Department of Health and Social Care

We recognise the negative impact that postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) has on patients, and the cost to health and care services and the wider economy through, for example, loss of work and an increased benefits bill.

Improving health outcomes for everyone living with a long-term condition, including PoTS, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and through the expansion of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.

We recognise the negative impact that postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) has on patients, and the cost to health and care services and the wider economy through, for example, loss of work and an increased benefits bill.

Improving health outcomes for everyone living with a long-term condition, including PoTS, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and through the expansion of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.

We recognise the negative impact that postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) has on patients, and the cost to health and care services and the wider economy through, for example, loss of work and an increased benefits bill.

Improving health outcomes for everyone living with a long-term condition, including PoTS, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and through the expansion of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.

We recognise the negative impact that postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) has on patients, and the cost to health and care services and the wider economy through, for example, loss of work and an increased benefits bill.

Improving health outcomes for everyone living with a long-term condition, including PoTS, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and through the expansion of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

NHS England commissions the specialised elements of motor neurone disease (MND) care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. Within specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals and specialised treatment and support, according to their needs.

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

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has supported a broad portfolio of research into long COVID, including understanding the links between long COVID and PoTS. The £3.35 million LOng COvid Multidisciplinary consortium: Optimising Treatments and servIces acrOss the NHS, or LOCOMOTION, study confirmed that people with long COVID are more likely than others to have orthostatic intolerance, and that these problems are relatively common.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has supported a broad portfolio of research into long COVID, including understanding the links between long COVID and PoTS. The £3.35 million LOng COvid Multidisciplinary consortium: Optimising Treatments and servIces acrOss the NHS, or LOCOMOTION, study confirmed that people with long COVID are more likely than others to have orthostatic intolerance, and that these problems are relatively common.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

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

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has supported a broad portfolio of research into long COVID, including understanding the links between long COVID and PoTS. The £3.35 million LOng COvid Multidisciplinary consortium: Optimising Treatments and servIces acrOss the NHS, or LOCOMOTION, study confirmed that people with long COVID are more likely than others to have orthostatic intolerance, and that these problems are relatively common.

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.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our position on vaping is clear, that it is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective tool to help adults to stop smoking, but that non-smokers and young people should never vape. The Government has regularly set out this position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will continue do so at the upcoming conference.

Officials in the Department attended the European Region Pre-Cop meeting. These were informative sessions, and the United Kingdom did not make any interventions at these meetings. We have not yet confirmed the UK’s delegation with the World Health Organization. We are aiming to do so shortly.

Our position on vaping is clear, that it is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective tool to help adults to stop smoking, but that non-smokers and young people should never vape. The Government has regularly set out this position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will continue do so at the upcoming conference.

Officials in the Department attended the European Region Pre-Cop meeting. These were informative sessions, and the United Kingdom did not make any interventions at these meetings. We have not yet confirmed the UK’s delegation with the World Health Organization. We are aiming to do so shortly.

Our position on vaping is clear, that it is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective tool to help adults to stop smoking, but that non-smokers and young people should never vape. The Government has regularly set out this position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will continue do so at the upcoming conference.

Officials in the Department attended the European Region Pre-Cop meeting. These were informative sessions, and the United Kingdom did not make any interventions at these meetings. We have not yet confirmed the UK’s delegation with the World Health Organization. We are aiming to do so shortly.

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.

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.

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.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the independent Government department responsible for food safety and allergen labelling in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Food business operators (FBOs) need to tell customers if any food they provide contains any of the 14 listed allergens as an ingredient, including cereals containing gluten. Further information on the allergen guidance for food businesses and the food allergen labelling and information requirements is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/food-allergen-labelling-and-information-requirements-technical-guidance-introduction

In March 2025, the FSA published new guidance, Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice, which recommends that allergen information be provided in writing, and supported by a conversation with the consumer. We have also emphasised the need for those with allergies to mention these when ordering food. This new guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-information-for-non-prepacked-foods-best-practice-introduction

All food businesses must have a food safety management system based on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles. This includes identifying hazards including allergens, determining critical control points, setting limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record-keeping. Businesses can use ‘gluten-free’ claims if the level of gluten is 20 milligrams per kilogram or less, and should be able to verify such a claim. The enforcement of hygiene and allergen information regulations is the responsibility of local authorities, who monitor compliance with the latter through the Food Standards Delivery Model.

Food law does not oblige FBOs to provide gluten-free food or ingredients. However, if an FBO is made aware of a person’s allergen requirements and has agreed to provide a meal, they have an obligation to ensure that the meal does not contain that allergen and is safe. FBOs must ensure that staff receive training commensurate to their role, and the FSA has provided free online allergen training via their website, at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergy-training-for-food-businesses

This training has been accessed by over 915,000 users, including those in hospitality, to help food businesses to understand the importance of allergies. The FSA also provides guidance to FBOs and trade associations, and to local authorities who are responsible for enforcing allergen labelling laws.

As a regulator, the FSA does not provide accreditation or certification and is not in a position to endorse any other accreditation schemes. However, the FSA recognises its role in helping consumers identify safe dining options and encourages businesses to consider such schemes where appropriate.

Consent to care and treatment is a regulated activity in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2009, which set out that the registered person must have suitable arrangements in place for obtaining, and acting in accordance with, the consent of service users in relation to the care and treatment provided for them.

Protocols around obtaining medical consent are set out in professional guidance from the General Medical Council, Decision making and consent. This includes advice on what professionals should tell patients and what they should record. The guidance came into effect in 2020 and was updated in 2024. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/decision-making-and-consent

Ensuring the United Kingdom is prepared for a future pandemic is a top priority for the Government, and we are embedding lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in our approach to pandemic preparedness. We aim to have flexible, adaptable and scalable capabilities that can respond to any infectious disease or other threat, rather than rely on plans for specific threats.

In the Autumn 2024 budget, the Chancellor announced £460 million of investment to strengthen the UK’s pandemic preparedness, including replenishing personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccine and medicines stockpiles.

Our stockpiles for a potential future health emergency cover a range of clinical countermeasures, including antivirals, antibiotics, medical consumables, PPE and hygiene consumables.

In autumn 2025, the Department and UK Health Security Agency are conducting Exercise PEGASUS, a national exercise on the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic. It aims to assess the UK’s preparedness, capabilities, and response arrangements in the context of a pandemic arising from a novel infectious disease and involves all regions and nations of the UK and thousands of participants.

The outcomes of the exercise will inform how we approach our pandemic strategy going forward.

In Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, the Government has committed to tackling harmful levels of alcohol consumption by exploring options to encourage consumers to reduce their alcohol intake by substituting standard strength drinks with no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) alternatives.

One of the first steps to support further growth of the NoLo sector, and potentially increase the range of NoLo products, will be to explore raising the upper alcohol limit for drinks labelled as alcohol-free to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) from 0.05% ABV, whilst providing clarity to consumers and producers. At the same time, we will explore measures to regulate access to NoLo products in line with other alcoholic beverages, including prohibiting sales to individuals under the age of 18 years old.

Alongside the plan, a large, multi-year National Institute for Health and Care Research study is underway to examine the public health impacts of NoLo products, and we look forward to the findings of that study being available in the coming year.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Fahr’s Disease. The United Kingdom Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community. These include: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs.

We published the annual England Action Plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities in the preceding year and set out three new actions for the year ahead.

The Department is supporting the National Health Service to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), for 75% of patients to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of being referred urgently by their general practitioner (GP) for suspected cancer. NHS England collects and publishes monthly FDS performance data nationally and for individual cancer groups. Data is not available from the time of the onset of symptoms, but from referral.

To achieve the FDS, NHS England rolled out public awareness campaigns of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlined referral routes for different cancer types, and is increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres.

NHS England has also achieved full roll out of non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.

The NHS is also taking crucial steps to improve lung cancer outcomes for patients across England, including the roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme, designed to identify cancer at an earlier stage, and which is aimed at high-risk individuals or people with a history of smoking between the ages of 55 and 74 years old.

Additionally, we set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform plan, published on 6 January 2025. We asked systems and providers to identify local opportunities in both community diagnostic centres and hospital based diagnostic services to improve performance against the FDS, to reduce the number of patients waiting too long for a confirmed diagnosis of cancer.

As part of developing the forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England, the Department has been working with members of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce to identify how to improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for less survivable cancers, which includes lung, pancreatic, liver, brain, oesophageal, and stomach cancer.

The Department is supporting the National Health Service to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), for 75% of patients to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of being referred urgently by their general practitioner (GP) for suspected cancer. NHS England collects and publishes monthly FDS performance data nationally and for individual cancer groups. Data is not available from the time of the onset of symptoms, but from referral.

To achieve the FDS, NHS England rolled out public awareness campaigns of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlined referral routes for different cancer types, and is increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres.

NHS England has also achieved full roll out of non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.

The NHS is also taking crucial steps to improve lung cancer outcomes for patients across England, including the roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme, designed to identify cancer at an earlier stage, and which is aimed at high-risk individuals or people with a history of smoking between the ages of 55 and 74 years old.

Additionally, we set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform plan, published on 6 January 2025. We asked systems and providers to identify local opportunities in both community diagnostic centres and hospital based diagnostic services to improve performance against the FDS, to reduce the number of patients waiting too long for a confirmed diagnosis of cancer.

As part of developing the forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England, the Department has been working with members of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce to identify how to improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for less survivable cancers, which includes lung, pancreatic, liver, brain, oesophageal, and stomach cancer.

The Department is supporting the National Health Service to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), for 75% of patients to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of being referred urgently by their general practitioner (GP) for suspected cancer. NHS England collects and publishes monthly FDS performance data nationally and for individual cancer groups. Data is not available from the time of the onset of symptoms, but from referral.

To achieve the FDS, NHS England rolled out public awareness campaigns of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlined referral routes for different cancer types, and is increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres.

NHS England has also achieved full roll out of non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.

The NHS is also taking crucial steps to improve lung cancer outcomes for patients across England, including the roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme, designed to identify cancer at an earlier stage, and which is aimed at high-risk individuals or people with a history of smoking between the ages of 55 and 74 years old.

Additionally, we set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform plan, published on 6 January 2025. We asked systems and providers to identify local opportunities in both community diagnostic centres and hospital based diagnostic services to improve performance against the FDS, to reduce the number of patients waiting too long for a confirmed diagnosis of cancer.

As part of developing the forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England, the Department has been working with members of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce to identify how to improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for less survivable cancers, which includes lung, pancreatic, liver, brain, oesophageal, and stomach cancer.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) can significantly limit a person's ability to work, though the degree of impact will vary among individuals. For some, symptoms are debilitating and prevent them from working entirely, while others can work with adjustments in place. A person's ability to work will depend on the severity of their symptoms and the demands of the job.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with PoTS, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, set out our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people and those with long-term conditions. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Youth vaping has doubled in the past five years, and one in four 11 to 15-year-olds tried vaping in 2023. There has been a significant growth in the awareness of vaping promotion over recent years, with more than half of all children aged 11 to 17 years old, or 55%, being aware of promotion in shops, up from 37% in 2022.

Advertising of nicotine vapes is already restricted by United Kingdom regulations. This includes a ban on advertising on television and radio, and through internet advertising or commercial email. However, there are currently no restrictions on the advertising of non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine products such as pouches. There are also minimal restrictions on entering sponsorship agreements which promote these products, and we do not want children to be aware of these promotions which may make the products seem ‘cool’, for instance, if it appears on their favourite football team’s kit.

This is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately advertised and promoted to children. This will stop the next generation from being hooked on nicotine. However, the bill will not stop public health authorities from undertaking necessary and important public health messaging or campaigns on vaping and smoking cessation.

The Government has published a comprehensive impact assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including the proposed ban on advertising vaping and nicotine products. This assessment was reviewed in full by the Regulatory Policy Committee, which deemed it ‘fit for purpose’ in its published opinion on 5 November 2024. Paragraph 529 of the impact assessment details options that were previously considered but discounted. Our approach reflects evidence showing that comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising had a significant impact on reducing consumption, while partial bans had no significant effect. The World Health Organisation cites advertising bans as ‘one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco consumption’ so they are also likely to be effective for vaping and nicotine products.

The Government will monitor the impact of this advertising and sponsorship ban following its implementation.

Youth vaping has doubled in the past five years, and one in four 11 to 15-year-olds tried vaping in 2023. There has been a significant growth in the awareness of vaping promotion over recent years, with more than half of all children aged 11 to 17 years old, or 55%, being aware of promotion in shops, up from 37% in 2022.

Advertising of nicotine vapes is already restricted by United Kingdom regulations. This includes a ban on advertising on television and radio, and through internet advertising or commercial email. However, there are currently no restrictions on the advertising of non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine products such as pouches. There are also minimal restrictions on entering sponsorship agreements which promote these products, and we do not want children to be aware of these promotions which may make the products seem ‘cool’, for instance, if it appears on their favourite football team’s kit.

This is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately advertised and promoted to children. This will stop the next generation from being hooked on nicotine. However, the bill will not stop public health authorities from undertaking necessary and important public health messaging or campaigns on vaping and smoking cessation.

The Government has published a comprehensive impact assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including the proposed ban on advertising vaping and nicotine products. This assessment was reviewed in full by the Regulatory Policy Committee, which deemed it ‘fit for purpose’ in its published opinion on 5 November 2024. Paragraph 529 of the impact assessment details options that were previously considered but discounted. Our approach reflects evidence showing that comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising had a significant impact on reducing consumption, while partial bans had no significant effect. The World Health Organisation cites advertising bans as ‘one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco consumption’ so they are also likely to be effective for vaping and nicotine products.

The Government will monitor the impact of this advertising and sponsorship ban following its implementation.

There is a wide network of universal services and tailored information that parents of twins are able to access.

When babies are delivered safely, parents will likely have them beside them on the postnatal ward, where they will be supported to care for and feed their newborn. In the case that infants are born very early, they may need to spend some time in special (neonatal) care, which is not uncommon in the case of twin births.

The National Health Service website, Your newborn twins, provides expectant parents of twins advice on how to prepare for twins being born early, taking twins home and getting twins into a routine. This is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/baby/newborn-twins-and-multiples/your-newborn-twins/

Additionally, health visiting services are offered to all families, including five health and development reviews, information, support and intervention at key stages for parents and children. Where additional needs are identified, the health visiting service can either provide additional support directly or refer to NHS or local services as required.

The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is also supporting parents and carers of children of all ages, with a strong focus on conception to age two. Family hubs provide a wide range of universal services that could help parents of twins, such as support with infant feeding, perinatal mental health, and parent-infant relationships. We know that some local areas are offering more targeted support for parents of twins and multiples through their family hub networks.

Vaccine availability is monitored as part of standard operational practice across the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS England, and the devolved administrations. The UKHSA collects and analyses data from the vaccination programmes to understand the impact, effectiveness, and any inequalities.

The UKHSA has procured COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming season in line with uptake forecasts received from all four nations of the United Kingdom. Based on procured volumes, it is expected that there is sufficient COVID-19 vaccine available for those eligible to receive a vaccine across the current autumn and winter campaigns. People aged 75 years old and over, those in older adult care homes, and those aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed are eligible.

During the spring 2025 campaign, 60% of those aged 75 years old or over received the COVID-19 vaccine, as did 24.5% of those aged under 75 years old who also have a suppressed immune system. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2025-to-2026-season

It is too early in the autumn 2025 campaign to provide coverage data.

The UK National Screening Committee keeps my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care informed of progress on its current review into prostate cancer screening, which includes targeted screening.

The United Kingdom has a well-developed network of clinicians interested in bile acid disorders, namely the UK Bile Acid Related Diarrhoea Network, which is working with the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) on a major clinical trial.

The current treatment is mainly with “bile acid sequestrants” that bind the bile acids in the gut, but there is a recognised need to further develop new treatments. In 2025, the NIHR announced a £2 million investment in a research study to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments for bile acid malabsorption (BAM). Further information is available at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR160696

In addition, BAM has been highlighted in national guidance on managing chronic diarrhoea by the British Society of Gastroenterology, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued public-facing guidance on their website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/advice/esuom22/ifp/chapter/What-is-bile-acid-malabsorption

The standard diagnostic test for BAM is a SeHCAT study, pronounced “see cat” and named after the tauroselcholc [75 selenium] acid used in the procedure, and its use in the United Kingdom has rapidly expanded over the last 10 to 15 years, although there are limited research findings internationally, and consequently NICE has recently recommended further research in this area.

Information on the average time taken to diagnose myeloma in the South East is not held centrally. We publish 28-Day Faster Diagnosis data by suspected cancer, including provider and commissioner data, monthly. The latest publication is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/monthly-data-and-summaries/2025-26-monthly-cancer-waiting-times-statistics/cancer-waiting-times-for-august-2025-26-provisional/

We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnosis, and we remain committed to diagnosing all cancer types earlier, including myeloma. To tackle late diagnoses, the National Health Service is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) 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. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations.

Information on the average time taken to diagnose myeloma in the South East is not held centrally. We publish 28-Day Faster Diagnosis data by suspected cancer, including provider and commissioner data, monthly. The latest publication is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/monthly-data-and-summaries/2025-26-monthly-cancer-waiting-times-statistics/cancer-waiting-times-for-august-2025-26-provisional/

We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnosis, and we remain committed to diagnosing all cancer types earlier, including myeloma. To tackle late diagnoses, the National Health Service is implementing non-specific symptom (NSS) 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. There are currently 115 NSS services operating in England, ensuring more patients benefit from quicker access to the right investigations.

Better quality evidence is critical if the NHS is to support young people suffering from gender incongruence, so we are supporting a programme of research, recommended by the Cass Review, including the PATHWAYS study. The health and wellbeing of the children and young people involved is our primary concern.

Ethical and regulatory approvals have been received for the observational element of the study. Approval processes and site set-up are well underway for the clinical trial and we will provide an update when the study moves to the next stage.

This Government is committed to tackling delayed discharges to free up hospital beds, ensure people do not spend longer than necessary in hospital and, where safe and supported to do so, can recover well at home. To support this, we have provided around £9billion through the Better Care Fund, including £179million in Hampshire.

In September, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported step-down intermediate care capacity as the primary reason of delay for 6% of patients with delayed discharge and at least a 7-day length of stay. For Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust this was 13%, both lower than the England average of 14%.

The Government and the National Health Service know the importance of using accurate and factual language in relation to biological sex as part of health communications. The Department’s longstanding position is that health information should be as clear as possible, and that language should be used that appropriately reflects sex as defined as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.

Over the last 12 months I have met with a number of representatives across the eye care sector including The Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee, The Eyes Have It Partnership, as well as members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Eye Health and Visual impairment, which included the Hon. Member for Leicester South, to discuss primary eye care services. Officials in the Department also regularly meet with optometry stakeholders.