Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 provision for the early diagnosis of liver disease by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board; and what steps his Department is taking to support that Integrated Care Board to improve early identification and treatment.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Locally, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) is implementing the NHS Long Term Plan’s commitments on earlier diagnosis of liver diseases. This includes expanding access to non-invasive testing in primary care and community diagnostic centres delivering liver function tests and fibroscans in community environments. The ICB is also promoting consistent use of risk stratification tools, improving care navigation into specialist hepatology services via advice and guidance, and strengthening data infrastructure so systems can better target those at highest risk.
Nationally, NHS England has commenced a programme of work on the transformation of liver services led by the Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Clinical Reference Group (HPB CRG). The HPB CRG is working with partners to co-produce resources to raise public knowledge and awareness of all forms of liver disease.
The HPB CRG is also aiming to improve the early diagnosis and intervention through developing evidence-based best-practice pathways for both primary care and referral to secondary care services.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of location restrictions for high fat, sugar and salt products on fruit and nut (a) bars and (b) bags; and what steps he is taking to ensure that regulation does not have unintended consequences for competition.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever.
Restrictions on the promotion by location of ‘less healthy’ food and drink products in stores and their equivalent places online have been in place since 2022. These restrictions apply to categories of products that impact most on childhood obesity, which were chosen following public consultation. Only fruit and nut bars and bags that are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar are in scope of the restrictions. There are exceptions for certain coated nuts products. The products that are in and out of scope of the restrictions are set out in the Schedule to the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 regulations and we have published guidance to support industry on complying with the restrictions.
We published a detailed impact assessment on the costs to industry and the benefits of this policy on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect which would consider any unintended consequences of the policy.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that emergency (a) preparedness and (b) response planning includes consideration of rehabilitation needs in line with World Health Organization Resolution 76.6 on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems, adopted in May 2023.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Rehabilitation is an important consideration within the recovery phase of our emergency response plans and wider preparedness, in line with World Health Organization Resolution 76.6 on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems. The United Kingdom participated in the negotiation of the resolution which was adopted by the UK and Member States at the World Health Assembly in May 2023.
We regularly review our plans and procedures to ensure they continue to reflect best practice and lessons from real events, exercises and international bodies and comparators. The Department plans for a range of risks and scenarios from the onset of an incident through to the recovery phase. Specifically, recovery is a core element of NHS England’s emergency preparedness, resilience and response framework. It includes restoring services and addressing the longer-term health and care needs of people and communities who have been affected.
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 he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce health disparities in deprived communities in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is a priority for the Government to increase the amount of time people spend in good health and prevent premature deaths.
A core mission of the 10-Year Health Plan is to reduce the persistent inequalities that shape people’s health, including within communities. The plan’s three shifts all serve one purpose, to improve outcomes for those who face the greatest disadvantage.
We know everyday life poses greater health risks to those living in deprived communities, whether it is the price of healthy food, the level of pollution, or the quality of jobs available. Therefore, we are focussing on flagship prevention policies like reducing obesity and smoking and taking co-ordinated action across Government on the wider determinants of health priorities like air quality and fuel poverty.
We are also taking a range of cross-Government action to tackle health inequality. This includes the introduction of Awaab’s Law, ensuring landlords will have to fix significant damp and mould hazards, and we are also legislating for a new statutory health and health inequalities duty for strategic authorities.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ South East Regional Team provides system leadership for population health and reducing health inequalities across the South East, including Surrey. Local authorities, both upper tier and unitary, in England are responsible for improving the health of their local population and for reducing health inequalities. The Department provides them with the ring-fenced public health grant to carry out these duties.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether an equality impact assessment will be conducted prior to any implementation of the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on prostate cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 28 November, the UK National Screening Committee opened a 12-week public consultation on a draft recommendation on screening for prostate cancer. We anticipate a final recommendation in early 2026. After which, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation, and what next steps are needed. Any policy developed from the recommendation will be supported by an equality impact assessment to ensure that possible health inequality that could be caused by the policy will be mitigated against.
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 steps he is taking to improve access to treatment and engagement with services for people experiencing alcohol dependence in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with an alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, including in South Basildon and East Thurrock, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their alcohol and drug treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners. From 2026/27, all alcohol and drug treatment and recovery funding will be ringfenced and channelled through the Public Health Grant. Through the ringfenced funding, Essex will receive £11,023,044 in 2026/27 and indicative totals of £11,247,572 and £11,466,588 for 2027/28 and 2028/29 respectively. Thurrock will receive £1,588,644 in 2026/27 and indicative totals of £1,621,003 and £1,652,567 for 2027/28 and 2028/29 respectively.
The Department, with the support of partners from the devolved administrations, has developed and published the first ever United Kingdom clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment. This is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/clinical-guidelines-for-alcohol-treatment
The aim of the guidelines is to promote and support good practice and improve the quality of service provision, resulting in better outcomes for people experiencing harmful drinking and alcohol dependence.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has assessed the potential merits of introducing measures to accelerate the roll-out of new newborn screening programmes for genetic diseases.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is currently planning a large-scale in-service evaluation (ISE) of screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is a genetic condition, in newborn screening services to start in January 2027. Over 400,000 babies would be offered screening as part of this ISE. The ISE will help inform a future UK NSC recommendation on whether screening for SMA should be added to the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme (NBSP).
An ISE for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), another genetic condition, was undertaken in some newborn screening services in England from 2021 and concluded in 2024. During this period, 900,000 babies were screened, and 10 babies were found to have SCID. NHS England is planning to continue the SCID ISE alongside the ISE for SMA.
The Generation Study, which launched in 2024, is evaluating the effectiveness of using whole genome sequencing to test 100,000 newborns for genetic mutations associated with more than 200 rare genetic conditions. The sequencing of 100,000 newborns through the Generation Study will be completed by summer 2027.
The evaluation part of the study will then be completed and shared with the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) which advises ministers on all screening matters. The UK NSC will assess the findings to determine whether any newborn genomic screening can be recommended or whether more research is required.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with cancer charities on supporting people with hair loss accessing hair systems.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and the National Health Service in England acknowledge that some cancer patients may face difficulties with hair loss during treatment.
Decisions about the funding and provision of health services are the responsibility of local integrated care boards. NHS Supply Chain has engaged extensively on a national level to thoroughly assess the provision and supply of wigs and related accessories. Collaboration between NHS Supply Chain with industry groups is ongoing to facilitate access to the wigs framework, thereby offering NHS providers a broader selection of products. A key priority throughout this process has been ensuring suitability for individual wearers.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 21 November to question 90178, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a standardised approach to tissue freezing.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.
There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.
The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to question 90178, what steps his Department is taking to develop standard operating procedures for the handling and freezing of fresh tissue samples.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.
There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.
The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.