Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what antimicrobial resistance surveillance is currently conducted on imported foods at the UK border; and how that surveillance aligns with the UK's One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs monitors antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic and commensal bacteria from food samples taken from Third Country Imports to the European Union of fresh meat at Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry. This AMR testing is carried out on beef and/or pork and chicken and/or turkey on alternating years. These inspections are carried out in line with and under European Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1729 on the monitoring and reporting of AMR in zoonotic and commensal bacteria, which applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
For the rest of the United Kingdom, port health authorities (PHAs) have a statutory obligation to prioritise sampling under official controls which are intended to mitigate known food safety risks. PHAs have their own local sampling plans which will be informed by the UK’s National Monitoring Plan and other intelligence. Currently, it is more practical to sample for AMR screening inland.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently funding two AMR surveys at retail which includes testing foods imported into the United Kingdom. This includes the raw frozen chicken meat survey and the eggshell membrane food supplements survey, which includes supplements imported into the UK.
The Government takes a ‘One-Health’ approach to controlling AMR through the UK’s 2024 to 2029 National Action Plan. The FSA leads on AMR in food and promoting good hygienic practices across the food chain. Surveillance improves our understanding of AMR by measuring, predicting, and understanding how resistant microorganisms spread from animals and agriculture to humans via the food chain. This allows decisions to be based on robust surveillance, scientific research, and datasets. We monitor AMR bacteria found in foods to understand trends over several years and detect emerging new threats to protect the public and future effectiveness of antibiotics both in healthcare and animal welfare.
Asked by: Earl Howe (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the General Medical Council about improving the specificity of data points collected about the reasons that doctors (1) relinquish their licence to practice, and (2) leave the professional register, to better mitigate the causes of doctors leaving the profession.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department regularly discusses the data collections the General Medical Council (GMC) undertakes with the GMC. However, the Department has had no discussions with the GMC on changing data collection relating to the reasons for doctors choosing to relinquish their licence or leave the professional register.
The GMC is independent of the Government, directly accountable to Parliament, and responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the community pharmacy sector's funding gap has changed since the publication of Economic analysis of NHS pharmaceutical services in England on 31 March 2025.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2025/26, the funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. Additional funding was also made available, for example, for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
On 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to support unpaid carers a) generally and b) specifically to remove barriers to accessing respite.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.
Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.
Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to make accessing and understanding support for unpaid carers clear and transparent a) nationally and b) locally.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.
Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.
Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of a) GP consultations and b) Accident and Emergency attendances in England were assessed as i) avoidable, ii) non-urgent and iii) more appropriately managed in alternative settings in the latest year for which figures are available.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England publishes monthly data on General Practice Appointments, including the approximate length of time between appointments being booked and taking place, including same day appointments, for instance for patients needing more urgent care. However, this can’t be used as a proxy for avoidable, non-urgent, or if a particular patient would be more appropriately managed in alternative settings.
In the 12-months to December 2025, 44% of all appointments were delivered on the same day and 88% of appointments not usually booked in advance were delivered within two weeks of booking.
General practices (GP) are independent businesses that hold contracts with the National Health Service to provide essential services. The contracts are clear that patients must be offered an assessment of need or signposting to a different service on the day they contact their practice. The 2026/27 GP Contract makes it explicit that any requests identified as clinically urgent, as determined by the GP, must be dealt with on the same day.
The Emergency Care Data Set is the national data set for urgent and emergency care, published by NHS England. In 2024/25, 25,822,265 patients attended accident and emergency departments, excluding planned follow ups, with data being published at the following link:
Of these, approximately 8%, or approximately two million, were recorded as non-urgent. However, this does not mean they were necessarily avoidable or could have been managed in alternative settings.
We are taking action to reduce pressures on emergency departments and working to ensure patients are seen and treated in the most appropriate setting. This includes: encouraging the use of alternative community services before attending accident and emergency; expanding urgent care access in primary, community, and mental health settings, including more support from Urgent Community Response teams; and increasing the use of virtual wards.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the need for additional recognition and support for informal carers supporting people with mental health conditions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers, including those caring for people with mental ill-health, and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
Through measures in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are equipping and supporting carers by making them more visible, empowering their voices in care planning, joining up services, and streamlining their caring tasks by introducing a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App.
The Government has not made a specific assessment of the need for additional recognition and support for unpaid carers of people with mental ill-health. Local authorities are required by the Care Act 2014 to undertake carer’s assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, including those caring for people with mental ill-health, and to meet their eligible needs upon request from them.
The Government is making approximately £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.
Informal carers with common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies or be referred by their general practitioner. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. This includes expanding Talking Therapies services and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve early diagnosis of non-memory led dementias including primary progressive aphasia in Surrey.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A timely diagnosis is vital to ensuring that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care, and support that can help them to live well and remain independent for as long as possible.
As part of development of the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we will consider what interventions should be supported to improve dementia care and diagnosis waiting times, which we know are too long in many areas. We are considering all options to improve care and help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.
We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%. The national ambition to ensure that two-thirds of people estimated to have dementia receive a formal diagnosis includes ensuring provision of a validated diagnosis of dementia subtype.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 4.3.17 in his Department's manual entitled National Institute for Health and Care Excellence health technology evaluations: the manual, what would constitute a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. In developing its recommendations, NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health-related benefits to carers, but does not consider wider costs and benefits.
NICE is currently developing recommendations for the NHS on whether two new licensed medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be routinely funded by the NHS and has not yet published final guidance. NICE’s recommendations on the use of the treatments have been appealed and the appeals are being considered through the established process.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines on generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. They represent best practice, and healthcare professionals are expected to take them fully into account in the care and treatment of their patients. NICE keeps its guidance under active surveillance and decisions on whether published guidelines should be updated in light of new evidence are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by the NICE Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework. There are currently no plans to update the guideline on generalised anxiety and panic disorder.