theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_72

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS (a) hospitals, and (b) other buildings in England will be (i) sold, (ii) refurbished, and (iii) demolished between 2025 and 2030. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not currently hold estimated figures for the number of sales, refurbishments and demolitions of hospitals and other National Health Service buildings in England for 2025 to 2030.

Decisions to sell, refurbish or demolish hospitals and other NHS buildings in England are matters for the local NHS organisations in line with their local infrastructure planning.

Decisions on sales, refurbishments and demolitions will also be shaped by capital availability. We are backing NHS systems to invest in local priorities in 2025/26, with over £4 billion in operational capital, and national funding, including the £750 million Estates Safety Fund. Systems are in planning stages for capital investments in 2025/26, informed by the NHS capital guidance for 2025/26, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/capital-guidance-2025-26/

Capital funding levels for 2026/27 to 2030/31 will be determined through the current Spending Review, which concludes in June 2025.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_73

Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on long term public sector borrowing relating to health administration. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. The transition team will work across NHS England and the Department, bringing together the expertise and experience of both organisations.

As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, including the financial implications of the changes. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_74

Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of modernisation of Primary Care Support England's NHS Pensions Scheme processes. \p Karin Smyth: Primary Care Support England (PCSE) follows the pension scheme requirements laid down by NHS Pensions. PCSE has provided an online portal, PCSE Online, which provides general practitioners (GPs), practices, and commissioners with a simple and efficient way to manage pension payments and provide visibility on the information held by PCSE in relation to their pension. PCSE Online enables GPs and non-GP partners to determine if their pension details held by PCSE are correct, identify any gaps, and gives them the ability to self-serve a number of administrative tasks, including submitting end-of-year pension certificates. PCSE draws information from PCSE Online to update the pension scheme records of GPs held by NHS Pensions.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_75

Peter Prinsley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress NHS England has made on becoming the first health service in the world to achieve carbon net zero; and whether this work will continue in the new health service structure. \p Karin Smyth: The National Health Service has made substantial progress in supporting the Government’s Net Zero commitments. These include securing over £1.2 billion in funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the NHS-wide decommissioning of desflurane, ongoing reduction in waste from nitrous oxide, and the introduction of requirements for NHS suppliers to disclose their emissions and publish a carbon reduction plan, in line with the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.

Going forward, the Department will continue to work with partners across the NHS and Government to deliver on these aims, including through our recently announced £100 million partnership with Great British Energy, that will increase NHS solar generation by 300%.

The Government remains committed to supporting NHS bodies to meet their obligations regarding the environment, and as we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_76

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of wholesale medications bought by the National Health Service. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has well established mechanisms to control the level of spend on medicines. For example, the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access, and growth, the statutory scheme for branded medicines to control their growth in sales, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s evaluations all ensure that spend on new medicines represents a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources.

The Government’s policy on generic medicines is to allow suppliers freedom of pricing for their products, relying on competition between suppliers and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to deliver value for money for the NHS. However, this can mean that prices can fluctuate because of normal market forces, and can go up as well as down. Typically, this approach leads to some of the lowest prices of generic medicines in Europe.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_77

Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand access to (a) neonatal outreach services and (b) specialist perinatal mental health support for families of preterm babies following hospital discharge. \p Karin Smyth: From 1 April 2025, commissioning responsibilities for neonatal services in England have been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs). The neonatal service specification sets out the standards for neonatal provision. It states that a neonatal unit-based outreach service, or other designated neonatal unit staff, should coordinate pre-discharge planning for complex or long stay patients or patients with any safeguarding concerns.

ICBs are encouraged to develop locally tailored plans to expand access to neonatal outreach and specialist mental health services. The neonatal specification also outlines that clinical psychologists have a role in providing specialist psychological assessments and interventions to support the mental health of babies and families.

In addition to this, NHS England’s guidance sets out that all women who have given birth should be offered a postnatal check-up with their general practitioner (GP) after six to eight weeks. This check-up provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, and for women to be assessed and supported not just in their physical recovery post-birth, but also their mental health.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_78
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_78

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of stroke care provision within the (a) Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board and (b) Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board areas. \p Karin Smyth: The Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West aims to improve stroke care through collaborative service improvement across the stroke pathway, addressing the approximately 2,200 annual stroke admissions in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West, which cost £38.6 million in 2023/24.   The ISDN's 2025/26 plan prioritises reducing stroke incidence and disability through acute care, rehabilitation, and prevention workstreams. Key achievements include artificial intelligence implementation, to reduce treatment times, and increased mechanical thrombectomy rates, particularly due to the 24/7 service at Oxford University Hospital and an agreed referral protocol, with Wycombe Hospital achieving the highest national referral rate for an acute stroke centre.   Rehabilitation efforts focus on improving consistency, with projects in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire demonstrating positive outcomes, such as increased access to support and improved patient wellbeing. Building on these positive outcomes will require sustained funding in Oxfordshire’s community rehabilitation services, alongside ongoing efforts to enhance the integration of services and patient engagement across the region.

NHS England leads the quarterly joint North and South East of England ISDN meeting, which reviews stroke provision across the region. The Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care Board (ICB) and representatives from provider trusts attend these meetings to provide assurance. The ICB still has contract monitoring in place with trusts, and trusts have their own internal quality assurance processes. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme is the main data source for monitoring, which all the above forums use. The last Getting It Right First Time review of stroke services, which included BLMK, was in 2022.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_79
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_79

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41611 on Hospitals: Renewable Energy, what projects comprise the estimated increase in renewable power capacity in the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: Site data for the National Health Service is published in the annual Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC). The latest data set is from 2023/24, and 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

The data set reports 9,725 sites in total. With regard to sites providing acute services, the most recent data shows 222 general acute hospital sites, 58 specialist, or acute only, hospitals, as well as 105 sites providing mixed services.

All NHS trusts were invited to submit projects for solar funding in our partnership with Great British Energy. NHS England received an overwhelmingly positive response, with over 300 bids that could potentially have been taken forward. The majority of bids were from acute trusts, where consumption profiles and space availability mean solar projects can offer particular value. Regrettably, funding limitations and the overwhelming response to the scheme meant many projects offering significant value missed out on this occasion. We will continue to work with NHS England and our partners across the Government to explore further funding opportunities.

The successful projects were announced on 21 March 2025, and include a range of NHS sites. The list is publicly available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67dd2e0370323a45fe6a6f0e/gbe-nhs-solar-projects.csv

It is estimated that these projects will deliver an additional 55 million kilo watt hours (kwh) in annual generation, which is approximately three times the 17.7 million kwh reported in ERIC in 2023/4.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_80
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_80

Mr Connor Rand:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of new or redeveloped primary care facilities required following Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: The primary care estate is in mixed ownership between general practices (GPs), property companies, and integrated care boards (ICBs), and can be funded through a variety of routes. The Care Quality Commission regulates sites that provide National Health Services, including primary care facilities, with further information on their data available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/about-us/transparency/using-cqc-data

Prior to 2016, new surgery premises were delivered either by GPs or by third parties. NHS England does not keep a register of the projects funded through these routes.

In the period 2016 to 2025, the upgrades programme delivered 90 new GP or primary care schemes, alongside several refurbishments and extensions of existing sites, at a cost of £996 million. For 2024 to 2025, the NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnership was given £15 million to adapt the existing estate, so that it could be used more intensively.

As a first step in response to the Darzi Report, in 2025/26 £102 million has been allocated for modernisation and improved utilisation in primary care. Capital budgets for 2026/27 onwards will be considered through Phase 2 of the Spending Review process and the launch of the 10-Year Health Plan in Spring 2025. This will give the necessary strategic direction and funding certainty as we shift to a Neighbourhood Health Service and treating patients closer to home. The following table shows the schemes, capital investment, and new facilities delivered from 2016 to 2025:

Scheme

Period

National capital investment

New facilities delivered

GP or third-party developer

Before 2016

N/A

N/A

Primary care estates and IT

2016 to 2020

£800 million

50

Local authority joint schemes

2019 to 2025

N/A

30

Sustainability and transformation plan upgrades programme

2020 to 2025

£196 million

10
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_81
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_81

Dr Marie Tidball:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to establish a redress scheme for people harmed by sodium valproate. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_82
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_82

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of carrying out bone density scans for early onset osteoporosis in women who have gone through the menopause. \p Ashley Dalton: One in three women and one in five men will experience an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. Never again will women’s health be neglected, and we will prioritise women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model that can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health. We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.

DEXA scans are a vital component of the early diagnosis of osteoporosis. We are investing in high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans per year, to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_83
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_83

Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing free covid vaccinations to unpaid carers. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, involving hospitalisation and/or death, arising from COVID-19.

The JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024 noted that in the era of high population immunity to COVID-19, and with all cases due to highly transmissible omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccine against the transmission of infection from one person to another was expected to be extremely limited. On this basis, the JCVI did not advise offering vaccination to unpaid carers. The Government accepted the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024, with both the advice and the Government’s response available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-accepts-advice-on-2024-autumn-covid-vaccine-programme

On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026. In line with its advice for the autumn 2024 campaign, the JCVI does not advise COVID-19 vaccination for unpaid carers. This advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026#:~:text=the%20JCVI%20webpage.-,Advice%20on%20vaccination%20in%20spring%202025,care%20home%20for%20older%20adults

The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme. The Government is considering the advice for autumn 2025 and spring 2026 carefully, and will respond in due course.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_84
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_84

Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason Primodos was not within the terms of reference of the Hughes Report: options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, published on 7 February 2024. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is hugely sympathetic to the families who believe that they or their children have suffered following the use of hormone pregnancy tests.

The previous administration did not ask the Patient Safety Commissioner, Dr Henrietta Hughes, to look at redress for hormone pregnancy tests as part of the Hughes Report, because a causal link between hormone pregnancy tests and adverse outcomes in pregnancy has not been demonstrated. An Expert Working Group of the independent Commission on Human Medicines reviewed the available scientific evidence in 2017 and concluded that it does not support a causal association. This position was reaffirmed in its most recent review in November 2024. However, we are committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence that comes to light.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_85
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_85

Yuan Yang:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timeframe is for the chronic fatigue syndrome delivery plan. \p Ashley Dalton: We have listened to key myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), stakeholders to allow for more time to develop the plan, to help ensure we can be as ambitious as possible and make the most impact for those living with ME/CFS. As such, we aim to publish the plan by the end of June 2025.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_86
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_86

Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis times for young people with cancer in (a) England and (b) Dorset. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department is committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more patients survive this horrible set of diseases, including children and young people. To achieve this, the NHS has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with cancer.

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including for children and young people with cancer, and will highlight how we aim to improve diagnosis rates for people in all parts of England, including Dorset.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_87
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_87

Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many families are receiving Healthy Start in Bournemouth West constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthcare-professionals/

The NHSBSA does not hold data on the number of families receiving Healthy Start, or on local constituencies specifically. The number of people on the scheme in March 2025 for all ward areas within Birmingham, Christchurch, and Poole was 1,507.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_88
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_88

Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates among (a) Sikh and (b) Jewish people. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) manages transplant services across the United Kingdom. NHSBT works with an extensive network of organisations and individuals who have established and trusted relationships with their communities. Last year, in collaboration with the National Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance (NBTA), NHSBT delivered a conference with the aim of developing culturally and religiously sensitive messaging to promote organ donation within these communities by engaging faith leaders and organisations. Representatives from 51 organisations attended, including British Sikh Nurses. This promotes the sharing of messaging guidance with many faiths, including Sikhism. The report will be shared with all community grant groups and organisations working to increase engagement with faith groups. NHSBT and the NBTA, along with the Race Equality Commission, will continue to work together, and have established a Messaging Conference Implementation Group which will take forward the actions arising from the conference. NHSBT also creates and shares a host of faith-based assets on its website, including for Judaism, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/your-faith-and-beliefs/judaism/

The Jewish Organ Donor Association is a recipient of the Community Grant Programme, which is a two-year programme focused on building long-term relationships through trusted peers and leaders in the community, engaging with black African and Caribbean, South Asian, East and South East Asian, Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim, and Christian communities. It aims to raise awareness, tackle misinformation, and change perceptions and behaviours around organ donation. A total of £600,000 was given to 51 recipients in 2024.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_89
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_89

Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates among ethnic minority groups. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Organ Donor Register is operated by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). Improving NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates overall and particularly for ethnic minority groups is a priority for the Government and NHSBT, to save and improve more lives. NHSBT runs marketing and communication activity throughout the year to increase organ donation, particularly for underrepresented groups, which includes but is not limited to:

- publication of the Annual Report of Ethnic Differences in Transplantation, with supporting media coverage, including on the BBC Asian Network;

- raising awareness during South Asian Heritage Month with charities and organisations; and

- Organ Donation Week 2024, which saw continued activity with partners, including Dalgety Tea, and an exclusive screening of the living donation film The Final Gift at Brixton’s Ritzy cinema

NHSBT’s Community Grants Programme is part of NHSBT’s works to build support for organ donation amongst black, Asian, mixed heritage, and minority ethnic communities, working through faith groups to increase understanding and drive behavioural change on organ donation.

NHSBT works closely with the National Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Transplant Alliance to deliver culturally and religiously sensitive messaging about low donation rates amongst their communities. In addition, a range of online and printed materials in relation to faith are available on the dedicated faith and beliefs section of the NHSBT website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/your-faith-and-beliefs/
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_90
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_90

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of air pollution on children’s health. \p Ashley Dalton: Children can be susceptible to the health effects from long and short-term exposure to air pollution. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants published advice on susceptibility to air pollution in March 2025. They concluded that, based on the latest evidence, advice for children with asthma should continue to be included in the Daily Air Quality Index. The full review is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-given-to-the-air-quality-information-system-aqis-review-steering-group

In addition, the UK Health Security Agency has a Cleaner Air Programme which aims to reduce people’s exposure to air pollution, particularly in the most vulnerable groups, including children. The programme is organised around three core outcomes, namely increasing the evidence base, influencing and supporting stakeholders, and improving awareness and understanding. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2022/06/16/clean-air-day-how-ukhsa-is-tackling-air-pollution-and-how-you-can-help/
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_91
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_91

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many men have been diagnosed with prostate cancer in the last 12 months. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 March 2025 to Question 37562.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_92
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_92

Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS 10-year plan will include steps to improve (a) prevention of, (b) early diagnosis for and (c) treatment for lung conditions. \p Ashley Dalton: The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the county.

More tests and scans delivered in the community to allow for earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help people manage their conditions, prevent deterioration, and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation, can further help prevent lung conditions.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_93
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_93

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the sale of illegal vapes in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Ashley Dalton: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. The bill also enables the introduction of a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold in the United Kingdom’s market. This will help ensure products are compliant with product safety standard requirements, and enable Trading Standards to remove non-compliant products from the market quickly and efficiently.

In 2025/26 we will invest £10 million of new funding into Trading Standards, to enhance their work in tackling the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, and to support the implementation of the bill. This funding will be used to recruit approximately 80 new regionally coordinated apprentices in England. This will benefit all regions, including the East Midlands, which covers South Holland and the Deepings and Lincolnshire.

The introduction of a new Vaping Products Duty in October 2026 will provide civil and criminal powers for HM Revenue and Customs to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit vapes.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_94
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_94

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the health visitor to resident ratio in Worcestershire; and what steps his Department is taking to increase this provision. \p Ashley Dalton: Local authorities have responsibility for commissioning public health services for children and young people aged zero to 19 years old. This includes the commissioning of health visiting services.

We recognise the role health visitors play in our commitment to create the healthiest generation of children ever, as families must have the support they need to give their babies and children the best start and the building blocks for a healthy life.

We have therefore committed to strengthen health visiting services nationally. We will ensure we have the staff we need, so that children and their families are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. This will take time, but we are committed to building a health service fit for the future, with the workforce it needs.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_95
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_95

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40751 on GP Practice Lists, how is the proportion of the population with a limiting long-term illness calculated for each constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: The proportion of the population living with a limiting long-term illness is the proportion of people who answered ‘yes’ to the question ’Do you have a limiting long-term illness?’ in the 2001 Census. This is calculated at a ward level, with no constituency-level data calculated or used.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_96
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_96

Jeremy Hunt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will implement the recommended compensation schemes for victims of (a) pelvic mesh implants, (b) sodium valproate, and (c) Primodos made by the Hughes report. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

The Patient Safety Commissioner was not asked to look at redress for hormone pregnancy tests as part of her recent report. The causal link between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during pregnancy and adverse outcomes in pregnancy has not been demonstrated. However, we are committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence that comes to light.

We remain hugely sympathetic to the families who believe that they or their children have suffered following the use of hormone pregnancy tests.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_97
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_97

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people with leukaemia in Lincolnshire. \p Ashley Dalton: It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including leukaemia, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes for all patients across England, including in Lincolnshire.

To improve early diagnosis, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer, including leukaemia, has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. This approach ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health, as well as any practical or financial concerns.

Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan. The plan will include details on how we will further improve cancer outcomes and support for all cancer patients, including those with leukaemia.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_98
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_98

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on lowering the smear age for women. \p Ashley Dalton: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had no conversations with his Northern Irish counterpart on lowering the age of cervical screening. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises the administrations of all four nations on aspects of screening, including age thresholds. However, the implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_99
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_99

Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of selective internal radiation therapy on the (a) survival outcomes and (b) quality of life for neuroendocrine tumour patients. \p Ashley Dalton: No assessment has been made on the potential impact of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) on survival outcomes and quality of life for neuroendocrine tumour patients. However, the Department recognises the need to offer suitable treatment, including SIRT, to the patients who need it the most.

Radiotherapy treatment for cancer is highly individualised and decisions about cancer treatment are typically made by clinicians and multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals. They consider all aspects of a patient's health and circumstances when recommending treatment options. While certain treatments may not be advised for some patients, these decisions are based on medical assessments and what is best for the individual's overall health and well-being.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_100
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_100

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are on the waiting list for cancer screening across the UK. \p Ashley Dalton: There are no waiting lists for the three cancer screening programmes, bowel, breast or cervical, in England. Lung cancer screening, which is being rolled out nationally, does not have waiting lists either.

Cancer screening is a devolved matter, and we do not hold information regarding waiting lists for Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_101
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_101

Mr James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of funding for AI auto-contouring technology on (a) cancer treatment waiting times, (b) patient outcomes and (c) the workload of NHS cancer specialists; and whether he has considered alternative funding mechanisms for the rollout of that technology. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department supports the National Health Service in reviewing opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to transform diagnostic performance, bring down waiting times, and support staff with their workload.

Furthermore, the Department is carrying out work to assess the barriers of effective adoption and improve the way AI tools are deployed across the NHS through a number of initiatives, including the NHS AI Lab’s Ethics Initiative, which invests in research and practical interventions that could strengthen the ethical adoption of AI within health and care, and addresses risks and concerns over their use.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_102
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_102

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes his Department undertook in its impact assessment into proposals for the Care Quality Commission to regulate sporting and cultural events; and if he will publish that work. \p Ashley Dalton: The Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume Two report recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and at temporary sporting and cultural events, to ensure public safety.

The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed, which looked at a range of options and considered the impact on the event sector and event healthcare providers. The assessment includes costs, benefits, and risks.

An updated de minimis assessment will be published before the Statutory Instrument is laid before Parliament. This will outline the direct cost to business. The Government and the CQC continue to engage with stakeholders within the health, sports, and events sector regarding the changes in the regulations and their impact.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_103
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_103

Uma Kumaran:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) treatment of tuberculosis. \p Ashley Dalton: Tuberculosis (TB) is a statutorily notifiable disease in the United Kingdom. Surveillance data on all individuals diagnosed with TB is collected via the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) National TB Surveillance System (NTBS), which was launched in 2021 to replace older systems.

Scotland joined the NTBS in March 2025, bringing all four UK nations into a single system to improve TB control. Regular data and analysis to support TB control activities is published by the UKHSA, with both annual and quarterly analyses and updates available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-in-england-2024-report

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tuberculosis-in-england-national-quarterly-reports/national-quarterly-report-of-tuberculosis-in-england-quarter-3-2024-provisional-data

Annual data sorted by National Health Service and local authority geographies is also available publicly on the Fingertips website, which is available at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/tb-monitoring

The UKHSA and NHS England’s joint Tuberculosis (TB): action plan for England, 2021 to 2026 details actions to support prevention, detection, and control of TB. This includes actions targeted at improving treatment completion and ensuring effective management of drug-resistant TB.

The UKHSA routinely undertakes whole genome sequencing of all TB strains through the National Mycobacterial Reference Service to support treatment decisions based on resistance profiles and public health action with high resolution typing.

NHS England and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s Getting it Right First Time review of TB services reported in March 2025, with a series of recommendations to reduce unwarranted variation and improve care, including to underserved populations. Work is underway, including a call for evidence launched on 2 April 2025, to review and update the national action plan, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/tuberculosis-national-action-plan-2026-to-2031#:~:text=The%20government%20is%20developing%20the,for%20England%2C%20published%20in%202021
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_104
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_104

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps with the Secretary of State for Education to promote (a) CPR training and (b) defibrillator use in schools. \p Ashley Dalton: There are no plans to take steps with my Rt Hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education to promote cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and defibrillator use in schools. The Department for Education published guidance in January 2025 on the provision and use of automated external defibrillators in schools, as well as training in CPR. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67936b102de28ea2d392f35b/Automated_External_Defibrillators__AEDs__guidance_for_schools.pdf

The Department for Education, working with NHS Supply Chain, has negotiated an arrangement for schools to purchase defibrillators at a reduced cost. As part of its work to help people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the British Heart Foundation is offering CPR training packs free to all secondary schools in the United Kingdom.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_106
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_106

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to discourage the use of sunbeds. \p Ashley Dalton: The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 prohibits the use of sunbeds for those under 18 years old. For those over 18 years old, advice has been issued by both the National Health Service and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to increase awareness of the public health risks of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The UKHSA’s advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sunbeds-safety-advice/sunbeds-safety-advice

The NHS’ advice is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_107
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_107

Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the NHS was preparing for AI auto contouring funding in September 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of not providing this funding on planning by radiotherapy departments. \p Ashley Dalton: We are committed to transforming diagnostic services, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners. While no assessment has been made, we will continue to monitor developments and any potential impacts on waiting times.

All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.

We will be spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.

The Department will continue to look at opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to diagnostic performance and ultimately bring down waiting times.
wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_108
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-08 conversation_108

Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the webinars held by NHS England with hospital staff on AI auto contouring funding in September 2024 on staff expectations for that technology. \p Ashley Dalton: The information requested is not held by the Department, but we are seeking advice from NHS England on the impact of these webinars and subsequent engagement that they have undertaken.

All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.

The Department supports the National Health Service in reviewing opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to transform performance, bring down waiting times, and support staff with their workload. We expect that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, to ensure that they receive the best possible care. This includes the use of artificial intelligence where available.