.68 million.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_70

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024 in the context of reports of delays to funeral services. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, including the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. These figures are not broken down by hospital or community setting. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Government is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_71

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many alcohol related deaths there have been in England in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: There were 21,912 alcohol-related deaths in England for the 2022 calendar year. This is from the latest available data, published by the Department, and is available at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/local-alcohol-profiles/data#page/4/gid/xx-xxxx-xxxx/pat/159/par/K02000001/ati/15/are/E92000001/iid/93763/age/1/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

The data for 2023 will be published on 4 February 2025.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_72

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) research into drug delivery mechanisms in the brain and (b) blood-brain barrier research. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department delivers research into blood-barrier brain (BBB) and drug delivery research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services, which all help to support and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system, including on the BBB.

Current projects into drug delivery mechanisms in the brain and BBB delivered through NIHR research infrastructure include filter-exchange imaging, a technique with the potential to lead to new clinical initiatives for improved diagnostic and monitoring tools, and a groundbreaking trial to administer a stem cell gene therapy to a child’s brain, circumventing accessibility through the BBB.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_73

Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will respond to the recommendations on the use of sodium valproate in the Hughes report, published 7 February 2024. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report. The report sets out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. The Government will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s Report at the earliest opportunity.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_74

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce health inequalities in City of Durham constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy varying widely across and within communities. The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain by tackling the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health, particularly for disadvantaged groups.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ North East and Yorkshire Regional Team collaborates with partners to provide system leadership for public health, reducing health inequalities. The team facilitates the delivery of national and local public health priorities, providing expert advice. It works with Directors of Public Health in local authorities, integrated care systems, Mayoral Combined Authorities, NHS England, and the wider National Health Service. The team also leads for public health workforce development and with Local Knowledge and Intelligence colleagues, and provides enhanced data, intelligence, and insights for population health.

North East local authorities received a total of £238 million in Public Health Grant funding for 2024/25, with Durham County Council receiving £53.9 million for 2024/25. This provides services such as stop smoking, drug and alcohol treatment, health visiting and school nursing, and sexual health, among others, all of which contribute to addressing health inequalities. Additionally, Directors of Public Health from each local authority are working in partnership with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board to support action to address inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes associated with health care.

Existing initiatives to reduce inequalities in relation to health services, in England, include NHS England’s Core20Plus5, which focuses on improving the five clinical areas in most need of accelerated improvement in the poorest 20% of the population, along with other underserved population groups identified at a local level, including groups that share protected characteristics, and socially excluded groups such as people experiencing homelessness.

Durham County Council is one of 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation receiving Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding. The Government has committed a £126 million boost for families in 2025/26 to give every child the best start in life. Of this, Durham County Council will receive £1.68 million.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_75

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) has led to considerable diversification of the general practitioner (GP) workforce and has been key in delivering additional appointments. The ARRS has enabled primary care networks to recruit a diverse range of professionals into primary care. Between March 2019 and September 2024, 37,891 additional primary care professionals have been recruited into general practice. The scheme has allowed patients to be seen by a wider range of professionals and access the care they need whilst freeing up capacity for GPs to focus on the work that only GPs can do.

The ARRS is subject to annual review through the consultation on the GP contract with the General Practitioners Committee (England) of the British Medical Association (BMA). NHS England works closely with the Department to implement any changes identified as part of this process.

Following reports of newly qualified GPs struggling to find roles, £82 million of funding was announced in August 2024 to enable the recruitment of over 1,000 newly qualified GPs under the scheme for the year 2024-2025 under the scheme. My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.

The Department and NHS England started consultation with the General Practitioners Committee in England (GPC England) of the BMA on proposed changes to the 2025/26 GP contract on 19 December. Changes will be confirmed before April 2025, which will include details of adjustments to the ARRS. The inclusion of practice nurses into the scheme is among the proposed extra flexibilities for 2025/26.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_76

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what changes have there been in the number of GPs working between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025 in Bromsgrove constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: General practice workforce data is available for the last working day of every month and is published approximately four weeks after collection. Therefore, we present data for 31 July 2024 and 31 December 2024.

Between 31 July 2024 and 31 December 2024, the number of fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) in general practice in Bromsgrove constituency increased by 0.1 full-time equivalent (FTE). Including GPs in training grade, the number of doctors in general practice increased by 2.3 FTE over the same period.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_77

Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 27349 on Vaccination, what steps his Department is taking to ensure contemporaneous vaccine delivery across all regions. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England is responsible for the operational delivery of the vaccination programmes, including the respiratory syncytial virus programme, in line with recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), and considering local population needs.

General practices (GPs) are commissioned as a component of essential services, with practices required to offer and provide vaccinations to eligible patients, including their registered patients residing in care homes. NHS England’s regional teams monitor operational data to ensure that all providers are vaccinating those eligible.

Routine and seasonal vaccination programmes are commissioned in a nationally consistent way across all regions through inclusion in the GP Contract, GP and community pharmacy advanced and enhanced services, and National Health Service standard contracts. Regional commissioners are also able to stand up vaccination programmes in response to local pressures and outbreaks to supplement this core offer.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_78
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_78

Jen Craft:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to NHS services for disabled people. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a National Health Service that is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it; one in which access to and experience of healthcare services is equitable, effective and responsive. To help achieve this, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. The engagement process for the 10-Year Health Plan is underway, and as we work to develop and finalise the Plan, we are encouraging those concerned about access to services for disabled people to engage with that process so we can identify what the potential solutions are. Further information is available at the following link:

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are required to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), to meet the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss. A revised AIS is being reviewed with a view to publication, and in the meantime, NHS England is continuing to work to support implementation with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_79
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_79

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26149 on General Practitioners, what discussions his Department has had with the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board on GP provision. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that patients are struggling to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to improving GP provision across the country, including in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) area.   In October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will both increase the number of GPs employed and the number of appointments delivered in general practice, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to receive the care they desperately deserve. This will also help secure the future supply of GPs and take pressure off the existing workforce. Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP contract for 2025/26, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to general practice. We are currently consulting the profession on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care and GP recruitment.

The NHS Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes ICB delivered 496,000 appointments in December 2024. Comparatively, in December 2023, 423,000 appointment were delivered. This is a 17.25% increase in appointments delivered over the last year. Additionally, the ICB also saw an increase of 8.3 full-time equivalent GPs in the last year.

Integrated care boards are responsible for planning and commissioning healthcare services to meet the reasonable needs of the people for whom they are responsible, including evaluating population needs and planning provision for GP services.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_80
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_80

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what purposes the Human Tissue Authority has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has used AI in the form of Microsoft Co-pilot and the Government Communication Service Assist tool. These tools are used to assist the authority to be more responsive and targeted in their regulatory activity, by highlighting opportunities of efficiency and lever changes in performance and practice. This includes the Government Communication Service Assist tool supporting communications professionals in HTA in a number of areas including: the production of first draft communications products; stakeholder management; research; and media handling.

The HTA can draw on a range of resources, published on the GOV.UK website, to inform AI usage. The HTA also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, for expert advice.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_81
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_81

Jen Craft:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle health inequalities for disabled people. \p Stephen Kinnock: Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.

To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to make sure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments for people. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, Care Quality Commission registered health and adult social care providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role. This will help to ensure that staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide safe and informed care and help to reduce health inequalities for autistic people and people with a learning disability. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is being rolled out to support this. Over two million people have completed the first part of this training.

Being on the learning disability register is crucial to ensuring that people receive the right support at the right time, including access to annual health checks. Annual health checks can help to identify undetected health conditions early and ensure the appropriateness of ongoing treatments. People over 14 years old with a learning disability can receive an annual health check.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_82
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_82

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many funding applications the National Institute of Health and Care Research received for brain tumour research on (a) diagnosis and screening and (b) drugs and treatment therapies in each of the last ten years; and how many of those applications secured funding. \p Ashley Dalton: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.5 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24. Cancer is a major area of NIHR spend, reflecting its high priority.

Over the ten financial years from 2013/14 to 2023/24, the NIHR received 179 applications for brain tumour research in total. Of these:

The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including brain cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

In September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation. Further information on these new research funding opportunities is available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-funding-opportunities-novel-brain-tumour-research-launched
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_83
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_83

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that amateur athletes have access to an effective screening programme for cardiac conditions. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019, and concluded that screening should not be offered. Further information is available at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/

Research showed that the current tests are not accurate enough to use in young people without symptoms, and that treatments and interventions to prevent SCD were not based on good scientific evidence.

To stop SCDs in young people, the current consensus is to focus on rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of SCD, due to a family link or because they have had symptoms, and to train people to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to use defibrillators.

NHS England has published guidance for inherited cardiac conditions which requires services to investigate patients with a previously undiagnosed cardiac disease, suggestive symptoms, or those from families with sudden unexplained deaths. Where a genetic variation is identified, cascade testing is offered to relatives based on risk.

We are aware that the UK NSC has received a submission via its annual call process to consider SCD screening in young people aged 14 to 35 years old engaging in sport. The UK NSC is currently reviewing all annual call proposals. Further information on the annual call process is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposal
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_84
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_84

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 23852 on Surgery: Reform, which straight-to-test pathways are being considered for Community Diagnostic Centres. \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/answers2025-02-12 conversation_85
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_85

Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on patient confidentiality in relation to sharing information on (a) inquiry reports and (b) other relevant information on killings by mentally ill people with the (i) families of their victims and (ii) general public; and what his policy is on (A) publishing independent homicide reports and (B) intervening to consider publication in such cases, in the context of patient confidentiality. \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/answers2025-02-12 conversation_86
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_86

Kevin McKenna:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of delivering universal fracture liaison services by 2030 on (a) patients and (b) the NHS; and what the annual cost to the public purse will be of delivering this. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. According to the Fracture Liaison Service Database 2022, at least 60 Trusts in England had access to a Fracture Liaison Service. This government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to these important preventative services, and the Department is working closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access, including ways to best support local systems.

Costs and benefits will be assessed, as these options are considered, taking into consideration the evidence gathered from the 60 services already in operation in England.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_87
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_87

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve end-of-life care in the community. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.

We have committed to develop a 10-year plan, to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future and one of the three ‘shifts’ that the plan will deliver is the shift from hospital to community. We will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.

I met with key palliative and end of life care, including hospice, stakeholders on 3 February 2025 to discuss the long-term sustainability of palliative and end of life care, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, with hospices able to use this capital funding to benefit community provision, and £26 million revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_88
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_88

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of items of correspondence from Parliamentarians received by (a) her Department, (b) herself and (c) her ministerial team have not yet received a substantive response in each month since August 2024 . \p Stephanie Peacock: An annual correspondence report, across all departments, will be published in due course.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_89
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_89

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the system of elected mayors in managing of local issues across large geographical areas. \p Jim McMahon: Mayors have become vital local leaders, delivering on the promise of change in their area to drive growth, more joined-up delivery, and earning trust. We want to see all of England benefit from devolution and it is the government’s strong preference that in filling the map, places do so with a Mayor over a strategic geography.

To deliver devolution successfully, it is vital that we build evidence of how best to implement our policies over time. In the English Devolution White Paper, we committed to exploring a public evaluation on the outcomes of devolution to date, a feasibility study on the impact of different devolution commitments and ongoing process and impact evaluation to capture evidence on devolution as it becomes available.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_90
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_90

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral response to the hon. Member for North Cornwall during Prime Minister's Questions on 16 October 2024, if she will meet with hon. Members representing Cornish constituencies. \p Jim McMahon: The Deputy Prime Minister held a meeting with all six Cornish Members of Parliament on 17 December 2024. There has also been a significant number of meetings with Cornish MPs individually and collectively with government ministers.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_91
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_91

Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, CP 1218, published on 16 December 2024, what plans she has to introduce legislative proposals for a ministerial directive to allow the creation of Strategic Authorities. \p Jim McMahon: The English Devolution White Paper set out the government’s ambition for universal coverage of Strategic Authorities with access to devolution in England. We are committed to introducing the English Devolution Bill in this session, subject to parliamentary time. We will legislate for a ministerial power of direction, previously referred to as a ministerial directive, enabling government to create Strategic Authorities in any remaining places where local leaders have not been able to agree a route to devolution and ensure the effective running of public services. The government is fully committed to working in partnership with local authorities, and the Secretary of State will only use this power when other routes to devolution have been exhausted.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_92
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_92

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16546 on Housing: Construction, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on affordable housing provision of reduced demand for registered providers in acquiring homes built by private sector developers as a Section 106 requirement; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of greater flexibility on affordable tenure types to help increase take-up. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government recognises the ongoing challenge posed by the reduced appetite of Registered Providers of social housing to buy affordable homes delivered under Section 106 agreements.

Homes England's Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service was launched in December with the aim of supporting buyers and sellers of Section 106 homes to find each other more effectively.

We are calling on all developers with uncontracted Section 106 affordable homes, as well as registered providers and local planning authorities, to engage proactively with this new service.

We will consider what further measures may be necessary to address this problem, informed by data from the new clearing service.
wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_93
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_93

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025, to Question 20228, on Civil Society: Islam, whether her Department has a list of organisations which it does not engage with. \p Alex Norris: Individual policy teams are responsible for the stakeholder engagements within their portfolio. As such, there is no centralised list of organisations which the Department will not engage with.